March 28, 2012 by UTRGV Student Media

Foreign Aces the

Players from across the globe come to play for UTPA Pages 6-7

Volume 68, No. 23

Local Beats Valley rapper tries to break into the industry

UPROOTED March 28, 2012

Page 9

Austin Bound Broncs square off against Longhorns

Page 10

School Lunch Campus food choices expanding

Page 4

panamericanonline.com

This weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s video

ONLINE

Peace and Coffee opens to UTPA students

Film documenting struggles of local migrant student to make FESTIBA debut Page 8

editorial

March 28, 2012

opinion

A March without

madness

Mike Saenz

had any real effect. It was nonsensical, il- upset about this than with Mass Effect 3 logical, with no closure, and everything ending.” Sports Editor Some dim-witted individual broke you know and hope for the universe is and stole a borrowed camera out ofing the the window. I into my car best Remember job in promoting qualify There’s nothing like a roar- doesn’t automaticallythrown There’s nothing like a roarIt has been less than a month since and ing my passport with myon student visa. I itself? I know they Itrecently National “open-ended” well it wasn’t. ing student section on the road, for the Dance. The mentioned student section the road, Effect Bioware dewent with through changes Invitational Tournament, Colthousands of fans Mass rooting for 3thewas released. thousands of fans rooting cannot understand, what wouldfor an the ignowas the same ending a different color and livered theknow final installment of the video endured a facelift, but a decilege Basketball Invitational and underdog that they don’t that they don’twant know rant underdog and uneducated numskull with coating, the same disappointing ending. trilogy,the attempting an open-ended needs to be made. Collegeinsider.com Postseaone thing about orgame storming one thing about storming the my passport? Last timeor I checked, cameras Fans of thesion series, me included, were Athstorythat in which plot deci-are the three letic Director Chris King and court after an upset that never son Tournament court after an upset neverthe important completely disappointed by it and were aren’t capable of removing that extra chrorelied the solely other on themain player.tournaments The that staff have done a wonderful should happened. That’s the should happened.sions That’s left with a bittersweet feeling of blissful mosome that you were born with, but invite teams NCAA Basketball Tournament. choices and consequences of that yourdon’t qualify job so far during his tenure, NCAA Basketball Tournament. whoone am Ithing to understand disappointment: we still loved the series then again,And to theyour NCAA And one thing that actions the forged that thethe in-game story,but a are a side but there is one more thing waysUTPA of a parasite? but to absolutely hatedthe theBroncs ending.fans Afterwant a and that note, ifthat at was all, compared the UTPA basketball branching-out program has storyline basketball program has carThat isexperienced. when you look back at what couple of weeks of complaining, whinneed. Either make up your Biggames. Dance. never experienced. ried through all three never The game was upsetting you not moment long ago,for and creating several against mind movements in becoming a serious So yes, somethinging, is wrong. The biggest moment for The biggest choices questioned you about honor, realizeand you every don’t have yourbasketpriorities D-I program and and trying you to each Bioware a new ending, hasn’tdemanding each and every college basket- The basketball program college politics, intocharity a “real beenfriendship, in a stablelove, conference ball player is playing in race, the loyalty, ballorplayer is playing in the that nothing bad really hapraisingsince money get towards so theconference” fans’ straight what it means to have a soul, andperiod, what when it re- (which I think they are trying NCAA Tournament or as some NCAA Tournament or as some the 1991-98 voices were heard, we just moved on. pened. While good closure was taken truly makesIfus human. would to do) or think about moving sided inThey the Sun Belt, and like to call it, the Big Dance. callfrom it, the BigI Dance. If awaylike fromtome a series grew to love, Somehasn’t sooner than others, but eventually determine the fate of the galaxy back into Division II program participated in and postseason play it’s not, well it should be. But it’s not, well it should be. But all of us had better things to do than to be nothing important was truly lost. What I show what are the you 1981 willingNIT. to You got to status. Plain and simple. since thanks to the Great would West Conthanks to the Great West Confixated with an ending. What we learned learned and the countless hours of fun are I know I may not see the ference, which UTPA comthink that ference, which UTPA do andcomto sacrifice to save it. the Broncs are due, stuckpetes with in, me.the When reality broke in, I the journey was allinthat in while the mattered Big Dance buttowhat would be thethat point if Broncs petes in, the Broncs won’t haveforced Broncs won’t have Being confront these was the only one responsible. I had to live the end. our playershow can’t that opportunity this seasonto understand questions, theyget invited to attending UTPA, but I’m sure that opportunity this season withand my decisions. I won’t wasn’t afor spectator at A couple of new weeksregime back, will my get co- things the the dance even if they were to and possibly won’t for some possibly some are presented and what they mean, all, and I was forced the acat how upset I was autodone and enter a stable time. There are 31 automatic- win the conference? workers were surprised time. There areto31confront automaticamong other things, taught me tionsbids of a given simpleton thatNCAA wantedDivian easy matic-bid we returned fromconference the break. in I’mthe near Maybe it’s notwhen entirely bids given to 32 NCAA Divito 32 about because, ob- future. And hopefully one day sion I conferences and unfortutheimportant school’s fault sion I conferences and something unfortu- very usually quite jaded and don’t really care buck. me what I beI will be able see my team in But viously, the conference hasabout to anything. nately, the Great Westmyself. winnerIt taught nately, winner hell,the thisGreat is all aWest learning experimuch The to disappointlieve the place and the value of But has the the NCAA Tournament instead is the odd man out as the only is the odd man out as the only invite a university. ment was still lingering, and I was ready to will to be. of rooting program D-I conference whose winner athletics department write beenan doD-I conference whose free winner insightful overviewforonanother the storyI was asked to live my decitelling power that games like Mass Effect sions. I wasn’t just a spectator. have and how they completely missed an I was forced to confront my opportunity with that ending. Then, time own actions, and that forced passed and, like I said, I moved on. upon me a level of introI was ready to recall my feelings tospection… wards the game to write my opinion And then, the ending New mobile device charging this week, but reality had something else came out of nowhere... station at the Academic planned for me. On Sunday, my co-workServices Building. Paid for And nothing we did ers were in for a treat when I mumbled with IT student fees. What do throughout the series something along the lines of: “I’m more you think, #UTPA?

ence. The journey is truly what matters. I’ve learned as much from a game making me live the dilemma of choosing betweenautomatically what might as well be genocide ing the best job in promoting doesn’t qualify utter subversion of an entire itself? I know they recently forandthetheDance. The National went through changes and Invitational Tournament, race’s free will as I did from aColfreeloader lege Basketball Invitational dumbass who stole my stuff. and You mayendured a facelift, but a deciCollegeinsider.com think it is a silly thing Postseato be talkingsion needs to be made. Athson Tournament arereading the three about or that I am way too letic Director Chris King and other main tournaments that staff have done a wonderful much into this but, is it somehow invite teams that don’t qualify job so far during his tenure, us to learn tobeneath the NCAA but about are aourselves side but there is one more thing fromif an interactive experience note, at all, compared to the as that the Broncs fans want and much as we learn from real life? need. Either make up your Big Dance. I’myes, writing this asis Iwrong. look at mind in becoming a serious So something the basketball time and getprogram ready to drop The hasn’tby D-I program and trying to been a stable conference sinceof get into a “real conference” the in police station to get a copy thethe1991-98 period, when police report. I still haveit arelot (which I think they are trying sided the Sun to fixinabout thisBelt, mess and and hasn’t I’m on to do) or think about m participated a deadline, in butpostseason it will get play done since the 1981 NIT. You got to and I’ve learned from it. Like I’ve think that the Broncs are due, twicebebefore in this butmentioned what would the point if opinion, the journey is truly e TV screen that I’m rootour players can’t get invitedwhat to is life thematters, dance and even what if they werewithto ing for. outthea conference? few disappointments and But hey, let’s look at the win struggles? MaybeAnd it’smore not importantly, entirely bright side. If the Broncs do inthewho school’s are youfault if youbecause, can’t learnobfrom deed win the GWC tournament viously, them? the conference has to this season, at least we get to invite a university. But has the watch them in the CollegeInsidathletics department been do- Postseason Tournament.

Photo of the week

tweets

@ThePanAmerican I used it & it sucked. It wouldn’t properly charge my iPhone bec the connection kept falling out.

@Thisismyoutlet

Letters to the Editor The Pan American accepts letters of 300 words or less from students, staff and faculty regarding recent newspaper content, campus concerns or current events. We cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all letters to thepanamerican@gmail.com.

Production es Notweek 9

Don’t worry - you didn’t miss your Thursday classes. We are indeed printing on a Wednesday, and your report is not due until tomorrow. A few hours after the ink of this newspaper stains your fingers, The Pan American’s staff will be on the road to the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association conference in Corpus Christi. Trust us when we say that there’s no reason to be jealous. This annual conference takes us out of our already stressful routines and pits us against a few hundred other tired yet equally competitive college journalists. TIPA is like “The Hunger Games” of the collegiate journalism world. And, yes, that is a thing. A couple dozen students are let loose during a staged event (or even just released out into the city), but only one will come back with a story, photo, video or design that gives

Vol. 68, No. 23

The Pan American thepanamerican@gmail.com 1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 665-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122

Co-Editors-in-Chief:

Reynaldo Leal Nadia Tamez-Robledo

News Editor:

Karen Antonacci

Sports Editor:

Michael Saenz

Arts & Life Editor:

them the bragging rights as the best college reporter in Texas. TIPA will have particular meaning for this crop of reporters, photographers and designers at The Pan American. The newspaper has undergone a dramatic redesign this semester, and our tender, newborn format will come under the scrutiny of peers and professors from across the state. Its success or failure will fall squarely on the shoulders of the second generation of The Pan American’s co-editors-in-chief, something virtually unheard of anywhere in journalism. The inevitable pre-contest butterflies are accompanied by excitement and, above all, determination. We’re representing UTPA, we work hard, and we want to win, damn it. - Nadia Tamez-Robledo Co-Editor-in-Chief

Norma Gonzalez

Photography Editor: Ruben Gutierrez

Design Editor:

Erick Gonzalez

Multimedia Editor: Pamela Morales

Adviser:

Dr. Greg Selber

Administrative Associate:

Anita Reyes

Advertising Manager:

Mariel Cantu

Webmasters: Ruben Gutierrez/The Pan American Construction worker Gilbert Perez removes concrete from the old parking lot at the new UTPA Art Annex.

Like The Pan American Facebook page to view the “UTPA Frame of the Day.”

Jose Villarreal Selvino Padilla

The Pan American is the official student newspaper of The University of Texas-Pan American. Views presented are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or university. Thursday, March 1st 6PM

Delivery:

Thursday at noon

Thursday, March 1st

March 28, 2012

the pan american

The University of Texas-Pan American

is pleased to present

LARRY KING

Former Host of CNN’s Larry King Live

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Dubbed “the most remarkable talk-show host on TV ever,” Larry King, the former host of CNN’s Larry King Live, the first worldwide phone-in TV talk show, has been a mainstay in network broadcasting for over 50 years. After bidding farewell to the show in fall 2010, the Emmy Award-winning host remains the man responsible for one of CNN’s highest-rated programs. King has done more than 50,000 interviews throughout his half-century career in broadcasting.

FINE ARTS AUDITORIUM, 7:30 p.m.

Doors will open at 7 p.m. for UTPA students, faculty and staff with a valid UTPA ID. No guests allowed. The general public may take available seats at 7:20 p.m. FREE ADMISSION. SEATING IS LIMITED. View the program live at www.utpa.edu/live. For more information or if special accommodations are needed, call (956) 665-7989.

Page 3

March 28, 2012

newsbriefs The Office of Student Engagement and Experiential Learning has appointed Christopher Keller of the English Department as interim faculty director of the Office of International Programs. Valley Metro is now offering a new Route 13 schedule that includes a stop at the University eight times in one day. The company also allows users of the bus to bring bicycles along to mount on the Valley Metro bus racks. “The True Cost of Coal,” an art exhibition, will take place Wednesday, March 28 at the UTPA International Trade and Technology Building’s International Room at 6:30 p.m. The exhibition, featuring artwork created by volunteer activist-artists, is meant to express their views about environmental damage caused by coal. The National Student Speech Language Hearing Association will host an autism awareness event Monday, April 2 from noon to 1 p.m. in front of the Student Union. The event will feature a band, fundraising initiatives, and the artwork of autistic children who attend sessions at the UTPA speech clinic. Broadcast legend Larry King will speak at the Fine Arts Auditorium April 3 for the finale of the Distinguished Speakers Series. The Distinguished Speakers Series is offering UTPA students the opportunity to meet Larry King; winners of an essay contest will get the honor. Entries must be typed and emailed to studentunion@ utpa.edu by 5 p.m. Thursday, March 29.

The Pan American

Police Beat Monday, March 26 UT Police made contact with a student in response to a criminal mischief report. The student stated that several campaign posters hanging throughout campus had been damaged with a black marker. A student was arrested at Heritage Hall for possession of cocaine.

news 3

Change

November 10, 2011

of taste

Sodexo to offer new dining options in UTPA Slice of Life buildings Pizzeria

Student Union

Theater

By Jose S. De Leon III The Pan American On screen, Adolf Hitler shakes with fury over UTPA’s new food expansion project. In the viral video “Pan Am’s new restaurant,” which uses footage from the 2004 foreign film Downfall, Hitler rants angrily in German with fabricated English subtitles explaining his rage about Poncho’s coming to the University. The video, which was uploaded to YouTube in February, has received over 5,000 views so far. Off screen though, the creator of the video, seanfrommemo1, is more at ease with the news than the German dictator. “I’m ecstatic Taco Poncho’s is coming,” he said in an email interview. “The video isn’t a good reflector of my views towards UTPA’s intentions for expanding, and I’m looking forward to giving them all my money.” The arrival of Taco Poncho’s isn’t the only change taking effect at UTPA. The first hint of the many changes to come on campus is the relocation of the C-Store to a beige trailer between the Social Behavioral Sciences and Communication Arts and Sciences buildings. The C-Store, which sells snacks and school supplies, has moved outside while its former spot in the Student Union is being repurposed to house the Taco Poncho’s. “It’s fine. It’s a lot more open

Other

Union updates - The Food Court will close in late spring to make room for a new Chick-fil-A, Slice of Life Pizzeria and Mein Bowl. Subconnection, Starbucks and a store will move to the Game Room area. The Game Room will move upstairs. and less crowded than the old location,” said Homero Garcia, a 24-year-old English major, about the C-Store’s temporary location. “It’s more convenient.” Other changes coming to UTPA include the closing of the Student Union Food Court in the late spring to make room for a Chick-fil-A, Slice of Life Pizzeria and a Mein Bowl. “We wanted to create some more variety for everyone,” said Letty Benavides, director of aux-

iliary services. The food service expansion project is moving forward in phases. The first phase of the plan includes building a Jazzman’s Café in the Library for mid-May. In April, construction of a Sandella’s Flatbread Café for the Science Building and a Simply-To-Go kiosk for the Engineering Building is planned. However, seanfrommemo1 does admit to some dissatisfaction as to how the decision-mak-

ing process played out. “From what I understand, they only had a small committee of students decide,” he wrote. “Food is such an important component of a college student’s lifestyle that it would’ve made more sense to involve the entire campus in the decision-making process.” According to Benavides, Sodexo did market research on which food options would work best for UTPA and performed a survey last spring.

Alli Guerra, an 18-year-old freshman dance major, anticipates the new additions. “It’s really great to have a diversity of food coming up,” the McAllen native said. “With the options we’re getting, it’ll be much easier for me, a vegetarian, to find something to eat.”

improvements around campus

Science Building will have a new Sandella’s, a flatbread and panini restaurant (mid-May)

A new Dining Hall (fall 2013)

Engineering Building will get a new Simply-To-Go Kiosk (end of April)

Library will get a Jazzman’s Café and Bakery, plus a new patio on the north end (mid-May)

news

March 28, 2012

1102 ,01 rebmevoN

Home is where the art is “We’re moving the Art Department out of (the Fine Arts) area and giving them their own home at the annex,” said

annex location

UTPA

University Dr.

S. Closner Blvd.

Art majors can expect a longer commute when art classes are moved to the renovated Administration Academic Support Annex, known as the “art annex,” on South Closner Boulevard. The current Fine Arts Complex is located in the southeast corner of campus, while the renovated one will require students to travel to the Closner location for classes in the fall. A commuter bus will operate all day between campus and the art annex, according to Susan Fitzsimmons, the chair of the Art Department. Bob Simpson is a partner at Boultinghouse Simpson Architects, a firm based in McAllen that helped design the renovations for the art annex. He said the annex, scheduled for completion this summer, will be very different from the current Fine Arts Complex. “I think (art students) are going to get a quality of education. It’s just that it’s a different setting, and they’re going to have to drive off

campus to get there or take a bus, shuttle, some way to get to the remote campus,” Simpson said. “When you leave campus you have less interaction with other departments on campus. Is that bad or good? I really can’t say. It’s different.” The art annex housed art faculty and various departments. To begin renovations on the annex, UTPA moved these departments and faculty offices to the newly updated Haggar building on East Freddy Gonzalez Drive. After a year in the works, the art annex is scheduled for completion at the end of July. The project is predicted to cost the University between $3.5 million and $3.8 million in total. According to Oscar Villarreal, director of Physical Plant, these funds are given to the University by the state for capital, permanent equipment or for construction expenses. The initiative to consolidate the Art Department, which currently has classes in facilities throughout campus, came from President Robert Nelsen’s office, according to Marta SalinasHovar, assistant director of project planning and management.

4th St.

By Daniella Diaz The Pan American

Freddy Gonzalez Dr.

Art Annex UTPA

E. Canton Rd. Salinas-Hovar, who works as the project manager. “They’re going to have new space, more space, new furniture, some new equipment...I think it will just be a much better environment overall for them.” Simpson said that the renovated art annex will be very different from fine arts buildings designed in the past.

Art students to move to renovated annex for classes

“The existing buildings on campus were designed to have a lot of access to natural light,” Simpson said. “At the art annex, it is very difficult to put windows in, so the decision was made not to put windows and not to put a lot of natural light.” Fitzsimmons believes that the art annex is a wonderful gift for UTPA. “The new art department will have state of the art ventilation, equipment, and will be a drawing card for anyone interested in the arts,” Fitzsimmons said. “Change is frightening to some people, but courage is required if you are ever going to move ahead in life. We in the Art Department are moving and evolving.” PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Construction on the new academic performing arts center is scheduled to begin some time in August, after the transition to the renovated art annex is complete. The University currently has two annexes: the Administration Academic Support Annex and the Fine Arts Art Annex, commonly known to art students as the triangular building at the Fine Arts Complex where

ceramics and jewelry studios are located. The latter will be demolished, along with the current performing arts center, to make room for a new academic and performing arts center. “The existing facility has a lot of challenges for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and some other physical facility challenges,” Villarreal said. “We ended up finding out that it would be a lot cheaper or more cost effective to demolish the existing building and reconstruct.” The current performing arts center has a steeply inclined aisle that is no longer acceptable for ADA and for other accessibility purposes, according to Villarreal. “The auditorium is grandfathered since it was built many years ago,” he explained. “All new renovations and/or improvements would require the entire facility to be brought up to date on all applicable building codes.” The new Fine Arts Auditorium will cost an estimated $42.7 million to build, which will be funded mostly from Tuition Revenue Bonds (TRB). According to Villarreal, the University borrows this money from the

state and is required to pay it back over time. “The existing building is only 25,000 square feet, and the new building is 60,000 square feet,” she said. “It’s going to be an overall enormous improvement for the music program and for the theater program, and for dance as well.”

Ruben Gutierrez/The Pan American

new foundation - Victor Silva moves concrete pieces at the current Art Annex during renovations.

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THE PAN AMERICAN

March 28, 2012

THE PAN AMERICAN

March 28, 2012

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INTERNATIONAL BRONCS The UTPA Bronc tennis teams have not shied away from recruiting internationally; if anything they have embraced the challenge. The men’s team has six out of eight active players who are originally from another country. The women, similarly, carry five international players out of six active athletes. Combined, both teams have players from 9 different countries - Sweden, France, Mexico, Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Belgium, Germany, and India.

Rolf Niederstrasser

Malin Andersen Hometown: Halta, Sweden Andersen is from Halta, Sweden, and is a senior for the Broncs. She has played all her four seasons for Broncs, playing on the top positions in doubles and singles. She is also a member of the Betta Gamma Sigma international honor society, majoring in finance.

Hometown: Berlin, Germany

Singles record: 4 - 6 Doubles teammate: Suncica Strkic Doubles record: 2 - 8

Prior to coming to UTPA, Niederstrasser played in different junior tournaments. He finished third in singles and second in doubles in the National Cuban Championships in Pinar del Rio in 2004 and was also a member of the Cuban Juniors National Team. Niederstrasser studies political science and history.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW: During Anderson’s four years at UTPA, she became a big fan of spicy Mexican food and can eats as much salsa as humanly possible.

Singles record: 5 - 5 Doubles teammate: Victor Alves Doubles record: 4 - 4 WHAT DO YOU KNOW: Niederstrasser left his home in Cuba at age 18 and moved to the U.S. by himself.

Blanca Garcia Hometown: CD. Victoria, Mexico Garcia is in her second year playing for the UTPA Broncs. Prior to the Broncs, Garcia was playing junior tournaments and practicing at tennis academies in Argentina. Her hometown is Victoria, Mexico, and one of the reasons she came to U.S. is to be closer to her family and friends.

Wanda Beguilin Hometown: Lyon, France

Suncica Strkic

Beguilin, a sophomore majoring in finance, is playing in her second season for the UTPA Broncs women’s tennis team. Beguilin is from Lyon, France, and prior to UTPA she played in several junior tournaments.

Hometown: Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Singles record: 5 - 5 Doubles teammate: Dana Nazarova Doubles record: 4 - 4

Suncica Strkic, whose nickname is Sunny, is in her second year playing for UTPA. Strkic is from Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She is one of the three seniors playing for the Broncs women’s tennis team.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW: Beguilin’s younger sister, 17-year-old Victoria, also wants to play tennis and study in U.S.

Singles record: 2 - 8 Doubles teammate: Malin Anderson Doubles record: 2 - 8

Singles record: 1 - 10 Doubles teammate: Cindy Sands Doubles record: 1 - 9

WHAT DO YOU KNOW: Strkic loves to watch soap operas and enjoys cooking her favorite Bosnian meals during her free time.

Sebastien Job

WHAT DO YOU KNOW: Garcia really enjoys art and loves painting.

Hometown: Walhain, Belgium Job is a sophomore from Walhain, Belgium, majoring in management. Before coming to UTPA, Job played several junior ITF tournaments and futures in Belgium, Denmark and Turkey. He also has a ranking of B-2-6 in the Belgian Open division. Singles record: 4 - 7 Doubles teammate: Ricardo Hopker Doubles record: 4 - 6

Chetan Panditi

WHAT DO YOU KNOW: Job is very good at soccer and has been playing for 10 years.

Ricardo Hopker Hometown: Curtiba, Brazil Hopker is from Curitiba, which is the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. He is a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering. He is playing in his second season for UTPA, and currently has a winning record (8-6) in singles playing mostly on #2 position. Singles record: 6 - 5 Doubles teammate: Rolf Niederstrasser Doubles record: 4 - 5 WHAT DO YOU KNOW: Hopker says that even though he’s is from Brazil, he is not a good dancer, as people usually think.

Victor Alves Hometown: Sao Paolo, Brazil

Dana Nazarova Hometown: Nalchik, Russia

Alves is from the largest city in Brazil and in the southern hemisphere, Sao Paolo. He came to U.S., specifically to UTPA, to be able to play tennis and study at the same time. It is his second season playing for the UTPA Broncs tennis team. Alves is majoring in marketing with a minor in communication.

Nazarova is a transfer student from California State University, Sacramento and is majoring in political science and history. She is also a Guerra Honors Program student. Nazarova is from Nalchik, Russia, and is in her second season for the UTPA Broncs. During her sophomore year she was named to the Great West Conference first-team. Nazarova is also the captain of the team and one of the three other seniors on the team.

Singles record: 5 - 2 Doubles teammate: Rolf Niederstrasser Doubles record: 4 - 4

Singles record: 2 - 9 Doubles teammate: Wanda Beguelin Doubles record: 2 - 8

WHAT DO YOU KNOW: Alves plays guitar and loves to surf and play soccer when he’s not competing for the Broncs

WHAT DO YOU KNOW: Nazarova is a big fan of yoga and is a certified instructor in triyoga.

Hometown: Hyderabad, India Panditi is a transfer student from Hyderabad, India. Prior to UTPA he was attending Bhavan’s Junior College in Hyderabad, Adhra Pradesh. He has played several junior ITF tournaments and earned a Top-10 ranking in the under-16 league. Singles record: 6 - 7 Doubles teammate: Beau Bernstein Doubles record: 6 - 5 WHAT DO YOU KNOW: One of the reasons Panditi transferred to UTPA is that he knew former player UTPA tennis player, Aswin Vijayaragavan, who is now playing professionally.

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THE PAN AMERICAN

March 28, 2012

THE PAN AMERICAN

March 28, 2012

Page 7

Rolf Niederstrasser

Hometown: Berlin, Germany

Singles record: 4 - 6 Doubles teammate: Suncica Strkic Doubles record: 2 - 8

WHAT DO YOU KNOW: During Anderson’s four years at UTPA, she became a big fan of spicy Mexican food and can eats as much salsa as humanly possible.

Singles record: 5 - 5 Doubles teammate: Victor Alves Doubles record: 4 - 4 WHAT DO YOU KNOW: Niederstrasser left his home in Cuba at age 18 and moved to the U.S. by himself.

Wanda Beguilin Hometown: Lyon, France

Suncica Strkic

Hometown: Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Singles record: 5 - 5 Doubles teammate: Dana Nazarova Doubles record: 4 - 4

WHAT DO YOU KNOW: Beguilin’s younger sister, 17-year-old Victoria, also wants to play tennis and study in U.S.

Singles record: 2 - 8 Doubles teammate: Malin Anderson Doubles record: 2 - 8

Singles record: 1 - 10 Doubles teammate: Cindy Sands Doubles record: 1 - 9

WHAT DO YOU KNOW: Strkic loves to watch soap operas and enjoys cooking her favorite Bosnian meals during her free time.

Sebastien Job

WHAT DO YOU KNOW: Garcia really enjoys art and loves painting.

Chetan Panditi

WHAT DO YOU KNOW: Job is very good at soccer and has been playing for 10 years.

Victor Alves Hometown: Sao Paolo, Brazil

Dana Nazarova Hometown: Nalchik, Russia

Singles record: 5 - 2 Doubles teammate: Rolf Niederstrasser Doubles record: 4 - 4

Singles record: 2 - 9 Doubles teammate: Wanda Beguelin Doubles record: 2 - 8

WHAT DO YOU KNOW: Alves plays guitar and loves to surf and play soccer when he’s not competing for the Broncs

WHAT DO YOU KNOW: Nazarova is a big fan of yoga and is a certified instructor in triyoga.

arts & life

March 28, 2012

The Harvest By Norma Gonzalez The Pan American

driven - Perla Sanchez, one of the three migrant students featured in The Harvest, dreams of becoming a lawyer to help others like herself. Norma Gonzalez/The Pan American

Perla Sanchez remembers that middle school day when she and several students were taken from their classrooms to meet with filmmaker U. Roberto Romano, who was looking for migrant students to profile for an upcoming documentary. No one wanted to speak. Instead they all just looked down as the director attempted to coax the group into a conversation. Sanchez was the first to open up. Like many other migrant workers, she wasn’t used to being asked about what she did in the fields, but suddenly there was someone interested. “At first it was scary, but exciting at the same time,” she said. “Finally someone was paying attention. It’s one of the best things that could happen to me - to be recognized. As far back as she can remember 18-year-old Sanchez has been a migrant worker. Packing up the family truck and traveling to Ohio, Mississippi, Alabama and Indiana to pick crops in fields for 14 hours a day is her reality. The Harvest, a documentary following migrant students and their families, will premier

BRACEROS By Christian Ritter and Lea Victoria Juarez The Pan American

UTPA’s Mexican American Studies (MAS) program brought the Smithsonian National Museum of American History exhibit “Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program 1942-1964” to the Visitor’s Center. It opened to the public on Feb. 18. The braceros were migrant workers from Mexico sent to the United States to work on farms through labor contracts between the two governments. The “Bittersweet” exhibit, on campus through April 29, depicts the opportunity and hardships that this program presented to young Mexican nationals who took part. Around 4.5 million people

were part of the program over the course of 22 years. “At the core, bringing the bracero exhibit to campus was about honoring the braceros, acknowledging their valuable contributions, and making people aware of this important and hidden part of U.S. history,” said Stephanie Alvarez, director of the MAS program. Alvarez, assistant professor of modern languages, first learned of the travelling exhibit two and a half years ago. With funding help from the College of Arts and Humanities and UTPA alum Chuy Ramirez, a former migrant farm-worker, Alvarez was able to reserve it for the University. The bilingual exhibit focuses on pictures, first-person accounts, and letters from the braceros to their families. Along

on campus Wednesday at the Student Union Theater from 6 to 8 p.m., not only as part of FESTIBA, but to celebrate National Farmworker Awareness Week. “I would hope they [the migrant students] would feel empowered,” Romano said. “People who don’t know become educated.” Many other children share a similar story to Sanchez’s, working long days surrounded by dangerous tools and harsh conditions. According to Student Action with Farmworkers, farm work is the third most dangerous job in the United States due to unsafe working conditions. “For a long time I’ve been involved in children’s rights, and human rights,” said Romano, who is an award-winning human rights educator, filmmaker and photographer. Originally, he started with about 50 students to interview for the documentary. But due to schedule conflicts and lack of time, he decided to focus only on three students: Sanchez, a Weslaco native; Zulema Lopez of Laredo; and Victor Huapilla of Florida. “A documentary could only really follow three stories,” Romano said. “These stories work well together and stand

alone. It’s a great way to show children in agriculture.” Even then, not all the subjects were as cooperative as the film crew would have wished. “With Perla you see a lot of anger because she’s been through a lot of discrimination,” said Noemi Ochoa, Texas Coordinator for Children in

Documentary hopes to bring awareness to campus Lopez’s attitude on set didn’t help at all when it came to keeping to schedule; at times she would even lock herself up, not wanting to cooperate. Mother Nature also had a hand in holding up what should have been a year-long project. Bad weather, like floods and droughts, plagued the United States.

When we sit at a table and say grace, we need to respect them. They need to be seen as humans. - U. Roberto Romano Filmmaker

the Fields Campaign, who was instrumental in bringing the documentary to the University. “With Zulema, you see a lot of rebellion.” Although at the time of the documentary Sanchez was described as angry, she feels she’s grown out of that mentality. “I was smaller and I didn’t understand,” Sanchez explained. “It’s not something you should be ashamed of. You don’t want to be any less. People would stare and be like, ‘Look what they’re doing.’” According to Ochoa,

“The [migrant workers] are moved by weather,” Romano said. “They often don’t know where they’re going to end up, they just follow work.” All of these bumps on the road wouldn’t stop the documentary from being made. According to Ochoa, a discrepancy in the Fair Labor Standards Act is a double-edged sword. The Act sets 12 as the minimum age for farm work, not 16 as in other jobs. “I once saw a child young as 9... it was quite a revelation,” Romano said. “Normally, we

think of child labor, we think of India, Pakistan, Brazil. We think of other continents. We think of developing [countries].” Ochoa refers to migrants as the Invisible Students, moving from city to city, school to school to continue working while many people don’t even notice them. Sanchez recalls many experiences with school teachers who didn’t seem to care about migrant students. Teachers knew they would have to start school late in the semester and leave early. “I never thought about leaving school,” Sanchez said. “It’s hard to adapt. Only learning what they want you to learn. Only teaching what they want to teach.” Martha Cantu, UTPA alum and now the University’s vice president of student affairs, will conduct the welcome speech, Sanchez will be the keynote speaker, and Lopez, one of the three featured subjects, has been invited to attend. Huapilla is unable to attend due to the distance. “These people who take off deserve a sense of grace,” Romano said in regards to migrant workers. “When we sit at a table and say grace, we need to respect them. They need to be seen as humans.”

UTPA hosts Smithsonian migrant worker exhibit with the depictions of their new social lives in the United States, “Bittersweet” portrays the bigotry, governmental restrictions, unsanitary living conditions, and poor wages the braceros endured. From mandatory health screenings to being sprayed with pesticides, the braceros faced many obstacles and had to be cleared before they could be offered a contract. After that, they were put on a cattle bus and shipped off to either find opportunity or be exploited. “I believe bringing the bracero exhibit to the University of Texas-Pan American is a great way to teach not only students, but the public who comes and sees it, about an important part of history that unfortunately has been hidden for many years,” said

Belinda Lopez, a MAS graduate student. Alvarez explains that the exhibit has opened up many doors in the Valley such as a likely publication of the bracero stories, a documentary, a car show, and a public mural in San Juan. Francisco Guajardo, associate professor of educational leadership in the College of Education, is working with Alvarez on a bracero oral history project that will become a book, and a Bracero Symposium April 20 and 21 where living participants will be honored. “I think UTPA has a responsibility to acknowledge the stories, lives, and history of Mexican-Americans, especially those stories that are often not told,” Alvarez said.

Exhibit runs from Feb. 18 - April 29 Location: Visitors Center at UTPA Free admission Monday - Thursday 7:30 a.m - 6 p.m.

Friday

7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday

8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

arts & life

March 28, 2012

jeremiah jay: local hip-hop artist on the rise By Lea Victoria Juarez The Pan American Life used to be ordinary for 16-year-old Jeremiah Dray Cail. As an athlete at Donna High School and honors student, Cail was just a regular teenager, until about six months ago when everything changed and he became the hip-hop artist known as Jeremiah Jay. Cail’s relationship with music began at an early age. Growing up, he played with toy keyboards, formed musical groups with his friends, and even learned how to play the drums. But he didn’t get serious about a career in music until a few months ago. “I’ve always loved music and had a passion for it, but I knew I could take it to another level,” Cail said. “I bought a couple of recording instruments and start-

ed recording myself, but I knew it wasn’t the best quality. So, I went into a studio and they were like, ‘You have potential.’” In February, Cail released the music video to his debut single titled “Any Flow,” which received more than 17,000 views on YouTube. Since that release, he’s performed at SPI JAMS 2012 at the South Padre Island Convention Center and was featured in the February 2012 issue of Contempo Magazine. Even though the whispers of “Jeremiah Jay” have spread and a fan base has developed, he hasn’t allowed the newfound fame to go to his head. “I try to make it as casual as I possibly can,” he said. “I just want to stay humble and give everyone good music, but when stuff like that happens it makes me feel good inside.”

Though he has drawn inspiration from hip-hop artist Big Sean, Cail’s material is original as are the beats behind the lyrics. Manager Rebecca BermeaPeña believes that the Mid-Valley youth is an artist to lookout for. “I see someone that has a lot of heart and determination, someone that is not going to stop until he reaches his goal or gets as close to it as he possibly can,” she said. “And I think that’s the motivation behind his spirit.” In an industry that is known to be cut-throat, a new artist trying to make it on the music scene can get discouraged. In spite of doubters, Cail looks to friends and extended family for support. “Nobody ever actually thought that he would go through with it, but he’s actually really doing it. It’s amazing,” school friend Kevin Torres

said. “I’m with him 110 percent. Whatever he needs, I’ll be here.” In May, Cail will travel to Houston to meet with DJ KD from Sirius Satellite radio and other industry players from media outlets such as Black Entertainment Television (BET). He will also compete in San Antonio’s b-boy competition Shut Up and Dance. His career may only be beginning, but Cail has high hopes for the future and intends to do everything he possibly can to attain his goal. “I give 100 percent in everything I do, and I’m not going to stop no matter what,” Cail said. “My ultimate goal is to be at the top one day and to be (known world wide), and I can walk out somewhere and they’ll be like, ‘Whoa, that’s Jeremiah Jay.’”

Festival of Books and Arts at UTPA By Lea Victoria Juarez The Pan American

The sixth annual Festival of International Books and Arts (FESTIBA) kicked off on March 24. With over 60 events lined up for the week, FESTIBA offers a variety of workshops, conferences and culturally enriching events for both the public and the University community. FESTIBA was created to promote reading and celebrate the arts and humanities. This year’s theme, “Literacy and Justice for All,” is meant to highlight the importance of literacy in the Hispanic community.

FESTIBA Events Calendar For full FESTIBA calendar visit utpa.edu/festiba

All week

March 26-31

“Bittersweet Harvest” Exhibit Charles and Dorothy Clark Gallery Photography exhibit Fine Arts Gallery MFA exhibit “Harry Potter’s World: Renaissance Science, Magic, and Medicine”

The magic in the Harry Potter books is partially based on Renaissance traditions including alchemy, astrology, and natural philosophy. The seven-part series examines important ethical topics such as the desire for knowledge, the effects of prejudice, and the responsibility that comes with power. Location: UTPA Library, First Floor, Art Gallery

Wednesday, March 28 “Seeing Red Johns: A Look at the Media Obsession with Sadistic Serial Offenders” Student projects will examine the fascination with the serial offender as presented in modern and classic literature. Location: COAS 255 Time: 5:45 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Korean Film Festival: Poetry Directed by Chang-dong Lee

This event will feature two Korean films in order to address the specific issues of literacy and justice in Korean context. Location: Student Union Theater Time: 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Friday, March 30

Global Lens Showing “Opera Jawa”

A Japanese classical musical directed by Garin Nugroho inspired by the “The Abduction of Sita” episode from the Ramayana. Location: Library Auditorium Time: 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Saturday, March 31 Mariachi Competition and Concert 600 students will compete in Middle School and High School Mariachi Competition. Evening concerts will feature the Mariachi Sol de Mexico, the UTPA Mariachi Aztlán, and the winners of the middle and high school competitions.

Location: Fine Arts Auditorium Competition Time: 9 - 2 p.m. ($5.00 admission) Concert Time: 6:30 p.m. ($10.00 admission)

Open Easel II

This will be the second year in which the Art Department is promoting the academic fair/art walk Open Easel. Location: Fine Arts Area Time: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

sports

March 28, 2012

Texas Clash Broncs ready to take on the No. 19 'Horns

By Jonathan Salinas The Pan American There were two wellknown programs scheduled on the UTPA Broncs baseball calendar this year: the Texas A&M Aggies and the Texas Longhorns. The Broncs already clipped the Aggies by splitting a two-game series on March 4 in College Station 5-2. One down, one to go. The Broncs have come dangerously close to upsetting the Longhorns the past two years, falling 4-2 last year in Austin and 3-2 the year before. “I thought UTPA had a good game plan,” Longhorns coach Augie Garrido told The Monitor after last year’s meeting. “I’d like to compliment their coach on what a great job he’s done. Their pitcher threw great, they didn’t give us any extra bases, and they didn’t make any errors. I thought overall they did a great job.”

The Broncs will need to play error-free baseball if they want to compete against the likes of Texas. The Longhorns are the winningest NCAA Division I college baseball program with a win percentage of .740. The burnt orange also rank second in all-time number of total wins with 3,246 and have won a total of six NCAA baseball national championships. The highly-anticipated matchup between the Broncs and the Longhorns tonight in Austin will come at the end of a six-game road trip, which started with UTPA being swept by New Mexico State in a four-game series over the weekend. The Longhorns have struggled a little to start the season thus far, as they own a 13-9 record. The Broncs have also recently struggled after beating the Aggies; however, Guadalupe Barrera, the projected starting pitcher against the Longhorns, thinks this is

the year they pull off the upset. “We gotta stay focused,” said Barrera, who played high school ball at La Joya. “We have to stay confident. The last few years we’ve had chances. This year, the way the team plays together, I believe we can come out strong and come out on the high end of the game.” Barrera looks to stay hot against the Horns, ranked No. 19 in the nation. He hasn’t allowed a run in five of his 12 appearances. The Broncs are 2-5 away from Edinburg so far this season, a statistic that the program has been desperately trying to change after going 6-22 last year on the road. UTPA has allowed 68 runs in seven games away from Edinburg this season including surrendering double-digit runs in three out of the four contests against New Mexico. The Broncs take on the Longhorns tonight at 6 p.m.

Adrian Castillo/The Pan American

upset city - Junior Guadalupe Barrera pitches in the second game of a doubleheader victory against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi March 20.

Home stretch By Michael Saenz The Pan American

Ruben Gutierrez/The Pan American

ACE - Senior Beau Bernstein serves during his singles match against the University of Maryland Baltimore County March 23.

Inexperience has plagued the men’s tennis team this season, with one exception: Beau Bernstein. Bernstein overcame many changes following his junior season: a new doubles partner after Aswin Vijayaragavan’s eligibility expired and a new coach after Chris Taylor’s contract wasn’t renewed just to name a couple. Not to mention the frustration that came with learning he would be playing for a third new coach during his career at UTPA. Instead of pouting and looking to transfer like most tennis aces would, the senior from Sugar Land, Texas, has embraced this opportunity with new coach Paul Goode by going 10-4 in his singles matches and leading the team to a 7-6 overall record. He even attributes some of the team’s recent success to

the rigorous work ethic that Goode has brought from Lees-McRae. “Coach Goode has really turned this team around and made us into a conference contender,” he said. “Coach's philosophy has been to outwork the competition, and that is exactly what we have done. I highly doubt anyone practices, runs, or trains as much as we do. Getting used to the workload was one of I feel that we operate on a new level after adapting to it.” After perhaps one of the most demanding road trips of his career - seven road matches in seven days - Bernstein and the Broncs are looking forward to the opportunity to close the season at home. UTPA has four matches remaining, all of which will be at the Orville Cox Tennis Center. The Broncs (1-1 SLC, 7-6 overall) have played only one match at home this

Bernstein, Broncs look to finish

season and hope to take full advantage of a little home cooking the rest of the way. “It feels great and our courts have a unique feel,” Bernstein said about the upcoming homestand. “The ball plays very fast, and I think any match at home is a big advantage for us. Everything is easier at home. You know the courts, the conditions, and getting to sleep in your own bed is a plus too.” Bernstein knows he has at least five games left in a Broncs uniform, perhaps more if they can qualify for the Southland Conference Tournament at the end of the year. Even then, he is keeping his goals in perspective and looks to continue practicing the team-first mindset that he has maintained during his four years for UTPA. Being a senior and part of an unstable program can easily bring frustration, and

happens many times, but Bernstein continues to keep team goals at the forefront of his near future. That leaves little to no room for personal accolades. “The only personal goals I have are to be there to get the win when my team needs me the most,” the senior said. “During the match with Nicholls State, I posted the first win to get our team back into the match. I felt that, with that point, the team saw that we can win in any situation, and that's all I can hope to do.” The Broncs continue the five game season-closing homestand Sunday, April 1 against the second-ranked Laredo Community College at the Orville Cox Tennis Center at 2 p.m.

sports

March 28, 2012

SPRINGING BACK Broncs volleyball coach Yale draws out

positives from winless spring tournament By Alex E. Peña The Pan American

As the UTPA Broncs women’s volleyball team played its first competitive match in more than four months, Brian Yale stood inches from the floor watching, not uttering a word. His notebook, though, was

filled with scribbles and brief notes about his players who began spring training in January. The second-year Broncs head coach allows his players the liberty of sorting and correcting mistakes amongst themselves without his

Ruben Gutierrez/The Pan American

floater - Freshman Ashten Landry serves during a game as the UTPA volleyball team plays in its first tournament of the spring.

intervention. Though it was good to see a different face across the net in quite a while, the mistakes piled on and led the Broncs to drop all four of their matches on Saturday during the UTPA Spring Tournament at the Field House. “I know the result probably wasn’t what we hoped for, that’s what this is for. To improve,” said Broncs freshman defensive specialist Ashten Landry about the spring training tournament. “We’ve seen the same girls for two months, so it was nice to play someone else for a change. We got to read defenses and several things in practices, so it was also great to put that into game-time situations.” Though Yale’s discontent was evident as he reflected on the results, he was just as quick to draw out some positives from the winless afternoon. “We’ve seen some progress, but we’re a little disappointed with the way things went,” Yale said. “I didn’t see exactly what I wanted, but we’ve got a few weeks more of spring training to do some things. We’ve got our work cut out for us. We had moments in every match where I was pleased and also where I was displeased. We’ll take both good things and bad things. It’s not all just about the negatives. We’re proud of showing our positives too.” The Broncs first faced the defending NAIA Champion University of Texas at Brownsville Scorpions and dropped both sets 25-15 and 25-19. The Broncs followed

with 25-18 and 25-23 losses to the Tigers of la Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon. After an hour and a half break, the Texas A&M University Corpus Christi Islanders topped UTPA 2514 in game one and 25-18 in game two. Finally, and despite holding Texas A&M International within arm’s length in the final contest, the Broncs too fell in each game 25-23. All four of the matches were played in a span of four hours and thirty minutes, which gave Yale’s team a chance to test its conditioning. “Because of all the training and all the weight room activity we’ve done, I think our conditioning was fine,” he said. “We just didn’t put everything together. It was a lack of energy, really, that was going on.” Lack of energy wasn’t the only thing that caused the Broncs’ inconsistency last year during Yale’s first season at the helm. UTPA also lacked senior experience and relied heavily on the productivity of incoming freshman and transfers. On Saturday, Yale highlighted the play of underclassmen such as Landry, who’ll look to blossom into a full-time player for the Broncs next year. “She’s made strides. Her ball control and passing numbers are very solid today, so I think she stepped up,” Yale said. “She’s viewed as a leader for us in the weight room, but we’ve gotten bits and pieces (of leadership)

Ruben Gutierrez/The Pan American

rally - Laredo Community College transfer Nycole Masaki plays in her first spring tournament game as a Bronc. from different players.” On Saturday, Yale got his first look at the Hawai’i native, setter Nycole Masaki, who transferred over from Laredo Community College a few months ago. Yale admitted that though Masaki still has a big learning curve ahead of her, she’s brought some maturity to the team. “For the (little) time she’s been with us, she showed some great maturity,” Yale said of Masaki, who joins Juri

Franzen and Krysta Freitas as part of the Broncs’ Pacific Islander Triumvirate. “But like everyone else, there’s still a learning curve. We’re still looking for that connection with her and our hitters. She looks like a great prospect.” Saturday was the first of two spring tournaments for the Broncs, who will compete at Texas A&M UniversityKingsville April 14.

Sports Briefs Victor Lopez Classic The UTPA track and field team continued its outdoor season by competing in the 30 th annual Victor Lopez Classic hosted by Rice University at Holloway Field/Ley Track on March 24. McAllen product Andrew Lopez placed second in the 800-meter run by posting a time of 1:50.68, less than a second behind first-place winner Chris Bilbrew. The Broncs men’s team also had six other top-10 performances in addition to Lopez. Mission native Jesus Alvarez (15.72m, 51.57ft) and Joseph Medrano (14.62m, 47.97ft) placed sixth and ninth respectively in the shot put, while

Joseph Sciaraffa placed eighth with a throw of 50.37m (165.25ft) in the Javelin throw. In the triple jump Alejandro Trevino (14.22m, 46.65ft) placed fourth and Alamo native Macario Zarate finished eighth in the 110-meter hurdles (14.90s) and 10th in the 400-meter hurdles (55.63s). Sylvia Alboniga took home the lone top-10 finish for the women by coming in ninth in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:01.98.

that kicked off against New Mexico State University on March 23. The Broncs were swept by the Aggies in New Mexico, with UTPA allowing double-digit runs in three out of the four games. The Broncs then returned to Texas and knocked off UTSA 18-13 on March 27. The Broncs face No. 19 ranked UT tonight at 6 p.m.

McCasland pitched seven innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out five. He did not allow a hit in the final 4.2 innings and threw 52-of-89 pitches for strikes. The junior is now 2-0 with an ERA of 1.29 and has struck out 12 while allowing seven hits in two starts. He is also holding his opponents to a .156 batting average.

McCasland Honored

Women’s tennis

Road struggles

Junior Colby McCasland was named as the Great West Conference pitcher of the week after picking up an 11-1 complete game victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on March 20 in the first game of a doubleheader.

The UTPA women’s tennis team hosted the University of Maryland Baltimore County in its final home match of the season on March 23. The Broncs fell to the Retrievers 7-0 at the Orville Cox Tennis

The Broncs baseball team began the season with an 11-1 record, its best start since 1979. UTPA then set its sights on a six game roadtrip

Center. After the loss to UMBC the Broncs quickly turned around and traveled to Beaumont to take on Lamar University on Saturday at the Thompson Family Tennis Center. Again, UTPA fell short 7-0 to the Cardinals who took four of the five singles matches in straight sets. The Broncs will return to the courts on April 5 at 5 p.m. when they travel to Nacogdoches to take on #43 Stephen F. Austin University. UMBC is coached by Rob Hubbard, who previously coached UTPA from 2005 through the 2008 season. His assistant is Oliver Steil, who played for the Broncs from 2003 through 2006.

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