Febuary 16, 2012 by UTRGV Student Media

Paintballin’ Valley team looks to make a move to the pros

the

page 7

Volume 68, No. 18

On Empty

Racers feel effects of Edinburg track’s temporary closure

February 16, 2012

THE WINNING

Page 5

Momentum

Broncs step up their game after humiliating loss

Page 11

Spring Break Students take the road less travelled Page 9

panamericanonline.com

ONLINE

A Bronc in Beijing UTPA student’s blog chronicles her year in China

MANTRA Why this is the year the Broncs page 10 become a baseball force

editorial

February 16, 2012

Letters from readers

opinion

Don’t let them eat cake Norma Gonzalez Arts & Life Editor

I work at my family’s cake shop, and one recent quinceañera consultation stands out from the rest. After I tallied

3.6 million† Texans currently recieve Lone Star assistance.

up the final price on the fivetier cake, the customer wanted to know if her aunt could pay with Lone Star, saying she could make monthly payments using government assistance. Taking it even further, she got upset when I told her we didn’t, and she explained that we would get more clients that way. When one in four people worldwide, 1.3 billion, live on less than a dollar a day, and one out of every eight children under the age of 12 in the United States

goes to bed hungry every night, it’s hard to believe that those who do receive public assistance would misuse their funds. I understand what it’s like for a family to be on welfare and accept government assistance. My family received food stamps twice while I was growing up, once when I was just a kid and again when I was a teenager. We would only use it to buy groceries once a week or every other week. I remember my dad explaining to me that he couldn’t use the Lone Star card to just buy anything because they could take it away from us. I think seeing my parents use it responsibly has led me to not want to accept payment from other people using it. So it

35 percent* of people in McAllen live in poverty.

has me thinking: if these people supposedly need assistance, why do they use it for unnecessary items? Do they still have money to pay for groceries?

†Texas Health & Human Services Commission

*Concentrated Poverty & Beyond: Lessons from Metropolitan Variation

It would be easy to just say people are dumb and blame them for using their welfare incorrectly, but the problem is bigger than that. According to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission website,

66 percent* of people in McAllen live in high-poverty areas.

each month more than 8 million food stamp and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) transactions are processed through the Texas Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system, making it one of the largest and most successful EBT systems in the nation. The government should place more robust restrictions on what the funds can be used to purchase and which businesses can sign up to receive Lone Star. Needless to say, I will never accept payment with Lone Star. Why should I let someone pay for an extravagant cake, for an unnecessary party, when they supposedly don’t have money to provide for their family?

Response to “Comments show cruel face of online community” I, like the author of this piece, had an opportunity to witness the despicable side of human nature when a tragedy occurs. As the day progressed Monday, I saw comments ranging from happiness at classes being cancelled to questioning of Brenda's character. This saddened me, but another side of the story went unseen and unheard by most people outside the science building. I am a biology graduate student that, essentially, lives in the science building. I am often in the science building or research wing late at night and know most people which frequent the building. When BroncAlert first sent the ambiguous message, "PD at Science building investigating questionable death," I immediately thought it had to be a fellow researcher. Who else would be there that late at night? I had been in the research wing that Sunday, but had left at around 6 p.m., and tried to remember if I saw anything suspicious when I left. Nothing came to mind. Within minutes of the alert I had sent several texts to friends, which also frequent the build-

ing, to make sure they were okay. I also received several texts from concerned friends. Even old friends, which had graduated already, texted me out of concern when news spread outside campus. So, while the comments on Facebook showed me which people I will never invite to be my friends, I also learned that we have a great sense of camaraderie in the science building and the good side of human nature also comes out during tragedies. Sergio Cepeda

Unhelpful Center How many times does a person have to make a request before someone gets upset? I enjoy the UTPA Wellness and Sports Complex. It is an awesome complex, and - hey - it is included in my tuition and fees, so why not take advantage of the facility? I ask for a handicapped locker, and for the past three visits no one seems to know which lockers are designated handicapped. The first time, the two young workers were very helpful and apologized for the wait. The second time, the student

cartoon

workers asked for assistance from a supervisor and couldn’t get an answer. The THIRD time, I had the same request and got the same response, “I don’t know which lockers are handicapped.” By the time they figured it out, a line of students had formed. Now, what I haven’t told you is every time I have gone to the gym I have made a suggestion, “Hey, maybe we should put all the handicapped locker keys in a Ziploc bag that way you guys don’t have to look through the sea of keys?” They just laugh and say, “You know that is a great idea.” So how many times do I have to go to the gym and make the same request until they take my suggestion to heart? My point is it is a simple request. What if I was in a wheel chair? Do you think I would be comfortable waiting around while I hold up the line and people stop and stare at me? What if it was your brother, sister or partner how would you feel? Wellness Center, I am going back at least twice a week, and in case you don’t know, the handicap shower head is broken as well. Maricela Ponce Rehabilitation counseling graduate student

Vol. 68, No. 18

The Pan American

tweets

thepanamerican@gmail.com

i really wished #UTPA had a major in Architecture #needtotransfer

1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 665-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122

-@SergioDeLuna

Co-Editors-in-Chief:

damn, took a while to get a table at the student union. #utpa. ahhahaa -@_nsanmiguel

Reynaldo Leal Nadia Tamez-Robledo

News Editor:

Karen Antonacci

Do you have an idea for a blog? Tweet at us!

Sports Editor:

- @ThePanAmerican

Design Editor:

Letters to the Editor

Multimedia 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 reserve the right to edit submissions for grammar and length. We cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all story ideas to thepanamerican@gmail.com.

Michael Saenz

Arts & Life Editor: Norma Gonzalez

Photography Editor: Mac Peña

Erick Gonzalez Pamela Morales

Adviser: Francisco Rodriguez /The Pan American

tion

uc d o Pr otes N week 5

The photographers of The Pan American created the first photo spread for the paper on Sunday, to shoot the paintball team IDK. No one knew exactly what was

supposed to happen or how it was supposed to work. With that in mind, we set off, blindly into the mist, to shoot our spread. When we arrived, I realized that we should have brought an extra change of clothing. The day was wet and cold, the ground was muddy and unstable. The time came for us to shoot during live fire. It takes a lot of courage - or insanity - to enter a paintball field with opposing teams trying to end each other at all cost.

Needless to say, we suffered causalities. Natalia Rocafuerte was shot once in the hand, and then I took the rest of the beating with multiple shots to the leg and one to my hand. In the end, with bruises and mud in places we didn’t want it to be, we came together for one goal. We hope you enjoy the spread as much as we enjoyed creating it. Mac Peña Photography editor

Correction The graphic on page 7 last week incorrectly stated that SGA elections were scheduled for March 5 through March 9. Voting will take place from Feb. 24 through March 1 via my.utpa.edu. The Pan American strives for accuracy in reporting and regrets any inconvenience this may have caused.

Dr. Greg Selber

Administrative Associate:

Anita Reyes

Advertising Manager:

Mariel Cantu

Webmasters:

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.

Delivery:

Thursday at noon

February 16, 2012

the pan american

Page 3

news

February 16, 2012

New and Improved

newsbriefs R. David Edmunds, a historian and professor at UT-Dallas, will present Feb. 23 on “Tippecanoe: Tecumsah’s Turning Point.” Edmund’s specializes in Native Americanwhite relations in the 18th and 19th centuries. His talk will focus on the ramifications of the first battle in the War of 1812. The lecture will be held in the Library Auditorium and will begin at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Christopher Miller, associate professor of history at 665-3561. Entries are due Feb. 20 for the Meet Thomas L. Friedman Essay Contest. Currently enrolled UTPA students can win the chance to meet the New York Times columnist when he comes to the University Feb. 29 to speak as part of the Distinguished Speakers Series. Essays must be between 800 and 1,200 words and answer the question, “What are the implications of globalization in your area of study?” using knowledge of Friedman’s work. Both the essay and an entry form must be turned in Monday by 5 p.m. to studentunion@ utpa.edu. An entry form can be found at www.utpa. edu/broncnotes/bulletin. cfm?ID=7379. Students enrolled in a political science course have the option to receive credit in the Summer I study abroad program in Salamanca, Spain for POLS 2314 or POLS 4313. Political science professor Gary Mounce said the program offered students an opportunity to experience something new, practice Castillian Spanish, and learn about the culture and history of the country. “(Study abroad) makes one more confident,” he said. “In fact, it often changes your life.” An application and a $125 non-refundable deposit are required by March 23. Scholarships are available. For more information, visit utpa.edu/oip or call 665-3572. SGA Presidential Candidates will debate about campus issues Feb. 23 at noon in the Student Union East patio. Voting will begin at midnight Feb. 24 through my.utpa.edu.

UTPA PD gets motorcycles, redesigned uniforms Natalia Rocafuerte/The Pan American

Cop Chopper - Senior Sgt. Bryan Miller wears his UT System-issued uniform while sitting on one of the police department’s newly aquired motorcycles Wednesday. By Daniella Diaz The Pan American Senior Sgt. Bryan Miller looks forward to the day he will be able to weave through 5 p.m. Sugar Road traffic jams. This will soon be possible because the University Police Department recently acquired two motorcycles. A pair of Kawasaki KZ 1000s were transferred to department from the UT Dallas force. After they had been sitting in a garage for over a year, Assistant Chief James Loya believes that they will finally be put to use later this semester. Miller will be the first to receive proper training to use the motorcycles, as the police officer responsible for traffic safety initiatives. According to Chief Roger Stearns, the police department wants to start stressing the importance of crosswalks

to students in order to prevent jaywalking. Loya wants students to know that having the motorcycles will benefit the campus and allow police officers to navigate traffic congestion. “I think having them out on the street is going to give us a better way of servicing the community by monitoring those areas and increasing our patrols,” he said. The department operates as an agency under the UT System. UT Dallas police recently ended its use of motorcycles, so two of them were transferred to UTPA as system property. “I think the motorcycles are an added resource that’s going to help us better address the needs of the community,” said Stearns. Miller, an avid motorcyclist, has already taken the course to obtain his license.

He is now required to take a higher-level course that trains police officers to deal with dangerous situations, such as avoiding traffic accidents dur-

I think the motorcycles are an added resource that’s going to help us better address the needs of the community - James Loya

UTPA PD Asst. Chief of Police

ing rush hour. “I’m a little bit antsy about riding in our parking lots because they’re tight spaces and lots of students are always backing out,” said Miller. “The students might not see

UTPA lifts international travel ban By Jose S. De Leon III The Pan American International travel using University funds is no longer banned, according to a memo sent Jan. 30 by UTPA President Robert Nelsen. The ban was introduced last April in the wake of extensive budget cuts and prohibited all UTPA-funded international travel that was not study abroad or “extraordinary mission-critical” travel. The ban was replaced by guidelines developed by the Provost’s Office to ensure that funds are equally distributed. “Rather than having a blanket ban, we tried to create a

more reasonable policy to deal with all the professors who have research and tenure that rely on where their research takes them,” said Dora Saavedra, chair of the Faculty Senate. The new guidelines will help the office review, prioritize and approve travel requests. Among items under review are whether or not the individual’s proposed international travel will benefit the University, and if an individual is presenting at a major conference. A detailed budget breakdown of the trip is required along with a potential traveler’s registration with International SOS, an organization that provides medical, clinical and se-

curity services to organizations with international operations. “As part of the global community, we value that our faculty actively participate in international conferences/events in which they can present their research, engage in performances or exhibitions, and develop and expand their professional networks,” said Havidan Rodriguez, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “These experiences are extremely important as we continue to promote the education of global citizens at the University level.” According to Saavedra, the administration will now be more open to listening to cases.

me but I just have to ride like I’m invisible. An old man told me a long time ago, ‘ride like you’re invisible because most of the time you are.’ I’ve always remembered that.” The next safety course offered locally is in March, according to Loya. Once Miller receives the proper training, the policy and procedure papers for using the cycles needs to be approved by the UT System. Along with the new motorcycles, the police department has also received a uniform redesign. All of the UT System police departments wear the same color and fabric of uniform. When a new director was appointed for the overall UT System police, he made the decision to change the design and material of uniforms for all police departments. “I was excited about being in a new, more traditional uni-

form,” Stearns said. “Our appearance is updated to better reflect a functional duty uniform as opposed to the longstanding polyester. It’s just a better uniform.” The System mandated some regulations for officer attire. “We were mainly looking for how comfortable the (new uniforms) were going to be,” Loya said. “Being down here in South Texas, as hot as it is, the cooling factor was a big issue too, as well as the fabric.” By October 2014, all UT System police officers are required to wear the uniform. “So far, I like the uniform. The polyester we wore before wasn’t very nice, not very comfortable,” commented Miller. “Right now the uniforms are like a cotton, lightweight, and breathable…. it’s like a BDU. Like in the military. I was in the military, so I like them.”

SGA passes smoking resolution

By Ayesha Zahid The Pan American

The Student Government Association passed a resolution Feb. 3 voicing its support for limiting smoking on campus to one or more designated areas. Evan Brough, senator for the College of Business Administration, and Michael Kent, an SGA First Year Intern, coauthored the resolution entitled “A Resolution of the Student Government Association of the University of Texas-Pan American Recommending the Control of Public Smoking on Campus.” Brough said the results of the SGA “Ace the Test” survey, which students fill out in order

to receive free Scantrons from SGA, pushed him to write the resolution. “I heard people complaining about the smoking,” said the SGA presidential candidate, “and in a routine review of the … survey, I read the high number of people in favor of some kind of control.” The University’s faculty senate also passed their own similar version of the resolution supporting designated smoking areas on Wednesday. These approved resolutions are recommendations to be passed up to the administration, which then decides whether any more definite action for designated smoking areas will be taken.

news

February 16, 2012

Lack of race strip a drag for drivers

By Michael Chavez The Pan American For the time being, no racers or spectators will smell burning rubber as a hot rod peels out of the starting block at Edinburg International Racetrack. For 17 years. Julio Cantu operated the only certified drag strip of its kind south of San Antonio. But the gates of The Edinburg International Racetrack closed to its mostly college-age patrons Jan. 1 and are not set to open back up until some time in March, under new management. Cantu, a businessman who grew up around drag racing in Reynosa, lost the lease to the track in December and began 2012 by canceling all races and clearing out his equipment. Freddy Cruz, the operator of San Antonio Raceway, submitted a bid for the lease last year and won it Dec. 31. However, controversy arose in January when TexasDragRacing.com pointed out that in his written bid, Cruz had copied a portion from a study originally used for a track proposal in Australia. “The planned drag strip will be the only drag strip facility north of Townsville and as such will be easier to access for current motor

sports enthusiasts,” Cruz’s plan read, mentioning an Australian province. Ortiz commented that the committee reviewing the bids should have noticed the error. “Of course, that’s only if they actually read it,” he said. Cruz said that he used the study after city staff failed to give him an answer on how to adequately respond to the relocation question. He is awaiting an update from the city and hopes to re-open the track Thursday through Saturday with improved concession and restroom areas. NO PLACE TO RACE Some car enthusiasts speculated that the track’s shutdown left locals with a habit for pushing the pedal no place to race. “Even though our organization is not based on racing, some members put a lot of time and money into maximizing their speed,” said Juan Gomez of South Texas Mustang Club, a car club dedicated to the preservation of the legendary Ford Mustang. “Now that the drag strip is closed, some of them might choose to hit the streets.” UTPA senior Fabian Trevino, who used to race when he was a freshman, agreed and said that the closing of the track has increased

the number of racing on the street. “There’s never been much to do in the Valley. Now there’s one less thing to keep people entertained without breaking the law,” the 23-year-old political science major said. “Racers are going to race regardless, even if they have to do it illegally.” A week after the track’s shutdown, 13 men led police on a 13-mile chase after allegedly drag racing illegally in Rio Grande City. The men landed in jail under charges of evading arrest. Police

noted that all of the trucks had club-specific decals on their rear windshields. One group was marked “RGV Trucks.” The other group was “Two Wicked.” As far as the incident’s connection with the closing of the Edinburg track, Sgt. Rodolfo Hinojosa said that the Rio Grande Police department had not seen an increase in street racing recently. Ortiz agreed that there is not a strong connection between the track closing and recent events. “Street racing has always been

a fact of life in the Valley. Now we’re noticing that racers don’t have a place to drag, so I guess you could see a cause in it,” he said. “But it’s not like, ‘Oh, it closed down, so that’s why they’re all racing.’” As for Mark Molina, who operates TexasDragRacing.com, he stressed that he would just like to see the track open again, regardless of who runs it. “Maybe it is just a quartermile strip of asphalt, but for the racing community that strip is home,” he said.

Reynaldo Leal/The Pan American

Speedway - A driver burns out his tires before racing during the Texas Shootout at Edinburg International Racetrack in August 2011.

The The Pan Pan American American

Police Beat Wednesday, Feb. 8 UT Police responded to a call for criminal mischief at the Haggar building in reference to a damaged door. UT Police responded to the Health Sciences Building in reference to an assault. Monday, Feb. 13 UT Police made contact with a reporting resident assistant in reference to an intoxicated resident in the Heritage Hall lounge. Afterward, the resident was released to a responsible adult. UT Police contacted a staff member at the Education Complex in reference to some harassing phone calls. UT Police responded to a report from a staff member at Unity Hall in reference to a welfare concern.

Page 6

THE PAN AMERICAN

February 16, 2012

THE PAN AMERICAN

Page 7

Photos by A - Adrian Castillo B - Mac Peña C - Mac Peña D - Adrian Castillo E - Natalia Rocafuerte

Edinburg paintballers Team IDK are fairly new to the Valley paintball scene, but the year-old group has racked up 10 awards in competitions around the state. Led by Nathan Jasso, 22, the team practices weekly and is prepping for a tournament in Houston Sunday. A victory would put them one step closer to their goal of playing for a living. “The more tournaments we play, the faster we turn pro,” Jasso said. Six of the seven IDK team member referee at the Edinburg Battlegrounds paintball. This allows the team to eat, sleep, and breathe paintball 24/7. “Instead of being out partying, I (would) rather be playing,” 21-year-old David Martinez, Jasso’s cousin and teammate, said.

Page 6

THE PAN AMERICAN

February 16, 2012

THE PAN AMERICAN

Page 7

Photos by A - Adrian Castillo B - Mac Peña C - Mac Peña D - Adrian Castillo E - Natalia Rocafuerte

Page 8

the pan american

The University of Texas-Pan American

is pleased to present

THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

Pulitzer Prize-winning author and New York Times columnist

Wednesday, February 29, 2012 Thomas L. Friedman is an internationally renowned author, reporter and columnist - the recipient of three Pulitzer Prizes and the author of five bestselling books including “From Beirut to Jerusalem,” “The World Is Flat” and his latest bestseller “Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution – and How It Can Renew America.” Friedman, a foreign affairs columnist for The New York Times, is a frequent guest on programs such as Meet The Press, Morning Joe and Charlie Rose.

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. Doors will open to general public 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.

February 16, 2012

9 e t u o e road s R th ke ta ts en ud e St v i t a n r e Alt less travelle d during Spring Break

arts & life

February 16, 2012

By Reynaldo Leal and Zaira Aguilar The Pan American

Rock out

Spring Break has been circled on the calendar. Professors and students alike have begun counting down the days until they can, if just for March 10-17, forget about the stress of college life. There’s more to do with your Spring Break than partying at the Island.

Members of the Geology Club are looking forward to the week off, but their destination may differ from traditional sand- and booze-fueled locals. As some students begin their yearly pilgrimage of hedonism to South Padre Island when the break begins on March 10, the club will travel in the opposite direction, to the Grand Canyon. The year-old club sees itself as more of an outdoors and adventure group than a strictly scientific organization. They made the decision to visit the famous layered rock formation after their adviser, geology professor Juan Gonzalez, returned from a trip to the Grand Canyon last summer. “There is no other place in the world like the Grand Canyon,” said Iris Miranda, club president and senior

physics major. “Visiting a place we usually only see in pictures is an opportunity we don’t always get.” Both the Grand Canyon and South Padre Island boast an average of five million visitors a year, according to the National Park Service and SPI visitor’s resource website. However, Miranda sees another Spring Break spent on the gulf as a waste of an opportunity to see things outside the Valley, especially for local residents who can go to the island at any point of the year. Her vice president, senior environmental science major Amanda Cavazos, agrees. “It will be a fun and educational experience,” she said. “It’s better than dealing with drunks on the beach, if you ask me.” Gonzalez will assist the organiza-

tion with half the funding needed for the trip. The other half will come from fundraising activities leading up to the break. There is room for 18 students to travel with the club, with the only requirement to going on the trip being active participation in fundraising, Miranda said. The club will also visit other natural historic sites like the Petrified Forest in Arizona, Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, and Mt. Lemon in Arizona. “We are picking amazing geological sites for the trip,” Miranda said, “and we will take the time to notice and appreciate the scientific aspect of the trip, but we are really looking forward to being outdoors and camping. It should be the Spring Break trip you will actually remember.”

Raise the roof

e the n o d I’ve ve gone ’ I , g n i y part beach, now to the serve o t t I wan . people

-Daniel Basalduas chemistry major

Volunteer Palm Valley Animal Shelter

686-1141 Application and orientation needed.

Edinburg World Birding Center 381-9922 Contact Gilbert Martinez Apply two weeks in advance

Spring Days at Lark

681-3340 Contact Rose Mary Fuentes A camp for children.

Brook Ridge Retirement Community 682-6331 Contact Elsa Rios Volunteers always needed.

Salvation Army 682-1468 Come in T-R from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and bring proper I.D.

Gearing up for spring break does not include buying sunscreen and fashionable shades for chemistry major Daniel Basalduas, who will head to Mérida, Yucatán to build homes in the outlying villages. “I knew I wanted to do something different this year. I’ve done the partying, I’ve gone to the beach, now I want to serve people,” the senior said. The six-day trip is the effort of the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a nondenominational UTPA student organization. University alumni Jeremy Johnson leads the cause and has previously gone to Kenya to do similar work with the organization. “When you serve other people, it changes you. I can see the glow in Jeremy’s face after returning from his trip to Kenya,” Basalduas said. “I’m looking to gather from this trip what Jeremy gathered [from Kenya], what we take for granted every day in the United States. I want to come back and be grateful for what I have. I’m nowhere near that right now.” Basalduas is still unsure about what exactly the trip will entail but expressed the desire to simply help the people of Mérida, whether it be used for building orphanages or homes, his will was excited and genuine.

Crowd surfing

Senior and film major Andres Sanchez, who will be heading to the annual South by Southwest arts festival in Austin, is looking forward to the spring break festivities. His band, Jungle Bodies, will be performing with several groups in a house show at the heart of the city. “We’re very excited. It’s our first time playing up there, so there’s a whole range of emotions, but all positive,” said Sanchez. “This will be my fourth year attending as a fan, first as an artist.” South by Southwest, also shortened to SXSW, is one of Austin’s more prominent and highly attended yearly events. The upcoming festival taking place from March 9 to March 18, 2012 will be in its 25th anniversary. SXSW brought 15,000 to 20,000 people to Austin in 2011. “I love the environment. For a little over a week, the city of Austin becomes a different world,” Sanchez explained. “ Bands everywhere, people everywhere - it’s truly an experience.”

Concert Etiquette

February 16, 2012 1102 ,01 rebmevoN

Off to a swinging start

sports

Taking the next step

By Michael Saenz The Pan American

Reynaldo Leal/The Pan American

It's the best recruiting class that we've had since we've been here." - Manny Mantrana

Baseball head coach

Mantrana is no stranger to success even though his first few years with UTPA have been tough. During his 12-year stretch at Saint Thomas University in Florida, he became the winningest coach in program history and captured five conference titles, along with nine NAIA tournament appearances and three College World Series trips. During his time with STU, Mantrana only had two seasons in which his team didn’t win at least 30 games, posting three 40-win seasons and one 50-win campaign. The Bronc skipper hopes to bring a taste of that success to UTPA as he begins his fourth

we’re able to make that jump,” Mantrana said. “We’ve been fixing things since we got here and, finally, this year we caught up with recruiting. That was one of the big things that needed to be fixed.” THE CAST The Broncs bring an experienced team into the season that starts Feb. 21 against rival The University of Texas at Brownsville at 7 p.m. at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium. Returning players such as catcher Mike McCarthy and third baseman Vincent Mejia, both first-team selections for the

Great West Conference a year ago, are the prominent stars as they enter their senior seasons. Last season, McCarthy led the Broncs with a .377 batting average and 45 RBIs, and was second with an on-base percentage of .451. Mejia hit a team-high four home runs and 16 doubles. The club will continue to ask the duo to elevate its hitting and onbase percentage and lead by example, in the hopes that the new additions follow suit. “Both Mike and Vinny have been excellent Broncs,” Mantrana said. “We have a few players that can do some big things for us. With the returning guys and the new guys, it’s been a good mix, and they’ve had good synergy with one another. We’re looking forward to the season.” Sharyland alum Angel Ibanez looks to add to the offense after piling up a team-high 77 hits in 53 starts as he enters his junior campaign. Senior Jonathan Sa looks to anchor the pitching staff after the right-hander was second in ERA (4.24) in a team-high 22 appearances in 2011. He tallied one save with a 2-1 record.

2012 Home Schedule Date Opponent

Time

Date Opponent

Time

Date Opponent

Time

2/21 2/24 2/25 2/26 3/2 3/3 3/10 3/11 3/20

7 p.m. 7 p.m. 1 p.m. 12 p.m. 7 p.m. 1 p.m. 7 p.m. 12 p.m. 3 p.m.

4/5 4/6 4/7 4/10 4/13 4/14 4/15 4/17

7 p.m. 3 p.m. 12 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 1 p.m. 12 p.m. 7 p.m.

5/11 5/12 5/13 5/17 5/18 5/19

7 p.m. 1 p.m. 12 p.m. 7 p.m. 1 p.m. 12 p.m.

UTB So. Utah So. Utah DH So. Utah Arl. Bapt. Arl. Bapt. DH UANL UANL TAMUCC DH

NYIT NYIT DH NYIT UTSA UND No. Dakota DH No. Dakota UTB

No. Col. No. Col. DH No. Col. Hou. Bapt. Hou. Bapt. DH Hou. Bapt.

DH = Double Header

Vincent Mejia Infielder

year. He signed a contract extension in May after going 2132 during the 2011 season and 22-33 the season before. But now, with what appears to be a full-fledged recruiting class, the Broncs expect to improve past mediocrity this year. “We’re making slow progress and I think this is the year that

GP-GS 53-53 AVG .342 Hits 65 HR 4 RBl 38

GP-GS 53-51 AVG .377 Hits 72 HR 1 RBl 45

Pitcher

The Bronc baseball team will take the field this year with one of the best recruiting classes during Coach Manny Mantrana’s fouryear tenure. This will be the first of his teams entirely recruited by him and his staff. The Broncs have a combined record of 57-106 over the last three years under Mantrana. Even though the record isn’t exactly the golden standard, the coach believes that the Broncs will turn it around this year. The last winning season for UTPA baseball was in 2000 when the Broncs went 3119. A few players to watch from this year’s prospects include pitchers Bryan Maxwell, Dusten Knight and Dylan Badura, all junior college transfers. The right-handed Maxwell started last year for Bakersfield Junior College. Knight, who is also a right-hander, pitched for Connor State Junior College a year ago. Left-handed Badura appeared in 14 games as a relief pitcher for Indian Hill Junior College. Mantrana hopes that an upgrade to the pitching staff will help a team that had an ERA of

5.75 a year ago. Opposing pitchers against the Broncs averaged an ERA of 5.00. “It’s the best recruiting class that we’ve had since we’ve been here,” Mantrana said. “We’re very pleased with the players that are here and their work ethic and the character that they’ve shown since they arrived.”

Jonathan Sa

By Jonathan Salinas The Pan American

Mike McCarthy Catcher

Coaching Excellence - Fourth-year coach Manny Mantrana goes over hand signals with his team during practice Tuesday. The Broncs will open its spring season against UTB Feb. 21 at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium.

The men’s tennis team recently endured its first test of the season while paying three matches in three days on the road. The Broncs did exactly what they were expected to do on the trip, win all three. The Broncs opened the season against Prairie View A&M University Feb. 9, sweeping the Panthers 7-0. Top player Beau Bernstein and doubles partner Chetan Panditi knocked off Ronald Chidzikwe and Karim Fotso 8-0 to open the action while Bernstein went on to win his singles match in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1, Panditi winning, 6-3, 6-3. Goode and company continued on Friday at Prairie View with a match against Bethany College which is ranked No. 16 in NAIA. The Broncs beat the Swedes 5-2 and were paced by Bernstein who was matched up against Marcelo Alecio, ranked No. 45 in the nation in NAIA. Bernstein took the match 6-3, 6-2. Sophomore Ricardo Hopker beat Alex Sandri by 6-2, 6-2, while Panditi knocked off James Bragg, 6-3, 6-3. “In each match we came out better and better,” Goode said of his team’s weekend performance. “I think our last match was our best. Despite the little fatigue that we felt, we came out really well.” The Broncs completed their three-day trip in San Antonio by visiting St. Mary’s University Saturday. UTPA knocked off the Rattlers 6-1 and completed a successful road trip that saw its top player, Bernstein, win six matches in a row over three contests. Against the Rattlers he beat out his opponent 7-5, 7-6, coming back from a 5-2 deficit. Goode was impressed with his team and how it performed, but is ready to get back to work and is going to enjoy the couple of weeks between matches. “We like when we have a week to work between matches,” he said. “It gives us time to correct mistakes that we saw. It’s tough to adjust when we have matches every week, but we feel we have an advantage when we have at least a week to prepare for teams.” Bernstein was named the Southland Conference Player of the Week for his performance this past weekend. The Broncs’ next match is a Southland Conference contest against UTSA on March 2 in San Antonio.

GP-GS 22-1 ERA 4.24 SV 1 IP 40.1 SO 32

sports

February 16, 2012

1102 ,01 rebmevoN

Gaining Steam

Broncs getting hot at right time By Michael Saenz The Pan American

A missed three-point attempt by Kieondre Arkwright with 12 seconds left did it. It sealed a 30-point loss to TCU Jan. 11 and added insult to injury as UTPA continued on a three-game losing-streak. In the process the Broncs lost seven of eight games during a stretch that lasted from the middle of December to the middle of January. After its third game in five nights, the men’s team needed to stay on an even keel, especially with the Great West Conference portion of the schedule about to kick off. But of course, that wasn’t easy. Eight days after the devastating loss to the Horned Frogs, the Broncs returned to the hardwood. They were still on the road, but this time it was to open conference on Jan. 19 to play against Chicago State rather than to play a future Big 12 opponent. Even though the struggles of poor

shooting, costly turnovers and undisciplined defense could have been easily pointed out on paper, the most important factor was that the team was unfazed despite the early season failures. That ultimately helped the Broncs, according to coach Ryan Marks. “I think our morale has been pretty good throughout, but of course we’ve had patches when we have played better basketball than others,” the third-year Bronc coach said. “There’s a lot of parity in the Great West, and our guys are well aware of that. We’ve talked all year about building towards the conference season, which is most important, and I think we’re playing with great confidence and good energy.” The difference between the team that took the court against TCU a month ago and the one that suited up against Chicago State Jan. 19 was night and day. It was as if the team had been reborn during those eight days off. Energy was back

again and UTPA looked, once again, like that team with high expectations starting the season. The Broncs went on to open up conference play with a 72-65 road victory over the Cougars that jumpstarted them to win four of six after the embarrassing loss in North Texas. improving

Statistically the Broncs are also playing at a level that hasn’t been seen during Marks’ three years with the team. For one, in conference play Marks’ squad is averaging a win. They are scoring 69.8 points per game while holding their opponents to 65.8 points per contest. Last year the Bronc margin per game was minus-6 during GWC, as the defense allowed nearly 74 points per game. The Broncs have also increased their field goal percentage from 41 to 45 percent during the past six games of conference play. Perhaps Jesus Delgado should get some credit. Since Marks inserted the 6-4 junior

Earn $95 this week Donate your plasma to help save the lives worldwide. If you qualify as a new donor, you can earn up to $95 this week. TPR_1010_A_1001

500 S. Bicentiennial Blvd. Ste. 200 McAllen, TX (651) 501-0800 Monday: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Tuesday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Saturday: 8:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. www.talecrisplasma.com In addition to meeting the donation criteria, you must provide a valid photo I.D., proof of your current address and your Social Security or immigration card to donate.

forward from El Paso into the starting lineup against NJIT, he has averaged 10 points per game. Pre-GWC he was only scoring 4.8 per contest. Or maybe it is having a distinctly more healthy Aaron Urbanus, who is averaging 11 more minutes per game during GWC play in comparison to the regular season. Urbanus was slowed by offseason knee surgery that hampered the start of his season. Last year, as a sophomore, he averaged a teamhigh 12.5 points per game. In any case, the Bronc season will ultimately come down to what they do on the road. They will close the season with three games away from UTPA after their final two home games against NJIT and Chicago State. UTPA will end the regular season against Utah Valley, North Dakota and Houston Baptist, all on the road. Those three teams have a combined 28-7 home record, including 6-1 against GWC opponents so far. “It’s always tougher on the road, and that’s throughout college basketball,” Marks said. “But we’ve been to some pretty hostile environments, so I don’t think we’ll be in awe in any way. Once we get back on the road,

Ruben Gutierrez/The Pan American

heating up - Junior guard Jesus Delgado drives by a CSU Bakersfield defender for a one-handed lay-up. He is averaging 10 points per game during conference play. we have to be playing our best basketball of the year.” On the other hand, Marks’ club is 1-12 on the road for the season with the only win coming against Chicago State to open GWC play on Jan. 19.

The Broncs are set to begin the second part of the 10-game league slate tonight against NJIT in the Field House at 7 p.m. and will close the home portion of the season Saturday against Chicago State.

the pan american

The Pan Americanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new online section

Page 12

February 16, 2012