septembe14, 2006 by UTRGV Student Media

THE

PAN AMERICAN

T h e S t u d e n t N e w s p a p e r o f T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Te x a s - P a n A m e r i c a n

September 14, 2006

Juvenile facility topic of hearings

UTPA reacts to upcoming construction projects

By JAVIER CAVAZOS The Pan American

By LUKE KOONG The Pan American

Allegations of force, overcrowding, abuse and federal investigations sound more like occurrences at Gitmo than at a juvenile detention center in Edinburg. But the Evins Regional Juvenile Justice Center (ERJJC) is undergoing a federal investigation over claims of violence against inmates and other safety issues. At a state senate committee hearing held in late August in McAllen, witnesses including parents, inmates and employees spoke about conditions and practices at the Evins facility. Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, who sits on the Texas Senate Commission on Criminal Justice, was pleased the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) held a meeting on the current conditions. “Given the serious allegations against the Evins facility, I want the committee overseeing the Texas Youth Commission to hear testimony from parents and community leaders who are familiar with how the Evins facility is managed,” Hinojosa said, in a press release regarding the facility’s

Ortega added that the university is not intentionally keeping the building cold during peak hours. “It must be understood that the energy conservation practice is intended for after hours and may only apply to selected buildings,” Ortega said. “Our practice is to maintain 72 degrees while the buildings are occupied.” Juan C. Gonzalez, assistant vice

Most of the students taking classes in the Business Administration Building were not even born when it was first built. The 30-year-old building on the north side of campus houses the College of Business Administration and has been slated as one of the next edifices to receive a facelift. Age and outdated design have finally caught up with the building. Many classes and faculty members have been dispersed across campus because the college has outgrown its projected population. The computer information systems and quantitative methods department, located in the Math and General Classrooms Building, is the only department not currently located in the BA building. “There are too many of us, so we end up having to take a hike across campus,” said John Emery, dean of the college, who added that renovation of current facilities and construction of the annex building would help make school convenient for students. In addition to adding more space,

See TEMPERATURE page 11

See CONSTRUCTION page 11

See EVINS page 11

Blowing Money?

By CELINA GILPATRICK The Pan American

It’s early September in South Texas, but students at The University of Texas-Pan American are carrying around heavy sweaters to combat the chilling temperatures around campus. Students have complained about the temperature drop in several buildings, and university officials are plagued with figuring out what is top

priority: student comfort or energy conservation. David Ortega, cooling plant manager and energy conservation engineer at UTPA, says before air is filtered to the buildings, it must pass through a heating system. By warming the air less, we conserve energy. Consequently, colder rooms actually means less money spent on the airconditioning system.

UTPA official: enrollment increased, retention ‘phenomenal’ By MARIA A. MAZARIEGOS The Pan American The numbers are in, and The University of Texas Pan American holds a current enrollment rate of 17,330 students. This is an increase of 281 students compared to last year’s figure of 17,049. “We are satisfied with this number,” said Dennis McMillan, associate vice president for Enrollment and Student Services. “What is difficult

to achieve is that we have two goals that actually work against each other.” These two counteracting goals are to get students to graduate in four years or less and at the same time increase enrollment. When one student graduates another one has to come in and replace that one student in order to maintain the same enrollment figure. “We have to replace the graduates just to break even. We have to work very hard to recruit top notch students

and increase enrollment,” said McMillan. UTPA works together with GEAR UP, a program with middle school and high school students, to motivate and create a mindset of attending college; this program helps the university enroll recent high school graduates. “I was in the GEAR UP program and they really do motivate us to go to college, but now when I come to UTPA

See ENROLLMENT page 11

News

A&E

Sports

Concern over rising cigarette nicotine levels mounts

New musical phenomenon begins sweeping nation

Senior volleyball player reaches career milestone

See page 3

See page 8, 9

See page 16

PAGE 2

September 14, 2006 THE

PAN AMERICAN

READER FORUM Submission Request

1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 (956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122 http://www.panam.edu/dept/panamerican 56th Year – No. 4 Editor Claudette Gonzalez ThePanAmerican@gmail.com News Editor Sandra Gonzalez sandra_panamerican @yahoo.com

A&E Editor Frank Calvillo hennero@msn.com

Design Editor Erika Lopez lopez475@ yahoo.com

Sports Editor Roderick Dorsey roderickdorsey @sbcglobal.net

Photo Editor Onydia Garza north14star @aol.com

Designers Roy Bazan crazy_restless @yahoo.com

Laura C. Gomez lm.gomez@yahoo.com

Reporters and Photographers Brian Carr Javier Cavazos Sam Iglesias Luke Koong Maria Mazariegos

Mary Nichols Carolina Sanchez Angela Salazar Trey Serna Krystina Mancias

The Pan American Reader Survey

Secretary Anita Casares Adviser Dr. Greg Selber Ad Manager Carolina Sanchez

Asst. Ad Manager Lillian Villarreal

Advertising information spubs@panam.edu Delivery Thursday at Noon

The Pan American gladly accepts letters from students, staff and faculty regarding newspaper content or current issues. The Pan American reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and length. Please limit submission length to 300 words. The Pan American cannot publish anonymous letters, or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Letters are printed at the discretion of the editor and must include the writer’s name, classification/title and phone number.

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 university.

IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF

THE PAN AMERICAN

Available Sept. 21

Eat Chili’s for children

Hidden talents

- Find out how one restuarant is doing its part to help St. Jude’s Children’s hospital.

- Take a look at what some UTPA employees do after class gets out.

NEWS

News in brief: An Application for Graduation Form must be filed by tomorrow with the Office of the Registrar for students planning to receive degrees in May 2007. Please call 381-2206 for more information.

Nicotine level in cigarettes steadily on rise

By ANA LEY The Pan American Her surgeon advises otherwise, but Yabnel Alvarado smokes on a regular basis. Two weeks ago, she underwent surgery, from which she is still recovering. Part of the healing process is kicking the habit, a task millions of Americans struggle with every day. According to a new study by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, it is growing increasingly difficult to quit, for various reasons. The report states that in the past six years, average cigarette nicotine levels have risen 10 percent, according to an article released Aug. 30 by the Associated Press. “Studies like this one [MDPH report] are always saying stuff about how they’re bad for me, but it’s very difficult for me to stop,” Alvarado said before taking a drag off her cigarette. The University of Texas-Pan American sophomore, said that while she understands that smoking immedi-

ately following surgery is detrimental to her health, quitting is close to impossible in her case. “Maybe two years ago I would have been able to quit, but not now,” she admitted. The study also revealed that the three most popular brands among young smokers, Marlboro, Newport, and Camel, now deliver significantly more nicotine than they did six years ago. Using data dating back to 1988, the study measured nicotine levels based on the way people smoke cigarettes, such as blocking ventilation holes and taking harder puffs, which ranges in intensity. MDPH researchers believe traditional testing, which uses machines to test for nicotine levels, does not take this into account and often reports a lower number. Phillip Morris, the largest cigarette producer in the world and owner of Marlboro, posted a response to the MDPH Report on Nicotine Yield on its

Web site, stating that nicotine yields reported in traditional testing are not intended to inform consumers about the

precise amount of nicotine inhaled by individual smokers, but to compare nicotine yields to other brands.

Phillip Morris, who announced Monday they are in the process of dis-

See NICOTINE page 12

HESTEC provides UTPA students ‘Fowl-smelling’ problem networking, scholarship funds By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American

By CLAUDETTE GONZALEZ The Pan American Ernesto Villarreal had the chance of a lifetime. Only halfway through course work for his master’s degree in business administration, the Monterrey, Mexico native was interviewing for a position at

a Fortune 500 company alongside Ivy League graduates. Villarreal had the opportunity to meet senior-level management executives from Ford Motor Company at last year’s Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology (HESTEC) week when

he volunteered to be a company liaison. Impressed by his talent and personality, the executives invited Villarreal to consider Ford after completing his master’s degree. Furthermore, just two weeks after HESTEC, he began receiving calls for phone interviews and finally an invitation to visit company headquarters to interview for a spot in the highly competitive Ford Marketing Leadership program. “They sent me a plane ticket, flew me in first class and had a driver pick me up,” Villarreal said. “I had a reception that night with the VP of marketing for Ford Motor Company and also Elena Ford, cousin of Bill Ford. All the other candidates were from top universities in the nation – Princeton, Duke, Harvard, Northwestern.” Although Villarreal will have to wait until he receives his master’s degree in May to be officially eligible for the program, he has made valuable contacts. In his opinion, if it weren’t for HESTEC he may never have had this opportunity. “If you go to a career fair anywhere

See HESTEC page 12

The University of Texas-Pan American has been bird watching for the past few weeks, but not for fun. In fact, the university has come to a consensus about the abundance of birds, specifically grackles, and their droppings around campus: the situation stinks. Richard Ostello, director of environmental health and safety, says while the university has dealt with annual bird flocking for several years, recently the

problem has gotten out of control. “We have managed it in the past by having the physical plant going out and cleaning the walkways with the pressure washers,” Ostello said. “This year, however, it appears we’ve had a large volume of birds, so the smell issues have forced us to try and address it in a different manner.” Ostello said the university has resorted to scare tactics in an attempt to fend off the growing bird population.

See BIRDS page 12

Lunch menu evolves By LEZETTE VILLARREAL The Pan American A fresh semester and a growing student population are not the only new things at the university. The Student Union has made some adjustments and additions to their menu. According to recent surveys by the Student Union Advisory Board and the Advertising Club, customers at the Student Union enjoyed the convenience but wanted a variety of fresher, healthier foods on the menu. “With a healthier menu available at the Student Union, I can eat healthier and

not waste any time trying to find a parking spot afterward,” said Meagan Hofstetter, a sophomore communication major. “It’s so convenient to have a place with such a variety of foods on campus.” Students wanted more options but at a reasonable price. “Students were getting bored with the choices in the menu” said Sam Smith, director of the Student Union. “The concept of barbeque and SubConnection were getting old.” Smith added the Student Union is constantly exploring ways to serve the

See LUNCH page 12

News

Page 4

In memory of Dustin: By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American Lisa Sekula remembers coming home on Sept. 11, 2001 after a long day of work and seeing her family sitting around the television watching news coverage. She didn’t know it at the time, but the terror attacks would have a larger impact on her life than she ever thought possible. Five years later, a single plastic light-up star hangs outside the Sekula family’s Edinburg home, shining in the rainy evening. It is not only in remembrance of the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives in the terror attacks, but also of Lisa Sekula’s own son, Dustin Michael, who lost his life as a U.S. Marine in the war in Iraq April 1, 2004. “Until something hits you like this personally, then it hits home. Now, I’m more aware of people’s pain and suffering,” she said. “Frankly, you always think about these things as far away.” However, from the moment she saw her son watching the television on that September day, she knew he could not sit and watch much longer. “I remember I saw this spark in his eye. That’s where the desire came about to defend his country,” she said.

“From that moment on, I remember Dustin was animated about what it meant to be an American and what you had to do to keep it (9-11) from happening again.” Almost two and a half years after her son’s death, Lisa Sekula says her support for the war in Iraq has never wavered. She said people like Cindy Sheehan, a mom best known for denouncing the Iraq war after her son died in battle, need to stop and think. “Because of those young men and women that have given their lives, we can do that. We can to go to a ranch and be vocal with our opinions,” she said. “I think it’s very important to never lose sight of that. If we do, I’m afraid in the future we could have those privileges taken away from us.” Dustin’s sister, Danielle, a senior management and biology double major at The University of Texas-Pan American, added that when she sees the anti-war activist Sheehan, she does not feel angry, but sad. “My heart goes out to her because you can tell she’s in a lot of pain. I guess that’s just her way of dealing with it,” she said. Danielle Sekula says her brother who was 17 when he enlisted with his mother’s assistance - had full

September 14, 2006

mother, sister of fallen Valley soldier reflect on past, look to future

understanding of the risks he was facing. “There were so many documents, he knew what he was getting into,” she said. “To be saying that the war in Iraq is a mistake is like saying they made a mistake, and they didn’t.” She added that she is proud of her mother for continuing on through the grief. “I know how much she loved Dusty. But somehow she’s still kept being there for me and Derek [Danielle’s 15-year-old brother],” Danielle Sekula said. “But when Dusty died, a part of mom died.”

CARRYING ON One of the ways Lisa Sekula is helping to keep alive the memory of her son is by working closely with the City of Edinburg in planning the $3 million Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library, which broke ground in February. “When I was informed by the City of Edinburg that they were going to name the library in honor of Dustin, I decided that whatever capacity they needed me and whatever I could do to help, I would do it,” she said. “From the moment they told me that, it captured my heart.” Lisa Sekula says the honor is

Lisa Sekula THE FEW, THE PROUD - Dustin Sekula, second from left, was killed while serving as a Marine in Iraq in 2004. Now, the City of Edinburg is building the Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library in his honor.

fitting, as her son and she often bonded over books. “Of the three kids…Dusty and I shared that, especially in the early years,” she said. “Dustin and I shared Western books. He also learned how to rope from a book.” Dustin’s love for all things cowboy was no secret to his family and friends. “He’d go to Whataburger in his spurs and all the girls would turn and go ‘ooh,’” Danielle Sekula said, smiling. “It was funny.” Lisa will be donating his riding saddle, antique spurs and boots to make sure a piece of Dustin will be reflected in the new library’s décor. “I’d like for people to see the desires of his heart,” she explained. “A lot of people only want to focus on Dustin the Marine, but Dustin had a life before he was a Marine and he was a cowboy.” As Lisa and her family remember and honor Dustin every day of their lives, they hope the library will have the same effect on visitors. “I think he would have been focusing on making sure that there were things for unprivileged children to utilize. He would have wanted kids from everywhere to go to the library,” she said. “Overall, I think he would have been elated.”

September 14, 2006

NEWS

Page 5

EN ESPAÑOL

Noticias en breve: Estudiantes que planean graduarse en Mayo del 2007 deben someter la forma de Aplicación para Graduación en la oficina de registros para mañana. Favor de llamar al 381-2206 para más información.

Nivel de nicotina en cigarrillos aumenta Por ANA LEY Traducido Por MERCEDES CANTU The Pan American A pesar de ser aconsejada por su cirujano, Yabnel Alvarado fuma regularmente. Hace dos semanas, se sometió a una cirugía de la cual todavía se esta recuperando. Parte del proceso para sanar es dejar el hábito de fumar, una tarea con la cual millones de Americanos luchan todos los días. Alvarado, estudiante de segundo año en la Universidad de Texas-Pan American, dice saber que fumar inmediatamente después de una cirugía es perjudicial para su salud, pero en su caso dejarlo es casi imposible. De acuerdo a un nuevo estudio por el Departamento de Salud Publica de Massachussets (MDPH), cada vez es mas difícil dejar de fumar para aquellos que lo intentan. El reporte muestra que en los últimos seis años el

promedio de nicotina en los cigarrillos ha aumentado un diez por ciento, esto de acuerdo a un artículo de Associated Press, lanzado el 30 de Agosto. El estudio también revela que las tres marcas de cigarrillos mas populares entre jóvenes, Marlboro, Newport y Camel, tienen mucha mas nicotina a comparación de hace seis años. Usando datos desde 1988, el estudio marca una incrementación en los niveles de nicotina basados en la manera en la que las personas fuman los cigarrillos, tales como cerrando poros de ventilación y fumando con mas intensidad. Investigadores de MDPH creen que los exámenes tradicionales donde usan maquinas para examinar los niveles de nicotina, no toman esto en cuenta y casi siempre reportan resultados mas bajos. Phillip Morris, el mayor productor de cigarrillos en el mundo y dueño

de Marlboro, ha presentado una respuesta al Reporte de Nicotina de MDPH en su página de Internet, diciendo que la nicotina reportada en los exámenes tradicionales no tienen la intención de mostrar a los consumidores la cantidad precisa de nicotina inhalada por cada individuo, pero el comparar las proporciones de nicotina con otras marcas. Phillip Morris, que anuncio el lunes que disputa el estudio, incluye lo siguiente: “De hecho, en 1967 cuando el FTC anuncio la terminación de las pruebas del actual método, declaro que ‘no hay prueba que pueda precisamente duplicar la condición actual de las personas que fuman…’” La compañía agrego que año con año, variaciones en la nicotina y el alquitrán ocurren como parte del proceso normal del crecimiento del tabaco y la manufactura de cigarrillos. Dora Del Toro, coordinadora

regional de Prevención y Control del Tabaco, cree que mientras es difícil poder decir por que los niveles de nicotina están subiendo, agregar mas nicotina sin duda hará mas difícil el dejar de fumar. “Toma un promedio de 5-7 veces para una persona tratar de dejar de fumar antes de que realmente lo dejen,” ella dijo. “Solo puedo imaginar que el agregar mas nicotina hara que este numero suba y será demasiado difícil el poder dejar de fumar.” Del Toro cree que esto también facilitara el que los nuevos fumadores se hagan rápidamente adictos a los cigarrillos. De acuerdo al Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System, Del Toro dijo que aproximadamente el 20.5 por ciento de la población de Texas fuma. En Hidalgo County, 17.3 por ciento de las personas adultas fuman. Las mujeres ocupan una tercera parte.

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Editor’s Pick: Must-read book “Rise and Shine,” the new novel by Pulitzer Prize-winner Anna Quindlen

Drake’s UTPA visit draws record-breaking crowd

By TREY SERNA The Pan American Club ’02, a committee of the University Program Board (UPB), brought comedian Tess Drake to The University of Texas-Pan American Sept. 7 for an evening filled with lots of laughter. Buzz had spread of Drake’s performance, as students recalled seeing her on shows such as “Last Comic Standing” and “Comedy Central Presents: Tess.” Born and raised in Sandusky, Ohio, Drake was the youngest of four children. Drawing inspiration from the talents of Jerry Lewis, Drake fell in love with comedy during her high school years. After a short marriage, the aspiring comedienne began her career performing on such hit programs as “The Jamie Foxx Show,” and “Def Comedy Jam.” Drake showed a little confusion before starting her UTPA act, as she told the audience she was unsure of how graphic her material could be since she wasn’t told before the show. Little did the audience know she would

Trey Serna/The Pan American BRING ON THE LAUGHS - Famed comedian Tess Drake brought some much-needed comic relief to students when she performed her act at UTPA last Thursday.

hold nothing back. Her act was vulgar but still had a positive message, with topics such as abstinence, birth control, school and more. She spoke of her personal life and experiences, all while making the audience laugh, uncontrollably at times. “I thought it was great…I had heard of her before and saw her on

‘Last Comic Standing’ and I thought she was really funny then too,” said Victoria Garcia, a freshman theater major. Her stand-up act was not solely based on herself. She incorporated audience feedback by being extremely interactive with the crowd, asking questions about the campus, the Valley and even getting a little personal with

certain individuals. After the show, Drake stayed around to sign autographs and take pictures with students. She spoke with many and offered advice to anyone trying to follow a similar career path. She said God was first and foremost and that it all doesn’t come at an easy price. “You have to remember that there isn’t a lot of money at first. It’s just the

love of the craft,” Drake said. “You have to practice and get yourself out there and forget about needing an agent or manager because when it’s time, they’ll come to you.” For the UPB, the show was a success, breaking the attendance record for a comedy event. While not a full house, the audience turnout was still good. “We’ve never had that many [people] for a comedy show,” said Peter Ehimika, the Club ’02 comedy committee chair. “There were 232 people.” Ehimika says that Drake was chosen by last year’s committee. Members had seen her perform at the National Association of Campus Events (NACA) and booked her then. As for this year, another comedian could be heading this way in the near future. “There will probably be another comedian this semester. We just haven’t booked it yet,” Ehimika said. For more information on this or any other upcoming UPB events, please call the UPB office at (956) 316-7991.

‘Hollywoodland’ exposes dark side of tinsel town By FRANK CALVILLO The Pan American George Reeves is fondly remembered by many as the original “man of steel” from the hit 1950s television series “The Adventures of Superman.” But to some he is a conflicted individual who struggled to find happiness both professionally and personally. The new film “Hollywoodland” delves into the life of the troubled actor and succeeds in taking things a step further. The film begins at a house in the Hollywood hills (introduced through a rather impressive aerial shot) with police officers examining the body of actor Reeves (Ben Affleck) who died of a gunshot wound to the head in his upstairs bedroom. While many believe his death to be suicide, down-and-out private investigator Louis Simo (Adrien Brody) believes otherwise, and decides to conduct his own investigation to uncover the truth. Along the way Simo traces Reeves’ longtime relationship with Toni

Mannix (Diane Lane,) a rich Hollywood wife whose husband Eddie Mannix (Bob Hoskins) happens to be the general manager of powerhouse studio MGM. Simo also examines the volatile, yet passionate relationship Reeves had with his money-hungry fiancée, as well as the actor’s own spiral into depression. With an assortment of suspects and scenarios, Simo tries to deduce what really happened in Reeves’ bedroom that night. Although “Hollywoodland” scores in every department, the film’s biggest asset lies in the performances given by its actors. Brody, who always delivers solid performances, plays Simo in a particular way that on the surface he appears as a typical hard-boiled detective, but with a vulnerable and humanistic quality lurking underneath. Meanwhile Lane has finally been given a part that she can sink her teeth into, which she does with much gusto and energy, even going as far as to change her voice for an unforgettable role. Likewise Hoskins’ movie exec is

just as meaty. Rather than ham it up, Hoskins instead wisely chooses to make the role his own, reminding the audiences of his dependability as a good actor. However it is Affleck who has the most challenging, not to mention most demanding role in “Hollywoodland,” and in turn, he gives the best performance of the group. As Reeves, Affleck shows a side of himself not seen in his more commercial ventures. with a performance that boasts both range and depth. It should be noted that the events depicted in the film are true but that the possible theories concerning Reeves’s deaths are merely suppositions. That being said, one of the film’s attributes is the fact that that “Hollywoodland” is constructed more like an old-fashioned film noir concocted by Raymond Chandler as opposed to an actual crime story This is done while still keeping true to the events that transpired at the time. Another one of the film’s strong

points comes in the form of pacing and more specifically, transitions between the present day and the past. The film opens in present day and continuously alternates between the two, allowing the detective and the audiences to put together the puzzle at the same time as the pieces become available When “Hollywoodland” first went into production, it went by the working name “Truth, Justice and the American Way.” It wasn’t until a few months prior to release that the film was given its current title. Many were perplexed by the SECRETS AND LIES - Louis Simo change and wondered why a picture (Adrien Brody) searches to uncover the about the life of George Reeves would truth in “Hollywoodland.” be branded with such a clichéd name. After one watches the film, the mystery ety of instances where the illusion of the is gone. fantasy world known as Hollywood is Yes, the film is about the career of shattered, seen in the sequences involving George Reeves and the circumstances Reeves’ career. From its wealthy and powsurrounding his mysterious death; how- erful upper class to its seedy underbelly ever to say that is all there is to the film (including an unnecessary, yet semi-interwould be doing “Hollywoodland” an esting sub-plot involving a pair of cheatinjustice. ing spouses) and everything in between, It is also an excellent expose on the “Hollywoodland” succeeds in deglamourdark side of tinseltown. There are a vari- izing the glamorous.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

September 14, 2006

September 14, 2006 arlier this month a woman posing as a promoter in Hardeeville, S. C. scammed thousands of dollars from Daddy Yankee fans who were expecting to attend a concert given by the reggaeton star – Daddy Yankee never showed up. In the same week a Bergen County, N.J. concert venue was fooled in a similar yet separate heist, when their promoter paid a false booking agency $100,000 for Daddy Yankee to perform – the agency was in no way affiliated with the musician. According to that area’s local prosecutor, John Molinelli, there are three allegations of similar scams related to fake Daddy Yankee shows, each presumably perpetrated by the same individual. Molinelli has issued a warrant for the suspect, but according to a spokesperson from his office the person in question is believed to be hiding out in the Dominican Republic. Even as unbelievable as these presently perfect crimes appear, the demand for a Daddy Yankee performance is twice as shocking. The poster child of a music that was obscure a few years ago, Daddy Yankee is a Puerto Rican musician who became famous with his hit song “Gasolina,” an adrenaline driven reggeaton insta-classic that relies heavily on traditional reggeaton beats. The song as well as the album it appeared on, “Barrio Fino,” launched Yankee into the MTV limelight, and pulled reggaeton into the commercial world. Perhaps even more amazing than the recent reggaeton frenzy is that “Gasolina,” Daddy Yankee and anyone who pledges allegiance to the reggaeton genre owe their successes to a single beat, from a throw-away song, on a laughable album, recorded by a forgotten star.

Shabba Ranks was the first dancehall artist to garner a Grammy when he won the award for “Raw as Ever” in 1992. Prior to that his career had been jam packed with sexually motivated dancehall records that included “Flesh Axe,” “Hard and Stiff,” “Muscle Grip” and “Love Punany Bad.” He even recorded the original version of “Mr. Lover Man” that would later be sampled for the Shaggy classic “Mr. Lover,” and the Jamaican toaster is widely considered to be the precursor to that artist as well as Sean Paul. Ranks got his start in Bob Marley’s hometown of Trenchtown, Jamaica, spitting lyrics for legendary DJs Josey Wales and Yellowman. But it was his 1989 signing with Digital B, a record label owned and operated by famed

BY:BRIAN CARR DESIGN BY:ROY BAZAN

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT dancehall producer Bobby “Digital” Dixon, that served as the fated union that would lead to the birth of reggaeton. Together the two recorded a track in 1991 titled “Dem Bow,” which appeared on the album “Just Reality.” The beat of that song, an infectious yet repetitive one-four toe-tapper, is the basis of reggaeton. All songs that fit into the genre are modeled around that track. The songs’ title is the namesake of reggaeton’s beat – Dem Bow. But it was probably El General’s Spanish-language cover of “Dem Bow,” titled “Son Bow” and produced that same year, which introduced the style to the Latin world. Since then the song has become a reggaeton standard with artists like Romeo, Berny Man, Melson & Joelo, and Wisin & Yandel releasing their own versions of the now infamous song.

Though Shabba Ranks, Bobby “Digital” Dixon and El General were instrumental in the foundation of reggaeton, none were considered reggaeton artists. Shabba Ranks and Bobby Dixon were dancehall. El General was reggae. It is assumed that Jamaicans who worked on the construction of the Panama Canal brought reggae with them and introduced the genre to the Central American culture in the 1970s. This was the start of Spanish lyrics on top of dancehall beats. But the term reggaeton probably came out of Puerto Rico in the mid 1990s, and the area is largely responsible for producing the most popular reggaeton acts of the day. Reggaeton’s two biggest stars, Daddy Yankee and Don Omar, both hail from the Carribean island nation. And their collective productions have launched the genre into the mainstream. According to Sean Ross, vice president of music and programming for Eddison Media research, reggeaton was the “most exciting new genre of music radio in 2005.” Ross went on to say, in a statement on the Eddison Media Web site, that the recent reggaeton phenomenon is the “only significant [music] based on a new body of music rather than a new way to program old music.” But there are several outside influences that drive the success of reggaeton. Latinos became the nation’s largest minority in 2001 and some suggest the recent squabble over the immigration issue has had a unifying effect on Latin American consumers. Wild 104 disc jockey and on-air personality Johnny-O has a simple explanation for reggaeton’s recent popularity. “Reggaeton’s gotten strong in the past couple of years,” Johnny-O said. “Hip hop artists incorporated Latin beats, sound and rhythms into music giving it that Spanish flavor, and Spanish rhymes. Younger kids like 12- and 13-yearolds and even older peo-

Page 9 ple like up to 32 to 34 enjoy hip hop, but they also want that Spanish feel.” Atlantic Records recording artist Fat Joe, though not categorically reggaeton, has played a huge part in the popularization of hip-hop’s Latin counterpart. His appearance on the 2004 N.O.R.E. track “Oye Mi Canto” lent rap credibility to the budding industry. MTV, reeling from terrorism fears in post 9/11 America, used the recent Latin explosion as an excuse to relocate their Video Music Award ceremonies to Miami from New York in 2005, where Don Omar, Daddy Yankee and Tego Calderon all performed live. The recent attention has peaked awareness in the music, both at radio stations and record stores across the nation. In the Rio Grande Valley, where Spanish-speaking people are in the majority, reggaeton has become prominent in terms of radio requests. According to Johnny-O, the majority of callers ask to hear reggaeton songs. And the upcoming Don Omar show, at Dodge Arena Nov. 3, has further motivated callers. The concert will be the first stop for the King of Kings tour, which is aptly titled after Don Omar’s 2006 LP of the same name. The concert has been aggressively promoted by Wild 104, which also promotes an all-reggaeton night every Friday at Metropolis, located at 2021 Orchid Ave. in McAllen. Johnny-O said the King of Kings tour will be a stage production that deviates from the typical dance-party driven concerts associated with reggaeton. In a promotional poster for the event Don Omar is seen clutching a scimitar and standing over the ruins of a city. The concert is packaged as a three-act musical, and is supposedly drenched in drama. “From what we get, the Don Omar production will have like 75 actors,” Johnny-O said. “It will be like a theatre performance, with everything having to do with staging.” The departure from typical reggaeton performance parallels the efforts of Don Omar, who all but abandoned traditional “Dem Bow” beats on his latest release. Currently “King of Kings” sits at the top of the Latin charts as reported by Billboard. And it is safe to assume that the fate of the music is dependent upon the reception of slight variations on traditional beats by the new genre. The blues, punk rock and even rap started as pure, simple and heavily structured forms of music. Artists’ ability to reinvent those forms, as well as consumers’ willingness to appreciate the creativity, has kept those genres alive and thriving in the music industry. Ironically the future of reggaeton will be the death of “Dem Bow” in some way, shape or form.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

September 14, 2006

BY:BRIAN CARR DESIGN BY:ROY BAZAN

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A&E

September 14, 2006

NEWS

September 14, 2006

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TEMPERATURE continued from page 1

EVINS continued from page 1

president for business affairs, said that comfort is relative and the university cannot meet everyone’s requests. “With the issue of comfort and energy savings, how can we accommodate the comfort of the vast majority of the students, faculty and staff given the impossibility of being able to accommodate every last person’s comfort level?” Gonzalez said. Ortega added that the plant was aware that the buildings are cold, but said it’s hard to find a happy medium. “We have found that while one person may feel cold, the person next to him will complain that it is too hot,” he said. Nancy Flores, a senior criminal justice major, feels it’s the university’s responsibility to meet the students’ needs. She noted that because the buildings are uncomfortably cold, her experience in class is affected. “I get very sleepy in class and can’t concentrate because some rooms are kept needlessly cold,” said Flores. “Screw energy; I would rather be comfortable, and the buildings are too cold for that to be possible.”

investigation. Sen. John Whitmire, chairman of the Criminal Justice Commission, was appalled at the conditions of the guards’ training programs, and what he described as its failure to follow Texas Department of Corrections policies. “You cannot tell if someone is able to be a corrections officer after only two weeks of training,” Whitmire said. While this is ERJJC’s first formal investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) can decide to pursue more investigations in the future. In addition, the DOJ has given the governor’s office notice of an impending federal inquiry into Evins’ practices. However, Tim Savoy, public information officer for TYC, said the investigation currently under way is “not due to any specific allegations or improprieties.” “But we will be examining the abuse of any civil rights, confinement and things of that nature,” Savoy added. The justice center made headlines

The university has to manage its resources and find out what is best for its students, said Gonzalez. “What students need to realize is that there is a payback on these energysaving initiatives,” he said. “We could enhance our utility systems or we could spend a little more in scholarships or assistantships for graduate students.” The situation calls for a priority check as university officials must decide what is best for the university. Yet, students like Flores feel their needs as paying customers are being neglected. “The university is a business and in order for it to be successful, it needs to keep its customers happy,” Flores said. “I am a paying customer, but I’m not happy.” The cooling plant staff is currently trying to find a proper operating balance and is working hard to ensure that students receive the best education possible, said Ortega. “My suggestion to students is to please bear with us as we are sincerely trying to improve our service,” he concluded.

ENROLLMENT continued from page 1 I don’t see all of the people who used to be in that program with me,” said Agustin Ramos, a freshman bilingual studies major from Mercedes, “I expected for more of us to be here.” Although there was not a dramatic increase in overall enrollment at the university, UTPA’s freshman retention rate is “commendable” according to McMillian, as it increased 10.4 percent from 2000. “The increase is a phenomenal achievement in terms of higher education,” said McMillan. “Most schools would probably be happy to raise their retention rate by one percent a year; we doubled that.” UTPA shows an increase in entering freshman rates as well. In the Fall ‘05 semester there were 2,443 entering freshman, while this year there

are a total of 2,851; that is an increase of 16.7 percent. “I came to [UTPA] because it seemed to be a good environment and it is,” said Stephanie Salinas, a freshman psychology major from Pharr. “I am definitely staying here for my degree.” Fall transfer rates also showed an increase. In last year’s fall semester there were 746 transfer students; this year there are 801. That is an increase of 7.37 percent. McMillian said UTPA has done its best to achieve these numbers. “We just have to continue to work very hard to make enrollment happen. We need top notch students and are raising the standards,” said McMillan, “It is difficult to raise the bar and still maintain or increase the number of students.”

in November 2004, when a riot occured. That disturbance resulted in a $4.5 million federal lawsuit filed on behalf of three mothers who say their children were assaulted by guards. However, Savoy said the riot was “handled well. It was incidents involving campus security guards and special methods that were put in place afterward that led to a bigger problem.” DEVELOPING PROBLEM? Statistics from TYC show that possible abuse situations have risen steadily from 1999 to 2005. Last year, there were 19 reports of incidents involving guards and inmates that required disciplinary action, according to Savoy. “Not all the reports were proven true, but four juvenile correction officers were fired and one was given a letter of condemnation,” he said. Ninety-seven percent of juvenile criminals go through the county court systems, according to Savoy. However,

he said Evins is given the top three percent of juvenile criminals. “This is incredibly costly, not only to taxpayers and correctional facilities, but to the victims of the crimes these youths will go on to commit,” said Savoy. The DOJ made their visit to Evins on Tuesday. Kristin Maldonado, a sophomore biology major at The University of Texas-Pan American, says it’s about time. “The government has been given way too much authority over our prison systems lately,” she said. “They should at least make these correction systems and their procedures more transparent.” Prior to the visit, Savoy said Evins was not worried. “They bring experience; these are federal correctional employees who see a variety of types of facilities and programs,” he said. “We would like the sharing of information to find out what they think or have seen that works and what doesn’t.”

CONSTRUCTION continued from page 1 university officials want to reorganize the current layout of the building, enlarge several classrooms and improve the air-conditioning system. There are also many relics from the past, like outdated infrastructure. Since in the past there were more males than females in the College of Business Administration, the building design included more men’s restroom space. Emery added that one of the large centerpieces he would like to have in the new building is specialized classrooms, which promote more communication through better acoustics. “A class that would have 40 to 45 students might feel like it had only 15 in it. I think it would make for a better learning environment,” Emery said. Unfortunately, work has not been able to begin because of still pending funding from the state legislature. However, Emery thinks the added time will help in planning for the new building.

“I would rather do it slowly with as little disruption, because it would be in the best interest of our students or our longer term goals,” he said. The Fine Arts Events Center, which has already been approved by the state, is also experiencing a delay due to funding, but excitement over what it might hold has already begun. Current productions normally take place in Jeffers Theatre or University Theatre. Jack Stanley, a professor in the communication department, said the new center may allow for a wider variety of productions to be showcased. “University Theatre has been a nice size for what it is, but there are some plays that we would love to do that you can not do in that format,” Stanley said. Stanley also said the current Fine Arts Auditorium is occasionally used, but due to the length of time needed for a production, use of the building is not very practical.

“To block off six weeks at the Fine Arts, cuts out the symphony, the chorus, and the dance department,” he said. “A lot of other people that need to use it as well.” Christopher Munn, music professor and director of the University Choir, said while the new Fine Arts Center will undoubtedly have benefits, he is cautious about what is still in the planning process. He added that the most important idea to keep in mind is the improvement of a strong academic program. “Our building is so dilapidated right now, probably any new building will be better than what we have,” Munn said. Munn said he would like a new facility in which the university would be able to attract local high school students to UTPA. University officials will be visiting several campuses this weekend to review similar facilities and using those ideas to begin planning UTPA’s Fine Arts Events Center.

NEWS

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September 14, 2006

NICOTINE continued from page 3 puting the study, included the following account: “Indeed, in 1967 when the FTC announced the completion of its trial tests of the current method, it stated that ‘no test can precisely duplicate conditions of actual human smoking…’” The company added that year-toyear variations in tar and nicotine occur as part of the normal process of growing tobacco and manufacturing cigarettes. Reynolds American, manufacturer of Kools and Camels, has thus far disclosed no comment on the study. Dora Del Toro, regional coordinator of Tobacco Prevention and Control, housed under the Department of State Health Services, believes that while it is difficult to say why nicotine levels are rising, added nicotine will certainly

make it more challenging for smokers to quit. “It takes an average of five to seven times for a person to try to quit before they finally do,” she said. “I can only imagine that adding more nicotine will increase that number and make it very tough to quit cold turkey.” Del Toro thinks that this will also make it easier for new smokers to get addicted. According to the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System, Del Toro said, approximately 20.5 percent of the Texan population smokes. Annually, 24,899 people die from tobacco use, the number one preventable cause of death in the state. Nationally, this number is 440,000, yielding an estimated 1,200 daily deaths. In Hidalgo County, 17.3 percent of

the adult population smokes. Female smokers make up roughly one third of the county’s smoking population. Patricia Koo, a physician assistant at Student Health Services, agrees that the worst effect of adding more nicotine to cigarettes is a more severe addiction. “I would like to think that tobacco companies are not doing this intentionally…it would not be a very humanistic approach, and honestly it wouldn’t be very smart,” she said. “Something like that would eventually harm the company.” However, Christopher Dungan, a freshman psychology student who smokes three packs a week, said he thinks the increased levels will have no effect on the level of addiction. “[Raising nicotine levels] won’t really do much, because smoking is more social and psychological than

LUNCH continued from page 3 best quality food at an affordable price. “We are working with a variety of foods we can prepare and do well with,” Smith said. “We are doing everything we can to get the students served fast and fresh.” As a result, students now have an assortment of low-cost foods to choose from daily. “I enjoy eating at the Student Union because it’s cheap and convenient,” said Roy Rodriguez, a freshman art major. “If the food keeps getting better and they give us more options, then I will definitely continue to eat here.” The Student Union offers different types of soup, salad, sub, or wrap, depending on what day of the week it is, starting at $4.50. However, some students were disappointed because of the loss of some of their favorite foods. “I used to like the BBQ,” said Sabrina Garza, a senior graphic design major. “But because I eat here a lot, I like the changes. There’s more of a variety of foods and I can eat something different everyday.” Overall, students say the changes

are a good step toward accommodating a health-conscious student population. “It offers students who are concerned with being healthier an option

physical,” Dungan said, adding he believes this to be true since it’s easier for him to cut back when he isn’t around his smoker friends. Current smokers, however, say they just wish the tobacco companies were more honest with them. Tiffany Saxton, a freshman anthropology student who goes through a pack every couple of days, said she is bothered by tobacco companies raising nicotine levels because they are not being straightforward about product modification. “If tobacco companies told the public about what they’re doing to their cigarettes, I would smoke anyway,” she said “But I think they should have a more honest policy.” She said studies don’t make her want to quit more than she already does, but it puts quitting into perspective.

Jesse Rodriguez, a senior English major, believes that although the finding makes him second-guess lighting up, he probably won’t be quitting any time soon. “Tobacco companies are obviously doing this on purpose, probably to win clientele back because so many anti-smoking campaigns have been launched recently,” he said. “But I don’t think that adding more nicotine to their product is really going to encourage new smokers or anything. A person’s character has a lot to do with whether or not they want to smoke.” Rodriguez feels that rather than boosting sales, increasing nicotine levels will probably make people want to smoke even less due to negative media coverage.

BIRDS continued from page 3 that was not there before,” said Tony Matamoros, a junior political science major. “It’s nice to know we’re taking steps to be a healthier community.”

Onydia Garza/The Pan American EATING RIGHT - Orlando Hinojosa, a senior business major, orders from the new and improved menu at the Student Union.

Specifically, they have enlisted the help of propane cannons, whose cylindershaped chambers make a loud noise when ignited. “Other institutions have used it in the past. UT-Austin used it back in 1992 and a lot of farmers do it too,” he said. The physical plant is focusing efforts on clearing the walkways around the Engineering Building, as it is historically the hardest hit area. However, with the cannons being ignited between 6:45 a.m and 7 a.m. and between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. every 25 seconds, some classes and sleeping dorm residents will likely be disturbed. Quique Montemayor, a sophomore undeclared major, said he first heard the blasts on Sept. 11 while at the tennis courts. While he says it didn’t disturb him at the time, he said it is likely others will find them inconvenient. “If they find out that it is bothering some students and they have other options they should do them,” he said. While other options are present, Ostello said they are not fool proof. Overall, he said while some may be disturbed, it is a worthwhile tradeoff.

“We had one student complain because it interrupted their studying, but we hope they’ll bear with us,” he said. “You can move and go study somewhere else, but it’s difficult to go somewhere in that area of campus where a bird is not going to poop on your head.” The birds are expected to flock for five months but the university is hoping they will not have to do it the entire time. So far, plans are to continue the tactics intensely through the Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology Education week to ensure no bird problems arise during the event. If problems persist, the scare tactics will have to take place on a routine basis for the next six months, according to Ostello, who mentioned they are currently exploring options for more permanent solutions. Montemayor said he sees the bright side of the possibly inconvenient situation. “I have 7:45 a.m. classes so it’s hard to get up for them,” he said. “At least [the early-morning blasts] are something you can’t snooze.”

UTPA,” Maldonado said. “Don’t be afraid of saying, ‘Choose me. This is who I am and this is what I can do.’” In addition to providing good networking opportunities, HESTEC helps students by providing scholarship funds through corporate donations. “Corporate people donate money throughout the week. Once we pay all the expenses, then the rest goes into the scholarships,” Quintanilla said. “Every single penny goes to the University Scholars program.” According to Sylvia Aldape, asso-

ciate executive director for UTPA’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, in addition to corporate donations the university applies for grants to help foot the tab. “We submit grant proposals to government agencies like NASA,” Aldape said. “We also collect registration fees for some of the events held during the week as well as exhibitor fees for the Career Expo and Community Day.” To date, HESTEC has generated a total of nearly $1.3 million for scholarships.

HESTEC continued from page 3 in the country, you’re competing with a lot of students from Ivy League Schools,” Villarreal said. “But during HESTEC, they come here because they want to recruit Hispanic students to their company.” This year, HESTEC will be taking place Sept. 24 through Oct. 1. Although not all University of Texas-Pan American students will be volunteers at the event, they can still meet leaders from some of the nation’s largest companies just by attending. “We can’t take all our students

when we go and visit Boeing, when we go and visit Ford, when we go and visit Texas Instruments. There’s just no way,” said Yvette Padilla, HESTEC program coordinator. “But by bringing the companies down here, we’re able to showcase the students.” HESTEC, now in its fifth year, is geared toward increasing student and community interest in the science and engineering fields. However, the event has expanded to include other fields as well. For instance, the event’s career expo has opportunities for all.

“It’s not just for engineering students,” said Sandra Quintanilla, director of University Relations. “We’re having all types of businesses represented there. Even freshmen can take advantage of it.” In fact, HESTEC coordinators stress the importance of students attending all four years during their college careers. According to Gilbert Maldonado, director of corporate relations, recruiters remember students who show up year after year to talk to them. “Be very confident of yourself and the education that you’re getting at

SPORTS

September 14, 2006

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Soccer club kicks off sophomore year on right foot By RACHEL REIDA The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American men’s Soccer Club kicked off the season last weekend playing at home and in San Antonio. The first game was held on Saturday with the Broncs playing Texas A&M University-Kingsville. The Broncs came away with the win 1-0. “I thought we dominated against Kingsville but should have scored more goals with all the opportunities given,” commented junior midfielder Victor Gutierrez. Gutierrez joined the Bronc Soccer Club after playing on an intramural team last year and is enjoying it. The fans also got a kick out of the start of the club team’s second season. “They did great,” exclaimed Laura Pedrazaz, a sophomore at UTPA and Soccer Club rooter, “Kingsville didn’t even

come close to scoring a goal.” The Broncs then headed to San Antonio to face San Antonio College only to show up to an empty field. They took a win to run to 2-0, as SAC forfeited the game. In their second year, the club is off to a good start and members are looking to have a great season after last year’s promising beginning. “Considering all the teams are the same and we keep playing like we did this past weekend, I hope we get back to the state tournament,” Gutierrez said. It will be a difficult road for the Broncs because they are up against some stiff competition, especially The University of Texas-San Antonio, who replaced University of Houston in the division. “Last year we had two tough games against UTSA that we came up short on, 21 each time, so I expect them to be our

toughest competition,” said Gutierrez. With the soccer club season underway, the team and fans hope to see great things come from them, and also to focus more attention on soccer at the university. UTPA had a team for years but it bit the dust in the late 1990s. In an area that is hot for the game, the efforts of the team could eventually cause the university to reinstate the sport on the intercollegiate level. “I think it will attract attention from a different type of people,” commented Gutierrez. “We had some new talent come in fresh from the high schools this season during tryouts so hopefully it becomes more widespread and becomes a varsity sport.” The next action for the men comes Sept. 16 against UTSA on the road, while the women get their season started with games Sept. 16 at Rice and Sept. 17 at the UTPA intramural field against Sam Houston State at 1 p.m.

Onydia Garza/The Pan American

ON THE PITCH - Yolanda Pena, a freshman business major from Edinburg, is one of several new faces to join the Bronc Soccer Club this year.

SPORTS CLIPBOARD Enright signs on with Bronc basketball Addition completes coaching staff

FOR THE RECORD UTPA SPORTS Volleyball Winner is in boldface UTPA vs Univ. of Portland (Sept. 9 in Portland, Ore.) GAME SCORES

TEAM RECORDS

Texas-Pan American Univ. of Portland

21 30

30 27

12 30

21 30

2-8 5-4

UTPA vs High Point (Sept. 9 in Portland, Ore.) The University of Texas-Pan American men’s basketball program rounded out its coaching staff on Tuesday when head coach Tom Schuberth announced that Brad Enright has joined the team as an assistant coach. Enright comes to the Rio Grande Valley after spending the past two seasons at Paris Junior College where he was a part of a coaching staff that captured the 2005 NJCAA National Championship. Enright served as the Recruiting Coordinator for Bill Foy’s coaching staff at Paris Junior College where he recruited and coached three highly-touted perimeter players that earned AllTexas Eastern Conference performers. He recruited and coached current UTPA guard Brian Burrell to the Dragons’ program before to the beginning of the 2004-05 season. Prior to joining Paris Junior College, Enright spent two seasons at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, where he served as an assistant coach under Don DeVoe. Enright was primarily responsible for coaching the low post players for Navy, and he also assisted in the development of offensive and defensive game plans for Patriot League and non-conference opponents during his two seasons. He also served as the Head Coach of the Junior Varsity program for the Midshipmen. Before joining DeVoe’s staff at Navy, Enright spent two seasons as the top assistant coach at California State University-Dominguez Hills for Larry Hauser’s program. Enright spent one season as the director of basketball operations at Pepperdine University during the 1999-00 season where he was part of a Waves’ program that captured the West Coast Conference Championship en route to advancing to the NCAA Tournament. Enright began his collegiate coaching career at his alma mater, California State UniversityNorthridge, where he served as the administrative assistant for the Matadors’ program. UTPA Sports Information

GAME SCORES

Texas-Pan American High Point

22 30

30 28

26 30

30 14

15 11

TEAM RECORDS 2-7 1-6

Cornell vs UTPA (Sept. 8 in Portland, Ore.) GAME SCORES

Cornell Texas-Pan American

28 30

29 31

30 25

30 19

15 10

Men’s Golf

Women’s Golf

Final Results from Hawks Invitational Sept. 8-9 in Boston, Mass.

UNT Lady Eagle Invitational Sept. 11-12 in Denton, Texas

1. Campbell Univ. 2. Univ. of San Francisco 3. Johnson and Wales 4. UTPA 5. Univ. of Hartford 6. Villanova Univ. 7. Laval Univ. 8. Univ. of Connecticut 9. Seton Hall Univ. 10. Hartford 11. Quinnipiac Univ.

(856) (860) (875) (876) (886) (892) (896) (904) (922) (924) (941)

Individual Results 2. 16. T-20. T-31. T-33.

TEAM RECORDS

Armen Kirakossian Kyle Tudi High Wongchindawest Shane Pearce Colin Norris

(210) (222) (223) (226) (227)

2-0 1-7

Top Five Results 1. Univ. of North Texas 2. Calif. State Polytechic Univ. 3. Texas State 4. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 5. UTPA

(908) (917) (918) (931) (934)

Individual Results 6. 13. T-17. T-27. T-41.

Rebecca De Leon Elizabeth Rodriguez Mariale Camey My Bark Bronwyn Sandberg

(227) (233) (234) (240) (260)

Next tournament: Sept. 18-19 hosted by the Univ. of Nebraska Cold Stone/Chip-N-Club Classic in Lincoln, Neb.

Page 14

SPORTS

September 14, 2006

SPORTS

September 14, 2006

Page 15

Broncs start off strong at Hawks Invitational By RODERICK DORSEY The Pan American Newcomer Armen Kirakossian headlined this weekend’s results for The University of Texas-Pan American men’s golf team as he finished with a score of 210 (71-68-71) at the Hawks Invitational in Boston, Mass. The Portland, Ore. native tied Craig Berger’s result from last year’s Bearkat Classic, the fourth lowest score in program history. Head coach Andrew Tredway said Kirakossian’s performance in the season’s first action was excellent for a player entering the collegiate level. “I knew Armen was a great recruit, but what I didn’t know was how mature he was on the golf course,” Tredway said. “This kid is mature beyond his years and has an incredible attitude when things don’t go his way. “I think he’s going to make everyone better, and if he keeps working hard, he is going to have a bright future in college golf,” Tredway added. The rest of the Broncs performed well, but showed some rust from the offseason. At the end of the tournament, the Broncs finished with a team score of 876, securing them a fourth-place finish to start the season. “We had four guys not play their

best and we still finished fourth, which says a lot about where this team is headed,” Tredway said. The golfers finished ahead of seven other universities, but Tredway thinks they can do better. “There are a lot of positives in this tournament,” he said. “We didn’t quite put it all together, but it’s going to happen soon.” Unlike most sports, golf involves more than two teams. It is not uncommon to have a field with as many as 15 other teams. Tredway said that difference leads to a whole new mentality to win. “The key to winning a golf tournament is putting that out of your mind and instead focusing on getting yourself in the position to win on the back nine of the tournament,” he said. Additionally, teams lose tournaments more than they win them. He believes his group has that strong mindset though, and is not too far off from winning a big tournament. “They know how to win, so it’s only a matter of time,” Tredway said. He wants to keep his team focused and motivated, but also make sure they still enjoy the game. “My guys love competing as much as I do. I’m going to mix up their practice and make it fun, but I think they are going to make my job very easy,” he said.

UTPA Sports Information GOOD APPROACH - Junior Kyle Tudi keeps track of his ball during play at the Hawks Invitational. The Broncs finished with a team tally of 876 (294-289-293) and obtained fourth place. They will be back in action Sept. 18 in Florence, S.C., for the Raines Development Group Intercollegiate hosted by Francis Marion University.

Lady golfers to build on academic, athletic accomplishments By MARY NICHOLS The Pan American

UTPA Sports Information EAGLE EYES - Junior Elizabeth Rodriguez returns to the Lady Bronc golf team, as the group tries to maintain its success on and off the green.

The University of Texas-Pan American women’s golf team is one of the most successful programs at UTPA, excelling not only in athletics, but academically as well. This was apparent in the 2004 and 2005 seasons when they won three tournament championships and were still able to handle their course load, setting the standard by maintaining a solid cumulative grade-point average. This season, they hope to continue the tradition of excellence with the signing of new recruits and high expectations. Graduating three of their top players including Stefanie Maynard, who was selected last spring as the UTPA Female Athlete of the Year, head coach Barb Odale feels the Lady Broncs will still be a strong team. “We may have lost some key players, but we have a good recruiting class that came in, so I’m not worried,” she said. The recruiting class includes three

incoming freshmen, Rebecca De Leon from Mission, My Bark from Gothenburg, Sweden, and Kelly Haime from Ontario, Canada. De Leon captured six individual championships and finished in the top three of all eight tournaments in her senior year at Veterans High School. She has felt challenged by the difficult transition from high school to college. “The transition between high school and college has been drastic,” she said. Bark is another newcomer that the team will be counting on to perform well. As a senior in high school, the golfer ranked 102nd in her native country. Haime is an outstanding athlete who came to UTPA after lettering in golf as well as basketball. The Canadian is also an outstanding student in the classroom, graduating as valedictorian in her class. Odale hopes that the new recruits will show promise and quick maturity, and the veterans will be the ones to set the example. Returning golfers, including Elizabeth Rodriguez from Kingwood,

Melissa Uriegas from Edinburg and Bronwyn Sandberg from St. Albert, Canada, will have the responsibility of keeping the team highly motivated, according to Odale. Rodriguez, who was recently elected team captain, will be the main source of inspiration. “I expect a lot from Elizabeth. I look to her for leadership on and off the golf course, and expect her to step up,” Odale said. In the spring of 2005, Rodriguez placed ninth overall at the National Minority College Golf Championships. It was her second consecutive year finishing in the top 10 at the event. As a personal goal, Rodriguez hopes that history will repeat itself. The golfers have experienced success on the course, but those accomplishments cannot be mentioned alone; they have also shown a high degree of merit academically as well. For the third consecutive year, the Lady Broncs earned a team GPA of 3.541, the highest of all UTPA athletic programs. Odale hopes to continue the academ-

ic tradition. “The goal is set with the team. The girls have set high marks for themselves and hopefully we’ll get to the 3.6 mark for the cumulative GPA,” she said. Although the golf season will prove to be a true test for the student athletes, the Lady Broncs will have plenty of support from Odale. “As long as we get all the girls on the same spiraling cylinder, heading towards the same goal, this could be a fantastic year,” she said. NOTES: On Monday and Tuesday, the Lady Broncs started their campaign with a fifth-place finish in their first tournament of the season at the University of North Texas Lady Eagle Invitational. Rebecca De Leon was the top performer for the team. The Mission native finished with a 227, missing the top five by a few strokes. Elizabeth Rodriguez finished 13th, Mariale Camey tied for 17th, My Bark tied for 27th and Bronwyn Sandberg tied for 41st. The women finished with a team score of 934 (314-304317).

SPORTS

Editor’s Pick: Game to Watch When: Saturday Time: 12:20 p.m. Where: Yankee Stadium Boston Red Sox

Game will be aired on FOX

New York Yankees

Nevada native leads Bronc volleyball squad H EATHER B RAVO Class: Senior Hometown: Las Vegas, Nev. High School: Durango High School, Las Vegas, Nev. Height: 5’11” Position: Outside Hitter

CAREER STATISTICS Games Played: 352 Kills: 1,067 Total Attacks: 3,198 Assists: 75 Service Aces: 81 Digs: 1,052 Total Blocks: 92

By PATRICK KENNEDY The Pan American

sk most people from Las Vegas what the greatest sport in the world is and they’ll probably tell you, playing 25-cent slots. But ask Heather Bravo, and she’ll say, “volleyball.” Bravo is no ordinary girl from the “City that Never Sleeps.” She is the The University of Texas-Pan American volleyball captain who has had one mission since arriving on campus: to play volleyball, and to play it well. She recently became the second player in program history with 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs for a career. “I wanted to play. I wanted to make an impact from the beginning,” said the 5-foot11 senior outside hitter. As a young girl, Bravo’s interests were in sports such as softball. But as she moved into junior high, her mother “persuaded” her into trying out volleyball. “My mother forced me to do it,” she explained. Bravo’s mother, a former volleyball player herself, guided her daughter through the sport on into high school, where the younger Bravo quickly learned she had a knack for it. In high school, she improved under wing of veteran coach Robert Kelly, who, in 2002 was appointed to the position of head coach for the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team. Playing for the Durango High School

Trailblazers, Bravo garnered a list of accolades. She is third all-time in aces in a single season, fourth in career aces and third in digs. As captain of the team her junior and senior year, Bravo helped her team to win back-to-back Nevada State Volleyball Championships. In May 2003, at a tournament in Austin, The University of Texas-Pan American scouts noticed her play, and began trying to recruit her.

“I’m not interested in breaking records, but in helping the team.” - Senior Heather Bravo

UTPA coach Dave Thorn said that Bravo is, “someone the team can look to and that they can lean on.” As a captain on this year’s team, Bravo has been anointed with the responsibility of leading the way as the Lady Broncs pursue success against top-notch programs such as Texas Christian University. At last weekend’s tournament, the team came out strong in its second match, defeating High Point University in the University of Portland Tournament. Earlier they had fallen in a grueling five-set match

loss to Cornell University. The last match concluded in a loss to Uuiversity of Portland, three sets to one. Over the weekend, Bravo joined Jaclyn Muszynski (2003 graduate) with 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a career. Muszynski also holds the UTPA record for most kills and most digs in a career. With that record in sight, Bravo commented, “I’m not interested in breaking records, but in helping the team.” She attributes her success as a volleyball player to the hard work of her coaches, her fellow teammates, perseverance, and the dedication of her family. Bravo is a psychology major who plans on “living the American dream, like everyone else…but with a twist.” That twist includes Bravo’s efforts to try to gain a spot on one of Spain’s professional volleyball teams, with the idea of possibly joining one of the Association of Volleyball Professional pro beach volleyball teams in California. Her message to anyone who wants to achieve their goals is distinct. “Don’t give up. If you really try your hardest, it is obtainable,” she said. Commenting on this season, Bravo concluded, “I am so proud of my team, because we all work so hard. I think this could be a great season.”

Netters struggle to 2-8 beginning By KRISTYNA MANCIAS The Pan American They’ve been competitive, but have still lost eight of 10 to start the season. Last weekend, The University of Texas-Pan American Lady Broncs lost two of three matches at the University of Portland Tournament. On Friday the team got off to a good start but then collapsed, losing to Cornell University after winning the first two games, 30-28 and 31-29. Cornell rallied back to win the final three sets 30-25, 30-19 and 15-10. The team will be back on the court in Reno, Nev., for The University of Nevada Tournament Friday and Saturday. The next home game is Sept. 18 against Texas A&MKingsville. In the latest tournament, UTPA had its chances to sweep Cornell but costly errors

seemed to follow them at the wrong time. Once again Heather Bravo was a star as she posted her fourth double-double of the season with 20 kills and 18 digs. UTPA had four players reach double-digits in kills against Cornell. The second day of tournament play had a better outcome as the Lady Broncs rolled past High Point University in five sets (22-30, 30-28, 26-30, 30-14 and 1511). UTPA fell in the first frame 30-22 but fought back in the second to win a close one 30-28. The Lady Panthers picked up the third set but the Lady Broncs took control of the game in the final two frames to shut out High Point 30-14 and 15-11. UTPA competed throughout the tournament, taking their opponents into five sets. Coach Dave Thorn feels that just one thing is keeping his team out of the win column.

“It’s a mental thing, you got to get over that edge, that’s why I’m so glad we beat High Point, especially in five. It just gives us that confidence, that we can win in five and in long games,” Thorn said. “It reinforces all the things that we’ve been teaching them. They will get the benefits of being successful on the court as long as they keep on doing what we ask them to do.” In the nightcap, UTPA fell to Portland University in a 3-1 decision. After losing the second set, the Lady Pilots seemed to control the entire game, winning 30-12 and 3021. For the third time this season, UTPA’s Bravo received All-Tournament laurels. “Heather is playing as a senior should play. She’s stepping up for us, making plays when we need her to. She’s just been big since the first match on,” said Thorn. “To be quite honest, it’s what I expected from her this season.”

Onydia Garza/The Pan American INTENSITY - Outside hitter Kellie Phillips (left) returns the ball in a match against Texas State University Sept. 1. The Lady Broncs have continued to struggle since then, sitting now at 2-8.