The Rambler Vol.102 No.2

OPINION

CAMPUS

NEWS

A&E

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY Feb. 28, 2018 Vol. 102 • No. 2 www.therambler.org

Wesleyan launches eSports Program Hannah Lathen hrlathen@txwes.edu

Texas Wesleyan will offer a varsity collegiate electronic sports and gaming program starting next fall, making Wesleyan the first university in Texas to join the National Association of Collegiate Esports. “eSports provides an opportunity for TXWES to explore new, intentional, and relevant experiences for our students. As the first active school in Texas within NACE, we are on the cutting edge,” Vice President of Student Engagement/Dean of Students Dennis Hall wrote in an email. “I’m thrilled with the energy and support of our current students, and I’m excited for the future of eSports at Texas Wesleyan University.” eSports are competitive video game competitions which include several leagues, Assistant Dean of Students for Student Engagement Eugene Frier wrote in an email.

“Through this program, we also hope to build an official TXWES streaming page to host content through the year,” Frier wrote.

Frier wrote that the program will start in the fall, but Wesleyan is working on recruiting students now, offering 12 $2,000 scholarships.

“We are currently using several collegiate eSports recruiting platforms available to us through our organizational membership, and we plan on starting to reach out to high schools and community col-

leges school for external recruits,” Frier wrote. “We are also looking at our current student population to see who is interested in taking part as well.”

Frier wrote that the goals of the program are “commitment to excellence in competition and a commitment to the development of our program’s participants to help best position them for what comes next in life.”

The program is not just for gamers, Frier wrote.

“It offers a variety of things depending on how students want to be involved,” he wrote. “A chance to compete in eSports for the competitors, a chance to create content for the streamers, a chance to further build out their resume for those interested in helping to coach, doing analytics, or handling social media, and a chance to engage in the community for those who want to play games together.”

Junior business major Jacob Chesney has been involved in collegiate eSports since 2016 and has been helping Frier with the program.

He thinks having this program provides an outlet for students not currently offered at Wesleyan.

Graphic by Hannah Onder “I think that having avenues for all According to nacespots.org, 54 schools are involved in playing a mix of the above games in competitive play. people to be able to express themselves is important,” Chesney said. who are reserved. They go to school, eSports include games that are player ports. The games that we are doing “You know you have athletics, you go home and play video games.” versus player, unlike games like Dark are Hearthstone, which is player verhave art programs, you have theater, Chesney said that this gives those Soul and Super Mario Brothers. sus player,” Chesney said. “League of you have writing, you have all this students an opportunity to be pas“A game that you would just play stuff, and then there are the people sionate outside of athletics. He said by yourself, you wouldn’t see in eS ESPORTS. page 3

Football team scores new players for 2018 season Karan Muns kemuns@txwes.edu

Graphic by Hannah Onder SGA has relaunched the participation program, rewarding organizations that attend SGA meetings. For more information, go to therambler.org.

For more news and sports watch Rambler TV on Channel 25

The football team is in the offseason, but the coaches and players have kept busy, head football coach Joe Prud’homme said.

So far, the coaching staff has recruited 47 men for the 2018 season.

Prud’homme said the program was looking for “lineman (who are) serious about school, football, and are mentally and physically tough.”

Prud’homme did not give any specific names but said he is excited about “several of the lineman and a few of the defensive players.”

The football team’s twitter has helped recruit several players and is a pretty common methodology for recruiting in general, Prud’homme said. Most players sent the film of their best plays through email or twitter, Prud’homme said.

“We are pleased with all the signees and all of our returning players,” Prud’homme said.

New recruit Tanner Polley, a high school senior from Sanger High School, said he chose Wesleyan mainly for academics.

The “impressive pre-med program, the opportunity to play four more years of football, and the campus” all persuaded Polley to choose Wesleyan, he said.

Graphic by Hannah Onder According to ramsports.net, the Rams have 24 new out-of-state players.

“My recruiting process started after coach (Javon) Linley got in contact with me,” Polley said. “We texted back and forth for a couple weeks, and eventually I went on a campus visit. Then the day before National Signing, I made up my mind to go to Wesleyan.”

Polley said he is excited to be on the offensive line but isn’t concerned about what position he’ll play.

“I want to contribute in any way that will make our team successful,” Polley said.

Polley said he can’t wait to get back

on the field because his last season at Sanger High School was not as successful as he had hoped.

“I can’t wait to see how last year’s team blends with the new players we recruited,” sophomore running back Da’vonte Mitchell-Dixon said.

“Hopefully, we blend very well.”

Mitchell-Dixon said his biggest goal for himself is to help the team in any way possible in order to win.

“Whatever the coaches ask of me, I’ll do it,” Mitchell-Dixon said.

 RECRUITMENT. page 3

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This semester Texas Wesleyan’s Student Government Association is making several changes, including bringing back a contest for organizations to win money for attending general business meetings.

“My major goal is that majority of the student body knows who SGA is, what our mission is and all the resources we provide...

2 | Wednesday | February 28, 2018

Opinion

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Students gunning for stricter gun laws EDITORIAL

When a second grader proposes a plan of action to keep students safe from guns before lawmakers do, that’s a problem.

According to the Chicago Tribune, first-grader Ava Olsen went to recess one September afternoon in 2016 and left with PTSD. Now home-schooled, Olsen wrote President Donald Trump a letter asking him to keep kids safe from guns after a school shooter took away the boy she was going to marry one day.

When Trump responded without his own plan of action, Olsen provided him with one of her own in her response on Jan. 8.

Olsen is just one of the more than 150,000 students who have experienced school shootings since the Columbine High School massacre in April 1999, according to the Tribune.

School shootings have continued to be an issue in 2018; there were 18 in just the first 45 days of the year, according to CNBC. The most recent was at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., which resulted in 17 people dying on Valentine’s Day. How much bloodshed must occur for Americans to act on the growing issue of school shootings?

With the Stoneman shooting, the response is starting to change. Instead of going into silent mourning, Parkland victims are addressing gun control issues at rallies and calling for a march on Washington on March 24. They are demanding stricter gun control laws with the goal of making Parkland the last mass school shooting, according to MSN. Parkland student Emma Gonzalez points out that other countries, such as Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, have all introduced stricter gun laws after massacres like this and haven’t had more than five school shootings since implementing them. The United States has already long surpassed that this year alone and is doing nothing.

In fact, on Feb. 20 Florida lawmakers, who opened the session with a prayer to the 17 people killed at Parkland, rejected a motion to ban semi-automatic guns and large capacity magazines in front of dozens of Parkland survivors, according to CNN. Are the lives of your friends, family, and children really worth the loose gun control laws?

The current generation doesn’t seem to think so. Students across the country are planning to walk out of classes at 10 a.m. on March 14 for 17 minutes to continue drawing awareness to the issue. There will be another walk out on April 20 to acknowledge the anniversary of the Columbine shooting, according to The Daily Gazette.

The students know it’s time for a change when their safe place for living, learning, and working toward their dreams has turned into a place of violence, fear, and death for defenseless targets of gun violence.

One way to start the change is gun access. According to texasgunlaws.org, in Texas all a person needs to purchase a gun is a Texas state ID; there is no waiting period. There is no limit on how much ammunition a person can buy, no ban on semiautomatic weapons, and there is no state registration of firearms brought into Texas from a different state or inherited.

Essentially, it’s really easy to get a gun in Texas. If this changes, it could prevent more school shootings.

Cartoon by Hannah Onder For example, according to gunpolicy.org, in Japan, gun owners are required to state a reason for On Feb. 20, following the mass school shooting in Parkland, Fla., the Florida of Representives opened a session with a prayer for the 17 people possessing a firearm; have their criminal, mental House killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. With the victims in the health and addiction records checked; undergo audience, lawmakers rejected a motion to ban semi-automatic guns and firearm safety training; and then must reapply large capacity magazines. Protests broke out the next day. and requalify for their firearms license every three entering since students wouldn’t be sitting ducks. However, this years. As a result of this policy, Japan rarely has more than 10 is probably not the solution for everyone. gun deaths a year, according to Business Insider.

Training and buying the weapons could be expensive. AcAmerica could take a page from some of these regulations cording to Time magazine, in 2015 teachers in one in 10 schools because we have the potential to decrease not only school spent more than $1,000 on school supplies. With some schools shooting events but also gun deaths in general. not even having the funds for supplies, adding in the cost of Another possible solution for school shootings could be guns wouldn’t work for everyone. what the Argyle Independent School District does. A select At this point, it doesn’t matter what area of the political specfew teachers undergo training and have a concealed weapon on trum you’re on or what your opinion on guns is. It’s time to act their person. The identities of these teachers are unknown to on the issue of gun violence in schools because the action has everyone, but the principal, the superintendent, and the police been long overdue. Americans need to quit pushing the issue chief, and the school has warning signs out front, according to aside because the students are ready to act before the lives of the Fox 4 News. next generation become unsalvageable.

The signs that teachers are armed could deter shooters from

Rams should be more mindful of flu season Hannah Lathen hrlathen@txwes.edu

The flu season is in full effect with high rates of death nationwide, and for people like me, with weak immune systems, it is a very scary time.

I have an autoimmune disease called Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis. My immune system attacks my red blood cells, affecting my kidneys, lungs, skin and ear, nose and throat. Basically, instead of killing the bad stuff like immune systems are supposed to do, it is killing the good stuff.

In order to live, I have to take immunosuppressants to keep my immune system from attacking. In doing this, my immune system is essentially turned off. So it cannot kill the good stuff, but it cannot kill the bad stuff either.

Because of my treatment, I am very susceptible to getting sick, and when I am sick, or I have an injury, my body has a hard time healing itself.

For example, a few years ago I had a staph infection because my body was unable to heal itself. In a few days, I went into septic shock, and I had to be hospitalized for a week. All of that just because of a staph infection.

This year has been particularly bad, with the flu popping up in 49 states and already killing more than 80 people in North Texas, according to NBC Five.

Deborah Flourney, Texas Wesleyan’s program director for the Family Nurse Practitioner Program, wrote in an email that the flu season this year is just as bad as it was in 2008 or 2009 when it was declared a pandemic.

Fortunately, I have not had the flu or have been around anyone with it, but I am still nervous.

When the flu is going around, I have to be extremely careful.

I do not know if my body would be able to handle the flu. What might mean a few days in bed for one person is almost facing death for me.

I do my best to be very cautious. I am constantly washing my hands and staying away from others who are sick. I even make sure to get the flu shot every year. However, it can be inevitable.

Germs are everywhere, and there is no way to avoid them, especially at school.

Part of staying healthy is relying on others to do their part in not spreading their germs or sickness. Even though my disease is rare, there are many people who take immunosuppressants for different reasons or who have weak immune systems. Remember, senior citizens and babies have a hard time fighting illnesses as well. For my sake and for others who are in the same boat, I am asking everyone to please wash their hands, watch where they cough and sneeze and stay home when they are sick.

At Texas Wesleyan, upward of 30 students have been reported having the flu, according to Vice President of Student Affairs/ Dean of Students Dennis Hall. Those are terrifying numbers to me because I live and work on campus.

I appreciate the efforts done by the campus to try to combat the situation with deep cleaning buildings, providing hand sanitizer and offering meal delivery to students who live in dorms, so they don’t have to leave. These are all things that are keeping everyone at Texas Wesleyan safe.

Unfortunately, no matter how much the school does, it is up to the individual to make the right, healthy decisions.

I know many people have the attitude that they are not afraid of getting sick, or they don’t need to be careful because they got the flu shot. Even if you are not sick or showing symptoms, you can still spread the germs.

No matter how fearless you are in getting the flu, be mindful that there are those who seriously cannot afford to get sick.

Flourney wrote that spreading germs through contact like picking up germs on a grocery cart or touching another person is not the only way that the flu can be caught. The current strain of the flu virus can be spread through the breath of an ill person.

So please, at every chance you get, wash your hands, use hand

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Photo by Hannah Lathen With the flu season worse than it usually is, it is important for people to be mindful in stopping the spread of germs. Handsanitizing stations have been placed around campus to prevent the flu from spreading even further at Texas Wesleyan.

sanitizer, disinfect your rooms, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze and avoid others who are ill. Do not come to class if you have symptoms. Little things like that make a difference.

To those who are sick, avoid being around others. Take care of yourself, seek medical attention and let your body heal. If you do have to go out in public, use a face mask.

I don’t take my health for granted and others shouldn’t either.

The flu is a very serious illness and even more so this year. Do your part in keeping the community as healthy as possible. My life, as well as others with weak immune systems, depends on it.

Rams up Thumbs up to 10 days until Spring Break.

Thumbs up to the new eSports program.

Thumbs up to increasing graduate student enrollment.

Thumbs up to the warmer weather.

Rams down Thumbs down to the school shooting in Florida.

Thumbs down to a broken washing machine in Elizabeth Hall.

Thumbs down to the new restaurant being delayed until fall.

Thumbs down to Wesleyan having a $2.9 million deficit for 2018-2019.

Wednesday | February 28, 2018|3

News

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ESPORTS

continued from page 1 Legends, which is five players versus five play- lysts and coaches. You have to have people that major schools to start an eSports program. ers, and Overwatch, which is six players versus are good at other things than playing video He said the program gets around $625,000 in six players.” games,” he said. funding because they are good and win more Just like regular sports, than they spend.

Chesney said, those games “It is kind of have the competitive ele- “Just like what goes into creating a team for basketball or football, ambitious for ment of interaction; they me to want that are just not as physically in- you have to have analysts and coaches. You have to have people with our fundtense. ing our first year “Although some matches that are good at other things than playing video games.” in the program, on a competitive level can but I definitely be very intense in the sense think it is somethat you have to concentrate thing we can and do all of your stuff for get,” he said. like three and half hours straight,” he said. “So, Chesney said he wants the eSports program Tryouts will begin in April, according to the it is an endurance test.” at Texas Wesleyan to grow.

Texas Wesleyan website. To sign up, students However, Chesney said eSports is much “I want it to get huge,” he said. can go to txwes.edu/student-life/get-involved/ more than just playing video games.

When explaining the program to other esports-and-gaming.

“Just like what goes into creating a team for students, Chesney said he always mentions a basketball or football, you have to have ana- school in California that was one of the first

- Jacob Chesney

Graphic by Hannah Lathen Texas Wesleyan will join NACE in fall 2018.

RECRUITMENT continued from page 1

New Rams gained from National Signing Day Joran McNeely, ATH, Azle High School Braxton Brown, DB, Coahoma CC (MS) Chance Carroll, DB, Enda Karr HS (LA) Marsailes Dixon, DB, South Grand Prairie HS Nathan Fields, DL, Plano West High HS Artis Fountain, DL, Fond Du Lac CC (MN) Nicholas Lanum, DL, Eaton HS Ryan Leichus, DL, Yuba CC (CA) Troy Kanaan, DL, Frisco Independence HS Tyler Pullen, DL, Kansas Wesleyan John Renfrow, DL, Casady HS Parker Turley, DL, Mansfield Lake Ridge HS Rodney Jones, DL, Mansfield Legacy HS Brandon Robinson-Baylor, DL, Spring HS Andrew Ramos, FB, Fossil Ridge HS Kendrick Anderson, LB, Southwest Mississippi CC Christopher Deal, LB, Charles Flanagan (FL) Marquavius Hollins, LB, Coahoma CC (MS) Jacob Keller, LB, Eaton HS

Jordann Higgins, OL, Lexington HS LeChirs Hood, OL, Southwest Mississippi CC Lemar Johns, OL, Edna Karr HS (LA) Colby Moffett, OL, Southwest Mississippi CC Tanner Polley, OL, Sanger HS Jancoba Vongor, OL, Lamar University Skyler Perry, QB, Edna Karr HS (LA) Marquvius Kirkham, RB, Mississippi Delta CC Brooks Coffman, TE, Prosper HS Kristopher Bateaste, WR, Forest Hill HS (MS) Xaivier Biggs, WR, Methodist Children’s Home Devin Griffin, WR, Coahoma CC (MS) Tyron Matthews, WR, McKinney Boyd Gerad Miller, WR, Stephen F. Austin HS Erik Mims, WR, Wylie HS Emanuel Owens, WR, Mequite Poteet HS Collier Ricks, WR, St. Amant HS (LA) D’Voderick Robinson, WR, Bryon Nelson HS

Graphic by Hannah Onder According to ramsports.net, this is the list of players, their positions, and their schools that signed to Texas Wesleyan on National Signing Day.

He said he is excited about the new recruits because it just means that the team is growing and improving.

When asked what the new recruits need to know about the team Mitchell-Dixon said, “That we are all a family. We are here with open arms, and we can’t wait to create a new bond that will make us unstoppable on the field.”

Photo by Little Joe Head football coach Joe Prud’homme oversees a home game during last season.

4 |Wednesday February 28 , 2018

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The Warbirds of North Texas Elena Maldonado

This selection of photographs was taken from the portfolio of Texas Wesleyan student photographer Elena Maldonado, a junior mass communication major, created in fall 2017 in FAR 2322 Digital Photography taught by Professor Terri Cummings.

Artist Statement: I am a photographer interested in recognizing the amazing efforts of past North Texans that have left an impact in Fort Worth.

As a Fort Worth resident, I have seen aircraft constantly fly over my home and have heard the names of Amon Carter and Will Rogers. However, I did not know the importance these two individuals or the airport and airbase located near me had on my community.

With further research on these individuals, I came across the Fort Worth Aviation Museum, home to dozens of historic warbirds.

There, I read about the importance Carter and Rogers had on bringing airports and air-

bases to North Texas and got to see aircraft from different military branches. Since I have an interest in the fine detail, I wanted to capture the history behind each warbird while accentuating each of the crafts’ main features.

With my warbird photographs, I want the audience to see a story of passion and dedication that exists behind each image. Each word written and symbol drawn on the planes has a meaning. The scratches on the aircrafts’ windows show how long they were in service, and

the restoration that the aircrafts has had emphasizes the story behind each one of them.

The concept of showcasing history through my collection is similar to photographer Matt Emmett’s work. He enjoys taking photographs of beautiful places that do not receive much attention. His collection Forgotten Heritage highlights the history of each location photographed, in a unique way. My collection highlights the history of each aircraft through different angles.

6 |Wednesday | Februrary 28, 2018

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Quintanilla quells need for ΑΞΔ president Hannah Onder

hlonder@txwes.edu

It’s not every day someone comes back from Christmas to be told they’re president.

Marissa Quintanilla walked into her first day of classes this semester with 18 hours, two jobs, and the expectation of being vice president of her sorority, Alpha Xi Delta.

She left her classes that day learning she’d been appointed president of Alpha Xi Delta.

“It was just kind of an overwhelming, but a happy overwhelming moment,” said Quintanilla, a sophomore criminal justice major.

“Like I knew I could do it. It was just wrapping my head around it.”

Quintanilla was elected vice president last semester with the plan to eventually become president. However, because of a last-minute absence of the elected president, she was next in line for the role. Quintanilla’s already pretty involved on campus. On top of being a sorority president, she’s also a president ambassador, an orientation leader, a Ram Camp leader, and a member of Love Your Melon and S.H.I.E.L.D. “I think she’s doing an amazing job as president,” junior sociology major Yonatzin Cardoso said. “Our past presidents have all been amazing, and she’s bringing it up a step. Our motto is always, ‘Leave it better than how you found it.’ She’s definitely doing that.”

Cardoso is Quintanilla’s roommate and big sister in the sorority. She was very excited to see Quintanilla take office.

“It (her being president) makes me very proud because her and I have talked about it,” Cardoso said. “(It makes me proud) just to see her handle it with such grace and such courage and not let it weigh her down. If it does weigh her down, it doesn’t show. I think she’s just an amazing leader and an amazing example of Alpha Xi Delta.”

Quintanilla didn’t know Texas Wesleyan even had Greek Life when she first started here.

“Whenever I first started here, I didn’t know anything about Greek Life, and I didn’t even know Wesleyan had Greek Life,” Quintanilla said. “Then I saw that they had recruitment.

I’ve always wanted to join a sorority, but I didn’t know we had one here. I was very excited.”

Quintanilla may not have known about Greek Life when she first got here, but she’s known for a long time that she was going to Wesleyan.

“My dad (Dr. Hector Quintanilla) is the dean of School of Business,” Quintanilla said, “so basically I’ve known my whole life I was going to

come here.”

As a result, Quintanilla said she knew a lot of faculty, but not many students. She stumbled on Wesleyan’s Greek Life when she was looking for someplace to belong on campus.

“The reason why I choose it (Alpha Xi Delta) is because it had the most home environment to me,” Quintanilla said. “The girls were really sweet, and I really liked everything that they were about. It actually seemed like an actual sisterhood instead of just a bunch of people who got together just once a week and departed. I could tell that it was an actual family environment, and I was really looking for people to know at the time.”

From that first day of recruitment in the fall of 2016, Cardoso had wanted Quintanilla to be her little sister.

“I knew from the moment she walked into the recruitment that she was going to be my little (sister) and no one else could take her because she was going to be mine,” Cardoso said.

“She’s a 24-hour job, and we’re always together, but I wouldn’t change her for anything in the world.”

Quintanilla loves the closeness of Alpha Xi Delta and is appreciative of how much it’s let her grow as a person.

“I think maybe whenever I was officially initiated into Alpha Xi Delta, that made a really big impact on my life,” she said. “I like the way it’s changed me. I’m not the same person that I was before. I know a lot of people say that stuff, but it’s honestly true. Because of it (Alpha Xi Delta), I have been able to branch out and realize (my) potential. It really does happen. It’s given me the confidence to go out and do stuff I want to do.”

Quintanilla said helping young women realize their potential in both academics and life is Alpha Xi Delta’s mission and she believes it’s important for all women to have some support system like Alpha Xi Delta.

“It’s (Alpha Xi Delta) really important to me because I feel like still in society women are still having to work so hard to gain that respect from everyone,” Quintanilla said. “I mean we’ve come a long way, but not really. I think having a group of girls who are like constantly supporting each other is super important because I don’t want anyone of them or any girl at Wesleyan to feel like they can’t do something.”

Quintanilla said her passion and dedication to the sorority have grown even more since becoming president.

“There’s a lot more passion for it now,” she said. “I feel that now that I’m president, I’m

Photo contributed by Marissa Quintanilla Marissa Quintanilla is the newly appointed president of Alpha Xi Delta sorority this semester.

the face of Alpha Xi Delta, so I always have to be watching what I’m saying to people, how I’m dressing, and how I’m presenting myself in general. I just feel like I have to be the definition of Alpha Xi Delta now. I have all these girls counting on me and all the girls at the chapter counting on me, so it’s a really big difference. Having a cool group of girls trust you since you make a decision for everyone is a big difference, but I like it.”

Quintanilla said her biggest challenge is having the patience to see her work flourish.

“I have a very big vision when it comes to how I want my chapter to be or how I want the community at Wesleyan to be, so I get frustrated if things aren’t like resulting quick enough,” Quintanilla said. “I have to remember that it’s all going to be worth it in the long run. Like the things that I’m doing now and the things that I’m helping out with now aren’t going to happen right this second, so I think patience has been my biggest challenge here.”

Cardoso said one of Quintanilla’s best attributes is her people skills.

“I think she has such amazing people skills and that kind of brings out people to events that she advertises for, not just Alpha Xi, but like RA events and stuff like that,” Cardoso said. “The fact that she connects so well with people is her best attribute to Wesleyan.”

Dr. Eddy Lynton, an associate professor of criminal justice and sociology, also agrees that Quintanilla has great people skills and believes those are part of what makes her a great criminal justice major.

“She’s very passionate about people, about the social world, and her social environment,” Lynton said. “She’s always interested in im-

proving the world and making it a better place for people. She always wants to leave things better than how she found them. I think that’s what makes her an exceptional criminal justice major.”

Lynton also said that her people skills will help her in her career and he loves having her in class.

“I really want to see her working hands-on with the people,” he said. “I think she can do anything really, but I think her real strength is people. She has, I don’t know how to even describe it, special quality about her that I think draws people to her. She’s got a great personality, and she’s got a very positive vibe. She’s just full of life, and I love that about her.”

Quintanilla said she is considering going to graduate school at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville for its good criminal justice program. Cardoso believes Quintanilla may even get her doctoral degree.

“I see her going to graduate school and getting her doctoral,” Cardoso said. “I actually kind of see her being a dean because she’s very passionate about criminal justice, and I see her going a long way.”

Cardoso said she’s seen Quintanilla grow in her leadership, confidence, and understanding of others’ emotions a lot since she first met her and believes she’ll accomplish a lot by the end of her presidency.

“I know our number one goal is to become a bigger chapter and to be a lot more involved on campus and we are doing that slowly and surely,” Cardoso said. “I think by the end of her presidency we’ll have definitely accomplished that.”

Wednesday | February 28, 2018

|7

Sports

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Gleason perseveres through her injury Gleason’s Stats for 2017-18

MIN

FMG/A 3FG/A FTM/A

OFF DEF TOT AVG PF AST T/O BLK STL PTS AVG

561 .391 .353 .881 14

77

91

4.0

67

33

43

10

36 270 11.7

Graphic by Hannah Onder Nicole Gleason’s stats at the end of the Lady Rams’ 2017-18 season, courtesy ramsports.net.

Photo by Machele Trachier Nicole Gleason shoots a basket during the Texas Christian University exhibition game on Nov. 2.

Peyton Prudhomme pprudhomme@txwes.edu Shooting a basketball comes easier for some people than others.

Nicole Gleason is one of those people.

The sophomore business major from Heath, Texas just east of Lake Ray Hubbard near Dallas is a sharpshooter who averaged a teamhigh 11.7 points per game for the Lady Rams this season, according to ramsports.net.

“I have been playing basketball since the fourth grade, and I have always had a love for shooting the basketball,” Gleason said.

In addition to leading the team in points per game, Gleason shot 35percent from the three-

point line; she also made 88 percent of her free throws. She scored a career-high 27 points on Nov. 30, 2017, against Wayland Baptist University.

Gleason’s stellar season was dealt a setback the second week of January when she sprained her ankle.

“I was in practice, and I noticed that my ankle was just not feeling right,” she said. “I talked with the trainers after practice, and it turned out that I had a high grade three ankle sprain.”

Gleason missed four games before returning for the Lady Rams’ second game against Wayland Baptist.

The next game was Feb. 10 against South-

Photo by Little Joe Nicole Gleason dribbles up the court during a home game. She sprained her ankle in January.

western Christian University, where she scored two points. But two days later she came off the bench to erupt for 25 points in 30 minutes against Southwestern Assemblies of God University, hitting nine of 18 from the field and four of 10 free throws.

“It felt good to get back out there and play, but I am still not playing at the level that I would like, but I will get there eventually,” Gleason said. “I just have to stay patient and keep on doing my rehab and improving strength in my ankle.’’

Teammates felt the impact of her return.

“We missed her positive attitude and energy over the past few games, and it was much needed seeing her back on the floor for us,”

said sophomore exercise science major Princess Grant. “The Sooner Athletic Conference is an extremely tough conference.”

Coaches also felt Gleason’s impact.

“She is only a sophomore, but she is a returner and a leader for our team. She is a key piece to our team,” said assistant coach Chardonae Fuquá.

Gleason credits her success to her mother, Dayanara.

“I look up to my mother so much,” she said.

“My mom is such an inspiration to me. She went back to school and got her nursing degree. She is such a big influence to me, and I truly appreciate everything she has done for me.”

8 | Wednesday | February 28, 2018

Sports

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Yancey plays hardball, receives title

Photo by Matt Smith With only two earned runs allowed in 2018, Stephen Yancey is one of the NAIA’s top pitchers.

Photo by Little Joe Stephen Yancey pitches against Bethany College in the season opener on Feb. 3.

Matt Smith mxsmith@txwes.edu

Senior right-hand pitcher Stephen Yancey is on a roll.

Yancey is 4-0, having only allowed two earned runs in four starts for the Rams this season. The business major was named the Sooner Athletic Conference Player of the Week for his first start, a 1-0 win over Bethany College on Feb. 3 that kicked off the 2018 season and saw him throw 10 strikeouts in six innings, according to ramsports.net.

“It’s really good just because that was like that was very first game of the season,” Yancey said. “Especially when you’re playing a series of three games. So winning the first is huge to have that energy for the other two. But, of course, it’s a lot easier to pitch when you have a big lead.”

Junior pitcher and exercise major Parker Robinson predicted Yancey would get the SAC honor.

“Opening weekend before Yancey went out for his first start, I told him that he was gonna get conference player of the week,” Robinson said. “He kinda just like laughed about it and shrugged it off. We kinda took it lightly as a joke and stuff, but I was tryna motivate him to help him go out there and do this thing. After we won that game one to nothin’, on Monday, whenever the news came out, as soon as he found out, he texted me like, ‘Dude, I got it,

holy cow.’”

Robinson said the achievement is a sign for things to come.

“To get it on opening weekend and making a statement on how the season’s supposed to go and how well he’s prepared for the season – he just kinda deserved it, ya know?” Robinson said.

Yancey’s played for Wesleyan since his freshman year in 2014. Taking the game seriously at a young age, he played Select Baseball for teams like the Arlington A’s and the Dallas Dodgers.

The next phase was South Grand Prairie High School, where he pitched under Coach Dennis Pelfrey, who Yancey said helped push him to where he is now.

“Coach Pelfrey was a great coach because he was very relationship and task oriented. He was hard on players at times, but also joked around and could have fun with us,” Yancey said. “He worked on my hitting and pitching mechanics, which helped me excel to the next level. Playing baseball in high school was a lot different than select baseball. We had practice every day and could constantly get better due to more practice time.”

It was Pelfrey who lead Yancey to Wesleyan, recommending him to Head Coach Mike Jeffcoat. “[Pelfrey] gave me a call,” Jeffcoat said. “He said, ‘Hey Mike, I got this high school player over here. I think he’s a late bloomer, but I think he has potential.’ [So then, I] got himov-

er here, got him to throw a bullpen. I liked it, and we signed him.”

Jeffcoat said Wesleyan has served as a sort of home for talent like Yancey to grow and reach new heights.

“There are young men who, for whatever reason, can’t go Division I,” he said. “Maybe grades, the cost, or they’re late bloomers, what I call talent spurts, and they come over here, figure some things out, really get it going, and are able to get a shot at playing on the professional level.”

The particular place Yancey’s bloomed as a player is in his velocity, a strength he’s done well to refine enough to attract scouts.

“He was only about a mid-80s pitcher his freshman year,” Jeffcoat said. “And in his sophomore, he was touching 90, and last year, he got it up to 95. He seems to be maintaining that velocity this year better than what he was last year.”

Yancey is already in the process of securing himself a new home after Wesleyan.

“The main plan right now is to play minor league baseball and hopefully get drafted by an MLB team,” Yancey said. “There’s about seven or eight teams that have contacted me and that I’ve filled out information for. They come to my games, video me and watch me pitch and stuff.”

Out of those seven or eight teams, the one Yancey has his eye on is the Seattle Mariners.

In addition to his play at Wesleyan, he garnered attention by playing for Minnesota’s Duluth Huskies in the summer of 2017.

Yancey said he loved taking in the scenery in Minnesota while pitching for the Huskies.

“It was really fun,” he said. “We played pretty much a baseball game every single day. Most of the time, we played at night, so that was pretty cool. We played in [places like] North Dakota [and] Wisconsin against players from big Division I schools. The level of competition was definitely higher. You never know who’s watching up there for like MLB teams, so you always wanted to play the hardest.”

At the time Yancey pitched for the Huskies, field manager Daniel Hersey was the coach.

Even though he hasn’t coached since then, Hersey can still recall Yancey’s performance.

“He did an outstanding job, whenever he was called upon to come in and pitch. He was a guy that we could lean on,” Hersey said. “He did all of his extra work and maintained his arm. He was a great asset to our program.”

The Huskies didn’t have the best record last summer, going 31-41. Yancey had a 4.11 ERA with two wins and one loss in 15 games. However, Hersey believes everybody that played still got better.

“In the whole scheme of things, I believe everybody that came up got a good experience,” Hersey said. “I kinda classify [playing with the Huskies] as a minor league internship, [with] all the travel, playing day in and day out, taking care of their bodies and performing at a high level. If they can do this, hopefully, they’ll get to the minor leagues, and then eventually to the major leagues.”

2018 marks Yancey’s final season on the mound for the Rams. He said he wants to accomplish two things.

“Having a winning season for the team, have fun with all my friends this year, especially on road trips and staying in the hotels,” Yancey said, “but also, [trying] to play well enough and ‘show off,’ I guess, for the MLB scouts. I’m tryna play at the next level after this year.”

Robinson said those expectations are already on track.

“The season’s kinda exceeded expectations,” Robinson said. “Some of the other outside teams weren’t expecting great things any more, but we jumped out to a 3-1 start, and I think we’ll just keep this momentum. The thing is, we’re not even playing our best baseball yet.”

While the future is definitely a big thing for Yancey, right now, the present is what he is focusing on.

“I can’t say I have anything specific I want to accomplish in the MLB since I’m not there yet!” Yancey said. “My main goal right now is focusing on school, winning at the college level, and making memories with friends that will last a lifetime. Making to the MLB is just the icing on top. If I did make it, I definitely want to become one of the most successful, hard-working, and dedicated pitchers to ever play the game.”

Purvis strengthens team, quells injuries Ashton Willis

anwillis@txwes.edu

Texas Wesleyan University’s softball team has added new strength and conditioning fortheir 2018 spring season.

Coach Parker Purvis, who is new to the university this year has taken on the role for the Lady Rams.

Even though Purvis is new to the university, he grew up with a deep background in sports.

“I played all sports growing up. I leaned towards football coming out of high school, but I didn’t have a big-time college career,” Puvis said.

He said this is his first time working with a collegiate team.

“I’ve never coached an actual one-sport team, so this will be my first time doing a onesport team,” Purvis said.

He said that he has really enjoyed getting to work with softball for the first time.

“It’s great so far; I didn’t really have any expectations,” he said. “I knew that they’re in college and on a mission and hopefully if they show up ready to work out; they’re going to be ready to go, which they are.”

Kayla Prachyl, a senior and mass communcation major, said she has enjoyed having Purvis as her new strength and conditioning coach.

“We love him! He’s so funny, and he vibes with us very well,” Prachyl said.

Prachyl said that the number of injuries this year has really been cut down because of Purvis.

“He focuses a lot on correct form, and shoulder stability, so we haven’t had any arm injuries this year, which is unheard of for our team,” Prachyl said.

Purvis said the softball players come to work out with a good mindset and are very focused.

“They’re very attentive, they work hard, they listen, and I have no complaints. It has been awesome so far,” Purvis said.

Purvis said that he has a hard-working group of players who know when to be serious and when it is okay to loosen up a bit.

“They like to have fun, and there’s times when we can have a little bit of fun, but there’s also, time to work,” he said. “When they’re in

there they are ready to work and are already lined up and ready to go.”

Purvis believes that the workout plan that he has laid out will be beneficial to them this season.

“My goal is to apply the basic fundmentals, strength training, and of course conditioning that will get them in better shape that is easily transferable to the softball field,” he said. “I want to limit injury as much as possible.

Purvis said that he has a couple of goals for the season.

“They know how to use their weight and distribute it and the main goal is for them to be more efficient and better at their sport,” he said. “The second goal is for them to pass their conditioning test because they can’t play without doing that.”

As the season goes on, Purvis said, the training will get more intense.

“I don’t want to mow them over a day or two before their game because that would be terrible,” he said. “It will get tougher, but right now I’m just trying to work on the basics and make Photo by Sam Bastien sure that they’re doing everything Parker Purvis speaks to softball players about their strength and conditioning workout in the weight room. correctly.”

Purvis said the workouts he has designed are oriented around softball.

“Softball is a big-time rotational sport, so you have to have a lot of core,” he said. “If you don’t take care of your shoulders, especially going overhead is very important. We also do a lot of single-leg stuff as well, such as one-leg squats and lunges.”

Lauren Wernet, a senior and athletic training major, said that Purvis really listens to the players and helps them get better.

“He listens to how our bodies are feeling and understands what it’s like during the season,” Wernet said. “He is positive in the morning and wants to see us succeed.”

Purvis said his main focus is to prepare the players to be ready on the field.

“I’m trying to do my best to put the pieces in the weight room that I can so that it translates Photos contributed by Parker Purvis to their sport,” he said.

Parker Purvis poses throughout his high school football career; he grew up playing several sports.