4/12/18

INDEX:

2|CAMPUS

3|OPINION

4|SPORTS

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THESOUTHTEXAN.COM

Thursday, April 12, 2018

5|ENTERTAINMENT

6|AD

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Volume 92 Issue 22

lady javelinas are now national champions

First Beach Volleyball championsip in Javelina History Frank Cardenas Photographer

McCulley Hall now has one more national title trophy on display, as the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Beach Volleyball team (1610) is the 2018 American Volleyball Coaches Association Small College Beach Division II National Champions.

The Javelinas entered the inaugural AVCA tournament as the No. 1 seed, and proved the seeding was rightfully earned when it mattered most after defeating Spring Hill College, 3-2, and Eckerd College, 4-1.

Not only are the Javelinas graced with being known as the first ever national champions in the AVCA Small College Beach tournament, but they are also the first ever women’s team program to bring a national championship back to Kingsville in the university’s history.

“They played so well,” Head Coach Tanya Allen said of the incredible weekend her team had. “It’s so deserving.

They earned every bit of [that

trophy]. There was no questioning it. They deserved every bit of that. And when I first told them they get rings?

They all cried.”

In the final matchup at Tavares, Fla., the Hoggies were faced with an unfamiliar territory, as the AVCA scheduled all five games to be played at the same exact time on five courts, adding more pressure and intrigue to an already tense situation.

“It was a completely different format during the championship round,” Coach Allen said. “So as coaches, we were running from court to court, just trying to get there as quick as we can and try to coach. So, it was a little bit chaotic. We were literally running from court to court going, ‘What’s the scores?

What’s the scores? Who’s up?’ Trying to keep track.

And so, you don’t really know what’s going on on every court until you look over and somebody’s screaming ‘we won.’ And so when we finally got to that point, it was so exciting.”

Kyra Henderson and Madeline Sims, seniors and two of the original recruits

Photo by Frank Cardenas

Beach volleyball team poses for a picture with national championship trophy

from the first class at TAMUK for beach volleyball, both recalled just how overwhelming the games got, knowing the circumstances of each game playing at the same time.

“It was exciting and

nerve-racking, and cool at the same time,” said Henderson on the final matchups. “The whole time we would be playing, we’d either be up or we would be like, ‘well how are the other courts doing?’

But [our coaches] would play

it off […] we really just wanted to know how our teammates were doing the whole time because we wanted our teammates to win, more than we wanted ourselves to win.

[Eventually] We got the first three wins and it was awe-

some. So, our last game was still going on for the fifth set.

And it was so fun to cheer on the last team to get the fourth win.”

See Beach Volleyball on Page 4

ALUMNI SET TO BRING IN THE GOLD FOR UNIVERSITY

‘With You, Without Limits’ campaign has reached half of its goal Crystal Zamarron Editor-in-Chief

With a goal of $100 million by August 2021, Texas A&M University-Kingsville wants to honor and thank those who took part in marking university history.

“We must look towards the future and we must start thinking about ourselves as a thriving university and start raising money so we’re not depending on our taxpayers,” said University President Steven H. Tallant at the Without You, Without Limits kickoff event held at his home Friday to announce the fundraising endeavor.

Of that $100 million, $20 million will be given to students’ support such as

scholarships. This is with the hopes of improving graduation rates and increasing the social mobility of the region, according to javelinagiving. org.

For research and programming, $15 million is being designated. Another $15 million would go to facilities and equipment.

The majority of the goal ― $40 million – will go towards the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. The last $10 million will be for annual gifts.

The campaign has raised a little more than $58,000 million so far.

At the kickoff for With You, Without Limits were four men covered in gold paint who represented Robert Justus Kleberg, Frank H. “Doc” Dotterweich, Gil H.

Steinke and Carlos Guerra.

Each had a description of how they impacted the university.

“I thought it was important to give back to the university that I really can honestly say helped me with all the success that I’ve had since I graduated. It all leads back to this campus,” said Gene H. Dawson Jr., president of Pape-Dawson Engineers, Inc. and Campaign Chair of With You, Without Limits. “It was my way to recognize and honor and say thank you to Dr. Tallant who has done so much and literally changed our university.”

Dawson gave a recognition to all 10 men involved in the campaign cabinet.

Bradley Walker, vice president for Advancement & External Affairs, spoke of an

unknown donor. Given the name Anita, she was a student at TAMUK and received a scholarship and was able to meet her donor. Once Anita was able she started her own scholarship of $25,000, all before turning 40 years old. “[The donors] have the ability to make a difference for young people. Some of them that are young people like I was when I came here in the 1970s when $50 was a difference between my ability to stay or drop out,” LTG Ricardo S. Sanchez said.

Throughout the event, ensembles from the music department like the Trumpet Guild, Trombone Choir and the Javelina Mariachi performed for those present at the kickoff. Finishing with “Jalisco” to end the night.

Courtesy photo by @JavelinaNation on Twitter

Golden statue of Frank H. “Doc” Dotterweich holds still at the With You, Without Limits campaign kickoff

A Night of Campus Pageantry

Miss TAMUK 2018 set to grace the stage next week Dakota Roberts Editorial Editor

Courtesy photo

2018 Miss TAMUK’s 15 candidates pictured with one candidate missing

The annual Miss TAMUK scholarship pageant will soon be gracing Texas A&M University—Kingsville once again, this time with a decades-theme centered around the ‘50s.

This year’s scholarship pageant is a two-day endeavor, beginning the festivities with the candidates’ personal interviews from 5 to 9 p.m.,

Friday, April 13.

The main event will be held the next day, Saturday, April 14, at the Jones Auditorium.

During this event, 16 candidates will take the stage, showcasing outfits and performing in a plethora of challenges including a question and answer period.

Adriana Palomo, a candidate for this year’s pageant, stated why she decided to take a run at Miss TAMUK. “I’ve been in pageants be-

fore, but nothing compared to a scholarship-based pageant. Being Miss TAMUK for me personally would be an honor. It will give me more opportunities to get involved with my fellow colleagues and university staff. I would also love to bring new attractions to the university.”

The candidates, who applied to compete in the pageant in February, will be in the running to win various scholarship prizes: the second runner-up being award-

ed $750, first runner-up with $1,000, and the newly crowned Miss TAMUK finishing with a $2,000 scholarship.

Taking up the role of Miss TAMUK also offers a year of active work, as Miss TAMUK commonly attends big university events and pushes ideas to make for a stronger and more positive college ex

See Miss TAMUK on Page 2

2

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018

Campus

A Week for the Champs

TAMUK prepares to host the annual Champions Week to honor students in nine award categories America Quintero Campus Editor

Participating in weekend community service, spending months conducting research, or being an organization leader is not an easy task, especially if you’re a college student.

For many, it requires patience, determination and persistence. These are qualities Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) looks for when choosing their next Student Champions. To honor the work of outstanding students, TAMUK will be conducting its third annual Student Champions Week from April 16 to 20.

Champions Week will be hosting a different theme each day. The themes honor student participation in

community service, research, leadership, student academic achievement, student workers, and much more.

Students can participate in activities and events that correlate with the daily theme.

For example, the Javelina Research Symposium Open House will be held Wednesday, April 18, and honors Student Research and Creative Activity Champions.

“With student champions week, we’re able to recognize student’s achievements. [Students get] Recognized for what they do. Whether it’s research projects, community service or student workers,” said Dynyel Miller, executive director for Student Access.

In addition, students are eligible to receive Champion Buttons. These pins are worn by students who are being

Miss TAMUK continued from Page 1 experience.

Tanishka Guduru, another pageant candidate and SGA member, explained what the university means to her and why she wishes to lead by example.

“TAMUK is the place where I learned how to live. A place I learned how to deal with depression. It makes me feel like home

even though I come from a different part of the world.

A place filled with opportunities, lessons, and guidance. In every step you take, there’s someone guiding you like a Mother. Every place you go, there’s someone protecting you like a Father.”

For this reason, Erin McClure, director of student

honored for that specific day.

Champion Buttons will also give students a 10 percent discount at all Aramark locations on campus, such as the Javelina Dining Hall or eateries at the SUB. The highlight of Champions Week are the Student Champion Awards.

There are nine categories of awards: Freshman of the Year, Humanitarian Award, Outstanding Future Professional, Unsung Hero, First Generation Champion, Non-traditional Student Champion, Javelina Legacy Champion, Student Worker of the Year, and the Phoenix Award.

On April 18, students nominated to be TAMUK Student Champions will be invited to attend an All-Star Award Reception. These students were nominated ei-

ther by their student peers, co-workers, student leaders, advisors, or coaches. The winners are chosen by a special committee made up of faculty from different student departments. About three to four committee members vote per award category.

At the head of the committee is Terisa Riley, TAMUK senior vice president, who founded Champions Week in spring 2016.

“I began this celebratory week with the goal that all students should be celebrated for their many skills and talents as well as their multiple contributions to making the Javelina Nation the best campus in Texas,” Riley said.

Champions Week will officially kick-off on Monday April 16 at the Student Union Building (SUB).

activities, stated that she believes Miss TAMUK is a scholastic event, aimed at having the student body meet strong female leaders.

“Miss TAMUK is a pageant but it’s not a swimsuit competition, it’s more of a leadership. You work on your public speaking skills; there is an interview. The interview is 50 percent of the judging and the speech is 30

percent,” McClure said.

As a campus tradition dating back to the days when it was called the Miss Lantana pageant, a reference to the beautiful flowers that are well-known to the area, the pageant hopes to showcase Texas A&M University—Kingsville’s female leaders and the roles they hope to play on campus.

More Reasons to Transfer to TAMUK Today TAMUK recognized on Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Honor Roll List

Iliana Flores Reporter Transferring from a twoyear college to a four-year university can be a tough decision for many students.

However, those looking for a school recognized for being transfer-student friendly can consider Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK).

TAMUK is one of only 112 four-year college institutions in the nation recognized by Phi Theta Kappa on its 2018 Transfer Honor Roll list.

With over 2.5 million students in 1,285 inducted chapters on college campuses since its inception in 1918, Phi Theta Kappa recognizes the importance of creating a smooth educational pathway for community college students looking to transfer.

“In order to ensure their continued success, the Transfer Honor Roll Program identifies colleges and universities that understand the unique needs of community college transfer students and applauds the dynamic pathways these colleges have created to continue fostering student success at the fouryear college,” said Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, the president and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa on the honor society’s website.

To honor those schools with admirable pathways for transfer student success, Phi Theta Kappa invites accredited baccalaureate degree-granting institutions to apply for their Transfer Honor Roll list.

This year, TAMUK applied and was chosen by Phi Theta Kappa after being evaluated on its “institutional partnerships and commu-

nity college collaboration, pre-transfer institutional support: outreach, admission, and access, post-transfer student engagement and support, community college data tracking and institutional priorities, and transfer innovations,” the Phi Theta Kappa website said.

By being on the Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Honor Roll list, Jennifer Zipprian, a TAMUK regional advisor and the person who worked on the Phi Theta Kappa application, believes the university is showing transfer students that it cares.

“It’s great for transfer students because it basically shows that we are dedicating our time to help transfer students through their process.

Sometimes transfer students get pushed behind the freshmen students, but it’s really showing that we are trying to build our transfer student population and make their process to transfer to our university a simple one,” Zipprian said.

Across South Texas, TAMUK has an active presence at community colleges such as Del Mar College and South Texas College and many others in the area. By having recruiters visit the two-year institutions to inform potential transfer students about academic programs, student organizations, other amenities the university offers and provide automatic admission, TAMUK is creating an easy avenue for those looking to continue their education.

For Leti Torres, a communications major who transferred from South Texas College: Mid Valley Campus to TAMUK in Fall 2017, the process was relatively easy.

“I chose TAMUK because

Photo Courtesy from ptk.org

Phi Theta Kappa Logo

it was closer to home than any other school. I knew I wanted to live on the campus of a university because I felt it was going to be easier for me academically, as well as because I heard that it was a great university that had great opportunities for success,” Torres said.

Torres is just one person making up five percent of TAMUK’s transfer enrollment. In order to engage these students and assist in their success, the university hosts an orientation at the beginning of each semester only for transfer students to introduce to the campus environment.

Along with this orientation, the Javelina Student Engagement Center hosts events throughout the semester specifically for transfer students to socialize with one another, learn more about the resources available on campus and have college experiences they will remember for the rest of their lives.

It is because of events such as these and TAMUK’s continuous efforts to be a school with transfer students’ best interests in mind that it was recognized for being a transfer friendly four-year university by Phi Theta Kappa.

Opinion

3

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018

Charity Elevates, Elevation is Key The reason why we enjoy grand acts of kindness C.R. Neal Reporter Wealthy celebrities crowded the Palladium Theatre and watched through misty eyes as Seth Rogen and his wife, Lauren Miller-Rogen, described what it meant to care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s.

That segment was part of a Netflix special named Seth Rogen’s Hilarity for Charity. The special used Seth’s affinity for comedy to shed light on the severity of Alzheimer’s and raise money for the charity Hilarity for Charity (HFC), which provides in-home care for people with the disease.

Near the end of the special, the actor Jeff Goldblum came on stage to school Seth for his

portrayal of altruism, who had purposefully boasted about being generous.

“The right motivation is valuing other people’s lives the way that you value your own,” Goldblum said. “One of the greatest essential human virtues, which, by the way, anybody can have, not just celebrities with the resources to pull off star-studded charity specials, is doing things for other people even if those things don’t benefit you in any way whatsoever.”

In-between the irreverent jokes were poignant tales chronicling Lauren’s mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s that filled the audience with hope and hints of happiness.

I found myself tearing up as I watched a clip of the Rogens informing a family that they would receive 15 hours of in-home care for their loved one. More than tears, I felt a

benevolent presence wash over me.

I found myself questioning what it was that made me feel this way. In my research I found that the first recorded acknowledgment of this phenomena came from the third President of the United States Thomas Jefferson.

“When any… act of charity or gratitude is presented to our sight or imagination, we are deeply impressed with its beauty or feel a strong desire in ourselves of doing something charitable or grateful acts also,” Jefferson wrote.

The emotion Jefferson observed can be seen in the acts of Buddha, Jesus Christ, and many holy men and women.

These acts inspire us to help our peers and in the process become, in my opinion, better people.

Psychologists have labeled this emotion elevation.

TWITTER POLL QUESTION Do you believe that Russian agents interfered with the Presidential election?

This week’s poll: Do you believe regulations need to be placed on social media companies and apps in light of the Facebook breach?

The South Texan The South Texan is a student publication produced by Texas A&M UniversityKingsville students. The views, opinions and commentary do not necessarily reflect the views of the Texas A&M University system.

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Staff:

Crystal Zamarron - Editor-in-Chief Darcy Ramirez - Managing Editor America Quintero - Campus Editor Dakota Roberts - Editorial Editor Plaserae Johnson - Sports Editor Robert “Bobby” Puentes - Circulation Manager Frankie Cardenas - Photographer Josue Villarreal - Reporter C.R. Neal - Reporter Joshua Lin - Reporter Iliana Flores - Reporter Luis Garcia - Reporter Nicole Morris - Adviser Dr. Manuel Flores - Content Supervisor

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First Amendment Right Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievances.

Two scholars examined empirical evidence on elevation in 2016 for the American Psychological Association’s academic journal. The experiments confirmed Jefferson’s hypothesis.

“Elevation appears to lead to transcending the self – psychologically, physiologically and behaviorally,” wrote the scholars who summarized the findings on elevation, Rico Pohling of Germany’s Technische Universitat and Rhett Diessner of Idaho’s Lewis-Clark State College.

“Therefore, it may help us connect with each other, to temporarily overcome our selfishness and perhaps to move toward changing ourselves and thus inducing an upward spiral of positive change, not only for the individual, but for a whole community.”

One example stems from a

moment of papal activity with Pope Francis.

In 2015 the Pope spread elevation when he stopped his car from leaving the tarmac at a Pennsylvania airport to place a kiss on the head of Michael Keating, a boy with cerebral palsy.

A 90-second video of the event gained national coverage and went viral. This elevation even reached Hollywood Producer and Director J.J. Abrams, who, after being moved by the Pope’s actions, donated $50,000 to the Keating family.

Abrams was not alone.

More than 650 people donated to the Keatings, bringing the grand total donated to nearly $100,000.

It’s moments like these that help restore my faith in humanity, an idea that can be hard to hold on to, especially in dark times.

In “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” by J.K Rowling, Albus Dumbledore says, “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”

Combined with the idea of elevation, this quote can be the catalyst that sets off a domino effect. For every good deed we do, another could be inspired and perform their own act of kindness.

In the words of J.R.R. Tolkien, “Some believe it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.”

Together we can make the world a better place, one small act at a time.

A New Kind of Mining The future of privacy

Dakota Roberts Editorial Editor In 2015, Cambridge Analytica purchased an academic license from Facebook for access to their data and created an app called thisisyourdigitallife, with the public goal of performing psychological research. Roughly, 270,000 Facebook users downloaded and installed the app, allowing Cambridge Analytica to study their behavior.

Unbeknownst to the group of app users, Cambridge Analytica was granted the ability to observe and collect their Facebook data, as well as the data of their 50 million Facebook friends.

Since the initial reports that number is estimated to be even higher with 87 million Facebook users having had their data collected. The makers of the app then sold and gifted the data to Cambridge Analytica to be used by advertisers, pollers, and political campaigns.

There is honestly a lot to this story, some of the most interesting of which involves groups that attained and

used this information as well.

But what this story really means for me is that we really are abandoning any form of mass marketing or mass analysis. The future is a long road of data-mining and personal targeting. Truly we have entered the age of information; where a product isn’t as good as its makers, simply as good as where the marketing knows where to stick it.

For instance, one of the biggest talked about innovations in the advertising industry is the possibility of “addressable television,” a system that allows for a oneon-one experience with an individual. McDonalds has already submitted patents that illustrate a commercial that is interactive, while also being skippable. To skip, a user would simply need to stand in front of their television and say a motto, do a motion, whatever the advertiser chooses.

Information sharing like this can be somewhat exciting, leading to innovations that really may simply be convenient. Car manufacturers and gas companies are already looking forward to implementing a guiding system

that knows when your car will run out of gas; get near that empty sign and your car will guide you to the nearest gas station. Get stuck in the middle of the road, an alert has been put out for companies to come give you aid.

Amongst all of this is a seedier entity, one that does give me alarm for the sake of democracy—the use of information during elections.

If information becomes the superhighway that our elections are forced to drive on, our choices will be less about rhetoric, issues, or the need for clear and positive leadership and more about what ad can be run in what area. Gerrymandering voting counties sounded bad as is, but the plain fact is that politicians are purchasing data for their campaigns.

Sooner or later the question will arise are we the owners of our personal data.

Is the information that forms us as consumers, is that ours to give and sell, or is it information on the free market, with a price for every individual, for every download, and for every dataminer that can put it all in a profile?

Going back to Retro Old Video Games and consoles back on Market Joshua Lin Sports Reporter

Video games have made all sorts of people have fun since the very beginning of the industry. The fact is, that today, video games are readily available to everyone and anyone that has a smart device or a dedicated video game console. Back then, gaming was considered a child’s play toy and should be put away when they become adults. In today’s aspect, those children of before are in some cases not giving up those games and are still playing those games and sharing those games with their children.

One aspect of today’s video game culture is the fact that people, including myself,

are indulging themselves by buying old video game systems that can play the games from either their childhood or just want to own a huge collection of video games as a hobby.

I recently had the chance during Spring Break to buy a modded Gameboy Advance from a retro game shop in Arizona for about a $100, both for nostalgia and to have a better version of the original console. The new device had a backlit screen that the original Gameboy Advance never had. In this day and age, it seems that from a college student’s perspective, that the consoles we had as a kid aren’t considered retro when they really should be.

The Gameboy Color that kids my age had is nearly 20 years old. It has come to a point to

which the demand for these types of rigs have spawned retro game shops to sell those old consoles and their game equivalents.

The market is there, and recent sales seem to show that they do well. Nostalgia is a powerful factor into buying those things again. Nintendo recently released its mini versions of their first video game consoles - the NES classic and the SNES classic which holds about 10 to 20 of the best games on the console, and they are selling like hotcakes.

These kinds of deals are still very hard to find in America, and luckily, I found one at the local GameStop when I stopped by. As the years go by, our favorite video games become dated and eventually become “Retro.”

4

THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018

Sports

TAMUK Men’s Track Team, Rank Top in Nation Javelina Track Team Makes History for the First Time in Program History

Joshua Lin Sports Reporter

For the first time in program history, the Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) Men’s Track team is ranked first in the nation.

It’s a special moment for them as they are in the season and working hard to maintain the rank.

Head Coach Ryan Dall has been working with the team diligently to make the program what it is today “Being ranked first means a lot, but it is still early in the season and we still have a lot of work to do to stay at the top of the rankings and, ultimately, finish at the top at the national meet. We can’t sit back and rest on our ranking.

There are a lot of other strong

teams that will be trying to knock us off,” Dall said.

Dall continued talking about the team’s progress.

“We have been working hard since September to get to this point and to get to our conference and national meet. We had some injuries and illness through the indoor season, but we are rounding into shape now for the outdoor season,” he said.

Mid-distance runner Robert Downs is proud of the accomplishment and talked about how much effort to it took to be at level.

“I feel that this a great accomplishment and we should be very proud of that.

I think that this was a good reminder of how good we really can be and it should be another motivator for us to work hard at practice,” he

said.

Downs thinks it’s important to stay motivated.

“The process that got me here took a lot of grit and dedication,” he said. “There were days where I didn’t want to put in the work, but to me those are the most important days. It really tests you on how bad you want to be successful, and I’m loving the results of getting through those days.”

It’s important the team does not become comfortable.

“I definitely believe we deserve this rank, but I don’t want us to get comfortable with this. At the end of the day it doesn’t solidify us winning conferences or nationals, so we have to work that much harder to make sure that we can prove that rank towards the end of the

season,” Downs said.

Athletic Director David Gines is happy to see the track program is doing well.

“Over the past three years, Javelina Athletics captured two LSC conference championships, crowned 14 individual National Champions in Men’s and Women’s Track and Field, celebrated 49 All-Americans, enjoyed three national Top Five finishes in Men’s Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field, and made 15 NCAA Division II post-season appearances.

A National ranking is a benchmark of progression for every head coach. It means they are identifying talent, developing talent, and working their vision to reality. To be number one is special - few ever stand on this pedestal,” Gines said.

Courtesy photo by Javelina Athletics

Javier Lopez during the 110 meter hurdle run at 13.67

Dall’s goal is to be a top competitor every year and win, particularly in 2019 and 2020, when the team plays host to the national championship meet.

“Moving forward we want to be a contender every year at the national meet and

try to win individual and team championships. We will be hosting the national championship meets in 2019 and 2020 here in Kingsville so we definitely want to have great showings at those meets in front of our home fans,” he said.

Hogs Take Conference Series over San Angelo Series Improves Their Lone- Star Conference Overall Record

Luis Garcia Sports Reporter

Runs were piled on as the Javelinas took three-outof-four in a series against the Angelo State University (ASU) Rams. Texas A&M University-Kingsville Baseball hosted ASU on April 6 at Nolan Ryan Field in Kingsville.

With this series win, the Javelinas improve their season win-loss record to 24-8 and conference record to 3-4.

After Christian Caudle was hit in the face with a 90 mph fastball in the first game of the double-header April 7, the Javelinas came out swinging, determined to win. Pablo Hernandez came out making a statement as he contributed two hits, one being an RBI triple.

Kohl Ullman batting for the Javelinas

Photo courtesy of Javelina Athletics

“I mean I feel good. I was trying to stay short and put a good swing on it, and you know, play for my brother [Caudle]. I hope he’s doing better and this is for him,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez wasn’t the only one who made noise; Kyle Craft came out with some stellar pitching as he went seven solid innings with four strikeouts and no runs. This performance improves his pitching record to 3-0.

“I was really happy about it actually. I haven’t thrown in about three weeks, fighting some injuries and I was able to go out there and throw strikes, put us in a position to win a ball game,” Craft said. “Thank God I got guys behind me that are making play after play. It’s honestly fun to pitch and almost easy

to pitch when you got guys out there playing defense like that,” Craft said.

Head Coach Jason Gonzales seemed to be very content with the way his team played. The team definitely got back up after Caudle’s injury.

“Well these guys have done a tremendous job all year long as once they get punched, pulling themselves up off the mat. You know, you’re not going to go through a conference season, especially this tough conference undefeated. What you want to do is, when adversity hits you want some guys to respond,” Gonzalez said.

The Javelinas are preparing for the University Houston-Victoria Jaguars. The game will be on April 10 at Nolan Ryan Field.

The Times They are a Changin’ Lady Javelinas Steal Continued Improvement Coming to Rec Center Double-Header from Rattlers Aaron Monreal Sports Reporter The Recreational and Fitness Center is yet again improving its image. They are not only replacing all cardio equipment, but renovating the workout area.

This would entail getting newer workout machines, new color schemes, and art work to meet the demand of the students.

The new plan is going to give students room to exercise without the crowded feeling.

Tony Kreitzer, director of the Recreational and Fitness Center, said he is trying to address major concerns.

“One of our biggest complaints was it gets too crowded. We’re going to open that free weight versatile area a lot more to not be as crowded.

“We’re limited on the square footage, but I can rearrange things that will

look and feel less crowded and be able to do more,” he said.

This plan began three years ago. Throughout this entire time, Kreitzer and his employees were carefully monitoring the use of each machine and the foot traffic going throughout the gym.

It was Kreitzer and the former Fitness and Wellness Coordinator, Joseph Secrest, that were asked about the idea of an improvement of the gym.

Kreitzer was keen on creating a floor plan that would make working out a better experience for the students.

Most frequent visitors are aware of the limited places to do pullups, powerlifting, squats and bench.

The new equipment being brought in, along with arrangements, is going to increase the number of places visitors can do all these workouts. The overall goal of this improvement is

Beach Volleyball from Page 1 Which Sims, alongside her partner, had the pleasure of finishing off strong.

“It was so crazy because me and my partner, Lauren Washington, we were the last game playing,” Sims said. “So, we had all of [our] teammates on our court. We already had won [the championship] because we had three other teams already win their games, so we were already super excited. But it

was the third set, we were going into extra points and when we finally ended it, everyone rushed the court and we were so happy. Then we got up to get our trophy, and [the AVCA Staff] was holding us back saying ‘wait, the runners-up come up first before you guys.’ So we hung out for a minute, got ourselves together and then they handed us the trophy and it was so crazy.”

to increase the usage.

“I wrote a proposal.

We want students to use our facility, you’re already paying for it so it comes out of your fees so we need to provide you with what you need,” Kreitzer said.

Students are excited to see the changes.

“I definitely think the new equipment change is going to attract more students,” said current student and employee Ashlea Rosenbaum.

Carlos Marquez, a current student, expressed his excitement about the new renovation.

“I’m pretty excited to see the new changes of the rec center,” he said.

The project does not have an official date, but is expected to be ready before the fall semester.

“So when you come in here next fall it’s to have a sense of Javelina Pride, Javelina Nation,” Krietzer said.

Coach Allen could not stress enough about how proud she is of her team, reiterating that without the strength and commitment of her original cast of players, none of this would have been possible, and the future of the program could not have been left behind by a better group of women.

“I love [the seniors]. They did a fantastic job and they’re great leaders. They’ve built

Hogs continue to prove they are ready for upcoming conference tournament Plaserae Johnson Sports Editor

The Javelina softball team (21- 19; LSC 9-12) dominated the St. Mary’s University Rattlers in a double-header winning 6-3 and 3-1. The teams battled in two games April 6 at the Vernie and Blanche Field.

The Javelinas overwhelmed the Rattlers with 12 hits and six runs.

Leading the way on the stat board was catcher, Roxy Chapa, third baseman Racheal Longoria and infielder Arabella AcostaCantu.

The Javelinas said they had strong wins.

“Both games were good team wins. We played solid defense, our pitchers competed well, and our hitters did a good job at getting timely hits and picking each other up,” said this program. They’ve been here the two years, they were a part of our first recruiting class here for beach, so they’ve done a phenomenal job in helping us build this program,” she said.

As for inspiration, Henderson is glad her team is able to etch their names alongside the Javelina greats in the record books, and hope others can learn a thing or two from this amazing feat.

“People should follow

Victoria Schoonard-Saborio, a midfielder for the Javelinas.

The Javelinas executed hits and runs against the opponent Friday as they pushed to victory in both games. The Hogs played consistently and responded to the Rattlers’ mistakes. The fans were appreciative.

“They’ve had an overall good day. They started off a whole lot better [in the second game] than the first game and got the ball going,” said Jorge Rios, an Industrial Engineer major and softball fan.

The Rattlers are a nonconference opponent for the Javelinas. The Javelinas played strong to build up another win on their scoreboard. They can’t afford anymore losses.

“I think we are at a spot now where we have to win a lot of ball games down the stretch. We are struggling offensively,” said Head their dreams,” Henderson said. “I didn’t play or make [a volleyball] team in high school; I played club, and followed my dreams to play in junior college, then got transferred to [Kingsville] and now I won a national championship. So, I just want people to never give up and keep pushing their dreams, and if someone tells you, no, just get right back up and prove them wrong.”

As for Sims? She is simply still in awe of everything

Coach Craig Nicholson in his interview with Javelina Athletics.

Schoonard-Saborio said non-conference games help with conference play.

“My goal for every game is to do my best,” she said.

“Whether it’s conference or non-conference, each time I lace my shoes up I am coming to compete. For the double header, all I was trying to do was continue to fine tune my swing in order to make a push to get into the conference tournament. I try to keep the same mindset every pitch no matter who we are playing so when I am in a pressured situation I am prepared.”

Next, the Javelinas will play the Greyhounds from Eastern New Mexico University in a series from April 13 to 14 in Portales, N.M. (16-25).

they have accomplished.

“I’m still in disbelief,” Sims said. “For the school, I look around and see all these pictures and I see all the trophies, and I’m like man, this is so awesome. People love this university, and it’s great that we get to put our piece of history into it now.”

The Javelinas will host their final tournament this weekend, April 14 and 15.

Games start at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. both days.

Entertainment

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THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018

When you wish upon a Star Rodeo

The TAMUK Rodeo Team gets ready to host rodeo for special needs children America Quintero Campus Editor

Rodeos are a staple of Texas entertainment, but, with their loud noises and buzzling crowds they’re not the best environment for special needs children.

However, the Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) Rodeo Team will be hosting a Star Rodeo made specifically for special needs children from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, April 14, at the TAMUK Rodeo Arena.

In order to participate in the Star Rodeo, guardians were required to fill out an application, liability and media release form prior to April 1.

Julia Burchsted, TAMUK Rodeo president, says the event began as a service project for the TAMUK Rodeo

Team. It has since received support from many teachers of various districts and the TAMUK Rodeo Team Advisor, William Kuvlesky.

The TAMUK farm has even agreed to clean up the horse barns and arena for the event.

The Star Rodeo is different from other rodeos because it has activities catered towards children with special needs.

Activities include stick horse barrel racing, dummy roping, a horseshoe toss game, face painting, a coloring station and a petting zoo.

In addition, there will be closer supervision of horse rides.

During horse rides, volunteers will stand on both sides of the horses to make sure the child doesn’t slip. The horses will be provided by the Cross Trails Cowboy Church in Orange Grove, Texas, and have often been used in pony rides and other child-friendly

events.

“Personally, I have seen how much these kids appreciate being around horses and other animals through my past experience volunteering with a hippotherapy (horseback therapy) program in my hometown of Houston.

We wanted to be able to share our horses and our sport with kids that may not get another opportunity to experience it,” Burchsted said.

Michelle Groogan, writer for The Buzz Magazines and advocate of special education, advises guardians to take certain measures when taking their children to special needs rodeos.

Groogan’s tips, as stated on The Buzz Magazines, include: bring ear protectors for children, arrive early to avoid crowds, bring food that is diet specific, and comfortable shoes instead of boots.

After three months of

Photo Courtesy of Julia Burchsted

TAMUK Rodeo Team will help organize the rodeo

preparing for the event, including school outreaches and screening applications, the TAMUK Rodeo Team is

more than excited to start the event.

“We have added more events and games to the spe-

cial needs rodeo this year, we really want to give these kids a special day,” Burchsted said.

Creative Construction for the Earth

Office of Campus Sustainability hosts student recycling building contest Frankie Cardenas Photographer

Plastic, artistry and a little bit of creativity will be on display during the Earth Day Fair on April 19, as the Office of Campus Sustainability places sculptures around the Pavilion as part of their student recycling building contest.

First announced on March 23, the contest will be made up of multiple teams, rang-

ing from one to three persons, who had to collect a large amount of recycled materials from around the university, creating structures of their choice using this year’s material and theme: plastic.

The winners of the contest are to take home a $300 cash prize. Eli McCullen, the Javelina Habitat Sustainability Operations coordinator, hopes that these sculptures can show an insight to the importance of going green in our everyday lives; mostly trying to reinforce the three Rs of conservation: Reduce,

reuse and recycle.

“I would hope that people could see that plastics and things that you would normally throw away, have other uses. You can reduce how much you use, you can up-cycle, or reuse things, and make it into something bigger and better, and your last choice should be recycling […] [also] showing people how creative and innovative our students are here,” McCullen said.

All submissions for the contest will be due to the Javelina House by April 18,

and McCullen is expecting at least 15 structures to be submitted.

Joseph Martinez, a chemical engineering major, thinks the competition is a great idea for those in engineering to take part in. Especially, those trying to find a greener way to continue to build up our cities.

“I think contests like these are an awesome thing to take part in because not only does it test your creativity, but it gives us as students a chance to see what we can do with stuff that isn’t brand new,”

he said.

“We have a chance to prove that things can be done without depending on new materials. We can reuse so much stuff, including plastic, to build up our future.”

Mechanical engineering major Juan Alvarez, also agrees with that sentiment, noting that having the contest leading up to Earth Day really gives the contest a little more meaning, regardless of who takes home the top prize. “It’s cool that we get to see what people can do with the stuff from around

the university. I know Earth Day is something we need to pay more attention to with how much more people are trying to understand our carbon footprint. It’s a great way to raise awareness on going green, especially at the right time,” he said.

The Office of Campus Sustainability encourages students to attend this creative and “green” event. Several experts in related fields from engineering to art will judge the contest and the winners will be announced on Friday, April 20.

Don’t wanna be an American Idiot?

Department of Art, Communications, and Theatre presents American Idiot Darcy Ramirez Managing Editor It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right.

I hope you had the time of your life at Green Day’s rock musical, “American Idiot.”

The play was presented by the Department of Art, Communications, and Theatre and was performed on April 6 to 8 at the Little Theatre.

The “American Idiot” rock musical is based on Green Day’s Grammy Award-win-

ning multi-platinum album, and has even won a Tony Award.

The show includes every song from Green Day’s album, “American Idiot,” as well as several songs, from its follow-up release, “21st Century Breakdown.”

The play is set in a post9/11 world and shows the paths of three teenagers Will, Tunny and Johnny who escape their boring suburban lives. The three of them struggle on their endeavor to find meaning in the world as each encounter problems

Photo by Frankie Cardenas

Theatre students: Emmanuel Sanchez (left) as Johnny and Dylan Mendoza (right) as Tunny

and issues. Tunny joins the Armed Forces, Will must stay home to take care of family responsibilities, and Johnny’s attention becomes divided by lust and a dangerous new friendship.

Corey Ranson, associate professor and director of theatre activities, believes the characters are quite relatable and easy to empathize with.

“These characters are them [students] just without cellphones. Young people caught between teen years and adulthood, politics, war and drugs and alcohol. They aren’t bad, they just haven’t figured it out yet and we have all been through that,” Ranson said.

The rock opera featured little dialogue and relied on the lyrics from Green Day’s albums to execute the story line.

The three main characters were played by Jackson Lewis (Will), Dylan Mendoza (Tunny) and Emmanuel Sanchez (Johnny), but approximately 40 people were in the play or helped with the production of the play including Luis Aguilar, choreographer; Jordan Guerrero, part of the ensemble; Gilbert Pena, who played the violin; and Korrie Raider, the sound technician - just to name a few.

Auditions for cast members and musicians were on Jan. 21 and the line was long.

Jesse Ochoa, a communications major, had never per-

Photo by Frankie Cardenas

Cast members sing “Holiday” during the rock musical, American Idiot

formed in a musical and was one of the lucky few selected to join the cast. “It was so uplifting to know that Corey would go out on a limb and trust me to be a part of one of his productions. I’ve taken his acting classes before so he’s known of me and my infamy. I think he likes the way I work, and I love the way that he directs. For this being my first musical, I’m loving every second that I’m on that stage. Like James Brown

would say, ‘I feel good,’” Ochoa said.

The play had a great turnout from April 6, opening night, to closing day, April 8.

Students, citizens and faculty members filled up the Little Theatre and cheered on their fellow classmates, friends and pupils.

The atmosphere in the theatre was great as students sang along quietly in the audience seats, and laughed at the absurdity, madness and

language from the characters.

“I absolutely loved it. I loved it so much I saw it twice with my friends. I honestly do not like musicals because they’re so unrealistic and full of fairytale stuff, but not this one. This one was raw and real and who doesn’t love Green Day? The music was great, and I’m really happy I came to see this play,” said Marissa Guerrero, a biology major.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018

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