VOL. 100 – ISSUE 17
THE TRUMPET WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
MARCH 18, 2020
WLU’s Student News Source
Lions Club works with Ohio County groups to create ‘little libraries’ pg. 4 West Liberty University’s Men’s basketball tournament final scores and recaps pg. 13 @WLTrumpetOnline @thetrumpetwestliberty @thetrumpetwlu
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THE TRUMPET
NEWS
New Nutting Gallery opens pg. 4
WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
COVER BY: HILLTOPPER SPORTS
CULTURE SPORTS
St. Patrick’s Day provides opportunity to honor Irish culture pg. 8
Hilltopper Men’s and Women’s Track and Field pg. 15
THE TRUMPET
The Student Voice of the Hilltop
The Trumpet’s mission is to provide WLU students of all majors an opportunity to learn how to gather and present news information to the campus community, and to serve the WLU community with fair and accurate reporting on matters of significance and interest.
EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief Annalise Murphy Online Editor Creed Kidney News/Copy Editor Intern Lizzy Griffith Culture Editor Morgan Kafana Opinion Editor Haley Blakemore Sports Editor Intern Anna Johnston Graphic Designer Intern Katlyn Roberts Sports Writer Maxwell Diedorczyk News/Culture Writer Emma Beatty Faculty Adviser Danielle Mehlman-Brightwell
Letters to the Editor
To submit a letter to the editor, please email anmurphy@westliberty.edu. Please put your name, address, phone number, email address. If the editor decides to publish it, she will contact you to conform your identity.
Contact Us
Wltrumpet@westliberty.edu (304) 336-8873
NEWS
MARCH 18, 2020
NEWS
News/Copy Editor Intern: Lizzy Griffith
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- elgriffith@westliberty.edu
WLU announces in-person graduation for spring 2021 West Liberty University announced March 9 plans for an in-person commencement ceremony for spring 2021. In accordance with COVID-19 safety rules of social distancing and mask wearing, the university plans to host five ceremonies in the Academic, Sports and Recreation Complex (ASRC). Ceremonies are being planned as follows: graduate degree ceremony planned for Friday, May 7, three undergraduate degrees planned to take place on Saturday, May 8 and a graduate degree ceremony for physician assistant (PA) students is planned for Friday, June 11. As promised at the beginning of the pandemic,WLU invites 2020 graduates back to campus to participate in the in-person ceremonies. WLU Vice President of Student Services and Registrar Scott Cook said, “We wanted to be able to recognize our graduates for their achievements. However, safety of our students and campus has always been at the forefront. We believe we can do this by limiting guests and having five ceremonies. All COVID-19 guidelines are still in place and will be followed. Masks will be required for all participants and quests. Everyone, including participants will be socially distant.” Returning graduates will walk with the college they originally graduated with. WLU Director of Media Relations, Maureen Zambito, stated 2020 graduates interest-
ed in coming back will be asked to complete a participation form through the WLU Registrar’s webpage under the graduation dropdown.
Students have shown joy knowing they will be able to have a normal graduation, although some are still worried about safety. Senior broadcast major Heather Hale said, “I’m really happy that I’ll get to have a more normal graduation ceremony, but I’m slightly worried about my safety given the current pandemic. The situation may be improving, but it also might still be too early, and I don’t want to jeopardize my health for the appeal of a graduation ceremony because at the end of the day I still completed my bachelor’s degree.” With concern to ongoing pandemic safety concerns, each graduate will be limited to two guests and no reception will follow the ceremonies. Cook said the ASRC arena will be cleaned after each ceremony and students have the option to not participate if they do not want to. Graduating students can pick up tickets for their guests in the Enrollment Center in Shaw Hall anytime from Monday, May 3 through Friday, May 7 between 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday, May 8 between 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. A photo ID is required when picking up guest tickets. Cook added to ticket information explaining tickets are not transferable and individuals will not be allowed to attend without a ticket. The ceremonies will continue to be televised and live streamed by TopperStation.
Photo Credits for both photos: WLU Media Relations Saturday commencement ceremonies are being divided up by college and into three separate ceremonies to stay in accordance with COVID-19 regulations. ● 9 a.m. Saturday, May 8 ceremony, the College of Education & Human Performance and the College of Liberal Arts, ● Noon Saturday, May 8 ceremony, the College of Sciences, ● 3 p.m. Saturday, May 8 ceremony, the College of Arts & Communication, the Gary E. West College of Business, and the School of Professional Studies. Every ceremony will have a student speaker who will be announced sometime in the near
future along with additional details pertaining to graduation. For more information about the in-person commencements, please view Zambito’s press release, “WLU Plans In-Person Commencement Ceremonies for Spring 2021” or contact Cook at cookscot@westliberty. edu.
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MARCH 18, 2020
NEWS
New Nutting Gallery opens featuring artist Rebecca Signoriello On March 10, 2021, West Liberty University’s Nutting Gallery opened its doors to students, faculty, and local artist guests for the first time in what feels like forever to showcase the work of featured artist Rebecca Signoriello. A native of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Signoriello attended Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 2004 where she obtained her Bachelors of Fine Arts in animation and graphic design; she then went on to open Signoriello Studios where she specialized in commissioned murals, all the while retaining her job as a paver and manual laborer. Succeeding several years of painting and building up a financial basis from paving and roadwork, Signoriello continued her education at the New York Academy of Art; during this time she received several significant merit awards, including the Walter Erlebacher award, as well as being granted an Artist Residency at Leipzig International Arts Programma in Germany. Attaining her Masters of Fine Arts in 2011, Signoriello has studied under several accomplished contemporary painters; some of which include
Photo Credits: Creed Kidney
Vincent Desiderio, Steven Assael, Margaret Bowland and Jenny Saville. Many of her works are housed in private collections scattered from New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida all the way to Germany and Monte Carlo Monaco. Drawing from her experience as a paver and manual laborer, Signoriello created a body of works entitled The Grit Series, this is the collection that is currently being showcased in the Nutting
Photo Credits: Brian Fencl
Gallery’s This is Work show. With more than 20 pieces on display and within the collection, the series is highly ambitious and magnifies Signoriello’s masterful skills within the field of artistry, composition, and design; but this series is not meant to simply showcase a flex of Signoriello’s creative muscles, rather, it is quite the opposite -- it’s made to showcase her, and many other of her friend’s and coworkers, physical muscle and strength. “As a construction worker, I wanted to bring to light the people that you might drive by everyday and not even pay attention to, I wanted these construction workers and manual laborers to act as a confrontation, of sorts, for the viewer, given their lifelike size and scale,” Signoriello stated when asked what inspired the works as a whole. She went on to discuss the nature of reality within her pieces, commenting on the fact that they’re not just fictional compositions or imagined designs, but rather real
life snapshots of working men and women. For her, personally, this idea is only further accentuated, as the reason she got into construction work originally was because of her dad suggesting it to her; as a paver himself, he knew that this would be able to help her pay for her continuing educational ventures. Naturally, Signoriello’s favorite piece of the series includes her father; “In His Footsteps is my favorite piece for a lot of reasons; for one, it captures the idea of me following my dad in the work I chose to support myself as a growing artist, but it also illustrates a sense of intimacy between not only my father and I, but both of us and the work we do. Artistically, I also really enjoy the piece compositionally, and how the light within the piece moves around on the figures.” The This is Work show will be on display within the Nutting Gallery, located within the Fine Arts Building, until April 14, 2021; the gallery is open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., face masks are required. For more information on the Nutting Gallery and it’s different exhibitions throughout the year, please contact Professor Brian Fencl at bfencl@westliberty.edu or 304-336-8433. For more information about available work, exhibitions or commissions from artist Rebecca Signoriello, please contact her at rabeccasignoriello@ hotmail.com or 724-679-1355; a collection of her works along with more information can be found on her website at http:// www.rabeccasignoriello.com/.
NEWS
MARCH 18, 2020
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West Virginia COVID-19 updates; vaccine continues to drop cases throughout state Continuing West Virginia’s trend of leading the nation in rates of successful vaccine administration and rollout, our state recently saw the lowest number of active COVID-19 cases since Halloween last year. Even though this was only a short 5 months ago, this day feels exceedingly far away; but thankfully, COVID-19’s presence and it’s steady decline is a welcome feeling in a year of quarantine that has seemed to go on forever. In a report in The Wheeling Intelligencer, the Department of Health and Human Resources stated that the current number of active cases sits at around 5,415
Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons
within the state of West Virginia, the same number seen on Oct. 31, 2020; the highest number of cases seen within the state peaked at 29,257 on Jan. 10, 2021. Specific to Wheeling, Ohio county has seen a total of 3,846 cases and 66 deaths due to COVID-19.
Marshall County had not yet updated their information at the time of the article’s publication, but it was stated that “Hancock and Brooke counties were green and Ohio and Marshall counties were yellow on the DHHR’s Tuesday (Mar. 9, 2021) COVID-19 alert map. Hancock County had an infection rate of 4.96 cases per 100,000 residents and a percent positivity of 1.34. Brooke County had an infection rate of 9.12 cases per 100,000 residents and a percent positivity of 2.47,” while “Ohio County had an infection rate of 15.52 cases per 100,000 residents and a percent positivity of 3.03. Marshall County had an infection rate of 17.78 cases per 100,000 residents and a percent positivity of 3.19.”
Hopefully this is only the beginning of a continuing decline, especially as more and more residents of the state of West Virginia are vaccinated and adhering to social distancing guidelines and mask mandates; at the same time, however, we can be thankful and proud of our state that because of our efforts and success in vaccination rollout, these rules and regulations appear to also be on the decline as they relax in companionship with the growing safety and defense against COVID-19 within our state.
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MARCH 18, 2020
NEWS
Lions Club works with Ohio County groups to create ‘‘Little Libraries’’ The Ohio County Virtual Lions Club is repurposing old newspaper dispensers to create Little Libraries across the area. The club has teamed up with Ogden Newspapers, West Liberty University’s Kappa Delta Pi Chapter, Wheeling Parks and Recreation, and Grow Warwood Pride to complete the project. The goal is to bring children and adults some joy through reading. One of the first libraries to be completed sits outside of Corpus Christi school as a celebration of Read Across America. The box is Dr. Seuss themed and was designed by Janet Pissos. Inside the box, readers can find books of all levels and age groups as well as a flyer that gives tips for reading with your children. Professor Angela Curfman in the College of Education has been working closely with the project and commented, “This collaborative partnership started with a common interest: promote positive growth and development in our community. Literacy engages all citizens, young and old. Literacy fosters the development of kindness and empathy. Literacy development has a lasting impact on individuals, families, and the overall quality of life for the whole community.” Curfman has employed the help of Professor Brian Fencl in the Department of Media and Visual Arts to decorate the boxes. Fencl is having his Art 150 students work in teams to decorate and paint them, and the hope is to have them finished by the last Wednesday of
March. All the supplies are being directly donated by the College of Arts and Communications. Fencl comments, “I am excited to be able to work with the art students on this public art project. The opportunity to work in teams, create cool art and do something for the community is energizing. For most of the pandemic everyone’s focus has been internal, so to be able to do something for our community is a sign that we are moving closer to normalcy.” The project was somewhat put on pause due to the pandemic. It is finally able to continue due to lifted restrictions and the vaccines.
Photo Credits: Angela Curfman Right to Left A WLU student, Angela Curfman, Corpus Christi Principal Shannon Walls, and Matt Rafi OC Virtual Lions Club.
For more information about the Little Libraries, contact the author at ejbeatty@ westliberty.edu or Professor Angela Curfman at angela.curfman@westliberty.edu. Art by: Samantha Snyder
CULTURE
CULTURE MARCH 18, 2020
Culture Editor: Morgan Kafana
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- mkafana@westliberty.edu
Alan Ramsey celebrates 30 years of service as Elbin Library Tech assistant The chance to work at a job for 30 years is something that many people hope to achieve. Mr. Alan Ramsey has served as West Liberty Universities Elbin Library Tech Assistant for such a span of time. Ramsey received his higher education from Berea College, which is located in Berea, KY. While there, he majored in history and earned his double minor in English and philosophy.
As a student at Berea College, student labor was required so Ramsey worked in the cafeteria as well as in the school’s library. Ramsey also worked in his family’s restaurant businesses prior to receiving his job at West Liberty.
Ramsey’s journey to the Hilltop began when he saw a job advertisement in the Wheeling Intelligencer. From there, he applied and was hired in August of 1989. According to Ramsey, he doesn’t consider himself to be an educator, but rather a Library Technical Associate which is what his job description states. “Alan is an absolute wizard in obtaining interlibrary loan materials. If it’s available somewhere, he knows how to get it. Both students and professors rely on him for their research, and he’s amazing at what he does,” said Katy Zane Head of Learning Resources. According to Edward Wolf Library Tech Assistant, Ramsey is best known in the library as the “Interlibrary Loan Guru.” Wolf also noted that Ramsey is not big on being in the spotlight,
Photo Credits: Maureen Zambito
however being at West Liberty for over 30 years is deserving of recognition. In his time at West Liberty, Ramsey has learned how to deal with the people and new technologies in his field of work. Stacie Groch, Head of Library Operations said that “he will search other libraries across the country and doesn’t stop until he finds what it is he is looking for. He is an asset to the Paul N. Elbin Library and I have enjoyed working with him throughout the years.” “My motivation in my job is to become better and better at it, so that I am best able to serve the
West Liberty University community,” said Ramsey. Currently, Ramsey is not active in any campus organizations or clubs, however, when the organization still existed, Ramsey was a member of the West Virginia Coalition for High Education. He also was on the West Liberty University’s Staff Council for a number of years before resigning from his position. West Liberty University is grateful to Ramsey for being a part of it’s staff for the last 30 years.Thank you to Mr. Alan Ramsey for his dedication and commitment to his staff and college community.
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MARCH 18, 2020
CULTURE
St. Patrick’s Day provides opportunity to honor Irish culture March 17 is St. Patrick’s day. Every year, people all over the world celebrate the Patron saint of Ireland by wearing green and drinking too much alcohol. The US in particular makes a significant effort for St. Patrick’s Day due to the prominence of Irish heritage which has helped shape American culture. If you ask an American what their heritage is or where their family originates from, one of the most common responses is Ireland so it’s no wonder that the holiday is celebrated so enthusiastically. In fact, a higher number of Americans identify as Irish than the total population of the country of Ireland. This cultural connection has persisted through generations with people still feeling tied to the Emerald Isle decades after their ancestors immigrated. The Appalachian region in particular has a strong connection to their Irish roots. Irish influence can be seen in aspects of everyday life such as in music, art, cui-
Photo Credits: Anna Johnston WLU students at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland (2019)
sine, literature, religious practices, and recreation. St. Patrick’s Day provides an opportunity to honor the impact that Irish culture has had on the US and gives people a chance to celebrate their Irish heritage. In the pre-COVID world, St. Patrick’s Day is also an opportunity for people to get together and enjoy each other’s company often sharing drinks and food marking the day as an important social event on the calendar. Restaurants, bars, shops, and even landmarks like the Chi-
cago River turn green to celebrate St. Patrick’s day. Parades would normally flood the streets of major cities all over the US but this year, due to COVID-19, some events have been halted due to public health concerns. Although the public affairs might be slightly limited for 2021 plenty will still be flaunting their green outfits and Shamrock Shakes on March 17.
WLU is currently the homeaway-from-home for four Irish citizens. “It feels strange since it’s the first time I haven’t been at home celebrating with my family and friends but to be honest people are just excited about celebrating it here so I’m still very excited,” said Mark Donnelly, a freshman from Belfast, Northern Ireland.
For Irish citizens currently residing in the US, St. Patrick’s day is even more special. Although exacerbating some homesickness, the celebration of all-things-Ireland undoubtedly enhances national pride and a fondness for home.
On March 17 this year, come out in green to celebrate St. Patrick’s day and the positive impact of Irish culture on the US.
Want to learn a new study strategy? Learn a helpful and new way to study for your academic courses Join our Spaced Practice workshop on March 11th at noon Virtual workshop will be held through Webinar F or m or e in fo rmatio n co ntact us : l sd c@ w est li be rty.e d c or 30 4.336 .8 1 85
Photo Credits: Anna Johnston WLU students at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland (2019)
West Liberty University Learning & Student Development Center
CULTURE
MARCH 18, 2020
PAGE 9
Local animal shelter helps pets find their forever homes The Marshall County Animal Shelter, located in Moundsville, W. Va, is a no-kill shelter that cares for cats and dogs. This shelter has given pets a chance to find their forever homes. They have dozens of cats and dogs at one time, ranging from kittens and puppies to senior animals (10 years and older). The employees ensure the pets’ safety and give them the care and love they need. According to their website, to adopt a cat, the fee is $60 which includes “spay/neuter surgery, microchip, FVRCP & Rabies vaccinations, FIV/FelV/HW testing, deworming, flea prevention, and 30 days of free 24 Pet Watch Pet Insurance.” To adopt a dog, the fee is $135, which covers “spay/ neuter surgery, microchip, Bordetella/DHLPP/Rabies vaccinations,
heartworm testing for dogs over 6 months of age, deworming, flea & heartworm prevention and 30 days of free 24 Pet Watch Pet Insurance.” The animals at this shelter are taken care of carefully and the employees ensure a stable care-system for the pets while they are there. Since the shelter is mostly supported by local donations, they often ask for donations on their Facebook page or host special events in hopes to get people to adopt. Oftentimes, the shelter offers discounted prices or waived fees for a limited time to attract people for adoptions. Recently, the shelter held an event called “St Pittie’s Day” that lowered the fee of all pit bulls down to just $17, in honor of the famous St Patty’s Day holiday. The employees always make sure to do a safety check of where the pets would be living and make sure the potential owners are fit to actually be pet owners. There is a process for the adoption, and for certain pets, ones with disabilities or pets that require a lot of attention and care, there needs to be a perfect match with the owners.
Photo Credits: Lizzy Griffith
A few pet owners that adopted from the MCAS shared their experiences and stories about the process. Levi Goaddard, from Wheeling, adopted two kittens from the MCAS. Goddard says, “The shelter was clean, every animal seemed healthy and happy, there was food in every cage.” Goddard shared, “During the fostering process, the two kittens were sick, and they took care of everything.” Goddard also mentioned that
Photo Credits: Levi Goddard
during the time he was adopting, the shelter had a special “buy one, get one” deal, so he luckily was able to take two furry friend’s home. Courtney Miles, WLU Alum, adopted her first cat from the shelter. Miles says, “MCAS has allowed me to come in and volunteer and spend time with the animals.” She went on to say, “They let me love on the cats and I was able to take my time picking out my future fur baby.” Miles also shared, “The employees have always been professional and extremely warm and helpful, and I would recommend anyone who is looking to adopt to go to the MCAS first.” I was also lucky enough to find the best cat to adopt. Last September, I was able to have a cat in my apartment, so I made an appointment to see potential cats to adopt. The only cat I saw that day was Kylo, my play-
ful, fluffy, all-black cat. I immediately knew I was meant to give him a forever home, so I ended up adopting him that day. The employees were very helpful with answering my questions and gave me information on how to help him adjust to a new home. The employees were very nice, and I could tell they also loved their jobs and being able to give pets to their new owners. If you are interested in seeing the potential animals that are up for adoption, you can visit their website and fill out an application to schedule an appointment if you see a pet that you’d like to meet. For questions about the shelter or the animals, call the shelter at (304) 845-9770.
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MARCH 18, 2020
THE TRUMPET’S CENTENNIAL
The Trumpet marked half a century of publications in 1971, making West Liberty history
Looking throughout The Trumpet’s history, 1971 marked half a century of publications for the student newspaper, making history for West Liberty. The newspaper was still known as “The Trumpet” at this point; however, many changes occurred between 1941 and 1971 notable to mention. Page two of the April 1 issue stated, “Published
weekly by the Journalism Department students at West Liberty State College during the school year, except for holidays and examination periods.”
have remained intact and viewable. For the year 1971, the library has these following issues documented and able to be viewed on the new website MEGA: April 1, April 22, May 6, and Sept. 23.
The newspaper staff also obtained an office located in Col- Each of these issues conlege Union, where the current of- tained six pages (two more than fice is now and a phone number. 1941 issues), pictures and ads. In addition, more articles were dispersed As previously reported throughout the paper such as hard over the past two weeks, some is- news, features, and sports. (Note: sues and volumes of the newspa- There were no specific sections or per are missing from the archives pages for these stories like in present due to unknown causes. Despite day Trumpets). statements of The Trumpet being published weekly, only four issues Volume 54, Number 20: Thursday, April 1, 1971 Trumpet issue contained several important campus events and sports stories. Page one had four notable new stories about the play “Playmate Party” being performed in the College Union, a long week event organized by young Black individuals on campus, 13th science fair scheduled to take place on campus, and pre-registration for summer school was announced.
Page six covered the sports on the Hilltop for the week; although, most of page six was taken up by the article “West Liberty’s “Baseball Team Plays 11 games on Pre-Season Tour”. Many pictures of the baseball team was featured on this page, which is much different from past Trumpet issues. West Liberty’s head of learning resources, Katy Zane, created viewable high-definition PDFs of old Trumpet newspapers uploaded to the new cloud encrypted storage website MEGA. The new home to the archives is organized into folders by years starting with 1921. To view the new site, please visit this link. For more information regarding the history of The Trumpet, how to join the current staff or general questions, please email Annalise Murphy at anmurphy@ westlibrty.edu.
Another new object appearing on page one different from previous Trumpets was a block box stating, “2 ISSUES REMAIN: APRIL 22, MAY 6”. Page four reported on housing applications for the 1971-72 college school year for upperclassmen. This was a time when staying on campus was required unless permission for other living situations outside of the residence halls was approved by the “Dean of Men or the Dean of Women”. Also reported on page four was the debate teams Mountaineer Debate Tournament in Morgantown. The topic for debate discussion was “Resolve that the Federal Government should adopt a program of compulsory wage price control”.
Graphic By: Annalise Murphy The Trumpet in 1971 had a box similar to this one stating issues remaining. The graphic above shows the issues remaining for this school year.
OPINION
MARCH 18, 2020
OPINION
PAGE 11
Recent West Virginia bill declaring work stoppages as unlawful is a ‘waste of space’ children. This is ridiculous.
On Mar. 2, bill SB 11 passed (53-46) through the house of delegates stating that work stoppages or a strike by public employees are unlawful. Work stoppages were already declared unlawful in 1990 by the Supreme Court. This bill is just a waste of time and energy. Aaron Allen, a West Virginia Highschool Teacher at Valley Highschool, said, “...What the bill’s basically saying is they can’t close the county and continue to pay you during a strike like they did during the last two strikes. It’s just union-busting, but it doesn’t matter because the teacher’s unions in West Virginia are so weak they don’t need to be busted...They are extremely weak here...And the fact that they didn’t fight anything with Covid means that they are not going to fight anything political now. I shudder to think what education in West Virginia is going to be in five years. To the point that as soon as I can get out, I am.” If an employee goes on strike, they not only don’t get paid. This bill also “recommends termination”. Teachers already don’t get paid enough. It’s like the governor just wants them to give up on our
Tara Byard, another Valley educator, said, “...At first, there was a part of it that said that there could be no extracurricular activities. Which would basically be punishing the kids for not being able to play sports if teachers are on strike... They did take this out...because it looked like they were using students as pons in their political game. By doing that, they realized that it is still going to happen anyway. And passing a law like this isn’t going to change the things that they haven’t done. Like they haven’t fixed our healthcare like they promised and continue to push charter bills...It just seems like a waste of time when it’s already been stated in the court case that we weren’t supposed to strike anyway...In West Virginia we say union but it’s not a union. They are associations.They don’t have the power of unions.” This bill is just a distraction to what’s important. It seems like West Virginia’s officials are not interested in education. Why else would they talk about something that was already established in 1990? Stop worrying about stopping strikes, or teachers will start looking for jobs elsewhere. Education has always been important, but it seems like most people in charge couldn’t care less. Education is not a political game.
Photo Credits: Wikimedia
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MARCH 18, 2020
OPINION
Which is better: Zoom classes or in-person classes? With vaccines being released and a positive outlook, many students are excited to see if they will be able to attend in person classes next semester. On the other hand, many students may have adapted to the online world of learning. The question on the table is, will classes be able to be in-person in the Fall 2021 semester? While there isn’t anything set in stone for what next year’s college classes will look like, there is hope that things will be back to normal. As a freshman in college, I haven’t been able to experience a full in-person schedule. Because of Covid, I feel like I am more used to online classes and would feel comfortable being online still, personally. On the other hand, my roommate, Emily Truex says that she may prefer in-person classes. “As an Education major, it would be beneficial to me to be able to take in-person classes,” Emily says, “I would like to be able to do my field hours and participate in-person.” As this may be different for many majors, everyone will have a different opinion about the changes that could possibly be taking place. As a Journalism major, I feel like I am able to achieve my goals and finish my courses online as much as in-person. I believe that if campus goes back to majority in-person courses, the option to take Zoom classes should still be allowed. Many people without a vaccine and still worried about the spread of Covid may feel more comfortable being online until there are no cases. As nobody knows when this could be, while scheduling for next semester, it would be very beneficial for professors to include an online course for classes. While the pandemic is still happening and we
Photo Credits: Katlyn Roberts
have no straight-up answers about when it could be over, there are many different opinions towards attending in-person events still. As scheduling is right around the corner on April 5th, many students are facing the question on what they would feel comfortable attending. I know that if I have the option to be completely online, I will take that opportunity. I feel as if I would feel more comfortable knowing my classes are online in case a spike in cases happens again, instead of not knowing what my classes will end up like. As I am hopeful that by next semester we will be in a normal place of living, it is still uncertain. Students need to begin thinking about their next step with classes. Hopefully this time next year we will be able to not wear a mask and be able to attend large events like classes again. For any questions regarding this article, please reach out to Katlyn Roberts at kmroberts1@westliberty.edu.
SPORTS
SPORTS MARCH 18, 2020
Sports Editor: Anna Johnston
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- acjohnston@westliberty.edu
West Liberty University’s Men’s basketball tournament final scores and recaps Contributing Writer: Mark Donnelly
WLU GRADUATE STUDIES
West Liberty’s men’s Basketball team won the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Tournament after a 78-61 win against Hillsdale College on Tuesday night that booked their place in the DII Elite Eight. Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
They came into the tournament as the #3 seed after losing in the MEC Conference Tournament final against Fairmont state 99-102, however wins over Malone University and the University of Charleston meant that the Hilltoppers booked their place in this year’s regional final. Having lost only twice this season, Hillsdale were ranked #1 coming into the tournament following a victory over Mercyhurst University. This win saw the Toppers back at their best as impressive performances on both sides of the ball secured the win against a very talented and hard working Hillsdale side. Head coach Ben Howlett and his coaching team will be delighted that their players were able to put last week’s MEC disappointment behind them and progress in the national tournament. This tournament gave WLU the chance to play in front of a home crowd for the first time in over a year which was a welcomed bonus that gave the team the additional support they needed after their recent loss.
West Liberty controlled the game from start to finish, leading by as many as 19 points at times during the game. They lead the scoring for almost the entire match with the lead changing over only twice, both occasions occuring in the first quarter. The West Liberty bench outscored that of their opponents by 25 points, with every player playing a key role in securing the win. MEC player of the year, Dalton Bolon had an impressive game, notching up 22 points and 18 rebounds while All-MEC standout Pat Robinson III recorded 18 points on the night, including his 1000th point as a Hilltopper. Junior forward Marlon Moore Jr. played his most minutes so far this season, putting up a double-double which included a season-high 15 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. Freshman forward Ben Sarson also had a big night, recording 9 points in 14 minutes, his most since he came to the hilltop last fall. This win signals the Hilltoppers’ sixth regional title since 2011 and they will be hoping to go all the way to bring home the NCAA DII National Championship, a feat that the program is yet to achieve. Their
last Elite Eight appearance came in 2016 when they defeated Stonehill College before losing out to Lincoln Memorial University in the Final Four. Two years before that the Toppers reached their first ever NCAA tournament final where they unfortunately lost to the University of Central Missouri. With their offensive talent and hard-working attitude West Liberty’s men’s Basketball team has all the tools they need to go one step further in this year’s tournament. The tournament will be played at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana on March 24-27 where the Toppers will be one of eight teams battling it out for the national title. For more information and updates from the tournament visit hilltoppersports.com
@WLUGRADSTUDIES
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MARCH 18, 2020
SPORTS
WLU Men’s and women’s soccer versus Wheeling University When playing a cross town rival, there is no doubt going to be added tension between the two clubs, which is exactly what transpired during Friday’s tilt between West Liberty University and Wheeling University. The West Liberty University women’s soccer team began the doubleheader against Wheeling University, and looked fantastic while doing so. As the first half bled on, the average spectator could easily tell that the Lady Hilltoppers were simply faster, stronger, and smarter than the Lady Cardinals. West Liberty was winning battles in the midfield consistently, much to the frustration of Wheeling. With the constant knocking on the door for WLU, it was only a matter of time before they found themselves a tally. Finally, they did just that, as sophomore forward Millie Colbran netted her first collegiate goal to give the Lady Hilltoppers a 1-0 lead. Shortly after, sophomore forward Lex-
ie Mullen followed with an incredible insurance goal to cap off a 2-0 win for West Liberty. WLU’s eye popping seventeen shot attempts highlights how successfully the game went for the team. The ladies now hold a record of 1-1-1 this season narrowly missing out 1-0 to Notre Dame College (Ohio) and drawing 0-0 with Fairmont State University.
Much of the same can be said about the men’s team, however, their display of talent was primarily in the second half and beyond. Much like the women’s team, Head Coach Sean Regan’s men put up a staggering 22 shot attempts against Wheeling. The Cardinals took the early lead against West Liberty, as Ceasar Coello netted one nineteen minutes into the game following an unfortunate defensive error.
Photo credit: Maxwell Fiedorczyk
extra man advantage for the rest of the contest, the Hilltoppers took advantage. In the eightieth minute, senior striker Josh Yeamen netted the equalizer for the Hilltoppers after an assist from freshman forward Vitor Otsuka, The contest between the which ultimately sent the match two teams was an undisciplined into overtime. one, with 13 yellow cards. HowIn the second half of overever, what shifted the momentum of the game was a red card time, as the game appeared as if given to Wheeling, which hand- it was going to end in a draw, Josh icapped their rotation. With the Yeamen scored once more following a good touch from senior defender and vice-captain Mikel Ubeda, giving the Hilltoppers their first victory with just seven seconds left on the clock. The Hilltoppers now hold a 1-2 record this season.
Photo credit Kaelyn Oskin Left Ali Rhinaman, Right Kaelyn Oskin
It was a much needed first victory for both Hilltopper teams, and an even better one coming against arch rival Wheeling University. The Lady Toppers will be back in action Friday against West Virginia State University. The men’s team have an away visit against Davis and Elkins on Friday as well.
SPORTS
MARCH 18, 2020
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Hilltopper Men’s and Women’s Track and Field has successful season opener Junior, Jhett Slusser placed fourth in the same event. The WLU men’s and women’s track and field teams saw their season opener last weekend. It was a successful outing for the Toppers with the women’s team placing second overall behind Wheeling University and the men’s team earning a sixth-place finish. The meet was hosted by Glenville State College and featured a number of schools that compete in the MEC as well as some out of conference competitors such as Point Park University, Hagerstown Community College and WVU Institute of Technology. More than a dozen schools competed on the day. As well as team success, the day was littered with individual triumphs for the Hilltopper roster. Multi-event senior, Adam O’Donnell pulled off a record-breaking performance in the decathlon breaking the current top score in WLU history with 6,062 points earning a first-place award after dominating almost every event.
Tavian Richardson, a sophomore distance runner for West Liberty, won the 800-meter event with a time of 1 minute 57 seconds - an impressive time. Junior distance runner, Danah Phillips, who has also put in impressive performances for the cross-country team this semester, earned a second-place finish in the 1500-meter event narrowly missing out on first place by just a few milliseconds. Overall, the men’s team placed in nine different events over the course of the two days with making it a hopeful start to the season. The ladies team also saw significant success collectively earning a second-place finish in the competition. Kelsi Hulit, a junior from Malvern, Ohio, had an impressive two days coming away with a win in discuss (42.03 meters) second in shot-put (11.54 meters) and javelin (30.69 meters), and a sixth-place finish in the hammer-throw (39.81). Freshman thrower Kennedy Martin Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
had first college athletics success coming first in javelin (33.92 meters) and earning sixth place in shot-put (10.39 meters) a good start to her WLU career. Four different hilltoppers placed in the 800-meter event with Emily Louk coming in second, followed by Nichole Groseclose (fifth), Shania Keene (sixth), and Ryan Wilson (eighth). Aubree Story, a junior jumper from New Richmond, Ohio placed second in the high
jump event with a height of 1.52 meters while Hailey Carreon, a West Virginian sophomore placed in three separate events earning herself recognition in hurdles, the 100 meters and long jump. The men’s and women’s track and field teams see action again on Saturday March 20 when they travel down to West Virginia University in Morgantown for a meet. Updates on the topper teams can be found on Hilltoppersports.com..
MARCH 18, 2020
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SPORTS
WLU Wrestling turns heads on national stage in St. Louis Francesco Borsellino (285 pounds) earned a seventh place national finish, and Connor Craig (184 pounds) earned a runner-up national finish. After already capturing a Mountain East Conference Title, along with a Super Regional Championship, Head Coach Danny Irwin and his team can add a fourth place team national finish, along with two national championships, to their resume. In what many consider an already successful season for the West Liberty University Wrestling team, the Hilltoppers had one more chance to prove they are one of the best up and coming programs in the nation and they did just that. The 2020-21 campaign is undoubtedly going down as perhaps the most prolific and historic seasons for the program. The Hilltoppers brought four, now recognized All-American, wrestlers to the venture to St. Louis.
Cole Laya’s (125 pounds) jaw dropping 12-2 finish in the championship rounds secured the Hilltoppers first National Championship of 2021. Shortly after, his teammate, Tyler Warner (133 pounds), followed suit by winning his match 9-4, securing yet another National Championship for the Hilltopper program, the second of his career. Warner was successfully able to defend his title, claiming the right to be referred to as a back to back National Champion. With the historic season for the Toppers now officially in the books, the future looks bright. Fortunately for West Liberty, this success is not going anywhere. As a matter of fact, this is only the beginning of the success this program is going to
Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
experience for the next several years to come. With sophomore Borsellino, and junior Laya guaranteed to return, expect their leadership to rub off on the twenty one underclassmen the Hilltoppers have. This, along with the incredibly talented team the Hilltoppers are set to return next season, will almost certainly guarantee West Lib-
erty University will be right back in the conversation for one of the most premier teams in the nation. For more information about this article, please email Maxwell Fiedorczyk at mrfiedorczyk@westliberty.edu.
The Hilltop’s Athletes’ of the Week : Cole Laya & Tyler Warner
Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
Wrestling:
Wrestling:
COLE LAYA
TYLER WARNER
Year: Junior
Year: Senior
Hometown:
Hometown:
Fairmont, W. Va
Dennison, Ohio
About Laya:
About Warner:
Laya is a first time national
Warner won his second
champion and competed
national championship and
at 125 pounds.
Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
competed at 133 pounds.
