Western Courier | March 6th, 2020

Opinions: Sanders and Biden fight for Democratic nomination.

Sports: Kobe Webster to leave Western.

WesternCourier.com

Friday, March 6, 2020 - Vol. 120 Issue 64

@WesternCourier

SGA votes to increase student fees

By Devon Greene editor-in-chief

FILE PHOTO

SGA President Colton Markey.

The Western Illinois University Student Government Association approved an increase in student fees at Tuesday’s meeting.

The vote on the fee increase was set to take place two weeks ago but it was postponed due to inclement weather that left members of the student government unable to make it to the meeting.

Tuesday, the vote was finally held and it was overwhelmingly supported by those within SGA with a 13-0-2 tally in favor of the increase. However, this does not mean the increase is going into effect quite yet. The next step

in this process will be a vote at the next WIU Board of Trustees meeting later this month.

The total increase that will affect incoming students, starting in the Fall 2020 semester will be $1.91. The current rate for students enrolled at Western is $92.72 per credit hour and this increase will raise that to $94.69 per credit hour.

According to Executive Director of Personnel and Finance Affairs, Ketra Roselib, this fee increase will only affect full time students taking face to face classes on the Macomb campus.

The proposed increase will be used for student activities, facilities, technology and transit fees.

McDonough Co. teen dies in car crash

By Devin Brooks NEWS3 reporter

MCDONOUGH CO., Ill. (NEWS3) — A teen was killed in a single vehicle car crash Monday night in McDonough County.

Illinois State Police said the crash happened near the intersection of County Road 1800 E. and County Road 1050 N., just east of Macomb, just before 10:30 p.m. Monday.

Police said Mason Fuller, 19, of Ipava was driving south on County Road 1800 E. when he suddenly

ran into a ditch. Police said Fuller tried to pull his 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix back onto the road but after a short distance, he ended up going back into the ditch.

He then struck an embankment and overturned.

Police said Fuller was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead on the scene.

Authorities said the weather conditions were clear and dry. The cause of the crash was improper lane usage.

Illinois State Police were the first to respond to the crash.

Sports on Page 7: Who should the Chicago Bears target in free agency?

COURTESY OF ILLINOIS STATE POLICE

Opinions on Page 4: Scheduling can make a huge difference in your life.

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Friday, March 6, 2020

NEWS

WesternCourier.com

Spring Break Safety: Illness Prevention and Preparedness on Campus and Beyond MACOMB, IL – With spring break just around the corner, Dr. Michael Waters, medical chief of staff at Western Illinois University's Beu Health Center, wants to remind the WIU community – students, faculty and staff – how to prevent illnesses at home and beyond.

Wash Your Hands With cases of the Coronavirus, as well as Influenza A and B, continuing to rise around the world, Waters noted the best prevention is "wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands." Viruses are spread mainly from person-toperson through coughing or sneezing. Tips to avoid transmitting any illness include not sharing food/drink/utensils, etc; covering a cough or sneeze with a tissue or sleeve; frequent handwashing and/ or use of sanitizer when warm water and soap are not available; staying home when sick; avoiding people who appear ill; and in the case of influenza prevention, a flu shot.

Procedures, Symptoms

and Advice In regard to the Coronavirus, WIU is following policy and guidelines set forth by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), as well as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). In addition, Beu Health Center is posting updated information as it becomes available at wiu.edu/beu, and information is being disseminated in the residence halls.

Reported Coronavirus symptoms are similar to the flu or respiratory illness, including fever, cough and shortness of breath. The symptoms of the common cold are generally much milder, develop more slowly and usually do not include a fever.

"Whether you're traveling or not, we ask our University community to monitor their health and seek medical attention if you're feeling ill, and stay home if possible.

For students and other members of our University community who may be traveling, we want them to be aware if individuals are traveling abroad, they should keep in

mind there may be restrictions in place that might ban reentry into the United States," he added.

International Travel The IDPH is recommending that students and employees who returned from China after Feb. 3 not attend school and/or work for 28 days.

More information can also be found at the CDC and the U.S. State Department. The Office of Study Abroad and Outreach is monitoring the situation and maintaining communication with WIU students who are abroad this semester and those who may be going abroad this summer. At this time, no trips have been canceled or postponed.

The CDC is recommending that non-essential travel to China and South Korea be avoided. Travel on cruise ships in Asia is also not recommended. The CDC also recommends that patients with severe longstanding medical illnesses discuss travel with their doctors prior to traveling to Iran, Italy and Japan.

Students studying abroad

and/or returning from an overseas visit should take into consideration if they travel out of the country, they may be quarantined upon their arrival abroad or returning to the U.S, and/or may not be able to return to the U.S. in a timely fashion. All travelers should thoroughly research their destinations and consult with medical or nursing providers on medical concerns.

The U.S. State Department Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) allows the U.S. Embassy to locate travelers in foreign countries in the event of an emergency, and also provides alerts for emerging unsafe conditions. A passport number is required to register for the program at https://step.state.gov/step/ If You Feel Ill WIU-Macomb students who feel ill should contact Beu Health Center at (309) 2981888 prior to coming to the health center. If an individual comes to the health center, Beu's healthcare providers will ask a series of questions as a precautionary measure.

WIU-QC students and employees should contact their local health care provider.

Precautionary Measures on Campus On campus, as a precautionary measure to help prevent any possible spread of illnesses, Western's Facilities Management staff have implemented additional disinfecting measures in high traffic areas. Offices on campus are also encouraged to keep hand sanitizer available and assist facilities staff by keeping disinfecting wipes on hand to wipe down door knobs, phones, kitchen appliances and other shared surfaces.

Information For more information, contact Beu Health Center at (309) 298-1888. In addition, the IDPH has launched the Illinois Novel Coronavirus Hotline and email to answer questions. Individuals can dial (800) 889-3931 24 hours a day, seven days a week or email DPH.SICK@ILLINOIS. GOV to get answers and the latest information.

Courtesy of University Relations

Police arrest Monmouth man after store burglary

By Devin Brooks NEWS3 reporter

MONMOUTH, Ill. (NEWS3) — A Monmouth man was arrested after breaking into a local store early Wednesday morning.

Warren County Sheriff Martin Edwards said deputies and Monmouth Police responded to a call for a burglar alarm at the Farm King north of Monmouth just after midnight Wednesday.

Edwards said police chased the alleged burglar on foot after police arrived on the scene. Police eventually arrested George Wallace, 23, of

WC Located on the third floor of the Heating Plant Annex on the south end of campus across from Sherman Hall.

Mail: 1 University Circle, WIU, Macomb, IL 61455 Phone: 309-298-1876 Fax: 309-298-2309 Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays E-mail: micour@wiu.edu Member: Illinois College Press Association, National Association College Press

Monmouth at the scene after the foot pursuit.

Edwards said Wallace allegedly took a vehicle in Monmouth, then broke into the store. Police said Wallace stole firearms after breaking a display case.

Wallace was taken to the Warren County Jail and charged with burglary, theft over $500, possession of a firearm with no FOID, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and burglary from a vehicle.

All of the missing weapons were recovered. Bond has not been set, pending a court appearance.

George Wallace

STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Devon Greene

proofreader Mary Kilbourne

DJ-Greene@wiu.edu

MC-Kilbourne@wiu.edu

news editor Devon Greene

photo editor Becca Langys

DJ-Greene@wiu.edu

RE-Langys@wiu.edu

opinions editor Allison Young

assistant photo editor Sara Remar

AN-Young@wiu.edu

SE-Remar@wiu.edu

sports editor Bradley Piros

production manager Brandon Trost

BJ-Piros@wiu.edu

BL-Trost@wiu.edu

assistant sports editor Chris Bean

business manager Janiya Haynes

CR-Bean@wiu.edu

J-Haynes2@wiu.edu

edge editor Rachel Greene

assistant business manager Nash Miller

R-Greene2@wiu.edu

NK-Miller@wiu.edu

copy editor Amanda Wandachowicz

advertising manager Tyler Hoffman

A-Wandachowicz@wiu.edu

TE-Hoffman@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu

WARREN COUNTY SHERRIF'S OFFICE

PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION The Western Courier is published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the regular school year, excluding holidays, finals week and semester breaks. The WC updates the website weekly during the summer. All content reflects the editorial discretion of the students operating the newspaper and must be interpreted as unofficial university communication. While every attempt is made to determine the validity of advertising contained herein, the advertising in the WC is not to be construed as endorsements of any specific products or services. The WC assumes no responsibility or liability resulting from the content of paid advertisements. Subscription price is $36 per year mailed third-class bulk rate from Macomb.

The WC is printed by The Galesburg Register-Mail in Galesburg, Ill.

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No reproduction or reuse of material is permitted without written consent of the WC. All rights reserved. To request permission to reprint any material from this publication, please contact Will Buss at 309-298-1876.

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CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS The WC needs your help to maintain accuracy. If you find a factual error, call the WC office at 309-298-1876 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Please ask to speak to an editor to ensure the inaccurate information can be corrected as quickly as possible.

Friday, March 6, 2020

@WesternCourier On Feb. 26 at 8:25 p.m. Carey Wilson-Richmond, 21, of 701 Washington Hall, was arrested in Washington on a McDonough County warrant for failure to appear. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 8:30 p.m. where he was lodged pending bond.

On March 1 an individual reported that he lost his wallet, containing cash and debit and ID cards, in the COFAC Recital Hall, and upon returning to the hall, the wallet had been removed. The incident is under investigation.

On March 2 at 12:53 p.m. a University employee reported the theft of a Rocky statue, valued at $1,000, from the WIU-Quad Cities campus.

The incident is under investigation.

On March 2 at 1:29 p.m.

OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in the Multicultural Center. The alarm was activated by a cooking mishap and no injuries were reported.

On March 2 at 2:20 p.m. a student came to Mowbray Hall to report the theft of a gold chain, valued at $2,500, from a locker in Western Hall. The incident is under investigation.

NEWS 3

Campus Crime Reports

Legend Cannabis

Alcohol by a Minor

Burglary/Theft

Fire Alarm

Other Report

Editorial Policy

The editorial views of the Western Courier shall be confined to this editorial and are to be separate from news coverage otherwise noted. The editorial presented is based on the ideas and views of the WC editorial board.Columns are the opinions of the columnists alone and should not be construed as the opinions and beliefs of the WC staff as a whole.

Letters & Local Forum Policies

E-mail letters to the Editor and Local Forum messages to micour@wiu.edu.

Letters should not be more than 350 words in length. The author’s name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Failure to include such information will lead to the letter being discarded. The WC staff will edit letters in cases of timeliness, obscenity length and grammar, and we do not guarantee publication of all letters.

2020 Spring Semester Editorial Board

Edge Editor - Rachel Greene Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

After a decisive victory in South Carolina, former Vice President Joe Biden got the rejuvenation and momentum his campaign very much needed going into Super Tuesday.

Before South Carolina, Biden had placed in fourth and fifth place in Iowa and New Hampshire and barely came close to Bernie Sanders’ margin in Nevada even though he came in second place. Many people believed Biden’s campaign

was very much over but with influential South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn’s endorsement and a strong performance among AfricanAmerican voters and older voters, Biden showed that he could build a strong and formidable coalition of voters.

From then on, candidates like Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar quickly suspended their campaigns and endorsed Biden’s candidacy, sending a clear message that they be-

lieved he was the best candidate to go against Sanders for the Democratic Party’s nomination. Polls before showed Sanders’ with a comfortable lead in states such as California and Texas and a contesting chance in states like Minnesota and North Carolina, but Biden’s momentum and endorsements turned out to be the perfect foil.

Biden ended up winning 10 states including Texas and North Carolina, while Sanders ended up only taking four.

Biden was even able to win in states like Minnesota and Massachusetts, which were states he didn’t even campaign in.

Unfortunately, this night turned out to be the opposite for Elizabeth Warren and Mi-

chael Bloomberg. Bloomerberg only won the American Samoa, which showed an abysmal finish since he spent over $700 million on his own campaign. Warren, unfortunately, did not win any states and even came in third place in Massachusetts, her own home state, thus adding insult to injury.

As of now, both Bloomberg and Warren have suspended their campaigns; Bloomberg endorsed Biden, while Warren did not commit to either Biden or Sanders just yet.

It is apparent that this race is between Sanders and Biden,.

While Sanders did not win the most states compared to Biden, he did win the largest state in the union Califor-

nia by a wide margin enriching himself with plenty of delegates. This race is neck and neck as the number of delegates does not separate the candidates by that much, with Biden leading the count as of right now with 601 to Sanders’ 535.

It looks as if both candidates will not win the majority of delegates, which is 1,991, which means it very much could be a contested convention between the two. In my opinion, the person with the most delegates should get the nomination, and if there is a scenario where the person with the most gets short sighted that very much will fracture the party and possibly lead to Donald Trump

The benefits of having a planned schedule

Life has a way of sneaking up on you or throwing you for a turn if you don’t prepare properly.

Having a schedule can help you significantly when it comes to planning out your week because it is inevitable that you will get busy at some point. If you want to avoid this, then it will benefit you if you have a schedule in place to foresee the tasks and events that you have already committed to.

The worst thing that you can do is make yourself so busy that you do not have time for yourself or you accidentally overbook yourself. When you have obligations, whatever they may be, it is important to have a balance and a structure to what and how you are going to complete your tasks. Doing things last minute should not be the solution, it should be an alternative used as a last resort. Most of us, however, have bad habits of doing things at the last minute and

most of the time it works out for us. As tasks get more difficult, longer and consistent, waiting until the last minute can hurt your credibility, performance and the amount you are able to complete.

Creating a schedule is simple and if you are making one for the first time, it is important to have breaks between your obligations throughout the day. Creating breaks for yourself allows you to relax and also decide how to create or update your schedule.

Consistency is the name of the game when it comes to production whether it is in your work life or relationships. No one wants to be around the person or affiliate with someone that always has an excuse or needs help because it was obvious they did not take the time to prepare.

Preparation by itself will create ease and consistency in your daily life. Once you become prepared for things to occur, you will be less likely to stress

out about deadlines and assignments because you have planned for them. You will also find that making a schedule will make you less anxious because you have prepared and don’t have to anticipate the next “impromptu” assignment to pop up.

Another great reason to make a schedule for yourself is for when little or big things happen. That is where the breaks come in and you can reschedule your assignments and projects to a plan that fits you best. Mastering this will take time, especially if you are used to procrastination like most of us are.

Time is fine and as long as you start trying to make a difference today instead of putting it off or thinking that negative about it, things will change. Even if you have tried making a schedule before and it didn’t work out, try it again because the next time you will have information that you got from your failure.

It is imperative that you continue to try to make schedules and plan for things in your life.

It may not always look exactly how you planned it, but an idea is all you need to set your goals in motion.

FLICKR

Having a planner is one of the best ways to keep track of your everyday plans and activities.

Blacks, elderly, and moderate voters avor Joe Biden In current news, former Vice President Joe Biden has the state of South Carolina and it is big news everywhere! With this victory, we take a look at the idea that black voters, older voters and moderates charge and favor Joe Biden and his platform.

Former Vice President Biden, 77, is a democratic political leader who has political experience under his belt. Biden worked from “low” to “high”

on the pyramid; he began his political career locally by serving districts and worked his way to the federal level as the 47th VPOTUS and now as a candidate for the 46th POTUS. Biden served as a Senator of Delaware from 19722009 and before that he was serving two years at New Castle County Council in Delaware from 19070-1972.

Biden’s early life, career and personal life is open and

Biden is a very transparent person. Biden is running his current campaign based on the legacy of the eight years he served along with Former POTUS Barack Obama; Biden decided to continue that legacy and advance the issues of healthcare and climate crisis.

On the issue of healthcare, Biden is very liberal and for the people. In July 2019, Biden proposed a healthcare plan as an extension from Obamacare that causes private policy insurance companies to be more affordable.

The new plan also has an option of ‘public option’ that people can buy into. Biden is giving the main priority to

the individual yet offering a plan for all.

Biden is focused on climate change and developed a plan in June 2019, that allows $1.7 trillion set us on the path to eliminate net gas emissions by 2050. He is looking to address renewable-energy infrastructure and climate change. Biden also calls for a ban on oil and gas permits on public land.

The economy and current state of our country is another important issue and boosting the middle class is one of Biden’s main campaign pointers. Biden believes that ‘we need a country that rewards work not just wealth.’

Biden is pushing for a $15 minimum wage, reverse the tax cuts from the Trump Administration and expand the affordability of education.

Biden won about three in five every black voter in South Carolina and that milestone exceeded Bernie Sanders who received one in five black voters. South Carolina vote was the first state with a majority black electorate to weigh in on the Democratic fight.

With Biden, having a great background in politics and his views favoring most voters today, he is in a good state in the upcoming 2020 presidential election.

Explore Your Talents at Western Illinois University This Summer Western’s 2020 Summer Session offers numerous classes to fit your schedule and your major!

Graduate from college early by taking advantage of the 2020 Summer Session.

Western offers a variety of classes in general education and undergraduate and graduate degree programs, delivered in face-to-face, online or extension formats.

Additional summer opportunities include youth summer camps, internships and study abroad.

Visit wiu.edu/summer for more information.

Advance registration for currently enrolled students is April 1-10.

Open registration begins April 13.

6

Friday, March 6, 2020

SPORTS

WesternCourier.com

Three defensive free agents the Bears should be thinking about After exceeding all expectations in Year 1 under head coach Matt Nagy back in 2018, winning the NFC North and clinching their first playoff berth in nearly a decade, the Chicago Bears noticeably took a step back in 2019. The Monsters of the Midway dealt with a plethora of offsetting issues, including multiple injuries, questionable play-calling and regressing play from starting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

With limited draft capital this year (no first-round picks), the Monsters of the Midway will be eager to make a splash in free agency. The current buzz around the organization, according to Adam Jahns, senior writer and Bears reporter for The Athletic Chicago, is that the team would like to use one, if not multiple of their primary early-round picks to bolster their offensive line. This suggests addressing the defense could be a primary focus through the open market. Thankfully, the

2020 NFL free agent class contains an intriguing group of players that could help fill some of Chicago’s biggest holes on the roster heading into next season. If they can manage to lure-in a couple of these names, they could be well on their way to returning as a legitimate contender in the NFC in 2020.

No. 1 S, Tony Jefferson After losing Adrian Amos to the Green Bay Packers in free agency following the 2018 season, the Monsters of the Midway were able to temporarily plug the roster hole by signing Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to a one-year “prove it” deal. ClintonDix did just that, as he went on to record 78 total tackles (third on the team), two interceptions (second) and five passes defensed (third).

Still just 27 years old, he’s likely to command a handsome payday, something the Bears may not be able to afford with limited cap space and multiple positions to fill.

Enter 28-year-old Tony Jefferson, who was released by the Baltimore

forbes.com

Dante Fowler Jr. watches on from the sideline.

Ravens last month after suffering a torn ACL (Week 5) that cut his 2019 campaign short. Jefferson earned his way into a nice contract with the Ravens back in 2017, compiling 153 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles in his first two seasons with them. More importantly, Jefferson is more of a natural strong safety than ClintonDix, which should allow two-time Pro Bowler Eddie Jackson to revert to his free-roaming, ball-hawking role that he previously excelled in. General manager Ryan Pace is no stranger to taking shots on players with a “prove it” type of deal, something that could be done here.

No. 2 OLB, Dante Fowler Jr. While the Bears’ front-seven was riddled with injuries in 2019 - Akiem Hicks, Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan all significant time - pass-rush production (or lack thereof) on the opposite side of Khalil Mack greatly inhibited this team’s overall ability to get after the quarterback. While Mack was still solid (8.5 sacks), opponents were able to key-in on him, doubling, sometimes even tripleteaming the five-time Pro Bowler.

This was because edge-rusher Leonard Floyd’s lack of pressure in the pass-rush. Floyd looked to

baltimoreravens.com

Tony Jefferson makes a run.

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Submit a classifieds ad to Micour@wiu.edu

Spacious 2-5 bedroom homes for rent. 10 month lease available. Great locations, close to bus stops, plenty off street parking, all new windows, AC, energy efficient furnace, hardwood and ceramic tile floors, free washer/dryer. Well maintained (24 hrs.) by local landlord.

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have promise in his rookie campaign, posting 7.5 sacks, but since has just 11.5 in his last three seasons. Bringing in some help in this area should be a top priority this off-season.

If Chicago opts to take the free agency route instead of the draft to fill this void, one player they should take a look at is former Los Angeles Ram Dante Fowler Jr. He was an all-around stud in 2019 in his first full season with the Rams, notching 11.5 sacks while doing his part in coverage as well (six passes defensed). At just 25 years old, Fowler Jr. is going to cost a pretty penny, but it may be worth it as he’d give the Bears someone to anchor the right side of the defensive front for years to come.

No. 3 CB, Chris Harris Jr. Over the past couple seasons, Chicago has possessed one of the league’s strongest cornerback duos in Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara. However, Father Time began to creep up on Amukamara last season, as he was noticeably not his self of old while dealing with a nagging hamstring injury. One could even say he became a liability in coverage down the stretch, which forced the coaching staff’s hand into giving undrafted rookie Kevin Toliver

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more playing time. Now 31 years old, the Bears’ front office decided to cut bait with Amukamara last month, saving $8 million in cap space. While Toliver held his own on the field in limited snaps, he is still fairly unproven and heading into next season with him as the starting cornerback opposite of Fuller would be a massive risk.

Since entering the league in 2011, Chris Harris Jr. has cemented himself as one of the top cover corners in the league. A four-time Pro Bowler, Harris Jr. has anchored the Broncos’ secondary for nearly a decade, helping lead them to a Super Bowl victory, but it appears his time in Denver has come to a close. Like Amukamara, Harris Jr. is now also 31 years of age, but didn’t show any signs of slowing down in 2019. He earned himself a rock-solid grade of 69.9 by Pro Football Focus on a bottomfeeding Broncos squad, and while his best years may be behind him, he proved he still has plenty left in the tank. Because of his age, he shouldn’t demand a crazy amount of money. Adding a proven playmaker in the secondary would do wonders for a Chicago team in win-now mode, making a two-tothree-year contract for Harris Jr. a wise move.

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Chris Harris Jr. smiles after a play.

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Employment Employment Opportunities For Early Childhood, Teaching and Education Majors - Part-Time or Full-Time Work.

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Softball slides south toward Saluki Invitational

goleathernecks.com

Danielle Olson swings at a meat ball.

By David Koier courier staff

MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois Softball team travels to yet another weekend tournament this upcoming weekend, but this one is different: they get to stay in Illinois for this one. The team makes the quick trip down to the campus of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale for the Saluki Invitational.

The Leathernecks are fresh off their visit to Memphis last weekend where they participated in the Blues City Classic. The team went 1-3 in the tournament, a weekend highlighted by their lone victory over the Northern Illinois Huskies.

NIU’s Katie Keller kicked off the scoring with a twoout solo homer to right-center in the top of the first inning, but Western sophomore Savannah Rodriguez responded quickly with a two run home run of her own to give Western a 2-1 lead after one The Huskies quickly tied it up at the top of the second, but Ealy helped secure the lead once again with a single up the middle in the bot-

goleathernecks.com

Alyssa Ealy rounding second base.

tom half to bring Tori Boysen home for a 3-2 Leatherneck edge. Rodriguez added to the lead in the bottom of the third with a double to the gap in right-center.

Rodriguez scored on an NIU throwing error on the next batter after Boyson singled down the left field to bring the Leatherneck lead to 5-2.

Daytona Dooley closed the inning with an RBI single to center to plate Western’s third run of the third inning.

Anderson closed the door on the Huskies to earn the 10-9 victory over the Huskies in 2.2 innings of work and two strikeouts. Abby Carlin got a no-decision in a starting role, surrendering four earned runs with one strikeout of her own.

In the midst of the team’s 4-10 record, Alyssa Ealy and Piper Foote have stood out with their respective success at the plate. Ealy owns the team high batting average with a .349, which happens to be 10th in The Summit League, while also leading the team in multi-hit contests with four under her belt. The freshman, Foote, trails close behind with a .306 average of her own. Both players head into the Saluki Invitational on

three-game hitting streaks.

Despite a disappointing win column, the Leathernecks still fight until the end in all their contests. Out of the team’s 10 losses, they have only been prevented from scoring one time (February 9th against Butler) and have lost by just one run on four occasions.

Carlin has helped the team keep it close from her role in the circle as she has stepped up in her role as the team’s ace. Carlin is 2-4 on the season through 48.1 innings this season, accumulating 24 strikeouts on her way to a Summit League best 1.88 ERA. In Carbondale this weekend, the Purple and Gold will face off against DePaul and a familiar foe Northern Illinois on Friday before a second doubleheader on Saturday against the host SIU Salukis and Jaguars of IUPUI (who Western also faced in the first tournament of the season in a 7-9 losing effort).

The Invitational concludes Sunday with a final game against DePaul. The first pitch for Friday’s matchup against DePaul is scheduled for 10 a.m.

Twitter: @DavidKoier

brandon troust / production manager

goleathernecks.com

Abby Carlin looks at the cather to recieve the signs.

goleathernecks.com

Jasmine Lara makes contact and runs toward first.

Kobe Webster to transfer after graduation my graduation in May, I year tenure at Western and

By Bradley Piros will be transferring to con- finished his WIU career tinue my academic and with 1,328 points, 326 sports editor basketball career.” rebounds and 278 assists MACOMB, Ill. — One day Along with this post, he over the course of 81 games. after it was announced that Western Illinois University men’s basketball coach Billy Wright would be leaving the program, junior guard Kobe Webster took to his Twitter account to give people an update on his own plans.

“First and foremost, I thank God for giving me the opportunity to do what I love each and every day.

Thank you to all my friends and family who have supported me throughout my basketball journey. Thank you, coach Wright, coach Jones and the entire Western Illinois staff for taking the goleathernecks.com chance on me coming out of Kobe Webster shoots a corner three. high school. I have accomplished a lot both on and also added a screenshot of He started every game he off the court while creat- his official transfer request played in and averaged 33.7 ing undeniable relation- through the NCAA. minutes a night. He finships in my three years at Webster played 81 games ished with a .427 field goal WIU. With that said, after over the course of his three- percentage, .373 three-point

percentage and shot .741 percent from the foul line.

He dropped a career-high 40 points back on Feb. 22 against Omaha, sinking a career-high five threepointers along the way. He finished the 2019-20 season averaging 17.1 points which are also a career high.

While Webster’s sophomore year was arguably his best here at Western, he did achieve many milestones and put his name in the record books. Of course, he was also a huge part in the historic win in The Summit League Tournament over No. 1 seeded South Dakota State University last season and he has said previously that it was his favorite basketball memory.

He will leave a huge hole to fill in the Leathernecks’ lineup, and the program as a whole sure does have a lot of work to do before next fall if they plan on getting back to the tournament and their winning ways.

Time to make the Wright decision COURIER STAFF

Billy Wright is out as the Western Illinois head basketball coach, and it has everyone on campus wondering who will be taking the reins of the Leatherneck basketball program.

The Billy Wright era did not go as planned. In his six seasons with the Leathernecks, he compiled only 53 wins, and 13 of those were against non-Division I programs.

He was also less than stellar in postseason play, having earned one victory in his tenure with the team.

So everyone’s asking, who’s going to be the coach come next season? I’m going to break down some candidates and what I think they should do with their head coaching hunt.

Option No. 1: Take an unproven Power Five Assistant Coach This seems like the most logical move for a university that wants a complete culture change within its basketball program. They should look to bring in a young assistant from a solid program to help bring back

the winning culture. One name that comes to mind is Geoff Alexander. He is an assistant at Illinois. He has two degrees from WIU and coached here. He was at Evansville before Illinois and could slide right in and help bring the program back to its winning ways.

Option No. 2: Bring in the hometown kid I know what you’re thinking, who from Macomb is coaching in the college ranks? The answer is Chris Tifft. He is a Macomb kid who played at Nevada, and he is currently coaching at Central Michigan.

Before that, he was at SLU and TCU. He has head coaching experience at Lamar College and he very well may be Macomb’s prodigal son.

Option No. 3: Bring in a former Leatherneck While this option might not be the most appealing due to the recent success of the program, it is a legitimate option. One name that could be connected to Western is Ceola

Clark III. Ceola played for Western the last time they won The Summit League regular season title in 201213 and has professional experience playing overseas. The only downside is he does not have any coaching experience, but he does know how to win in The Summit League.

Option No. 4: Let’s get weird There’s plenty of head coaching openings after every season, but obviously, only a select few get their shot. And for many, they only get one shot at their big break. However, one man has gotten many chances due to the enormous amount of success he has had in Division I basketball, and currently not coaching in the NCAA. His name is Rick Pitino.

Pitino has made seven Final Fours and has two national championships to his name. He was dismissed from Louisville in 2017 and is currently coaching in Greece. Pitino has been rumored to be interested in a return to Division I basketball if given another chance and Western should seriously look into his situation. A proven winner at big time universities looking for redemption seems like an easy choice, but will

Western be able to deal with the publicity that comes with it? Only time will tell.

Option No. 5 Be a pioneer The fifth and final option is to start the new wave, and you do that by hiring the first ever female head coach in Division I history.

A name they should target is Edniesha Curry. She is currently an assistant at Maine and is the only female assistant at the Division I level.

Curry, a former WNBA star, has been through the NBA assistant coaches program and has played at the highest level possible. Not only is she very knowledgeable about the sport, but she could also put Western in the history books by being the first female head coach in Division I history.

Western Illinois will do what’s best for the university, and I expect plenty of names to be linked to do this job. However, I really hope they are bold.

Go after the big fish and don’t be afraid of the attention. People tend to flock to where the noise is anyways. Have you ever seen people go to a party with no music? Western people have a chance to make a name for themselves and the more noise they make, the more successful they’ll have.

WIU baseball set to end road trip against Mizzou

By John Bell courier staff MACOMB, Ill. — The Western Illinois Baseball Team (0-9) is headed down to Columbia, Miss. for a battle with the SEC Mizzou Tigers (6-5). The Leathernecks are off to a rough start under first year head coach Andy Pascoe, but look to turn it around against the Tigers this weekend.

The Leathernecks and Tigers have met 27 times prior to the upcoming weekend series in Missouri. Mizzou leads the uptime series 22-5, winning four of the last five meetings.

Senior utility man Trent Bauer has been on a tear for the Leathernecks so far this season.

Bauer has appeared eight of the nine games for Western so far this year, making seven starts. Bauer is hitting .370 on the season for the Necks, leading the team in that category.

He currently sits second in The Summit League in the batting average category. He hit his first career home run in Purple and Gold in the series finale in Knoxville against the Vols. Bauer hit .500 last weekend in Memphis. He currently leads the Necks with 10 hits on the 2020 campaign.

Junior Austin Edwards has made his presence felt out of the bullpen for the the Necks this season. Edwards and electric right hander looks to continue his success on the mound this weekend against the Tigers. The junior has made three appearances for the Necks this season, he has tossed five and one-third innings of work, with an ERA of 3.38.

The games between the Leathernecks and Tigers are set for Friday at 6:30 p.m, Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

goleathernecks.com

Trent Baur tries to pick off the runner.

goleathernecks.com

Drue Galassi catches a pop fly ball.