Sports: Leathernecks take down North Dakota State.
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Opinions: Did Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow?
Monday, February 3, 2020 - Vol. 120 Issue 51
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Racial Justice Coalition continues to push for improvement
By Devon Greene
editor-in-chief
The Racial Justice Coalition believes there are big changes that need to be made with the Macomb Police Department and Macomb School District. The meeting was held in City Hall on Thursday and opened with a statement from chairperson Regina Matthews where she spoke about how the coalition is trying to make changes for the better in Macomb. “We are not experts,” Matthews said. “We are volunteer community members who are deeply concerned about our underrepresented community members.” Following Matthews, Candice Whitman informed those in attendance about implicit bias. Whitman is a counselor and owns her own counseling center. “We are here today to address the fact that black individuals here in Macomb are facing a lot of painful experiences because white people in the community are not addressing their unconscious biases,” Whitman said. “As a white person, it is my responsibility to address my own biases and it is something I have to work on every single day.” Whitman also called on leaders in Macomb to come to grips with their own implicit biases and work to start changing them as soon as they can. Whitman also brought up some comments that Macomb Police Chief Curt Barker allegedly said to her in a conversation the two had. Among these comments, were those that Barker said he understood what it was like to be discriminated against due to the alleged stigma against police officers. Whitman said that Barker told her that Barker has asked to not be introduced as a cop in his personal life due to a change in the way he was treated when people found out his profession.
“I asked him to reflect on how it must feel like for a person of color who is not able to just not reveal their race because they can not take off their skin color in the same way he gets to take off his badge, gun and title,” Whitman said. Whitman also said that Barker said he was unable to do anything to stop any discrimination due to the fact that he hadn’t seen any firsthand. Following Whitman, several volunteers from the crowd and members of the Racial
due to the large white population in the area. The affidavit also claimed that Barker acknowledged that implicit bias was part of our culture but that people cannot “play the victim.” The following affidavit was from a black, gay man who lives in the Macomb community and his experiences in the area. “As a gay person of color growing up in a rurual area, since as long as I can remember, racism has always been present and experienced,”
The Racial Justice Coalition holding their town hall on Thursday. Justice Coalition read several the affidavit read. “For me it affidavits that had been filed was being told to go back to claiming misconduct in the where I came from or that I’m Macomb Police Department not an American.” and Macomb School District. The affidavit went on to exThe first affidavit was one plain some of the racism that that was filed by a teacher that the man had seen and experiis no longer in the Macomb enced in the community. community. The teacher said President of the Democratthat in a conversation with ic Women of McDonough Barker, he allegedly said that County, Heather McMeekan, minor offenses like jaywalk- read the next affidavit that ing could potentially lead to came from a mother of chilmore major crimes and that is dren who attend Macomb why the Macomb Police De- High School. McMeekan bepartment stays vigilant with came emotional reading the those offenses. Barker also al- affidavit which painted a legedly said that he has to en- story of alleged misconduct force “white cultural norms” and bullying on school buses
and in school. The mother claimed that her child was forced off the bus after being bullied and was called racial slurs by some other children on the bus. “On Sept. 16, my son got off the bus in tears,” the affidavit said. “I talked with him and my daughter separately to ask them what had happened. One of the same boys from the first incident had assaulted my son, again. He punched, kicked, slapped, and spit on him. On this day my son was also called the n-
DEVON GREENE/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
word.” According to the affidavit, several students on the bus asked the bus driver for help but the bus driver refused saying that the alleged attacker “was a good boy and would not do that.” The mother also said that she filed a police report but came up with nothing due to the age of the children. She also said that as a result of the incident, her son received detention for “punched boy who called him n-word. Would not stay seated. Was screaming.” The parent said that the bullying got so bad, she was
forced to take her children off the school bus which lead to more financial instability for the family, but the bullying followed her son inside the school. “The bully was slapping drinks and food out of my son’s hands in the cafeteria. He was being flipped off by the boy as he walked to my car after school.” the affidavit said. The bullying got so bad, the parent attempted to meet with Superintendent of Schools, Patrick Twomey. After speaking with Twomey, she claimed that the two set up a meeting so her son could talk to the superintendent. “He asked me if I was okay with him sitting down and having a ‘heart to heart’ with [her son] so he could give him some encouragement and get his ‘side.’ I agreed,” the affidavit said. “He said he was busy the next two days, but would come in on the third day to meet with him. [Her son] stayed home those two days and returned on the day they were supposed to meet. They never met and I have not heard back from Dr. Twomey to this day.” The affidavit concluded with the current state of hopelessness felt by the mother. “I moved so my children were no longer riding the same bus and stopped reaching out to the school for any help, because I know they will never be on my son’s side,” the affidavit said. “My son is tall, big and black. His attacker is short, small and white. No matter what my son endures at school, he will still be seen as the aggressor and that breaks my heart as a parent.” In response to this affidavit, McMeekan said that she would like to see at least one more adult to ride on Macomb’s school buses to monitor behavior.
Town Hall page 2
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Monday, February 3, 2020
NEWS
The final affidavit was filed by a man who was a victim of alleged police misconduct. The man was allegedly tackled and handcuffed in his girlfriend’s home by Macomb Police. According to the man, the police knocked on his door, asked for his name and then tried to grab him, at which point, he backed away, saying he was “fearful for his life.” The officer then pursued the man and tackled him without saying why he was being apprehended. According to the man, when the police finally answered why he was being handcuffed, the police said that they were chasing a man who got out of his car and started running away from them. He then asked if he was being cuffed because he was black and the man they were chasing happened to be black too, and the police allegedly responded that that was indeed the case. The man also said that
the sheriff and Barker were in attendance too. The man said that he was forced to go to the emergency room the next day with chest pains. McMeekan then laid out some goals that the Racial Justice Coalition and Democratic Women of McDonough County wants to see enacted in order to provide a safer and more inclusive Macomb. The first goal was to get Chief Barker to step down from his current position. This goal was started in mid-January after the Macomb Police Department allegedly bought a train ticket to a mentally ill man who was then lost in Chicago for two weeks. The second goal was a more transparent system for filing complaints against the police department and one that allows for anonymous complaints as well. McMeekan said that the police complaint system was broken for months and when it finally got repaired, it became one of the most restrictive forms and least transparent of
On Jan. 22 at 10:55 a.m. Dominique Rosemond, 24, of 515 N. Johnson St., was arrested in the Knoblauch Hall lot on a McDonough County warrant for failure to appear. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 10:57 a.m. where he was lodged pending bond. On Jan. 23 at 9:09 a.m. Garrett Kemp, 20, of 345 W. Murray St., was arrested in Q-Lot on a McDonough County warrant for failure to appear. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 9:14 a.m. where he was lodged pending bond. On Jan. 24 at 8:25 p.m. a student was judicially referred for driving across a lawn near Sherman Avenue. On Jan. 26 at 2:05 a.m. Ryan Biondo, 20, of 706 Thompson Hall, was arrested in Thompson for illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor and resisting a police officer. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 2:22 p.m. where he was lodged pending bond. Cooper Techau, 18, of 706 Thompson Hall, received a notice to appear Feb. 25 for a
Macomb City ordinance violation for illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor. On Jan. 27 at 9:12 p.m., a student in Thompson Hall was judicially referred for cannabis possession. On Jan. 28, at 6:36 p.m., Congress Thomas, 19, of 401 Grote Hall was arrested in Grote on a warrant for failure to appear. She was lodged in the McDonough County Jail at 7:02 p.m. pending bond. On Jan. 28 at 10:20 p.m. a student came to Mowbray Hall to report an attempted email scam offering employment. The incident is under investigation. On Jan. 29 at 9:15 a.m. an employee reported criminal damage to government property, estimated at $100, at the President's residence. On Jan. 29 at 5 p.m. Stephon Scott, 18, of 1005 Thompson Hall, was arrested on a McDonough County warrant for failure to appear. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 5:11 p.m. where he was lodged pending bond.
Town Hall from front page
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complaint systems possible. According to McMeekan, several people they have spoken to have said they don’t feel safe filing complaints about the police department because of the fact that they have to go through the police department to file a complaint. Along with that, individuals who want to file a complaint must have their name attached to the complaint. The third goal was the hiring of minority police officers as part of the force. McMeekan said that the hiring of officers that are not caucasian will force officers to realize their implicit biases. McMeekan also called for implicit bias and de-escalation training for all departmental employees and to end the “broken windows” policy which cracks down on minor offenses in certain neighborhoods in the area. She said that the “broken windows” policy is outdated and affects minority neighborhoods more frequently.
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Monday, February 3, 2020
NEWS 3
Athletics announces MLK Award
By Bradley Piros sports editor
MACOMB, Ill. – Back on Jan. 16, the Western Illinois University Athletics Department unveiled the new MLK Award. The award was introduced at the men’s basketball game against Oral Roberts a little more than two weeks ago. The annual honor will be given to one student-athlete and one non-student-athlete who, “embody and exemplify characteristics promoted by Dr. King – a vision of peace, persistence in purpose and inspirational action as well as sportsmanship either within and outside the WIU community,” Assistant Athletic Director Diane Cassimire said. This is Cassimire’s second year at Western. She was previously at New York University and she says that’s where she got the idea of the award in the first place. “My previous institution was New York University and we had a similar award there. So, I had gotten together with Monyae Williamson (Assistant Athletic Director) and Rocio Ayard Ochoa (Director of the Multicultural Center), and we were kind of talking about different ways that we could highlight our students here on campus, and I had brought up that we had this initiative at NYU and we thought it would be something great to bring here,” Cassimire said. With Western trying to be more diverse and inclusive, this award couldn’t have
been announced at a better time, right in time for Black History Month as well. A committee will be formed to vote on the winners of the award, but it is up to students and faculty to nominate their fellow peers for the award. The committee would then take a vote based
pus, community and the student athletes. I think it’s always important to recognize the things that students do well, whether it’s positive encouragement, leadership; just everything that Dr. King stood for,” men’s basketball head coach Billy Wright said. He mentioned what it
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Martin Luther King Jr. gives a speech in Washington D.C. on all of the students that were nominated. Regardless of who wins the award, it still has a huge impact on the university. “Yeah, I think it will have a positive impact on the cam-
we emphasize be the best person you can be, be the best student you can be, be the best basketball player you can be. And on the court, play hard, play smart, play together, all for one, one for all. That’s kind of the byproduct that we’re all in philosophy, and for one of
would mean for him if one of his players were to win the award and about his team’s “All In” mentality. “Well, for the most part I think it’s a byproduct of the culture of our program that
my players specifically to be honored with this award, it would mean a lot to not only myself and my staff, but for the players who are here, the former players and the alumni, because it’s a pres-
tigious award, and it’s one of those awards where you put others before yourself,” Wright said. He finally added how important it is for students to get involved on campus and in the community. “I think it's always good for students to get involved in anything that acknowledges their achievement, acknowledges positive impact on society and acknowledges positive impact on the community, school, athletics team, whatever the case may be,” Wright said. President of the NABJ (National Association of Black Journalists) MaKenzie Yearby added that the award helps Western’s image and continues Dr. King’s legacy. “I think this award is great because it just continues his legacy, like I said, and just picking students within the community, just highlighting them and what they’re doing on campus, and I think just giving that name, the Martin Luther King Jr. Award, it helps us with our image because it shows that, hey, we do care about diversity and students who are continuing to live out his legacy,” Yearby said. Students and faculty will be able to begin nominating their peers from Dec. 1 until the start of Finals Week. The selection committee will be named later this year as well. The winners of the MLK Award will be recognized at a Western basketball game closest to MLK Day (the third Monday in the month of January).
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Edge Editor - Rachel Greene Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young
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OPINIONS
Monday, February 3, 2020
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BRANDON TROST/PRODUCTION MANAGER
Now that Feb. 2 has officially passed, and we all know what that means- no, not Superbowl Sunday- Groundhog Day! As many know, we love to determine whether spring will come early or if we will have a long winter based on whether or not a groundhog sees his shadow on Feb. 2. While it seems a little crazy and strange, it is definitely entertaining. This year, Punxsutawney Phil got ready for his 134th prediction. On Sunday, Phil did not see his shadow! This means that spring is set to come early this year. Something extremely unique about this year is that he predicted an early spring, which according to Fox News meteorologist Janice Dean, does not happen very often. This prediction is the 21st in over 100 years that Phil has predicted an early spring. It is important to note that Phil is not the only groundhog used to predict an early spring, and that he is not the only groundhog in the United States this year to make this same prediction of an early end to winter! So, how likely is this prediction to come true? And are we really due for an early end to winter this year? Here in Macomb on Feb. 2 it was sunny and a beautiful 52 degrees, an amazing break from the bitter cold days that encompassed most of January. February seems hopeful for the weather to begin to get warmer, but unfortunately many weather reports around the United States seem to feel we will continue to experience winter weather for the next six weeks. So, maybe spring will
begin mid-March rather than continuing winter through April like in some years past. We have had a fairly mild winter, which definitely started late this year. So, I could really see this going either way. It would make sense that since winter started late and stayed particularly mild that it may get pushed into months that are normally associated with spring such as March and April. However, I am also hopeful that the mild winter and the beautiful 50-degree day we saw on Groundhog Day will continue, and that spring will come early and be pleasant to us. I feel it isn’t right to discuss things such as a mild winter and a 50-degree day in the beginning of February without mentioning that climate change can also play a huge factor in whether or not there will be an early end to winter this year. When looking at the accuracy of past Groundhog Day predictions, I found that Phil is not the most reliable determiner of the weather. Some estimates by meteorologists of the accuracy of Phil indicate that his predictions were correct roughly 35-40 percent of the time. This is a lower accuracy than guessing the correct side when flipping a coin, but also higher than guessing on an A through D multiple choice question. So, in that sense, Phil may have some of us beat in the accuracy game. But, overall, his predictions are not the end all be all. So, what do you think about an early end to winter? Your guess is just as good as Phil’s.
Last Thursday night, United Kingdom Internet personality AnEsonGib challenged U.S. Internet personality Jake Paul to a boxing match on the sports streaming service DAZN and headlined by boxing promoter Ediie Hearn, and while expectations were high on both sides to have to go as long as three rounds, that ended up not being the case. Both competitors trained for this boxing match for more than three months, Paul training with boxing legend “Sugar” Shane Mosley in Big Bear, Calif., where the air altitude is known to be high in order to increase a person's conditioning, and Gib training with Viddal Riley, who was KSI’s boxing coach, and Jeff Mayweather, who is the uncle of boxing legend Floyd “Money” Mayweather. Even though this was Gib and Paul’s first boxing match as professional boxers, both competed as amateurs in a Youtube boxing event in 2018 in the United Kingdom where both came out victorious against their competitors. Now as pros, the boxing match required the use of 10 ounce gloves and no headguards, which made the bout that much more violent and dangerous. As the match began, Paul immediately dominated with a knockdown against Gib, who quickly came forward to Paul. Punches were landed on both competitors, but Paul was able to be a much more technical boxer than Gib and proceeded to land two more knockdowns,
thus ending the match by technical knockout under the Florida comminsom’s three knockdown rule. Thus, Paul was declared the winner. It was a boxing match that lasted only two minutes and 18 seconds but cemented to people that Paul was truly a worthy competitor. After the bout, KSI proceeded to enter the ring and very much set up a possible match between the two personalities. Paul defeated KSI’s brother Deji in his first ametur boxing match and his friend AnEsonGib in his first pro boxing match. KSI defeated Paul’s brother Logan in their first pro boxing match by a controversial two point deduction against Logan. With both competitors undefeated, this just made the rivalry between the Paul brothers and KSI much more interesting.
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Jake Paul is the brother of Vine sensation Logan Paul.
({}) The Vagina Monologues come back to Western
CONT. E.2
Written by: Tea Wheat
E2 EDGE
Monday, February 3, 2020
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The Vagina Monologues take center stage The Vagina Monologues are a beautiful collection of monologues that were written based off of interviews with women by female playwright Eve Ensler. The play originally premiered at HERE Arts Center, Off-Off-Broadway in New York, and then moved to an Off-Broadway stage later on. The monologues focus on the many different stories of women. These range from sexual assault to being a sex worker, all the way to discovering your own vagina. These monologues are raw, empowering and some are quite humorous as well. It is an ode to the female sexuality, and honors rather than demeans. The New York Times Stated that The Vagina Monologues are “probably the most important piece of political the-
ater of the last decade.” In a world where sexual assault and human trafficking are such prominent issues, The Vagina Monologues and Vday calls those around the globe to action once a year. V-Day is a movement following this play that calls for an end to violence against women and girls. The proceeds for V-Day go to different shelters and crisis centers and overall funds different ways to help survivors. Once a year, around V-Day, Ensler allows for other entities to perform monologues from her play, to raise money for V-Day and other more local causes. For the performance at Western Illinois University, all proceeds will go directly to the WIRC Victim Services of Macomb, a local organization that helps women and children that
have survived violence against women. I attended this performance last year and was blown away. The performance are true to the core and are captivating. Some will bring you close to tears while others will have you laughing, and that is just the beauty of vaginas. The Vagina Monologues is inspiring, from the messages that come across in the play, to V-Day as a whole, and especially to helping the women and children in need within our own region. The Vagina Monologues will be performed by the wonderful V-Team this year in the Multicultural Center from Feb. 6 through 8, 2020. The performances will begin each night at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 in advance or $7 at the door for students, for community members tickets are $7 in advance or $10 at the door. Even if you are unable to attend the performances, please consider donating even just $5 that will be going to the WIRC of Macomb.
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Tickets are being sold to benefit the WIRC Victim Services of Macomb.
The 2019 cast of the show pose for a photo.
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E3 EDGE
Monday, February 3, 2020
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Too much drama, not enough love
Whether you love it or hate it, you have certainly heard of the hit ABC show, The Bachelor. Airing every Monday night, the 24th season of The Bachelor is receiving very mixed reviews from fans, especially on social media outlets such as Twitter. The show is meant to be dramatic and to involve some meddling and manipulation, but fans say the producers have simply taken it too far. If you
look at the core of the show, it is meant to be about finding love and overcoming the challenges to get to the one, final person who is the one the Bachelor wants to marry. Now, love seems to have taken a backseat to gimmicks and meddling by the producers. In seasons past, there has been drama. So why is this season any different? Well for starters, former bachelorette, Han-
nah Brown, made a dramatic appearance during the very first episode. Even though she chose not to propose to Peter Weber and already had her chance with him, the producers seemed to think that this would be a great scene to use on countless commercials and to draw in viewers. She left gracefully after her appearance and wished Weber luck in his journey to find love. This would have been fine, but of course Brown reappeared in the next episode and seemed hysterical about making a wrong decision. Even if this was the case, it was certainly not fair to the women who joined this show with the mindset that Weber
was emotionally available. If this was not enough to suggest the producers of the show were slightly malicious, instances with Victoria Fuller and Kelley Flanagan should be. Fuller used to know Chase Rice, a country singer. In an odd coincidence, he turns out to be the artist performing in a private concert for their date. The producers, who thoroughly research each contestant prior to filming, knowingly set her up on a date to watch a former love interest sing to her and a current love interest. In Flanagan’s case, she met Weber before the season even started and they had a moment in a hotel. Unsurprisingly, the producers
make it too easy for the pair to recreate their intimate scene at the very hotel where they met. While this could be perceived as endearing in some cases, the goal of the producers is clearly to anger the other women and pit them against Flanagan. The show is still reaching viewers, but perhaps producers have lost sight of what The Bachelor is really meant to be. Fans love drama, but fans also love the love. There is still room for the show to change and improve to be more like what it once was, but if the producers continue to intervene in the narrative, it is likely that the show is not going to receive the final rose.
ETONLINE.TECH
Former Bachelorette, Hannah Brown, complicates the entire show when she reappears in this new season.
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Weber's season proves particularly difficult, leaving fans wondering if he will even find love at the end of it all.
E4 EDGE
Monday, February 3, 2020
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My Chemical Romance's final bow All you need to play is the opening note from Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance to strike the heart chord of a fan. My Chemical Romance, commonly called MCR, is an American emo rock band that originated in New Jersey. The band consists of current members Gerard Way, Ray Toro, Frank Lero and Mikey Way. The band was active from 2001 to 2013, when the band broke up unexpectedly. During these years, My Chemical Romance released albums such as I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love (2002), Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004), The Black Parade (2006) and Danger Days (2010). My Chemical Romance has been loved by many throughout the years andhas had a significant personal impact on many fans.
When My Chemical Romance announced their reunion for a final tour, fans around the world were ignited with that same fire from their youth. Even those that swore to have left that “emo phase” from middle school or high school behind were excited to see the reunion of My Chemical Romance. The hit band announced that they would be reuniting to go on a final tour worldwide. Dates were released for different countries such as Australia, Japan, Ireland, the UK and many more. Additionally, a North America tour was released. Cities such as Chicago, Philadelphia and Toronto will be lucky enough to be the epicenter for the 2020 tour. Last week, the tickets for the tour went on sale, and the tour was sold out in under six hours. This equates
to 230,000 tickets sold in not only a day, but under six hours! The emo rock band responded well to this, adding another show to their tour, the four and final addition to the tour. This addition was also made due to an apparent issue with Ticketmaster which resulted in many fans, mainly in Canada, being unable to purchase their tickets. Obviously even with the one added show, there are still many fans that are heartbroken that they will not be able to attend the bands final tour, fans that have waited even since 2013 when the band broke up. But that is something that angry fans are battling out with Ticketmaster. Fans across the globe are excited and emotional about the return of their beloved My Chemical Romance, and many are lucky enough to have scored tickets to the concerts in the coming year. Going forward to My Chemical Romance’s tour, the question is posed: will the seven-year wait be worth it? Many already believe that it will be, but only time will tell.
In memory of the band, all teasers and graphics in relation to the tour have referenced death or spirits in some manner.
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The band has sold out all of their tour dates as they close out their musical careers.
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OPINIONS 5
Monday, February 3, 2020
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The impact that childhood trauma has on our lives
Childhood is the most important aspect of a person’s life that defines them, yet it is talked about so little. The old saying “children should be seen and not heard” is not only detrimental to the child at hand, but to the adult that they will become. Childhood is a time for learning and compassion, but it seems like many individuals forget that, and cause harm to a child that will have an everlasting ripple effect on a society at large. The old saying “it takes a village to raise a child” is entirely true. Can a child be raised prop-
erly with only one parent? Yes. Is it typically better for a child to have both parents around? Also yes. Not having a mother or father around can cause feelings of inadequacy and trauma that can be felt for a person’s whole life. Even if there are both parents around, it doesn’t mean that the child is in good hands. There can be neglectful parents as well as helicopter parents. Having parents on either side of the spectrum is going to cause harm to the child. Most people understand how not having a parent around can be traumatizing in and of itself, but hav-
ing a parent that is around too much can be difficult for a child as well. Mom or dad breathing down your neck, constantly checking your homework, invading your privacy, monitoring what you are eating, what you are wearing, who you can talk to, what you can and cannot say, how you must present yourself and how you must present emotions can cause feelings of confusion when children are just figuring out who they want to be. Guidance is good, control is not. Extended family is another important aspect of childhood development. In times of turmoil, or just any time in general, children need someone they can talk to that is outside of their peer group and can offer guidance to them besides mom and dad. Aunts, uncles, grandma,
grandpa and cousins provide a support network for a child. Not allowing children to see their extended family inside of a dysfunctional nuclear family erases someone a child can turn to for guidance and security if they are not getting it at home. School and teachers play a smaller role in shaping a child. Children are essentially put inside a prison for six to seven hours a day, forced to interact with people their own age to build social skills as well as learn. While it is important for children to go to school, it is equally as important what they are learning, directly and indirectly, from their teachers and peers. Teachers might try to include every child in a classroom activity, but may leave a few students out due to the nature of the activities at hand.
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They might sing their praises at parent-teacher conferences and teach the child that being good is being quiet, and being withdrawn is the way to win approval from others. Many quiet kids go unnoticed and are labeled “good kids” because they do not cause much trouble for the teachers. The quiet kids may in fact be shy and might be bullied for their quiet nature. Being bullied also has lasting effects on a child’s psyche and development. Trauma can come in all shapes and sizes. It is especially important to realize trauma in children when it is happening, as well as adults to realize the trauma that they went through during childhood. Trauma is not a one and done deal, it is lasting that can spill over to other relationships and hurt other people as well.
Contact Allison Young
AN-Young@wiu.edu
6
Monday, February 3, 2020
SPORTS
WesternCourier.com
Leathernecks finish first Women’s cross-country five times in Charleston boasts third By Bradley Piros sports editor CHARLESTON, Ill. — The Western Illinois University men and women’s swim teams took back to the road over the weekend after celebrating Senior Day a week prior. The men took part in a dual meet with the Eastern Illinois University Panthers while the women had a trimeet with EIU as well as the Butler University Bulldogs. Together the teams finished with five first place marks on the day. The first of those victories came in the second event of the day, the men’s 400-yard medley relay. Making up the team were seniors Brennan Bladel and Connor Owens, junior Garret Kemp and sophomore Adam Peterson. They beat EIU by a little more than two seconds with a time of 3:34.46. Bladel won the 500-yard free (4:56.56) and took third in the 1000yard free as he showed off his endurance. Owens also picked up another win, this time in the 100yard breast with a time of 57.77 sec-
Brennan Bladel swims in a freestyle event.
onds, which also happens to be his season best. He also took second in the 200-yard free (1:49.16). Peterson picked up the last victory for the men when he tied for first in the 50-yard fly with a time of 24.03 seconds. Kemp almost brought home another win, but narrowly finished second in the 50-yard free (21.51). In the last men’s event of the day, a relay made up of senior Isaiah Pihlstrom, sophomore Tyler Cunningham as well as Bladel and Owens, took second in the 200-yard freestyle relay. They finished only three seconds behind EIU with a time of 1:29.55. The women kicked things off with a third-place time of 4:13.56 in the 400-yard medley relay. On the team were seniors Casey Roberts and Miranda Mathus, and freshmen Skylar Robinson and Olivia Leslie. Mathus later took third in 100yard free (55.92) as well as the 200-yard free (1:53.93). Robinson also boasted two third-place times of 33.77 seconds in the 50-yard back and 1:13.36 in the 100-yard breast. Roberts rounded things
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out in the 50-yard free as she took fourth (26.08). In the 50-yard back, three Leathernecks filled the top four spots. Leslie won the event with a time of 28.62 seconds while freshman Allison Spielman came in one one-hundredth of a second behind her to take second. Senior Madison Chao took fourth (29.46) and junior Megan Carver finished seventh (30.69). The women ended the day with a third-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle medley. Spielman teamed up with Roberts, Leslie and Mathus and clocked in at a time of 1:43.77. In the end, EIU was victorious as a team. The Western men fell 180.583.5 while the women were bested by EIU (178-80) and Butler (194.567.5). The EIU women beat Butler 140-126 to win out the meet. The Leathernecks only have one more stop before The Summit League Championships and it will be this weekend when they travel to Iowa City to take on the Hawkeyes. Events are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. this Friday. Twitter: @bradjp08
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Miranda Mathus competes in a butterfly event.
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highest GPA in the NCAA
By Bradley Piros sports editor
MACOMB, Ill. — The Western Illinois University women’s cross-country team may not be in season right now, but they’re still being recognized. The team is no stranger to being acknowledged for their work in the classroom, and that’s why it was no surprise when they were approved by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The team earned a 3.87 team grade point average last fall, which is third in the nation out of 237 other teams. The accomplishment is the best in not only The Summit League, but in the entire Midwest. Head coach Brandon Hazouri was very pleased with his team. “I couldn't be prouder of our women's team for their academic success,” Hazouri told WIU Athletic Communications. “A lot of them are in some really challenging majors and for them to collectively have that level of grade point average while balancing 6 a.m. practice, weights and traveling really says a lot about their work ethic. Being number one in the Midwest region and number three in the NCAA is something I look forward to being able to brag about on their behalf,” Hazouri said.
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The women's cross-country team poses for a picture after a meet.
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Monday, February 3, 2020
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Sports 7
Novak Djokovic wins 17th major at Aussie Open Christopher bean assistant sports editor @cre_bean
There were multiple champions crowned on Sunday, and the first one came from Novak Djokovic winning his seventh major at the Australian Open. The Serbian defeated Austria’s Dominic Thiem in five sets. Ironically for Djokovic, he won the tournament in 24 sets and won his eighth Aussie Open a week after his idol Kobe Bryant tragically passed away. “The Djoker” has displayed his mamba-like mentality for three decades now, since he won his first major, which came back in 2008 when he won his first of many Australian Opens. Djokovic has accomplished becoming one of the greatest tennis players of all time in the greatest era of tennis. For many years “The Big Four,” Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Rafa Nadal, dominated the tennis world, seemingly winning every major tennis had to offer. Since Djokovic won his first major in 2008, The Big Four have won 44 of 49 majors. Yes, you heard that right, they have won 44 of the last 49 major championships in that span. However, before Djokovic won his first major, Federer and Nadal combined to win 11 consecutive majors. So technically, the Big Four have won 55 of the last 60 major championships dating back to 2005. An unbelievable stat that goes to show you how dominant The Big Four has been in the last 15 plus years. However, The Big Four is now only The Big Three; Murray had to retire because his hip was bothering him for years and he could never fully recover. He announced his retirement before last year ’s Australian Open, where Djokovic beat him four times in the finals. Djokovic also defeated Murray in the French Open in 2016 for his one and only French title. However, Murray won his first two majors against The Djoker, and finished his career with three major titles. Even though Murray had some success, Djokovic dominated the rivalry with 25 wins in 36 matches between the two. Next is Nadal, the man The Djoker is trying to surpass on the list of majors won. Nadal has won 19 majors and defeated Djokovic in four major finals, while Djokovic defeated Nadal in three major finals. The two have a historic rivalry, facing off 55
times. Djokovic has the slight edge with 29 wins. Last, but certainly not least, is the G.O.A.T. of tennis, Roger Federer. Federer is the man Djokovic is headhunting to pass him on the all-time list of majors won. Federer has won an all-time best 20 majors. However, that has not affected Djokovic’s play at all. The two have combined for one of the greatest rivalries in the sport’s history. They have combined to play in 19 majors together, with Djokovic winning 13 of them. Their most recent finals matchup came in last year ’s Wimbledon. The match went to all five sets, and Djokovic faced multiple championship points against Federer, but fought it off and defeated him 13-12 in the fifth set, for his fifth Wimbledon title. The two have faced each other a total of 49 times, with Djokovic winning 26 times. The most recent major championship mostly came at ease for the eight-time Australian Open winner. Before the final, Djokovic only lost one set and that was in that first round to Jan Lennard. After that, Djokovic won 17 sets in a row, including a sweep against Federer in the Semi-Finals. It seemed like Djokovic would cruise to his eighth Australian Open title after he dominated the first set 6-4. However, Thiem, the two-time French Open runner-up, wouldn’t go away easily. Thiem answered with a 6-4 second set victory, and then cruised in the third set with a 6-2 victory. Thiem was only one set away from his first ever major win, but Djokovic wouldn’t shy away from adversity. He answered with his best set of the night, with a 6-3 fourth set victory to send it to the final set. Djokovic wouldn’t let down and won 6-4 in the final set to complete the sport’s first of four majors on the year. As you can see, the 17 major titles just adds to Djokovic’s historic career, with him having winning records against the three best players in his era in the greatest era of tennis. He joins Nadal and Federer with five major wins after turning 30. Ironically, Nadal and Federer are currently the only two players who have won more majors. They are older, but are still playing at a high level and show no signs of retiring anytime soon. However, it is inevitable that Djokovic will pass them and become the greatest of all time in tennis.
Novak Djokovic thanking the crowd after his victory.
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Women’s basketball sweeps season series against NDSU Bison By Alex Staab courier staff
becca langys / photo editor
Sam Pryor jogs back up court.
becca langys / photo editor
Elizabeth Lutz plays defense.
MACOMB, Ill. — Fans knew that round two between Western Illinois (12-11, 6-4) and North Dakota State (6-15, 3-6) would be just as exciting as it was when they met in Fargo, a double-overtime thriller that went to Western Illinois, 79-78. Not only did the excitement hold true, it was once again redshirt junior guard Sam Pryor coming up clutch in a 86-79 Leatherneck victory. It was a fast start for the Bison, as junior guard Michelle Gaislerova scored 12 of her team-high 20 in the opening 10 minutes. Despite the quality early minutes from North Dakota State, the Leathernecks regrouped and the teams were knotted up after a quarter, 20-20. Enter the back and forth affair, and it lasted essentially the rest of the game. The second quarter alone saw five threes hit between both teams. Sophomore guard Elizabeth Lutz hit two of those for Western Illinois. Meanwhile, the Bison made the most of their opportunities at the free throw line, going 6-12. Reshirt freshman guard Raquel Terrer Van Gool had a quality quarter herself, scoring eight of her 12. It was only fitting that this one would also be tied at halftime, 42-42. Now, neither team got to the line all that much in the third quarter, but the Bison got the buckets to fall. Despite five dif-
ferent Leathernecks hitting the scoring column, NDSU countered with seven, paced by junior forward Emily Dietz’s six. That added up to a 64-60 Bison lead going into the fourth quarter. Each team would trade blows like a heavyweight fight. A Pryor three at 5:22 to go gave the Leathernecks a four-point lead. A pair of free throws for redhsirt sophomore guard Danni Nichols - up four again. Momentum was officially on Western Illinois’ side when senior guard Olivia Kaufmann hit a three with 3:27 to go to put the Leathernecks up seven. A layup by the Bison’s senior forward Rylee Nudell with about two minutes to go made it a four-point game, but that’s the closest North Dakota State would get, as a pair of free throws from Pryor with 17 seconds to go iced it. Western Illinois got 24 points from Kaufmann. Kaufmann would also tie sophomore forward Evan Zars for the team high in rebounds with eight, as Zars also added 11 points. Pryor (16), Nichols (12) and junior guard Grace Gilmore (10) were also in double figures in scoring. The Leathernecks return to action on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at Purdue Fort Wayne at 6 p.m. A road game follows at No. 21 South Dakota on Feb. 13 before returning to Western Hall for the final home stanza of the season on Feb. 15 and 20.
becca langys / photo editor
Danni Nichols looks to make a pass.
becca langys / photo editor
Olivia Kaufmann cuts towards the basket.
Leathernecks’ rally comes up short against SDSU By Brendan Reidy courier staff MACOMB, Ill. — The Western Illinois Fighting Leathernecks faced off against top ranked Summit League opponent, South Dakota State on Saturday. In a game that was exactly a month away from March, the Leathernecks were looking to start the madness a little early this season, and they almost did. The game got off to a fast start where it saw the game go back and forth early on. It wasn’t until midway through the first half that the Jackrabbits began to pull away. Throughout the first half, SDSU was getting everything to go their way. They shot over 50 percent from the field and were absolutely dismantling the Leathernecks on the glass. It seemed like new year same story for Western Illinois as
they headed into the break down by a margin. However, at the half, head coach Billy Wright says the recipe to get back into the game was easy, and his message to his team was simple: just pass and share the basketball. Unlike their previous matchups, the Leathernecks were able to keep pace with their opponents out of the break, something they have struggled with all season long. However, midway through the half, the Purple and Gold hit a roadblock and went down by as many as 20 points. All hope seemed to be lost until junior center Kyle Arrington checked into the ball game and dropped six straight points for Western Illinois. The comeback train was just leaving the station, and the intensity level on defense helped push the Leathernecks back into the ball game. Late in the contest, the Leathernecks were nipping at the heels of the
Jackrabbits, and a sophomore guard Zion Young triple cut their lead to just two points. However, that was the closest the Leathernecks would get to making a comeback victory. They fell in the final minute, losing by 10 points, 71-61. Young and sophomore forward Ben Pyle led the way for Western Illinois, scoring 16 and 15 points, respectively, but coach Wright doesn’t think they could have done it without the fans at Western Hall. “The fans really stuck with us, and we feed off the energy they gave. Our guys showed that when they make their minds up to play the right way, the entire 40 minutes, we're very capable of beating anyone in this league,” Wright said to WIU Athletics Communications. The Leathernecks get back in action on Feb. 5 as they take the road to tip off against Purdue Fort Wayne.
Zion Young shoots a three during warmups.
becca langys / photo editor