Western Courier| October 23rd, 2019

AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY. SERVING MACOMB SINCE 1905.

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Wednesday, October 23, 2019 - Vol. 120 Issue 27

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Sigmas serve children though Dodgeball Tournament

By Marc Ramirez news editor

The women of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority will be hosting their annual Dodgeball Tournament on Nov. 13 in the Horrabin Hall gymnasium from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

All students, whether involved with Fraternity or Sorority Life or not, are highly encouraged to come out and support the Tri Sigma’s national philanthropy, March of Dimes. The cost to participate is $30 per team, with a maximum of six players per team.

Organizations can register more than one team which can increase their chances of winning the competitive, yet fun event.

“This philanthropy event is an opportunity for the community to come together to ‘dodge prematurity’,” Rachel Greene, Sigma Sigma Sigma member said. “Along with the dodgeball tournament, there will also be raffles and prizes for the groups with the highest attendance. While it may just seem like a sporting event, this event means so much more. By attend-

ing, people get to enjoy a fun competition and get to give back to those in need.”

The March of Dimes is a nonprofit organization that works to improve and leads the fight for the health of all mothers and babies. It is believed that every baby deserves the best possible start in life; however, not all babies get one, and that is what they are working towards changing.

“Back in 2016, Tri Sigma paired with the March of Dimes and ever since then we have been supporting their

UUB travels to NACA

By Marc Ramirez news editor

University Union Board at Western Illinois University will be traveling to Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington, Ky. for National Association of Campus Activities Mid America Conference Oct. 24-27.

“The National Association for Campus Activities, NACA, is the recognized leader in higher education providing knowledge, ideas and resources for campus life,” naca.org says. “We provide our members with programs and events focusing on student and professional leadership

development, program planning, concert management, diversity and more. Our school and associate members also have access to one of the largest campus activities networking and talent buying resources in the country.”

UUB is sending a delegation consisting of Justin Brown, Rachel Greene, Juan Cabrera, Colton Markey, Raven Little, Tiara Herriot, Jasmine Williams, Gretchen Maier and Courtney Brown.

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cause,” Hannah Halcomb, Sigma Sigma Sigma Philanthropy chair said. “We live by ‘Sigmas Serves Children’ every day. March of Dimes is so important because one in 10 babies are born before the 37-week mark. Prematurity is the number one cause of death of babies in the U.S. Tri Sigma gives us the opportunity to give back and help with research, care and education on prematurity.

Not only has prematurity affected my family but many of my sisters as well. It’s so personal to many of us, which

motivates us even more to give back. Our dodgeball tournament is a fun way to raise money to give back to the organization that helps so many babies and their mothers around the U.S., to give them a fighting chance.”

“For 80 years, March of Dimes has helped millions of babies survive and thrive,” marchofdimes.org reads.

“Now we’re building on that legacy to level the playing field for all moms and babies, no matter their age, socio-economic background or demographics.”

Moonlight and Magnolias hits Browne Hall

By Tea Wheat courier staff

The Western Illinois University Department of Theatre and Dance has been working diligently on their next show which will debut tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Horrabin Hall Theatre. The show, Moonlight and Magnolias, offers a humorous show right to the core of a twist on a true story for audience members.

Moonlight and Magnolias will be an adaptation of the original play written by Ron Hutchinson. Western Illinois University Theatre and

Dance Professor D.C. Wright is the director of this wonderful adaptation.

The story of Moonlight and Magnolias follows the true story of the Gone with the Wind Director being fired very late into the process of production. From there, producer David O. Selznick has a problem, and he needs to find a new director immediately. In addition to a director that has never seen the film Gone with the Wind, Selznick also pulls in a director from finishing The Wizard of Oz.

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Wednesday, October 23, 2019

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Moonlight and Magnolias

from front page

Selznick decides to lock himself and the other two new directors in the office for five days so that they can finish this movie script. As work begins, tempers flare and the claws come out.

This production takes a humorous spin on the production of one of the most well-known and loved films in history.

The performances of this show will take place at the Horrabin Hall Theatre and take place Oct. 23 to the 27 Performances on Wednesday through Saturday will take place at 7:30 p.m., and the Sunday Matinee will take place at 2 p.m. Admission to the show is free with a Western student identification, or $15 for adults and $13 for seniors and youth. For tickets, please visit or call the box office.

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NACA

from front page

The group is attending the conference in efforts to educate their members and gain experience and fun ideas to implement back on campus.

“I’m excited to bring this new delegation and give them the opportunity to both grow professionally within our organization and develop leadership skills that they’ll use for a lifetime,” Justin Brown, UUB President said.

“This will be my third year attending the conference; however, it’s my second year

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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

on the Conference Planning Committee which gives a unique perspective at all the amazing things each delegation brings to the table.”

At the event, Justin and Greene will be giving an educational session on balancing being a student and a student leader on college campuses.

“We’re excited to have the chance to relate back to the students in attendance and show them positive ways that you can manage both,” Justin said. “It’s often hard to find that balance, but I’m excited to give this educational

to a group of aspiring student leaders who might have experienced similar hardships that I have, and show them ways to overcome that.”

Justin serves as the Foundation Fundraiser Coordinator, which is the lead fundraising agent for the conference.

He works collaboratively with the National Organizations Fundraising department to provide scholarships for members of NACA. He has worked to implement a silent auction at the event consisting of baskets donated by members of the

NACA community, imposing Penny Wars between undergrads, profession staff, advisors and associate members, selling “make your own buttons” and serving warrants to the ‘Dungeon” through donations.

“We hope to successfully continue to provide grants to students through these fundraising initiatives,” Justin said. “It’s important to support those involved in NACA because our main goal is to help develop our members both educationally and in their careers.”

STAFF MEMBERS PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION editor-in-chief Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu

proofreader Mary Kilbourne

news editor Marc Ramirez

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photo editor Becca Langys

opinions editor Allison Young

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assistant photo editor Sara Remar

sports editor Bradley Piros

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production manager Jimmy Pierson

assistant sports editor Chris Bean

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business manager Janiya Haynes

edge editor Rachel Greene

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assistant business manager Nash Miller

copy editor Amanda Wandachowicz

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advertising manager Tyler Hoffman

proofreader Alexis Lowe

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adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu

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.

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Wednesday, October 23, 2019

2019 Basketball Issue

WesternCourier.com

Men’s basketball looks to recreate last year’s success

By Brendan Reidy courier staff The temperature is starting to get a little brisk and the leaves are starting to fall. That means basketball season is right around the corner. The Western Illinois men’s basketball team will look to build off of what they created last season.

The Leathernecks’ season came to a close a season ago when they lost in the second round of The Summit League Tournament to the eventual winners North Dakota State. However, the Purple and Gold were able to make history before being eliminated. They upset South Dakota State University in the first round and put down the perennial Summit League Champs. As an eight seed in the tournament, it was the first time in the league’s history that a No. 1 one seed had been upset by the No. 8 seed.

This year, the Leathernecks will look to take their success a step further and hopefully receive their first ever NCAA tournament bid. Exciting times are around the corner for Western Illinois Basketball. The team returns its two

James Claar dunks the ball inside Western Hall.

Jeremiah Usiosefe stares down the ball handler.

leading scorers and has a boat full of talent to build a winning culture in Macomb. The time for Western Illinois to take the next step is now. The Summit League looks completely different. SDSU should expect a big fall off after losing their two best players in Michael Daum and David Jenkins. The only threat to the Leathernecks’ success should be themselves. The past few seasons, Western has had plenty of talent, but has been unable to put it all together in conference play. This is the year that all changes.

It all starts at the point guard position with Kobe Webster. Webster is the leader of this team and their best player. He led the team in scoring a season ago, and many different college basketball players have him listed as the favorite to win Summit League Player of the Year. The game plan rides and dies with Webster, and when Webster is at his best, so is the whole Leatherneck team.

C.J. Duff is a senior shooting guard who has started in every game he has played in throughout his Leatherneck career. He is arguably the most fundamentally sound player on the roster, and he does all the little things well. He will get the starting nod early in the season

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and is looking to improve all facets of his game. He led the Leathernecks in three-point percentage last season, and is looking to cap off his career at Western Illinois with a bang.

Rounding out the core pieces for Western Illinois will be the two sophomore forwards Ben Pyle and Zion Young. Pyle, the former Mr. Basketball of Kansas, is going to look to slip into a bigger goal this upcoming season.

The stretch four should be the starting power forward to start game one against Indiana. Pyle is very versatile which makes him extremely valuable to Wright’s rotation.

Young is also going to look to build off an impressive first season at Western Illinois. The former three-star recruit is the highest rated recruit on the current roster. Young is also the most athletic player on the team and can do a little bit of everything. This season, he will look to improve his defensive abilities and take over the starting small forward spot from transfer Isaac Johnson.

The men’s season tips off Nov. 5, against the University of Indiana Hoosiers. The Western Illinois' home opener will be Nov. 9, against Stetson University.

Ben Pyle drives towards the hoop.

Zion Young makes a moves past his defender.

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Wednesday, October 23, 2019

2019 Basketball Issue 5

Women’s basketball returns after offseason overhaul

By Alexx Staab courier staff It may be hard to believe, but as of press time, we are just about 24 hours from tipoff of the 2019-2020 Western Illinois women’s basketball season. It’s always an exciting time, but this year, you’ll see a mixture of old and new on the sidelines.

While the Leathernecks return all but one player (Taylor Higginbotham) from last season, the coaching staff underwent a near full reset, with head coach JD Gravina being the only one still on staff.

Gravina feels that can lead to a learning process to some degree, and it even extends beyond the full-time staff.

“I’m the only adult returning from last year. New graduate assistant, new manager, new sports information director, everything is so new.” Gravina said.

The ninth-year head coach cited events like the pre and post-game meals and scouting as ways he sees the need to recollect as to how things were handled with his previous staff.

Dan Chapla is the associate head coach, who joins the team after serving 11 years as the head coach at NAIA Division-I William Woods, a past opponent of the Leathernecks. Kennedy Cattenhead, an assistant, comes with prior coaching experience at Maryville University, but some fans may recognize her from her playing days as a member of the Illinois Fighting Illini, where she was a captain of the Illini for three seasons. Alexa Tovella is an assistant coach that was previously under a similar role for four years at Wisconsin-Platteville, an NCAA Division-III school.

Keri Dodson is currently a student at Western Illinois, pursuing a master ’s degree in Sports Management. Serving as the graduate assistant coach this year, Dodson carries prior coaching experience at the prep level, leading the freshman women's team of her alma mater, Belvidere North.

Although replacement isn’t exactly a factor when you only lose one player, it can at least make a small difference with the loss of a quality player in Higginbotham, perhaps one of the greatest overall players in recent program history.

Gravina says that there’s no true way to replace Higginbotham with one player, but rather in bits and pieces.

“I’d say the things she really brought to the table were her shooting, her physicality and her rebounding.”

Gravina said.

He then went into mentioning a transfer from St. Louis that will be a big difference maker. That transfer is Evan Zars.

A 6-foot-2 sophomore out of Shawnee, Kan., Gravina is confident that Zars will be an important piece to the puzzle that is his Leathernecks team.

“She’ll make up for a lot of that rebounding and even more,” Gravina said. “She’s a little more of a rebounder, someone that can bring some athleticism to our team.”

Zars is certainly a well-rounded player, as Gravina touted her blocking abilities as well.

“She’s a very good shot blocker. She can get up in the air. She’ll help take away a lot of easy baskets.” Gravina said.

What may make the Leathernecks toughest to deal with is that there isn’t exactly one go-to player. Danni Nichols, named Freshman of the Year and Newcomer of the Year in The Summit League, will be a player to watch. Kyra Washington, a senior, is the team’s leading three point shooter by both threes made and percentage. Olivia Kaufmann is a senior that was named preseason second team AllSummit League for this season, and was also the Leathernecks’ leading scorer in 18-19 with 16 points per game. That’s just scratching the surface of the potential for further success.

Now, the team’s results a season ago may not be completely positive, including the first sub-.500 record since 2013-2014.

But that doesn’t faze the Leathernecks.

Gravina says that he thinks he’s “a little different” compared to most coaches, adding that he attributes it to “the type of kids we have” and how they are “intrinsically motivated.”

“I don’t have to really challenge them with you finished here, you did this. It’s the encouragement, it’s the way we grew as a team last year,” Gravina said.

There will be even more time for growth, and maybe even wins as well, with a competitive non-conference schedule on tap.

What’s sure to be an entertaining slate kicks off with a road trip to Mizzou on Nov. 5, and just about two weeks later, tips off quite possibly the toughest stretch of the season: vs. Indiana State, at Purdue, vs. Bradley, at Drake and after

hosting Missouri Baptist, a road trip to Normal and Illinois State. It’s a stretch that has Gravina and company excited.

“This is where we’ve beefed up our schedule,” Gravina said. “Part of it is that some of the teams we traditionally play have gotten better, but we’re pretty much playing the entire top half of the Valley (Missouri Valley Conference) in terms of where they’ve been picked.”

On top of that, The Summit League is at its best with numerous quality opponents, another part of the season that has Gravina ready to go.

“It’s so top-heavy. Both of the South Dakota schools (South Dakota & South Dakota State) are just so good. I could see South Dakota being in the preseason top 25. I think they’ll at least get votes.”

He went on to praise South Dakota State as well, talking about their impressive run to the Sweet 16 a year ago.

There’s also Denver and Oral Roberts that could make some noise, to go with the Leathernecks themselves.

Gravina and the team as a whole have the goal set. They want to get into a postseason tournament.

They have a chance to begin working towards that goal step-by-step when they host Maryville University on Thursday for an exhibition game.

Now, the Leathernecks and Saints have only ever played once - that being a 13221 Leatherneck win back in 1977, a game that still is the record for most Western Illinois points in a game and widest margin of victory. Now, a lot can change in 42 years. Last season, the Saints were 18-10, and they're believed to be even better this year.

Western Illinois has lost exhibition games in the past. In fact, Gravina did mention an exhibition loss to his alma mater, William Jewell, an NCAA DivisionII school, in a season that subsequently resulted in a Summit League Tournament title and first round appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

He says that scheduling quality opponents for exhibition games can allow the team to understand the importance of taking on such opponents at such an early stage of the season.

Western Illinois will host the Maryville Saints on Thursday, October 24th, at 5:30 p.m., in the first exhibition game of the 2019-2020 season inside Western Hall.

woMen’s Basketball Schedule Home Basketball Games AWAY Basketball Games Nov. 5 - @ Missouri NoV. 8 - culver-stockton Nov. 12 - illinois-springfield nov. 14 - indiana state Nov. 17 - @ purdue Nov. 20 - bradley nov. 24 - @ drake unviersty nov. 26 - missouri baptist dec. 4 - @ illinois state dec. 7 - @ chicago state dec. 17 - southeast missouri state

Compass challenge @ northern Illinois DEC. 19 - southern illinois DEC. 20 - TBA DEC. 29 - south dakota jan. 2 - @ North Dakota state Jan. 4 - @ South dakota state Jan. 9 - Purdue fort wayne jan. 12 - denver Jan. 18 - oral roberts Jan. 24 - @ ohama Jan. 26 - @ north Dakota jan. 30 - South Dakota state feb. 1 - north dakota state FEb. 4 - @ purdue fort wayne Feb. 13 - @ South Dakota Feb. 15 - North Dakota Feb. 20 - Ohama Feb. 27 - @ oral Roberts FEb. 29 - @ denver

Kyra Washington shoots a three from the corner.

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Annabel Graettinger lets it fly over a defender's head.

Mar. 7 Summit League Tournament

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2019 Basketball Issue

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Kaufmann anticipates being a team leader

By Christopher Bean assistant sports editor Senior Olivia Kaufmann enters her final year as a Leatherneck and brings leadership and experience to the table this year.

Kaufmann was a freshman when Western won The Summit League Tournament and went to the NCAA tournament in 2017. In her first two years as a Neck, she was the backup to arguably the greatest point guard in Leatherneck history, Emily Clemens. Clemens finished with 1,699 points, 687 assists and 438 rebounds. After playing a limited role her freshman year, Kaufmann averaged just under 19 minutes a game and 6.4 points a game during her sophomore year. In her junior year, Kaufmann became a starter and led the 'Necks in scoring and assists, averaging 16 points per game and 3.8 assists per game.

Last year, Kaufmann proved her experience on the court, and this year, she will prove her leadership on and off the court.

“I’m really looking forward to this year, and kind of being that leader,” Kaufmann said.

“Like a good teammate, if one of the freshmen needs someone to come to, I like being that person,” When asked about having teammate redshirt junior Sam Pryor back in the lineup after she tore her ACL last year, Kaufmann immediately got emotional.

“It means a lot, it really does. Just cause she’s been through so much, and we kind of just been that person for each other. I just know what it means for her,” Kaufmann said.

She cares deeply about her teammates and will go to battle with them over any team in the country.

Just like last year, Western has a tough nonconference schedule to open up their season. They play Missouri, Purdue, Bradley and Drake, all teams they lost to last year.

“After we overcome some of that adversity that we have, that confidence and we’re going into those games remembering what certain situations felt like, and being able to prepare for that and understand if you do get down against a team like that, ‘its okay,’ you know it’s a long game, you’re going to come back from that kind of stuff,” Kaufmann said.

Last year, the Leathernecks only had four wins before entering conference play. She alluded to the fact that those games do get them ready for The Summit League, and they help the teams resume down the stretch.

“Even when it comes to making postseason tournaments, the higher quality opponents you’re playing, people are going to look into that versus if you’re getting wins over walkover teams,” Kaufmann said.

Last year, the Leathernecks finished 12-18 overall, and fifth in The Summit League. Their season ended in the first round of The Summit League tournament to Oral Roberts, 68-64.

This year the Necks were picked to finish fifth for the second straight year in the preseason Summit League polls.

“Obviously, the preseason stuff doesn’t mean a whole lot, but we as a team know where we stand and what we’re capable of,” Kaufmann said.

The team is trying to catch South Dakota and South Dakota State, who have dominated The Summit League conference the last two years.

“Everyone just believes in one another; I don’t doubt that we can beat one of the Dakotas.

That’s where your mindset is,” Kaufmann said.

She was the only Leatherneck to be selected to the preseason All-Summit League second team but isn’t focused on that at all.

“I mean I guess it’s a nice gesture, but honestly no… I have more, bigger goals for my team,” Kaufmann said.

With Kaufmann being a senior, the sky is more than the limit for her.

“I would love to win The Summit League tournament, win conference, obviously just shoot for the stars this year.

And I think we have the team as the season gets rolling, we have a big group of girls that I think have the capability of doing it.” Kaufmann said.

Kaufmann's focus is not only on the basketball court for the upcoming season. She hopes to build her legacy in other ways on campus as well.

“Just being a caring person off the court, more in that regard than on the court. I would like to be known as a leader and competitor, but also a person that someone can come to and talk to.” Kaufmann said.

There is no doubt Kaufmann has undeniable love for her teammates, and she would run through a brick wall for them. And maybe even another Summit League title and Conference Championship will add to her legacy as a Leatherneck.

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Wednesday, October 23, 2019

2019 Basketball Issue 7

Webster can’t wait to get the season started

By Bradley Piros sports editor The Western Illinois men’s basketball team will start their season on the road on Nov. 5 against Big 10 opponent Indiana University. The entire team is looking forward to that game, but no one is more excited to get the season started than junior guard Kobe Webster.

“Getting it started, I’m ready to head down to Bloomington; IU [Indiana University] is the first game, so, that will be a great environment to kick off the season for us. Obviously, I’m from Indy, so, I have a lot of fans and I know plenty of people that go to IU,” Webster said on Monday afternoon.

Last season, as a sophomore, Webster started every single game of the season for the Leathernecks and averaged 17 points per game, which led the team. He also had a team high 97 assists and 34 steals, shooting 41.3 percent from beyond the arc and 42.9 percent from the rest of the floor.

A year ago, Western made history at The Summit League Tournament when they were the first No. 8 seed to take down the No. 1 team in the tournament.

In this case, the Leathernecks beat their long-time rival South Dakota State University Jackrabbits 79-76.

Webster was one of two players to score 17 points that game. Sophomore forward Ben Pyle also notched 17 while sophomore guard Zion Young put up 13.

Graduate Brandon Gilbeck and transfer Isaac Johnson each scored 13 to help the cause, but they won’t be here this time around.

“I would say without Brandon is going to be the toughest,” Webster said. “We talk about it all the time. Coach Wright likes to make jokes about it, saying that if we didn’t get beat off the dribble so much, Brandon probably wouldn’t be the leading shot-blocker in the country.

The 7-foot machine from Spring Green, Wis. will surely be missed, but with all due respect for one of his best friends on the team Johnson, Webster didn't have much to say.

“Yeah. It’s definitely different, but you got to keep pushing forward. I talked to him a couple times. He’s doing alright,” Webster said.

Johnson was one of Webster’s closest friends on and off the court, but a few months after the season ended last year, it was official; Johnson would be transferring.

The junior out of Minneapolis took his game to the Nicholls State University Colonels in the Southland Conference. He and his team also kick off their season on Nov. 5 against a Big 10 opponent when they head up to Champaign, Ill. to take on the University of Illinois Fighting Illini.

With Webster’s impressive stats, it makes him an immediate target on the floor. I asked

what it was going to take to get back to those same numbers from last year.

“It’s going to be tough. A lot of opponents start keying in on me, especially late in the season,” Webster said. “But, the teammates I have, they always find a way to get me looks and then playing off them has definitely helped in terms of attacking the paint, being able to kick it to shooters. So, having those guys around me has definitely helped. And then, obviously coach has confidence in me to make the right play.”

Giving most of the credit to his teammates and head coach Billy Wright, Webster definitely shows no signs of arrogance, rather complete respect for everyone around him. He kept that same mindset when I implied he’s the most well-known athlete on campus.

“I don’t know. I’ve never even heard that,” Webster said with a laugh. “I like to stay to myself. I stay in my apartment most of the time. I don’t really do much unless I’m doing homework or I’m at the gym. So, I never really looked at it that way, but I appreciate all the support I guess. I know that a lot of people support us from a distance.”

Speaking of head coach Wright, the two share a common goal: lead the team to a win night in and night out. What Wright can’t do is coach his team from the floor like Webster does.

“We have a good relationship. I just try to be that extension of a coach when I’m out there on the floor, talk as much as possible, make sure I’m directing traffic and make sure guys are in the right place,” Webster said.

Webster does a great job doing exactly that, and he’ll have to keep that up with all the new faces on the team this season. The Leathernecks welcome three freshmen and four transfer students to the team, but still have most of the same core from last year.

“We have a few new pieces. Transfers obviously, they have some experience with college basketball, so, it’s not as much teaching new concepts to them, so they'll definitely help,” Webster said.

“A lot of defensive guys that are ready to come in and get stops, get big rebounds, play hard.

Obviously, the freshmen coming in. Just them being consistent in practice and making sure that they’re learning our concepts.”

Webster has complete confidence in the seven new faces that Western welcomed to the family. It’s not a complete team overhaul, though. The team will still have the same feel from last season with seniors Keshon Montague, Jeremiah Usiosefe, James Claar and C.J. Duff along with sophomores Young and Pyle returning as key members for the Leathernecks.

The Leathernecks have a long five-month, 26-game regular season schedule ahead of them and the road to getting back to The Summit League Tournament starts Tuesday, Nov. 5 at IU.

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Wednesday, October 23, 2019

2019 Basketball Issue

WesternCourier.com

iNcoming freshman shouldn’t be taken lightly

By Jacob VanZuiden On Thursday, the Western Illinois University women’s basketball team will kick off their 2019-20 season against the Saints of Maryville University at Western Hall. The Leathernecks have a rather small, yet impressive incoming crop of freshmen set to begin their collegiate careers this week. This group includes only three individuals (one redshirt and two true freshmen), but that doesn’t mean that they should be taken lightly.

First on the list is the redshirt freshman Carla Flores Garcia, who will get her first taste of game action this year after sitting out the entire 2018-19 season due to injury. Garcia, however, isn’t your average recruit. Her stomping grounds trace all the way back to Barcelona, Spain, where she was raised and learned how to play the game of basketball.

Turning out to be a natural at the sport, she saw plenty of success early in her playing career while attending Mare de deu de la Salut.

The 5-foot-9 guard was first recognized for her abilities while playing club basketball for State of Cataluña, as her squad won the club state championship in 2016-17 one year after finishing as the runner-up. When asked why she chose to attend Western Illinois, of all places, Garcia admitted it really wasn’t a difficult decision for her.

“I'm so far from my house and I was looking for one place where I could feel like home. Coaches, teammates, students and professors made me feel comfortable and a part of a big family,” Garciea said in an interview with athletics. “Also, they are giving me the opportunity of being able to combine studies with my passion of basketball.”

Over the summer of 2019, little did Garcia know, she would be heading back overseas to take on the

experience of a lifetime. When her phone rang, it was none other than the Spanish National Team on the other end of the line, asking her to be a part of Spain’s U19 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup team. Garcia immediately accepted the offer after already getting her feet wet in helping her country capture gold at the U16 European Championship years ago.

When asked about Garcia’s selection for the team, Western head coach JD Gravina gushed over his player ’s grit and acknowledged that playing overseas would provide great experience for her.

“I'm so proud of Carla for making the Spanish National Team,” Gravina said with athletics. “It's so impressive coming off an injury and still being able to play at such a high level. The international game is so competitive, this will really help her prepare to be a significant contributor for our team for the next four years!”

Up next on the list is the first of the two true freshmen, 6-foot-1 forward Alissa Dins. A fouryear letter in basketball at Loconia High School, the Rosendale, Wisc. native will get her first crack at playing at the next level. The difference between this year and Dins’ previous seasons playing ball, is the fact that she’ll only be focusing on hooping.

Being a dual-sport athlete in high school (lettered three years in volleyball as well), Dins will have her first real opportunity to dial in on basketball and really hone her craft.

Through her time at Loconia, Dins stood out amongst her peers, receiving First-Team AllConference honors after accruing 883 points, 446 rebounds and 263 assists in her career. She even led her team to the school’s record books, paving the way for the women’s basketball program’s first state tournament appearance in Loconia’s history. When asked about her choice to attend Western, she said

that she liked the competitive atmosphere that her coaching staff brings to the table.

“I really liked how the coaches were similar to my high school coaches as they have great energy,” Dins said to athletics.

Rounding off the list is freshman forward Kennedy Flanagan, who latched on with the Leathernecks after being recruited out of Canton, Mo. Standing at six feet tall, Flanagan was a year-round standout athlete in heading into college. While attending Highland High School, she managed to letter in both softball and basketball. However, on the court was where she really shined. In her junior season, Flanagan began to tap into her immense potential as she was named Second-Team All-Conference. She turned her game up a notch as a senior, being awarded unanimous First-Team All-Conference honors.

Over her remarkable career, Flanagan posted nearly 1,200 points and 700 rebounds, even breaking her high school’s 30-year-old single-game scoring record in her final season. Maybe most impressively, her hard work in the classroom made her the only player in the state of Missouri to receive both MBCA All-State and Academic All-State in 201819. As a model student-athlete, Flanagan hopes her hard work in high school will translate to the collegiate level. As a kid, she followed Western Illinois women’s basketball closely, making it a dream come true of hers to now be suiting up for the Purple and Gold.

While the Lady Leathernecks may not feature a huge incoming freshman class this season, the team unquestionably brought in some high-impact players that should help this program progress for years to come. These individuals should fit in perfectly with coach Gravina’s squad, something they’ll look to prove as soon as the Western tips off this Thursday night.

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Guard

Position

forward

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Barcelona, spain

Hometown

rosendale, wi.

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Canton, MO.

MArc de deu de la salut

High school

BRIDGTON ACADEMY

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HighLand H.S.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

@WesternCourier

2019 Basketball Issue 9

Incoming Freshman have big shoes to fill

By Christopher Gibson Every season, teams across the nation get new talent coming onto their teams. Whether it be through incoming freshmen or transfers, every team gets new faces into the locker room that they expect will help them win.

Western Illinois is no different. The Leathernecks have three incoming freshmen, all of whom could have some significant playing time coming their way: Jaeden King, Jack Hallee and Alex Brantley.

King is from Minneapolis, Minn. and played high school ball at Cretin-Derham Hall. While there, King built up a pretty nice resume, helping lead his team to a state championship his junior year and playing alongside current Minnesota Gopher Daniel Oturu. The deadly front and back-court pair managed to win the AAAA Minnesota State Championship in 2017-18. King also finished third in his school’s history for best three point single season percentage with a near 47.3 percent in 2018.

King chose Western Illinois because of the “amazing coaching staff.”

Hallee is from Indian Creek, Ill. and played high school ball at Bridgton Academy. Hallee oozes with potential, especially when it comes to scoring. Whether it is outside the arc, penetrating the hoop or even from that charity stripe, this kid can shoot. Look for him to be able to knock down some big shots when it’s asked of him.

Brantley is from Detroit, Mich. and played high school ball at Ford High School. At seven feet, Brantley is able to stand above the rest of his competitors, helping to land him in the top 10 for rebounding in his high school’s history. Brantley is able to seemingly float to the rim and stuff down buckets. He will be huge down low, bringing a physical presence that opposing big men will have to take note of.

It’s not hard to see how these freshmen will come in with some high expectations to live up to. King and Hallee are both sharpshooters, something that that team lacked last season, relying on one, maybe two guys to take big shots. They both help bring some more diversity to that role and they should have opportunities from the get-go.

King also helps the Leathernecks out by bringing another dimension with his passing.

Brantley brings in something that the men’s team lost when Brandon Gilbeck graduated: height. Other than junior Kyle Arrington, Brantley gives the team a second player over 6-foot-7.

With Brantley’s height and the need for a big man, Brantley is poised to be the future of the Leathernecks down low. However, don’t expect Brantley to start Nov. 5 against Indiana. Arrington should get the start as he has had experience at the college level, but I would think that Brantley has a good shot at starting later on in the season.

If we take a look at how instrumental these freshmen will be in the future, we see only good

things. With a fresh new big man in Brantley and good sharpshooters in King and Hallee, these three are going to be playing big minutes for the Leathernecks the next couple of seasons. Since the team still has Kobe Webster for this season and next season, as well as a returning sophomore Zion Young, the team had pieces lined up for the next couple of years at the guard position. But, Hallee and King will still make an impact off the bench. Both of these players have played big roles before and understand that in order to a good team to be great, there needs to be role players who might not always make the flashiest plays, but plays that help to win games. And that’s what all three of these freshmen need to make sure to remember, as it's often easy to get frustrated with playing time as a freshman. Typically, freshmen going to play college basketball are the top dogs at their high school, but that isn’t the case once they make the jump.

Overall, I’m excited to see these freshmen in action. They will help to fill some of the holes left by graduating and transferring players. All three of them could be key players for Western in the future, as long as they keep their noses down and grind. There is a lot of potential in these kids that often times seems too good to be true. Hopefully, they help Western go dancing this year, but ultimately freshman year in college basketball is about two things: growth and having fun. Let’s hope that happens.

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courier staff

guard

Position

guard

Position

CENTER

Minneapolis, MinN.

Hometown

INDIAN CREEK, IL.

Hometown

DETROIT, MICH.

Cretin-Derham Hall

High school

BRIDGTON ACADEMY

High school

FORD

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

10 2019 Basketball Issue

WesternCourier.com

Getting to know your Western Illinois basketball coaches

By David Koier courier staff For the past six years, the men’s and women’s basketball programs here at Western Illinois have been in good hands. Men’s basketball coach Billy Wright (entering his sixth season) and women’s coach JD Gravina (entering his eighth season) return to the helms of their respective teams, riding the momentum of successful seasons.

Starting with Gravina, the veteran coach and the women’s basketball team finished fifth in The Summit League regular season standings with an 8-8 conference record (12-18) overall. The young team made The Summit League tournament only to lose to the No. 4 seed, Oral Roberts Golden Eagles, in a 68-64 nail-biter.

While last season was not Gravina’s most successful at Western Illinois, that had a lot to do with the team’s lack of experience.

“Last year we didn’t have any experience, graduating six of our top seven, and it’s amazing the difference a year makes. Now we got seven or eight kids that are all experienced.” Gravina said.

The eight experienced players that the coach referenced take the place of the lone senior that graduated from Gravina’s squad. However, the lone senior happens to be the Western Illinois women’s basketball all-time leading scorer, Taylor Higginbotham. When asked on the Western Illinois Football Pregame Show what he was going to do to replace

Higginbotham, Gravina responded, “We won’t be able to replace Taylor and I don’t think anyone will be able to step into her role.”

In her time at Western, Higginbotham amassed 248 three-pointers, 806 rebounds and a program high 1,806 total points.

“Her rebounding is something we’re going to miss the most," Gravina said. And the way Taylor shot the ball, alltime leading scorer, her offense will be missed, but I think we plan, hopefully, as a team to pick that up more as a team than anything else.”

Gravina and the women’s team were picked to finish fifth in The Summit League preseason coaches’ poll.

Wright and the men’s team are looking to continue the success of last season. The Leathernecks went 4-12 in Summit League play and 10-21 overall. Don’t let those records fool you, though. Western Illinois earned a spot in The Summit League conference tournament and made history once there. Wright led his team to a 79-76 victory over top-seeded South Dakota State, making it the first time in Summit League tournament history that a No. 8 seeded team upset a No. 1 seed.

The Leathernecks lost their next game to the eventual tournament champions No. 4 North Dakota State by a close score of 76-73. Wright was proud of the team after the gam.

Wright said in an interview with GoLeathernecks.com “It was a good college basketball game. Both teams played hard.

I thought our guys did a really

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good job fighting back into the game. A lot of teams may have given up in that situation, but I am really proud of our guys. We had a chance to win and it came down to one or two possessions.”

Wright has been head coach at Western Illinois since 2014 but has many years of experience prior. He began his coaching career in 1996 after finishing up a Hall of Fame playing career at Bradley University.

Wright came to Western Illinois in 2008 as an assistant coach under Jim Molinari. In 2010, he was promoted to associate head coach, a position he held for three years. Wright made the switch to Ball State University in 2013, accepting an assistant coach position there until 2014.

On April 15, 2014 Wright was announced as the 20th head coach in Western Illinois men’s basketball program history.

Wright started his career off with a splash when in his second season at the helm, Wright led his Leathernecks squad to a victory over a nationally ranked team. The Leathernecks traveled to Madison, Wis. to play the No. 17 Wisconsin Badgers who were coming off a season that saw them make it to the Final Four. Western upset Wisconsin 69-67 in front of a sold out crowd at the Kohl’s Center.

Wright returns four seniors this season after losing four last season, including defensive powerhouse Brandon Gilbeck. The Leathernecks were voted to finish seventh out of 10 teams in The Summit League in the preseason coaches’ poll.

FILE PHOTO

JD Gravina looks over for a sub.

Billy Wright looks over to his bench before tip-off.

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FILE PHOTO

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OPINIONS

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

WesternCourier.com

Staying fit during the winter months  Winter is coming, and that means so is the extra weight and baggage in the form of love handles and beer bellies.

Since we live in the midwest, we are blessed with all four seasons, including winter.

The colder it gets, the more essential people think it becomes to stay inside, and of course they would, it can be brutal outside.

The buses are more packed too, and it seems as if people are in a hurry, which again is no surprise because it is cold outside. Through the cold, it can be essential to watch your diet and your workout routine. The next thing you know, you look in the mirror and you are a shell of yourself. If you have a plan, you can avoid this physical dilemma.

Starting this plan early can prove to be advantageous once mother nature has her way with us all. As mentioned, having a proper diet

and workout routine is beneficial to your health. Cleaning up your diet is a big way to avoid gaining unnecessary weight and promote a healthy workout schedule.

The reason your diet is essential for your workout schedule is to help you perform better during workouts. The worst feeling is going to the gym and feeling like you either did not do enough, or the workout felt too hard compared to what you used to be able to accomplish in the gym.

Since many of us are not working out frequently, it can be expected to not perform as well as we may have in the past. The problem is the type of fatigue you are having when consuming fatty foods and sweets regularly.

Once you work out, the fatty foods will almost weigh you down because junk food is not good at supporting bodily functions or converting

Working out is essential to living a healthy lifestyle.

into energy.

Even though it may not always look appetizing, the simple servings in the dorms are extremely helpful if you are looking for a healthy food option. Eating some fruit from the C-stores or granola and protein bars are a great way to have a nutritious snack as well.

The great thing about having a schedule of working out is that it is up to you to decide how easy or hard the workout routine will be, and you can also have cheat days. The point of having a workout schedule is to avoid excuses. Having a blend of school work and exercising is possible. It is up to you to decide what it will look like.

Nutrition will not only prevent the love handles, but will also promote your muscles to work harder and longer. The only downside is that the food that we hold near and dear to our hearts is always so accessible to us. Fighting the urge to eat most of the food in the union can prove challenging, even though all of the food is not unhealthy. The goal is to begin on the journey to healthier living, because the results are always worth it.

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Wednesday, October 23, 2019

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Is there hope for a safer Mexico?

Cameron Dillefeld Opinions Writer

Last Thursday, Cartel violence erupted again in the western Mexican state of Sinaloa. Its reported that a small group of Federal Mexican Police Officers conducted a raid on a suspected arms and drug den in the city of Culiacan. Upon raiding the building, they captured famous cartel leader, Ovidio Guzman Lopez. Ovidio Lopez is the son of El Chapo Guzman and took over the Sinaloa Cartel when his father was arrested and imprisoned in the United States in 2019. Word spread of the raid as soon as it happened.

Almost immediately, hundreds of Cartel members surrounded the Federal Police. The authorities, seeing they were outnumbered and outgunned, decided to hand over Ovidio Lopez in exchange for being allowed to leave. The Cartel accepted the deal and allowed them to

leave. However, it did not stop there. Fighting with police and national guard units lasted all day. Footage of Culiacan can be seen with blooming clouds of black smoke and machine gun fire. The Cartel brought in rocket launchers, explosives and even 50 caliber machine guns mounted on the backs of trucks. They were able to run out all police and military members that resisted them.

The Sinaloa Cartel proved that they were the real force in the region and the Mexican Government has no power there.

The weak action of the Mexican Government set a poor precedent that they will cave to violence. This will ensure Cartels will continue to use violence in the future to get their way.

Cartel violence in Mexico has been going on for decades.

From 2006-2012. over 3,000 po-

lice officers were killed by Cartel members. This is more casualties than the US and Coalition forces lost in Iraq and Afghanistan in that same time period.

Last Monday, 14 police officers were killed in one day. It has gotten to a point where some places don’t have a police force.

A lot of places only have a police force because the police have agreed to ignore the Cartels’ actions. The Zeta Cartel alone has estimated 10,000 gunman, stretching from Texas to the Mexican-Guatamalan border.

I was able to interview Francisco Javier Gallo of Canton, Il, (50 miles east of Macomb) on the issue. Mr. Gallo is a former Mexico City resident who moved to the US to pursue a career in nursing. I started off by asking him his opinion on the Cartels in Mexico. He responded “Its awful. It's all a result of corruption in the Mexican Government and there being a large market in the US. The people that do this do it for economic reasons. If they couldn’t make money doing this then they wouldn’t. They will kill their

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own people if they can make money from it”. I then asked if he felt the Mexican Government was doing enough to stop them. Mr. Gallo said “No, there is not enough enforcement. The Government hides from the Cartels. Nieto (the former president of Mexico) was a puppet.

He was a face for a group that was making deals with the cartels. He wasn’t an ally of the Cartels, but he definitely wasn’t their worst enemy. The government has made no positive changes. They just worry about things that don’t matter.” I then asked if he felt the US should do more to get involved in the enforcement of laws in Mexico and other Latin American nations. Mr. Gallo hesitated and then explained “The US sticks its nose into a lot of places it probably shouldn’t. If they can come in to catch cartel members and help Mexico, I would like it. If it is to help Mexicans and not just make a wall on the border.” I followed up with asking if he believed the UN should become involved as it is an issue that involves many nations.

Mr. Gallo responded “I don’t think Europeans have any idea on how to solve this. Its a North American thing. However, they stop crime in Europe is their thing, but it won’t be the same for this continent.” My final question was if he believed he will ever see an end to the cartels and mass violence in Mexico. Mr. Gallo responded “Not only in Mexico but everywhere we will always see large criminal groups. Guns... drugs...smuggling will always be because there is a profit.

Mexico has cheaper corruption than US. In Mexico its $50, in the US its $5 million. Mexico will always be dangerous. The system is all about money and everyone has a price right?” I thanked Mr. Gallo for his time and for participating in this article. It seems that Mexico and all nations involved will have to make a huge change to see the end of cartels. Is this possible when drug trafficking is a $69 billion industry for the cartels? It seems, sadly, that we are only seeing the beginning of the trouble to come.

AN-Young@wiu.edu

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.

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2019 Fall Semester Editorial Board

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