Western Courier | March 30th, 2018

Opinions: Find ways to balance your finances.

Sports: And then there were four.

Sports: Preparing for USD Softball.

Friday, March 30, 2018 - Vol. 118 Issue 71

Four students arrested for fraud OPS and MPD arrest two individuals each in separate cases

By Nicholas Ebelhack editor-in-chief

MCDONOUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Azeez Oki (left) and Taya Fox (right) were both arrested Monday in relation to the usage of an internet app to illegally obtain account information. Oki is charged with identity theft and Fox is charged with use of an account code with intent to defraud.

Nicholas Ebelhack editor-in-chief

As enrollment continues to decline year after year at Western Illinois University, so has occupancy in University Housing and Dining Services residence halls. Because of this, the 2017-2018 Food Service Review Committee has proposed $600,000 in spending cuts for dining services.

Since the fall of 2004, occupancy in Western’s residence

halls has dropped over 2,000 students. According to Committee Chairman Killian Tracy, the committee, made up entirely of students from Interhall Council (IHC), was asked to find ways to cut $1 million in spending costs.

“We felt like doing any further cuts would hurt students more by doing more than what’s necessary,” Tracy said.

The seven students on the committee decided upon changes that would primar-

ily cut costs from operating CStores and dining centers during underutilized hours. For the next academic year, all C-Store hours will change.

The Tanner C-Store will be open Thursday through Sunday from 7 to 11 p.m., the Thompson C-Store will be open from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and on Friday and Saturday during dining hours, and the Corbin/Olson C-Store will be open from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday

Multiple students were arrested on separate instances of fraud on Monday and Tuesday this week, with arrest announcements coming from both the McDonough County Sheriff’s Office and the Western Illinois University Office of Public Safety.

On Monday, students Taya Fox, 19, and Azeez Oki, 18, both of Chicago, Ill. Were both arrested through the McDonough County Sheriff’s Office in regards to a reported fraudulent use of a debit/credit card made on Sunday. Both students were tracked and were found connected to the use of the card by the Macomb Police Department.

Police reported that Fox and Oki were able to retrieve the information illegally by using an internet app, allowing them to use the account information to make $1,500 worth of purchases.

Fox has been charged with the use of an account code with intent to defraud. Oki has been

and during dining hours, and on Friday and Saturday only during dining hours.

Tracy said that the shorter hours will hopefully encourage more responsible spending among students.

“You can spend more in a CStore than you can in a dining hall,” Tracy said. “About a third of students will overspend on their meal plan and have to add more money or find other means to get food.”

According to Tracy, Associ-

charged with identity theft.

The Office of Public Safety then made two other arrests as well on Tuesday. At 10:03 a.m., Deair Williams, 19, of 620 Tanner Hall was arrested in Tanner Hall for felony unlawful use of account code with the intent to defraud.

Later, at 2:40 p.m., Curtis Gregory, 19, of 514 Tanner Hall, was also arrested in Mowbray Hall for felony fraud. Both students were lodged in the McDonough County Jail pending bond.

According to the Office of Public Safety since March 22, three reports had been made to the Office of Public Safety regarding fraudulent charges on student identification cards. Both Williams’s and Gregory’s arrest pertain to fraudulent charges made since then.

On March 22, a student reported $109.03 in fraudulent charges were made on her card.

On March 23, a student reported that $226.27 in fraudulent charges were made on her card.

On March 26, a student reported that $99.27 in charges were made on his card that had been missing since March 23.

ate Vice President of Student Services John Biernbaum, and Assistant Director of Budget Ketra Russell, the reductions in C-Store hours will eliminate $202,000 in spending next year. $36,500 in savings are also expected from changes to the Linc/Wash/Grote C-Store. The new times will shift to Monday through Friday from 7 to 10:30

UHDS page 3

2

Friday, March 30, 2018

NEWS

WesternCourier.com

ROTC hosts

Military Ball

By Marc Ramirez

assistant news editor With the new year came a new anniversary. 2018 marked the 50th anniversary of Western Illinois University’s Reserve officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). The ROTC addition was approved

by Western’s Military Science program on Nov. 20 1967; however the first class didn’t run through until the fall quarter of 1968.

In celebration, the ROTC program hosted its 50th annual Military Ball on March 24 in the University Union Grand Ballroom. Not only was this time used to celebrate the accomplishments of cadets, but also a way for them to gain experience in training exercise protocols, logistics and planning. ROTC students assisted in outlining the agenda for the night.

The military ball is planned

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

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

and executed by students and gives an opportunity to highlight their successes and pride in the program to their family and friends," said Lieutenant Col. Helling.

"Traditionally, alumni have returned to show their support for the students and share with them their stories and experiences."

The enrollment in the initial freshman class consisted of 32 MS III junior cadets and 95 basic course cadets. In the 1969-70 school year the program had a shake quite early with students being discouraged to join with the Vietnam War being underway. As well, students protested because of the Kent State shootings, which resulted in a fourday takeover at Simpkins Hall in regards to the ROTC programs.

The Student Government Association sponsored a vote

in regards to keeping the program or not, students then decided to keep the programs.

This meant that Western was the only state university in Illinois that wasn’t forced to close down due to student protests.

However, in the following year 1970-71, ROTC enrollment increased to 57 cadets, 46 were enrolled in the advanced course. The year following, the Basic Course enrollment reached 74 cadets. Since 1967 the Military Science program has prospered.

Since then, the program has earned its second consecutive General Douglas MacArthur Award in 1994, 2001 and 2002. The Military Science program is also ranked among the top 20 of 270 U.S. Army Cadet Command Programs nationwide.

The ROTC program has con-

STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Nicholas Ebelhack NA-Ebelhack@wiu.edu assistant news editor Marc Ramirez MA-Ramirez3@wiu.edu assistant news editor Steven Barnum SS-Barnum@wiu.edu opinions editor Ryan Zurek RP-Zurek@wiu.edu sports editor Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu assistant sports editor Haley Richards H-Richards@wiu.edu edge editor Baylee Brynteson BM-Brynteson@wiu.edu copy editor Brie Coder B-Coder@wiu.edu

proofreader Valerie Clemens VN-Clemens@wiu.edu proofreader Alexis Lowe AL-Lowe@wiu.edu proofreader Tacuma Venzant T-Venzant@wiu.edu photo editor Becca Langys RE-Langys@wiu.edu assistant photo editor Sara Remar SE-Remar@wiu.edu production manager Jimmy Pierson JM-Pierson@wiu.edu business manager Faith Rucker F-Rucker@wiu.edu advertising manager Patryk Mazur P-Mazur@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu

Jimmy pierson/production manager

tinued to grow more recently with being named second top Achiever for Resource and Cadet Management Excellence in 1995. In more recent years, the program has also won Best Large Battalion in 10th Brigade in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

ROTC at Western currently offers a two and a four-year program. The four-year program includes a Basic Course and an Advanced Course each spanning two years.

However, Basic Course participants have no military obligation and can take the course as a college credit.

Students who have successfully completed the ROTC Leaders Training Course, a person with Veteran status, one with prior service, a person from the National Guard or one in the United States Army Reserve can directly get into the

Advanced Course.

The last two years of the program are designed for students who have successfully completed the Basic Couse, been through military training or have received advanced credit and are ready to prepare for a career as an officer in the United States Army.

To gain admittance into the last two years of the program, one must meet certain criteria. This includes being a sound moral character, a citizen under the age of 31, having no philosophical views that would make one an conscientious objector, having a cumulative GPA of a 2.0 or higher and having no medical conditions.

Western has commissioned over 1,068 cadets and seven alumni have been ranked General Officer as of December 2017.

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UHDS

from front page

p.m., and instead of its current location, the C-Store will move to the former serving area from when the housing complex had a full dining center.

Cuts to breakfast can also be anticipated, as research showed that only 18 percent of students make a transaction during breakfast hours.

In order to cut costs, Corbin/ Olson will no longer serve breakfast Monday through Friday. Tracy said this change was the biggest problem people were concerned about.

“There are still options in the union with Einstein’s and Burger King open early in the morning,” Tracy said. “We understand that the small percentage of students who do eat breakfast are passionate about breakfast and that they won’t be happy about it, but this was the best bad decision to make in terms of things to cut.”

Other cuts being made are the elimination of Colonel Rock’s Bistro, which serves fewer diners than any other dining service on campus, and changes to sandwich stations in the dining centers, which will be revised

Friday, March 30, 2018 to allow for options at a lower cost.

Additionally, the committee suggested cuts to take-out containers and plastic ware, which would be greener and cut $20,000 in costs while also encouraging students to eat in the dining centers.

Serving portions will also be affected. Tracy said that food will be affected to alter the amount of ingredients in dishes in order to cut down on preparation costs “The alternative to this would have been upping the pricing of everything, but that would only affect incoming students and we didn’t want to put the burden just on to them,” Tracy said. “This instead will share the burden among students.”

While Tracy understands that many students will have issues with the number of cuts being made for the next year, she maintained that the cuts being made were intended to affect the fewest students while still being cost effective.

"Anyone in the community can speak to the data that we looked at," Tracy said.

"I understand that people can get a little bit emotional about this but you have to see that we can't keep operating at this level."

NEWS 3

Friday, March 30, 2018

4 OPINIONS

WesternCourier.com

Plan your finances carefully

I’m sure it’s easy to become overwhelmed with fear thinking about our financial security, and stability after graduation.

Growing up, I tried to be smart about money. I could stretch out $20 for an entire month if I had to.

College is one of those factors that play a large role when it comes to dealing with money troubles. Many of us didn’t think about saving until we realized that it was almost a requirement to stay afloat while in school.

Some college student’s work

to keep themselves busy.

Other college students work to have additional spending money or to pay off loans or credit card bills.

While many like myself work because it’s vital for paying our bills, or for buying food when living off campus.

Then, there are those who just may need money after having to fill up their gas tanks when prices fluctuate.

Whatever the situation may be, working or not, being smart about money is not only important while in school but in our adult lives in general.

If you’re planning to graduate, start a career, get married and start a family, having financial stability is key. Budgeting, account spending and monthly expense reports are some of the many key factors to healthy financial security.

Whether you’re a college student working now or not, it’s always good to save what little bit of money that comes your way. I was told early on that for every check that I receive, save a small amount and use the other part of the check for necessities or recreational spending. Over time those little amounts saved from each check adds up giving you a bit of cushion if financial troubles come about.

Also, if you’re someone who isn’t disciplined enough to

save money, then try hiding money from yourself when you feel the itch to spend, however, this only works if you remember where you hid it.

Another helpful tool is to make a monthly budget, that way it can help you keep on track. Every month, set aside amounts of money that may be needed for bills, recreation, necessities or fees if necessary. These amounts could be deducted from your checks leaving you with the amount needed to be saved.

Now, as college students it’s obvious that situations may come up, and everything does not always work out the way we want it to. However, the idea of assuring better financial stability and security now will help to keep you

at ease when situations do come about.

Starting the journey now to find ways to behave when it comes to spending and saving limit our thoughts when graduation becomes the topic.

Use the resources around you to help with financial situations or any questions that may need a solution or answer. Whether it’s your parents, accounting majors, professors or your friends who know how to budget properly, look to them for guidance.

No one is going to have all the answers, but if you get started now, you’ll have more positive outcomes because you’ll know how to financially support yourself, and you won’t have doubts about it in the future.

Don't attack others for their opinion I feel like nowadays a lot of people get attacked for their opinion; I am one of those people. I feel like if people don’t agree on something, instead of attacking the argument, they go right to the person and put them down because their beliefs are different.

Just because you don’t agree on the same things as everyone else, doesn’t mean that you have to call people out.

Calling people dumb, stupid, idiot, etc. is unnecessary. We are all adults here so I don’t understand why people can’t respect one another and get over themselves.

It makes sense why people tend to keep their comments/ beliefs to themselves when getting into a creative discussion.

I just feel like nowadays a lot of people are close minded and can’t respect the fact that not everyone’s brain is wired the same. I see this frequently happen with governmental issues like the 2nd Amendment. I too

have had discussions about the situation and was attacked because my beliefs were not the same as my friends. If one is able to bash on other people for what they believe in, they should be able to have an adult conversation about the situation and see both sides of the argument.

I thought that coming to college a lot of people would be more mature and respect one another ’s opinion, but it turns out that not everyone is on the same page and that’s okay.

If everyone was on the same page, then this world would be too boring and plain. It’s nice to hear multiple sides to an argument and try to see why someone thinks the way that they do. It’s also awesome to be able to not only listen to someone else’s point of view, but to share your side as well. If the world could just get along a lot better and respect one another, I feel like it would be a better

living environment, but instead, people get attacked for being different.

I understand completely why people would be afraid to speak up for what they believe in. I too get stressed out just talking to some of my friends when I disagree with what they are saying. I feel like I am getting attacked and I even feel that some of my friends will be mad at me and not want to talk to me just because I don’t agree with what they are saying.

It’s sad that I live in a generation that thinks that way, but that is just the reality of it. In an ideal world, everyone should be able to share their opinion, but that is just not realistic. It would make things a lot easier, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon. People are too close minded to see other people’s point of view. It’s okay to be different and speak/stand up for what you believe in.

It is okay to go against the crowd. If it’s something that you truly believe in, go for it and speak up for what is right, even if you’re afraid at getting shot down because in the end, your opinion is the only one that matters.

Friday, March 30, 2018

@WesternCourier

OPINIONS 5

There are Letter to the Editor perks to a small school As of 2017, the enrollment at Western Illinois University was 9,441 students. Although that might seem to be like a lot of students, I do not feel like there are that many people that go to school here. I do not know about everyone else, but I enjoy the atmosphere Western offers. It allows students to build a relationship with their professors, and it also allows them to get to know their classmates more. There are several perks that come along with going to a school that is the size of Western.

I went to a very small high school where there were 20 students in every class. I knew them all personally; not everyone was my friend, but I went to school with them for many years. Western is obviously way bigger than the high school I went to, but the atmosphere is perfect. Because I chose to go to a smaller state university I get several opportunities one might not get at a bigger university. One of the biggest perks about Western is that students have quicker access to their advisors. Getting to know your advisor is great because they are here to help make sure that you’re taking the right courses for your major as well as how to prepare for life after college. The advisors are one of the many perks about going to a college like Western.

Another big plus of going to

a smaller sized college is that there are so many resources available to make us better students. Western offers free tutoring which is not available at many other schools.

I remember visiting other schools where it was an outrageous amount of money to get a tutor; which I think is ridiculous. As students looking to get a higher education, we already must pay so much just to be able to attend school and we should not have to pay more just to get help in a class. Western also offers counseling for those who need it, and extra help for students with learning disabilities.

The thing I love the most about the size of this university is randomly seeing someone I know around campus.

I have several friends that I get to see throughout my day. I know several people that go to very large schools and do not have this luxury.

It just makes the atmosphere much more enjoyable for me personally.

When it comes down to it there are obviously downsides of every college. But it is all about what you make of your experience. If you enjoy large lecture classes or seeing someone new everyday, then you would probably like a school that is bigger than Western. But from my own personal experience I enjoy going to school at Western.

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2018 Spring Semester Editorial Board Editor-in-Cheif - Nicholas Ebelhack Edge Editor - Baylee Bryntesson Opinions Editor - Ryan Zurek

Dear Mark Tolliver,

Regarding the opinion piece, “We need better gun control,” I noticed some issues with your argument.

Let’s get a few misconceptions cleared.

First, there have not been seventeen intentional school shootings in the US since the beginning of 2018. An article by the Washington Post corrected the number of school shootings that resulted in injury to only five after CNN falsely used Everytown’s data. Most school shootings in 2018 were either during non-operational hours or accidental firing on or near school property. Concerning student safety, a study conducted by Northeastern University found there was four times the number of students killed in school shootings during the early 1990s than in the past decade. They also claim that students die more frequently due to pool drownings and bicycle accidents. I will agree that even one is too many, but to use discredited, faulty data

to bolster your agenda is not prudent.

Second, just as “thoughts and prayers” are getting old for gun-control advocates, lines such as “common-sense gun control” or “ban assault rifles” have not only lost their flavor, but they are nonsequiturs. A study published

by FiveThirtyEight found that legislation restricting gun access, eliciting a mandatory gun buy-back, and restricting access to specific firearm attachments have had little to no effect on gun deaths. Similarly, using the term “assault rifle” is too vague. This refers only to a weapon’s ability to have two or more features such as a pistol grip and foldable stock, not its size, appearance, or caliber.

Third, it’s not easier to get an “assault weapon” today than it was a hundred years ago. Legislation such as the National Firearms Act of 1934, the Gun Control Act of 1968, the Brady Act, the National Instant Criminal Background Check Improvement

Act, and many other bills have prevented the access of firearms to many of individuals – criminal or otherwise.

Additionally, your assertion that “many gun dealerships and stores” sell guns to individuals with criminal backgrounds is blatantly false. It’s within a dealer ’s best interest to sell weapons legally to all their customers through the ATF – not to mention the law.

Finally, I implore everyone to contact their legislators and other public officials with their concerns. However, it would behoove oneself to have a plan in place.

The entire last paragraph has no legitimate proposal that either hasn’t already been implemented or makes any sense. I encourage you to read into the established laws, speak to a gun owner or police officer, or even buy your own firearm so that you can experience the process firsthand.

Ian Schielein Biology Student

Friday, March 30, 2018

6 SPORTS

WesternCourier.com

Softball from back page

JASMYNE TAYLOR/COURIRE STAFF

Jasmine Lara keeps her eye on the ball during her at bat.

Baseball from back page

There are several players on the Leathernecks who are on the leaderboard for the Summit League in different batting and pitching categories. Montgomery is tied for fourth with a .333 batting average. Thompson isn’t only good at getting on base; he is also good at stealing them. Thompson is tied for third in the League with seven stolen bases on the year.

The Purple and Gold’s pitchers are very good at striking out opponents. Dunne and Koch are both on the leaderboard for strikeouts. Dunne leads the Summit League with 35 and Koch places

fifth on the board with an even 30 on the year. Redshirt freshman Alex Dorethy, finds himself on the saves leaderboard placing fifth so far this season with his lone save.

The Leathernecks are struggling a bit this season when it comes to hitting. The bats have been quiet in recent games. If the Leathernecks are looking to reach to the top of the Summit this year, their bats need to heat up at the right time. If there is a time to heat them up, this weekend in Fort Wayne seems like a good place to start. Conference play is still young in the Summit League, but the race for the top spot is very close.

Twitter: thefluffy66

WC

For Rent

For Rent

1 & 2 bedroom apartments, new $250 signing bonus on 10 and 12 month leases. Two blocks from campus. Bus stops nearby. Free water, garbage and parking. Laundry onsite. Clean, well maintained and secure. Call Ted 309-837-5600 or visit markertrental.com.

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

Call 309-255-1233.

Houses for Rent 2016/2017: A&D Real Estate has several 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses for rent, all with at least 2 bathrooms, recently rennovated and located close to campus. Call for a tour or visit our website at www.wiucollegerentals.com. Local landlord with a focus on clean and updated housing with personal service for your college housing needs. 309-313-1122.

FALL INTO SAVINGS with Charleston Boulevard Apartments! Now offering SPECIAL RATES through Dec. 2017! Call for specific details 309-833-4545!.

NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2016-2017 Our houses have hard wood floors, ceramic tile, central air, washer and dryer and are close to campus with plenty of parking. We offer a ten month lease so you don’t pay for the months you aren’t here. Please call 309-255-1959 for a showing.

Now showing for 2017 & 2018 year 2, 3, and 5 bedrooms homes all close to campus. Call 309-331-4565.

Westen Investments has only two 4-Bedroom brich houses available. Call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing! We will show to 2-3 person groups as well!

STC Investments now leasing for the 18/19 school year. We have 1-6 bedroom apartments/houses ready for you to call home! Check out our selection at www.stcinvestments.com.

You can also find us on Facebook to see daily posts!

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Ryan Dunne slings a pitch.

CLASSIFIEDS Submit a classifieds ad to Micour@wiu.edu

Last time these two teams met, Western won the series. They went 1-1 in the double-header matchup, winning the first game 9-4 and losing the second game 15-4. However, in the series finale, the Leathernecks beat the Coyotes 9-8. In the alltime series, South Dakota leads Western Illinois 14-4, but Western has won the last three of the four matchups.

After this weekend, and 28-straight road games, the Purple and Gold will play in their home opener on Saturday, April 7, against the Mastodons of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne. This is another conference matchup for the Leathernecks who are currently ranked one spot below the Mastodons.

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LARGE STUDENT RENTALS 5 and 6 Bedroom Homes are still available!! Ask for our $1000.00 Discount program! Firsrt come first serve for the last large homes that are open for the fall.

NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2017-2018 Our houses have wood floors, ceramic tile, W/D, central air, and are close to campus with plentry of parking. We offer low rent and a 10 month lease to save you money! Call 309-255-1959 for a showing.

Small 1BR apt near campus and downtown. All utilities included. (Electric, Water, DISH, Garbage) $500/month, $300 deposit. Available immediately. Also have 2BR, you pay electric. $600/month, $350 deposit available September 1st. Please contact 309-255-4367 for a showing.

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Looking for 2 roommates to share a 3-bedroom furnished house beginning in August for 2018-19. 10- to 12-month contract. New carpet, air, garage w/ storage, laundry. $300 each per month, plus utilities. Call Sharon at 309-338-3888.

RATES $5.50 per issue (open rate) $4.00 per issue (campus rate)

For Rent Available now: Close to campus, clean studio apartments, excellent condition, reasonable rent, and partly furnished.

Ceiling fans and a/c. Professionally maintained. No pets.

Semester leases offered. Call 309 837 4369 and leave your phone number if not there. Email: MandKhousing@gmail.com ALL APARTMENTS - ALL INCLUSIVE Get control of your budget. Know exactly what you are spending each month. Each apartment includes free a/c, free heat, free electricity, free water, free cable tv, free hi speed internet, and free off street parking. Laundry on site.

No noise policy. Bus stop across the street. Close to campus. Well maintained. Studios are $460/mo, One bedrooms are $620/mo. Call Doug at 309-255-8179 for an appointment.

Westen Investments still has affordable 1-4 Bedroom Apartment/Houses available. Be sure to check out our website (www.westeninvest.com) to see our available listings, and call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to win prize giveaways!

APARTMENT FOR RENT: FOR QUIET PERSON. ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT FOR RENT LOCATED AT 314 West Carroll ST Macomb, Ill 61455. Available end of August 2017-new carpeting yearly lease SMALEST FURNISHED IN MACOMB $345.00/month - HEAT & AC INCLUDED private entrance, off-street parking included call for appointment309-837-4748 or 255-5075 woodburning fireplace, ask for Paul.

For Rent: Little Swan Lake, 30 min from campus. 2br, 2bth, heated double car garage with work area. $600 per mo.

(309) 335-2206 after 6:00 pm, may leave message anytime.

Spacious 3 Bedroom Upper in Duplex close to campus and Jackson St. All utilities furnished and appliances Includes cable and internet 18/19 school year $375.00 per Br Ph 309 255 8086 Please leave message

Sports 7

Friday, March 30, 2018

@WesternCourier

The month of madness is coming to a close

In a little over twenty-four hours, the climax of March Madness will be underway.

“Final Four” is written at the top of every Division I basketball program’s goal sheet.

The Final Four is nearly the epitome of success in college basketball; sure, winning a conference title is great, beating your archrival is satisfying, but to be able to say, “we are one of four left in the entire country” just has a special ring to it.

This March has been particularly mad: The University of Kansas was slept on, even though they won the Big 12 for the 14th consecutive time and knocked off Coach Mike Kryzewski and the Duke Blue Devils along the way.

Villanova found their way to San Antonio, shocking to none, and their head coach Jay Wright sealed his place

in the college basketball Hall of Fame after taking Nova to the Final Four for the second time in the last three years. Michigan proved to be a contender and put their head coach John Beilein in the discussion for best coach in the NCAA. The Wolverines won their conference tournament as a five seed and fought through the awkward two weeks off heading into the tournament while making their run to San Antonio. Last, but not least, is the ultimate Cinderella story, Loyola. The Ramblers have found themselves in the Final Four for just the second time in school history. Loyola has tied the NCAA record for the lowest seed to ever make a Final Four, most recently Shaka Smart, now University of Texas head coach, led VCU to the Final Four where they were bested

by Butler.

Michigan and Loyola will kickoff Final Four weekend at 5 p.m. on Saturday. The Wolverines and Loyola had a similar road heading into their matchup, with several tight wins and a blow victory.

Loyola has been playing stellar defense and shooting their competitors lights out, however, the glass slipper will no longer fit on Saturday night.

The Michigan Wolverines will dominate the Ramblers in a 79-65 victory.

The Rambler ’s have been lucky thus far in playing predominantly smaller teams and the lack of blue chip talent has not been exposed. The Wolverine’s future NBA stud, Mo Wagner will dominate on the glass and Loyola will end their run in heart breaking fashion. Beilein has proven himself as a top tier coach in the NCAA and his next level defensive schemes will lock down the outside shooting of Loyola.

In the last game of the night, the Jayhawks will not be rocking any chalk on Saturday night. Villanova will dominate

84-62 and make for a rather disappointing Final Four weekend. Nova has too much NBA talent and size to be beaten by a rag-tag Kansas team on the biggest stage.

The Wildcats have looked the most dominant in the tournament and that will carry over into Monday’s National Championship matchup against the Wolverines.

On Monday night, the world will see two of the hottest teams in college basketball, and this game will makeup for the disappointment on Saturday. I am calling my shot, and even though my brain is telling me to take Nova, the Wolverines will steal the show.

Both of the remaining teams had an easy road to the Final Four, but I believe the extra week Michigan had off will play a big part in their victory.

Prior to the NCAA tournament, the big question was, “will the Big Ten teams use the week off as rest or will it turn into rust?” I believe that it began as rust, and that is why we saw Michigan struggle in their first two rounds of games. Now they are back in

rhythm, with plenty of time to prepare for the Wildcats on Monday night.

I am no doubt a little bias, but it all makes sense. The Wildcats came into the tournament feeling good about themselves, but now fatigue is going to set in. They have a scrappy matchup against Kansas in the Final Four and that will be the straw that breaks the camels back. Michigan’s rest will pull them through and John Beilein will take his first National Championship back to Ann Arbor.

Squaring up the matchup: the head coach battle is a wash, Beilein and Wright are both great coaches and have programs that are able to recruit blue chips. Malaki Bridges and Wagner will square off and whoever is better in that matchup will be the reason their team kisses the trophy at the end of the night.

Everybody is going to hop on the Nova bandwagon, but it’s March and the best team never seems to actually win.

The Wolverines are going edge out the Wildcats and win 79-77.

Golf hopes to excel in spring invitational

By Bradly Piros courier staff

PEORIA, Ill. — The Western Illinois University women’s golf team is in Peoria, Illinois today to participate in the Bradley Spring Invitational.

The event will start this morning and carry over into tomorrow.

The Leathernecks have had up-and-down performances in 2018. They notched a thirdplace finish in their first event of the year at the Ball State Sunshine Invitational but started to slip in the following two events with an eighth-place finish at the Islander Spring Classic and sixth in the MSU Citrus Challenge.

Western last competition was in the MSU Citrus Challenge that took place in Sorrento, Florida. There were 14 teams competing in the event and the Purple and Gold managed a sixth-place finish.

Seniors Allie Leingang and Ashley Dumler were the front runners on the Leatherneck squad in Sorrento. Leingang finished 11th and Dumler was right behind with a 12th place overall finish. Leingang and Dumbler are the unquestioned leaders of the golf team and will be looking to set the tone for the remainder of the team.

Ten teams are participating in the Bradley Spring Invitational, including five teams from the Missouri Valley Conference.

The University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of South Dakota, the University of Missouri at St. Louis, the University of Wisconsin at

Green Bay and Western Illinois are all looking for supremacy in the Missouri Valley Conference and will fight it out on the course.

The Leathernecks finished tied for fifth place last season with the University of Northern Iowa. They shot 311 in the first round, 300 in the second and 307 in the final round for a total of 918 in the Invitational.

Bradley University took a comfortable victory last year, finishing a whole 26 shots ahead of second place Drake University.

Leingang led the way once again in last year’s tournament for the Purple and Gold. She finished tied for seventh and was the only Leatherneck to finish in the top 15. Head coach Lia Biehl Lukkarinen saw that there was plenty of room for growth following the event.

“I was pleased with our team performance. This is a very talented group of players, with unlimited potential,” Lukkarinen said. “As a team we made a lot of birdies but gave too many back. We had two players shoot career lows in Ashley Dumler and Cassidy Jurkaites and had a solid middle round that was split up with nine and nine. Allie (Leingang) had a good event, finishing top 10. With continued focus on the “P's”, Putting, Proximity on iron play and Performance under Pressure, our team will continue to improve.”

The same sentiment stands for the team this season, they will need to focus on the fundamentals to dethrone the champions on their home course. twitter: @bradjp08

Allie Leingang examines the course after she hits the ball.

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Necks look to tame Coyotes

By Haley Richards

assistant sports editor Vermillion, S.D. — The Western Illinois softball team will hit the road to face the Coyotes of the University of South Dakota in a three-game series. The series will begin on Friday with a double-header then will continue again on Saturday.

The Purple and Gold are currently fifth in conference with a record of 7-22 on the season.

Meanwhile, the Coyotes sit atop the Summit League with a 3-0 record in conference play and overall 13-21 record.

Western Illinois is coming off of a 12-0 loss against Bradley University. However, after having the weekend off they should be coming out in full swing against their conference foe. South Dakota is also coming off of a 9-3 loss against the University of Nebraska.

The Coyotes are led by junior catcher Jessica Rogers who is batting .341 and has totaled 30 hits on the season. Along with that she also leads the Summit League standings with eight homeruns and 28

RBIs. Senior infielder Emily Winckler is another offensive leader for South Dakota with eight homeruns and 26 RBIs on the season. The junior pitcher Dustie Durham is ranked third in the conference with eight wins on the season.

The Leathernecks currently rank 27th in the country and second in the Summit League in fielding percentage. The .973 fielding percentage is thanks to senior pitcher Brooke Stulga, senior outfielder Rachel Beatty, sophomore outfielder Jasmine Lara, junior infielder Hailey Duwa and junior infielder Madison Boone, who all have a perfect 1.000 percentage individually.

Junior pitcher Emily Ira also leads the conference in strikeout-to-walk ratio, striking out 6.21 batters for every batter she walks. Her rank is currently 19th in the nation. The 87 strikeouts she has places her at third in the Summit League, and her 7.9 strikeouts per seven innings rank her at 58th in the Division I rankings.

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ANGEL STRACK/COURIER STAFF

Brooke Stulga winds up her pitch.

Baseball heads to Fort Wayne David Koier courier staff

Ian Koch throws out a pitch.

FILE PHOTO

The Western Illinois Leathernecks baseball team travels to Indiana this weekend to face off in a conference matchup against the Mastodons of Fort Wayne. The teams face off on Friday at 2 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 12 p.m. in Fort Wayne.

Starting on the mound for the Leathernecks this weekend for their respective games are righties junior Ian Koch, senior Ryan Dunne and sophomore Javin Drake. Opposed to them for the Mastodons will be right-handers Brandon Phelps and Shane Odzark and lefty Damian Helm, respectively.

The Leathernecks haven’t been having a lot of luck this season. So far six games have been called off due to rainouts. In comparison to last season, the Leathernecks only had two rainouts.

In the Purple and Gold’s last outing against the Tigers of Missouri University, the two teams were only able to play two successful innings of baseball before the game was called off due to rain. Drake was able to pitch for those two innings and tossed three strike-

outs keeping the Tigers hitless. Junior Bailey Montgomery recorded the only hit for the Leathernecks before the cancellation of the game.

The Leathernecks are 3-15 on the season with a 2-2-conference record scoring both wins against the North Dakota State Bison, while one loss is from the Bison and the other coming from the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State.

Junior infielder Deion Thompson has had a strong offensive presence for the Purple and Gold this season.

Thompson has a .288 batting average and is one of two Leathernecks who have started in every game this season.

Thompson has 19 hits on the season and is currently working on a six-game hitting streak.

He has reached base in the last 11 games of this season.

Other streaks for the Purple and Gold also have to deal with reaching base in consecutive games. Montgomery and junior outfielder Steve McShane have both reached base in 12 straight games and their streak leads the team.

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