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THURSDAY, FEB. 27, 2020 VOLUME 94 ■ ISSUE 42

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CAMPUS

Total student enrollment sees growth from previous spring

By ADÁN RUBIO

News & L a Vida Editor

Graphs by Austin Watts — Source: Texas Tech Institutional Research Factbook

As a student at Texas Tech, one may not realize the size of the university they attend and how it constantly changes. With enrollment numbers for the spring, students can work to further understand these changes.

This semester, total student enrollment is 35,425, which increased from 34,549 in the spring of 2019, according to the Tech Institutional Research Fact Book.

Undergraduate enrollment is currently 29,047, which is a 582-point increase from 2019, graduate enrollment is 5,993, which is a 306-point increase from 2019, and Tech School of Law enrollment is 385, which is a 12-point decrease from 2019.

One may wonder what these increases and decreases mean for the university.

Tech President Lawrence Schovanec said enrollment is a great concern with many universities.

“I think people, when they look at the data, and I think they should have high expectations,” he said regarding Tech students. “When a parent enrolls their daughter or their son, they should know that the university has a real focus on making sure that we retain them, that they have experience that keeps them here and moving towards their degree, and they get that degree as quickly as possible.”

Even though there was an increase in total student enrollment shown in the Factbook, Schovanec said one should be mindful of how

enrollment numbers are perceived.

“We do not report spring enrollment as we do in the fall because that’s not what [Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System] reports,” he said. “But I do believe this was a record for spring enrollment.”

Knowing the different trends in enrollment numbers is necessary for various reasons, Schovanec SCHOVANEC said.

“It also matters because it’s important for budgetary considerations,” he said. “Starting this summer will be what is called a counting summer. So, what that means is the legislator will look at our enrollment this summer, next fall and next spring, and that will be used as a metric to see what share of the formula funding we receive.”

Regarding enrollment, Schovanec said there are different goals the university has.

“For us, as we planned towards our goals in 2020 and 2025, we were trying to achieve a growth of somewhere between two to two and a half percent,” he said. “We would like to see a larger growth in our graduate student population.”

Even though enrollment numbers are important, there are other factors to focus on, Schovanec said.

“Rather, we want to make sure that the students we do enroll are successful, as reflected in retention rates and graduation rates,” he said.

SEE ENROLLMENT, PG. 3

BASEBALL

Dobbins records career-high Ks

By MAX HENGST Sports Editor

Hunter Dobbins helped lead the No. 2 Texas Tech baseball team to a midweek series sweep against Southern with his dominant pitching on Wednesday.

Dobbins, a sophomore RHP, started at the mound for the Red Raiders’ second game against the Jaguars. This was Dobbins’ first start of the season after coming out of the bullpen in Tech’s games against Northern Colorado and Houston.

Dobbins took advantage of his start against Southern, striking a career-high 10 batters out. As he pitched through five innings, Dobbins recorded at least two strikeouts in each inning, except for the second inning. His outing was highlighted in the third inning where he threw three strikeouts.

“I started out a little rough, a little command issues in the first inning,” Dobbins said. “I was able to figure out the curveball, which helped out the fastball, and was able to figure it out as we went.”

After locating his curveball, Dobbins said it was this pitch that helped him reach his career-high in single-game strikeouts. He also credited the pitch calling, as the

mix of pitches kept the Jaguars off balance.

In Dobbins’ two outings before his start, he came out of the bullpen and was at the mound for a single inning in both appearances.

He gave up just one hit while striking a batter out.

Last season, Dobbins appeared in 14 games and earned a start in two games. In his 26.1 innings of work, Dobbins gave up 12 earned runs, posting a 4.44 ERA. He gave up 25 hits, 13 earned runs and 11 walks while striking 24 batters out.

Dobbins also was able to get playing time in the Big 12 Championship against West Virginia, where he earned his first conference start.

He pitched through a season-high six innings, striking a season-high five batters out. Despite losing the game, the start sparked confidence in the right-handed pitcher.

“For me to be able to go out there, throws strikes, kind of relax a little bit and just perform for my teammates, it did a lot carrying into this year,” Dobbins said. “I just didn’t know I had the capability to do that, and I can perform for the guys like that. That kind of helped me settle in.”

SEE DOBBINS, PG. 5

KINLEY ROBINSON/The Daily Toreador

Sophomore pitcher Hunter Dobbins steps into a pitch from the mound during the Texas Tech baseball game vs. Southern at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park on Feb. 26, 2020. The Red Raiders defeated the Jaguars, 10-3.

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FEB. 27, 2020

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CAMPUS

Campus horticulturists plan for upcoming spring

By TIMOTHY MARTINELLI Staff Writer

The dry, arid climate of Lubbock combined with the size of Texas Tech makes the task of beautifying campus potentially challenging.

As spring approaches, people may wonder how landscapers on campus prepare and maintain the university’s plants during colder and drier days.

Vikram Baliga, manager of the Tech greenhouse and a Ph.D. horticulture student from Lubbock, said Tech is a big campus and managing the property is not an easy task.

“We have a fairly large grounds department, but it’s still a lot to keep up with,” Baliga said.

Given the area of land it is tasked with, Baliga said Tech Grounds Maintenance does a good job of incorporating aesthetically pleasing plants while also considering climate and water conservation concerns.

“When it comes to conservation, I don’t want to say it’s impossible, but it’s hard to do a perfect job,” Baliga said.

Tech effectively incorporates plants requiring less water for larger tracts of

campus, while also planting more colorful flowers at locations most visible to the community, Baliga said.

“We can be as conservative as we can, but practically speaking we need our beds on campus to look good. We do,” Baliga said. “It’s part of the appeal of the campus.”

Baliga said balancing beauty with functionality can be difficult when dealing with arid climates such as West Texas.

“We need to water enough to keep everything looking good, but not overwater,” he said. “I don’t envy the person making those decisions either, those are tough decisions.”

While Baliga said he occasionally notices watering of plants and grass at times of the day that are not optimal, it is not a serious concern.

“Every now and then, I’ll see a bed flooded, but it’s getting more and more rare,” Baliga said.

Tech is an important part of the Lubbock community and ensuring beneficial watering practices are being followed on campus could reinforce the importance of water conservation, Baliga said. This includes following city guidelines for watering.

“I think as much as we can

we should be striving to lead by example and follow those regulations, and I think in general we do a good job,” Baliga said.

Tech uses community nurseries as often as possible, thereby supporting local businesses, Baliga said.

“There’s a couple of nurseries, locally, that they buy from that supply a lot of the plants for campus,” Baliga said. “You know, most of those nurseries are local growers that actually grow out their own plants.”

Josh Molligan, a Tech alumnus from Lubbock who majored in plant and soil science, said maintaining a landscape with an area as large as Tech is a difficult job.

“It’s challenging, it’s very challenging,” Molligan said.

Molligan appreciates the efforts of Tech, and he said he believes the environmental climate of Lubbock has been appropriately factored into the landscaping of the university.

Like Baliga, Molligan said Tech does a good job of adding certain color and beauty to the campus while maintaining reasonable watering requirements.

“I feel like as far as the plants that are available to West Texas that can provide color, these are very low maintenance plants,” Molligan said, speaking of the flowers planted around Memorial Circle.

CASSANDRA MARTINEZ/The Daily Toreador

Texas Tech Grounds Maintenance works to ensure plants on campus are well kept as the spring season approaches.

Adele Deaton, an irrigation design coordinator for Tech Grounds Maintenance, emphasized the size and scale of landscaping a university, such as Tech.

“It’s about trying to keep the campus looking great,” Deaton said. “There’s a lot of pride that goes into it.”

Deaton said certain irrigation at Tech can be decades old, and she is fortunate to work with ground crews who are competent at their craft. She

said consulting with grounds crews about where and what to look for can require researching maps and plans of the university.

“It gets fun,” Deaton said. “Plus, I enjoy looking at old maps.”

Deaton said Grounds Maintenance does not solely focus on plant and foliage landscaping at Tech.

“For Grounds Maintenance overall, it’s not just about the plants, it’s not all that we take

care of here,” Deaton said. “We also take care of the streets and the sidewalks, and so it’s trying to make it safe and at the same time we’re trying to make it beautiful, inviting.”

Working against the dry climate of Lubbock can be difficult, but it is not without reward, Deaton said.

“My job is to make things green,” Deaton said. “Send water where there isn’t and to keep it green.” @TMartinelliDT

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Gunman kills 5 at Milwaukee brewery before taking own life MILWAUKEE (AP) — An employee opened fire Wednesday at one of the nation’s largest breweries in Milwaukee, killing five fellow workers before taking his own life, police said.

The assailant who attacked the Molson Coors complex was identified as a 51-year-old Milwaukee man who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

“There were five individuals who went to work today, just like everybody goes to work, and they thought they

This establishment, Texas Tech University & The Daily Toreador do not encourage underage drinking or alcohol abuse.

were going to go to work, finish their day and return to their families. They didn’t — and tragically they never will,” Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said.

Authorities offered no immediate motive for the attack and did not release details about the shooter or how the shooting unfolded.

None of the victims was identified. Police said they were still contacting relatives as of early evening.

No one was wounded beyond those who were killed,

authorities said.

Officers were working to clear the more than 20 buildings in the complex where more than 1,000 people work.

Police Chief Alfonso Morales said authorities believe the shooter operated alone and that the threat was over.

President Donald Trump addressed the shooting before speaking at the White House about steps his administration is taking to combat the coronavirus.

“Our hearts break for them and their loved ones,”

the president said. “We send our condolences. We’ll be with them, and it’s a terrible thing, a terrible thing.”

The attack occurred at a sprawling complex that includes a mix of corporate offices and brewing facilities.

The complex is widely known in the Milwaukee area as “Miller Valley,” a reference to the Miller Brewing Co. that is now part of Molson Coors.

Molson Coors CEO Gavin Hattersley called the shooter “an active brewery employee.”

NEWS

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ENROLLMENT

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 Promoting diversity on campus is one task Schovanec said the university has worked to accomplish over the past few years, whether it be through collaborating with student organizations, such as the Black Student Association, or working to update recruitment efforts.

“Like all universities, we see the benefit of diversity,” he said. “For one thing, if you have a campus with a large amount of diversity, you’re actually preparing students for the world they’re going to work in.”

Members of the university need to ensure there is a sense of inclusion among students and ensure students are comfortable on campus, Schovanec said.

Jason Hale, interim executive director for Tech Undergraduate Admissions, said Undergraduate Admissions, which focuses on incoming freshmen and transfer students, looks at enrollment trends to work on aspects such as diversity. “ U n d e r g r a d u a t e A dmissions has worked very closely with all of our academic colleges but also specifically with the [Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion] and how we can partner together to really make sure students are aware of the services that are needed,” he said.

When looking at enrollment trends, Hale said Undergraduate Admissions will look at the fall term as a benchmark for where the university wants to be.

“We also partner with all of our academic colleges, so specifically working with them on recruitment

efforts for new students and how we can work together,” he said.

Despite the opportunities increasing student enrollment can provide, Hale said too many students on campus can pose issues if there are not enough resources. Because of this, one goal of the university is to maintain a low student to teacher ratio.

Undergraduate Admissions collaborates with other departments to determine how to best accommodate the increasing number of students, Hale said. University Student Housing is one department Undergraduate Admissions works with to make sure there are living spaces available for incoming students on campus.

There’s all sorts of challenges, I think, that we face when you grow an institution, JASON HALE UNDERGRAD. ADMISSIONS “There’s all sorts of challenges, I think, that we face when you grow an institution,” he said. “One of the things, I think, Texas Tech has done a good job of is making sure that those people are aware of what the enrollment goals are.”

Mayukh Dass, J.B. Hoskins Professor of Marketing and associate dean of graduate programs and research at the Tech Rawls College of Business, said increasing enrollment can be a problem.

From 2019 to 2020, spring enrollment at the

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Rawls College of Business increased from 4,306 to 4,914, according to the Tech Institutional Factbook. “ I t h i n k t h a t ’s t h e bigger challenge, is the resource challenge,” he said regarding the need to provide a good education with the current resources while also maintaining a good level of enrollment.

Regardless of this challenge, Dass said the Rawls College of Business provides different opportunities and resources for its students, such as an online Master of Business Administration.

Enrollment shows the value a university provides to students, Dass said. “ I t ’s i m p o r t a n t t h a t enrollment reflects the quality of the program you have,” he said. “Our numbers show that we provide a very high quality education from the Rawls College of Business and also from Texas Tech.”

Whether it be the opportunities or the challenges enrollment changes can provide, there could be a variety of factors one needs to consider.

“But again, I want to emphasize that you don’t make decisions just based on growth,” he said. “It’s the quality of the experience, it’s issues that affect why people may or may not want to major in certain areas,” Schovanec said. “You have to make sure you’re responsible in the decisions you make in terms of being concerned about the best interest of the student.” @AdanRubioDT

FEB. 27, 2020

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TEXAS TECH TORNADO

MADELINE DIFFEE/The Daily Toreador

The ‘Tornado of Ideas,’ a sculpture created by artist Tom Otterness, is displayed on the west side of the Student Union Building. The sculpture is made to show the mixing of different ideas.

OPINIONS

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COLUMN

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All majors valid, necessary for job market

B

eing a communications student, I can’t begin to express the amount of times I have felt insecure announcing my major to someone who isn’t in the Media & Communications college.

It’s not that I feel ashamed of my major or hate what I do, but the reasoning is I already know what the other person is thinking before they say it, and I just don’t want to have that conversation.

The conversation where that person asks me exactly how I plan to use my major or says something along the lines of how easy college must have been for me.

The fact is if you aren’t in someone’s college, you are truly not going to know what it is they do or how much work it takes. Too often, people associate majors from the Media and Communications college or any liberal arts college as

throw-away majors.

I’ve heard from many of my peers who are in different colleges how my major is too easy and how it is irrelevant to the real world.

My major has been compared to their degree in terms of importance and workload. In a way, several people tend to make others feel inadequate simply because of the degree path they have chosen.

This expands beyond just MCOM majors.

This is for everyone in any college who has experienced these types of prejudices. This goes to those with majors in history, liberal arts, social sciences, education and more.

I find in most in stances if one’s degree

CORRECTION

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

In the Feb. 24 issue of The Daily Toreador, a column had the name of NBA athlete Bill Russell misspelled. It read as “Bill Russel” and should have stated Bill Russell.

The DT regrets this error.

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EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Austin Watts (806) 742-3395 editor@dailytoreador.com Managing Editor Chase Seabolt managing@dailytoreador.com News Editor Adán Rubio news@dailytoreador.com La Vida Editor Elizabteth Herbert features@dailytoreador.com Sports Editor Max Hengst sports@dailytoreador.com Opinions Editor Gloria Matheson opinions@dailytoreador.com Multimedia Editor Audrey Kerr photo@dailytoreador.com Digital Content Manager Mallory Rosetta online@dailytoreador.com Copy Editor Akhila Reddy Emma Sipple online@dailytoreador.com

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© Copyright 2020TexasTech University Student Media/The Daily Toreador. All DT articles, photographs and artwork are the property of The DT and Student Media and may not be reproduced or published without permission. The DailyToreador is a designated public forum. Student editors have the authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval.

Angela Contreras is a senior public relations major from Sabinal.

does not lie within statistics, technology, engineering, or math, then one’s academic choice is often dismissed as an easy major.

Now is the time to stop criticizing our fellow peers for their choice of direction and preferred degree. Each major is valid, each major is needed and each student has picked what is right for them.

There is no need to shame students or a desired degree when the world needs all of them.

As an empathetic, curious and creative person, I have found communication studies was the best fit for me even after switching from public relations.

This major worked for me because I am passionate about the different theories and philosophical approaches to how we communicate and function as a society. My interest and

passion lies in what I do.

For others, their curiosities and passions lie within numbers, agriculture, structures, dance, theatre, equations and everything else in between.

There is no need to feel less than when telling someone what your career path is.

If it is your passion, then it is right for you.

Students who are following their passion should not have to justify their reasoning for it, and it doesn’t make you any less smart if you are pursuing a degree that isn’t a part of STEM. Every student in every degree program works just as hard to achieve their goals.

Each program is unique

and requires some sort of work ethic and critical thinking that the other does not.

Some programs require more creativity and larger projects while others require consistent homework. The course load is not a reflection of the validity of a major. The world needs creativity and art just as much as it needs buildings and technology.

American technology entrepreneur and engineering professor Vivek Wadha wrote an article for The New York Times in 2011 stating “…there is the matter of design.

Steve Jobs taught the world that good engineering is important, but what matters the most is good design. You can teach artists how to use software and graphic tools, but it’s much harder to turn engineer into artists. Our society needs liberal arts majors as much as engineers and scientists.”

I find this statement to be on point with how all degrees need each other. Every single major coincides with each other in one way or another. These degrees are taken further into the world of business and to the culture of society.

There is no need to discriminate against a course of study that is not your own. There is no need to feel less when telling someone what your career path is. If it is your passion, then it is right for you.

You will not excel in something you do not care about.

What is important is you are confident in your chosen field, excited about what you do and excel in your passion. You were created for your study, and there is a world of opportunity out there for your specialized skills. @AngContrerasDT

2020 Census participation crucial to Lubbock county

A

s the 2020 Census draws near, it is important we all participate. I understand there are communities that have historically been under counted, and this year there is an even greater challenge in getting those who live in the shadows, regardless of the reason, to respond to the 2020 census.

Our federal grant funds allocation hinges on the population data acquired from the Census.

Dwight McDonald is a professor at the Texas Tech School of Law.

Congress relies on the Census data to allocate the number of seats of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Census data also serves as a basis for allocating billions of dollars to state and local governments. The information gathered from the Census is safe, strictly confidential and only used for statistical purposes. Title 13 of the U.S. Code guar-

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antees the confidentiality of all information gathered by the Census Bureau.

The Census Bureau estimates that for each citizen that is counted, the County will receive $1500 per year for 10 years in additional federal funding.

Several programs essential to Lubbock County residents whose funding are determined by population include funding for state highway construction and main-

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on Feb. 28 “Shocking” “Thrilling” “Terrifying”

tenance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Head Start, school lunch programs, State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), foster care and adoptions, Pell Grants, mental health services, Medicare and Medicaid, to name a few.

Taking part in the Census is your civic duty. You can fill out the 10 questions on the 2020 Census online, by phone or in

“GUNS AKIMBO”

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on Feb. 28 “Hilarious” “Chaotic” “Dark Comedy”

paper form. We all have a role in ensuring that everyone is counted to receive our fair share of the federal funds distributed based on the Census.

Accordingly, I encourage you to answer the census questions, and encourage your family, friends and associates to do likewise. In doing so, we all ensure Lubbock County counts. @DailyToreador

Marcus Gutierrez is a sophomore creative media industries major from Houston.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Trump faces credibility test as he plays down virus threat WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump faces a critical personal challenge in grappling with the new coronavirus outbreak: Asking Americans to believe him after he and some of his top advisers have contradicted federal scientists in playing down the threat.

Keenly aware of the stakes not just for public health but also his credibility, Trump conducted a lengthy press conference Wednesday evening aimed at reassuring everyone that he has the crisis well in hand.

Trump surrounded himself with his administration’s top health experts. And he encouraged Americans to be prepared for the virus’ potential spread.

But he continued to minimize the risk, saying the outbreak “may get a little bigger; it may not get bigger at all.”

And he continued to distance himself from the stated opinion of public health officials that it’s inevitable the virus will spread within the United States.

As businesses, schools and people in general think about preparing, the X-factor may be an unpredictable president who has clashed repeatedly with scientists in his own administration and tends to see any crisis through the lens of his own reelection chances.

LETTERS The Daily Toreador welcomes letters from readers. Letters must be no longer than 300 words and must include the author’s name,

“I don’t think it’s inevitable,” Trump said at the news conference, where he announced Vice President Mike Pence would lead the administration’s response to the outbreak. “I think it has a chance that it could get worse.

There is a chance you can get fairly substantially worse.

But nothing’s inevitable.”

He also said he had recently learned that thousands die from the flu each year, contrasting that to the coronavirus.

After two days of the stock market tumbling, Trump took to Twitter Wednesday morning to blame the media and Democrats for causing undue alarm and harming American financial markets.

He singled out MSNBC and CNN for “doing everything possible to make the Coronavirus look as bad as possible, including panicking markets, if possible,” and added that “incompetent Do Nothing Democrat comrades are all talk, no action.”

He blamed part of this week’s stock market slide on people’s reaction to Tuesday night’s Democratic debate and the possibility one of those candidates might replace him. And Trump acknowledged that the outbreak could “have an impact on GDP” but insisted that the U.S. economy is still “do-

signature, phone number, student ID number and a description of university affiliation. Students should include year in school, major and hometown. We reserve the right to edit letters. Anonymous letters will not be accepted for publication. All letters will be verified before they are published. Letters can be emailed to dailytoreador@ ttu.edu or brought to 180 Media and Communication. Letters should be sent in before 3 p.m. to ensure the editors have enough time to verify and edit the submission.

ing great.”

The setting for Trump’s evening press conference — the White House press briefing room — was meant to offer a sense of calm and assurance by the president.

It was only the second time in his presidency that Trump had spoken from the podium in that room, and aides acknowledged he was trying to underscore that he has the situation under control and understands the gravity.

In advance, Trump played down the mortality rate for a pathogen that has been confirmed to have killed 2,700 people globally. His top economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, echoed Trump’s outlook, saying Tuesday that the U.S. had “contained” the threat of a domestic outbreak.

Trump’s and Kudlow’s comments were at odds with warnings from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials who said American communities need to prepare now for when the disease starts spreading domestically.

So far, there have been just 60 confirmed cases in the U.S. “The messaging by the White House is unhelpful,” said Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law at Georgetown University. “What the White House is doing is conveying a sense of overconfidence.

... Of course, we do want to maintain calm with the public, but it flies in the face of facts.”

Trump’s public efforts to project calm masked a behind-the-scenes focus.

During his 36-hour visit to India, Trump received briefings from staff and periodically checked the impact on Wall Street, tweeting at all hours to try to reassure Americans and the markets about the spread of the virus.

Trump expressed deep concern to aides about the effect on the markets, according to White House officials and Republicans close to the West Wing. Trump has tied his fortunes to Wall Street more closely than any of his recent predecessors and has made a strong economy his No. 1 argument for reelection.

As the media coverage of the virus has increased, Trump has grown concerned that even fears of an outbreak would stagger Wall Street, leading him to wonder aloud if Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar was the right person to lead the administration’s response, the officials said.

Since the start of the crisis, Trump has been reluctant to blame China, where the virus originated, for fear of upsetting President Xi Jinping or damaging ongoing trade talks.

GUEST COLUMNS The Daily Toreador accepts submissions of unsolicited guest columns. While we cannot acknowledge receipt of all columns, the authors of those selected for publication will be notified. Guest columns should be no longer than 650 words in length and on a topic of relevance to the university community. Guest columns are also edited and follow the same guidelines for letters as far as identification and submittal.

But he is also fearful he could be accused of being unresponsive to the crisis.

At the urging of a number of his internal and outside advisers, he directed the White House to adopt a more public presence, leading to a briefing by officials and emails to the press stressing the administration’s response.

“Americans want to see their president taking charge and showing leadership, and that is exactly what President Trump is doing,” said Trump campaign spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany.

Privately, aides said concerns have spiked in recent days inside the Trump reelection campaign. Republicans close to the White House are keenly aware of the political implications of a pandemic scare. In 2014, the GOP aggressively criticized the Obama administration’s handling of the Ebola epidemic, which it later credited with helping the party seize back the majority in the Senate.

The most pressing concern, aides said, is not the possibility of widespread outbreak in the U.S. — Trump’s aides do believe existing monitoring and restrictions are working — but the downstream effects of the virus on the global economy and public sentiment.

EDITORIALS Unsigned editorials appearing on this page represent the opinion of The DailyToreador. All other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinions of their authors and are not necessarily representative of the editorial board, Texas Tech University, its employees, its student body or the Board of Regents. The DailyToreador is independent of the College of Media and Communication. Responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies with the student editors.

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DOBBINS CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 Following his freshman season getting experience in both the Big 12 and NCAA Tournament and making an appearance at the College World Series, Dobbins headed into his sophomore season looking to improve.

“There’s always something you can get better at,” Dobbins said. “You can always work on locating, that’s one of my biggest pints. I just wanna hit the point at the mitt wherever it is put with any of my pitches. This offseason, I definitely worked on my off-speed command and keeping my fastball down and just to throw whatever is called in any situation.”

Heading into this season, the competition for a starting role at the mound is tight. Since the season has started, Dobbins, Bryce Bonnin, Clayton B e e t e r, A u s t i n B e c k e r and Mason Montgomery have each earned a start.

Sophomore Micah Dallas could also be thrown in the mix as he was last season’s Friday starter.

“We do have a lot of

starting arms and it’s definitely a blessing,” Dobbins said. “I stay ready to go.

Like in the bullpen, I just kind of wait until my name is called whether that’s in relief, starting. I mean any opportunity, I go out there, and I try to perform for my teammates and do the best I can for them.”

After getting opportunities to start and come out of the bullpen, Dobbins’ takes the same approach to every outing.

“With the limited starts, it doesn’t really change anything,” Dobbins said.

“Coming out of the bullpen or not, it’s the same strike zone, same situation. You just got to do what you can for your team.”

In Dobbins’ career outing against Southern, Tech’s offense helped back the pitching, outscoring the Jaguars 7-1 in the first two innings.

“In a good way and a bad way sometimes,” head coach Tim Tadlock said regarding if the offense provided a comfort level for the pitching. “Sometimes you don’t demand yourself as you would if it’s a close game. Ideally, you want guys who are trying to be

SPORTS as good as they can be no matter what the score is.”

For Dobbins, he said the big lead helped his pitching significantly.

“In the first inning where I was struggling, we came right back in the bottom of the first and (the offense) answered right back,” Dobbins said.

“Our offense was able to put up runs and it really helped me just take that deep breath, relax, kind of get back to what I do – pound the zone and let our defense work. Them putting up those kind of runs helped me relax a little bit and definitely helped a lot.”

This is not something new for the Red Raiders, as Dobbins said the offense and defense feed off of each other, resulting in Tech being ranked a top-five team in the country in all five major baseball publications.

“It’s just one of those things, our teams pick each other up really well,” Dobbins said. “Whenever the pitching is good, whenever the hitting’s good, the defense is solid, it carries over to the others big. It kind of lets us carry that momentum in the next

Page 5 THURSDAY, FEB. 27, 2020

CHASE SEABOLT/The Daily Toreador

Texas Tech baseball sophomore right-handed pitcher Hunter Dobbins throws a pitch during the game between Tech and Northern Colorado on Sunday, Feb. 16, at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park. Tech defeated Northern Colorado, 14-3. Dobbins has posted a 2.57 ERA this season. innings and even to the next games. It really just allows us to put together solid performances.”

While Dobbins will

most likely not start in Tech’s weekend trip to Tallahassee, the Red Raiders will take on Florida Atlantic at 1 p.m. on Friday.

They will then play two games against Florida State at 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday. @MaxHengstDT

MEN’S TENNIS

Tech moves up in rankings

By ARIANNA FLORES Staff Writer

The Texas Tech men’s tennis team was ranked No. 18 in the nation earlier this week.

The Red Raiders moved up three spots from their previous No. 21 ranking after two victories and a loss at the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic.

During this tournament, Tech lost to No. 48 Alabama 2-4 in the opening match. In this match No. 74 ranked singles player sophomore Ilgiz Valiev and junior Franco Ribero were the only Red Raiders to win their singles match.

In the second match of the Classic, the Red Raiders defeated No. 27 Middle Tennessee State 4-1. Tech first secured the doubles point, and Valiev was the first Tech player to defeat his competition in two sets, 6-0 and 6-2. Then No. 53 singles player, senior Parker Wynn, defeated his Tennessee opponent in two sets 6-3 and 6-2. To capture the final match point, Ribero won 6-2 in both of his sets, making him 7-0 this season.

This was Tech’s second ranked win of the season, after defeating No. 20 Mississippi State 4-2.

In the final match of the Classic for Tech, the Red Raiders finished by shutting out the Fresno State Bulldogs 4-0, according to Tech Athletics.

Along with the doubles point,

Valiev once again secured the first singles point for the Red Raiders for an early 2-0 lead.

Sophomore Isaac Arevalo was next to win 7-6 and 6-1 for the third point. Wynn nailed the final match point with a 6-3 victory in both his first and second sets.

Tech now has an 8-4 overall record and is 2-0 at home and 4-4 on neutral ground, according to Tech Athletics.

This time last year, Tech was ranked No. 38 in the nation, according to ITA Rankings, and the highest ranking the team reached in 2019 was No. 18.

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The tennis team will return to Lubbock for five straight matches at the McLeod Tennis Center. Tech starts its time at home with a double header at 9:30 a.m. on Friday against New Mexico State and at 3:30 p.m. versus the University of Tulsa. @AriannaFloresDT

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6

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FEB. 27, 2020

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TRACK & FIELD

Track team has its sights set toward Big 12 title

By ANA ARTHUR Staff Writer

The Texas Tech track and field team is set to compete in the Big 12 Championships on Friday and Saturday in Ames, Iowa.

Tech will bring some of its strongest athletes in the hopes of putting together the most dominant title win in the conference.

At the championships, the Tech’s men’s team will be searching for its thirdstraight indoor championship and fifth-straight overall Big 12 title.

“We just need to do what we’ve been doing,” track and field head coach Wes Kittley said. “This meet is scary for us, but there’s a championship on the line, so we are going to try and go get it.”

Among the Red Raiders competing this weekend is Derrius Rodgers. He is a returning two-time AllBig 12 sprinter in both the 60-meter and 200-meter and is currently ranked third in the Big 12. Rodgers’ biggest competition going into the is meet is a sprinter from TCU who holds the number-one spot in the Big 12 for the 60-meters at 6.63. Rodgers’ best 60-meter sprint was at the Tech Matador Qualifier meet where he ran 6.64. Competing against Rodgers in the 200-meter will be Iowa transfer Karayme Bartley, who ran 20.61 last weekend for the third-fastest time in the NCAA this year.

Another strong contender for the Red Raiders is Keion

Sutton, who currently sits ninth in the men’s 60-meter with his 6.68. Jacolby Shelton is tied with Rodgers for the best time in the conference at 6.64. Shelton will also compete this weekend in the men’s 200-meter and 60-meter.

Looking to the field events, pole vaulter Brandon Bray will compete for his first career Big 12 title.

Bray currently holds the indoor and outdoor school record for men’s pole vault.

BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP • • •

WHEN — Feb. 28 WHERE — Ames, Iowa TIME — 10 a.m.

Gabe Oladipo also is set to compete and will look for his first Big 12 title win, as it is his first year in the Big 12 after transferring to Tech from Texas A&M. Since throwing his best record of 71’-0.75” or 21.66 meters, Oladipo has thrown four other program top-10 distances.

Leading the conference in the men’s long jump is Justin Hall. Nationally, Hall holds the number one spot in the Big 12 with a 26’ 5” or 8.05-meter jump.

With marks not far from Hall, jumpers from Texas and Oklahoma will be bringing the heat for the Big 12 championship.

“The Big 12 is a great competition,” Hall said. “It’s a great feeling to get out there and compete with them.”

On the women’s side, Ruth Usoro will try and get the title in the women’s triple and long jump. Usoro holds the school record in both events. In addition, she currently ranks third in the NCAA in the long and fourth in the triple. Joining Usoro will be Chloe Wall, whose season’s best was 14’-2.75” or 4.34 meters.

Chinne Okoronkwo is returning to the Big 12 championship to seek her second-straight title in the women’s pole vault.

Moving to the track, athlete Gabrielle McDonald will make her appearance in the 60-meter hurdles. McDonald sits as the conference top hurdler and holds the school record after running 8.02 at the Corky Classic.

Leading the Lady Raiders in both the 60-meter and 200-meter is D’Jenne Egharevba, who ranks topfour in the conference.

The women will face tough competition against Te x a s , O k l a h o m a a n d Iowa, as all three are big teams who have nationallyranked athletes.

“Any points we get there are going to be huge.

Iowa State is really going to load all the longdistance stuff especially,” Kittley said. “I tell my kids we just need to go in that meet and do what we’ve been doing, and then we’ll be fine.”

The Big 12 Championship will begin for the Red Raiders at 10 a.m. on Friday in Ames, Iowa. @AnaArthurDT

FILE PHOTO AND CASSANDRA MARTINEZ/The Daily Toreador

TOP: Sophomore sprinter Jacolby Shelton prepares for his race at the Corky Classic track meet on Jan. 12, 2019, in the Sports Performance Center. BOTTOM: Senior Chinne Okoronkwo practices for pole vault during the matador qualifier, which took place at the Sports Performance Center on Feb 21, 2020.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Former Penn coach slapped with 15-year show-cause penalty PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Former Penn coach Jerome Allen was hit a 15-year show-cause penalty after he accepted $300,000 in bribes

to get a wealthy Florida businessman’s son into the University of Pennsylvania.

The Quakers, out of the Ivy League, also were

slapped by the NCAA with two years of probation, fined $5,000 and given recruiting punishments. Allen’s showcause penalty is meant to limit a coach’s ability to work in college sports after breaking NCAA rules.

“While Penn Athletics and its men’s basketball program accept the penalties handed down by the NCAA, it is unfortunate that this process did not fully differentiate wrongdoing for personal gain versus wrongdoing for competitive gain in penalizing the institution in addition to the involved individual,” Penn said in a statement. “The University of Pennsylvania was harmed by the actions of its former head coach and the men’s basketball program received no competitive advantage. We are hopeful that this case will lead to changes in how the NCAA processes similar situations moving forward.”

Allen played for the Quakers between 1992–95 and coached the team from 2009–15. He went 66-104 with the Quakers. He was hired by the Boston Celtics in 2015 and remains on the coaching staff.

Allen was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay a fine last July in the college bribery case. Allen received a lenient sentence after testifying for prosecutors against Philip Esformes in a $1 billion Medicare fraud trial. Esformes was convicted in April of 20 counts including money laundering and obstruction of justice and awaits sentencing.

Allen testified that he accepted Esformes’ money to help the businessman’s son, Morris, gain acceptance as a “recruited” basketball player at Penn.