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MUSIC

Clement Hall creates Clement Hall

Dorm opens door to alternative sound at SGA’s Music Monday event

By MARIANNA SOURIALL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Started by a group of future architects, Luke Hamaker, Tyler Cush and Aidan Haydu found themselves in Clement Hall designing the blueprints of a band that would eventually leave an unwavering mark through music. House parties and small gigs led the three friends to aspiring musicians Quinn Edgar and Gus Olivera.

Together, the five artist now form the band, Clement Hall. Clement Hall, a dorm space on campus, housed Hamaker, Cush and Haydu their first year at Texas Tech. Lead singer Hamaker said in the dorms the three would cover songs and make music.

“Our first show was on Halloween. It was at another house that does house shows pretty oftenly,” Hamaker said. “What was cool about it was that me and Aiden went to a show there probably a

THE BRAND

couple months before we got it, and we were sitting there like in front, watching the band and we were like ‘that would be super cool if we could somehow get up there and play together.’ Sure enough, that was our first show. ”

It also was at the band’s first show where they met eventual drummer Olivera. Olivera started playing the drums at church and said playing live is something he has always wanted to do in general.

“I had been looking for people to start a band with or like play music together with and they just kind of like fell on my lap,” Oliver said. “I was just chilling one day doing nothing, and then Luke [texted] me, ‘Hey, you wanna come play with us?’ and I said ‘Oh yes, yes I would.’”

Lead guitarist Edgar followed the same calling as he stumbled across the band at an event and made conversation. A few months later, Hamaker reached out and

Edgar said yes.

Including their first album “Songs from Lamesa,” the upand-coming band has released two singles and continues to play live in the Lubbock music scene.

Keyboardist Cush said it is the friendship that helps the most when practicing together since it doesn’t feel like a chore.

“It’s kind of a fun dynamic, like me, Luke and Aiden have been friends for three years now, and we kind of just clicked really easily,” Cush said. “Gus and Quinn basically clicked instantly, so it’s like we’ve been friends forever.”

With friendship as their driving force, collectively the band simply enjoys playing music and interacting with the crowd. For Edgar specifically, playing live is the reason he enjoys playing in general as it is something most people will never get to do in their lifetime.

“Musicians will always talk about the flow state, artists will

talk about it, athletes will talk about it. The flow state is just like when you’re really genuinely in the moment and like you’re just so focused on what you’re doing, and that feeling is just so enhanced when you’re playing live,” Edgar said. “I think all of these guys are backing me up when I say magic things just happen when you play live. It’s just different. Playing live is just a magical feeling, and there’s literally nothing like it.”

Playing live is just a magical feeling, and there’s literally nothing like it.

EDGAR LEAD GUITARIST

While the opportunities for Clement Hall are just beginning,

the integrity of the band is still rooted in group chats and the GarageBand app.

“Usually I’ll make the like very rough idea on my phone on GarageBand with just like program drums. I’ll play like one guitar and sing the melody,” Hamaker said. “We’ll send it around the group chat and if we like it, we’ll bring it into the studio, pull it into Logic, which is what we use to mix, and then come up with a full song structure.”

Overall the band simply enjoys playing music and the company of each other. For bass guitarist Haydu, some of his favorite memories with the guys come from events where the band dressed up in fun outfits such as astronaut helmets or the Arctic Monkeys.

To take part in the memories being made, Clement Hall will be perform at the SGA’s first Music Monday from 6-8 p.m. hosted at Urbanovsky Park Monday, Aug 28.

@MariannaS_DT

Ramirez returns, embraces the Number ree

By JAMAR BROOKS SPORTS WRITER

On Sept. 2, Texas Tech senior linebacker Bryce Ramirez will step back onto the field as not only a testament to perseverance, but also as a torchbearer of the No. 3, brandishing the coveted jersey and serving as an inspiration to those around him.

The No. 3 jersey is awarded to the player that best represents ‘The Brand’ of Texas Tech

football. The tradition honors Luke Siegel, the late son of former Tech tennis coach Tim Siegel, standing for courage, determination and unity, characteristics that were embodied by Luke Siegel during his fight against a brain injury.

In his wake, Luke Siegel’s legacy remains, and was honored by Ramirez during his own battle to recovery.

Ramirez suffered a compound fracture of his lower left leg Sept.17, 2022, against North

Carolina State in his first ever start for Tech.

Ramirez was announced as the recipient of the jersey by Tech’s head football coach Joey McGuire on May 30. After the team’s first fall camp practice in early August, McGuire elaborated on why he felt Ramirez deserved the honor of representing ‘The Brand.’

“One of the coolest stories that I’ve been part of,” McGuire said. “His work ethic and his leadership is probably as strong

as anybody that I’ve ever been around.”

After one of the team’s practices, Ramirez opened up about the initial moment when he got hurt and his thought process while lying injured on the field.

“Off the rip, I knew it was broken. I felt the impact. I didn’t realize how bad it was but I knew it was broken,” Ramirez said. “I knew I wasn’t gonna get up and then I heard the NC (North Carolina) State sideline,

they were like ‘Oh my God! Oh my God!’ When I took my helmet off to look, that’s why I started to freak out a little bit.”

For some, having a precious milestone (such as a first career start) in their life be stripped away and tainted in such a manner would be too much to overcome. For Ramirez, that would prove to not be the case.

Despite the gruesome nature of his injury, Ramirez said

MARIANNA SOURIALL/The Daily Toreador

Members of Clement Hall (from left to right) Aiden Haydu, Luke Hamaker, Quinn Edgar, Tyler Cush and center, Gus Olivera gather in their practice garage for their first practice since returning to Lubbock. An upcoming event for the band is the SGA’s Music Monday 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Aug. 28 at the Urbanovsky Ampitheatre.

QUINN

Smith prepares to represent

By AYNSLEY LARSEN NEWS AND L A VIDA EDITOR

Steeley Smith began her Texas Tech career as a student assistant in the office of the Board of Regents — now, she represents both her alma mater and its sister institutions as student regent for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Smith, a pillar of ambition, earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communication, a master’s in media and mass communication and is pursuing a master’s in agribusiness.

She participated in President’s Select and Agriculture Future of America, was a Texas Tech Terry Scholar and member of the Mortar Board Honor Society and made both the President’s and Dean’s Lists.

On June 13, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced

Smith’s appointment as student regent for the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents.

Smith’s appointment marks her as the System’s 18th overall student regent and the sixth from Tech, according to the Tech System website.

Smith, a Mason native, is the seventh generation to grow up on her family’s hometown ranch. She always has harbored a passion for agriculture and knew it would be her future career field.

“Agriculture has always been very important in my life and very important in the lives of those around me,” Smith said. “Recently my family bought a business in my hometown, a local feed store, so I’ve gotten more interested in the business side of things. Hopefully I’ll get to help run the store with

my sister one day.”

A dedicated, involved and passionate student, Smith described the support and encouragement she was met with at Tech and her subsequent honor of being selected to represent the students of the Tech System.

“Surrounding me with like-minded people, people who I knew were going to challenge me and to help me grow, is definitely something that I will always be thankful to Texas Tech for,” Smith said. “There’s so many people that I could name at Texas Tech that have helped guide me, and I definitely wouldn’t trade my time at Texas Tech for anything else.”

A student regent is a nonvoting member of the Board of Regents whose purpose is to ensure the voices of students are heard, Smith said. The Tech System is composed of five institutions: Angelo State University, Midwestern State University, Tech, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso.

Smith emphasized her dedication to understanding the values and desires of students from each.

“I don’t necessarily vote on the issues that require voting during Board meetings, but I’m always there just to serve as a voice for the students and to make sure that their best interests are being taken into account in Board decisions,” Smith said.

Selecting a student regent is a long, thorough process; each institution’s Student Government Association collects applications from its respective university, which are submitted to and reviewed by

the chancellors’ offices, then sent to the governor’s office for a final decision.

“There’s lots of candidates that would be great in this role. … I can’t imagine how difficult it is to make this decision,” Smith said. “I’m still honored that I was selected to participate.”

As an undergraduate, Smith’s position as a student assistant allowed her to observe the workings of the Board, as well as the student regents that preceded her.

“I got to learn a little bit of the process and the role of a student regent, and all of the student regents prior to me I just had so much respect for,” Smith said. “I had never imagined when I was a freshman that I would be here now, but I’m so grateful and fortunate to be.”

Smith attended her first meeting as student regent on Aug. 10 and 11, a meeting she prepared for with extensive research on each of the System’s institutions, communication with student

leaders and an understanding of recent state legislative decisions.

Smith commented on her commitment to the students within the System and her dedication to consistent representation.

“As a fellow student myself, it’s my job to serve as that liaison between the students and the Board and to make sure that our students’ voices are being heard in the different matters that the Board oversees,” Smith said.

Smith expressed her goal of understanding the diversity of the Tech System and making the best decisions for its students, saying her sole job is to support (the students) and be a resource for them.

Ronald Phillips, Tech’s senior director of government relations and Smith’s former professor, works with her in the Government and Public Service Internship Program. Phillips encouraged Smith to intern in Washington, D.C., during the summer of 2020.

“It wasn’t easy. They were in D.C., right in the middle of COVID. A lot of things were shut down, people were isolated. But she went and true to her nature, she made the very best of that situation,” Phillips said. “After she got back ... I could see that it had made a difference in her.”

Phillips described Smith’s love and passion for Tech, saying he was her biggest cheerleader during the application process.

“I was really proud to see that Gov. Abbott selected her to serve as a student regent,” Phillips said. “She truly loves Texas Tech, she’s an incredible Red Raider and I couldn’t think of anyone better suited and better equipped to represent our students than Steeley.”

Smith can be reached through the Tech System website and encourages students to connect with her as she continues in her role.

The next Board of Regents meeting will be Nov. 16-17.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTIE LIMMER/TECH SYSTEM

Newly appointed student regent Steeley Smith (left) is sworn in to the Tech System Board of Regents by Vice Chairwoman Ginger Kerrick Davis Aug. 10, 2023.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTIE LIMMER/TECH SYSTEM

Steeley Smith, a graduate student from Mason studying agribusiness, attends her first Board of Regents meeting Aug. 10, 2023.

Colleges provide numerous resources for all students

By NATE ZIEGNER STAFF WRITER

Whether you are a firstyear or a veteran Tech student looking for something to get involved in, Texas Tech provides a wide range of involvement.

Split into 10 academic colleges for undergraduate students, each houses specific resources available to their students as well as opportunities for the whole student body.

Visual Arts

The J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts, centralized within the Maedgen Theatre, houses majors such as theatre and dance. The college hosts theatrical productions throughout the year, providing an outlet for students to express themselves creatively.

Tickets to these shows are free for Tech students; A list of upcoming shows can be found online.

For those wishing to perform and get involved, there are opportunities with the program such as theatre arts and general music studies. Students also may declare a minor within the college.

More information can be found on the web at: https:// www.depts.ttu.edu/visualperforming-arts/.

Communications

The College of Media & Communication is home to the majors of journalism, public relations, communication studies, creative media industries, digital media and professional communication, advertising and media strategies.

Within the college, there are multiple employment positions and organizations within the media realm. Students wishing to get hands-on ex-

perience in different media outlets can join The Daily Toreador, KTXT-FM and MCTV station, many of which are not exclusive to students in the College of Media & Communication.

The college also recently opened a state-of-the-art Esports gaming lab that is available to all Tech students.

Further information on the College of Media & Communication resources can be found at: https://www.depts. ttu.edu/comc/.

Agriculture

Students with a passion for the outdoors can find an opportunity with the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources.

Along with an extensive list of organizations, the college offers competitive and judging teams for students.

The Davis College is also known for its highly-ranked government internships and various study-abroad programs. Find more information at: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/ agriculturalsciences/.

Architecture

The Huckabee College of Architecture is a highly competitive program for students wishing to get involved in the architectural field.

Within the college itself are state-of-the-art facilities for modeling and printing reserved for its students.

Along with this, the Master’s in Architecture program aids students in achieving their graduate degrees, a requirement to become a licensed architect in the professional world.

More information is available at: https://www.depts.ttu. edu/architecture/.

Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts & Sci-

ences is one of the largest on campus, housing over 10,000 students. With this high number of students, various student organizations follow, many of which are not reserved for any specific majors.

Encompassed within the college is also the pre-health program for any students looking towards the medical field and continuing their education in medical school.

While the hub of the college is being moved to the English and Philosophy building, anyone looking for a complete list of organizations and clubs can find it at: https://www.depts. ttu.edu/artsandsciences/.

Business

The Jerry S. Rawls College of Business is housed at the northern end of campus toward the football and baseball athletic facilities.

Anyone looking to major in accounting, energy commerce, marketing, finance, information technology, management or supply chain management will find their home in this college.

Along with these majors are

organizations and programs centered around educating students on concepts like investing and navigating the stock market.

The Business College also offers organizations open to students of any major to gain knowledge in marketing, real estate and general management skills. Find more information at: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/ rawlsbusiness/.

Education

Positioned directly across from the English building, the College of Education is home to anyone interested in the teaching world.

Students have access to numerous facilities, giving them practice and hands-on classroom experience. The college also holds a children’s book collection full of many world-renowned authors.

Any incoming first-year students also have the opportunity to live in a specific learning community with other College of Education students.

For this and more go to:

https://www.depts.ttu.edu/ education/.

Engineering

The Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering is housed on the northern side of Memorial Circle and offers a wide range of engineeringrelated majors.

The college is known for its heavy encouragement for students to study abroad before completing their time as an undergraduate. Within the petroleum engineering program specifically, recent construction has allowed students the chance to work with functioning oil facilities without leaving the Lubbock area, something that put Tech’s programs at the top of the nation.

Learn more at: https:// www.depts.ttu.edu/coe/.

Honors College

The Honors College offers specific major programs for students along with opportunities for students in every other college on campus. Any student can apply with whatever major they hold and, upon admittance, can register for

honors-specific classes that allow them to focus specifically on research and analytical focus in differing subjects.

Within the college are additional study abroad programs, elementary school mentoring programs and even more student organizations.

More information and how to apply can be found at: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/ honors/.

Human Sciences

The College of Human Sciences, also found on Memorial Circle, encompasses majors such as early childhood development and personal finance.

Attached to the college is also the Child Development and Research Center, giving students experience working with and researching early childhood behavior and development.

The college offers various general life skill classes, minors and organizations to any Tech student.

To find out more follow the website at: https://www.depts. ttu.edu/hs/.

GRAPHIC BY MYA WILSON/The Daily Toreador

The 10 academic colleges at Texas Tech host a variety of organizations and resources for students to get involved in on campus.

Rivero: nd campus connections

Hey, Red Raiders! My name is Joel Rivero, and I am honored to serve as your student body president for the 2023-2024 academic year. I am a senior studying political science and finance with a minor in general business.

I am a native West Texan, born and raised in Midland, as well as a first-generation Red Raider. When I first stepped foot on campus I immediately knew that this university would be a home away from home, and I truly felt valued by everyone I interacted with.

Throughout my time at Texas Tech, I’ve had the op-

Electrical technology sparks controversy

With 2023 comes transportational advances such as electric scooters, bikes and cars. Amazon is one of the biggest companies to start the trend of converting from gasoline to electrical trucks to be more ‘beneficial’ to the environment, but how beneficial is an electrical engine to the planet that we are trying so hard to save? Especially when the process of creating that engine does more harm than good?

Well, one thing is for certain: Electrical engines can make a difference, but is it a positive one?

When building a car engine, petroleum is used to build the parts for both electrical and gasoline cars, but it’s also a matter of how many barrels of petroleum are used. A regular car takes about 1,800 gallons of gasoline just to build the physical car, while a Tesla Model

PUZZLE

Alexandria Serratti is a freshman journalism major from McKinney.

S battery, and only the battery, takes 15.67 barrels of oil, equating to 2,675.2 gallons of gasoline — almost double the amount of gasoline it takes to make an average gasoline car. So two gasoline cars are equivalent to only one Tesla battery.

The second thing is also how the parts get transported to actually build the car.

Cargo ships use gasoline to operate, using around 63,000 gallons each day.

Let’s say that the car parts for a Toyota Corolla are transported in a day. They have 63,000 gallons of gas already in use, and added to that is the 1,800 gallons used to create the car. In total, 64,800 gallons of gaso-

populous U.S. city

49. Bride, following the wedding DOWN

1. Respectfully submitted for your ___

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3. After a hasty escape,

line were used before the car even operated. Compared to an electric car, it takes 2,675.2 gallons to make an electrical battery for the car, plus 1,800 gallons to actually build it. In total, 67,475.2 gallons of gasoline have been used for only one car being transported on the cargo ship.

With electrical cars, many people don’t realize how much gasoline it takes to charge an electrical battery. In order to charge a 66 kWh (kilowatts per hour) battery completely, it takes about eight gallons of gasoline, which is equivalent to 150 miles in a gas tank. If you were to travel from DFW to Lubbock, you would have to stop twice to charge an electric car, using as much gasoline as a Nissan Juke that holds 15 gallons of gas and 264 miles.

portunity to serve and lead in many capacities across campus.

One thing I encourage you to do is to get plugged into a community on campus.

Whether that is through your college or a student organization, I encourage as much outreach as possible. Getting plugged in early on will help you create friendships that last a lifetime, and the great thing about Texas Tech is that there are plenty of ways to connect with the community.

I am deeply humbled to serve the student body and this university as the 99th

There’s also the gasoline aspect. In a Toyota Corolla’s lifetime, the car uses about 2,700 gallons of gasoline. If you add that to the final product, a Toyota Corolla would use a total of 67,500 gallons of gasoline in its lifetime.

In the end, I don’t think electric cars are saving the environment considering the process behind making the car. If you were to take a big company like Amazon and how many vehicles they use to deliver their packages, it likely does more harm than good to manufacture and fuel an electric engine.

Tech key to cracking crossword

30.

27.

29.

39.

Answers will be published Aug. 24, 2023 at dailytoreador.com

student body president. I am eager and excited to work alongside such a bright and talented student body to ensure that every Red Raider has a timeless experience. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please feel free to contact me at Joelrive@ttu.edu. My office doors are always open, and I’d love to get to meet each and every one of you, so stop by the SGA office in the SUB, room 302. Wreck ‘em!

JOEL RIVERO

Feral cats populate Lubbock, campus

COLUMN Nathan Kenison is a sophomore psychology major from Missouri City.

the population of diseasecarrying rodents in check.

If a student were to venture out on Texas Tech campus after dusk, spotting a stray cat would not be an uncommon occurrence. Lubbock is home to a large community of feral cats, which are considered by the city’s official animal service website to be a part of wildlife and the local urban ecosystem.

Because of its proximity to residential neighborhoods, Tech is left open to a steady flow of released strays that contribute to the feral cat population.

In the past, a ‘catch and kill’ policy has been adopted in many communities to combat the problem of feral cat overpopulation. Indiscriminate killing of healthy animals is not only inhumane, but costly and in many cases ineffective.

Although areas that have adopted this policy saw short term decreases in wild cat numbers, the changes often don’t last long. The mass euthanasia creates a sort of bottleneck effect, and mating activities tend to react to the vacuum left in the population. As a result, wild cat populations that are rapidly and abruptly reduced almost invariably return to their original sizes, if not larger.

In that case, if one truly wants to control the cat population of a specific area, a slow-and-steady approach is the only viable option.

To this end, many communities have taken on a ‘trap, neuter, release,’ or TNR, policy, which involves capturing a feral cat, neutering/spaying it, and then releasing it back to where it was originally found.

Spayed female cats are less prone to diseases developed during mating, pregnancy and labor, and neutered males are less aggressive and territorial.

For these reasons, a humane TNR program reduces the risks associated with a sizable feral cat population, while still respecting the cats’ role in the natural ecosystem.

While the municipality of Lubbock does not have a TNR program, several private nonprofits and organizations have stepped in to fill the need, including the Tech Feral Cat Coalition, a student-run club that specializes in the humane spaying and neutering of feral cats found on Tech campus.

Spayed and neutered feral cats pose little threat of endemic disease. In fact, they even can be useful in keeping

Critics of the TNR system have claimed that the policy fails to lower cat populations at a satisfactory rate. However, as the attempted ‘catch and kill’ policies have proven in the past, there is no quick fix to reducing the population of a species in nature. Meddling in delicate ecosystems without a methodical approach can result in unforeseen consequences.

Trying to eliminate a feral cat population entirely is an exercise in futility. Although humane methods can be taken to limit their growth, for the foreseeable future, feral cats in Lubbock are here to stay, and should be treated as natural parts of the ecosystem alongside any other animal.

@NathanKenisonDT

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EDITORIAL BOARD

Editor-in-Chief Marianna Souriall (806) 742-3395 editor@dailytoreador.com

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@AlexSerrattiDT

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STUDENT LIFE

Tech Martial Arts Club takes on new year

By NATHAN KENISON COPY EDITOR

In the mat room on the lower level of the Robert H. Ewalt Recreation Center, a group of students and instructors are inviting Red Raiders to push the limits of both their bodies and minds.

The Tech Martial Arts Clubs (TMAC) hosts classes covering a variety of disciplines, including Aikido, Judo, Brazilian JiuJitsu and striking.

Mario Pitalua, the club’s instructor and adviser, formed a Judo club while attending graduate school at Tech in the fall semester of 2008. As the organization expanded, it began to merge with other clubs and incorporate more martial arts techniques.

said. “But by now we have a good group of advanced students that can assist in each particular discipline.”

Students are free to study the multiple disciplines offered by the club, most of which fall under the floor-based, grappling category of martial arts.

Matt Simmons, a Judo instructor, said the discipline is distinct from other martial arts because its creator, Kanō Jigorō, designed it to function effectively as both a competitive sport and a martial art.

“He made it very technical, very technique-oriented because he wanted to, as much as possible, mitigate the advantage of size and strength,” Simmons said.

It’s

“At first we put Judo and Brazilian JiuJitsu together. And then the pandemic happened, and when we came back into action, we just put everything under one club,” Pitalua said.

Although it put many students out of practice, Pitalua said the yearlong COVID-induced hiatus gave the club a fresh start, allowing the instructors to build from the ground up when introducing the curriculum.

“It gave us a good opportunity to start over, so we started back with the basics,” Pitalua

TRANSIT

Fausto Montes IV, a senior science education student from Lubbock, is the president of TMAC. Montes said he also appreciates Judo’s emphasis on strategy, as well as its unique ability as a sport to distill competition to raw skill.

“It’s all your skill versus another person’s skill,” Montes said. “It’s two people on a mat or in a ring that are trying to see who’s the best.”

Fortunately, the club accommodates and trains martial artists of all skill levels. Although the gap in experience may seem intimidating, Read Fowler, an Aikido instructor,

said incoming students should not be worried, as similar principles are studied by beginners and black belts alike.

“You can use the strength and power appropriate for the person that you’re practicing with,” Fowler said. “So advanced techniques aren’t really different from beginning techniques. It’s just better execution, better control, better balance, stuff like that.”

Joshua Williams, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor, said the mental component of martial arts is the most crucial.

“Jiu-Jitsu focuses on groundwork. It’s a very cerebral

art that emphasizes technique, leverage and strategy over just a brute force approach or a speed-based approach,” Williams said. “It’s sort of the grappling art for chess players or for people who like to fight with their mind.”

As a third year medical student at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, Williams described how the skills he develops in his martial arts training have translated to his everyday life.

“At tournaments you’ll have a trained individual trying to break your arm or choke you unconscious in front of all of

your friends and family, and you have to problem solve, while exhausted and under duress,” Williams said. “And that will absolutely make you better at taking care of a patient when time is of the essence and they’re losing blood … you learn how to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations.”

Similarly, many students in the TMAC have found the challenges they overcome in the mat room to be motivating in their academic life.

“In martial arts it’s really a no-quit mentality,” Marcos Guzman, a senior mechanical engineering student from

said. “I was actually going to change my major my sophomore year, but then I was like ‘no, I can’t quit this. I need to see this through,’ and you find that a lot in martial arts.”

Guzman encouraged students to set aside their trepidations and emphasized the welcoming and judgment-free environment of TMAC.

“Everyone here is trying to learn and teach. No one’s trying to judge,” Guzman said. “Everyone’s trying to make everyone else better.”

@NathanKenisonDT

As the second largest contiguous campus in the country, finding a suitable mode of transportation may be hard to do. To help counteract this issue, free bus rides are offered to all students by showing their Texas Tech ID.

There are two bus routes on campus. The Red Raider Route circles campus clockwise with service every six minutes; the first bus leaves at 7:25 a.m. and runs until 7:17 p.m. The Double T Route circles the campus counter-clockwise and with service every five minutes; the first bus leaves at 7:25 a.m. and runs until 6:59 p.m. In partnership with Citibus, buses also travel to some off-campus housing

locations. To keep track of buses download the Go Pass app available in the App Store or Google Play.

Through the use of the Lime app, scooters and bikes are available for students at various oncampus locations.

The Lime app provides locations of all available scooters and bikes with their remaining battery percentage. Along with this feature Lime offers services such as Ride Passes that enable consumers to buy ride time for a discounted price.

Lastly, Lime offers LimePrime which features a variety of premiums including the reservation of vehicles before unlocking, and discounted ride rates.

CAMERON ZAPATA/The Daily Toreador

Joshua Williams (left), a third-year medical student at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, instructs a student in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Aug. 17, 2023. FAUSTO MONTES IV TECH MARTIAL ARTS CLUB PRESIDENT

Boerne,

Going places: Tech o ers free travel options to students

Volleyball, soccer look forward

Texas Tech volleyball welcomes the biggest class of freshmen since 2018 with seven new Red Raiders.

In the past five years, no freshman class has had as big of an influx as this year’s new additions.

Tech continues to grow its volleyball program nationally, bringing in freshmen from California, Florida, Colorado and all around Texas. Come see the new Red Raiders make their debut 11 a.m. Aug.25 at United Supermarkets Arena against Houston Christian.

NEW HORIZONS

sophomore year due ACL injury, requiring multiple surgeries Tech soccer head coach Tom Stone described what it was like to see Kloza back on the “A lot of kids that have sat for two full seasons would’ve just hung ‘em up,” Stone said. “But Kam’s (Kloza) not that way. There’s no quit

Tech football adapts to expanding Big 12 conference

By JAMAR BROOKS SPORTS REPORTER

With expectation mounting off the back of last season, Texas Tech football, led by second-year head coach Joey McGuire, looks to build upon the successes of last season as it ventures into uncharted territory in a rapidly changing Big 12 landscape. With Texas and Oklahoma in their final season in the Big 12 and the addition of four new teams for the upcoming season, along with four more to come in 2024, the conference is in a state of flux.

Amidst all the conference realignment, McGuire said he thinks now is the time to strike while the iron is hot and take control of the future of the Big 12.

“We don’t want to wait

‘til ‘24 to be that leader,” McGuire said. “We have an opportunity right now because we have a really good football team to be in the mix of being one of the best teams in the Big 12. So we want to take advantage of it.”

Compounded with the urgency to establish themselves in the new-look Big 12, growing expectation from media and fans alike also plays into the importance of the looming season.

After the first day of fall camp, McGuire addressed the increased level of expectation and how that plays into his thought process when preparing for the season.

“We love the expectation of being a good football team,” McGuire said. “It’s my job to temper that or to make sure we take it one week at a

time and don’t get ahead of ourselves.”

The Red Raiders will open up their season when they hit the road to play Wyoming.

After that, Tech will round out their non-conference schedule when they play Oregon week two and Tarleton State week three.

Despite the highly anticipated week two matchups against the ducks, which will draw a sold-out crowd, McGuire and co. are squarely focused on the first game against the cowboys.

“That’s the game I have circled (Wyoming). … Right now we’re focused on ourselves, but when we get closer and closer to the regular season we’re gonna be working on Wyoming,” McGuire said.

Fresh off an 8-5 season where they established a win-

ning record in Big 12 play for the first time since 2009, the Red Raiders head into the conference gauntlet slated as a top-5 team, ranking fourth in the Big 12 preseason rankings.

The Red Raiders start conference play when they travel to Morgantown to face West Virginia. The following week they will play Houston, who is one of three new Big 12 members Tech will play this year along with UCF and BYU.

After playing UH, Tech will make the trip to Baylor before coming home the next week to take on Kansas State, the reigning Big 12 champion.

When speaking at media day, McGuire pushed back on the notion that Tech will be one of the “hunted” teams in the Big 12 this year. He instead deferred that title to teams

like TCU and Kansas State who already have established themselves as perennial contenders in the conference.

“The hunted is K-State, the hunted is TCU,” McGuire said. “They’re the teams that played in the Sugar Bowl, they’re the teams that played in the final four (college football playoff). So those are the guys that everybody’s probably looking at.”

Following the Kansas State game, Tech will play BYU in Provo, Utah, TCU at home, Kansas away and UCF at home in the final game at Jones AT&T Stadium for the season.

In their last regular season game, Tech will travel to Austin where they will take on the Texas Longhorns, the preseason favorites to win the conference.

“Offensively, they’re as

talented as anyone in the country, so I think that they got a chance to be really good,” McGuire said.

The week 13 matchup between the schools will be the last before Texas departs for the SEC. If the Red Raiders and Longhorns live up to the preseason hype, the matchup could be one of much significance as it relates to postseason play.

With a top 15 strength of schedule ranking in the country, Tech will not have an easy path to live up to the lofty expectations placed upon the season.

Tech will open its season when they travel to Wyoming Sept. 2. Their home opener will come the following week when they play host to Oregon Sept. 9.

@JamarBrooksDT

LEGACY

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1

he was able to focus on more positive things, including the ongoing game.

“I tried to just remove myself from the situation and be as positive as I could,” Ramirez said. “Then McGuire came to talk to me, and I was just letting him know, go win the game. … I’ll be all right, don’t worry about me right now. Focus on winning this game and then you can worry about me later over this weekend, but not right now.”

For many athletes, the mental hurdle of coming back from an injury is more challenging to get over than the physical aspect. However, the Missouri City native said his recovery process was quite the opposite.

“Mentally, all you’re thinking is, ‘I want to be on the field.’ You’re not really thinking about what could go wrong,” Ramirez said. “So your physical is not going as fast as you would have liked your mental to go.”

On the road to recovery, Ramirez was able to maintain a positive mindset, saying that, in the end, the injury has served him well.

“After I got injured, my brain expanded with football knowledge. I’m able to play a lot faster than I was before the injury. So it’s honestly more of a blessing than a curse.”

Following months of extensive rehab, Ramirez was declared a ‘full-go’ participant for fall camp Aug. 3. He was cleared to participate at all practices, including the team’s first scrimmage Aug. 12.

After the scrimmage, McGuire talked about what it was like seeing Ramirez back on the field.

“It’s so great to see him. That was the highlight for me, to see that guy out there. He has such a joy, he’s a great teammate,” McGuire said. “He really missed playing last year, so it was good to see him back out there.”

Ramirez and his triumphant comeback story have been a beacon of inspiration and motivation to teammates and coaches alike.

At Tech football’s media day, Aug. 8, a constant theme that arose when fellow teammates would talk about Ramirez was how he has morphed himself into a leader. Senior linebacker Jesiah Pierre was one of many

RAIDER WELCOME

players to mention the impact Ramirez has had on the team.

“He’s grown up to being that older guy, and I’m really proud of what Bryce has brought upon himself,” Pierre said. “I can see it, the team can see it and I’m really excited about what he’s gonna do. He’s been fighting every single day and he’s been hungry to get back and be with his brothers.”

As for his outlook on the upcoming season, Ramirez highlighted what his return will mean for him on a personal level.

“It’s gonna be a lot of emotion, honestly, just knowing that I wasn’t able to be out there all last season,” Ramirez said. “I didn’t know if I was gonna be able to play again. … Sometimes I don’t even process that I’m out here practicing. So I know it’s gonna be a lot of emotion.”

Ramirez and his comeback story will come full circle when he plays his first game since the injury in Tech’s season opener 6:30 p.m. against Wyoming on Sept. 2. His first game back at Jones AT&T Stadium will be 6 p.m. Sept. 9 against Oregon.

@JamarBrooksDT

Raider Welcome is a set of events organized by Student Engagement designed to — you guessed it — welcome new and returning students to campus in the fall. The event runs to Sept. 2 and features activities such as 99¢ Steak Night, Painting with a TTwist!, food trucks and more.

Graphic by JACOB LUJAN/The Daily Toreador

HOPE ESPOSITO/The Daily Toreador

Students enjoy frozen treats from the Lubbock-based Kurbside Sweets food truck Aug. 14 2023.

HOPE ESPOSITO/The Daily Toreador Slip’ n’ Slide Kickball is offered to students during Raider Welcome Aug. 17, 2023.