March 16, 2011

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Volume 105 — Issue 8

March 16, 2011 Wednesday

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Around Campus: Street Mural Competition The Street Mural Competition applications are due today by 5 p.m. in the SGA office in Student Center 208. Sketches must resemble an attempt to beautify campus and display school spirit.

SAB Music Festival The Student Activity Board is presenting the 2011 SAB Music Festival tomorrow. The festival will be 6 to 10 p.m. in the Student Center Courtyard.

Spring Break Safety UCAPD is presenting a spring break safety video in Student Center room 223/224 today at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. UCAPD will also give a women’s self defense class 6 to 8 p.m. in Student Center room 223/224.

Jazz Ensemble The Jazz Ensemble I and II will perform at 7:30 tonight in the Snow Fine Arts Recital Hall.

Opinion: Voice: Shooter’s sentencing will hopefully offer closure for friends, family

The Wind Ensemble will perform tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. in the Reynolds Performance Hall.

CATALYST The CATALYST leadership program will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m April 2 in the Student Center Ballroom. Students must register

by Friday in the Student Center office. Lunch and materials will be provided.

Aramark Survey Students have a chance to win a $150 gift card or one of three $50 gift cards by completing a dining survey at college-survey. com/uca. The survey will end Friday. The survey can also be taken in the Christian Cafeteria.

Students who complete the survey can bring a printout of the final survey page to the registers at Christian Cafeteria to receive a coupon for a free small Chick-fil-A waffle fry.

Ambassador Applications Students with a 2.5 cumulative GPA and have been enrolled as a full-time student for at least two semesters can apply to become UCA Ambassadors.. Applications are due Friday in the Admissions Office by 4:30.

Fantasy Faces The Student Activity Board is presenting Fantasy Faces, A Kramer Entertainment Experience on”Who Do You Want To Be?” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 31 on the first floor of the Student Center. Students can choose to have their face put on movie posters, magazines, cartoons, fantasy photos, celebrity or musician photos, retro photos and more. Students will receive a 4X6 framed picture and all of the photos will be put on a flash drive for publishing on Facebook, MySpace and other social networks.

Softball: Bears lose series finale against Islanders 10-1

Competition: Terrance Yarbrough wins bench press competition

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Honors College, Sigma Phi Epsilon discuss Facebook fued

by Brad Smith Staff Writer

An effort to reduce tensions between students in the Honors College and the UCA chapter of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity was mostly unsuccessful.

Although the March 9 meeting was held to have a discussion about perceived problems between the Honors College and the fraternity, the meeting focused mainly on an argument on Facebook between Honors College students and members of the fraternity.

Another meeting is scheduled for 7:30 tonight in Farris Hall.

The argument began when Honors College member Karen Cockrum criticized Sig Ep on Facebook, which sparked an argument.

Assistant professor Adam Frank and visiting assistant professor Cindy Lea moderated the discussion.

There was a lot of discussion about what students from both sides called the “Greek vs.

Geek” stereotype. Many students felt that this stereotype was part of what created the rift between the groups. Others felt that because the two groups had many students who are part of both communities, there was no rift, but that the entire situation was merely a fight between individuals.

Other students felt that a difference in Photo by Lukas Deem

See Honors - page 2

Students from the Honors College and the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity met March 9 to make understanding of argument.

- ADDITION -

- NEWS BRIEF -

Perry sentenced 40 years for on-campus Conway Regional pairs with nursing program

by Lee Hogan murders of students Block, Henderson Staff Writer

by Mary DeLoney News Editor

Wind Ensemble

Sports:

Campus Life:

Kelcey Perry, 21, was sentenced Friday to 40 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to being the shooter in the October 2008 shooting that killed students Chavares Block and Ryan Henderson and injured nonstudent Martrevis Norman.

Perry originally entered his plea to two counts of capital murder, but after entering his plea, the charges were reduced to firstdegree murder. He was also charged with first-degree battery and possession of a firearm on a public school campus. He was sentenced to 35 years on each of the murder charges, but Circuit Judge Charles Clawson ordered that they be served concurrently. Clawson sentenced Perry to an additional five years for the other charges.

The 864 days Perry has served since the crimes will be subtracted from his sentences. He will have to serve 24.5 years of his 35-year sentence before being

eligible for parole.

In November 2010, Perry’s accomplices, Mario Toney, 22, Kawin Brockman, 21, and Brandon Wade, 22, each pleaded guilty to three counts of committing a terroristic act, a class B felony.

Toney and Brockman were each sentenced to 18 years in prison followed by 40 years probation. Wade, who was the driver of the vehicle from where shots were fired, was sentenced to serve 26 years in prison followed by 40 years of probation.

The university said in a news release: “We hope that today’s plea will bring closure for the families of Ryan Henderson and Chavares Block. The death of these two young men was a terrible and senseless tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with their families. We also hope that the Henderson and Block families have some comfort knowing that their loved ones have not been forgotten by the UCA community and that their memory lives on through a scholarship that was established in their honor.”

Approval for a new joint Health Education building to be shared by the UCA nursing program and Conway Regional Hospital passed at the last UCA Board of Trustees meeting.

Chairperson of the UCA Nursing program Barbara Williams said the relationship between the nursing program and Conway Regional has been a long one and conversations of a joint building have taken place before.

“We met a lot two years ago and had really begun to do some really good planning, but that was about the time the bottom came out of our budget at UCA and Conway Regional was also having problems too, because of the economy, so we had to pull back,” Williams said.

Williams said it was an idea from Conway Regional to start meeting again to see if a joint building was feasible.

Williams said since the proposal has passed by the board at UCA and the board at Conway Regional, they will talk with an architect.

- AWARENESS -

Suicide awareness walk proves successful

by Lee Hogan Staff Writer

Over 400 people participated in the first “Out of the Darkness” walk at UCA Saturday March 12, to support suicide awareness and prevention.

It was the first “Out of the Darkness” walk in the state.

Mary Meacham ,whose son, Kyle Meacham, was a student in the UCA Nursing Program and committed suicide last year, suggested the walk.

Meacham said she started searching for answers of how this could happen and found out about these “Out of the Darkness” walks to raise awareness of suicide in college students. Meacham walked in the event on Saturday and said the turnout for the event was more than she expected.

“I was overwhelmed,” Meacham said.

“You know this was the first one and we were expecting to draw around 50 or 100 and would have been happy. We did not expect to draw over double that amount.”

UCA Student Nursing Association President Scott Byrd said roughly 15 groups signed up online for the walk, and those 15 groups accounted for 345 participants. Byrd

See Walk - page 2

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said another 100 or so signed up the day of the event.

“We’ve had a huge turnout,” Byrd said.

“The president of the Arkansas Chapter of SNA was here and he said this is the biggest campus walk they have ever had nationally.”

Messenger Seven, a band from Benton, Ark., performed at the Alumni Pavilion after the walk where food and drink were provided for the participants. Byrd also said the Greeks at UCA turned out in great number as well and greatly supported the walk.

As of March 13, Byrd said the walk had raised around $18,000 and donations could still be made online at afsp.donordrive.com under “UCA Campus Walks.”

“We have also had a $1,000 pledge from Best Buy in Conway, a $500 pledge from Kohl’s in Conway and a $250 pledge from the Arkansas Chapter of SNA,” Byrd said.

“We have also raised roughly $2500 today at the walk.”

Half of the money raised will go to the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (AFSP) while the other half will go to the Arkansas Chapter of SNA. With the

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Winner of SGA Street Mural Competition announced

“[The architect] will develop what is called a ‘schematic,’” she said. “It’s not a detailed blueprint, but it will be a rough outline. Then we will develop a virtual walk-through and with that information we will be able to get an estimation on the cost.”

No finish date will be known until the architect decides a plan.

Williams said after the cost was determined, donors would be sought out by both parties.

“It’s a unique idea that we hope will bring individuals and corporations together, who will be interested in a project like this, who might not fund UCA directly or Conway Regional,” she said.

Conway Regional Corporate Director of Marketing and Foundation Lori Ross said the details are still being worked out.

“We’re starting to get our minds wrapped around how we approach this,” she said.

Ross said both parties hope this unique partnership will draw many donors.

“We hope there are a lot of donors

See Nursing - page 2

- TR AVEL -

Going Global prepares students; study

abroad offers applicants passports

by Lisa Burnett Entertainment Editor

The lobby of the Student Center was not only filled with its normal flow of lunchtime guests on March 9, but also with people helping with the “Going Global: Are you Ready?” event.

This event featured people from all over the community to help students prepare themselves for studying or traveling abroad in the near future.

Travelers were given information for safe and healthy travel and the opportunity to apply for or renew passports.

Freshman Annette Thompson attended the event to apply for a passport.

“I want to go on a cruise within the year, so I wanted to get a passport because it takes a lot of time,” Thompson said.

The information students were provided with ranged from the FBI and UCAPD to the University of Arkansas Medical School travel clinic.

Kim Moore, a passport agent for the United States Postal Service, helped travelers apply for

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passports at the Going Global event.

“The study abroad office asked us to come and we want to let students know that they don’t want to wait until the last minute to get passports. If you get them early there is a lot less stress involved,” Moore said.

Laura Garrett, a special agent with the FBI, said she wants students to be aware of where they are going, show them how to plan ahead for their trip and know what to expect before they get to their destination.

“You need to know how to protect yourself and your valuables, and who to contact if an emergency was to occur. Have a good background of where you’re going, and know where you can get treatment, because a lot of countries don’t take our insurance,” Garrett said.

Garrett said the FBI gives travel briefings to groups about travel safety. The State Department provides a website for tips on safe travel: state.gov/travel.

Sgt. Brad Moore of UCAPD said he wants to raise awareness of the severity

See Global - page 2

Nation’s Capital

Writer encourages all students to visit Washington, D.C. 4 page 3

2 / March 16, 2011

NEWS

- GOVERNMENT -

Police Beat

SGA funds T-shirts to benefit Japan

The following reports and arrests are from the UCAPD docket. UCAPD reports any tickets issued as arrests, according to Lt. Jeremy Crabb.

Student arrested at party for public intoxication A member of the Phi Lambda Chi fraternity brought student Jim Moody, 20, to UCAPD stating he was too drunk to be at the fraternity’s party around 10 p.m. on March 10.

Moody’s eyes were bloodshot and he slurred his words. The officers told him he needed to find a sober driver.

Moody said he didn’t understand why the officers were telling him to leave. When the officers told him he was drunk he said he was not.

An officer asked Moody, “If you’re not drunk have you had anything to drink and how much?”

Moody said he had a few beers.

The officers told him to leave and Moody said, “Give me a breath test and I will pass.”

After a few tests Moody proved he was drunk and officers began trying to find him a ride.

Moody grew impatient when the officers could not find him a ride fast enough.

He was told if he didn’t calm down he would be taken to jail and he said, “Take me to jail.”

Moody then told the officer that that he would not arrest him and would be sorry if he did.

Moody was arrested for public intoxication.

Nonstudents charged with disorderly conduct On March 11 UCAPD was patrolling the parking lot east of the Physical Plant when they saw a black Cadillac Escalade running in the lot.

The officers did not see anyone in the front driver or passenger’s seats, so they approached the vehicle.

When the officers walked over to the passenger side, nonstudents Kenyon Mcneail, 19, and Brandi Horton, 19, were seen naked from the waist down.

The two had finished having sex and the officer ordered them to put their clothes back on.

Horton and Mcneail were ordered to leave campus and received citations for disorderly conduct.

Student found covered in vomit At 10:26 p.m. UCAPD responded to a car accident in the parking lot west of Reynolds Performance Hall.

The driver, student Joshua Mason, 19, was passed out and had vomited on himself inside the vehicle.

Mason’s car reeked of alcohol. His shirt and pants were covered in vomit and his eyes were bloodshot and glassy.

Mason was told to either open his door or roll down his window. He looked up at the officer and began turning the steering wheel from side to side even though the vehicle was in park.

The officers began banging on his window with a baton. The officers banged on his window four times until it broke.

Mason sat there as if nothing was happening and was forcibly removed from the vehicle.

Mason kept flopping his arms as the officers tried to cuff him. A Faulkner County Sheriff held Mason down so UCAPD could cuff him.

Mason was arrested for a DWI and resisting arrest.

His vehicle was towed.

Student assualts professor Student Martin Gerov, 21, verbally assaulted professor Jennifer Binnie, 28, on March 9 at 10:45 a.m.

Gerov went to Binnie’s office in the Prince Center to ask why he was failing her class.

Binnie said Gerov became angry when she did not hear what he wanted to hear and began yelling.

When Binnie told Gerov to speak with her boss he started punching the walls and throwing doors open.

Gerov was seen getting into a blue SUV in the parking lot by the Lewis Science Center.

UCAPD pulled him over on Bruce Street and asked him if he had been in the Prince Center talking with a professor.

Martin said yes and was given a judicial board citation.

Walk:

‘Out of the Darkness’ raises money, awareness on campus, in community

4 Continued

from page 1

remaining money, Byrd said SNA wants to go to UCA and suggest implementing an interactive screening process to provide help to students suffering from depression.

Byrd said the screening process is what SNA wants to see at UCA and hopes will happen, but if it cannot happen the money would still be used around the community in ways to raise suicide prevention and awareness.

“The interactive screening process at UCA is our hopes and dreams,” Byrd said. “Plan B, in reality, the money will come

back to the community and be distributed between UCA and the local high schools for awareness programs and half goes to the national foundation, which goes to promote events like this across the country.”

Byrd said either way the money raised is great for the community.

“It helps raise money and awareness and that is stuff we can put back into the community,” Byrd said. “We can let people know they are not in this alone.

We recognize that there is a problem and we just want to help.

Nursing:

Students will have opportunity to interact with professionals 4 Continued from page 1

that will be interested in this unique partnership of Medicare and education,” she said. “In the fundraising world, the top three beneficiaries of charitable donations are religious organizations, education organizations and healthcare, so we feel like we have good energy when we pull together like this.”

Williams said the proposed site for the building is across College Avenue from Conway Regional on Western Avenue.

Conway Regional Director of Education CJ Newton said students being able to interact on a close level with employees at Conway Regional would help the students in the long run.

“Employees will physically be in the same building the students

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are,” Newton said. “This will give students more opportunity to informally visit with our staff, so that it is not just a matter of them being in the clinical area and having the formal experience.

They will also get to interact on a more informal basis with practicing nurses.”

Williams said a big advantage for nursing students at UCA would come with the simulation lab of the proposed building.

Williams said the simulation lab would allow students to work with top-of-the-line “manikans,” which simulate patient conditions nurses would see on a day-to-day basis in a hospital.

“A simulation lab is very similar to a hospital,” Williams said. “We will be able simulate

We don’t want to chastise or shun them because of it.”

Byrd said the walk helped show people they are not alone in suffering from suicide thoughts and depression.

“Today brings it out,” Byrd said. “It shows we do care. A lot of people recovering from depression think people don’t care and that’s not the case at all.”

Meacham said she was happy with the work and support of the UCA SNA chapter throughout the entire walk from planning to the event itself.

“It just showed their incredible organization in putting on the first walk like this in Arkansas and then have the biggest in the country,” Meacham said. “I was really pleased with their efforts for this event.”

experiences that we cannot guarantee [the students] would have in the hospital. You cannot guarantee that every student would get a chance with a patient that has a certain condition.”

Williams said integration in the building would occur as often as possible.

“We will increase conversation between the two,” she said. “Collaboration is another way students will benefit. By having this greater collaboration, the curriculum will be stronger, not that it’s not already strong.”

Newton also said the collaboration would be one of the better benefits.

“We both already use high fidelity technology but we feel like the joint effort will allow us to share those resources and both have better access to high technology than we would independently,” she said.

by Marisa Hicks The Student Government Association met Monday and allocated money to buy a banner for the graduate fair, the purchase of biodegradable containers for Be A Peace of Something Bigger Day and to the Japanese aid efforts.

Aramark representatives went to the meeting to discuss the students’ likes and dislikes for the layout of the cafeteria and the location of Einstein Bros.

Bagel Company.

IDEAL representatives appeared at the meeting Monday to ask the senate to allow IDEAL to begin branching off from SGA. The graduate senators asked SGA for $200 to fund a banner to advertise for the graduate fair.

Graduate senator Josey Morelle said the banner could be reused annually.

The senate took a roll call vote which passed 33-0.

President of the senior class Robert Rogers asked the senate to allocate “no more than $25” for the purchase of biodegradable containers for Be A Peace of Something Bigger Day. The containers will be used for students to plant seeds in at the event.

Students will be able to take their plants with them.

Should the containers cost more, Rogers said the committee setting up Be A Peace of Something Bigger Day would find another source to cover the costs.

The senate took a roll call vote which passed 34-0.

Senator at large Ty Bittle and executive Vice President Austin Hall asked the senate to allocate $200 for T-shirts for Red Cross to help benefit the Japanese aid efforts.

Global:

Students encouraged to learn about vaccines when traveling 4 Continued

Check your UCA email for your EXCLUSIVE invitation to this event!

from page 1

of dangerous situations that travelers could find themselves in if something bad were to happen. Moore teaches a basic self-defense class to Residential Assistants and Residence Coordinators at UCA. “Don’t put yourself into a situation that you don’t need to be in, but if you are in a situation, you need to have a survival mindset,” Moore said.

The UCA Health and Wellness center had representatives at the Going

Global event to give information about the dangers of alcohol.

Kalyn Camp, graduate assistant at the UCA Health and Wellness center said: “We want to give information about the effects of drinking and the harmful effects of a bad decision caused by alcohol. Our main message is to promote responsible decision making and knowing your limits with alcohol.”

Amanda Legate, director of education abroad and international promotion for study

Honors:

Faculty initially refused individuals to enter Farris Hall as jounalists 4 Continued

from page 1

philosophy between the two groups was the cause of the tensions. Some Honors College students said they felt that while the reaction from Sig Ep was to not talk about it, students from the Honors College wanted to talk as much as they could about it.

One student who identified himself as both an Honors student and a fraternity member said that he felt that forgiveness was the best way to resolve the issue.

“Some of us may feel like we’re owed an apology,” he said.

“Life doesn’t work that way.

When someone wrongs you, you should try and forgive them.”

Cockrum said she felt that the Facebook argument was a misunderstanding.

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Bittle said all of the proceeds earned from selling the T-shirts will directly benefit the Japanese aid efforts.

President of the sophomore class Michael Murphy said he supported the cause but would not vote student’s money to fund the T-shirts.

“I support the cause, but students’ money should not be used and I will not vote for this,” he said.

Senator at large Naruhiko Tsukuda said Japan will really benefit from this effort to help fund their needs for earthquake and tsunami aid.

“Some of my family is without running water in Japan. I say please vote for this. We really need your help back home,” Tsukuda said.

The senate took a roll call vote which passed by 28-6.

Jim Nabors and Susan Cherr with Aramark asked the senate for feedback on the current foods and layout of the Christian Cafeteria.

Nabors said if everything goes according to plan, the Einstein Bros. Bagel Company station will be up and running in the College of Business by the fall semester.

Rogers said the grilled cheese sandwiches, based on feedback he’s heard from other students, have greatly improved.

Freshmen president Josh McDonald said he would like for the hours of operation for the different vendors to be posted in the Student Center.

Executive President Meghan Thompson said hours of operation of the C-store were random and she would like them to open up earlier in the morning so that she can have her morning coffee before 8 a.m.

She said sometimes the store is closed because the workers don’t feel like they are getting enough business for the night.

Nabors said this issue will be

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“If I was attacking anyone, it was the university, not the Greeks,” Cockrum said. “I think we all agree now that it was a big misunderstanding.”

Cockrum said she thinks character workshops for Sig Ep members is a way to help resolve the problems. Members of the Greek community said there are already similar programs in place.

Toward the end of the meeting, there was disagreement about how effective the meeting was. Some students felt that one meeting was enough, while others felt more meetings are needed in the future. One student said she felt her opinion of the argument was more negative after the meeting than it was before.

Another student said that talking about the argument was making

addressed.

In response to a comment made in open forum a few weeks before, Tsukuda said: “I’m from Japan. I like the avocado in the sushi. I mean, it’s not real, but it’s good. Then again, this is the U.S.” IDEAL advisors Larry Burns and John Fincher stood before the senate and asked that SGA allow IDEAL to branch away and become it’s own program.

IDEAL became a part of SGA as a Band-Aid and now, Fincher said, it’s time for the program to become its own.

He said current bylaws were keeping the program from acting without clearing it through SGA even though any other organization would be able to move on and carry out planned events.

Junior class representative Destiny Davis proposed IDEAL be given the right to become their own program and the motion passed by acclamation.

The freshmen class reported the Student Center will be pressure washed over spring break.

The sophomore class reported the deadline for the Street Mural Competition is today and a meeting will be set up with Aramark to discuss final’s week breakfast.

The junior class reported they are working on changing the check out time for the end of the semester from Friday to Saturday.

The senior class reported the SGA banquet will be April 25.

Hall said the Sustainable Environment and Ecological Design committee is being formed and asked members of the senate to join.

Vice President of Operations Kyle Boyd said the SEED committee will meet with Physical Plant Director Larry Lawrence to look at how students can make things on campus like lightbulbs more sustainable.

abroad said the Going Global event was a success.

“I think it went very well.

Several people applied for original passports and some people renewed theirs. People spent a lot of time with the UAMS travel clinic to learn about vaccines and anything travel— related with health. This was the first time that the FBI participated in one of our events. It’s good to bring in professionals because we aren’t experts,” Legate said.

The Office of Study Abroad plans to invite these representatives back for other events in the future, such as the Study Abroad fair on Sept. 22.

“Everyone is excited to come back for another event,” Legate said.

things worse.

“This issue just needs to go away,” she said. “We’re just fueling the fire to keep talking about it.”

The meeting was almost canceled because of press coverage. Ground rules for the meeting were handed out to all participants. The second ground rule read: “If reporters attend the presentation room meeting, you agree to attend as private individuals and agree that everything said in the presentation room during the meeting is completely off the record.”

“We don’t want the things that are said to be tacked up on the wall,” Frank said. “It would hinder a creative and open conversation.”

Frank and Lea said they would not moderate the event if reporters went in and would leave the students to their own discussion. Reporters went in anyway and Frank and Lea entered the room about 15 minutes later. They gave students the choice of whether to continue the meeting. After reporters

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The Voice

Shooter sentenced to 40 years in prison

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Every American should tour capital city Just before I turned 16, I had the opportunity to to go is through the Capitol. visit Washington, D.C. as a part of my high school The free, guided tours can last hours and give band. I was thrilled for the chance to visit a city so visitors a view of some of the most beautiful art rich with history, and I got to travel there without and architecture in the country. Visitors can spend my parents, and with many of my close friends. hours looking at the symbolism painted in the I thought the trip would be fun. I never Rotunda ceiling, or head underneath the Rotunda imagined that it would be so educational, to visit George Washington’s tomb. fascinating or humbling.

Other amazing places The drive to D.C. took include the White House, exactly 24 hours on a bus our which I was unable to visit, high school had chartered. but does offer tours for The entire band was the public. The Franklin D. attending, which was quite

by Taylor Lowery Roosevelt memorial was a large group at Rogers High Editor & Opinion Editor one of the most fascinating School. Sophomores filled a places we visited. I highly bus and a half on their own, recommend going at night, and juniors and seniors made because the memorial is up the rest. Despite sitting on designed in such a way that it a bus for so long and attempting to sleep upright can best be appreciated in the dark. Each display is in a chair (or in the aisle, for some) the drive was beautifully lit, and many are made of a shimmery a blast. We arrived to D.C. tired, grimy and ready stone that glitters beautifully in the night. The for naps and showers, but our adventure began memorial is a beautiful place to learn about one immediately. of America’s most unknown presidents, who was Arriving in the city was a beautiful sight. In famous for his fireside chats.

April, the Japanese cherry blossoms, a gift from New to D.C. when I visited was the Holocaust Japan in the 1920s and 1930s, are in full bloom, museum, which is an important addition to the with pink blossoms found everywhere around the museums open to tourists. city. The trees, which number in the thousands, Finally, the most humbling place to visit is were gifts from Japan as a sign of friendship.

Arlington National Cemetery. Though it actually From the moment I stepped off the bus, I knew sits in Arlington, across the Patomic River from D.C. would be a place I would love. We first exited D.C., it is worth the very short drive to visit the in the National Mall, surrounded by the several resting places of thousand of American soldiers buildings of the Smithsonian, with the Washington who died protecting the country.

Monument in sight. Everything was beautiful.

The cemetery rests on 624 acres, and is resting During our four-day trip we visited many of the to thousands of men and women. Situated just towering monuments and fascinating museums downhill from Robert E. Lee’s house, Arlington has that make Washington, D.C. a completely unique been the resting place of many soldiers killed since place. Whether it was climbing the Washington the American Civil War to the military actions in Monument, surrounded by its circle of flags, or Iraq and Afghanistan. taking pictures leaning against Abraham Lincoln’s Watching the changing of the guard in front of giant ankles, D.C. has a vast number of amazing the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier or viewing the places to visit.

Eternal Flame of John F. Kennedy’s grave made Several places stand out in my memory, American history more real and important than beginning with the Smithsonian. There are 19 anything else I’ve experienced. museum to visit in D.C., with the most exciting Every place we visited in D.C. was free, which is including the Museum of Natural History, where something else that makes it a great place to visit. ancient dinosaurs stand tall and the stunning Any American, whether your ancestors arrived Hope diamond rests in a case; the Air and Space here hundreds of year ago or your parents were Museum, with the Wright brother’s Flyer and immigrants to the states, should make a point to samples of NASA’s freeze-dried ice cream; or the visit Washington, D.C. if the opportunity presents American History Museum, with Dorothy’s ruby itself. Four days was not nearly enough time to take slippers, the original Kermit the Frog puppet and in all of the amazing sights of our nation’s capitol, the flag that inspired the National Anthem. and I count the days until I can visit D.C. again and After the Smithsonian, the most exciting place see just as many new sights as what I saw years ago.

Choosing degrees in colleges requires major decision In my four years of college, I feel like I have good at. I was on yearbook and newspaper staff had a dozen majors. That’s probably almost true. in high school, but never thought I would spend I began in the physical therapy department, the rest of my life working for a newspaper or because I felt like that was where I was supposed magazine. to be. I soon found that I did not belong in that So, my senior year, I declared my major as department after the first semester of my freshman mass communication with an emphasis in print year. journalism. I joined The Echo staff and fell in love Second semester, I thought I would try the with it. respiratory therapy approach. When that didn’t At first, I felt like I was out of place, but in time appeal to me anymore, I I got to know everyone and changed to occupational they quickly became my therapy. I went through all of family. the therapies.

I found that as a staff By my junior year, my writer on “The Echo,” I grade point had dropped went to more events at

by Lisa Burnett drastically and I slowly UCA than I had been to in Entertainment Editor began to hate school. I was my four years here. I never finally done with gen ed realized the talent of some classes and the “declaring of the people that walk on my major” part of college the same campus as me. really started to matter.

Attending band concerts, All of my biology classes made me angry all of slam poets and Chinese acrobats are just a handful the time. At this point in school, junior year, I think of the events that I got to cover as a staff writer.

I was a radiography major and I had to take biology Since becoming a journalism major, I’m like a class after biology class. I would study so hard and different student. I actually look forward to going still make bad grades on tests. It wasn’t because to class. That makes me sound like a complete my teachers were bad, I just didn’t understand nerd, but after battling almost four years of hating why I wasn’t making the grades I should have been school, it is completely worth it in my eyes. making.

I know my roommates and family are so I had to start going to tutoring. I found this appreciative of my major change because of my extremely embarrassing, but I thought that it would all-around attitude. help me figure out what I was doing wrong when I What I’m trying to say is don’t be afraid to studied. change your major. Focus on what you’re good at.

Then, it finally hit me, the summer before my I would rather spend more time in school and get fourth year of college. I hated school because of my a degree in something that I enjoy and am good at, major. than spend the same amount of time at school and Light bulb. I never acted on what I was actually be miserable for the rest of my life.

Friday was an important day for the university, but most importantly for friends and families of Ryan Henderson and Chavares Block. After more than two years of waiting, Kelcey Perry was sentenced to 40 years in prison for killing Henderson and Block.

After the trial was delayed because of claims of Perry’s mental retardation, Perry was determined to be above the IQ level of 65, which is the Arkansas threshold for determining presumed mental retardation.

It’s sad that it took more than two years for the families of Henderson and Block to hear a sentence for Perry. What they also got Friday was an apology. Perry told Henderson and Block’s mothers that he was sorry for what happened.

His apology, however, does nothing to ease the pain of the family, friend and UCA community, nor does it bring back the two young men who were killed on Oct. 26, 2008.

And although he will spend up to 40 years, he will likely eventually walk free when these two men will never walk again.

Perry’s two charges of capital murder, which carry life sentences or death penalties, were dropped in favor of first degree murder charges, for which Perry will serve 35 years each, and a firearms possession charge of five years. He’ll serve those three sentences concurrently after he completes fiveyears for battery.

For the crime he committed, Perry may get off easy. He will be credited for 864 days of prison served while awaiting his trail, and he will be eligible for parole once he serves 70 percent of the time for the murder sentences. It is possible that Perry could be released in about 27 years.

Unfortunately, the Henderson and Block families will still be hurting in 27 years, and for much longer.

The case is truly sad for everyone involved. Undoubtedly, the families of the victims will be affected by the loss of Henderson and Block for years, but even Perry’s own family will suffer.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported that Perry’s grandmother, Ola Doss, lost a son to murder. The woman who raised Perry will also be forever affected by his decisions, as will so many others.

Perry’s sentencing does offer a glimmer of hope after a dark two years.

Knowing that Perry will spend time in jail for his crimes, the families and friends of Henderson and Block may begin to find closure. It will still be a long process of grieving, but all four men involved in the shooting are being punished for it.

Other things have happened that may help the healing process for the victims’ families and friends, such as the students who are benefitting from a scholarship given in Henderson and Block’s names.

They may find peace in knowing that security at UCA, and likely at other campuses, has increased so schools may prevent this kind of senseless violence from happening again.

The healing process is a long and difficult one, but Perry’s sentencing is one more step in moving forward from the tragedy of that October night.

[Families] may find peace in knowing that security at UCA ... has increased security so [they] may prevent this kind of senseless violence from happening again.

Send us your letters.

Let your voice be heard by writing a letter to the editor at ucaecholetters@gmail.com.

(Follow the guidelines in the Got Letters? column to the left)

The Echo is printed weekly at the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway, Ark. Decisions about content are made by the student editors.

The views published are not necessarily those of the University of Central Arkansas. All material is subject to respective copyrights.

Campus Life

4

March 16, 2011

Discipleship group helps build relationships

by Lisa Burnett Entertainment Editor

If you come to Bear Village, building 7, apartment 712 at 7 p.m. any Thursday, the average college students will not be found living there. Thursdays are when seniors Heather Dennis and Katherine Sneed lead their d-group.

The “d” in d-group stands for discipleship.

D-groups are a part of the UCA non-denominational campus ministry Chi Alpha. Each d-group is composed of men or women who meet at least once a week to talk about what is going on in their lives and in members’ walk with God. “D-groups are really awesome families. They are places where brothers and sisters in Christ come together to worship and seek after the heart of God together,” Sneed said.

Sneed and Dennis’ third d-group that they lead together, called the Bumblebees, meets at Dennis’ apartment in Bear Village on Thursday nights. The group consists of approximately 10 young women, all UCA students. The women range from freshmen to seniors. The women gather in the apartment living room, sitting in a circle like they have been friends for years, but for most of them this is the first year they are getting to know one another.

Sneed and Dennis will sit in the midst of the group, usually leading a discussion about how God sees each of the young women in the group as

beautifully and wonderfully made. Emotions can run from laughing until tears come streaming out, and sometimes tears of sadness are expelled with the reality of some of the problems that each woman brings up in the conversation.

Each young woman in the Bumblebees has someone available to talk to all the time, such as another member of the group, or Sneed and Dennis themselves.

Sneed and Dennis have been part of Chi Alpha since their freshman year at UCA, which was the 2007-2008 school year.

“I was very involved with my church in Flippin and I wanted to continue being involved in a college ministry on campus at UCA. Chi Alpha was the first and only ministry I went to as a freshman,” Dennis said.

Dennis said she was nervous about leading a group of girls with just one other person.

“When I became a d-group leader, I didn’t want to be one. It was my first year on leadership [a group in Chi Alpha] and Chi Alpha staff doesn’t usually make sophomores leaders. The whole concept was scary to me,” Dennis said.

Sneed and Dennis aren’t involved only in Chi Alpha. Sneed is a resident assistant in Carmichael Hall and Dennis works as a desk assistant in the Student Center office. Both are members of a section of Chi Alpha called leadership. Although their schoolwork is a load in itself, both of these

young women successfully balance work, school and leading a d-group.

This is the third year for Dennis and Sneed to lead a d-group. According to both of them, each year has been different.

“In my first d-group that I led with Katherine, I came to the realization of how big God was and how even when I messed up with our girls, he got me through it,” Dennis said.

Sneed said, “Our second d-group was such a big group. We learned so much about beauty and the women God created us to be. Really, it was such an amazing group of wonderfully different fun girls seeking after God. They were so much fun and taught me so much about the body of Christ.”

“This year, I’ve really seen all of the things that me and Katherine have prayed for come to fruition and come into action,” Dennis said.

Sneed also has seen the things that Dennis has in this year’s d-group.

“It’s so encouraging to see girls so hungry for God, to see the fruit of what seeds have been planted, and see awesome things He’s doing to their lives and us as a family,” Sneed said.

Senior Brittney Bailey is a member of Dennis and Sneed’s d-group this year. This is Bailey’s first year to be involved in a d-group and Chi Alpha.

“I decided to join their d-group because I knew them more than any other d-group leaders and we’ve been friends for a long time. I thought they would be

good teachers,” Bailey said.

Becoming a part of a d-group has opened Bailey to opportunities for more friendships and accountability partners she said.

“I’ve gotten to know a really great group of girls and we’ve become like a family. It’s been cool to see God work in my life and in others,” Bailey said.

Bailey said she admires Sneed and Dennis for the work they put into the group and the mentorship that they give to the group members.

“I think they are really good examples for girls my age, because they are faced with the same types of issues as me and they always look to God for guidance. Katherine and Heather try to push people to trust God more and they can say that to people because they are trying to do the same things. They have been a huge inspiration to me and God is doing amazing things through them,” Bailey said.

Not only is d-group a way for the members to make changes in their lives, but the leaders learn about themselves while helping the members in their group.

“Since becoming a d-group leader, I have learned how to become dependent on God and the family he has provided me with because I mess up a lot,” Dennis said.

Sneed also has seen changes in her life since becoming a leader.

“I’ve learned how to be more dependent and trust that God has beautiful plans, even in my weaknesses,” Sneed said.

-FILM-

OBOE SOLO Lecture teaches cinephiles to watch Woody Allen

by Andrew McClain Staff Writer

Though hosting an event early on a Saturday afternoon is sure to limit attendance, it’s also going to bring out only the most interested people. Wayne Stengel’s “Watching Woody Allen Seriously” brought out a small crowd of cinephiles to the BrewerHegeman Conference Center.

Stengel gave a short biography of filmmaker Woody Allen (born Allen Stewart Konigsberg) and handed out a sheet of paper with the director’s full 40-feature filmography listed on it. Like any artist with a body of work this large, Allen’s films are considered hit-or-miss among fans,.

“It’s very fascinating and sometimes exhausting,” Stengel said, but with a critically well-received canonical top tier that includes classics like “Manhattan” (1979) and the 1977 Best Picture Oscar winner “Annie Hall.” However, there is an uncommon amount of contention among dedicated Allen fans about which films belong in the upper tier.

Saturday’s lecture was centered around two of Allen’s later films, which are often overlooked or considered too recent to be part of Allen’s canon, “Match Point” (2005) and “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (2008). Most specifically, Stengel examined Allen as a cinematic expatriate or tourist, as he chose to make these films in England and Spain, respectively, and work with native cinematographers. He explored themes of “outsiderism” in both films, which reflects the conditions under which they were made.

Stengel showed extensive clips of both films, which featured actors like Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson (in both) and an Oscar-winning performance from Penélope Cruz. After showing the clips, Stengel took advantage of the small group size and led discussion about the themes of both films.

“It was fascinating to see the more recent films of a director like Woody Allen celebrated in the way that we normally celebrate his older films,” alum Lu Tucker said. “That’s something really special.”

After the discussion, both films were screened in their entirety in separate rooms. I attended “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” because, from the clips, I found the overall style and subject matter of the film more intriguing than “Match Point,” which seemed a bit bleak, however well-constructed the story may have been.

I agree that the workshop was excellent. I left with a keen understanding of “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” which very well may now place within my top 20 favorite films if I feel the same way about it upon a second viewing. These two films, while enjoyable on a stylistic level alone, can be deeply enriched by viewing and discussing them in a literary fashion, the way Stengel does. While I would never want to underrate Allen’s capability as a filmmaker,

Junior Stan Ly “I’m going to Florida and not getting arrested.”

Lukas Deem photo

English professor Wayne Stengel leads a discussion on Woody Allen films at Brewer-Hegeman on Saturday, March 12.

I was still surprised at the depth of the thematic material that runs through both these films, given that they are both so stylized and their subject matter is derived through the lifestyles of unbelievably good-looking, well-to-do people. Hence the title of the lecture — “Watching Woody Allen Seriously” — Allen, known for his comedy, deserved to have his craft examined carefully as much as any other artist.

Rose Cowling photo

Music professor Lorraine Duso plays the oboe during the “Music of Libby Larsen” show at Snow Fine Arts on Thursday, March 10.

Students Say story and photos by Lukas Deem

“What are your plans for spring break?”

Freshman Jennifer Wagner “I’m going to Florida with my friends. We are going to Universal Studios and are excited to see the Harry Potter theme park.”

Freshman Emily Plank “I will be turning 19.

Me and my friends are going to Branson to enjoy the amusement parks and shows.”

Freshman Sammi Bailey “I’m taking a bus to see my boyfriend in Oklahoma and we will celebrate being together for 20 months.”

Freshman Emily Beane “I’m going home to Dallas, I’m going to go shopping for clothes and I will sleep a lot.”

w w w. UCAE cho .n e t / c ampu s -life

Freshman Joey Walsh “I’m going to spend the week with my friends and we may go to New Orleans but if not I will still have a good time.”

Junior Michael Tatum “I want to go to Tunica with my friend and win some money.”

Freshman Dylan Massey “I’m going to Panama City Beach with my fraternity brothers of Phi Lambda Chi.”

ucaecho.net

CAMPUS LIFE

March 9, 2011 / 5

-HPER-

-REYNOLDS-

Symphony brings Western music to Conway

by Kristina Klein Staff Writer

This week’s “Songs of the American West: Myth and Reality” came to a sensational end Saturday night, March 12 with the vocal performances of Jennifer Edwards, soprano, Amanda Woodwards Boyd, soprano, and UCA graduate Richard Hobson, once a vocal professor at UCA, senior Andrea Ramos and Pablo Henrich, tenor and guest artist, combined with the musical talents of the Conway Symphony Orchestra at Reynolds Performance Hall.

The show began with Edwards singing a group of compositions by Libby Larsen: “So Like Your Father’s,” “He Never Misses,” “A Man Can Love Two Women,” “All I Have” and “A Working Woman.” All of these ballads describe a hardship or romantic aspect of the Wild West. She was accompanied with a small portion of the strings from the symphony and two percussionists. Edwards is a two-time winner of the UCA Concerto/Aria Competition, an honor which Ramos received just this year.

Boyd then took the stage along with the rest of the Conway Symphony Orchestra and graced the audience with a display of her award-winning voice. r She performed a piece by Douglas Moore called “The Ballad of Baby Doe.” Boyd graduated from UCA with a bachelors of music in vocal performance after earning a full choir scholarship. She has also been a vocal instructor with the university, as well as the Community School at UCA, and many others.

The piece sang by Baby Doe’s lover, “Warm as the Autumn Light”, was then performed by Hobson, a tenor with several awards including the Metropolitan Opera Guild National Council Auditions and many more.

The Conway Symphony Orchestra, led by Israel Getzov, interjected between the opera pieces to play “Deep Summer Music,” another piece by Libby Larsen. This piece includes a haunting trumpet solo that, the narrator said, “is meant to recall the loneliness of the individual against the vastness of the landscape [of the West].”

Henrich and Ramos were then given the opportunity to present their talent in the last opera pieces of the night, called “Ch’ella mi creda,” “Laggiu del soledad” and “O non temete.” These were written by the Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, who is famous for other works such as “Madame Butterfly” and “La Boheme.” This particular group of pieces relay a story that takes place in the West during the 1849-1850 gold rush. It is a tale of Minnie, a woman who runs a polka saloon and is the “Mother of all the Miners,” and the man she falls in love with, Johnson.

Henrich was born in Bolivia and has studied opera performance many places. The most prestigious of which was his vocal training he received in Rome under tenor Gianni Bavaglio.

When asked what it was like working with three UCA graduates, he replied saying: “It was a wonderful experience. Everyone is very professional and very good at what they do.”

The show was then wrapped up with an upbeat performance of “On the Trail” by the Conway

Lukas Deem photo

Sophomore Chase Frenedo participates in the HPER’s bench press competition on Saturday, March 12.

The competition was won by Terrance Yarbrough, with 415 pounds.

Yarbrough wins weightlifting contest

By Simon Gable Staff Writer

Rose Cowling photo

The Conway Symphony Orchestra plays “Songs of the American West” music at Reynolds Performance Hall on Saturday, March 12.

Symphony Orchestra. This well-known old Western song evoked a few giggles from the audience, as it is an older piece that is well known throughout older movies and television shows and is one of the staple Wild West cowboy songs.

Ramos, a UCA senior and concerto competition winner, said she enjoyed working with the symphony very much.

She said: “Israel was irreplaceable, I really felt like I could express myself. It’s very different to work with an orchestra because you have so many people involved in the performance and they all cannot just follow what you are doing ... singers sometimes, we take our time for some things here and there.

A pianist is always able to follow that, but not an orchestra, and that is where the conductor has to step in, and he was just great.”

She said she was also impressed with the Conway Symphony Orchestra.

“The level is just so high, they have such a high quality of music and talent,” she said.

Performing during this festival was Ramos’ reward for winning UCA’s concerto competition.

After graduating, she plans on getting a Masters in either vocal performance or opera performance and she has been accepted into the University of Texas.

The HPER center weight-room was overflowing with adrenaline on Saturday, during the annual bench press competition that Terrance Yarbrough won with a lift of 415 pounds.

A UCA press release was sent out inviting all students to “come show what they are made of.”

Assistant Director of Campus Recreation for the HPER center Arian Story said, “The bench press competition was started in 2007, a few years before I arrived at UCA, to promote our recreation facility and physical activity”.

The bench press competition has gotten bigger every year since its inception.

“This year we had 13 contestants sign up for the competition; 12 men and one woman”, Story said.

The competition results are based on how much weight individuals can lift compared to how much they weigh.

“This is a pound for pound competition”, Story said. “Naturally, heavier competitors should be able to lift more weight. We even the playing field by using the Schwartz/Malone formula to figure our results”.

The best lifter is determined by the strength coefficient numbers. These numbers relate to the lifter’s body weight. The coefficient number is then multiplied by the total amount of weight lifted, known as the formula total. The lifter with the highest formula total is considered the winner, according to mmanzo.homestead.com (professional personal trainer Mike Manzo’s website).

The Schwartz formula is used for the men and the Malone formula is used for the women, Story said.

Lifters were broken up into sub-groups based on their weight, and three larger groups overall.

Each group was given 10 minutes to warm up prior to lifting and each lifter was given three chances to perform their best lift.

Lifts were not counted if they were not done correctly.

“Any lift not done correctly is disqualified”, Story said. “For instance, if any part of the lifters back-side becomes removed from the bench or if the lifter balances the bar on his chest, that individual lift does not count” Story, along with special guest John Crone Jr., were the two judges’ for the competition.

Crone, who has competed as a power lifter at the national level, has been a judge for national bench press competitions since 2004.

“This is my second time to judge the bench press competition here at UCA”, Crone said. “I am really impressed with all of the lifters that came out.”

Sophomore Allayne McGee, the only female to compete, said, “My K-ped instructor challenged our class to get more active. I decided to use this competition as a launching point. I’m just disappointed that more women didn’t show up,” she said.

Sophomore Chase Fresnedo, whose best lift was 225 pounds, said, “I just wanted to give this a try. I wanted to see how good the competition is.”

McGee was the overall winner for the women with 75 lbs lifted.

“Terrance is one of the heaviest competitors, but he also lifted an insane amount of weight,” Story said. “He didn’t even break a sweat.”

Story said she was very satisfied with how the competition turned out and hopes that it will continue to grow in the future.

“We are thinking about implementing some drills from the NFL combine,” she said. “Anything to make this competition better.”

If you can’t hide YOUR purple pride …

Then you were made to be a UCA Ambassador!

March 1-18, 2011 Applications for UCA Ambassadors will be available at the Student Information Desk located in the Student Center or the Admissions Office Welcome Center located in Bernard Hall.

March 18, 2011 Applications for UCA Ambassador are due no later than 4:30 p.m. in Admissions, Bernard 101.

Applicants must meet the following criteria: Must have a minumum 2.5 GPA Must be enrolled as a full-time student for a minimum of two semesters.

April 11-15, 2011 Be sure to sign up for your interview time when you submit your application in Bernard Hall. Interview times will be available in our office for this week.

For more information on 2011-2012 UCA Ambassadors please contact Amanda Spinks or Jennifer Rutherford in the Office of Admissions at 501-450-3128.

UCA left its mark on YOU... now leave YOUR mark on UCA!!!

6 / March 9, 2011

CAMPUS LIFE

-COMEDIAN-

ucaecho.net

-SINGING-

Hanley keeps students in hysterics with routine

by Shea Higgerson

Assistant Campus Life Editor Comedian Phil Hanley entertained students with his standup routine in the Student Center Ballroom on March 9.

Hanley is from Canada and used his nationality as part of his act. He has been doing comedy for about seven years.

There wasn’t a large crowd at the event, which was unfortunate, because Hanley is a funny guy and was very interactive with the audience. The highlight of his standup was how much he talked with the audience and used those conversations in his routine.

“I like interacting with people,” Hanley said.

He questioned several members of the audience about different experiences and discussed hometowns and what life is like in Conway. Along with joking about being Canadian, Hanley talked about dyslexia, surgeries, physical appearances, living with his parents and relationships.

He made fun of and joked around with the audience, but not so much that he appeared rude as it sometimes comes across with harsher comedians.

He was very friendly and even “made friends” and discovered things he had in common with a few people in the audience.

He told the audience about his most recent break-up with a girl who he dated for five years.

He decided to perform a “transcript” of his last conversation with the girl and chose an audience

member to play the part of his girlfriend.

Sophomore Tori Sweatman, who is a theater major, joined Hanley on stage and read the script with him, but could not read without laughing.

“It was fun,” Sweatman said. “He’s got a lot of energy and it was easy to feed off of.”

The script was fake, but still very funny and one of the best parts of the standup. Hanley seemed surprised at the small audience, but made the best of it during his act. He made several jokes at the beginning of the standup about the size of the audience and said that he enjoyed performing at UCA, even in front of a small crowd. He said the audience had a lot of energy and helped make his performance fun.

Hanley delivers his jokes with an element of surprise and one is never quite sure what he is going to say about a subject or what his punchline is going to be. His style was reminiscent of Demetri Martin in the way he delivered jokes and performed, although he wasn’t as random and talked about things that were more relevant to real-life situations.

According to his website, Hanley was named one of the five comedians creating a buzz at the Just For Laughs Festival by The Hollywood Reporter and was able to appear on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” He has also appeared at the Halifax Comedy Festival, Global’s Vancouver International Comedy Fest, CBC and XFM satellite radio. In 2007, he won “Vancouver’s funniest comic” competition and was a credited screenwriter for Don Knotts’ final film, “Air Buddies.”

Lukas Deem photo

John Erwin conducts the UCA Concert Choir in their first concert of the spring semester on Monday, March 7 at Reynolds Performance Hall. The choir’s theme was illumination.

Choir performs first concert of spring

by Zachary O’Neal Staff Writer

-FINE ARTS-

Clarinet trio fills Snow with sweet music

by Jeanette Anderton Staff Writer

The Ironwood Trio delighted students with their music and knowledge Sunday night.

The trio consists of Eb and Bb clarinetist Jana Starling, Br clarinetist Leslie Moreau and bass clarinetist Anne Watson.

Starling said the three met at Arizona State in 2003 when they were all teachers’ assistants.

They wanted the name of their trio to reflect something significant about the area where they began playing together.

“The ironwood is a tree found only in the Sonoran Desert,” Starling said.

She said the trio currently lives in three separate states, she in Arizona, Moreau in Idaho and Watson in Oklahoma.

Starling said, in preparing for a concert, they each learn their own parts separately and only

get a day or two of practicing together before a performance.

“We have to put in some long hours practicing together before a concert, and it only works because we each know our individual parts really well before we get together,” she said.

Starling introduced the concert’s first piece, Alfred Prinz’s “Trio.”

She said the third movement in the piece has a “musical quote” and challenged the students to name it.

Starling said she wanted to make certain she played that part flawlessly so that students could recognize it. Apparently, she did.

Carol Sikes, UCA graduate student majoring in clarinet performance, correctly identified the quote as Valero’s.

Watson introduced the trio’s second piece, Habanera from Paquito D’Rivera’s “Aires Tropicales.”

She said she saw D’Rivera perform at a clarinet festival at Oklahoma University wearing a zoot suit and using the longest peg piece she had ever seen.

“It’s really fun to play his music,” Watson said.

Moreau said Michael Kibbe’s “Ebony Suite,” which the trio performed next, was more cerebral and a little more serious than some of his other works.

“His fun ethnic style still comes through,” she said.

For their fourth piece, the trio performed David Snow’s “Hasana Tanz.”

Starling said the middle section of the piece features the bass, with the outer sections featuring the Eb and Bb clarinet.

For the finale, the trio chose Peter Schickele’s “Dances for Three.”

Watson said the piece was written for two clarinets and a bassoon.

“It’s fun for me,” she said. “I get to play a lot of really low notes. I really enjoy a dark, rich sound.”

Starling said the piece takes some unexpected turns.

After the show, the performers stayed to answer questions from the audience.

They gave students tips on everything from circular breathing to reliable equipment that is affordable.

“They were so down to earth,” Sikes said. “The information after the show was practical and applicable.”

The UCA Concert Choir performed its first concert of the semester, featuring songs based on illumination, on March 7 at Reynolds Performance Hall.

“What I did was picked music from different eras and each one of them had some reference to light,” conductor John Erwin said. “So in each case, the text had several ways to use the word light and so it was illuminating. The idea was to use that as sort of a thread to all repertoires but every piece is different.

Every piece is its own unique little composition. The idea of grouping it on a main theme is a way to tie the concert together.”

The choir practices daily. Erwin said the snow days caused them to miss at least five or six days of rehearsal.

“We didn’t do as much music as we would normally have done,” Erwin said. “We would’ve done more.”

The first three songs were performed by a selected portion of the UCA Concert Choir called the Chamber Choir. They sang “Die Mit Traenen Saen” by Hermann Schein. This song was based off Psalm 126: 5-6. The second song they sang was “Denn Er Hat Seinen Engeln Befolen” by Felix Mendelssohn. This song was based off Psalm 91. The final song they sang was “The Evening Primrose” by Benjamin Britten.

After the performance by the Chamber Chior, the UCA Concert Choir came to perform more songs.

The first song they sang was “Faire Is The Heaven”

by William H. Harris. The second was “Psalm 67” by Rene Clausen. This song was favored by senior Evan

Nesbitt.

“Psalms 67 is just beautiful. I absolutely love it,” Nesbitt said. “I’m a Christian so whenever we sing songs about Jesus I just love it.”

The third song was “Panis Anelicus” by Rihards Dubra. The fourth was “Pater Noster (Lord’s Prayer)”

by Fidel G Calalang, Jr. The fifth was “Prayer” by Rene Clausen. This was another song Nesbitt said he favored.

“The setting of the actual prayer by Mother Teresa, said by Rene Clausen, was heartwarming,” Nesbitt said. “We sang that last semester and loved the line, ‘Help me spread your fragrance wherever I go.’ The first time we sang that song and actually got all the way through, I started tearing up near the end of it. Pretty much any song that ends in Amen I’m for it.”

This song was also a favorite of fellow choir member sophomore Sally Hughes.

“My favorite song is ‘Prayer’,” Hughes said. “It’s really inspirational.”

The last two songs were “Where There Is Light In The Soul” by Elizabeth Alexander and “Lux Aeterna”

by David C. Dickau, ending the first concert of the semester by the UCA Concert Choir. Sometimes, the Chamber Choir goes on tour around different high schools in Arkansas.

“We have anywhere from three to 10 concerts, depending if we go out on tour,” Erwin said. “We haven’t gone out on tour because the snow actually hurt that so we weren’t able to go out and sing at other places.”

Erwin said about two years ago the Chamber Choir went to New Orleans on a tour and sang on the way there and on the way back. Last year, the Chamber Choir went to France.

-ART-

Student wins three ADDY Awards in Little Rock

by Shea Higgerson

Assistant Campus Life Editor Junior graphic design major Nick Amoroso won two gold awards and one bronze award at the District 10 ADDY Awards in Little Rock on Feb. 19.

December 2010 was the first year the graphic design program competed in the competition, which is the largest international awards for advertising and graphic design.

“It really hasn’t sunk in yet,” Amoroso said.

He won the awards for a Christmas card showing Santa Claus eating a little girl’s head and an informative UCA poster. He said he always goes into something with the mentality of winning, but didn’t Nick Amoroso expect to win anything for the Christmas card and everybody joked with him about the surprise win. find funny.

“Seeing everybody’s reaction was cool,” he said.

While he is not close-minded to creating ads, He said it was an outside-of-class assignment he said he would like to create movie posters and that was just something to keep him busy. do layouts and designs after he graduates. He also “I’m constantly trying to better myself with does sculptures and paintings, but said he considers design and art inside and outside of school,” he said. himself more of an illustration person.

Professor Carrie Dyer entered Nick’s work, along He said he pursued a career in comics previously, with the work of other graphic design students but said he didn’t take advantage of the stuff he had. into the contest. Amoroso said Carrie took him He said he uses media to get his ideas across. by surprise when she entered his work, but he Amoroso said he has been enrolled in art classes definitely wanted to enter the contest again. since he was a kid growing up in New York, where he “I don’t think that students realized how big of a had a lot of opportunities to take classes. deal it was to enter,” Dyer said.

Other graphic design students who won awards She said Amoroso has an ability to pull together were juniors Rachel Halford (silver), Grace Robert a design that is sophisticated all around and that he (silver), Gracie Waldner (silver) and Michael Barnett does a really good job with design principles. She (bronze). Amoroso said the art department was said he does a really good job of mixing texture and represented well and that all of the students should type in his works. get gold awards.

Amoroso said he tries to stay keen on artsy The ADDY Awards is conducted by the American things, such as movies and music, and tries to stay Advertising Federation and has over 50,000 entries up-to-date on design principles in order to create.

He said he is a fan of horror movies and incorporates every year in local competitions, according to its website, and has several categories participants can that into some of his work to create a “shock and enter their work into, such as brochure, publication awe” factor. He said his experience in the Air Force is design, poster and more. also inspiration for creating.

To view Amoroso’s portfolio, visit www.

He said a lot of his stuff may be disturbing, but iamnickamoroso.com. he likes to create things that other people wouldn’t

Entertainment

7

March 16, 2011

-VIDEO GAME-

‘Black’, ‘White’ give new perspective on Pokemon

by Zachary O’Neal Staff Writer

ramascreen.com

David Norris, a young politician, played by Matt Damon, and Elise Sellas, a dancer, played by Emily Blunt, have to fight for the right to choose their own destiny in George Nolfi’s “The Adjustment Bureau.”

‘Adjustment Bureau’ raises questions

by Brad Smith

questions of free will and destiny, but always feels grounded because of the relatable characters. The plot is intelligent, but not hard to follow.

Damon and Blunt have strong chemistry in the movie. Their relationship feels authentic and the two feel like a real couple with a real past. Their flirting is charming and feels natural.

Their connection helps give the characters a legitimate reason for how they act. Their acting shows why they love each other instead of telling the audience why.

The movie begins with Norris losing a race for the U.S. Senate. He meets Sellas before his concession speech and is inspired by her to give a speech which rekindles hope for his run for the next term.

When Norris meets Sellas again the next day, the Adjustment Bureau steps in to make sure that they stay away from each other.

When he walks to his workplace to see that mysterious men have frozen everyone in the building, a chain of events is set off that makes Norris make a choice between what he wants and what is best for the world.

“The Adjustment Bureau” is consistently exciting throughout and never feels tedious or boring.

Staff Writer

“The Adjustment Bureau” is a great movie that raises questions of free will and predestination that continues the tradition of great movies based on Phillip K. Dick’s writings.

The movie is based on Dick’s short story, “Adjustment Team,” and is directed

by George Nolfi. Dick’s daughter, Isa Dick Hackett, is an executive producer for the film.

Ten books written by Dick have been made into movies, including “Minority Report” and “Blade Runner,” a cult classic that is widely considered one of the best movies ever made.

The movie stars Matt Damon as David Norris, a young politician with a bright future. Emily Blunt stars alongside Damon as Elise Sellas, a dancer and Norris’ love interest.

The movie has a strong cast and is well acted. The movie significantly expands on the short story, with Norris choosing to fight for his right to choose his own destiny.

The acting is paired with a strong plot and likeable characters who react to the situations in the movie realistically.

The plot deals with philosophical

Despite the action, the movie has little violence. The characters spend most of the action sequences running, which is an effective device for this movie.

This is unlike most other science fiction movies in theaters and is a refreshing change from the actionoriented science-fiction movies that lack a focus on plot or characters.

Also refreshing is how the movie deals with Norris’ reaction to challenges.

Norris is portrayed as smart and intuitive, yet remains a believable and relatable character.

Norris doesn’t spend time struggling to understand things. The movie leaves out all the annoying clichés that movies use to keep the story from proceeding and instead keeps moving forward while taking the time to remain intelligent and fun.

This movie is worth seeing, whether you like science-fiction or not.

Damon and Blunt are almost reason enough to see the movie, but with the strong plot and intelligent writing, this movie is highly recommended.

“The Adjustment Bureau” is rated PG-13 and has a one hour and 46 minute running time. It can be seen at the Cinemark Towne Center in Conway and at Dickinson Chenal 9 IMAX in Little Rock.

Nintendo released its Game Freak’s newest games to North America for the Nintendo DS, “Pokémon Black” and “Pokémon White” on March 6 adding the fifth generation to the Pokémon series.

‘Black’ and ‘White’ are available at Best Buy in Conway for $34.99. If you purchase either of the games before April 11, Best Buy will offer an event through the Pokémon series’ traditional Mystery Gift. This event offers a ticket to an island to the player and the chance to catch a rare Pokémon with the types fire and psychic. Its name is Victini, number 000 on the Unova Pokédex, 494 in the national. It is the equivalent of Mew from the first generation Pokémon games but with fire as the added type and it lacks the ability to learn every move in the game.

The games have received high ratings from various game sites and gaming magazines. Famitsu gave it 40 out of 40, IGN, 9 out of 10, Nintendo Power 90 percent, Official Nintendo Magazine 95 percent and VideoGamer.com 9 out of 10.

Pokemonblackandwhite.net says the games have gotten 76 million pre-orders in the U.S., making them the most preordered game.

This generation brought 155 Pokémon to the series and added a number of new moves and abilities which can make battling other people more competitive than what they used to be.

Pokémon introduced something new to the series called the Dream World.

The player is given the ability to connect

online with his Nintendo DS and rest one of his Pokémon. While the Pokémon is sleeping, it can be transferred to the Dream World and treat it like a virtual pet.Like the recent Pokémon games, the player may choose between a male or female protagonist. The player has two rivals in these games and another rival who is just seeking answers. They make challenges frequently compared to the others games.

Out of all the Pokémon games, ‘Black’ and ‘White’ are the most challenging ones. The first gym consists of the Pokémon depending on your starter.

The second gem has normal types this gem can be a bit difficult due to the fact that the leader’s main Pokémon has a sleep inducing move. After that, the third gym has bug types, fourth has electric, the fifth has ground, the sixth has flying, the seventh has ice and the eighth has dragon. Depending on the version, the player will fight a different gym leader in the dragon gym.

With a wide variety of Pokémon to choose from, facing the Elite Four should not be too much of a problem. They use fighting, ghost, psychic and dark type Pokémon. Instead of fighting against the champion after defeating the Elite Four, the player battles against the Pokémon that is on the cover of the version owned.

Then, the final battle against the main antagonist is fought. After defeating him, the first loop of the game has been completed and the journey continues.

There are not 16 badges like in the second generation games. Fight the Elite Four once again and the final fight is the champion this time around.

I don’t feel it has the same replay value as the first two generations, but I still enjoyed it.

-ALBUM REVIEW-

-MOVIE REVIEW-

Animated ‘Rango’ pays homage to Western genre

by Julian Spivey Campus Life Editor

One thing is certain … I’ve never seen an animated film with a body count as high as “Rango.”

Gore Verbinski’s animated Western flick “Rango,” starring Johnny Depp as a talking chameleon, is better than most animated films, because it’s more mature than most.

Most animated films these days try to appeal somewhat to adults to appease them while they entertain their children, but in my opinion the majority of the time they fail. “Rango” doesn’t fail, but then again it is probably an animated film geared more toward adults, that some children might enjoy because it involves talking varmints.

The one thing that I particularly liked about “Rango” was the homage to other films, one of the aspects that certainly would go over the heads of children, and unfortunately many adult moviegoers.

The big plot involving the controlling of the town’s water by the old turtle mayor, voiced by Ned Beatty, is a direct homage to Roman Polanski’s non-Western, but neo-noir 1974 film “Chinatown,” that starred Jack Nicholson. In fact, Beatty’s portrayal of the town’s mayor is extremely similar to the bad guy Noah Cross, played by John Huston, in “Chinatown.”

Another great homage is paid to Westerns legend Clint Eastwood, whose image is mimicked in the Spirit of the West character, voiced by Timothy Olyphant in a slight Eastwood imitation.

Other movies that “Rango” pays tribute to are Depp’s own “Fear and Loathing

‘Nostalgia, Ultra’ proves intelligent

by Andrew McClain Staff Writer

shockya.com

“Rango,” voiced by Johnny Depp, breaks all stereotypes involved with animated movies and produces a few laughs along the way. in Las Vegas,” “Cat Ballou,” “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” and “A Fistful of Dollars” among others.

“Rango” isn’t the first animated film to take on the wild, wild West.

We all remember the Steven Spielberg produced “An American Tail: Fievel Goes West” from 1991, but it very likely is the first animated film to mimic the spaghetti Westerns made popular by Italian directors like Sergio Leone in the ‘60s.

“Rango,” written by John Logan, is also the quirkiest and smartest animated film that I can remember seeing.

A lot of the quirky moments come from Depp, who seems to rarely leave the realm of quirk, which oftentimes works and just as often doesn’t, but in this case it is brilliant.

It’s the quirky, smart moments of the film that might leave the children restless, but the adults in hysterics.

The highlight of Depp’s voice work

1. “Grease” - 1978

Five Best Movies to Watch Over Spring Break list compiled by Lisa Burnett Julian Spivey Taylor Lowery

rap-up.com

Christopher Breaux, better known as Frank Ocean, thinks he may have synesthesia, a disorder where sensory messages are reassigned to different senses.

It’s not spring break in this movie, but it leads up to summer, which is what I assume spring break gives us a taste of. Even though this movie was released before I was born, it’s one of my favorites and the songs just scream spring break to me.

“Summer Nights,” is the epitome of a summer romance taking place, and John Travolta is just so dreamy. This 50s musical will surely get your toes tapping and be the soundtrack to an amazing break.

comes toward the beginning of the film when his lost chameleon first enters the town and goes from a shaky, nervous little guy to the town’s new hero in the span of a monologue telling how he killed seven men with one bullet.

Animation is the one genre of film that has never been at the top of my list as a film fanatic. Personally, a lot of that has to do with wanting to see actors act and see real life images.

“Rango,” the first animation done

by Industrial Light & Magic, is by far the most beautiful animation I’ve ever seen on film.

The landscapes that look an awful lot like John Ford’s famed Monument Valley look lifelike, something that I can’t say about most animated films.

“Rango” is rated PG for rude humor, language, action and smoking and runs one hour and 47 minutes.

“Rango” is showing at the Cinemark Towne Centre in Conway.

2. “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” 1986 Even if you’re not going anywhere for spring break, this movie explains how to have adventure in your own backyard.

Matthew Broderick, playing the menacing Ferris in the movie, finds himself getting into mischief and other predicaments throughout his “day off” from school. Just imagine the situatons that can be found in a week off from school. Get your ideas from this movie and your break will be an adventure for sure.

23-year-old Christopher “Lonny” Breaux had every reason to sign with Tricky Stewart. Stewart is today’s Quincy Jones—he has production and co-writing credits on Beyonce’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” Rihanna’s “Umbrella,” and Justin Bieber’s “Baby,” and his production company, RedZone Entertainment, has a distribution deal with Island/Def Jam. So, of course Breaux was excited to jump on board with Stewart and his crew, and helped pen tracks for Bieber and John Legend.

However, upon completing his album, Breaux received no word from the label. After trying for what he alleges to be a full year, Breaux took matters into his own hands, putting the album together himself, artwork and all, and releasing it all for free under the name Frank Ocean.

The artist we now know as Frank Ocean calls his album “Nostalgia, Ultra,” and it is one of the most intelligent and unique pop/R&B albums in the past few years. Ocean exists in the Drake/ KiD CuDi corner of rapping singers/ singing rappers, but I hesitate to invite the comparison because he puts them both squarely to shame, shedding most of the muted, depressed drug-rap and Autotune cliches.

“Nostalgia, Ultra” has charm in its lack of “coolness”—the three most recognizable samples are incredibly obvious repurposing of pop songs like

3. “Jaws” - 1975 If you’re planning a beach trip this spring break, this isn’t the movie to watch before heading out to the “big blue.” Beach-goers should beware of the great white monster that could be lurking below them while swimming in the ocean. Although the shark in this movie is not real, and compared to movies now, seems unbelievable, this movie is sure to make travelers think twice before not practicing safe beach techniques during spring break.

“Strawberry Swing” by Coldplay, “Hotel California” by The Eagles and “Electric Feel” by MGMT, which are songs I mostly can’t stand, but Ocean brings such a fresh take to these old melodies with new lyrics and makes them fascinating again, reminding me why they were popular to begin with.

These samples technically make “Nostalgia, Ultra” a mixtape, and Ocean embraces the mixtape idea with brief segue tracks with cassette-player noises on them. One of my favorite tracks is entitled “Lovecrimes,” which contains audio from one of Nicole Kidman’s monologues from “Eyes Wide Shut,” which mirrors Ocean’s lyrical content on a thematic level, brooding and adulterous.

Ocean delivers on all the expectations of a good pop/R&B album while challenging the status quo at the same time. There are at least three radioworthy singles (“Novacane,” “Songs For Women” and “Swim Good”) and there’s not a weak track on the album.

Ocean says that he thinks he may have synesthesia, and I’m assuming that he has a close sensory association with color and sound, because all of his production and melodic runs follow a very specific vision and that’s what holds an album together—most pop/R&B albums are produced between several (well-paid) hitmaker producers, which can cause an obvious creative rift. Pop music needs more visionaries like Frank Ocean.

4. “Easy Rider” - 1969 Spring break is all about taking road trips, which makes “Easy Rider” the greatest road trip movie of all time and the perfect film to watch over spring break.

The film stars Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper as two hippie bikers on a cross-country road trip from Los Angeles to Florida, in which they swim nude with a mime troupe, have an LSD trip in a cemetary and run into gunwielding rednecks ... all fun spring break activities.

5. “She’s All That” - 1999 The story of “She’s All That” stems from class prisident Zach Siler’s girlfriend, Taylor Vaughan, (Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jodi Lyn O’Keefe) meeting a “Real World” reality star during MTV’s Spring Break and dumping him. Which of course leads to a sneaky bet to turn artsy-nerd Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook) into the hottest chick in school. Chaos ensues. The film is completed with a prom dance scene and Usher playing the emcee at prom.

Sports

8

March 16, 2011

From the Shotgun

By Ben Keller

Sugar Bears basketball makes history this week; baseball, softball prepare for tough spring break at home, away

T

his past weekend marked another missed chance at history for UCA. The Sugar Bears basketball team made it all the way to the championship game of the Southland Conference Tournament only to be beaten by the number one seed in the tournament, the McNeese State Cowgirls.

While it was disappointing to see the team lose, it has been a great year for them and for UCA. If I were someone who knew nothing about UCA and its sports programs, I would not believe anything about the 20102011 seasons for the different sports.

In the first year our campus has been off NCAA probation for moving up in division rank, we have had two of our programs go to the finals in the conference tournament.

That is just ridiculous and is a testament to how hard all of our athletes and coaches work to be the best in the Southland. It really has been an unbelievable year so far. It is going to get better.

The Sugar Bears volleyball team started the trend last semester and now the Sugar Bears have kept that momentum going. Although they did not make it to the NCAA tournament, they will be attending the Women’s Basketball Invitational, meaning they are the first UCA team to go to a national post-season tournament since the move to Division I. The Sugar Bears will be hosting the University of Alabama at Birmingham tomorrow night for the first round in the tournament. The Sugar Bears may have had some conference tournament shakes and nerves this past weekend, but hopefully having those out of the way will calm them down and they will get their business done tomorrow.

While it definitely is no NCAA Tournament bid, the students should be excited about this game because they will all be able to watch the Sugar Bears play live in UCA’s first Division I tournament appearance.

• The Bears softball and baseball teams had tough weekends and have tough weeks ahead of them. The softball team will start out its week by playing the Ole Miss Rebels at 6 tonight.

As of Monday, the Rebels record is 9-18, so this should be easy picking for the softball Bears.

The real challenge lies in their weekend series against the University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks. The Mavericks currently have a record of 16-10 and are 5-1 in the conference.

Expect to see sophomore pitcher Kelsi Armstrong take the mound and give the Bears the boost they need this week.

So far this season, Armstrong has had an incredible season.

Armstrong has a current ERA of 1.91 and has a win-loss record of 7-9. In 17 appearances, Armstrong has had 86 strikeouts and only walked 26 batters.

You should also expect to see an appearance from sophomore pitcher Cami Newsome as either a starter or possibly relieving during any of the games this coming week. So far this season, Newsome has had nine appearances, seven of them as a starting pitcher. She has a 4.16 ERA and has a win-loss record of 2-3.

The Bears had it rough against the Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders on Sunday when they were trying to win out in their three-game series against the number one team in

the Southland. So far this season, the Bears have been putting up a strong defense in the field, but the Islanders were able to crack the wall the Bears had been building all season long.

While defense certainly didn’t go their way, the bats just were not clicking for the softball Bears. Coach David Kuhn said it has been difficult at the plate for the team and I agree. The Bears have been missing two of their star starting players and it is starting to show now that they are entering conference play.

Both sophomore infielder Melissa Bryant and sophomore outfielder Candice Gauntt have missed a large number of games due to injury. Last season Gauntt had 45 runs scored and had 33 stolen bases, the third most in UCA history. Bryant is certainly being missed as a versatile infielder who played third base, shortstop and second base in different games all last season.

Last season she had 33 hits and 21 runs scored.

Bryant has been out because of a concussion and has missed 10 games so far this season.

Gauntt sustained an injury to her thumb, breaking two of her bones in it. She has missed 19 games.

The freshmen on the team who have stepped up to fill their roles have done a great job with it so far, but I think Sunday’s game showed just how much the team is feeling the effects of missing their versatile infielder and heavy hitting outfielder.

The baseball Bears had trouble this past weekend with the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks. The Bears traveled to Nacogdoches, Texas to open their conference season with a three-game series against the Lumberjacks.

The Bears were plagued this weekend by a tough pitching performance from the Lumberjacks on Friday, an early lead from the Lumberjacks on Saturday and then six errors from the Bears on Sunday.

The game on Sunday was the closest in runs scored for the weekend, but the Bears’ best bet was on Saturday. Unfortunately, even with a late game rally in the eighth, the Bears couldn’t get two more runs to send the game into extra innings. The Lumberjacks also gave them opportunities with several errors throughout the Saturday game.

The Bears are going to have to take care of business and get some timely hitting down as they face the Lamar Cardinals this weekend. They are currently 12-6 overall and are 3-0 in the conference. The Bears will need to see some consistent hits from their leading hitters so far this season. Senior first baseman Jonathan Houston has 17 hits this season and is batting a .354 average with 48 at bats. Ethan Harris is just barely leading Houston with 18 hits and currently has a batting average of .286.

While they had a rough start to conference play, the Bears will get six chances during the break to get their conference record up and going. They will also be playing the Southeastern Louisiana Lions next weekend at the end of spring break. The Lions are 12-4 overall and 3-0 in the conference.

These are really going to be a tough games mentally for both teams since they are playing at the start of spring break.

Hopefully the students that stay on campus and the surrounding residents of Conway will come out to give both Bears teams the support they need going into conference play.

Rose Cowling photo

Junior first baseman Kasey Britt gets a hit during the Bears finale against the Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders on Sunday, March 13.

The Bears lost the series finale in a six inning game 10-1.

Islanders maroon Bears’ batters in 10-1 win

by Ben Keller Sports Editor

The softball Bears lost their series finale with the Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders Sunday in a six inning game 10-1.

The Islanders more than doubled the number of hits the Bears recorded, who only came up with five, while the Islanders had 12. The Bears’ hits were divided up among junior first baseman Kasey Britt who had two and then sophomore catcher Melanie Bryant, sophomore pinch hitter Brooke Reynolds and sophomore second baseman Preslie Long each had one hit. The Islanders had two-hit games from four separate players.

Coach David Kuhn said it was a tough day at the plate for the Bears and it takes more than a few people getting hits to win.

“We’ve only had two people really doing it day in and day out and that has been Kasey Britt and Melanie Bryant,” he said. “They have been doing a tremendous job but we have to have someone else step up.”

Britt said the Bears struggled mentally at the plate, going up against a pitcher with whom they had a tough time during the doubleheader on Saturday.

“We knew she had a drop ball and it was fooling us,” she said. “For some reason we were still swinging at it.”

The Bears only run came during the bottom of the first inning, but before they got there, Bears’ sophomore pitcher Kelsi Armstrong got her team out of a hole during the top of the inning. The Islanders had managed to load the bases with their first three at bats. Armstrong ended the inning for the Bears by striking out three in a row to get the Bears up to bat. Kuhn said Armstrong has been great for the team all year and she has helped the Bears get out of sticky situations on several occasions.

“Kelsi has given us a chance to win every time out,” he said. “It is a team game though.

You are only as good as your defense, well pitching in defense go hand-in-hand and they are key in this game. The games that we have won have been because of pitching and defense.”

During the game, Armstrong gave up 11 hits, 10 runs, four earned runs and struck out

six batters. Sophomore pitcher for the Bears Kristen Johnson took over for Armstrong during the top of the sixth inning with two outs. Johnson finished out the inning for the Bears. She allowed one hit, no runs and had no strikeouts.

The Islanders’ junior pitcher Greta Cecchetti started off the game for the Islanders. She pitched 2.1 innings and had four hits against her, one run and one strikeout. Junior pitcher Vianca Pesina relieved Cecchetti during the bottom of the third inning with one out. Pesina pitched the remainder of the game and allowed only one hit and no runs. She walked no one and had two strike outs.

The bottom of the first inning started with some on-field confusion from the Islanders.

As junior right fielder Nicole Beals stepped up to the plate, the Islanders had no one in right field. Due to the confusion, Islanders’ coach Jake Schumann called for a break in play and called all of the fielders in for a team meeting.

The Bears quickly got down to two outs in their first two at bats, but Britt hit a line drive into right field for a double. Bryant followed up Britt’s hit with a line drive single on a full count to bring Britt home and put the Bears up by one.

The Islanders answered back and took the lead in the top of the second with a two-run inning for them. The Islanders scored two more in the top of the fourth to give them a 4-1 lead. The Islanders could have had an extra run during the top of the fifth inning, but it was robbed by freshman center fielder Kelvon Greer. Islanders’ senior shortstop Lauren Dodson hit a high and deep fly ball to left center field. Greer ended up running all the way to the wall and leapt up to snag the ball just as it was dropping over the fence.

The tip-of-the-glove catch prevented a single homerun for the Islanders and got the first out of the inning for the Bears.

Kuhn said while the Bears did have some plays on defense, overall the defensive effort for the day was not at the level he knows his team can compete at.

“We had four errors on the board, a couple more mental mistakes,” he said. “I thought we pitched well enough today. The bottom line was we gave up six unearned

runs and we didn’t hit at all. Just a bad performance defensively.”

Britt said it became a mental block for the Bears. She said after getting an error, the team could not get it out of their heads that they might make another one instead of just brushing it off.

“Once one person made an error we just got it in our heads we were going to make another one,” she said. “Instead of bouncing back from it and cheering on our pitcher, we just mentally broke down.”

During the game, the Bears had four errors and allowed six unearned runs.

The top of the sixth inning sealed the victory for the Islanders as they hit a hot streak and had six hits and six runs.

Senior left fielder Lauren Sanders reached base first for the Islanders as she reached on a fielding error by sophomore left fielder Lindsey Barsoum. Junior center fielder Hannah Schwarz reached first safely after a hard hit grounder was knocked down

by Armstrong. The first two points for the Islanders’ six-run inning came when junior right fielder Stephanie Vead hit a double into deep right field for two RBIs. Another hard hit line drive through first base from senior second baseman Caley Jeter brought in another run for the Islanders. A line drive through the right side later in the inning brought in another run for the Islanders and then a deep double to left center brought in two more runs for the islanders giving them the winning 10-1 score.

The Bears will play again at 7 tonight in Conway against the Ole Miss Rebels. The Bears will also face off against the University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks this weekend in a three-game series.

During spring break, the Bears will play the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Lady Lions in a doubleheader on March 23, the Centenary Ladies on March 24, and a three game series against the Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions on March 26-27. All of these will be away games.

The Bears will play Oklahoma University on March 29 in Norman, Okla. before coming back home to play a three-game series against Nicholls.

- F O OT B A L L-

Conque adds two defensive coaches to fill staff

by Jeanette Anderton Staff Writer

The UCA Bears football program recently added two new defensive coaches to its staff.

Kenny Wilhite, defensive back coach, and Chris Hampton, assistant defensive back coach, both joined the football program this month.

Wilhite, who started coaching at UCA on March 3, was the cornerback coach for Southest Missouri State University for the last five years.

He is replacing Perry Eliano, who was the defensive back coach in 2010.

Wilhite was the starting cornerback at the University of Nebraska from 1990 to 1992.

In 1991, in his junior year, he led the Big 8, which is now called the Big 12, in interceptions, with six picks in just eight games.

Wilhite said he was happy to join the football program at UCA. “It was a great opportunity,” he said. “UCA has a good football tradition.”

Although he is pretty new, he said he has been pleased with what he has seen so far from the players.

“They are a good group of guys and they work hard,” he said. “I am learning from them as much as they learn from me.”

Hampton is impressed with the level of talent he has observed in the players in the past couple of weeks.

He hopes they are able to utilize that talent to its full potential.

“They have a lot of ability. Only time will tell if that ability translates on the field.”

Hampton is optimistic about the upcoming season.

“I’m very well pleased with the workouts I’ve seen this week, and with seeing how well the players move. They are moving really well right now. Seeing that, I am excited about Spring Ball,” he said.

Coach Clint Conque said, “We really feel good about his hiring.”

Conque said Hampton brings a lot of talent to the table.

“He did a fantastic job at Southeast Missouri State,” Conque said. “His players were well coached and prepared.”

He said that with Hampton’s help, Southeast Missouri State won its first Ohio Valley Conference Championship last year.

Conque said Hampton impressed him in the interview, and he feels confident that Hampton was the right choice.

“He had a distinguished playing career at Nebraska and in the Canadian league,” Conque said.

Hampton, who started coaching at UCA on March 1, was the graduate assistant coach at Georgia Tech for the past two seasons.

Hampton replaced Keith Scott, who was the assistant defensive back coach for UCA in 2010.

Before that, Hampton was the graduate assistant coach at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro in 2008.

He was the starting safety for the University of South Carolina from 2004 to 2007.

Hampton said he was excited to work with the great coaches at UCA. “I’m happy for the opportunity to join a staff that wins championships,” he said.

Hampton said he already has a high opinion of the team.

“They are a great group of young men,” he said.

Hampton’s hometown is Memphis, Tenn., which is a plus for Hampton as well as Conque.

Hampton said he was happy to get the chance to coach at a university so close to where he grew up.

Conque said, “Memphis has been a recruiting area for us for a long time.”

He said Hampton being from Memphis helped in the decision to hire him.

Conque said he was impressed with Hampton in the interview.

“He is a bright young coach, and a very classy young man overall,” he said. “I believe he will be a fast riser in this business.”

Conque said Hampton stood out because he has playing experience in the Southeastern Conference and he has coached on “both sides of the ball.”

Brad Teague, UCA athletic director, said while he doesn’t participate in the hiring process of new football coaches, he is pleased with Conque’s choices.

“I have met both [Wilhite and Hampton],” he said. “I am impressed with what I see so far.”

Teague said he hopes to see the coaching staff “continue doing what they’re doing.”

ucaecho.net

SPORTS

March 16, 2011 / 9

-PREVIEW-

- B AT T E R U P -

Track team heads to Memphis for Rhodes Invite

by Simon Gable Staff Writer

Lukas Deem photo

Sophomore catcher Melanie Bryant takes a big cut at a pitch during the Bears first game against the Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders on March 12. The Bears won the first game 5-1 and lost the second 6-1.

Bears split doubleheader with Islanders 5-4, 6-1

by Zachary O’Neal Staff Writer

The Bears softball team won one game of the double header Saturday against the Texas A&MCorpus Christi Islanders as their power hitters came through in the end.

The Bears won the first game 5-4 and they lost the second game 6-1.

“Our best hitters came through,” coach David Kuhn said.

“Kasey Britt and Melanie Bryant, the best two players on the team came through with two big homeruns. You can’t beat good teams if your big players don’t come through and they did that first game.”

With totals from both games, the Islanders outnumbered the Bears 13-10 in strikeouts and 1513 in hits.

The Bears first baseman Kasey Britt had four hits, junior right fielder Nicole Beals and sophomore catcher Melanie Bryant got three hits.

Sophomore pitcher Kelsie Armstrong had five strike outs and junior pitcher Cami Newsome had three.

In the first game, both teams went the first two innings without scoring a run.

The Islanders made the first run in the third inning as senior third baseman Kacie Smith made a double with a line drive to right field, driving in senior second baseman Caley Jeter.

In the fourth, Bryant belted a two-run homer after Britt got on first with a grounder to short stop on first, giving them the lead.

The Islanders and the Bears went back and forth swapping the lead.

The Islanders made more hits

in the fifth inning, which led to runs, starting with a single from junior center fielder Hannah Schwarz.

Jeter hit a grounder to left field and made a double, and drove in Schwarz in the process.

With Jeter on second, Smith stepped to the plate as the Islanders next batter and hit a grounder to centerfield and scored another RBI, giving them the lead 3-2.

The Bears offense was shut down in their half of the fifth inning.

They managed to get only one runner on base by balls.

Following that walk was a fly out to first base.

The inning ended with both junior pinch hitter Katie McGregor and freshman center fielder Kelvon Greer striking out swinging.

The Bears held the Islanders from getting even a hit in the sixth inning.

On the Bears offense, Britt got a two-run homer after Beals got a single from a line drive to left field.

“It was good,” Britt said. “We were down by one run and we needed some hits. Nicole got on for us and I was like I’m not going to leave her on, so we got the homerun.”

Bryant got a double with a hit from a line drive to left field and Ristau hit a a grounder to left field and got a single.

As freshman third baseman Terra Underhill was at bat, Ristau got picked off trying to steal second.

Underhill hit a grounder to left field, managing to drive in Bryant and ends the inning at 5-3.

The Islanders scored the final run in the seventh inning as Smith hit a homerun, but still

ended in defeat.

In the beginning of the second game, the Bears’ strong points were in the first inning when they had four hits and their only run from Britt. After the scored run, they managed to load the bases but the following three batters, senior designated player Shay Ristau, Underhill and freshman second baseman Taylor Dear struck out swinging.

“I don’t think we slacked off, I just think we should’ve got it done in the first inning and we didn’t and we just didn’t adjust,” Britt said. “The pitcher had one pitch and we all just kept swinging at it and it doesn’t work whenever we get up there without the proper approach. We’ve got to fix it because I think we should’ve done a lot better than we did.”

The Bears could not rebuild their momentum from the beginning and remained trailing through the game after freshman pinch hitter Laura Phillips belted a two-run homer.

The game remained 2-1 until the fifth inning when the the Islanders rallied up three more runs from walks and hits. They kept the bases load for the whole inning.

The Islanders also ended this game with a homerun.

“We got bases loaded, we’d score one run and then we get three strikeouts,” Kuhn said. “The bottom line, their pitcher got it done and our hitters didn’t. We had a chance right there to put the game away. The difference in the game was when they got bases loaded they got two or three runs and came through. They executed and we didn’t. And their pitcher did a great job. She struck out six and kept us off balance really well.”

Bears Brief • The Sugar Bears basketball team made it to the finals of the Southland Conference Tournament in their first year of post-season eligibility where they were defeated by the top seeded McNeese State Cowgirls 71-50.

The Sugar Bears defeated the Stephen F. Austin Lady Lumberjacks 64-58 and defending Southland Conference champions the Lamar Cardinals, who the Sugar Bears lost to twice in the regular season, 68-60 in over time to secure their place in the championship game. The loss gave the Sugar Bears a 2111 record while the Cowgirls improved to 26-6 and will appear in the NCAA tournament for the first time.

The Cowgirls held a 37-26 lead over the Sugar Bears at half time that was quickly to a 45-26 lead after the Cowgirls went on an eight-point scoring streak during the first two minutes of the second half. The Cowgirls never lost momentum, leading by 25 points with less than 14:00 left in the game. The Sugar Bears were never able to cut the Cowgirls’ lead to more than 19 points throughout the second half before the game ended in a 71-50 victory for the Cowgirls.

The Cowgirls shot 54.7 percent during the game and 57.1 percent in the first half alone. Cowgirls sophomore guard Ashlyn Baggett was named tournament MVP and led all players in scoring with 23 points while her sister, sophomore guard Caitlyn Baggett, followed with 15 points.

The Sugar Bears shot 41.3% during the game and were led by sophomore forward Megan Herbert, who was named Southland Conference player of the year, and freshman center

Courtney Duever in scoring, each with 13 points.

• The baseball Bears were swept by the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks in a three-game series last weekend in Nacogdoches, Texas 8-2,4 -2, and 4-3. This was the Southland conference season opener for both the Bears and the Lumberjacks (11-5, 3-0 Southland Conference). The Bears dropped to 8-8 on the season and 0-3 in Southland Conference play with the sweep.

The Bears scored first in game one in the top of the first inning when sophomore catcher Michael Marietta hit a sacrifice fly that scored sophomore right fielder Ethan Harris from third base. Although the Bears drew first blood, the Lumberjacks answered back in the bottom of the first with a two-run homerun from Lumberjacks senior first baseman Darren Crabtree.

The Lumberjacks tacked two more runs onto their lead in the bottom of the second to increase their lead to 4-1. The Bears were able to get their second run of the game in the top of the sixth inning when junior center fielder Jordan Getchell hit an RBI single that scored senior designated hitter Jonathan Houston. The Lumberjacks added a run in the bottom of the sixth inning and scored three more runs in the seventh off of a three-run double from Garrett Smith to give the game its final score of 8-2.

The Lumberjacks got their second win over the Bears on Saturday. Lumberjacks took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Crabtree hit an RBI to right field. Bears junior starting pitcher Ryan Angus kept the

Lumberjacks from scoring until the seventh inning, but the Lumberjacks added three runs in the inning to increase to a 4-0 lead. The Bears fought to come back in the top of the eighth inning. Bears junior third baseman Bryan Willson drew a walk with one out and was advanced by a sophomore catcher Travis Snider single to center field. Both were advanced when Lumberjacks junior pitcher Colton Eubanks had a failed pick off attempt.

This was followed by a sacrifice fly from junior outfielder Jake Fuller that scored Willson and advanced Snider to third. Snider scored when junior center fielder Greg Noble hit an RBI single. The Bears were unable to score in the ninth inning, despite loaded bases after Lumberjacks junior closer Jason West hit two batters. West struck out the following two Bears batters to end the game and pick up the save.

The Bears took the Lumberjacks to 10 innings in the final game of the series on Sunday but were unable to pick up a victory after recording six errors during the game. Harris hit the RBI single in the top of the ninth inning that tied the game 3-3 and eventually led to extra innings after the Bears kept the Lumberjacks from scoring in the top of the inning despite two errors. The Lumberjacks had the bases loaded in the bottom of the tenth inning after Bears Votolato committed a fielding error that brought Lumberjacks junior left fielder Bryson Miles to the plate.

On the first pitch, Bears junior pitcher Blake Payne threw a wild pitch that allowed the third base runner to score, ending the game 4-3.

The outdoor track and field season will hit its stride on Saturday when the men and women’s teams compete at the Rhodes Invitational in Memphis, Tenn.

This will be the second meet of the outdoor track season.

The first meet, the Hendrix Invitational, was Saturday at Hendrix College in Conway.

Both track teams dominated the Hedrix Invitational by winning a combined 19 events and setting four school records.

Sophomore Jasmine Ellis won the long jump with a distance of 5.51 meters, breaking UCA’s record.

Sophomore Mackenzie Johnson qualifed for the hammer throw at the Conference Championships and broke the school record with a throw of 40.67 meters. Johnson also qualified for the Conference Championships in the shot put.

Sophomore Tasha Bryles won the shot put with a distance of 12.45 meters and broke the 24-year-old school record in the process.

Sophomore Jessica Potter won the high jump with a height of 1.52 meters.

Graduate student Sohji Izumi qualified for the Conference Championships in the javelin throw and broke his own school record with a toss of 59.11 meters.

Junior Bobby Washington won high jump at 2.03 meters and qualified for the conference

championships.

Sage Raphael won the 400 meter and qualified for the conference championships with a time 48.48 “It is always good to start the season with meets on consecutive weekends. It gives us an early idea about where we stand as a team,” Martin said.

The meet will be held at Rhodes College.

“Rhodes College has a nice track facility,” coach Richard Martin said. “It’s a good place to run.”

The Rhodes Invitational is one of the lager meets UCA will participate in this season.

Senior and women’s track team member Jasmine Coleman said, “We will be competing against 19 other schools at Rhodes. Some of the smaller meets we go to invite around 10 schools to participate.”

More teams to run against means more competition for the Bears.

“We are going to see some very good teams at Rhodes,” Martin said. “Ole Miss, Memphis and Mississippi State are among some of the better teams that will compete.”

The Bears will be looking to start the first leg of the season out on the right foot.

“Hopefully we can start the season out with a good finish at Rhodes,” Martin said. “It’s hard to compete [as a team] when you’re playing catch-up all season”.

Martin would like to see some of his athletes qualify for the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships. Thirteen

athletes qualified at the Hendrix Invitational.

“We had a few runners qualify for the conference championships early in the indoor season,” he said. “It would be a good way to start the season if we could do the same thing in the outdoor season.”

Coleman, who will be running the 400 and the 4x400 meter relays at the Rhodes Invitational, said she has been training hard for the outdoor season. She won the 400 meter at the Hendrix invitational.

“As a team, we have been running everyday from 3-5 p.m.,” she said. “We have also been doing different drills and training with weights.”

Martin commended his teams for all the hard work they have been putting in.

“All we can do is practice everyday and try to get better,” he said. “Our men and women have been doing a good job of this.”

Both track teams are hoping for a good finish at Rhodes because the Invitational will mark the beginning of their spring breaks.

“We will have a full week off from competition after the Rhodes Invitational,” Martin said.

Both teams will have the weekend of March 26-27 off before they return to action at the UCA Invitational on Sat, April 2.

Neither team has any scheduled practice during the week of spring break.

“Even though our athletes will not be working out with the coaching staff over the break, we still expect them to continue with their training,” Martin said.

-AWARDS -

Megan Herbert named Southland player of the year

by Marisa Hicks Assistant News Editor

Southland Conference coaches and sports information directors announced March 7 the 2011 All-Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Teams.

Sophomore forward Megan Herbert was named player of the year.

“We [the women’s basketball team] were all really excited when we found out. It proves that we can play better than what people expect of us,” Herbert said.

Last year, Herbert said she was named freshman of the year.

Herbert has held the leading amount of field goals in the entire conference and stands over the conference in rebounds and was the top scorer two years in a row.

Herbert said, “To do that is something I will appreciate when I’m older.”

She said she is glad that she will be able to look back in the future at what a great accomplishment she and her team pulled off.

She is the only person to have done this twice in Southland Conference history.

“I was outside taking pictures when I heard the news. I was very excited but haven’t been able to enjoy that because I’ve been so focused on playing SFA,” Herbert said.

She said she would not have been able to earn the award without her team.

“I would not have been able to get this award without my team, not at all. They are the ones that always moved to give me the ball and we all played together. As a team, we don’t really care who

scores. We just want to do good,” Herbert said.

She said overall the award was a team accomplishment and the entire team went through so much this season to have earned the title.

Herbert said, “Without my team to back me up I wouldn’t care about the award at all.”

Herbert has been playing basketball since she was in the first grade, she said.

According to UCA player statistics, Herbert has accomplished an astonishing 11 20-point games this season.

Anthony Byrnes photo During the game against Sophomore forward Megan Herbert drives Nicholls on Feb 23 around defenders during a game earlier Herbert scored 25 this season. Herbert was named Southland points and made 20 rebounds.

Conference player of the year on March 7.

Twice Herbert always looking to give her the ball. has scored 28 points in a game, her record this “Leading in scoring and season, at Texas State Feb. 9 and rebounding ... it’s crazy. I never against UTSA March 2. would have expected it and to do Herbert was the leading that is something I will always scorer for the Sugar Bears in 19 appreciate,” Herbert said. games this season and made the Herbert’s teammate junior most rebounds for the team in 23 guard Nakeia Guiden was also games. voted a Southland title. Guiden She said without her was named an honorable teammates she would never be the lead scorer, because they are mention.

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10 / March 16, 2011

SPORTS

ucaecho.net

- B A S E B A L L-

-HOOPS-

Bears beat Blue Jays 8-7 in home win

by Zachary O’Neal Staff Writer

Lukas Deem photo

Senior forward Tadre Sheppard goes up for a basket over Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders senior forward Desmond Watt and junior center Jawan Nelson during their game March 5. The Bears ended their season with this game. Their final record was 5-24 overall and 1-15 in the Southland.

Basketball Bears end season 5-24 overall

by Marisa Hicks Assistant News Editor

The men’s basketball season came to an end on March 5 against the Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islander after 29 games.

Out of the 29 games only five were victorious for the Bears and all five of those games were home games.

Coach Corliss Williamson said, “My coaching style is a little different then what they are used to, but they all did what I asked them to.”

Senior guard Mike Pouncy said this was the first season the team has had a head coach.

“It was the first year we had a head coach and he definitely knew what he wanted. I hate to have to leave with a bad taste in my mouth. I wish I could be there to help the younger guys to understand what he wants and put the pieces together,” Pouncy said.

He said Williamson had a reason for everything he had them do on and off the court and in training.

“It was a big change for the team to have a head coach, I asked them to change a lot. I asked for them to be successful and look at how much better they are now,” Williamson said.

He said they all worked hard and he is proud of them for not giving up. One of the major problems the team had this season, he said, was closing games and coming through at the last minute.

Williamson said the team has, through experience, steadily been able to finish games better and better.

Pouncy said the game against Northwestern State sticks out to him the most.

In the game against Northwestern State the Bears lost to the Demons 79-80 in overtime.

Pouncy said the new players being recruited will be a great addition to the team, and now that the team has had some time to adjust to having a head coach the older teammates will be able to help out the younger guys.

Williamson said the team also faced issues with team injuries.

Junior guard Dewan Clayborn, junior forward Chris Henson and senior forward Tadre Sheppard all suffered injuries this season.

He said Sheppard was out for the first part of the year.

With injuries it was difficult, Williamson said, because at times they were short on players.

“It was difficult to get through a full 40 minutes,” he said.

The team scored a total 690

out of an attempted 1,657 field goals this season and 165 out of an attempted 527 shots from the three-point line.

The team made 343 offensive rebounds and 622 defensive rebounds and scored a total of 1,984 shots by the end of the season.

The Bears were beat by their opponents by a total of 1,030 scores by period versus the Bear’s 919 scores by period in the first half and were beat 1,179 to 1.059 by their opponents for scores by period in the second half.

The team’s greatest win was against Champion Baptist with a victory of 100-29. Senior guard Imad Qahwash scored the leading amount of points during that game with 21 points.

Pouncy said Williamson became a father figure for many of the players.

“He taught us both on and off the court,” Pouncy said. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot more under this coaching staff than I have through all of my years playing basketball.”

Williamson said he was glad to have affected the players this way, especially having only a year to spend with the seniors. He said his door is always open and they all know that.

The Bears baseball team came out on top of a close game last Wednesday with an 8-7 victory over the Creighton University Blue Jays.

The Bears outnumbered the Blue Jays in hits 13-7 and in strikeouts 10-7.

Bears’ senior designated hitter Jonathan Houston got three hits at five bats, junior third baseman Bryan Willson got two hits at four bats and senior second baseman Zack Dickson got two at three bats.

Junior pitcher Dustin Ward got four strikeouts, while freshman pitcher Jackson Lowery, sophomore pitcher John Kordsmeier and junior pitcher Andy Steinmetz all had two.

The bears made six pitcher changes throughout the game.

“We got conference coming up this weekend,” coach Allen Gum said. “It was a good chance to get some guys an inning here, inning there and get some work without overusing them so they can still throw this weekend.”

The Bears went neck and neck with the Blue Jays for the first four innings. Then both teams went four innings without scoring a run.

The first hit of the game came from the Blue Jays’ junior designated hitter Michael Mutcheson. It was a grounder past first base as he got the single.

Mutcheson stole second base before Blue Jays’ junior first baseman Nick Judkins dropped a sacrifice bunt for Mutcheson to advance to third.

After the Blue Jays’ first run, another run shortly after was given up due to the Bears’ sophomore pitcher Jim Youngblood overthrow to first base in an attempt to pick off the runner.

“He went to pick and he

Nick Hillemann photo

Senior second basebman Zack Dickson gets a hold of a pitch during the Bears game against the Creighton Blue Jays on March 9. The Bears won the game 8-7. turned, he didn’t have the handle on the ball right and he just let it go,” Gum said. “Those things happen sometimes so you just have to overcome it and keep moving forward.”

Senior right fielder Trever Adams hit past third scoring an RBI. Sophomore right fielder Ethan Harris got the Bears started in their half of the first inning with a

Bear Chat with

Andrew Hopkins

by Lisa Burnett Entertainment Editor

Senior Andrew Hopkins has been a part of the UCA golf team for two years now. During his junior year, his first year on the UCA golf team, Hopkins had a stroke average of 76.3. He has a stroke average of 73.8 in the 2010-2011 season. The Bears still have four tournaments until regionals in May.

When did you start playing golf?

I started playing competitively when I was 11, but I started practicing golf when I was five.

What’s your proudest UCA Bear moment?

Winning [March 8] at the Samford Invitational. It was our fourth win in a row, which was a school record.

What is your favorite part of being at UCA? Probably golf, like everything about it, and the guys and coaches are great.

What do you do before a tournament?

I listen to music, mostly old hip-hop and Frank Sinatra. I also listen to “MTV riff raff.”

What’s your favorite golf course to play at?

Lake Geneva in Wisconsin. My uncle is a member there.

Who is an athlete that inspires you?

Alex Ovechkin, he’s a hockey player for the Washington Capitals.

What’s your major?

Health Education.

What is your favorite food?

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What is your favorite movie?

“Inception” and “Creepshow.”

Where did you go to high school?

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Have you gotten any awards or achievements for golf?

I was junior player of the year for Arkansas State Golf Association in 2005 and my high school team won the state tournament for golf my senior year (2006).

What are your plans after graduation?

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fly ball between center field right field and second base. The ball was missed by the Blue Jays’ defenders.

Houston belted a two-run homer on a full count with Harris on second from stealing.

“I felt like I haven’t seen the ball pretty well lately and I was looking off to see if I got it,” Houston said.

The game tied at two at the end of the first inning.

The Bears took the lead in the second inning as they scored two more runs and held the Blue Jays.

After getting on base from a hit to center field, Dickson advanced to second as senior short stop Kyle Prevett dropped a sacrifice bunt.

Harris managed to make it to first with his grounder to second base as the defender fumbled with the ball.

Harris stole second again.

Harris and Dickson were batted in to end the inning with the Bears’ 4-2 lead.

Not many runs came in for either team. The Blue Jays outscored the Bears 1-0 in the third inning. They were still trailing 4-3.

In the fourth inning, Blue Jays’ junior third baseman Chance Ross dropped a bunt to load the bases after the previous batters got on base from walks.

The rally started Mutcheson’s hit to right field for a double, driving in two runs in the process.

With two runners still on base, senior short stop Jimmy Swift hit to center field to score two more runs.

Dickson got the Bears’ half of the inning started a line drive past second.

After Dickson’s second-base advancement from Prevett’s sacrifice bunt, Harris got a hit and placed runners on first and third.

The Blue Jays made a pitcher change after that as Houston stepped to the plate.

Houston managed to get a hit and drive in Dickson.

Junior third baseman Bryan Wilson followed up and got a hit for two runs that tied the game at the end of this inning at seven.

From the fifth inning through the eighth inning, the game remained tied as neither team scored a run.

In that period, there were only two hits and they both came from the Bears.

It the fifth and sixth innings, the teams had back to back threeup-three-downs.

On the Bears’ defense in the eighth inning, junior pitcher Dustin Ward got three back to back strike out.

“We just kept playing,” Gum said. “They brought lefty in right there and that kind of kept us off guard a little bit. If we could just hold them right there we felt pretty confident that we would get our hits sooner or later.”

When the bottom of the ninth came, the Bears got the hits they needed to win the game.

With senior left fielder Michael Pair on second because of his double with a hit to center field, Houston made a hit to center field as Pair ran home for the run that ended the game for the Bears’ victory.