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Volume 105 — Issue 12
April 20, 2011 Wednesday
4 TODAY
Partly Cloudy
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Scattered T-Storms
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Isolated T-Storms
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Opinion: Voice: SGA’s vote to support nature reserve preservation reflection of 4 page 3 student body
“Legally Blonde: The Musical” The Broadway Series at Reynolds will be concluding with “Legally Blonde: The Musical” tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. Based on the hit movie starring Reese Witherspoon, the musical will feature Elle Woods as she searches to find her true self in the world of law school. Tickets are $30-$40 for adults, $27-37 for alumni, $28-33 for faculty and staff and $10 for students. Call the RPH box office for ticket information.
Guitar Hero Tournament Students can sign up to participate in the Guitar Hero Tournament sponsored by Conway Corporation at Toad Suck Daze April 29 from May 1. To register, students can go online to conwaycorp.com/support/ tournament.aspx
Upward Bound Job Opportunity Upward Bound is seeking tutors for the 2011-12 academic year. Applicants need to be upperclassmen and have reliable transportation. Applicants also need to be qualified to tutor high school students. Upward Bound is highly interested in math and science tutors.
Senior Brick Seniors graduating in May can become a part of the UCA Senior Legacy Walk by ordering a senior brick. Brochures are available at Buffalo Alumni Hall or online at uca.edu/alumni.
250 Mile Club The Bear Tracks 250 Mile Club is accepting members. Students are able to accumulate up to five miles a day and mileage is selfreported. Mileage can be done by walking, jogging or running on a treadmill or on the indoor or outdoor track.
Football: Offensive, defensive teams play in Purple, Gray Scrimmage
Diversity: World Cultures Day celebrates international traditions
4 page 4
4 page 9
Students support protecting reserve by Ben Keller Sports Editor
Around Campus:
Sports:
Campus Life:
UCA students gathered in support of preserving the Jewel Moore Nature on Thursday, April 14, for the Green Bear Project’s “Bear Hug” event. Associate Dean of the Honors College Donna Bowman said the Green Bear Project is the brainchild of one of her classes. “Some of the students in my class are on SGA or RA’s and knew about the board placing the five year moratorium for development on the site,” she said. “They wanted to show broad support from across the campus for something they really cared about and thought was important.” In December, a proposal was brought before the board of trustees to protect the nature reserve into perpetuity. The proposal was rejected, but, instead, they placed the moratorium for development on the site. The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission has been working in cooperation with Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics Steve Runge in forming the conservation easement for protection. If passed, the Jewel Moore Nature Reserve would be protected into the future forever. No one would ever be allowed to develop the land for anything. It would strictly be designated as a natural area for preservation. The proposed plan from December would have protected 17.5 acres of the 22.02 acre reserve. The most important being four acres of natural, undisturbed tall grass prairie. The Bear Hug event took place during x-period on Thursday. Students who
attended were given free pizza and could also sign up to win door prizes through a raffle. When the event began, students held on to a string of yarn and walked it down Farris Road to the nature reserve cutin. The students then walked the yarn through the reserve and back to the HPER Center entrance. Bowman said she was pleased with the student attendance for the event and the show of support during the week. “We had about 210 students show up [on Thursday] and as of Tuesday we have 1,631 signatures on the petition. That is before we go out and get rid of duplicates though,” she said. “We are hoping we end up with 2,000 signatures.” Junior Amanda Kroger said she hopes the board of trustees will see the massive amount of student support as a message to go ahead and protect the reserve in lieu of waiting out the five year moratorium. “The nature reserve is one of the few places on and around campus we have left where students can go and observe nature,” she said. “It is important to the biology department and the student body as a whole. I use it personally to just walk around and distress myself form school and homework. Sometimes, it is a great place to just go and do your homework so you can be outside and relax. I feel like there is no reason to get rid of it, but many reasons to keep it.” Bowman said she feels there are so many reasons to keep the reserve as well, but she singled out one and said the most important to her is preserving the natural greenery on UCA and around the state. “Universities all around the country are trying to add more greenery to their campuses,” she said. “We are lucky enough to already have that.”
Photo by Lukas Deem
Sophomores Diane Hill and Page Vick celebrate at the Green Bear Project as they make their way through the end of the trail through the Jewel Moore Nature Reserve.
-NEWS BRIEF -
-GOVERNMENT -
No charges filed in rape case SGA elections held through Bearmail; by Mary DeLoney News Editor
There will be no charges filed in the alleged on-campus rape at the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house. Prosecuting Attorney Cody Hiland wrote in a letter to UCA Police Chief Larry James that his decision to not file charges “is based on the review file and comprehensive, candid interviews with the victim and witnesses concerning the events on the night of the incident in
question.” He also said, “In light of the available evidence, it was impossible to prove each of the legal elements required for a conviction under state law, and as a result, my office cannot move forward with charges.” Hiland said he discussed his decision with the accuser and her family. According to the police report, an 18-year-old female student reported to police that a 21-year-old male student at a party at the SPE house had sexually assaulted her Jan. 23.
STEP SHOW
new officers appointed for next year
by Lisa Burnett Entertainment Editor
The students have spoken and elected a new group of Student Government Association representatives for the 2011-2012 school year. Junior Hunter Phillips was elected senior vice president for next year. He beat out junior Pyi Thein Kyaw for the position. “We’ve sparked talks with the athletic department and we are wanting to change up tailgating,” Hunter said. Hunter is hoping the tailgates next year will become more welcoming to newcomers to UCA and some Conway residents and UCA students who have been coming to tailgates for years. “We want to make it more exciting and inviting. Right now you only have four hours to tailgate and if you’re not in an organization like
Bears Den or a Greek organization, you don’t really feel welcome. A lot of times freshmen go to the tailgate, walk down the street and walk right back to their dorms. We want to make it more inviting to all students,” Hunter said. Junior Jack Phillips, who isn’t related to Hunter, was elected vice president of finance. Jack is not a stranger to SGA. In 2009, he was sophomore vice president and this year he served as the junior class president. “I’m excited about working with the rest of the SGA executive board, Jack said. “ I’m getting to work with the traditions committee that helps us as students start new traditions and look at existing ones. We want to get someone like Jimmy Bryant who has a lot of knowledge about the university to help us with that.”
See Elections - page 2
- E D U C AT I O N Welcome Week
College of Business offers new major
Organizations interested in helping with freshmen Move-In Day during Welcome Week 2011 must send in the application and at least one representative must attend the mandatory meeting April 26 during x-period in Student Center 213.
by Kristina Klein Staff Writer
Auditions for Children’s Musical The Arkansas Shakespeare Theater will be holding auditions May 14 for children ages 8-16 to take part in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Two audition sessions will be held from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m and from 12 to 2 p.m. at the Bridges/ Larson Theater in Snow Fine Arts.
Photo by Lukas Deem
Members of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority and Omega Psi Phi fraternity won the 13th Annual All-Greek Step Show held April 15 in the Farris Center.
Index 4 Opinion 4 Campus Life 4 Entertainment 4 Sports
3 4 7 9
Due to the efforts of Professors Dan Fisher and Michael Hargis of the College of Business, a new degree is to be introduced in the fall 2011 semester in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. This degree, along with providing students a valuable asset to their resume, will also instruct on how to recognize, develop, and implement new ideas, whether this is in the context of a small start-up venture or a giant corporation. In response to the understanding of the evolution of the technology and the “innovate or die” job environment, Fisher and Hargis decided that this degree was indisputably necessary. They did so by asking themselves some questions: Where is business education falling short in preparing students for these top priorities and ruthless market imperatives? How do we develop a program that will inspire our
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students not just to play the game of business, but to change how it is played? Hargis said, “We focus on not just preparing people to launch businesses, we’re not the traditional entrepreneurship approach, but we also focus on giving people those baseline skills to think creatively about needs-consumer needs-and let that need process drive product design and development.” The business degrees presently implemented tend to shy away from bold creativity, believing “you are born with it or you aren’t, there’s no changing that,” Fisher said. These two professors intend on proving the fallacy of that belief, by both encouraging and requiring creativity in the classroom. They are hoping to do so by mixing a concoction they believe necessary in today’s ever-changing marketplace. Together, they will provide
See Major - page 2
Extreme Couponing College students should embrace coupons, bargains to help save money
page 3
© 2011 The Echo, Printed at the Log Cabin Democrat, Conway, Ark.
2 / April 13, 2011
NEWS
Police Beat
- GOVERNMENT-
The following reports and arrests are from the UCAPD docket. UCAPD reports any tickets issued as arrests, according to ucapd.com.
Student arrested for possession of marijuana; others cited UCAPD responded to a drug violation in State Hall at 9 p.m. April 14. Officers arrived to room 319 and the smell of marijuana was leaking under the door through a towel that could be seen from outside the room. Student Blair Holloway, 19, let the officer in the room and told him that no one in the room had been smoking marijuana. He showed the officer a bottle that was full of cigarette butts and said he, student Lindsey Mcintosh, 19, nonstudent Jalen Henry, 18, and nonstudent Clarence Bell, 18, had been smoking cigarettes in the room. The officer then noticed a full water bong in the corner overflowing. The insert beside it was packed full of marijuana. Blair was placed under arrest for possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance and violating the Clean Air Act. He also received a J-Board notice.
Mcintosh was charged for violating the Clean Air Act and received a J-Board notice for her drug violation. Henry and Bell received citations for violating the Clean Air Act and received ban letters.
Student harrasses via Facebook UCAPD received a call at 2 a.m., April 14 from student Ashley Walla, 26, reporting Ching-Han Hu, 21, was harassing her after an argument in orchestra practice. Walla was concerned about a status Hu had posted on Facebook and translated it using Google Translator. Hu’s status read, “My current wish is to take gun and shoot all my classmates, enjoying their blood and scary.” When officers asked Hu if she had made the post on Facebook she smiled, laughed and said it was just a joke. She was released and told she would be contacted the next day of any disciplinary action.
Sorority holds annual A21 Campaign race Staff Writer
Good times were had by all when the Alpha Sigma Tau sorority held their third annual “Be Her Freedom” 5K run on April 16. The A21 Campaign works with government organizations to fight against human trafficking by raising global awareness and reaching out to victims throughout Eastern Europe, according to the Be Her Freedom Facebook page started by the race’s co-director, sophomore Christy Bjornson. “The A21 Campaign helps
provide shelter for the women who have been victims of human trafficking,” Bjornson said. The race costs $25 for runners who registered before March 31. Also, groups of 10 or more runners who registered early were charged $20 per person. “Runners that were not able to sign up before March 31 were charged $40, but all runners received a T-shirt, water bottle and refreshments,” junior Alpha Sigma Tau member and co-race director Brooklyn Blackwell said. The 5K took participants through and around the UCA campus. “Since the race was started, it has gotten bigger and better
Elections:
Senior Austin Hall elected SGA president for 2011-2012 4 Continued
from page 1
Hunter has been on SGA for the past year. This year he acted as junior class vice president. “Last year I was nervous about being on SGA, but now I’m ready to hit the ground running,” Hunter said. “I know the ropes and there’s nothing new to learn. I just want to help make UCA
better.” Hunter and Jack aren’t the only two people elected to positions for the 2011-2012 school year. Freshman Josh McDonald was elected president of the sophomore class, along with freshman Luke Moix, who was
SGA votes to protect nature reserve forever by Marisa Hicks
because it has taken 20,000 years to develop into the ecosystem it has become. Senior Class Vice President Morgan DeRosa said the Trail of Tears ran through the nature reserve and it would be a crime to destroy that part of history that’s found here on campus. They voted 16-13 to pass the resolution to the board of trustees. The senate voted unanimously to create a diversity committee for the university to meet the needs of nontraditional students, international students and transfer students.
Nature Reserve around campus and has accumulated 1,912 signatures on their petition to preserve the reserve by educating students on its importance. Senator at Large Ty Bittle said the reserve is located 10 minutes from the center of campus so the only significant purpose the area could be used for would be a parking lot because an administrative office cannot be placed so far from the main flow of the campus. President Meghan Thompson said the senate would be acting irresponsibly to vote against the preservation of the nature reserve
Assistant News Editor
The Student Government Association voted to send the resolutions of tuition increases, to preserve the nature reserve forever and to create a diversity committee for next semester. Vice President of Financial and Administrative Services Diane Newton said the raises in tuition are to fill the gap of money lost created by the drop in enrollment. The vote passed 26-4. The Green Bear Project has been supporting the Jewel Moore
- P U B L I C AT I O N S -
Student journalists win at ACMA awards by Brad Smith Staff Writer
-PHIL ANTHROPY-
by Simon Gable
ucaecho.net
each year,” Blackwell said. “This year we had over 170 registered runners and the all the proceeds go the A21 Campaign,” she said. AST advertised the race on campus and around Conway. “We had a table of refreshments set up near the finish line for all the runners,” Bjornson said. After the race ended, medals were handed out to the winners. “The overall winner of the race finished in 19 minutes and 25 seconds. That’s slightly about a six minute per-mile average,” Blackwell said. “ We also gave out a plaque to the overall team winner, the Delta Zeta’s,” she said.
UCA won three of four general excellence awards at the Arkansas College Media Association awards Monday. The Echo won first place in the general excellence newspaper category, The Vortex won in the magazine category and Channel 6 won in the television category. UCA publications also won several other awards.
The Echo First place overall - Newspaper General Excellence Preston Tolliver- Third Place, Reporter of the Year First Place Taylor Lowery- Editorial writing, editorial page design Preston Tolliver- General column writing Heather Chiddix- Editorial cartoon Second Place Lance Coleman- Cartoon strip Heather Chiddix- Editorial cartoon
Emily Avery- Sports photo
First Place
Allison Hartman- Meeting and speech coverage
Ashley Byrd-Pharr- Organizations writng
Reguarly occuring newscast
Carissa Gan- Personality profile
Web edition
The Vortex
The Scroll
First place overall - Magazine General Excellence
Fourth place overall- General excellence First Place Academic Layout Typographic Presentation Steven Davis- Art/Illustration photo Second Place Typographic Presentation
Television computer graphics Han Zhao- Producer/Director of the Year, Script writing Sam Walker- Sports Reporting
First Place
Chelsi Huddleston- Weather
Website
Anna Alderson- Anchor of the Year
Spreaddesigns
Second Place
Katherine Bullington- Poetry Sanantha White- Typography
Reguarly occuring newscast Contents page design
Bernard Reed- Fiction writing
David Long- Producer/Director of the Year
Kristin Spickard- Photography
Barry Bartoszek- Anchor of the Year
Feature Layout (twice)
Grace Waldner- Artwork
Anna Alderson- Television feature
Aaron Newton- Academics photo
Second Place
Courtney Howard- Sports reporting
Taylor Lowery- News writing
Third Place
Contents page design
Kari Anne Servedio- Weather
Ben Keller and Julian Spivey- Sports writing
Academic Layout
Third Place
Han Zhao- News reporting
Student Life Layout
Elizabeth Arnold- Poetry
Sam Walker- News reporting
Jillian Browder- Sports feature writing Third Place
Mary DeLoney- Sports feature writing
elected as sophomore vice president. Sophomore Paige Turner will be junior class president and sophomore Aaron Owen will be the vice president of the junior class. The senior class president elected is junior TJ Beringer. Vice president of operations will be junior Rebecca Moye and executive president will be senior Austin Hall. Sophomore Spencer Sims was elected executive vice president. There were only three contested races this year, the junior vice president race, the senior vice president race and the executive vice president race.
editorial writing
Mizuki Sasaki- Single advertisement Honorable Mention Taylor Lowery- Feature writing,
Closing Theme Page
Third Place
Introduction Theme Page Honorable Mention
News 6
Regularly occuring broadcast
Samantha Lambert- Student Life writing
First place overall - Television General Excellence
Phil Seaton- Sports reporting
David Long- Feature reporting
-SPEECH-
Lecture discusses perception of Jewish people by Brad Smith Staff Writer
Many misperceptions about Jewish people, including that Jewish people value money and themselves above all else, were topics of discussion April 11.
was Chinese, even though BenCanaan had a Chinese passport. Ben-Canaan said that this was an average response from a Chinese citizen. “Most Chinese haven’t met a Jewish person, but most will say they are the richest, smartest people and that they are all excellent businessmen,” BenCanaan said. He said that the Chinese do not believe their view is negative, regardless of the biases it may contain. He said that Chinese people believe that it is a compliment to put Jewish people up so high. Ben-Canaan said many scholars in China specializing in Jewish studies have never met an actual Jewish person. Ben-Canaan also spoke about the history of Jewish communities in Harbin, China, which had the only Jewish community in China for many years. He said Christian missionaries also influenced the beliefs of many Chinese people. American missionaries, while more familiar with a realistic version of Jewish culture, still brought their prejudices to China. Their influence caused many Chinese Christians to have biases about the Jewish people. Without actual contact with Jewish people and culture, the views have been skewed.
This was just one of the misperceptions that Dan BenCanaan discussed during the conference. Ben-Canaan spoke on the “Chinese Perception of the Jewish People,” with many of the topics surprising audience members. Ben-Canaan said that the Chinese are very wary of outsiders and do not consider anyone that does not look Chinese to be Chinese. He also said that there is a very biased view of Jewish people in China. Jewish people are often seen as owning most of the world’s money and many Chinese people believe that being Jewish makes them the best businesspeople in the world. He said that in China, many books are sold by authors claiming to be Jewish, even though they are written by a Chinese person. These books are usually about ways to make money or to succeed in business, but do not sell well unless the author claims to be Jewish. Zhang Xiaolian, mayor of Harbin, China, spoke at an international symposium on Jewish affairs in China. Ben-Canaan says this is a common misconception in China because most Chinese have never met a Jewish person before. BenCanaan asked a Chinese woman in the front row if she thought he was Chinese. The woman said that she did not think he
Major:
Degree intended to be a three-year program, add flexibility 4 Continued
from page 1
students the opportunity to obtain knowledge from not solely the business department on campus, but from the psychology, anthropology, science and art, amongst many others. Hargis and Fisher said they believe these colleges provide the necessary tools, including the ability to work universally with a variety of peoples and cultures, as well as with the inventors to provide the student with a keen understanding of the product you or your company will work with. The degree also intends to be a three-year program, aiming for its students to begin during the sophomore year to allow plenty of time for the professors to fully instruct the process of both creativity in the workplace and entrepreneurship. Hargis and Fisher believe said they this will be a valuable degree, as it will allow students
to not only be extremely flexible in whichever position they are attempting to achieve, but it will also allow the student to walk into the interview with a file full of examples in how they had reallife business problems that they themselves solved with a group of their peers. Fisher said: “A student won’t walk into an interview saying they have a degree of business from UCA. They will walk in with the degree and a file full of ideas that have been used, and the ability to explain why the business ideas succeeded or failed. They will be the full package.” To obtain information on the subject, students are asked to e-mail Professor Dan Fisher or Professor Michael Hargis or stop by the College of Business Room 312-E or I, or visit the Facebook page at “UCA Innovation and Entrepreneurship”.
Opinion
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The Voice
April 20, 2011
SGA vote says a lot about student body
The Echo Staff Extreme couponing equals extreme savings w
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Taylor Lowery Editor & Opinion Editor
Preston Tolliver Associate Editor
Mary DeLoney News Editor
Marisa Hicks Assistant News Editor
Julian Spivey Campus Life Editor
Shea Higgerson Assistant Campus Life Editor
Lisa Burnett Entertainment Editor
Ben Keller Sports Editor
Allison Hartman Assistant Sports Editor
Nick Hillemann Photo Editor
Small band draws exciting Spring Fling crowd
Alex Chalupka Web Editor
Heather Chiddix Editorial Cartoonist
Lance Coleman Feature Cartoonist
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Most nights I lie in bed and watch TV before I Internet. There are hundreds of websites that go to sleep. Well, one night last week I happened to provide coupons to local grocery stores, restaurants come across one of TLC’s newest shows, “Extreme and events happening in the area. Couponing.” Three coupon websites I’m registered with are I was immediately hooked. I stayed awake couponmom.com, couponmountain.com and watching the show for three hours, mesmerized by mysavings.com. The most they ever ask for are an the amount of work and effort the people on the e-mail address so they can keep you updated with show put into taking the time the latest coupons and to clip coupons and how savings and a zip code so much money they ended they can provide coupons up saving on hundreds of for items that are actually dollars worth of items. And in local stores. while these people do take Along with coupons, by Mary DeLoney couponing to the extreme, signing up with stores to News Editor couponing isn’t such a bad receive in-store savings is idea, especially for college another thing that is able to students. help with expenses. Stores If we take the time to like Kroger and Price Cutter think about our expenses as offer these incentives by college students, the things we purchase the most are signing up with them. probably food, toiletries, clothes and things for our On top of savings on groceries when you use entertainment. And, in my case, I pay for all of these these in-store savings, you can also save money on things myself, so I know how quickly it can all add up gas with them. Both Oak Street locations of these and become too expensive for me to afford with only stores have gas stations and for so many “points” a part-time job. accumulated on their savings systems, you can get But, luckily I’ve discovered that there are your gas at their stations for a bit cheaper per gallon. coupons and bargains offered by local stores on all of Also, on the back of Kroger receipts local these items. And, I have absolutely no shame taking businesses print coupons for deals at restaurants advantage of these coupons and bargains. After all, and stores. On the back of my latest Kroger receipt I cutting expenses on the items needed most often clipped a coupon off that offered a six-inch Subway allows money to be saved do be able to do the more sandwich, chips and a drink all for only $5 at the expensive things, like take a vacation to the beach. three Subway locations in town, one of them being The first place to look is in newspapers. Often the one right across from campus on Farris. That’s a businesses will advertise the bargains offered that whole meal for cheap. Kind of hard to pass up when particular week or put in coupons for items. I’m dining out is so expensive. not saying to clip every coupon you see, but to pick So, ultimately using coupons on the things we out the items you will actually use and clip those buy most often will allow us to save money to do coupons. There’s nothing wrong with saving a little other things we want to do or help us to build our bit of cash on the things you were going to buy savings. Either way, it’s a smart idea, especially for anyway. those of us paying for things without the help of Another place to look for coupons is on the others.
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First of all, I’d like to thank the Student Activities in at Reynolds will continue to draw a crowd whose Board for bringing Matt & Kim to the Spring Fling. average age hovers dramatically higher than the I’d also like to thank every UCA student who was average college student’s, and while that’s fine, the in the crowd that afternoon, because, though you lack of variety could soon become inappropriate for may not know it, you have just proved something a college campus. UCA students are tired of driving very important: thanks to you, we know that “not to Little Rock or visiting Hendrix to see the bands everybody has heard of them” is officially a poor they really want to see. excuse to dismiss a band’s drawing power. We now There’s no good reason UCA shouldn’t be understand that students at drawing more musical acts. UCA are starved for live music Because of our abundance of from artists they actually resources and space, we have listen to. the means to accommodate It is beyond naive to touring artists who need assume that radio play has a the support of the college by Andrew McClain direct correlation with the size audience, who could be (and Staff Writer of an artist’s fan base. Artists often are) the real supporters have been using the Internet of independent or so-called to reach new listeners for at “under-the-radar” bands. least a decade now, and radio Unfortunately, many is practically antiqued to the of these bands, though younger market. Take into consideration that a Matt well-loved by us, the college demographic, end up & Kim concert booked for June 29th at Terminal 5, playing sad, poorly attended shows at 21+ bars in a New York City venue that holds 3,000 people, is Little Rock on a weeknight, after which they’ll decide already sold out, as of two weeks ago. For the Spring to just drive straight from Memphis to Dallas on Fling Matt & Kim concert, people came from all over their next tour. Central Arkansas (and further out, possibly) to see I hope to see UCA join the “college circuit” Matt & Kim, and I wouldn’t doubt that prospective within the next two years or so. UCA could be a students were among them. However, as it stands, frequent stopping place for touring bands and UCA any prospective students who visited UCA to see students could be effectively in the loop of what’s Matt & Kim got a terribly misleading impression of happening in the music world, and though they may the types of concerts we have. not always know the work of a smaller or mid-level I’m calling on the Student Activities Board (and touring artist, they’ll always be on the cusp of the any other student organizations) to not wait until next big thing, seeing an artist on television and next Spring Fling to book another band like Matt & saying “yeah, they played at UCA last semester!” It Kim. It’s safe to say that the artistic lineup loading could happen.
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In December the UCA Board of Trustees made decision to support the Jewel Moore Nature Reserve for five years—a less effective alternative to what was actually proposed. Steve Runge, chair of the Deparment of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, came to the board of trustees asking that they vote to permanently protect the reserve as a part of a conservation easement with the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission. The board spent some time debating the issue, which was good, because it was a decision that, once made, could not be changed by them or any future board. It means true, permanent protection of 17.5 acres of valuable property on UCA’s campus. The choice to protect it for only five years, though, was a disappointing decision for an important and unique aspect of campus. Fortunately, it didn’t end there. Monday, SGA spent over an hour debating the issue, ultimately choosing to adopt a resolution in support of permanently reserving the Jewel Moore Nature Reserve, with the hope that it would show the board of trustees how strongly students feel about the importance of the reserve. This is probably the issue SGA has voted on all year with the most student opinion. The SGA chamber was out of seats because of the number of students who came to show their support for the permanent protection of the reserve. During open forum, a number of students spoke to say they were at the meeting because of the nature reserve. It didn’t just end their though. One of the arguments in favor of the resolution was a pretition signed by over 1,900 students. Though one senator said he was told a professor offered bonus points to sign the petition, it is unlikely that was the case for all of the other 1,900 students who though the reserve should be protected. Some SGA senators also argued for why the nature reserve shouldn’t be permanently protected—it’s impossible to predict what the future holds for UCA. Other senators made strong points too—adding a building or a parking lot will only be a small addition to campus and buildings frequently have to be reconstructed and rebuilt in the span of a long time. The nature reserve, however, requires minimal care and a portion has existed in an unplowed state for 20,000 years. No building would last that long. This was a wonderful example of how a student government should operate: senators, and President Meghan Thompson, who stepped down during the debate to voice her own opinion, debated about what was important to each of them, but ultimately voted on what mattered most to the students. The points they made were valid: the nature reserve provides almost unlimited learning opportunities to students in the biology department and in other science departments, but it is also a valuable resource to students in other disciplines as well. Music students, writing students, health classes and a number of other groups regularly have class or special lectures in the nature reserve. Around the community, students from other public schools visit the nature reserve for field trips. UCA students, as well as faculty and even President Allen Meadors, are often seen running along the trail that runs through the nature reserve. Now it’s up the the trustees. Will they put their trust in a future board or see how important the future of the Jewel Moore Nature Reserve is to so many students on campus today?
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.
This was a wonderful example of how a student govenment should operate ... senators ultimately voted on what mattered most to students.
Campus Life
4
April 20, 2011
World Cultures Day celebrates many traditions by Jeanette Anderton Staff Writer
Students were exposed to a wide variety of cultures and traditions at the International Spring Festival in the Student Center Ballroom on April 12 for World Cultures Day. “The purpose of World Cultures Day is for international and American students to socialize together,” senior Medet Ashim, International Kazakh Club president, said. “All cultures around the world are genetically the same and can exist peacefully. Today students have the opportunity to learn about new cultures, see performers from different countries, make new friends and address the catastrophe in Japan.” The festival was packed with students who were eager to learn about cultures other than their own. “It’s really cool that UCA tries to make international students feel welcome with events like this and it gives students a chance to learn about other traditions,” freshman Sasha Ruocco said. She made an origami flower at one of the many booths set up in the ballroom. “It’s really amazing,” Ruocco said. “At first, origami is a little frustrating because you don’t know what you’re doing, but they were so patient with me and I finally got the hang of it.” The Japanese Student Association had a booth
Nick Hillemann photo
Sophomores Hollis Barton, a World Language Club representative, and Kylie Chronister make Mexican poinsettia flowers out of tissue paper on World Cultures Day, April 12. with information about Japan. They were also selling T-shirts, red or white that read “Save Japan UCA,” for $15 each, with proceeds going to the Red Cross disaster relief fund. Students
could also donate money in a jar set up at the booth. “We wanted to do something for Japan,” sophomore Shun Okita, member of the Japanese Student Association, said. “Our goal is to collect as
-REYNOLDS-
‘Legally Blonde’ musical premieres Thursday
much money as we can to help with disaster relief.” Other members of the Japanese Student Association kicked off the show with a traditional Japanese dance, the Noran-bushi. The dance team included seniors Nachika Nitta, Nanako Kasuga, Hero Iori, Tamami Akagi and William Choi, sophomores Yuki Tanaka and Stephanie Innis, and freshmen Yukiko Harada and Yuki Yamamoto. After the dance, senior Assamad Ashim, International Kazakh Club vice president, played the dombra for the crowd. He said the dombra is a traditional two-stringed Kazakhstan instrument that is played without singing to accompany it. “I am proud to represent our country, our national clothing and culture,” Assamad said. Sophomore Maoyuan “Ryan” Yan, an international student from China, then performed a martial arts routine with nunchucks. “He was really great,” junior Keshia Simmons said. “I don’t see how he kept from hitting himself in the face.” Another popular booth was the one teaching students to properly use chopsticks by picking up gummy bears. “It was hard in the beginning,” junior Ashley Jacobs said, “but with a little practice, it gets easier.” Before leaving the booth, Jacobs said she is now a pro at chopsticks.
SAMURAI TIME
by Jeanette Anderton Staff Writer
“Legally Blonde: The Musical,” which is based on the novel “Legally Blonde” by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film by the same name, will come to Reynolds Performance Hall tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. Jerry Biebesheimer, UCA public appearances director, said: “[UCA president Allen Meadors] wants us to do a Broadway series.” Biebesheimer said choosing the acts usually comes down to scheduling and the budget. “If we can afford them and they will come, that’s who we get,” he said. “We are in a good location because we are just off Interstate 40 and about half of the traveling productions take that route.” “Legally Blonde: The Musical” follows sorority star Elle Woods and her four-legged best friend Bruiser as they leave UCLA and head to Harvard Law. Woods and her Delta Nu sorority sisters believe that she will soon be engaged to her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III. Instead of proposing, Huntington breaks up with Woods, explaining that he is going to Harvard and wants to find someone more serious to marry in order to follow his life plan. Once Woods is accepted to Harvard, she is devastated to find that Huntington already has a new girlfriend, Vivienne Kensington. Kensington is a blue-blood, East Coast girl who is focused on her future. She is basically the polar opposite of Woods. Woods faces another challenge when she realizes she is grossly underestimated by her fellow classmates and generally not liked by her professors. Woods doesn’t give up and gets a lot of help along the way from her friends, such as her stylist Paulette and Professor Callahan’s assistant, Emmett Forrest. Woods is sassy, smart and true to herself. She determines to never let anything stop her from achieving her dreams. In its first year on Broadway, “Legally Blonde: The Musical” received seven Tony Award nominations, 10 Drama Desk Award nominations and an Outer Critics Circle Award. In 2009, the show received three Touring Broadway Awards in New York City, including Best New Musical, Best Production Design and Best Choreography of a Touring Production. In 2007, “Legally Blonde: The Musical” was aired on MTV in its entirety and was subsequently nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards. Jerry Mitchell, director and choreographer, has received Broadway’s Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics’ Circle Awards. He also received an Emmy nomination for choreographing “The Drew Carey Show.”
Junior Dewan Clayborn “The Bible, because at the end of time there are only two places you’re going to go and that’s heaven and hell and I plan on going to heaven.”
Senior Melvin Bullock “‘The Bliss of Happiness,’ because it’s about this man who travels to all these places to know how to be happy and I would want to know how to be happy on the island.”
Freshman Charlotte White “‘Genevieve,’ because it was a fun book. It had ups and downs about relationships.”
photo courtesy of legallyblondethemusical.com
“Legally Blonde: The Musical” will appear at Reynolds Performance Hall tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. Some of his memorable film work includes “In and Out,” “Drop Dead Gorgeous” and “Scent of a Woman.” Laurence O’Keefe, composer, lyricist, pianist and writer, is making his Broadway debut with “Legally Blonde the Musical.” The show will feature music numbers made popular by the production such as “Omigod You Guys,” “Take It like a Man” and “Bend and Snap,” to name a few. Sophomore Monica Stav said she is excited about the musical. “I absolutely love the movie and I have heard that the play is really good. I am definitely looking forward to it,” Stav said.
Nick Hillemann photo
The Henan New Wulin Hanyun Group performs at UCA in Ida Waldran on Thursday, April 14. The group is currently touring the U.S.
Students Say story by Shea Higgerson photos by Nick Hilleman
“If you were stuck on an island and could only read one book, what would it be?” Freshman Twinkle Layton “I would read ‘Genevieve,‘ because it’s life-related. As I would read it I would grasp things and learn about life.
Freshman Claudria Mayberry “‘Twilight.‘ It’s one of those books you can read over and over and it won’t get boring.”
w w w. UCAE cho .n e t / c ampu s -life
Freshman Jaclyn Stockman “‘The Illumination,’ because you can find something new every time you read it without a doubt. I’ve read it like six times.”
Senior Brannon Racop “‘Abraham Lincoln the Vampire Hunter. ‘ I mean, who wouldn’t want to read about honest Abe chopping off vampire heads with an axe?”
Senior Hannah Abbott “I think I would go with ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,‘ because I can laugh and cry and really enjoy it every time I read it.”
ucaecho.net
CAMPUS LIFE
April 20, 2011 / 5
-CLASSES-
- M A S S C O M M U N I C AT I O N S -
General elective film, literature course helps to interest students in adaptations by Lisa Burnett Entertainment Editor
Anthony Byrnes photo
The Channel 6 studio, where news is broadcast Monday through Friday, is quiet on Monday afternoon as production was shut down for the Arkansas College Media Awards.
Channel 6: look behind scenes
by Marisa Hicks Assistant News Editor
Behind the scenes at Channel 6, students research and record stories for seven hours before the production begins on air at 4:30 p.m. Professor Greg Brown said the students begin working at 7 a.m. to research information for the day’s broadcasts. Channel 6 airs five days a week, Monday through Friday. Senior and producer David Long said the newscasts ran only twice a week in the past. Long said new stories are found throughout the day. When a story breaks just before it’s time to go on air, he said, the whole crew is rushing to get the story written and sent off to the teleprompter for the anchormen. Professor Chris Churchill said the staff for Channel 6 is mostly run by student workers. There are advisors to help the students when needed but most of the individuals working for the network this semester have a good feel on how things work because they worked with Channel 6 last semester. Long said it’s easy to tell when someone is just starting out. “On the first few broadcasts you can see just how nervous the new anchormen are. You can almost see the sweat roll down their face,” he said. Churchill said the editing process at Channel 6 is very similar to the process used at other television stations. The students also have been airing an indie music video show this semester featuring only independent artists and songs. Channel 6 airings cannot be found on the TV guide, however, students can locate the weekly schedule online at uca.edu/mct/channelsix/ch6_ schedule.php. Chair of the Department of Mass Communications department John Gale said the editing process for a football or basketball game takes a day or two before it can be aired so the film can be trimmed and sound effects and transitions can be added. The news is always aired live.
“I really appreciate what they do. I just sit back and enjoy watching the students do what they do,” Gale said. Junior Chelsea Huddleston is a news anchor who helps run the master controls, weather station and has worked in the audio unit. Huddleston said she runs the weather camera and gives the updates for Channel 6. “I run the master control where I switch to the green screen for the weather map and the switch that makes the entire broadcast go live,” Huddleston said. She also gives the countdown for when the cast goes live and sends cues to show how much time is left in the broadcast and how many seconds are left before the segment is cut off. While the anchors are speaking, Huddleston switches on the green screen to show the national weather and the current conditions of the temperatures around the state. Senior news anchor Barry Bartoszek said reporters either come up with their own stories or can get leads from the assignment editor who researches possible stories. Bartoszek said each anchor must send in a reader to the producer before the cast goes on air so information can be sent to the teleprompter. There are four anchormen covering the sports, weather, and the news for each broadcast. “Without the help of everyone at Channel 6, nothing could be done. There is so much to do including the edits, lighting, sound effects and camera angles that couldn’t be done without everyone on site,” he said. Those on audio must be aware throughout the broadcast to make sure the levels are consistent with each person speaking, Bartoszek said. With everyone speaking in different pitches and projections, it is important to make sure that the quality is the same. Long said attendance in Electronic Media Applications, the required class for broadcast majors, has increased greatly since Channel 6 switched to five days a week instead of just two. Brown said the news broadcasts aired live each weekday at 4:30 are rerun at 7:30 p.m and 10:30 p.m. that night and the next morning at 7:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Be a part of the
UCA Senior Legacy Walk Mark your educational experience at UCA with a personalized brick on the Senior Legacy Walk in front of the student center. TO ORDER YOUR BRICK: Go by Buffalo Alumni Hall, call 501-852-7463 or print out form www.uca.edu/alumni.
Everyone has to take general education classes in order to graduate. Some of them can be quite different and interesting, such as Film and Literature, which satisfies the humanities requirement in the general education program. This semester, Wayne Stengel, professor of English, is teaching this class and is no stranger to film. “I’ve taught film at Duke, Iowa State and Florida, but I’ve only taught this class probably the last four semesters at UCA,” Stengel said. Stengel said he is satisfied with the students in his Film and Literature class this semester. “This semester, I’m well pleased with my students. They have an interest in the films that we watch,” Stengel said. In this class, students are asked to read short stories, then watch the film adaptation of the short stories and compare the two. For example, students in this class read the story, “Shoeless Joe,” by W.P. Kinsella, then watched the movie, “Field of Dreams.” In addition, the Japanese short story “In a Grove” by Ryunosuke Akutagawa and the movie, “Seven Samurai” are compared and used for a project in this class Students of all majors can take this course. “More digital film majors are interested in what I say. I wish I had more art history majors in this class. They would be able to appreciate the cinematography and the still frames when I stop the movies,” Stengel said. Sophomore Daniel Wingfield took Stengel’s Film and Literature class in the fall of 2010. “I really liked the class. I liked the way Stengel teaches. He grabs your attention in a multitude of ways. I definitely wasn’t prepared for the way he taught, but I enjoyed it,” Wingfield said.
Wingfield was a digital film major at the time. “I like film and I like to read. This was a fun class to take because you read the books and compare them to the movies you watch,” Wingfield said. Stengel doesn’t want the name of the class to be deceiving. “Students see the title and think it will be easy, but what I try to encourage is not passive watching of movies, but active engagement and seeing what the director has put in there,” Stengel said. This class, like every other class, has a final and midterm papers and projects and in this class, students write about the films and stories they watch and read. There are three books used in the course, a film textbook, film techniques book and a book of short stories. “We watch the duration of the movies during class. There’s not a lab with this class so it doesn’t require students to meet outside of class to watch the movie they’re watching and it commits people to come to class. If you miss, you’ll miss material you need to know,” Stengel said. Stengel said he wants to make sure students realize that movies have underlying concepts to make you feel a certain way when you watch them. “Movies are a kind of propaganda, they are about satisfaction and needs, and can be very manipulative, but there’s nothing wrong with that as long as you know you are being misled going into it,” Stengel said. Stengel isn’t only interested in older movies. He said he goes to the movie theater often to keep up with new releases such as “Source Code” starring Jake Gyllenhaal and “Insidious” starring Patrick Wilson, both released this year. Although Film and Literature is a general education class, there is still a workload along with it. Wingfield said he would recommend this class to other UCA students. “It isn’t a fly-by course and you have to do the work, but I enjoyed it,” Wingfield said.
6 / April 20, 2011
CAMPUS LIFE
ucaecho.net
-MUSIC-
-FINE ARTS-
Dixieland band ends semester on high by Jeanette Anderton Staff Writer
The UCA Dixieland Band, a jazz ensemble, got to show off its talent and creativity to a packed crowd at Snow Fine Arts on Thursday night. The band consists of sophomore clarinetist Kandi Heard, senior tenor saxophonist Stephen Oakes, sophomore trumpeter Andrew Gagen, junior trombonist Derek Anderson, senior tuba player Matt Smith, senior guitarist and banjo player Shawn Hartley, freshman pianist Stephen Sivils, senior drummer Chris Wilson, soprano saxophonist Jackie Lamar and banjo player and vocalist Jerry Manion, UCA professor of chemistry. They opened the show with “Copenhagen,” written by Walter Melrose and Charlie Davis. “‘Copenhagen’ was my favorite that we performed tonight because it switches up a little,” Smith said after the show. “Most of the songs are in just one key, but ‘Copenhagen’ switches keys and it’s a little longer than the rest of the songs we performed.” The ensemble then treated the crowd to Benjamin and John Spikes’ “Wolverine Blues.” The audience members could be seen tapping their feet and nodding their heads during this shorter, but upbeat song. Manion provided the vocals to the next piece, “The Lonesome Road” by Nathaniel Shilkret and Gene Austin. “I left my Sinatra cap at home,” Manion said. He also played banjo in the song. “I have been playing the banjo for as long as I have been a chemistry professor, over 40 years,” he said. Lamar said the song was used as substitute for “Old Man River” in the movie version of
“Showboat.” After the show, Gagen, who performed with the Dixieland Band for the first time Thursday, said the melodies and layout of “Old Man River” and “The Lonesome Road” are pretty similar. The ensemble then performed Walter Melrose’s and Leon Rappolo’s “Milenberg Joys,” which Lamar said is a tribute to ragtime pianist Jelly Roll Morton. Morton was the composer of the ensemble’s finale of the night, “Burning the Iceberg.” Gagen said “Burning the Iceberg” was his favorite because it is “sporadic” and because it allowed the musicians to be creative. “All we had on it was a sheet with letters on it, no notes, so we got to do our own thing,” he said. Smith said the song appeared incorrectly in their book of music. “We have a big book of music,” he said. “When listening to the recording of the song, it was completely different from what appeared in the book. The length was different and it had different chords. We listened to the recording and corrected it from sound. We got to make up our own parts, which was really cool.” Smith, who also plays the trombone and the bass guitar, said the jazz ensemble is his favorite to perform with. “It’s the most fun ensemble because we get to make up our parts rather than play off a page,” he said after the show. “Jazz is happy music and it usually gets a pretty good crowd. Since this was the last jazz concert of the semester, a lot of people came out. Having a big crowd to support you makes it more fun to perform.” This will be the last performance in the UCA jazz ensemble for Oakes, Hartley, Wilson and Smith because they are either graduating or student teaching in the near future.
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Russian Ballet to perform ‘Cinderella’ by Marisa Hicks Assistant News Editor
As part of the “Night-Out Series,” the Russian National Ballet will perform ‘Cinderella’ April 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Reynolds Performance Hall, concluding the series with its second visit to UCA. Public Appearances Director Jerry Biebesheimer said he encourages students to buy their tickets ahead of time so they will get a good seat. There are 1,174 tickets available (as of April 14) and last time the Russian National Ballet came to campus there were only about five tickets left the night of the performance, he said. The last time the Russian National Ballet came to UCA, they performed “Sleeping Beauty” and this year they will perform “Cinderella.” He said the group tours every two to three years so that’s how often they will be seen on campus. Each year they come they will be the closing act to the “Night-Out Series” because the season they begin touring is the end of the semester here at UCA. Biebesheimer said he likes to end the program
with a ballet, as it has been for the past few years, but eventually the closing act will have to be changed so viewers don’t get tired of the same routine each year. He said the group is based out of Moscow and was founded in the late 1980’s by Elena Radchenko. Radchenko has been directing ballets since 1964 and focuses on the Russian tradition of ballet. Radchenko is known for many ballets including “Sleeping Beauty,” “Swan Lake,” “The Nutcracker” and a number of other fairy tale routines. Honeybears dance team coach Jennie Strange will be taking a group from the Blackbird Academy. She said one of the goals of the Blackbird Academy is to not only educate students on how to dance, but to introduce them to the world of dance as well. “It’s important for the students to see professional dancers of this caliber for them to see what they could be working toward,” Strange said. Tickets are available at the Reynolds Performance Hall box office and are $30-$40 for adults, $27-$37 for senior citizens, $25-$35 for alumni, $28-$33 for faculty and staff and $10 for students.
Anthony Byrnes photo
The UCA Percussion Ensemble performs its final show of the semester in Snow Fine Arts on Wednesday, April 13. The ensemble performed Michael Hennagin’s “Phantom Dances,” among others.
Percussionists rock Snow Fine Arts by Jeanette Anderton Staff Writer
The UCA Percussion Ensemble got a standing ovation after a stellar performance Wednesday night in the Snow Fine Arts auditorium. “They’re amazing, each and every one of them,” Maria Ellis, whose son, Dolan Ellis, was one of the performers, said. The show opened with Michael Hennagin’s “The Phantom Dances.” Director Blake Tyson said the piece “is like a crazy car ride, careening back and forth.” He said there is a phantom that moves throughout the piece, thus the title. This is an optical illusion created by the appearance that a performer is playing an instrument when, in fact, he is merely playing the air directly above his instrument. “It appears as though instruments being played make no sound,” Tyson said. The ensemble’s timing made the piece highly entertaining to watch. “It was really cool how the phantom moved to different parts,” freshman Derek Gililland said. “You had to watch closely in order to catch the phantom at all the different places.” Tyson said “Phantom Dances” was one of the last pieces Hennagin wrote before his death in 1993. The ensemble then performed Hector Berloiz’s “March to the Scaffold.” Tyson said Berloiz wrote the piece after a dream he had in which he had killed the woman he loved and was being marched to the guillotine. He said the piece is full of xylophones and slapsticks, and even includes the part in the dream when Berloiz’s head is chopped off. The frantic piece that climaxes with a snap was a crowd pleaser. Tyson said the next piece, German conductor
Rudiger Pawassar’s jazz inspired “Sculpture in Wood,” was a huge hit in the percussion world. Senior Emily Powell said of the piece: “A lot of times, you don’t expect so much variety from a percussion ensemble. You expect it to be just drums. But [‘Sculpture in Wood’] illustrates how melodic and musical a percussion ensemble can truly be.” After a short intermission, the ensemble performed Eric Ewazen’s “Past Mountain Cliffs to the Paradises of the Immortals.” Tyson said the piece was inspired by a 17th century Chinese painting depicting an emperor and his crew arriving at a mountain palace. He said Ewazen has written a lot of music specifically for percussionists. As the ensemble made a few set changes, Tyson thanked all of his students for their hard work and honored three graduating seniors who were giving their last performance with the UCA Percussion Ensemble: Xavier Lay, Chris Wilson and Ashley Burnham. “I am so amazed by my students’ incredible amount of work, rehearsal and practice on their own time to put on a concert like this,” Tyson said. “I consider myself very lucky to be standing up here conducting this ensemble.” The UCA male choir joined the ensemble for the last piece, Nebojsa Jovan Zivkovic’s “Uneven Souls,” which featured a marimba solo by senior Brant Blackard. “This last piece is awesome,” Tyson said. “It is crazy, intense percussion.” He said it was written as a salute to Slavic people and people who work in the fields. The male choir represents the workers. Tyson, Blackard, the ensemble and the choir did not disappoint. After the dramatic conclusion of “Uneven Souls,” the audience stood and erupted into applause.
-ART-
Baum Gallery showcases seniors work by Andrew McClain Staff Writer
The Baum Gallery opened its BA/BFA Senior Exhibit on Thursday, which will run through April 28 and features final projects for many students. The purpose of the exhibit is to serve as the final component of the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts programs and to display the works of the graduating Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts students. Student candidates submit a proposal at the beginning of the semester to a staff panel, stating their objectives, and then complete a body of visual art based on these objectives. At the end of the semester, once the body of work is completed, the faculty panel assesses the body of work to evaluate how well the student met their goals. The two Bachelor of Fine Arts students are Kara Primm and Emily Powell. Primm’s exhibit, entitled “A Series of SelfSustainable Ideas” consists of about a dozen large digital ink prints, which feature detailed black-andwhite designs. Originally intended as a design to be printed onto tote bags, Primm made the designs
by putting wadded-up plastic shopping bags in a computer scanner and creating ornate designs within the white spaces the scanned image gave her. Inspired by a desire to work against our consumer culture and throwaway-society attitudes, Primm said in using trash as her source material, she “sought to take responsibility and control through art and make something beautiful.” Powell’s exhibit is a piece that featured a long sheet of paper, about 197 inches by 44 inches, that shows a thin blue line (digital print) that runs horizontally across the paper, splintering and forking off in different directions like a tournament bracket that drifts off and curls in different directions. The line is annotated with single words and sentiments, meant to give a representation of the possible decisions a person can make in a day or in a week. “I just wanted to find a way to process information as a sort of organizational narrative,” Powell said. The Baum Gallery is also filled with the final projects of seniors Brett Anderson, Elizabeth Arnold, Jessica Brown, Geraldine Cazales, Brittany Ford, Heidi Gilliom, Drew Hearne, Amber Lea, Emily McClendon, Chelsie Morgan, Zac Noland, Marianne Nolley, Meagan Uekman and Sandra Worm.
Entertainment
7
April 20, 2011
-BOOK REVIEW-
Coben’s new release shocks; ‘must-read’ for Bolitar fans by Jeanette Anderton Staff Writer
filmofilia.com
In Joe Wright’s thriller, “Hanna,” Hanna Heller, played by Saoirse Ronan, is raised in the Arctic wilderness by her father, played by Eric Bana. He teaches her skills in combat and survival, along with book knowledge about the outside world.
‘Hanna’ different from Wright’s past, doesn’t fall into typical thriller genre
by Andrew McClain Staff Writer
The latest effort from director Joe Wright finds himself venturing off in a different direction from period pieces like “Atonement” and “Pride and Prejudice.” Trailers for “Hanna” make it look like a fairly conventional thriller—the basic plot line, obvious from the trailer is that the main character, Hanna Heller (played by Saoirse Ronan), has been raised in the wilderness of the Arctic circle by her father, (Eric Bana), who teaches her a vast amount of book knowledge about the outside world, as well as combat and survival skills. As it happens, Hanna and her father are both wanted by the CIA, and the time comes for them to flee in separate directions, and the bulk of the movie consists of Hanna and her father skillfully evading their pursuers throughout Europe in a manner similar to chasethrillers like “The Bourne Identity.” What isn’t evident from the trailer, however, is that “Hanna,” while formulaic in many aspects, is actually a loving and fresh treatment of a genre film. The primary issue with most genre
films (like most comic book movies, the entire Zack Snyder catalog, and films like “RED” and “Kick-Ass”) is that they often feel the need to make constant tongue-in-cheek reference to their own implausibility. We have reached a point as cynical filmgoers that we can no longer suspend our disbelief and enjoy an hour and a half of the film’s hero jumping out of windows and winning one-against-six brawls without some cheeky acknowledgment that the filmmakers are in on the joke, too, so these genre films are often punched up with goofy comic relief to make up for their lack of substance. “Hanna,” however, while containing its fair share of impossible jumps and getaways, plays it straight and the payoff is enormous. The absence of stock characters and moronic one-liners is noticeable and appreciated. For instance, the character Sophie (Jessica Barden), who appears initially to serve only as comic relief ,a mouthy British preteen, ends up being essential to the story and to Hanna herself. Wright treats his audience with respect, pacing this thriller with poise
and eloquence, allowing the action to flow and carry the audience, rather than bombarding them with a nonstop freefor-all. The film earned a PG-13 rating, though full of violence so tasteful and well-executed it never comes of as tame or self-censored. He makes sure the viewer has time to stop and breathe, like Hanna does, moving through Morocco, Spain, France and Germany, and allowing us to see these exotic places through Hanna’s naive eyes. The cinematography is all beautiful in its own right, shot in an impeccably tasteful color palette that I think makes it one of the single most gorgeous features I’ve seen in the past few years. I would argue that each individual four-to-five minute sequence from the film could be taken out of context and used as a music video. “Hanna” succeeds as an action thriller with the high energy and suspense to be a commercial success, and the patience and the eye for beauty of an art-house road movie. “Hanna” runs for one hour and 51 minutes and is showing at the Cinemark Conway Towne Centre.
-TELEVISION-
Comedies give past television stars new chance for laughs by Julian Spivey Campus Life Editor
“The Paul Reiser Show” Paul Reiser’s new sitcom, aptly titled “The Paul Reiser Show,” debuted on Thursday night to the lowest numbers ever for an NBC comedy. Unfortunately, because the pilot was slim on humor, fewer people will probably tune in next week. Paul Reiser is TV royalty in my book because of his successful ‘90s sitcom “Mad About You,” in which he and Helen Hunt played one of the most charming couples in television history. Reiser was nominated for six Emmy Awards and four Golden Globes for portraying Paul Buchman on that series. In ‘Paul Reiser Show,’ he simply plays himself … a once-successful actor who’s now content to be a stay-at-home dad and spend time with his four friends, who are his friends simply because they are married to friends of his wife. All of this is mentioned in a charming opening of the pilot that was one of the very few highlights of the series’ first episode. Another highlight of the show was the brief scene between Reiser and good friend Larry David discussing whether or not they’ve been approached to be the host of a new game show. This scene was apparently ad-libbed. What made this scene so great was the fact that Reiser was mimicking his show being similar to David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” This is a fact that some fans seem to take issue with, but David doesn’t have a hold on that type of show. The biggest issue I have with the show after the pilot is the entire supporting cast of Reiser’s friends, played by Ben Shenkman, Omid Djalili, Andrew Daly and Duane Martin, and
Most Anticipated Electronic Entertainment Expo 2011 Announcements List compiled by Ben Keller
that’s a big problem. Despite the weak opening for the show, it should be noted that a series can’t completely be deemed a success or disappointment based on the pilot alone. For example, “Community” is one of the best comedies currently on TV and I didn’t care one bit for the pilot and the failed ABC drama “FlashForward” from last season had one of the best pilots I’ve ever seen before drastically going downhill. That being said, ‘Paul Reiser Show’ will likely only finish out its six-episode order and then disappear, which is sad for a talented comedian of Reiser’s stature. “The Paul Reiser Show” airs Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. on NBC. “Sports Show with Norm Macdonald” Seeing Norm Macdonald back on television on the April 12 premiere of “Sports Show with Norm Macdonald” was highlight enough for the entire show. Norm Macdonald is in my mind the greatest “Weekend Update” anchor ever in the long, illustrious history of “Saturday Night Live” and this is the closest thing he’s ever done to that. Macdonald simply belongs behind a news desk; it’s evidently where he’s the most comfortable. The show began with Macdonald behind his desk simply giving one liner after one liner and it might’ve been the funniest part of the show. Among the best jokes were ones about Mike Tyson’s app becoming one of the tops apps after just one week with Macdonald saying: “This just in, Mike Tyson’s app has raped another app” (sure, the joke is about 20 years old or so, but it’s still hilarious), and “the UFC
1. “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” Powerhouse developer Bethesda Game Studios is rolling out its fifth installment in its massively successive series “The Elder Scrolls” this November, but before that all the diehard fans will want to see it in action at this year’s E3. The game so far is looking awesome and anyone who loved “Oblivion” or “Morrowind” should be excited to see what is in store for fans in this massive role player.
(Ultimate Fighting Championship) and WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting) are merging into one sport … Murder.” The show also included a funny segment, which it seems will be recurring, called “What the H?” about Tiger Woods’ sex scandal. The name of the segment and the sly smirk in which Macdonald announced it with was probably the funniest part of the entire segment. The show ended with another great segment where Macdonald fired jokes in a rapid fire fashion in 90 seconds. The two funniest of these jokes were: “I don’t know the difference between a hippie and a hipster, but it’s fun to watch both get beat up” and “President Obama is a fantastic basketball player for President of the United States, but I think he’s just mediocre for a black guy.” The one part of the show that absolutely bombed miserably was a segment called “Blake Like Me,” where Macdonald was supposedly made up like Los Angeles Clippers basketball star Blake Griffin and plays the game poorly. The skit was simply Griffin himself looking horrible as Macdonald dubbed his voice to Griffin’s lip synching. Macdonald’s delivery might be the best of any standup comedian with his sly humor and wry smirk that gives us an “aw shucks, it’s just a harmless joke” feeling. It’s this delivery that lets Macdonald get away with some of his more risqué humor, like the aforementioned Tyson joke. “Sports Show with Norm Macdonald” is a must-watch for sports fans and for those who maybe aren’t sports fans but just like Macdonald’s comedy. The series can be seen every Tuesday night at 9:30 p.m. on Comedy Central.
2. “Final Fantasy Versus XIII” This past January, Square Enix released their first ever game play trailer for the second installment in the “Final Fantasy XIII” series, but it is clear they have more to show. Since “Final Fantasy Versus XIII” has never had a formal showing at E3, this could be the year for its debut. Any fan on the long running Role Playing Game series should be drooling at the mouth to see more of this game and 2011 should be the year it happens.
Harlan Coben’s “Live Wire,” released on March 22, is a must-read for fans of the Myron Bolitar series. “Live Wire” debuted at number one on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. As the title suggests, this novel takes off at an electrifying pace from page one and continues until the very end. The novel opens with former tennis star Suzze Trevantino, who was Bolitar’s first client at MB Reps, coming to Bolitar for help. Trevantino is eight months pregnant and blissfully happy until she and her husband, rocker Lex Ryder, find an anonymous post on her Facebook page questioning the paternity of their unborn child. Ryder runs off and Trevantinto asks Bolitar to bring him back home and to find out who made the offending post. When Bolitar finds Ryder in an exclusive nightclub, he also finds his sister-in-law, Kitty, who is there with another man. Kitty and Bolitar’s brother abandoned the Bolitar family a long time ago, and although Myron misses his brother, there is no love lost between him and Kitty. When he finds out that he has a 15year-old nephew, Mickey Bolitar, Myron is determined to make amends, even if it means turning a blind eye to Kitty’s abhorrent behavior. This novel is filled with plot twists throughout, as Coben fans have come to expect of him. Fans of the Bolitar series will be pleased to see that Myron seems to be
past his “dark days,” and has even gone back to drinking Yoo-hoos, which was his beverage of choice in the good ole days. There are plenty of great fright scenes throughout with Windsor Horne Lockwood III, Myron’s bionic, somewhat psychopathic and extremely wealthy best friend. The banter between Myron and Win has never been better than it is in “Live Wire.” Esperanza and Big Cindi are also on hand at the offices of MB Reps to provide plenty of humor. While there are a few less than plausible, chin-scratching coincidences in the novel, the pace, humor and almost constant plot twists make this book a success. As with most Coben novels and especially within the Bolitar series, there are some serious issues addressed realistically and with humor, such as aging parents with failing health and Bolitar’s need for a family versus his fiancée’s inability to have children. Aside from the convenient coincidences, the only problem with the book is the feeling the reader gets that it is a last book. While Coben has not said definitively that this is his last Bolitar novel, he also has not said that it is not. On the “Frequently Asked Questions” tab on his website, harlencoben.com, Coben does not directly answer the question of whether this is the last Bolitar book. Instead, he encourages readers to pick up “Shelter,” his upcoming young adult novel that will feature Mickey Bolitar and include scenes with Myron. “Live Wire” will make you laugh, cry and think.
-CONCERT REVIEW-
Aldean’s ‘Invitation Only’ concert offers fans opportunity of lifetime by Lee Hogan Staff Writer
Jason Aldean performed an intimate concert at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn. to a small television audience for a CMT special titled “Invitation Only.” Guess who got to attend? This guy did. Aldean came out to a crowd said to be a little over 200, which were mostly made up of his fan club for the taping of the TV special. The show began with a “Q&A Session” with Aldean. I also got to ask a question, although it was not my own. Aldean was open with the audience and joked around during his answers. Since the performance was being taped, the questions had to be perfect and some had to be repeated, including mine. The first time an audience member had to repeat a question for the cameras, Aldean had a quick comeback. “Welcome to TV,” Aldean said. “And I could really tell that was going to be a good one. You were really into that one.” My question to Aldean received one of the best responses of the night, even though the question was one of the stupidest. Thanks to CMT the one time I get to speak to Jason Aldean I’ll be remembered as the “sensitive guy” of the audience. My question was “If you were told you had five minutes to perform one song that is not one of your own, and that song could have a great impact on the world, what song would you choose and why?” After a long pause and a slight chuckle Aldean responded. “Well I don’t know if we’d have a great impact or anything, but I’d probably perform ‘Sweet Home Alabama,’” Aldean said. “I’ve performed that song about 5,000 times. We may not change the world, but we’d go out with a bang. That’s for sure.” After the “Q&A Session,” Aldean performed many of his popular songs over the next hour.
3. “Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception” The powerhouse new franchise for the PS3, “Uncharted” has made waves with its first two games and the third shouldn’t be different. Naughty Dog Software has been shelling out plenty of game play and cinematic footage, but during E3 it should be expected to see Sony advertising heavily for this game. “Uncharted 3“ has a lot of potential and since it’s coming out in November, E3 is going to be the place where it is unveiled.
Before performing Aldean joked that this was the first time CMT’s “Invitation Only” made alcohol available to audience members before the show. “That’s my kinda party,” Aldean said, referencing his hit-single titled “My Kinda Party.” Aldean’s current single, “Dirt Road Anthem,” was a fan-favorite of the night. Before performing the song, Aldean said it is the most controversial song he has released to date. Most of the controversy over the song comes from it’s rap style, which does not sit well with many country traditionalists. Personally, I think the song is perfect for Aldean. It fits his personality and the style of music he performs when you listen to the lyrics of the song. Other favorites were Aldean’s “Amarillo Sky” and “Hicktown,” both from Aldean’s self-titled debut album. Aldean said a single titled “The Truth,” from his third album, which he also performed, almost was not a single. He said his record label, Broken Bow Records, was ready to move on to his fourth album, but Aldean said a compromise was reached. “We finally sat down and we came to the compromise that I would get this single (The Truth) and he would pick my next single,” Aldean said. “I just thought we had a hit and I wanted to release it.” Aldean’s concert was a one-of-a-kind performance. It is not very often that 200 fans get to see their favorite artist in such a personal and intimate setting. The host of the show from CMT made sure everyone knew how lucky they were to be there. “Jason is in the middle of a sold-out arena tour,” he said. “It’s hard to find tickets to any of his shows and you’re here right now with 200 other people. You don’t know how lucky you are to be here.” Aldean’s performance was amazing as usual. This was not the first time I have seen him in concert and it won’t be the last. Every time I see him it gets better. If you’re a country music fan and you have not seen Aldean, that needs to change. You won’t be disappointed.
4. “The NGP” Sony has made sure everyone knows about their next generation handheld, the NGP. It already had a huge showing at the Game Developers Conference this year, but Sony should be having a huge presentation for it to give the fans and consumers a chance to sink their teeth in. The first generation PSP came out back in 2005 and is still a cornerstone part of Sony’s corporate plan, but to compete with Nintendo’s latest handheld, the 3DS, it’s time for the next big thing.
5. “Project Café” This is the codename for Nintendo’s latest system that will be the successor to the Wii. The system was recently revealed to the media and rumors have been running rampant, except for one. Project Cafe will be unveiled at E3. It could be a big year for Nintendo because reports are already coming out that the system will be more powerful than the PS3 and Xbox 360. If they come to E3 with an impressive system and a good launch lineup, Nintendo could take E3 2011.
8 / April 20, 2011
ENTERTAINMENT
ucaecho.net
-TELEVISION-
‘Office’ fans let down by Ferrell’s new role by Lisa Burnett Entertainment Editor
simplywallpaper.net
E.B., short for Easter Bunny, voiced by Russell Brand, struggles to follow in his father’s (Hugh Laurie) footsteps in becoming the reigning Easter Bunny. Carlos, a chicken, voiced by Hank Azaria, tries to overthrow the Easter throne and become the Easter Bunny himself.
‘Hop’ offers something for array of movie goers; Brand, Marsden’s performances prove ‘flawless’ by Allison Hartman
Assistant Sports Editor
James Marsden and Russell Brand team up in “Hop,” a partially animated film about a young bunny who is struggling to follow in his father’s footsteps to become the Easter Bunny. Brand is a perfect fit for E.B., short for Easter Bunny, who is the bunny equivalent of a teenage boy going through an identity crisis. His dad wants to crown him as the new Easter Bunny so he can retire, but E.B. is more interested in becoming a drummer in a rock band. The two butt heads and E.B. ends up running away to Hollywood where he meets Fred (Marsden) when he hits E.B. with his car. Although Brand simply voices a character, his enthusiasm and sense of humor shine through and you can’t help but fall in love with his character. This character could have easily become annoying and unlovable as he constantly brings
trouble to Fred’s life and never does what he is told, but Brand executes the role perfectly and leaves you rooting for E.B. Fred is going through struggles of his own, getting kicked out of the house by his father because he wont get a job while his sister (Kaley Cuoco) tries to set him up with various jobs, none of which meet his criteria. E.B. comes along and helps him realize his true calling in life- to become the Easter Bunny. Marsden, who has starred in movies like “27 Dresses” and “Enchanted,” has never attempted a role like “Hop” before, and he does such a great job that you almost forget he isn’t actually interacting with a real bunny. “Hop” is an entertaining movie that will keep you smiling throughout and at some moments, despite your dismay, you will find yourself identifying with a bunny who is struggling to find his place in the world. The film is rich with big-name celebrities, all of whom work together to create a surprisingly
enjoyable movie. Gary Cole plays Fred’s dad and Hugh Laurie voices E.B.’s dad, the reigning Easter Bunny. Appearances by celebrities such as Chelsea Handler and David Hasslehoff add to the movie’s humor. Handler plays Mrs. Beck, an executive who interviews Fred for an entry-level position in her company’s mailroom. Handler’s humor and Marsden’s charm work together perfectly to create one of the film’s most hilarious scenes. The movie produces constant laughs throughout, and even though it is a about a family of bunnies and a chick, as in a baby chicken, Carlos’, attempt to overthrow the Easter throne and become the Easter Bunny himself, it shies away from being weird ... until the end. Fred had seen the Easter Bunny as a little boy and had never forgotten about it, saving a chocolate bunny he left. When Fred decides his life’s mission to become the Easter
Bunny and actually thinks he has the capability to do so is when the movie comes strange. “Hop” is a cute, humorous movie that both children and adults will like, but the ending was unnecessary and left me feeling like it ended on a bad note; however, it wasn’t enough to taint Brand and Marsden’s flawless performances. With Easter right around the corner, “Hop” is a great movie to get you in the spirit. “Hop” is rated PG and has a 95-minute run time. It is playing at Rave Motion Pictures in Little Rock.
Although I had high expectations for “Training Day,” the April 14 episode of NBC’s “The Office,” I have to say I was disappointed. I honestly expected to laugh more with Steve Carell’s replacement being Will Ferrell. I love both of these actors and laugh hysterically at all of their material. The two together didn’t do it for me. Ferrell plays DeAngelo Vickers, the new regional manager for the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin, replacing Michael Scott, whom I’ve grown to love for what’s now seven seasons of the show. The beginning of the episode gave me some hope that the episode would be funny. It started out with Scott waiting to meet his replacement at a bar and making a random friend while he was waiting. Little did he know, the person he was waiting for was right in front of his face the entire time. This gave the opportunity for Scott to call Vickers, because his expected guest “wasn’t there yet.” In the typical “Michael Scott way” it took Scott longer than necessary to realize that the two had already been talking for at least five minutes. Don’t get me wrong, I did laugh quite a bit, but it wasn’t at Ferrell. Kevin Malone, played by Brian Baumgartner, one of the accountants for the office, made me laugh throughout because he wore a wig on his normally
bald head for the entire episode because he was trying to impress Vickers. Malone’s dialogue of course was hysterical like always, but it took away from the much anticipated performance by Ferrell. Malone wasn’t the only person in the office trying to impress the new boss. Jim, played by John Krasinski, and Pam Halpert, played by Jenna Fischer, tried and failed to work their charm by showing pictures of their baby to Vickers to make him show favoritism to the pair. I personally didn’t like the episode because it frustrated me. I hate seeing the characters I like so much not do what I want them to. I’m hoping that the remainder of this season, being Carell’s last, will be much better than this episode. With two episodes left in the season, I’m hoping much more laughs are to be had. Thursday night’s episode is titled “Michael’s Last Dundies.” Since the past “Dundies” episode in season two was one of my favorite episodes and what I think to be one of the funniest episodes of the series. With these expectations to live up to, this episode should be a winner. If I’m disappointed in the last two episodes, I might have to give up on Ferrell as Carell’s replacement, which I really don’t want to do. If NBC wants to keep “Office” fans happy, it should step up its game in the “funny” department.
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Sports
9
April 20, 2011
From the Shotgun By Ben Keller
Par Three Contest evokes memories of times spent with father, brother
W
hile it has been over a week since the Masters ended, one thing has stuck with me that I need to write about. The event is a special tournament not just because of the prestige, but for the way players’ families interact and participate in the grandeur. The Par Three Contest is a special time for the tournament. Not many other professional sports let fathers and sons, fathers and daughters or siblings experience the excitement of playing golf on that level. Most players do not care about winning the contest so, more often than not, they will allow their kids or younger siblings to try and sink a putt on one or more of the holes during the miniature tournament. It reminded me of the times spent with my dad and my brother playing golf and every other sport we love. It is a special bond family members share when they play a sport together. I always look back on the times my dad and I played golf during the hot Arkansas summers. Seeing the Par Three Contest reminded me of those scorchers at the First Tee of Arkansas or the North Hills Country Club. After a round, we would head for the clubhouse to cool down and drink some Gatorade together and go over how I played and what I could do to be better.
It was always an even more special day when the three Keller men got together to play a round of golf at the Red Apple Inn Country Club in Heber Springs. While it was always fun to play golf together, it was better when my dad would take my brother and me to work on our baseball game. There is something special about a father and son playing baseball together. It is the epitome of an American summer to go outside and play catch or start a pick-up baseball game with some friends. It was always great to go out and practice with my dad because he was always an assistant coach for my Little League teams. I was hit with nostalgia about this over spring break this year. I still own, and treasure, the two baseball gloves my brother and I used during our baseball careers growing up. I took them to Panama City Beach, Fla., to play some ball on the beach and it was great to slip that glove back on my hand. After reflecting on all this I realized just how special those times in my childhood were and how I cannot wait to share that with my kids when I have them. I hope to share the same experiences I had playing sports as a child and they enjoy it as much as I did. Regardless of what they play, it will be an exciting experience for them and for me.
Bear Chat with
Kati Andersen by Allison Hartman Assistant Sports Editor
Senior tennis player Kati Andersen has consistently played the number four or five slot since joining the Sugar Bears tennis team in 2009 after transferring from Missouri Southern after her sophomore year. Andersen compiled a record of 7-12 this season, which is the best record on the team. She went 4-9 overall at the number four position. Andersen teamed with sophomore Kazumi Otani in doubles for the last four matches of the season, winning the final two matches of the season to Southland Conference rivals Lamar and McNeese.
How did you get involved in tennis? My parents signed me up for summer tennis camp when I was five and I really liked it. I started taking lessons and just never quit playing.
Why did you decide to come to UCA? I really liked the athletic program and UCA has the nicest campus. And the girls on the team are really sweet.
Who is your favorite athlete? Roger Federer.
Do you have any pre match rituals? I always change the grip on my racquet before I play a match.
What is your favorite thing about tennis?
Lukas Deem photo
Junior running back Jackie Hinton loses his helmet as sophomore linebacker Justin Heard tackles him during the annual Purple and Gray Scimmage Game on Saturday. The defense came out on top, defeating the offense 64-55.
Defense wins Purple, Gray Scrimmage 64-55 by Ben Keller Sports Editor
The Bears football annual Purple and Gray Scrimmage Game highlighted the Bears’ offensive and defensive capabilities going into the 2011 season, but the defense came out on top, winning the game 64-55 under a modified scoring system. The Bears defense, the purple team, came out strong in the first half of the game. The purple team shutting down the white team’s offense highlighted the first quarter of the game. The white team did not score a single touchdown in the first 15 minutes of play. Coach Clint Conque said the defense was energetic throughout the scrimmage and he was pleased to see that. “The defense had its way throughout the first half,” he said. “The offense did come back in the second half and it was competitive toward the end.” He said overall the offense did do well, but he said it cannot be slow to start like it was last year and during the scrimmage on Saturday. The entire Bears team did sustain an unfortunate accident during the scrimmage. Sophomore deep snapper Kirby O’Meara was injured in the final minutes of the first quarter on a punt return. O’Meara hurt himself while running down the field to simulate going in for a tackle. After the game, Conque said he and his coaching staff was 90 percent sure O’Meara had injured his ACL and it did not look good.
“It was just a freak accident and may have torn his ACL just running down the field. I hate it for the young man,” he said. Conque said he and his staff will likely be scouring the country trying to find another deep snapper in case O’Meara is not ready for the 2011 season. During the second quarter, the white team had several big plays for gains and first downs, but Conque said not every play can be big. He said the offense also has to have consistent plays to be able to win. Senior quarterback Nathan Dick threw two big passes to junior wide receiver Dominique Croom and another to senior wide receiver Isaiah Jackson. Jackson said he was pleased with his performance and the offense as a whole, but he said the team cannot get off to slow starts like last season. “Defense came out explosive and ready to go. I think [the offense] was a little bit too relaxed, but during the second half we got it together,” he said. The white team was not able to score on the drive and instead went for the field goal. The field goal attempt was unsuccessful because of a botched snap that led to a turnover and another successful stop for the purple team. The white team did get a touchdown prior to the half. Dick threw a long bomb pass to Croom for a total gain of 60 yards. Junior running back Jackie Hinton carried the ball to the two-yard line. The white team scored on the next play as senior tight end Brennan Rushing carried the ball in for the touchdown. The Bears offense turned it around during
the second half and dominated it for the majority of the quarters. It was not enough to overcome the deficit the purple team had put up, even though the score came very close at the last minute. The Bears offense struggled with third down conversions, going 6-24 for the day. The Bears defense had a lot to do with that, especially its leading tacklers, senior linebacker Jessie Sims with 12 and sophomore linebacker Justin Heard with 10. The purple team had one interception against the white team when junior defensive back Seth Allison intercepted a pass from sophomore quarterback Wynrick Smothers. Conque said one of the main problems he has seen is the lack of a vocal leader for the offensive side of the ball. He said there are plenty leaders by example but Dick cannot be the vocal leader he would like. “We would like the leadership to come from the quarterback and we would like for it to be Nathan,” he said. “But we all know he just isn’t that kind of animal.” This was the last game the Bears will play on grass in Estes Stadium and Conque said it was a historic and sentimental moment for him. “It is the end of a facilities era,” he said. “I just hope coach Estes isn’t too mad at us.” Jackson said he was going to miss playing on the grass but he is looking forward to the new field. “Every other team in our conference has turf so we are hopping on board with it,” he said.
-18 HOLES-
Men’s golf team ready for Southland Conference Championship by Andrew McClain Staff Writer
The UCA men’s golf team will head to Fort Worth, Texas on April 25 to play in the Southland Conference’s Men’s Golf Championship. The tournament will be hosted by the University of Texas at Arlington on the Waterchase Golf Course, which coach Richard Johnson said is a long golf course with firm, fast bermuda greens, which makes for an excellent test of golfers’ skills. The course lies just outside Fort Worth at Waterchase Country Club. The UCA golf team has played well this year, surviving a mediocre start which included a fourth place finish at the University of Nebraska’s Nebraska Fairway Club Invitational and a 10th place finish at University of Texas at Arlington’s Waterchase Invitational. After these two missteps,however, the UCA men’s golf team sharpened up and won their next five consecutive events against Kansas State, University of Tennessee Martin, University of
Missouri Kansas City, Samford University and University of San Francisco. The team’s last three events, however, have broken their winning streak with a fifth place finish at University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a ninth place finish at University of Mississippi and a second place finish with a score of 567 at Arkansas State University’s Arkansas State Red Wolf Collegiate in Jonesboro. The team seems to be on their way back up, following a short hiccup at the Ole Miss Bancorp South Intercollegiate where they placed eighth out of 15 competing teams. At the Arkansas State Red Wolf Intercollegiate, the team seems to be on their way up after finishing second. This could mean good things for the team, heading to the Southland Conference Men’s Golf Championship. The team’s highest-ranked player is senior Steven Lecuyer, who said he feels confident in the team’s abilities. “Our expectations are to win at Southland Conference for sure,” Lecuyer said, who was named Southland Conference’s Men’s Golfer of the Month of March. “This is going to be
our event. We’re easily one of the top two teams in the conference. If we win, we’ll go to regionals, which would be a first for us.” The location for the regional tournament has yet to be revealed. Another asset to the team is senior Gideon Pienaar, who has secured a win for the team in the past at Kansas State. Johnson said if Pienaar and Lecuyer both play up to their potential at conference, a win will be guaranteed. Lecuyer is credited by the Southland Conference’s website as being partially responsible for this season’s five-event winning streak, with an average of 72.75 strokes in eight rounds. Lecuyer’s average is 71.8 strokes per game. The team’s average is 290.1 strokes per game. “If we play up to our potential, we can not only win the conference title but have success at the regional tournamen. We have to play well and smart if we are to advance, but with a really good week of preparation leading up to the event, we feel confident that we will succeed,”Johnson said.
-PREVIEW-
Getting to play on the team and getting to travel with my teammates. We’ve gotten to do a lot of fun things together.
Track teams geared up for Southland Conference meet
If you didn’t play tennis, what sport would you play?
by Jeanette Anderton
Basketball.
What is your favorite TV show? Modern Family or Real Housewives of Orange County.
What is your favorite trip you’ve taken with the team? When we went to Orlando and got to go to Disney World and Universal Studios.
Do you have any superstitions before, during, or after a match? I always play in my Ray Bans. Also, if I’m wearing pants or long sleeves when I start a match, I wont take them off if I’m winning. Even if it gets hot.
What are you doing when you aren’t playing tennis? Yoga.
What are your plans for after college? I want to find a job coaching tennis somewhere. I want to stay involved with tennis; I’m not ready to be done with it.
Staff Writer
The UCA men’s and women’s track and field teams are preparing for the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships, hosted by Northwestern State University at the Walter P. Ledet Track and Field Complex located in Natchitoches, La., May 13-15. “We will be traveling to Natchitoches quite a bit in a short period of time,” coach Richard Martin said. “We go there on the April 15, again on the 30th and then in May for the championship.” Martin said UCA will compete in every event in the championship and the team is getting ready. “Everybody trains differently, depending on which event they are training for,” he said. Senior Jasmine Coleman, who is going to the championship for the fourth year in a row, will be competing in the 400 meter and possibly the 4 by 40 relay. “We’re not positive yet who all is doing the relay,” Coleman said. “It depends on injuries and times.”
She said this year at the championship, all of the running events except relays have qualifying times. “A lot of us are working on getting our times down so we will have no trouble qualifying,” she said. Junior Heather Estetter, who runs the 800 meter and the mile relay, said she isn’t worried about qualifying. Estetter said the qualifying time for her event is 219.71. She has a time of 217 flat, the school record. She said she broke the 20-year-old record of 218 last year. “I’ve been to championships every season,” Estetter said. “The SLC Outdoor is going to be good.” Some team members said they are hoping to improve their times from last year. “I’m hoping to do better than I did last year at the championship,” sophomore April Martin said. “Last year was my first championship and I was really nervous because I had no idea what to expect. This year, I feel more confident because I know what’s going on. I feel like I can compete
better.” Assistant coach Zach Haupt said the championship should be a lot of fun. “That’s what we work hard for, the championships,” he said. “We are ready to go and make improvements from last year. That’s our goal, to score more points.” This will be freshman Anilah Bashir’s first time to go to the championship. “I am a little nervous,” she said. “I am working to qualify in at least one running event.” She said she sees the championship as a good challenge. “It will be good experience for me and give me a chance to improve,” Bashir said. Bashir said she is glad the SLC championship is outdoors. “Outdoor seems a little easier and I get to run events that I really enjoy such as the 100 meter hurdles and the 4 by 1 relay. They don’t have these events indoors.” Senior Donavan Loring, who leads the conference in the triple jump with 51.875, said he is looking forward to the championship.
ucaecho.net
SPORTS
April 20, 2011 / 10
- CROSSTOWN RIVALS -
- F O OT B A L L-
Bears spring training winds down for 2011 season; looking to improve strength, speed
Softball Bears spear Warriors 11-3
by Marisa Hicks
Sports Editor
Assistant News Editor
The Bears’ football team has been busy during the spring getting ready for the 2011 football season. The Bears finished off their spring training with the annual Purple and Gray Scrimmage Game. Southland Conference officials attended the scrimmage Saturday to evaluate and conclude their annual officials clinic. Just like an actual game, officials blocked off Bruce Street from traffic so students and fans could tailgate. Coach Clint Conque said the team has been working to perfect two and four minute situations on the field. The team, he said, has been working on their kicking as well. Defensive coordinator Matt Williamson said the team has been watching films to show the newer guys the mistakes made through the season so they can learn to be faster both defensively and offensively. “In our spring training we want to spark competition in the new guys,” Williamson said. He said the team’s defensive players will be working on interceptions and the offensive players will be working on field goals and touchdowns during the training sessions. Conque said the scrimmage was the last opportunity for the Bears to train as a team until next
season. He said the scrimmage was a final test to determine what the players were able to learn during their off-season training. The team, Conque said, has been training to become faster and more physical on the field. He said the team has had a lot of time over their spring training to work on their gaming situations. Many of the players were injured during their 15 days of training, however, it’s all part of the process, Conque said. Defensive line special teams coordinator Dan Augustine said the Bears were working on becoming more physical for the fall season. “Now we are finishing up our spring training with only a few practices left, Aigistome said. “We are just trying to improve skills and gain experience for the younger guys before the season begins.” He said the team has been working on running the ball and being more physically involved in the tackles made on the field. “We really are just trying to be a more physical in what we do on the field. Both individually and as a team,” Augustine said. “We need to play harder and to do that the guys need to make more physical contact.” Sophomore line back Justin Heard said the team has been adding to everything they learned in the season during their spring training. He said the team has been taking a lot of hits during practice and learning to tackle in tight
spaces. “Our training and the scrimmage on Saturday [helped] determine who will be leaders next season because the scrimmage [showed] who has improved and grown stronger though these past few practices,” Heard said. “For us, the training never really stops.” Heard said the players will practice on their own all through summer and will begin practicing as a team again in August. Conque said the scrimmage was UCA history because it was the last time the team would play on grass. Next season, the Bears will be playing on a purple and gray artificial turf field and will be the last team in the Southland Conference to make the switch from grass to turf. The design is a field of alternating purple and gray stripes with black enzones. The Bears 2011 season will kick off with a home game at 7 p.m. on Sept. 1 against the Henderson State Reddies. The Bears’ first Southland Conference game next season will be on the road in Hunstville, Texas against the Sam Houston State Bearkats. The Bears will also see the resurgence of an old in-state rivalry next season when they travel to Jonesboro to take on the Arkansas State University Red Wolves. The two will face off on Sept. 24 and a kickoff time has yet to be determined, according to ucasports.com.
Bears Brief • The Bears baseball team won two games in a threegame weekend series against the Nicholls State Colonels in Thibodaux, La. The Bears (18-18, 8-10 Southland) won game one 8-6 on Friday night followed by a 10-1 victory on Saturday. After taking the first two games, the Colonels (1720, 7-12 Southland) came back from an 8-2 deficit in game three to defeat the Bears 11-8. The Bears recorded 17 hits on the way to an 8-6 victory. The Bears jumped ahead early, scoring three runs in the first inning when junior designated hitter Jake Fuller drove in sophomore left fielder Ethan Harris with a base hit to left field. The other two runs of the inning were scored when junior right fielder Greg Noble hit a single to right center field to score freshman center fielder Jonathan Davis and senior first baseman Jonathan Houston, giving the Bears a 3-0 lead. The Colonels scored two runs of their own in the bottom of the first to cut the
lead to one, then scored two more runs in the bottom of the second inning to put them ahead 4-3. The Bears scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning when Houston hit a two-run double, putting the Bears ahead 5-4. The Colonels took a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning but the Bears were able to add two runs in the top of the sixth to regain the lead. The Bears final run of the game came in the top of the ninth inning, giving the game its final 8-6 score. Harris went recorded four hits in six at bats with one RBI, senior second baseman Zack Dickson and Davis each had three hits and Noble and Houston each recorded two RBI. Junior left hander Dustin Ward, who was awarded pitcher of the week this week, and the Bears shut down the Colonels on Saturday in a 10-1 victory. Ward struck out 13 batters and only allowed six hits while pitching his second complete game of his career.
The Bears had 13 hits, three from both Harris and Houston, who each recorded two RBI. Junior third baseman Bryan Wilson recorded three RBI and sophomore catcher Travis Snider, Noble, and Fuller each recorded one RBI. The Bears’ only loss of the series was on Sunday when they let an 8-2 lead disappear to lose 11-8. The Bears went ahead 8-2 in the top of the fifth inning but the Colonels put up nine runs in the last five innings to take the victory. The Colonels scored first, going up 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning but the Bears answered back with a run of their own in the top of the third. The Colonels scored again in the bottom of the third but the Bears scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning when Snider scored freshman outfielder Logan Moon from third with a sacrifice fly and senior short stop Kyle Prevett scored two with a double to left field to give the Bears a 4-2 lead. The Bears scored four more in the top of the fifth inning when Wilson hit a sacrifice fly followed by RBIs from Moon and Dickson and a sacrifice fly from Prevett to put the Bears ahead 8-2. The Colonels scored four in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to two and another run in the sixth inning to cut the Bears’ lead to 8-7. The Colonels scored four runs in the eighth inning to take the lead for good and give the game its final 11-8 score. Dickson and Prevett each went two for three with Prevett recording three RBI. Moon had two hits and scored twice.
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by Ben Keller The softball Bears finished off the Hendrix Warriors 11-3 in five innings during their game on April 12 in Conway. The Bears combined for 10 hits on the day and only left two runners on throughout the game. The Bears also had the chance to switch things up on their lineup. During the fourth inning, coach David Kuhn switched nearly every position on the roster to bring in some fresh players from the bench. “All of them have gotten some pretty good play time throughout the season,” he said. “But it was a good chance to get more people out there and get some game time going into the last part of the season.” The Bears jumped to an early lead with five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Junior right fielder Nicole Beals started things off for the Bears with a single through the left side. Sophomore shortstop Melissa Bryant flied out to centerfield for the Bears’ first out, but senior left fielder Kasey Britt was walked to put two Bears on base. During Britt’s at bat, Beals stole second. For the season, she is 9-10 on stealing. Sophomore catcher Melanie Bryant had a hit to follow up Britt’s walk, but junior designated player Katie McGregor hit the line drive single that brought in the first two runs for the Bears. McGregor said she felt like the team’s offense played well today and its plate discipline was great. “We did well on the plate and kept up with [the Warriors’] pitchers pretty well I thought,” she said. “We just have to keep it up and hopefully we will finish the season strong and make it into the conference tournament.” The Bears continued to hammer away at the Warriors for the remainder of the inning with a sacrifice RBI and then a two-run homerun from freshman third baseman Tara Underhill. Kuhn said he thought the team came together at the plate throughout the day and played smart on offense with base running and hitting through the gaps. “Its always fun when you can get big hits at the plate during the day,” he said. “We played well offensively and it worked out for us. Hendrix has a good ballclub over there and it was just a good day for us.” Beals, McGregor and freshman second baseman Taylor Dear all had two hits during the game. In the field on defense, the Warriors could not get through the Bears’ gaps. The Warriors combined for only four hits on the day. Junior pitcher Cami Newsome pitched the first three innings for the Bears and allowed only one hit. She had six strikeouts and only threw 40 pitches. The Warriors sophomore pitcher Ashley Halbert also pitched three innings, but had seven hits and gave up nine runs with one strikeout. Bears junior pitcher Kristen Johnson came in to relieve Newsome during the fourth inning. Johnson allowed three hits and the Warriors’ three runs. She had two strikeouts, walked one batter and threw 30 pitches. The Warriors senior pitcher Jaclyn Herrera came in to pitch one inning for her team. She allowed three hits and two runs. She also had one strikeout and threw 21 pitches. The Warriors showed a small bit of life during the top of the fifth inning when they scored their only runs of the game. The Warriors had three back-to-back singles from freshman shortstop Alex Sullivan, senior designated player Christina Byler and junior left fielder Kayleen Stevenson. The Warriors profited off of a Bears error to bring in a run. The Warriors scored their next two runs off of fielder’s choice outs, but it was not enough to come back from the large deficit. Kuhn said the team’s defense was great all game
except for the small hiccup late in the fifth. Overall, he said he was pleased with how well everyone worked together in the field. “We kind of let the game start to get away from us in the fifth inning but the team came together and finished off the game strong,” he said. The Bears next game is 5 p.m. tonight in Conway against
Centenary Ladies. The Bears also have a conference series against Northwestern State Demons this weekend. They will play a doubleheader at 5 p.m. on Saturday and the series finale will be at 12 p.m. on Sunday. The Bears record as of Monday, April 18, was 20-26 overall and 7-14 in the Southland Conference with a home record of 13-5.
Bear Chat with
Kasey Britt
by Lee Hogan Staff Writer
Junior first baseman and outfielder Kasey Britt has been a steady, consistent force for the UCA Bears softball team over the past three seasons. Britt recently topped 100 games played and started in her UCA career. Britt has been rewarded well for her play at UCA throughout the past three years as well. She was named to the 2010 National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association All-South Region Second Team. She was also named to the 2010 All-Southland Conference Third Team. She finished the 2010 season with a .321 batting average to go along with seven home runs, fourteen doubles and 35 RBI. Britt was also a strong defensive player posting a .992 fielding percentage. In 43 games this season, she has posted a .355 batting average with three home runs, 15 doubles and 29 RBI. Britt has also continued to be a great asset in the field with a 1.000 fielding percentage. She is from Florence, Miss. and attended Richland High School in Mississippi where she was a two-time All-State First Team selection and was once an All-State Second Team Selection. She was also named a Wendy’s High School Heisman nominee.
When did you start playing softball? I started playing softball at five if you can count T-ball.
Is there a reason you wear number 12? My mom [basketball] and my older brother [soccer] wore number 12 throughout high school and college. I just wanted to do the same.
What has been your favorite moment as a UCA Bear? Sweeping the number-one team in the conference, Stephen F. Austin, last year. Considering they beat us my freshman year, payback felt great.
What brought you to UCA? I honestly didn’t visit the campus until a month before I was coming because our coach now was at another college when I got an offer, but then he got the UCA job offer and asked if I wanted to come. Just knowing UCA was going to be Division1AA and the fact that Conway is triple the size of my hometown was enough for me.
What is your major? Health Education.
What are your plans after college? As an athlete in college it’s hard to do athletic training, but my plans after college are to hopefully get into an athletic training program around my area (Mississippi). If that doesn’t work out I would love coaching and teaching at a high school.
What are your hobbies outside of softball? I love to read for fun, anything from mysteries to motivational books. I enjoy drawing and I’m addicted to the computer game “Minesweeper”.
What has been your most embarrassing moment? We were scrimmaging one day in practice last year and my roommate was pitching against me. Her pitch hit me in the elbow and it swelled up like a golf ball. Once I got back to the dugout is when I noticed how bad it looked and I am a baby when it comes to pain. I literally almost fainted. I had to lay down with my feet elevated during practice, face white while some of the girls walked by laughing and I’m laughing too. My roommate and I still crack jokes about it.
Favorite pitch to get? Middle to low inside as a lefty.
Least favorite pitch to get? A perfectly placed low and outside corner. One of the hardest pitches for me to reach without two strikes or crowding the plate.
Any superstitions before a game? I like to end on a good hit in the cages when warming up. Also my throwing partner and I have a routine once we’re warm. She throws it behind her back, I toss it back, she throws it over her head, when I toss it back she has to back hand it. If we make a bad throw doing that we repeat it. Silly, I know.
What’s on your iPod before a game? Before a game it’s mostly Lecrae, who’s a Christian Rapper. So I’m getting right with Jesus and getting pumped. What better combo?
11 / April 20, 2011
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Bears ready to face Lady Demons at Farris Field by Lee Hogan Staff Writer
The UCA Softball Bears open an important Southland Conference series against Northwestern State Demons Friday at Farris Field. The Bears are currently 7-14 in conference play and are flirting with the final spot in the Southland Conference Tournament. The Bears are currently in ninth place in the Southland Conference, one spot out of the eight-team Southland Conference Tournament. Sophomore shortstop Melissa Bryant said the team knows this series is a must-win if the Bears want postseason play. “I believe in my team,” Bryant said. “We will pull through and do what we have to do to make it to the tournament.” Northwestern State is currently sixth in the Southland Conference at 10-11, three games ahead of the Bears. If the Bears can take the series from Northwestern State, it would go a long way in helping the Bears make the tournament. Heading into the weekend, the Bears are a game and a half
behind eighth place Southeastern Louisiana Lions. Junior outfielder Kasey Britt said the team has no time to relax with this series. “We know we have to come out strong this weekend and get games one and two before we even think to relax,” Britt said. “The team knows we need to win every conference series left if we want to make it to the tournament and that is our ultimate motivation.” The Bears’ chances are improved at home. They are 5-4 in conference play at Farris Field compared to 2-10 on the road and are 13-5 at Farris Field overall this year. This series against Northwestern is the first of the Bears’ three final conference series of the year. The Bears are 3-6 in their last nine conference games. The Bears swept a series against Nicholls State the first weekend of April before being swept by Texas State and TexasSan Antonio Roadrunners April 9-10. Northwestern State is also 5-4 in their last nine conference games. Northwestern State lost their
first series of April against Texas A&M Corpus Christi, but won their next series against TexasArlington and won their series this past weekend on the road against Southeastern Louisiana. The Bears lost the first two games against Texas-San Antonio in a double-header on April 9, by scores of 2-1, and 7-5. The Bears lost the series finale to Texas-San Antonio on April 10, 7-5. Britt found success at the plate last weekend, including a two-run home run in the top of the fifth of the series finale, which tied the game at five runs a piece before Texas-San Antonio scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to go ahead for good and finish off the sweep. The Bears will face Centenary today at Farris Field in a single game at 5 p.m. before directing their attention to Northwestern State this weekend. The Bears won the series against Northwestern State last year in Natchitoches, La., two games to one. The series begins at Farris Field Friday at 5 p.m. and is followed by another game directly following. The series finale will be Saturday at noon.
-NEW BEARS -
Men’s soccer team signs 13 recruits for 2011 by Marisa Hicks Assistant News Editor
Thirteen new players from across the country have signed with the Bears soccer team for the 2011 fall season. Assistant coach Ross Duncan said this is one of the largest classes added in the past few semesters. It was great strategy for the team to recruit more diversely across the nation, he said. “Most of the players we recruit predominately are from Texas,” Duncan said. “The recruiting process hopefully will include students from Pennsylvania, Florida and California next season,” he said. “Texas is always a big goal during the recruiting season because there are so many men available who can play well.” Duncan said the recruiting process this season has been very “conscious.” It was important that the team start ties in new locations across the country. He said in the past the team has always recruited from some of the same regions and it’s time the Bears start looking for teammates in different areas across the nation. The Bears were in need of a more diverse, geographically, team so it will be easier to recruit from higher ranking soccer states in the future, he said. Junior defender Andrew O’Brien said at this point everyone on the team is strong and experienced. He said the team is expecting a lot of talent to come from the new class. “As a team, we have been coached to be strong and prepared to train,” he said. “Something we’ve worked on all semester is mentality: we’re playing soccer, we’re Division I, we’re playing with the big dogs now.” He said if the incoming class doesn’t project to the team what is expected of them, the team, as a whole, will train them to get better and perform well on the field.
O’Brien said the team is said to be an outstanding class but he can only hope they prove themselves to play on the field in a real college level situation as they did during the recruiting process.
“As a team we have been coached to be strong and prepared to train. Something we’ve worked on all semester is mentality: we’re playing soccer, we’re Division I, we’re playing with the big dogs now,” - Junior defender Andrew O’Brien Even without having seen the recruited players play O’Brien said he is very excited for the new class to start practicing with the Bears because they have some of the much needed talend the team has been waiting for and will take over his position when he graduates. Duncan said the new players are coming from eight different states and there is one international player coming in the fall from Jamaica. Three students have been added to the 2011 roster from Oklahoma. Josh Phillips and Kyle Allen, both recruited from Norman, Okla., will be added to the team as midfielders and defenders. From Guymon, Okla., the Bears signed midfielder Ulises Caba. Two players were added to the team from Vermont and two
from Texas. From Burlington, Vt., Amir Pasic will be added as a goalkeeper and Elia Louis, also from Burlington, will be signed on as a forward and a midfielder. Brandon Disney of Waco, Texas has been given the position, as well, of a midfielder for the Bears. Luke Sparks of Dallas, Texas has been recruited as a midfielder but is flexible in a number of other positions on the field. Matt Taphorn of Aurora, Colo., has been added to the team as a defender and Nathaniel Aquadro of Atolen, Pa., has become a Bear as a midfielder and defender. From Sacramento, Calif., the Bears added forward Daylon Schiffel and defender Jacob Campbell from Brandon, MS. Kyle Moore of Vilonia, Ark., was signed onto the team as a defender, and the 13th player signed onto the Bears soccer team was Stephen Williams of Spanish Town, Jamaica. Williams will be used for attacks and as a midfielder for the team. O’Brien said he is excited students are coming to play from all over the country but he is skeptical about the international player. Duncan said the 2011 class will have 35 players giving the team the chance to hold 11 vs. 11 scrimmages during practice. It also gives the Bears some wiggle room when players get injured. O’Brien said: “I haven’t seen them play yet. However, from what I have heard, the incoming class is an offensive threat which is just what the team needs.” Even with a class of 35, the extra feet will do nothing to help the team if they don’t have the talent to take someone’s place on the field if someone is injured, he said. Duncan said NCAA officials will meet this week and vote which date between August 12-16 the fall season will officially begin. The old guys are expected to impact the new guys and show them how things are done, he said.
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Anthony Byrnes photo
Senior first baseman Shay Ristau catches a throw to get the forceout at first base during the Bears game against the Alcorn State Lady Braves on April 13. The Bears run-ruled the Braves, winning 9-0.
Bears run-rule Braves in game one of double header by Lee Hogan Staff Writer
The UCA Softball Bears runruled the Alcorn State Lady Braves in game one of a double-header sweep on April 13 at Farris Field. In the first of two games, the Bears won 9-0 in five innings. Sophomore pitcher Kelsie Armstrong was one hit away in the final inning from throwing a no-hitter. Armstrong finished the day with with 11 strikeouts in five innings in the circle, while allowing only one hit and one walk. With the win, Armstrong improved to 12-15 on the year. Sophomore shortstop Melissa Bryant led the Bears at the plate in game one going 1-3, including a three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning. The Bears scored seven runs in the bottom of the third, which put the game out of reach. Melissa Bryant started off the scoring in the bottom of the third with her three-run home run, which scored Bryant, senior first baseman Shay Ristau and sophomore center fielder Candice Gauntt. Gauntt finished the first game 2-2 at the plate and had an RBIsingle later in the bottom of the third. Freshman third baseman Tarra Underhill also drove in a run in the third inning on a single to the pitcher, which scored sophomore
catcher Melanie Bryant. In her second at-bat of the inning, Ristau singled to center field, which scored junior designated player Katie McGregor. Junior right fielder Nicole Beals brought in the final run of the inning with an infield-single, which scored Underhill. The Bears scored two more runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Mellanie Bryant brought in one run on an RBI-double, bringing in junior left fielder Kasey Britt. Freshman pinch-runner Ashlynn Tovar, who ran for Melanie Bryant, scored on a wild pitch later in the inning. In the second game of the day, the Bears defeated the Lady Braves, 6-0. Junior pitcher Cami Newsome went the distance for the Bears, striking out six batters and allowing only four hits and two walks in a complete-game outing. The Bears scored one run each in the bottom of the second and third innings. Gauntt doubled to center field scoring Ristau in the bottom of the second inning. Melanie Bryant scored in the bottom of the third inning by stealing home. Melissa Bryant started off the four-run fourth inning for the Bears with a home run to center field. Freshman pinch-runner Kelvon Greer scored the next
run on a bases loaded walk to freshman pinch-hitter Bre Hutchinson. Gauntt brought in the final two runs of the inning on a tworun single to center field. Melissa Bryant said she was pleased with her performance overall in both games. “I did OK,” Bryant said. “I didn’t play my best. It was just an average performance looking at my batting average.” Melissa Bryant finished the day 2-6 at the plate with two home runs, one in each game, and four RBI. Britt, who finished the day 2-5 at the plate and also drew a walk, said getting used to being in the outfield again has helped her game in every aspect. “I watched a lot of pitches today which helped draw walks,” Britt said. “Now that I’m getting back in the routine of playing outfield, I’m more comfortable on the field and in the box.” Britt said the team’s performance the entire day was great. “As a whole today hitters one through 10 and any pinch hitters that came in all hit like we’re capable of,” Britt said. “The pitching performances by Kelsie [Armstrong] and Cami [Newsome] no doubt gave us a bigger reason to score some runs for them. I think as long as we keep playing defense and pitching well the hits will come. All it takes is a spark to start a fire.”
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