09/27/2018 University Daily Kansan special sections by University Daily Kansan

THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904

The University Daily Kansan

vol. 137 // iss. 12 Thurs., Sept. 27, 2018

Senate investigates chief of staff for alleged sexual misconduct NICOLE ASBURY @nicoleasbury A Student Senate executive officer has been absent since the Senate opened an investigation into another student’s allegations of violations of the University’s Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. The allegations involve accusations of sexual misconduct by the officer, Senate Chief of Staff Daniel Lee, a senior from Kansas City, Missouri, sources told the Kansan. It is unclear whether Lee is still holding his position or has resigned. His nameplate has been removed from the Senate offices in the Kansas Union. Lee also was absent from the full Senate meeting Sept. 19. “We’re currently investigating a possible violation of the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, and we will continue to do so,” Student Body President Noah Ries said. “The investigation does relate to Daniel Lee.” Sources said the allegation was considered sufficiently egregious to report to the University’s Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access, which investigates allegations and incidents of discrimination, including sexual

Junior remembered as ‘extremely joyful’ LARA KORTE @lara_korte

To those who knew him, Charlie Gillis was an “extremely joyful person.” Gillis, a junior from St. Louis, died Wednesday morning after sustaining injuries from a crash in Leavenworth County earlier in the week. A film major and member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, Gillis was described by SigEp president Jonah Cohen as someone who “always had a good attitude.” “Overwhelmingly, he always in a good mindset,” Cohen said. “He was up for adventure, anything.” According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Gillis was Bettina Bugatto/KANSAN traveling west back from Daniel Lee, Student Senate chief of staff, is under investigation for allegations St. Louis when a semi truck struck his vehicle, then same time, we can’t spun out and hit a third report on unconfirmed vehicle. No other drivers “Student Senate takes allegations sustained injuries and all information.” of sexual misconduct very Lee did not respond involved were wearing seatseriously.” to multiple requests for belts, KHP records show. Jared Cox, a junior and comment. Noah Ries Student Senate close friend of Gillis’, said Student Body President executives reported the his friend’s biggest passion allegations to a number in life was film. He had travof “formal and external eled home over the weekparties,” Ries said. He did end to work on a video for senior from Leawood. “We harassment and assault. IOA declined to want to ensure privacy is not specify which parties his high school football comment on allegations respected for any victim, were informed of the team’s homecoming game. “Film was his huge pasregarding Lee, saying the and because of that, we allegations. The Student Senate sion,” Cox said. “Even when office cannot confirm want to make sure that whether reports have any public statement chief of staff serves as a we would go down to the been made to the office we make is done after liaison between student lake for weekends, he would the entire groups requesting funds make these 10 minute vidor the existence of assessing situation and collecting from the body and works eos.” investigations. The Mary Institute and “Student Senate information. We want to assist senators in takes allegations of to be as transparent as drafting and presenting St. Louis Country Day School, Gillis’ alma mater throughout bills and resolutions. sexual misconduct very possible and the school where his seriously,” said Ries, a this process, but at the

Contributed photo Charles Gillis, 20, died on Wednesday.

mother teaches, issued a statement following his passing. Charlie Gillis is survived by his parents, Jenn and Jack, two brothers, Matt and Henry, and a sister, Sara, according to the statement. “Charlie’s passing leaves a gaping hole in our hearts and in our community,” the statement read. “A dedicated student and talented artist and athlete, he was a Ram through and through.” To support the Gillis family and funeral arrangements, members of SigEp have started a fundraiser, selling bracelets with Gillis’ name. According to Cohen, the fraternity had raised over $3,400 as of Wednesday evening. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made. Those who would like to buy a bracelet can send donations via Venmo to @ KUSigEp and pick up at the chapter house,1645 Tennessee Street.

University drops 8 spots in national college rankings SYDNEY HOOVER @sydhoover17 The University of Kansas fell in rankings among “Best Colleges,” according to the 2019 edition of the U.S. News & World Report on college institutions. Ranked 61st among top public schools, the University dropped eight positions from its 2018 ranking of 53rd. According to the U.S. News & World Report website, schools are ranked based on 16 different factors, which include graduation rates, student excellence and even alumni giving. “This year, even though we did better in some measures, our overall score fell relative to our peers,” said Andy Hyland, assistant director of strategic communications. “We are continuing to evaluate [this] data along with our own metrics as we seek to improve our university.” The University tied at 61st with the University of Alabama, University of Illinois–Chicago, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska–Lincoln and University of Texas–Dallas. Among all national universities, the University ranks 129th and is tied with the same schools in the public rankings and The Catholic University of

America. The University also came in at 87th for best colleges for veterans, tying with The Catholic University of America, University of Alabama, University of Missouri and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In the best value category, U.S. News & World Report ranked the University at 98th. According to Faculty Senate President Kirk McClure, in his 31 years at the University, the University’s reputation has “edged down.” He said when he began working here, it was ranked similarly to the University of Colorado– Boulder, now ranked 42nd among public schools, and the University of Texas– Austin, now ranked 15th among public schools. “No matter how much all of us are working, we’re just viewed as a mediocre university now,” McClure said. “It hurts, but it’s the way it is.” McClure said one of the main reasons these types of rankings are important is because it determines what kind of faculty the University is able to hire. He described it as a “hierarchy.” McClure said recent Ph.D. graduates look for the best possible school

to teach at, and a young scholar capable of teaching at the level of a school in the top 50 rankings is not going to accept anything less. Additionally, McClure said reputations play a major role in what types of outside funding a university can gain. “I believe my work to be as good as the work that’s being done [at other schools],” McClure said. “The problem is that the people making decisions to put grant money tend to be biased of a more prestigious university.” According to a KU News release, the University is looking to improve in retention and graduation rates, among other areas. Interim Provost Carl Lejuez said in the release that staff and faculty are continuing to move in a direction ensuring student success and subsequent alumni career success. “Our efforts are ensuring more students advance in their degree programs and that more students graduate in a timely manner,” Lejuez said. Despite this, McClure said he believes any efforts made by the University will ultimately have little impact on the direction it is moving in. He said what must change first is sup-

port from the Kansas State Legislature. “It’s in the hands of the state legislature,” McClure said. “If it wants a truly excellent flagship university, then the state legislature of Kansas needs to put more resources into [the University].” In addition, McClure said he thinks the gubernatorial race will have little impact. Even if Democratic candidate Laura Kelly, who told the Kansan she wants to address making college more affordable, wins the upcoming election, McClure said there is still opposition in both chambers of the legislature that would restrict support for the University. “I think it will be good to have an education-friendly chief executive in that spot, but it’s not going to change that much of the statehouse,” McClure said. “You have people who still absolutely believe that taxes are too high.” Facing a $20 million budget cut, McClure said that the University’s response to a lack of support from the state is going to be “very painful.” He predicted the University will begin to lose top faculty members due to this, and the University will not be able to secure quality educators if its national

Kansan file photo KU administrators are analyzing new U.S. News and World Report rankings after KU dropped in the rankings for 2019. reputation continues to decline. “The state has decided it no longer aspires [for] excellence,” McClure said. “It’s letting KU slide into mediocrity, and that’s too bad.” Comparing the University to other universities within the Kansas Board of Regents, Emporia State University ranked 29th in the top public schools of the Midwest region category, as well as placing 106th among all regional universities in the Midwest category. Kansas State University received the 75th ranking in a tie within the top national public schools list, and tied for 147th in the national universities category. Smaller Kansas univer-

sities such as Fort Hays State University received a ranking of 128-165 in the regional universities Midwest category, while Pittsburg State University came in at 26th in the top public schools of the Midwest region and 101st for all regional universities in the Midwest. In addition, Washburn University came in at 29th in the top public schools of the Midwest region, and 106th in the regional universities Midwest category. Wichita State University received a ranking of 203-301 in the national universities category. Other rankings for universities can be located on the U.S. News & World Report website.

news

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Thursday, September 27, 2018

staff NEWS MANAGEMENT

Editor-in-chief Shaun Goodwin

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KU works to improve voter turnout NICOLE ASBURY @NicoleAsbury

Organizations across Lawrence are coming together to increase voter turnout among University of Kansas students. The effort is a part of a larger competition amongst Big 12 schools to increase voter turnout which originated at the University of Texas. With the upcoming midterm election on Nov. 6, representatives from organizations involved said collectively their goal is to ensure students can actively and effectively participate in the democratic process. With the 2018 election in particular, Kansas is voting in a new governor, and with KU being a public university, whoever wins will make decisions that impact the University. “We’re in the midst of a very consequential election, which has very real differences in terms of outcome depending on who wins,” said Martin Doherty, government relations director of Student Senate and chair of the Student Legislative Action Committee. “If students value their education, and they value the education of the person next to them, then I think they have an obligation to participate in the process.” In the past, many organizations have collaborated before in voter registration efforts. However, this is the largest scale effort orga-

Kansan file photo Organizations within Lawrence and the University are encouraging students to vote in the upcoming election Nov. 6. The University is involved in a competition with Big 12 Conference schools to see which school can get the most students registered to vote. nizations on campus have aimed for, according to Logan Stenseng, the executive director of KU Young Democrats. The groups include KU’s Young Democrats, KU College Republicans, Student Senate and more. Even so, the amount of organizations participating is continuing to grow. “We’re incorporating as many groups as we possibly can, because everyone should be registered to vote,” Stenseng said. The competition among

the Big 12 has helped motivate the various organizations, Doherty said. Universities involved in the competition can win for accumulating the highest voter turnout and most improved voter turnout. “I know everyone involved with this intends to get really high numbers to make sure we can be an example to other Big 12 schools,” Doherty said. So far, the groups together organized a campus-wide effort Tuesday

for Voter Registration Day. Volunteers stood outside of the Union, on Wescoe Beach and other locations on campus with clipboards to help people register to vote. Stenseng said more efforts can be expected in the future as the groups involved are intending to campaign to register until the final deadline for registration on Oct. 16. However, they intend to focus future efforts on ensuring students follow through with

voting on or in-advance of election day. “All these different organizations coming on campus for this common goal I think is very cool because we can really affect change, and that’s my firm belief,” Doherty said. “Coalition-building and bringing people together is the most effective way to make a difference.” Students can check their current voter registration status at ksvotes.org.

Campus Cupboard celebrates grand opening SYDNEY HOOVER @sydhoover17 Students, staff, community members and representatives from as far as Kansas State University gathered on the fourth level of the Kansas Union on Monday afternoon to celebrate the grand opening of the new Campus Cupboard. Andy Monroe, the Center for Community Outreach Executive Director, cut the ribbon for the grand opening with the help of Student Body President Noah Ries. “It feels incredible, almost surreal,” Monroe said. “I think about all last year, all the work going into it. It’s hard to make things move really quickly at the university level, but we had some incredibly motivated students last year.” Campus Cupboard is a program run by the CCO that allows any University student, faculty or staff member to get groceries at no charge. Thanks to a $5,000 donation from the grocery store chain Dillons, the cupboard was stocked full with groceries at the grand opening, and those in attendance were able to walk around and see the new cupboard for the first time. The cupboard opened in the Union on Sept. 4, but according to CCO Managing Director Emily Bruggeman, it was a “soft opening” due to some finishing touches the cupboard still needed before the grand opening.

Madeline McConico/KANSAN Student Body President Noah Ries and Center for Community Outreach Executive Director Andy Monroe cut the ribbon for the grand opening of the new Campus Cupboard location on Monday. Members of the CCO and Student Senate have been planning and pushing for the cupboard to move from the Lutheran Campus Ministry to the Union, largely led by former Student Body President Mady Womack and former Vice President Mattie Carter. Bruggeman said the CCO has been working on opening the cupboard in the Union for about a year because the LCM is off campus and there were concerns about accessibility to the cupboard. “It was kind of a dream just to be able to actually get it here,” Bruggeman said. As food insecurity becomes a more prevalent topic on campus, the CCO is hoping the cupboard will

act as a tool for combatting that, with the help of Just Food, a local food pantry who helps stock the cupboard. A previous Kansan article reported that around 54 percent of 6,000 University undergraduate students reported being food insecure. Bruggeman said that despite this, many students do not realize they are food insecure, or just won’t admit it to themselves. “College students are so concerned about paying rent, paying for tuition, paying for books,” Bruggeman said. “I think a lot of people don’t realize they are food insecure. Nobody really wants to admit that to themselves.” According to Bruggeman, there is no require-

ment to be eligible for the cupboard’s services other than being a University student, faculty or staff member. Bruggeman also said the cupboard would be run on a point system. Each person will have a certain number of points to spend per visit to ensure that there is enough food in stock for each person who visits the cupboard. “This is what Just Food is trying to transition to as well, kind of like labeling food with points,” Bruggeman said. “It’s kind of a crash course at this point, an exciting one, but it’s new.” The cupboard is currently run entirely by volunteers. Bruggeman said after going through training

to work at the cupboard, volunteers are able to work hour-long shifts. Volunteers also sign confidentiality waivers to ensure the privacy of anyone seeking assistance from the cupboard. “It’s just a way to tap into your resources and tap into your community, be able to meet people from faculty to staff to students from all over, from all different walks of life,” said Alexandria Hall, a graduate student assisting with the cupboard for her practicum within the School of Social Welfare. “We need more volunteers to come in and we need more people to come in and view the space and just grow the program as big as we can be.” Bruggeman believes that like many other programs that have started through the CCO, the Campus Cupboard will grow and become sustainable on its own, and will also serve as a tool to remove the “stigma” that surrounds hunger on campus. “I believe with my whole heart that Campus Cupboard will be so successful and such a great resource,” Bruggeman said. “I guess my goal is to take the stigma away from food insecurity. It’s easier said than done, but people have this idea of hunger and a stereotype of hunger and I don’t think people realize that they can fit into that description as well.”

K ANSAN.COM

arts & culture Thursday, September 27, 2018

ARTS & CULTURE

K A N S A N .C O M /A R T S _ A N D _ C U LT U R E

KU alum talks debut book at Liberty Hall COURTNEY BIERMAN @courtbierman Writer Sarah Smarsh said she resents the notion that Kansas is a place to escape. Smarsh left her family’s farm outside Wichita in 1998 to attend school at the University of Kansas. She was the first in her family to pursue a degree in higher education and the first to eventually make a living out of her passion instead of doing the backbreaking work of agriculture or the service industry. It wasn’t until she was older that Smarsh came to appreciate her Midwestern roots. “I didn’t become a Kansan until I went to New York,” she joked. Smarsh spoke to an adoring audience at Liberty Hall on Tuesday night in promotion of her debut book, “Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth.” The talk was originally scheduled to take place at the Lawrence Public Library but was moved to the larger venue to accommodate the greater than expected interest. Attendees filled the main floor of Liberty Hall’s main theater and overflowed to the balcony. CSPAN and the Alumni Association were also on hand filming. Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies Mary Klayder, one of Smarsh’s mentors during her time at the University,

introduced Smarsh. “During those years I watched Sarah become a tenacious thinker and writer, one who is hungry to explore her own world and tell its truths,” Klayder said. “She has been doing that ever since.” Smarsh began by expressing her love for Lawrence, which was her sixth stop in seven days, but it was also one she’d been looking forward to because Lawrence was her home for 15 years, she said. “Lawrence is a place, like me, I think, that defies the political and cultural expectations of this so-called red state,” she said, prompting a round of applause. “Also, as I recall, you like beer a lot.” Much of Smarsh’s work is centered on socioeconomic class, especially as it ties in with Midwestern, workingclass communities. She has written articles and essays for publications, including the Guardian and The New York Times about class, politics and public policy. “Heartland” is all of those things, but it’s also deeply personal. In it, Smarsh recounts the story of her childhood in south central Kansas, raised by women who worked hard but had little to show for it in terms of economic prosperity. Her mother and grandmother are prominently featured as representations of poverty’s toll on both mind and body. The narrative is tied

together by Smarsh’s intermittent monologues to a hypothetical daughter. Smarsh has no children, but she comes from a long line of women who gave birth very young. According to her own research, she’s the first descendant to not be a mother by age 20. “Heartland,” Smarsh said, is also an effort to challenge Kansas stereotypes. Much media coverage of the “flyover states” lacks complexity in its portrayal of the people who live there. Smarsh said this is evidence that newsrooms are in need of writers with diverse backgrounds. “Even going back to my childhood, I felt like any time I saw where I was from represented in a movie, it was a stereotype or a caricature,” she said. “Sometimes there’s just some rote classicism involved in that it is done in a hateful spirit, but I think more often than that it’s just very wellintentioned storytellers who don’t know any better.” A question and answer session concluded Smarsh’s speech. She then headed to the front of the theater to sign books sold by the Raven Book Store. The line wrapped around the room. Before stepping off stage, Smarsh reflected on the status of the American Dream. She said it’s no longer true that hard work guarantees success. Her goal is to

Contributed photo Sarah Smarsh’s debut book “Heartland” is a memoir of her experience as a low-income resident of Kansas. Smarsh started at the University in 1998 and graduated with degrees in English and journalism. bring attention to that. “The way I look at it is I’m not here to talk about any sort of individual triumph,” she said. “I’m here as someone who

really represents the exception to the rule in terms of odds: if you’re born poor, you’re probably going to stay poor no matter how hard

you work. My job now is to shine a light on that fact for all those people who don’t have the privilege of being at this podium.”

Black Stag Brewery to open on Massachusetts Street

Katie Counts/KANSAN The Black Stag Brewery is planned to open this winter at 623 Massachusetts St. KATIE COUNTS @KansanNews John Hampton started brewing beers in his kitchen a few years ago. But what started out as a hobby is about to become the family business. Hampton, his wife Kathryn Myers and her father William Myers are opening The Black Stag, a brewery and restaurant at

623 Massachusetts St. Hampton, Kathryn, and William all graduated from the University of Kansas. Having studied cell biology at the University, Hampton worked for 27 years in biopharmaceuticals. At his father-in-law’s suggestion, he decided to try brewing. Hampton said he found many similarities to his

previous work. “Once I started it, I just kind of fell in love with the process and how it worked,” Hampton said. As he brewed, Hampton realized that he wanted to be able to make more. His small kitchen setup could only make about two and a half gallons of beer. So he upgraded to a garage setup that could make

30 gallons. But he still wanted to make more. His family joked that he should open a brewery or restaurant and, after talking to his wife and father-in-law, they made the plans to actually do it. “Finally, I said let’s put your money where your mouth is,” Hampton said. “Let’s open a brewery.” Hampton and Kathryn

searched several locations until they settled on 623 Massachusetts, across the street from Free State Brewery. When Black Stag executive chef Dane Morris first saw the location, he was a little apprehensive. But he realized that having direct competition could be a good thing. “I think the only thing that it will do will make all of us better,” Morris said. “We’re not here to shut anybody down. We’re just here to do the best we can and make a splash while we do it.” Now, with three breweries within walking distance of each other — Black Stag Brewery, Free State Brewery and Lawrence Beer Co. — Hampton joked that someday they could even have their own beer festival. He said he is just happy their brewery and restaurant can be a part of the Lawrence landscape. According to Morris, the menu will feature local steak and game, seafood and pasta made in-house daily. Eventually, Morris hopes to establish a weekend brunch.

Hampton lived in Europe for a bit, and adds inspiration from his time abroad to his beer. Most of his beers will be Belgian, German and English style. The Black Stag was set to open in September, but construction plans pushed the date back. According to Morris, the brewery is looking at a potential opening date in late November or early December. “It’s almost one of the unwritten rules of restaurants,” Morris said. “You’re never going to be open on time.” With the restaurant’s exposed brick wall and iron beams, Hampton plans to have a “industrial, rustic, but comfortable” space. He even built the table tops by hand from the some of the same pallets they used to bring in materials. Hampton also plans to have outdoor seating, a banquet center in the basement and a stage for live music. “I want a good place where people can have fun,” Hampton said.

opinion

OPINION

Thursday, September 27, 2018 Text your Free For All submissions to (785) 289-8351

FFA of the Day: It’s my favorite time of year: listening to tour guides lie to unsuspecting high school seniors “Alexa, can you murder me please?” I could tell my mom I have a broken leg and her first question would be “are you sure you’re not pregnant?” “I’m a slut for vaccines.” y’all my professor finally handed out the syllabus this week AND APPARENTLY WE HAVE A MIDTERM NEXT WEEK. “I don’t want a husband but I just want a really extra wedding” “I like the way you’ve toasted your nuts.” school has fried my nervous system to the point where I don’t know how to appropriately react to stress anymore I’m convinced whoever is control of music in debruce today actually is a huge one direction fan shout out to the bus that’s going to hit me tomorrow “My ex-girlfriend voted for Trump. She’s my ex-girlfriend” “I was a college student in California in the ‘60s. Ya think I didn’t drop acid?” my last schedule of classes comes out tomorrow so imma start drinking at 9 am I guess Taylor Swift is good as a brand. As a person? Not so much. “Who would want my depressed, Jewish eggs?”

“If republicans were actually human beings....” I just walked by a woman carrying the CUTEST PUPPY IVE EVER SEEN and she saw me have a visceral reaction when I noticed just how cute the puppy was “Why is this Ramen a 2-person serving? People in healthy relationships don’t eat this”

K ANSAN.COM

K A N S A N .C O M /O P I N I O N

Juuls aren’t the FDA’s biggest issue NOAH BIRKEL @birkelnoah The Food and Drug Administration recently issued a two-month ultimatum to e-cigarette companies, insisting they show how they keep their products out of the hands of young people. According to a report by CNN, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb referred to underage e-cigarette use as an “epidemic,” citing the products’ manic popularity. The FDA will be increasing actions against convenience stores and other retail sites suspected of selling to minors, as well as investigating adults who buy products in bulk to resell. Juul Labs and and other e-cigarette manufacturers were the recipients of letters requesting information on product marketing and research, mainly concerning “youth initiation and use.” The FDA has gone further still, suggesting it will conduct in-person inspections. It’s well known that the number of tobacco users is trending downward for all age groups. Information from the U.S. Health and Human Services Department shows the number of teen tobacco users sits at around the

5 million mark, and that number is steadily declining. The HHS also reports e-cigarette use declining in teens from 2015 to 2017, so it’s odd that the FDA has called a shrinking problem an “epidemic.” The FDA likes to point to the rise in e-cigarettes from 2011 to 2017, but after the initial explosion of e-cigarettes in the smoking scene, the number of users has been dropping lower and lower. The noticeable change is that among teens who smoke, many more are turning to e-cigarettes as an alternative to traditional cigarettes. This begs the question: who is the FDA trying to protect, teenagers or big tobacco companies? The FDA has gone to great lengths to protect U.S. tobacco in the past. You might remember that clove and other flavored cigarettes were banned in the U.S. until 2014, with the exception of menthols. Menthol cigarettes consumed in the U.S. are primarily U.S.-produced, and at the time, their sales were being cut into by Indonesian-produced flavored cigarettes. I’m not touting some overarching government and corporate conspiracy here — but the FDA has

demonstrated that it likes to pick and choose “safety” regulations that benefit American companies. In any case, there are more pressing issues requiring the FDA’s attention. It should investigate the chemicals proven to be carcinogens in our food and food packaging before addressing smoking products used by a small portion of the population. There are added chemicals, pesticides and hormones that turn regular foods into addictive, inimical styrofoam. I am not a vaper, I have never vaped and likely never will, but if I am allowed to ingest garbage leading me to an early death, I should be allowed to inhale it as well, in as many ways and flavors as I see fit. I don’t think this is an issue the government needs to involve itself with, if it is even an issue at all. Until the longterm effects of vaping are studied, it’s ridiculous to legislate its products and producers. “But what about the children?” I hear you. But if we’re talking about middle-schoolers and teens vaping, is that a problem for the government or their parents? The FDA hasn’t banned or restrict-

Kansan file photo Juuls are a popular device in lieu of smoking cigarettes or cigars. ed marketing, flavoring or bulk sales of alcohol even though their negative effects in adolescents are extremely well documented. But we like to use children as the foundation for our moral posturing, so I guess we’ll say goodbye to mango pods. We will likely see colorful e-cigarette packaging and flavors disappear

in the near future, leaving only tobacco and menthol flavoring left. This FDA crusade is the beginning of the end for Vape Nation.

Noah Birkel is a sophomore from Overland Park studying economics and journalism.

Stop dangerous algae from ruining lakes SCOTT JOHNSTON @scottawatomie

As of Sept. 20th, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment has placed about 15 lakes and ponds under a public health warning, and six under a public health watch due to several blue-green algae blooms affecting the area. While these blooms aren’t always harmful, certain species of algae can produce toxins that have negative effects on humans and wildlife around them. Luckily, there are steps we can take to both prevent these blooms from happening and minimize the chance of algae bloom-associated illnesses. Blue-green algae, a type of cyanobacteria, is a microorganism that is a natural part of many marine ecosystems. It converts sunlight into energy using photosynthesis, which produces oxygen. As long as it stays under control, it doesn’t typically pose a threat to humans or other animals. But if the natural balance is disrupted, blue-green algae can rapidly grow to high concentrations, which, if high enough, can be classified as a Harmful Algae Bloom. HABs produce toxins harmful to humans and other animals, and then

Elizabeth Will/KANSAN The Pat Dawson Billings Nature Area is a popular fishing spot in Lawrence. The absence of harmful algae makes it a place for marine life to thrive. later, when the algae die, their decomposition can create dead zones in the water where all of the oxygen is used up. This can cause further damage to fish and other marine life populations through suffocation. When humans come into contact with these algae blooms, there can be a wide range of symptoms depending on the type and length of exposure — anything from skin and eye irritation, all the way to extreme vomiting and diarrhea if the water is swallowed. This is why the KDHE places public health warnings when these blooms are report-

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ed. These warnings mean there must be no human contact with the water, and pets shouldn’t be allowed to drink from it. The disruptions in the ecosystem that cause these harmful algae blooms aren’t completely understood, but there are several specific triggers in the environment that are known to increase the likelihood of a dangerous bloom. The main trigger in the water is an increased amount of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorous, but it can also come about through warmer temperatures and stagnation. The algae survive best in these conditions, so when these

factors all align, a population explosion can occur. We can help prevent these breakouts by taking a few measures in our dayto-day lives. Most fertilizers contain nitrogen and phosphorous. When they are applied in excess, or in areas without a buffer around the lawn or field, these nutrients can be carried to lakes in the runoff during periods of rainfall. We can lessen the impact of these chemicals simply by fertilizing only when necessary, and maintaining a buffer zone of grass and trees to reduce the amount of fertilizer that makes its way to the lakes. Not everyone is respon-

Baylee Parsons Business Manager bparsons@kansan.com

sible for the maintenance of lawns or agricultural fields, of course. But there are some indirect ways to help prevent these dangerous breakouts: we can spread awareness of the dangers of algae blooms and teach people how to recognize them. The KDHE public health warnings rely on information reported to them by people across the state. Public lakes and ponds with water that is either scummy, red, peagreen, blue-green, or looks like paint has been spilled on it can be reported to the health department by filing a report at their website. Algae is a healthy feature of lakes and ponds. It is only the imbalance of natural factors — sometimes caused by humans — that makes it a public health concern. If we want to maintain our recreational lakes, as well as our sources of drinking water, we must take steps to prevent these harmful blooms from occurring. We can start by spreading awareness of the issue, so we can minimize the amount of people impacted by the dangerous toxins these blooms produce.

Scott Johnston is a senior from Berryton studying microbiology.

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Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Shaun Goodwin, Conner Mitchell, Rebekah Lodos and Baylee Parsons.

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ARTS & CULTURE

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OPINION

Thursday, September 27, 2018 Text your Free For All submissions to (785) 289-8351

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K A N S A N .C O M /O P I N I O N

in the near future, leaving only tobacco and menthol flavoring left. This FDA crusade is the beginning of the end for Vape Nation.

Noah Birkel is a sophomore from Overland Park studying economics and journalism.

Stop dangerous algae from ruining lakes SCOTT JOHNSTON @scottawatomie

how to submit a letter to the editor

LETTER GUIDELINES: Send letters to editor@kansan.com. Write LETTER TO THE EDITOR in the email subject line. Length: 300 words

The submission should include the author’s name, year, major and hometown. Find our full letter to the editor policy online at kansan.com/letters.

Baylee Parsons Business Manager bparsons@kansan.com

Scott Johnston is a senior from Berryton studying microbiology.

editorial board

Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Shaun Goodwin, Conner Mitchell, Rebekah Lodos and Baylee Parsons.

K ANSAN.COM

SPORTS

Tennis finishes strong in season opener The Jayhawk tennis team ended day three of the Big 5 Challenge on Saturday with a combined 8-1 record DIEGO COX @x0lotl

On day three of the Big 5 Challenge, Kansas tennis continued its excellent play from day two, going a combined 8-1 in singles and doubles play against Auburn. The day was highlighted by seniors Nina Khmelnitckaia and Janet Koch, who combined for a perfect 4-0 record for the second day in a row. The most notable performance of the latter half of the competition came from Koch, who capped it off with a comeback victory (46, 6-3, 6-1) over No. 39 Jaeda Daniel of Auburn. Khmelnitckaia also won her second consecutive singles match (6-2, 6-2) over Auburn's Taylor Russo. To round out singles play, freshman Malkia Ngounoue continued her spectacular play from day two by beating Madeline Meredith (6-0, 6-3), followed by junior Maria Toran Ribes defeating Caroline Turner (6-2, 6-4), and freshman Sonia Smagina winning over Annabella Bowen (6-0, 6-0). Julia Deming played hard but ultimately fell in three sets (7-6, 3-6, 106), being the only Kansas loss of day three. Kansas also won handily in doubles play with three wins against Auburn. Khmelnitckaia and Ngounoue defeated Daniel and Madeline Meredith in a long, hardfought set (7-5), followed by Koch and Toran Ribes defeating Russo and Turner (6-2). Finally the

Chance Parker/KANSAN Then-junior Nina Khmelnitckaia returns the ball against Oklahoma on Sunday, April 22. The Jayhawks defeated the Sooners 4-0.

freshmen duo of Deming and Smagina won over Bowen and Lindsay Song (6-4) completing the doubles sweep. While the 8-1 record is a sign of a solid day, coach Todd Chapman didn’t downplay the competition and gave high praise to his team’s performance. “We had a really solid day against quality competition," Chapman said in an Athletics press release. “We competed really well and set a really good tone as a team. We look forward to the opportunity to finish the

tournament off in strong fashion Sunday.” Looking to continue their positive play from day three, the Jayhawks had high hopes entering the final day of competition. Khmelnitckaia, who went 3-0 in singles play, was crowned singles champion along with six other players from different schools. Khmelnitckaia defeated Camila Westbrook of Arizona (62, 6-4) in the first round, Taylor Russo of Auburn in the second round (62, 6-2) and capped off

her run in singles with a victory over Georgia’s Lourdes Carle (6-4, 7-5) en route to her

"We are leaving the tournament in a better place than where we started" Todd Chapman Head coach

championship. Two other Jayhawks, Koch and Ngounoue, competed in

championship singles matches, but both were defeated, each finishing the weekend with a 2-1 record for singles play. Notably, Toran Ribes compiled a 3-0 record over the weekend in singles play, while Smagina went 2-1 in her first competition as a Jayhawk. Chapman was satisfied with the play from both his newcomers and experienced seniors over the weekend. “We had a great weekend of competition,” Chapman said in the release. “We are leaving

the tournament in a better place than where we started, and we learned a lot about our team. We will now take that information and work hard to be prepared for our next event.” Khmelnitckaia and Koch will look to begin the pre-qualifying stage at the ITA All-American Championships, which will begin play on Thursday, Sept. 27 at the Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades, California.

slow progression of his offense and a lack of carries for many of his running backs. So far this season, freshman running back Pooka Williams Jr. has taken on the majority of the running back workload with 47 carries in three games. Sophomore running back Dom Williams is second with 27 carries and junior running back Khalil Herbert is third with 25, despite both players playing in one more full game than Williams. "Being able to get them all the ball distributed correctly, all the playmakers we have, we’ve got to get more plays; we just didn’t have enough plays the other day, and we paid the price," Beaty said. "I mean, defensively we played 68 plays. That would have been close to our lowest output last year." At this point in the season, Pooka Williams seems to be the leader in the rushing attack for Kansas, however that does not mean the other two backs have been forgotten. Beaty wants to get more touches to his other backs, but stresses that it isn’t as easy as it sounds.

“We have got to string first downs together if we want to be able to get people touches," Beaty said. "It’s not as easy as just saying we should have gave it to Khalil three times in this series…you gotta string plays together to be able to get more touches for everybody.”

Beaty emphasizes first down efficiency on offense

Chance Parker/KANSAN Sophomore running back Dom Williams runs the ball through defenders in the game against Rutgers. The Jayhawks defeated the Scarlet Knights 55-14 on Saturday, Sept. 15.

FULTON CASTER @Fcaster04 Kansas football coach David Beaty emphasized the stagnation of his offense and wanting his running backs to be more involved at his weekly

media availability on Tuesday. “I’d like to see all of them get more carries. The problem is when you don’t put a lot of first downs together, you don’t get as many plays," Beaty said. "We ran 55 plays on

offense, which is by far the lowest output…It is a lack of getting first downs.” Beaty is not wrong in sensing frustration in his offense’s inability to move the chains. Through four games this season, the Kansas offense has only

gained 70 first downs, which is tied for 99th in the country. In comparison, Big 12 foe Texas Tech leads the nation in first downs gained with 134. Beaty believes this singular fact is one of the main reasons for both a

"The problem is when you don’t put a lot of first downs together, you don’t get as many plays" David Beaty Head coach

Time will tell if this approach that Beaty wishes to take will come to fruition. To Beaty, however, the plan for revitalizing his threeheaded ground attack appears simple: become more efficient on offense and move the chains, and everyone else will be able to get more touches and be more involved. Kansas will take on Oklahoma State on Saturday for its homecoming game. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m.

sports

SPORTS

Thursday, September 27, 2018

K ANSAN .COM

K A N S A N .C O M /S P O R T S

Football Gameday Kansas vs. Oklahoma State, Saturday, Sept. 29, 11 a.m.

Chance Parker/KANSAN Freshman running back Pooka Williams Jr. holds up his shoe in the game against Rutgers. The Jayhawks defeated the Scarlet Knights 55-14 on Saturday, Sept. 15. JACK JOHNSON AND MADDY TANNAHILL @KansanSports

Beat Writer Predictions:

KANSAS (2-2, 0-1 BIG 12)

Jack Johnson: OSU 38 Kansas 20 | Maddy Tannahill: OSU 42 Kansas 17

OKLAHOMA STATE (3-1, 0-1 BIG 12)

Stephon Robinson Jr.

Justice Hill

sophomore wide receiver

junior running back

Corralling three receptions for a total of 39 yards last week against Baylor, sophomore wide receiver Stephon Robinson Jr. has steadily increased his production for the Jayhawks over the last three games. After a 43-yard performance in Kansas’ home opener against Rutgers, the sophomore quieted down for the next two weeks, collecting only 16 yards against Central Michigan and Rutgers combined.

Coming in with a multitude of awards in 2017, highlighted by finishing in the top 10 for the Doak Walker award – presented to the best running back in the nation – Hill hasn’t faltered much in establishing himself as one of the top backs in the country in 2018, averaging 8.4 yards per carry so far this season. Leading his team with five rushing touchdowns and the capability of posing as a threat in the passing game.

Daniel Wise

Taylor Cornelius

★★★

★★★★

senior defensive tackle

redshirt senior quarterback

★★★

Recently named a permanent team captain for the second consecutive season, senior defensive tackle Daniel Wise currently ranks seventh in program history in tacklesfor-loss with 34.5. Even though he had a rather quiet game for the senior against Baylor with only three solo tackles, Wise recorded his second sack of the season as he dropped quarterback Charlie Brewer for eight yards.

Following Mason Rudolph's departure at the end of last season, Cornelius was in line to take over the starting role in his fifth year at the college level. With his large frame at 6-foot-6, 232 pounds, Cornelius will mark the third quarterback above 6-foot-4 that Kansas has faced this season. Despite his size, he has been able to make an impact running the football and in scoring two touchdowns on the ground vs. Boise State two weeks ago.

Khalil Herbert

Tylan Wallace

junior running back

sophomore wide reciever

Having started at running back against Nicholls State, junior Khalil Herbert rushed for only 61 yards on 12 attempts, and since has lost his starting position to freshman standout Pooka Williams Jr. Though Hebert has totaled a minimal 160 yards so far this season, only six of which came in the Jayhawks’ most recent contest against Baylor.

With three straight games of over 100 yards receiving, 6-foot, 185 pound, Tylan Wallace has emerged as the top target in the passing game for Oklahoma State. Wallace has taken the conference by surprise with his 26 catches and 442 yards in just four games into the season. On a team that had no shortage of weapons to begin 2018, the Cowboys now have to look to Wallace as their main target.

★★

quick hits

★★

MEN'S BASKE TBALL

FOOTBALL

Day until the 34th annual Late Night in the Phog

Current losing streak against Oklahoma St

Birdies shot in a fifthplace effort at the Lady Paladin Invitational

Number of career top-five finishes for coach Jamie Bermel

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HOMECOMING

KU puts on jam-packed week of events SOPHIA BELSHE @Sophia_654_

Whether it’s newly nitiated freshman or ong graduated alumni, ayhawks have flown ome to the hill for long tanding traditions and ew homecoming events. The week long elebration began Sept. 2 with a kickoff at the Adams Alumni Center. his event was new to the omecoming festivities, nd included free food from ocal restaurants, such as efferson’s and the Salty guana, a performance by he KU marching band and chance for students to get free homecoming t-shirt. he kickoff was added this ear to increase student wareness for the entire week of events, according o Ally Stanton, director f student programs at the Alumni Association. “It was [previously] ind of a slow burn into omecoming,” Stanton aid. The association has not lways been involved with omecoming planning, but his year, Stanton and Keon towers, assistant director f student programs, were advisors to the teering committee and elped with sponsorships, dvertisements and ncorporating alumni into omecoming. The association is also sing homecoming week o launch KU Alumni Mentoring, a new online rogram designed to rofessionally connect tudents and alumni from cross the world. “It’s going to be a game hanger for all Jayhawks to

Sarah Wright/KANSAN Near the end of the homecoming parade in October 2017, the Alumni Band returns for a performance. be able to connect with one another, and because the essence of homecoming is connecting back to the university that you love,” Stanton said. “Hopefully this is going to be a really big initiative that fits really nicely with homecoming this year.” . The Home on the Hill theme for this year’s homecoming is meant to emphasize bringing people together in celebration of the Unviersity. “We’re really trying to encourage people to really think about where they feel at home at KU and why

they do feel at home,” said Logan Hotz, homecoming outreach chair. “That’s what we’re really trying to foster and encourage.” This theme will be incorporated into the parade, which will include floats from campus and local organizations, and give the Lawrence community a chance to come together, parade cochair Allyson Bellner said. “A lot of students see homecoming throughout the week, but the parade is really the only thing the entire community gets to see,” Bellner said.

“We’re really trying to encourage people to really think about where.” Logan Hotz Outreach chair

The parade is usually held on the Friday of homecoming week, but will be held on Thursday, Sept. 27 this year to accommodate Late Night in the Phog which is on Friday Sept. 28.

The traditional song and skit competition Jayhawk Jingles, took place on Sept. 26. Another homecoming tradition, Chalk & Rock, which allows student organizations to decorate squares on Wescoe Beach, was on Sept. 25. “We cover all of Wescoe Beach, and we want to extend it beyond that onto Jayhawk Boulevard to where all student organizations can come and hold down a square and just chalk it up,” Stanton said. “It almost becomes a rainbow road on the sidewalk.”

The homecoming planning committees, which began meeting in February, hope the Home on the Hill theme brings Jayhawks together. “It’s just kind of storytelling of why KU is your home for the community of students and alumni,” Bellner said. “It’s supposed to be a very organic and heartfelt kind of theme that gives people the freedom to do whatever they want, whether [KU is] their physical home or their mental home.”

What it takes to build a homecoming parade float HAILEY DIXON @_hailey_dixon In celebration of “Home on the Hill,” several University organizations, sororities and fraternities have been working tirelessly all week to showcase their Jayhawk pride. “It’s going to be really awesome — all the hard work finally out in public,” said Hallie Wilhelm, a sophomore from Scottsdale, Arizona, who is also a member of Chi Omega. The parade, which begins at 6 p.m. Thursday night with a route down Massachusetts Street, will feature floats from groups on campus, as well as alumni and Ex.C.E.L. finalists, according to the parade Facebook event page. Using the Campanile and Baby Jay as elements within the float, Wilhelm said her sorority along with Alpha Delta Phi, Alpha Tau Omega and Beta Sigma Psi have been hard at work getting ready for the parade. “Homecoming is a great way to get the school back into spirit, and why we come back every year, and why we love our ‘Home on the Hill,’” Wilhelm said. She said she has enjoyed meeting individuals across the Greek life community while preparing for the

Kansan file photo The University Engineering Student Council presented a float featuring a Jayhawk visiting space for NASA at last year’s homecoming parade. parade and celebrating homecoming week. “It’s really cool to meet people in other sororities and fraternities that I wouldn’t meet,” she said. In addition, Brianna Gabriel, a junior from Westlake Village, California, and her sorority Kappa Delta are

constructing a float in collaboration with Sigma Kappa, Theta Chi and Delta Tau Delta. “I just am really excited. I think it’s just a great way to get everyone involved on campus,” Gabriel said. She said the theme for their specific float

is centered around an “old-time, prairie-esque wagon,” with a Jayhawk in the front and a cowboy hat in the back. “There was a bit of brainstorming because it’s such a broad topic,” she said. “That was kind of our initial sketch.” In addition, Gabriel

said they wanted to capture Kansas’ state song, “Home on the Range,” within their float. Gabriel said fraternity men are constructing the actual float, and she is specifically assisting with getting paper ready to furnish on the float. She said about

80 people, 10 to 15 individuals from each house, have assisted with the float this week. “We are just really excited and looking forward to the parade and seeing what this week has to come,” Gabriel said.

HOMECOMING

K ANSAN.COM

Q&A with homecoming parade organizers JULIANA GARCIA @slim_ jim09

In 1921, the University saw its first ever homecoming parade. Ninety-seven years later, the parade remains a tradition, equipped with floats, the band, Corvettes and more. The parade will take place Thursday. The Kansan spoke to parade chairs Allyson Bellner, a junior from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Ashley Dunn, a senior from Lawrence, on what it’s like to plan a largescale, community-wide event. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. KANSAN: How did you each get involved with the Homecoming Steering Committee? Dunn: We knew it was a thing. We sought out the application; they do those like early spring because we’ll start working in the spring. Bellner: I think we applied around January or February and then got started almost immediately. My freshman year, I was just trying to get really involved, so I did it last year. KANSAN: Walk me through the process of planning such a largescale event. Where did you begin? Dunn: I think the big pieces that have to be done early on are like, City of Lawrence things. It’s really great to work

with alumni because it’s like, they do it every year, so they’re expecting us. They just don’t necessarily know the date. Just getting that reserved, getting the police escort. The city managers usually change, so there’s been a couple different changes on that end that we had to tackle early on, but those are the big things we have to do in the spring. Bellner: Mainly getting a permit from the city and just getting approval picking a date. Really, the main part of the parade is people being in it, and that kind of has to wait until fall to get people involved. Applications were due Sept. 14, so now we’re starting to make the line-up and the script to strategically order the parade. Really the big thing is that day.

“It’s just a week to celebrate campus and to get everyone involved behind the same cause.” Ashley Dunn parade chair

KANSAN: You are both parade chairs, and it seems that the title is pretty self explanatory. But what are some tasks you are in charge of that you weren’t expecting? Dunn: As parade chairs, we also take care of everything that’s hap-

Hannah Edelman/KANSAN Senior Ashley Dunn is one of this year’s parade chairs on the homecoming steering committee. pening after the parade. That includes the banquet for us, helping recognize finalists, ordering their awards is something we’re in charge of. Bellner: There’s a lot of things with the city that you might not think of, like we have to block off the street and try to block off downtown on a Friday. Well, Thursday this year. KANSAN: What has been the most challenging part of planning the parade? Bellner: I don’t know if it’s necessarily planning for it that’s really challenging — it’s during the parade. Making sure that everyone goes in the right order and just orga-

nizing hundreds of people to go in a timely fashion I think is the hardest. It’s stressful. There’s a lot of things you can’t really prepare for until that day. You just have to hope it goes well. It’s really planning for the best and making sure we have absolutely everything we can think of. Dunn: I think with so many volunteers and so many helpers during the parade that Allyson and I and our advisor are the only ones that know every little tiny detail — something can go wrong not because we didn’t know what to do, but because that volunteer was just left out of the loop,

and that can be really challenging. KANSAN: What’s been the most impactful part of your experience as a parade chair? Bellner: I love getting to meet all the people in [the] Alumni [Association] and just being involved in a different sense. I’m pre-med, so a lot of things I have to do are medically related. Alumni is just something totally fun, and homecoming is something everyone on campus is involved in, so it’s fun for me to meet those people. Dunn: Getting to work from a different angle on campus — whether you get to always work from the Chi Omega standpoint

or the Student Union Activities standpoint — just getting to work with the alumni standpoint. They have a lot of really awesome connections. KANSAN: To you, what is the importance of homecoming week? Dunn: It’s just a week to celebrate campus and to get everyone involved behind the same cause. It gets you outside of your classroom and your normal setting to work across campus. Bellner: I think it’s fun too because you’ll get current students, alumni, the community and future Jayhawks involved. It’s the one time of the year we can do that.

K ANSAN.COM

HOMECOMING

Class of ‘57 couple celebrates 60th homecoming

Rich and Judy Billings married after both graduating from the University in 1957. Every year the couple returns to Lawrence to pay heed to the place they first fell in love. This time the two will serve as grand marshals in the parade

Contributed photo Rich and Judy Billings ride in the 2007 KU Homecoming Parade. The two served as grand marshals. This Friday they will reprise their roles as grand marshals once again to celebrate their 60th homecoming.

RACHEL GAYLOR @raegay218 Lawrence and Lakewood, Colorado are separated by 574 miles — but that distance hasn’t stopped Rich and Judy Billings from making the trek to Lawrence every year since 1957 to celebrate homecoming weekend at the University of Kansas. Rich and Judy, both 1957 graduates, met in an ethics class and became closer after getting involved in school politics. He was running for class president and she was running for class secretary. They both ended up being elected to their respective positions. “I guess you would say politics brought us

together,” Judy said. They began dating their senior year of college and were married shortly after on June 8, 1957. They attended their first homecoming that fall while living in Lawrence before moving to Colorado in 1958.

“They really embody what homecoming is.” Heath Peterman Alumni Association President

In the 61 years since graduation, the only year Rich and Judy missed was in 2014, after Judy had back surgery. The couple was

honored in 2007 — their 50th homecoming — with the first Rich and Judy Billings Spirit of 1912 Award given annually to individuals, couples or groups who exemplify the spirit, pride and tradition of being a Jayhawk. Alumni Association President Heath Peterson has known the Billings for over a decade and has admired their dedication over the years. “They represent, I think, one of the very great traditions we have here at the University,” Peterson said. “For them to take time out of their busy schedules to return to Lawrence at least once a year to celebrate the University — that says a lot about them as Jayhawks and really a lot about why the University

“It was a very special time — We thoroughly enjoyed every minute. We love KU and we’re so proud of the University.” Judy Billings University alumna

of Kansas is a special place.” Judy said she has many fond memories of homecoming from when she was a student — blasting music from her record player in her room at the Pi Beta Phi house is one that stuck out for her. Her favorite memory, though, came years later during the 2007 parade. She and Rich served as the grand marshals to celebrate their 50thstraight homecoming attended. “It was a very special

time — We thoroughly enjoyed every minute,” Judy said. “We love KU and we’re so proud of the University.” Rich and Judy’s legacy extends beyond the homecoming parade. They are benefactors for scholarships for four students each year who hail from Salina or Russell — the couples’ hometowns. The couple receives videos and thank-you notes from the recipients each year. “They share this passion for KU,” Peterson

said. “They value the traditions at Kansas and they find meaningful ways to give back to the University both with their time, their volunteer support and obviously through philanthropy.” Rich and Judy will once again be the grand marshals of the parade this Friday. Peterson said that it is remarkable that they have missed just one homecoming in the last 61 years. “They really embody what homecoming is,” Peterson said. “It’s a pretty special occasion for them and again, I think it showcases one of the many things that is special about KU.”

K ANSAN.COM

HOMECOMING

COLUMN

Students organize black-inclusive events DEASIA PAIGE @DEASIA_PAIGE

Black Greek organizations strolling on the yard and the epic battle of the bands during homecoming games, which took center stage during Beyonce’s “Beychella” performance, are just some of the sights that junior Jordan Young is used to seeing during homecoming week. Young previously attended Prairie View A&M University, a HBCU (historically black colleges and universities) in Texas. “When I think of homecoming, I think of a lot of alumni coming from everywhere,” he said. “It’s one of the biggest times during the school year. They bring artists to perform. It’s lit.” But Young’s expectations for homecoming aren’t the same now, considering that this will be his first homecoming experience at a predominantly white institution (PWI). He transferred to the University of Kansas last semester. Since then, Young, a communications major, has made it his mission to slightly recreate some of those HBCU experiences on the University’s campus. He founded student organizations B.L.A.C.K., G.E.M.S and The Connect while working in the Student Affairs office where he creates initiatives to improve the black student experience on campus. And homecoming is no different.

Samantha Hsu/KANSAN Twelve students participate as contestants in BSU’s annual homecoming pageant. This year’s “Save the Last Dance” ties into the University’s homecoming theme of “Back to the 90s.” during homecoming week. These events are the first of their kind at the University, according to Young. The events are named after popular black films in the 1990s, which is the theme for homecoming week. A 3-on-3 basketball tournament for charity, a step show and a poetry night are among the events included. But BSU’s homecoming pageant, appropriately titled Save the Last Dance in honor of the classic

Samantha Hsu/KANSAN Freshman Freddy Mwangi from Kenya is crowned homecoming king at BSU’s homecoming pageant, “Save the Last Dance.” “A lot of stuff that’s done on this campus is for the majority, even though they don’t say it, and they aren’t specifically targeted toward us,” Young said. “A lot of the events I’ve heard that happens during homecoming week, besides Late Night [in the Phog], aren’t things that our population tends to go to.” That’s why Young, with the organizations he’s created and other black student organizations on campus, like the Black Student Union and the National Pan-Hellenic Council, took it upon themselves to plan various events for black students

film, on Sunday night set the tone for the ways in which black students seek to be included on campus. “The pageant’s purpose is to mainly showcase different students on campus — their talents and who they are,” said Kavin Davis, president of BSU. “It just gives them a chance to present themselves.”

Featuring 12 contestants competing to take this year’s homecoming king and queen crown, the night was a balance of black culture and excellence that doesn’t always gets a chance to shine on campus. There was a soul train line. There were Whitney Houston renditions. There was a “Swag Surfin” dance among the audience. More importantly, there was a space created in which black students could unapologetically be themselves without the pressures that typically come from being at a PWI. The night ended with Freddy Mwangi, a freshman studying marketing, and Marion Dupre, a junior studying business, announced as king and queen. However, Davis said it’s unfortunate that events like BSU’s pageant is one of the only places in which black students can feel included in the homecoming experience. “It’s not just black organizations; there are many multicultural organizations that have a lot to offer, and I feel like if they were given the opportunity, they would be able to showcase that,” Davis said. Young said he feels that it should be up to the University, not multicultural organizations, to provide homecoming events for minorities on campus. “I think the school could do a better job of making it easier for these organizations to put on these events and actually backing behind the idea of having a more diverse homecoming and putting more effort into making it an all-inclusive homecoming, in general to where we don’t even have to have a black homecoming schedule,” Young said. All the events were approved by the University, but they’re not on the

main homecoming schedule. Ally Stanton, director of student programs for the University’s Alumni Association, said this is her first year advising homecoming. Although

ally planned, and we were excited to learn more and support it,” she said. Stanton said the Alumni Association’s partnership with The Connect and NPHC’s step show were a result of those con-

just to support but show up and figure out how we can change some of the things that we’re doing to open the door for more students.” Young said he hopes the black homecoming

DeAsia Paige/KANSAN Since transferring to the University last semester, junior Jordan Young wants to ensure that black students feel included and build connections on campus. much of the homecoming planning had already been in place during the time Stanton was meeting with various organizations on campus, Stanton said that she was willing to listen to any input from black organizations. “We learned that there was really a robust culture happening that was outside of what the alumni association had tradition-

versations. She said the partnerships are building blocks for making homecoming week more inclusive in the future. “I think that the students in the black community on campus do a lot of work,” Stanton said. “They work really hard to build robust resources on campus, and we certainly admire that. I think we ought to continue to not

week opens the door for those same students to feel more included on campus. “I just want them to feel that they have a place on the campus,” Young said. “With all these different events from all these different organizations, it’s giving them a chance to see other people who look like them and to be active in common spaces.”

HOMECOMING

KANSAN.COM

Top 5 historic KU homecoming traditions

Contributed Photo Hobo Day was a University Homecoming tradition from 1923 to 1939.

Sonny and Cher perform at homecoming in 1973. COURTNEY BIERMAN @courbierman One hundred and six years have given the University of Kansas homecoming celebration a history as varied as the school itself. From insensitive traditions to star-studded

performances, here are four homecoming fun facts. NIGHTSHIRT PARADE In 1957, the same year the Little Rock Nine integrated a high school in Arkansas, a beloved football tradition was in its

Contributed Photo final throes. Hundreds of students in their pajamas would take to the streets of campus and downtown Lawrence to celebrate football victories. Support for the parade dwindled, however, and it was effectively replaced with Traditions Night the following year.

HOBO DAY

SONNY AND CHER

From 1923 to 1939, homecoming week included a day in which students dressed in rags and caused mischief. Afternoon classes were even canceled in support of the tradition. Bonfires, pep rallies, dances, and “the occasional illegal activity” were all involved in the 17-year custom. In 1926 it was even reported that a “hobo” and professor were involved in a physical altercation after a group of partying students raided grocery delivery trucks.

The iconic musical duo performed at Allen Fieldhouse in 1973 for the homecoming concert. The singers were reportedly paid $45,300 for the gig. Other highprofile homecoming performers include Louis Armstrong in 1967 and Bill Cosby in 2004. LORENE BROWN The Black Student Union crowned thenfreshman Lorene Brown homecoming queen, the University’s first black member of homecoming

court, in 1969. The following year, the University-wide homecoming court was ended altogether. The BSU continues to crown homecoming royalty every year. PARADE FLOATS

The homecoming parade has been a tradition since 1921, but it hasn’t always included floats. Moving floats were first incorporated in 1979, taking the place of house decorations and stationary floats.

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HOMECOMING

Top 5 moments in homecoming history MADDY TANNAHILL AND JACK JOHNSON @KANSANSPORTS

Come Saturday, Kansas football will take on Oklahoma State at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in its annual homecoming game. Though the Jayhawks have been unable to come away with a homecoming victory since 2009, the event still sparks a remembrance of tradition, career-high performances and major upsets. From the birth of Baby Jay to a New York Times-worthy victory, Jayhawk homecoming games have produced an abundance of significant moments in Kansas history. Here are the Kansan’s top five: NOV. 23, 1912: FIRST KANSAS HOMECOMING GAME On Nov. 23, 1912, firstyear head coach Arthur Mosse and the Kansas football team took to the gridiron at their original stadium, McCook Field, to host long-time rival Missouri in the program’s first-ever homecoming football game. Having tied the Tigers 3-3 in Columbia, Missouri, the year prior in what is largely recognized as the first homecoming game in history, the Jayhawks entered the game in search of their first victory over their Border War rival since 1908. In front of a crowd of 9,000 fans, rowdy from burning a wooden tiger in a bonfire the night before, Kansas claimed a 12-3 victory over Missouri to bust the four-year win-drought and begin its homecoming record 1-0. This inaugural game set the standard for many seasons to come as Missouri would remain Kansas’ homecoming foe every other season for 31 years to follow. However, the Jayhawks winning record would not last long as Kansas would go on to lose the next six consecutive homecoming match-ups, all culminating to today’s losing record of 43-57-5 in homecoming contests. OCT. 9, 1971: BABY JAY IS HATCHED Led by quarterback Dan Heck and first-year head coach Don Fambrough, the Jayhawks returned to

Memorial Stadium on Oct. 9, 1971, following a twogame road losing streak to take on in-state rival Kansas State in a homecoming matchup. Able to overcome the lull of a two-game dry spell, Kansas made easy work of Kansas State, handing the Wildcats a 39-13 loss in front of a record-breaking crowd of 51,151 people. While that victory lives on only as another mark in the win column, what happened at halftime on that Saturday afternoon remains monumental to this day, as Baby Jay made her official debut as a second mascot for the University. According to the University, Kansas student Amy Sue Hurst pitched the idea of a secondary mascot to accompany Big Jay. Even though the Kansas Alumni Association approved the idea, they lacked the funding to produce it. So, Hurst designed and constructed the costume herself — giving it to the University. To make her debut, Baby Jay hatched out of an egg at the 50-yard line to the sound of the fight song at the 1971 homecoming contest. Since that moment, Baby Jay can be found roaming the stands at all major Kansas Athletics events. OCT. 27, 1984: THE GAME THAT MADE THE NEW YORK TIMES Over the course of the program's history, Kansas football hasn't fared well against the Oklahoma Sooners. However, on Oct. 27, 1984, Kansas not only beat Oklahoma, but won handily by a score of 28-11. As much of the excitement was buzzing around the University, the shocking upset earned national attention with an article in The New York Times, as the undefeated Sooners fell to the Jayhawks. The article opens explaining how Kansas kicker Dodge Schwartzburg nailed four field goals and wide receiver Wayne Ziegler reeled in a 63-yard touchdown catch to give the Jayhawks their first victory over the Sooners since 1975, as well as the first in Lawrence since 1964. Kansas would go on to finish the season with

Courtesy of Kansas Athletics Brandon McAnderson receives a handoff from Todd Reesing. McAnderson played for Kansas in 2007.

Baby Jay stand among the crowd at the 1992 homecoming parade. a record of 5-6 (4-3 in the Big 8) in coach Mike Gottfried’s second season, but the win over No. 2 Oklahoma on homecoming is still one of the best victories, and upsets, in program history. OCT. 9, 2004: THE PITCH Coming into the 2004 edition of the annual Sunflower Showdown game, Kansas had lost to Kansas State 11 consecutive times, dating back to 1993. But this time, under second year coach Mark Mangino, the Jayhawks looked to snap the dreaded streak in front of a raucous crowd of 50,152 at Memorial Stadium. Through the majority of the first half, the teams traded some early field goals to make it a 10-6 game with just under 10 minutes to go before halftime. Then, with fans on the edge of their seats, Mangino drew up a play that would soon send them into a frenzy. From the Wildcat 30yard line, sophomore quarterback Adam Barmann threw a quick strike to senior wide receiver Brandon Rideau at the 24-yard line. Just as soon as the Kansas State defenders were ready to tackle Rideau, he pitched the ball to sophomore running back John Randle, who was curling around him and headed

toward the sideline. He scampered down the sideline and dove for the corner of the end zone to successfully put Kansas in front 17-6. The Jayhawks went on to eventually snap the streak with a 31-28 victory, followed by the goalpost being ripped from the turf and tossed into Potter Lake behind the stadium. NOV. 3, 2007: B-MAC’S CAREER DAY Looking back on the 2007 Kansas football roster, it can be easy to forget that senior running back Brandon McAnderson was

Courtesy of Spencer Research Library

one of the cornerstone pieces in the team's success that led to an Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech. On this day however, the local kid from Lawrence High School would be the star of the show, scoring four rushing touchdowns en route to a 76-39 dismantling of Nebraska. With sophomore Jake Sharp receiving most of the national attention as the Jayhawks' starting running back, McAnderson’s production was often overlooked, as he

was mainly seen involved in the blocking game or brought into the game in short-yardage situations. Coming in with his career high in rushing touchdowns in a season being five, McAnderson showed up in a big way, racking up 119 yards on 25 carries and four touchdowns. He may have been overshadowed by quarterback Todd Reesing, wide receivers Dezmon Briscoe, Kerry Meier and Marcus Henry throughout the 2007 season, but for this game, he was undoubtedly the top player on the field.

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Kansas anticipates high stakes homecoming

With both teams coming off tough losses, coach David Beaty expects Oklahoma State will be an exciting match on Saturday MADDY TANNAHILL @maddytannahill Coming off a m o m e n t u m - b re a k i n g 26-7 loss to Baylor last week, Kansas football returns to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on Saturday to host Oklahoma State in the University’s 106th homecoming game. Though Kansas has not come away with a homecoming victory since 2009, coach David Beaty said there is excitement in anticipation of homecoming weekend. “[The Kansas football team is] excited about homecoming and being able to put on for their fans, and a lot of the former players are going to be here,” Beaty said at a media availability on Tuesday. “We get to see some of our former guys come back with their families, and that’s really cool to be able to see the little ones, and seeing them as fathers.” Though the team has yet another early 11 a.m. kickoff, Beaty said he hopes that the combination of good weather and homecoming festivities will draw a large crowd, creating a home field advantage for Kansas. “It should be a good atmosphere Saturday, and I think the weather is going to hold off for us,” Beaty said. “Hopefully we can pack that place and make that a huge advantage for us.” Since the first Kansas Homecoming in 1912, the Jayhawks have competed with Oklahoma State for

Courtesy of Kansas Athletics Senior quarterback Peyton Bender passes the ball on Saturday, Sept. 22 game against Baylor. The Jayhawks fell to the Bears 26-7. the event only five times. The Cowboys have won all but one of those matchups, meaning Kansas enters Saturday in search of its first homecoming victory over Oklahoma State since 1994. Though Oklahoma State enters Lawrence on the heels of a massive 4117 loss to Texas Tech last week, Beaty explained that its defense will present a major challenge

for Kansas, zoning in specifically on linebacker Calvin Bundage. “Big, fast, but strong, athletic, a very signature Mike Gundy team,” Beaty said. “Their defensive line is a really good-looking bunch — very active. The Bundage kid is as goodlooking a kid as I’ve seen playing that safety there. He looks like an NFL guy to me.” On the other side

of the ball, Beaty cites the experience of quarterback Taylor Cornelius as a key factor in the Oklahoma States’ efficiency, as the team averages 43.5 points per game and 539.3 total yards of offense. “Cornelius I think does a terrific job of basically running the offense,” Beaty said. “He looks just like the guys before him. I’m not saying that he is

a speedster, but the guy knows how to move. He can create a little bit on his own when he needs to. He certainly knows where to go with the ball, which limits the amount of time they’ve got to protect for him.” With both teams coming off disappointing losses, Beaty said he believes stakes will be high heading into this weekend’s homecoming

match-up, firing up the players, coaches and staff. “I know they’re going to be coming in here angry, but we’re angry, too,” Beaty said. “We both have something to atone for, and we’re going to see who can get their team ready the best, and that challenge is on me and on our staff.”

COLUMN

Kansas has bounce back opportunity at homecoming JAKOB KATZENBERG @KatazInHatz10 For many Kansas fans, the hopes of having a competitive football team now seem distant. Last Saturday, the Jayhawks lost to the Baylor Bears 26-7 — a team that many people believe represented Kansas’ best chance at a conference win. From watching last week’s game, we learned a lot about this year’s Kansas team. For starters, Kansas’ offense stalls when its rushing attack is shut down. Baylor was able to force Kansas out of its comfort zone by loading the box to stop electrifying freshman running back Pooka Williams Jr., causing a complete disruption of offensive coordinator Doug Meacham’s game plan. If you take away the one carry where Williams was able to break loose for a 72-yard gain, Kansas averaged a horrendous 1.8 yards per carry on the day. Also, when Kansas isn’t able to establish a ground game it makes it hard for the offense to extend drives, as they are forced into more third

Chance Parker/KANSAN Senior tight end Mavin Saunders celebrates with his teammate after scoring a touchdown against Nicholls State on Saturday Sept. 1. Kansas fell to Nicholls State 26-23. and long situations. That means Kansas is either forced to rely on a shakyat-best passing attack or on Williams to get a minimal gain before an inevitable punt. This is an area that has been a huge concern thus far for Kansas, who currently ranks second to last in the conference in third down efficiency.

Because of the ineffectiveness on the ground, Kansas turned to the arm of senior quarterback Peyton Bender to get them back in the game. Kansas’ passing game was again abysmal, as Bender finished the day with only 105 yards through the air and a passer rating of only 28.6.

Even with his numbers less than stellar, Bender isn’t the only Jayhawk to blame for the passing struggles. Outside of a couple plays, the receivers weren’t able to create much separation from Baylor’s defensive backs. To go with that, it’s tough to throw the ball when a quarterback is

under duress. Kansas’ offensive line gave up four sacks to a Baylor team that recorded only four sacks in its first three games combined. All things considered, Kansas now has an opportunity to rekindle the fire and restore the hope of its fans. Next Saturday, Sept. 29, Kansas returns to David Booth

Kansas Memorial Stadium to play in its homecoming game against Oklahoma State, a team coming off a 41-17 loss to Texas Tech. Every team responds differently following a tough loss. After getting upset by Nicholls State, Kansas came out hot and blew the doors off Central Michigan in a 31-7 win. It would be ridiculous to expect Kansas to win against a team like Oklahoma State, but it can do a lot for the program by showing the resilience to hang with a conference foe on homecoming. This game is absolutely pivotal. In years past, when hope seemed lost, Kansas would resort to a broken system and come up short on both sides of the ball. This is a chance for coach David Beaty and his team to make a statement. Kansas is a program that was just beginning to have faith restored in it, following much maligned years of futility. Even though Oklahoma State will limp into Lawrence on Saturday, homecoming serves as a chance for Kansas to gain some momentum and much needed respect.

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Basketball Gameday Thursday, September 27, 2018

K A N S A N .C O M /S P O R T S

Kansas men’s basketball 2018

Kansan File Photo Then-sophomore forward Mitch Lightfoot dunks the ball in the second half against Seton Hall on March 17. The Jayhawks defeated the Pirates 83-79.

STARTER PREDICTIONS

BRADEN SHAW AND MADDY TANNAHILL @KansanSports

Dedric Lawson

Lagerald Vick

★★★★★

★★★★

redshirt junior forward

senior guard

After transferring from Memphis, and subsequently sitting out the entirety of the 2017-18 season, Lawson looks to be one of the offensive leaders for the Jayhawks this season. In his sophomore season at Memphis, Lawson averaged 19.2 points per game (second in the American Athletic Conference) and 9.9 rebounds per game (first in the AAC, 19th nationally). He will also be a presence defensively, leading the Tigers in blocked shots (68) and corralling 10 or more rebounds in 20 games his sophomore year at Memphis. With coach Bill Self known for developing and utilizing big men, look for Lawson to make an immediate impact for the Jayhawks, with double-doubles becoming a regular occurrence.

After originally declaring for the 2018 NBA Draft, Vick changed his mind, returning to Kansas for his senior season. Vick was one of the offensive leaders for the Jayhawks last season, averaging over 17 points per game in non-conference play, scoring over 20 points six times throughout the season and averaging 12.1 PPG at the end of 2017-18. The Memphis native also has shot 37.8 percent from three-point range during his career at Kansas. With the loss of three-point specialists Svi Mykhailiuk (44.4 percent), Devonte’ Graham (40.6 percent) and Malik Newman (41.5 percent), Vick will look to be one of the few outside shooters that the Jayhawks will be able to rely on to begin the 2018-19 season.

Udoka Azubuike

Marcus Garrett

★★★★

★★★

junior forward

sophomore guard

Azubuike also tested the waters of the 2018 NBA Draft, but chose to return to Lawrence for his junior season. Last season, Azubuike made his presence in the paint wellknown, leading the country in field goal percentage (77 percent), which is second-best in NCAA history and best in both Kansas and Big 12 history. The junior from Nigeria also averaged 13 points per game and seven rebounds per game during his sophomore season, but shot a pedestrian 41.3 percent from the free throw line. Azubuike will look to be another physical presence down low and help add veteran leadership to this relatively young team.

Having played in all 39 games in 2017-18, sophomore guard Marcus Garrett returns to Kansas with seven starts, averaging 19.2 minutes per game, the second most of any guard on the Kansas roster. Though averaging only 4.1 points per game, the thenfreshman showed spurts of potential early in the season, recording two double-doubles against Tennessee State and Texas Southern. Despite questions surrounding his low shooting percentage outside the arc (.267), Garrett offers versatility as a guard, providing Self with another experienced option to help facilitate the offense.

Charlie Moore

SIXTH MAN

redshirt sophomore guard

★★★

As former Kansas floor general Devonte’ Graham joined his predecessor Frank Mason III in the NBA, redshirt sophomore guard Charlie Moore enters the Jayhawk lineup with sizable shoes to fill. Having shown promise as a leader in Italy last year in his only outing with Kansas, Moore averaged 7.8 points per game, while also tallying 15 assists, ranking him second on the team. Prior to transferring to Kansas, the former Golden Bear led California in assists (120) as a freshman after starting all 34 games, earning him 2017 Pac-12 All-Freshman Honorable Mention. Having gained key experience as a member of one of the Jayhawks’ deepest scouting teams last season, expect Moore to secure a spot in the starting lineup come November.

Quentin Grimes freshman guard

★★★★

Freshman combo-guard Quentin Grimes joins the Kansas roster after having ranked No. 8 in the national recruiting rankings last year. The McDonald’s All-American gained considerable experience under Self this summer as a key contributor for Team USA at the 2018 FIBA Americas U18 World Championships, where he was named MVP and an AllTournament selection after averaging 14.7 points, four rebounds and 3.8 assists in a gold-medal winning campaign. An athletic, good-sized guard at 6-foot-5, 210-pounds, expect Grimes to contribute substantial minutes as a sixth-man off the bench early in the season, perhaps transitioning into a starting role as the season progresses.

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LATE NIGHT

Jayhawks boast best roster

COLUMN

LOGAN FRICKS @LoganFricks

With a roster that screams “national title or bust,” the Kansas Jayhawks and coach Bill Self have one goal in sight: a fourth National Championship. It’s not easy to replace standout guards Devonte’ Graham, Svi Myhkailiuk or Malik Newman, but Self has potentially found a way to do so, fielding a roster that looks far superior to his 2017-18 Final Four squad. The Jayhawks come into the 2018-19 season with arguably the best roster in all of college basketball, albeit with many new faces, an area Self is not accustomed to. This season, Kansas will see consistent minutes from six players who did not play a single minute last season. The Jayhawks capitalized on the “transfer market,” gaining former Memphis forwards K.J. and Dedric Lawson, a sophomore and junior respectively, along with former California guard junior Charlie Moore. Self and his staff then followed that up with recruiting three other freshmen who made an appearance in the McDonald’s All-American game: guards Quentin Grimes and Devon Dotson and forward David McCormack. The most important

Kansan file photo Then-sophomore forward Mitch Lightfoot dunks the ball against Seton Hall on March 17, 2018. and arguably best player on the team will be junior forward Dedric Lawson. In his sophomore season at Memphis, Lawson averaged an impressive 19.2 points and 9.9 rebounds. Now joining a Kansas team that was thin on big men last season, Lawson will give the Jayhawks much-needed scoring below the rim, an area Self has been known to run his offense around. Although Dedric’s brother, K.J., will have a smaller role than his older brother, he will still be a vital part of the team. K.J. is a strong enough player to receive starting minutes, but, based on the talent and depth at his position, he will likely not

be a consistent starter. The most intriguing position for Kansas will be the point guard spot. Moore is undersized, standing at 5-foot-11, and is quite raw. In his lone season at California, Moore averaged 12.2 points and 3.5 assists, but only shot 38.8 percent from the field. Moore has a lot of talent and experience, but his shooting concerns and competition from incoming freshman guard Dotson could hold him back. Dotson stands at 6-foot-2 and is a more polished player than Moore. But, based on Self’s tendencies to lean toward veteran players, it

would not be surprising if Moore was the starter at the beginning of the year. Other five-star guard Quentin Grimes will be an immediate starter, and could potentially lead the Jayhawks in scoring this season. Grimes is very athletic and attacks the rim with power, but inconsistencies from the three-point line could be the single thing keeping him from reaching his potential. Returners such as sophomore guard Marcus Garrett, senior guard Lagerald Vick, junior forward Udoka Azubuike and sophomore forward Silvio De Sousa will continue being major contributors for Kansas. The aforementioned depth at the forward position comes into play again with this group, as De Sousa could give Azubuike a run for his money as the starting center. Incoming freshman McCormack will likely fill in at the four-spot off the bench, but could also see some minutes at the five spot. Kansas boasts 10 players who could all start no matter where they go, essentially giving them two capable starting lineups. On paper, the Jayhawks are easily the most complete roster in all of college basketball and are the clear favorites to run away with a 15th straight Big 12 title.

2 Chainz to perform at Late Night show JOSH MCQUADE & NICOLE ASBURY @KansanNews 2 Chainz will be the featured performer at this year’s Late Night in the Phog, Kansas football coach David Beaty said during his weekly Hawk Talk radio show. The Kansan also spoke to two individuals inside Kansas Athletics who confirmed that 2 Chainz will be performing at the yearly event. Tauheed Epps — professionally known as 2 Chainz — is an American rapper. His collaboration

with YG in the song “Big Bank” currently ranks No. 16 on the Billboard R&B and Hip-Hop chart. 2 Chainz follows in the steps of Lil Yachty, who was last year’s featured performer. Late Night is an annual event put together by Kansas Athletics to commemorate the official beginning of the NCAA Division I basketball season. The event will start at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Tickets are free and served on a first-come, first-served basis.

Kansan file photo Rock Chalk Dancers perform during Late Night in the Phog on Sept. 30, 2017.

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Women’s Basketball Gameday Kansas women’s basketball 2018

Kansan File Photo Then-junior guard Christalah Lyons goes up for a shot in the game against Iowa State on Feb. 27. Iowa State defeated Kansas 65-56. Now a senior, Lyons looks to continue as a leader on the team’s veteran squad.

STARTER PREDICTIONS

CARLOS PETERSON AND JACK JOHNSON @KansanSports

Jessica Washington

Kylee Kopatich

★★★★★

★★★★

redshirt senior guard

After averaging 17.0 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game in 2016-17, Washington sat out all of last season due to a knee injury. After transferring from North Carolina back in 2015, the redshirt senior earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. In 26 starts, Washington recorded 20 or more points 10 times, and scored 30 or more points twice. With an injury giving her a fifth year, Washington hopes to return to being the top player for Kansas as she was just two years ago.

Austin Richardson senior forward

★★★★

Ranking 20th in the Big 12 in rebounding and playing in all 30 games, Richardson is arguably the top forward returning for coach Brandon Schneider and the Jayhawks. After coming from Johnson County Community College, she provided solid playing time and excelled in the rebounding category, leading the team with 158, along with averaging 8.5 points a game to go with it. Although she spent time at the forward position, Richardson became one of four Jayhawks to knock down 20 or more three pointers on the season with 27.

Christalah Lyons senior guard

★★★

Leading the Jayhawks in 14.8 points per game a year ago, Lyons looks to shine in her final year in Lawrence alongside a highly experienced lineup. Her non-conference numbers translated well to Big 12 conference play, as she went on to rank 10th in the conference in averaging over 15 points a game, as well as being one of two Jayhawks to start all 30 games in 2017-18. She also managed to make her presence known on the defensive side leading the team with 97 steals in her junior season. With a solid season behind her, Lyons hopes to not only surpass her totals from a year ago but also push for an elusive bid in the NCAA tournament.

senior guard

Starting in all 30 games last season, Kopatich is one of many returning players who started for the Jayhawks a year ago. Scoring a total of 399 points and averaging 13.3 points per game, the local kid from Olathe South High School will begin her final year at Kansas with high expectations. Despite her size at only 5-foot-10, she managed to finish second on the team in rebounding, snagging 125 throughout the course of the season. Off the court, she’s earned Academic All-Big 12 First Team and honorable mention in her past two years with the Jayhawks, as well as being nominated for the All-State Good Works Team.

Chelsea Lott

senior center

★★★

With the center spot likely the least experienced position in the lineup, Lott comes in appearing in 27 games, including six starts, last season. Scoring a total of 56 points and bringing down 67 rebounds, she seems to be the deserving candidate to earn some early starts for Kansas this season. If Lott is picked as the team’s top center, the lineup for the Jayhawks would showcase five seniors, ranking as one of the more veteran units in the nation. The center position may be a revolving door throughout the season, but look for Lott to get the start for Kansas as the season rolls around.

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Improvements needed for women’s basketball COLUMN

LOGAN FRICKS @LoganFricks

Since his arrival in 2015 — though the oncourt results may not indicate it — Kansas women’s basketball coach Brandon Schneider has made huge strides in improving the women’s basketball program. During his first season, Schneider’s squad went 6-25, not winning a single game in conference play. Now entering his fourth season, Schneider is coming off a year where his team started 7-0, before finishing the year 12-18 without the Jayhawks’ best player, then-senior guard Jessica Washington, through injury. This season, the Jayhawks will have a veteran presence, as the squad boasts seven seniors and three juniors, two of which will be playing their first season at Kansas. Both coming from Highland Community College, juniors Mariane De Carvalho, who was rated the sixth-best junior college player in the country, and Niccolly Ramalho will bring new competition to the table, something Schneider has become accustomed to creating, as now seven of his players have transferred into the program. In addition to Ramalho and De Carvalho, the Jayhawks will be gaining two freshmen and two other players who redshirted last season

Miranda Anaya/KANSAN Junior guard Kylee Kopatich drives to the basket against Iowa State on Tuesday, Feb. 27. Iowa State defeated Kansas 65-56. due to injury. Starting with the freshmen, five-star guard Brooklyn Mitchell and three-star guard Aniya Thomas will be joining the Jayhawks this season. Also, adding to the veteran leadership, the team’s leading scorer in 2016-17, Washington, will also be returning after missing the 201718 campaign due to an anterior cruciate ligament tear. Kansas will also have a lot of competition within the roster for this upcoming season. 2017-

18 All-Big 12 honorable mention senior guard Christalah Lyons will be returning, but, with the addition of both Ramalho and Mitchell, she will be faced with a lot of competition for her starting spot. Senior guard Brianna Osorio, who filled in as a shooting guard last season, will likely see a decrease in playing time now that Washington has returned. As for senior guard Kylee Kopatich, she will likely fill in at the three-spot due to her strong ability to shoot

from distance. There is a chance that Schneider plays a fourguard lineup at times, especially considering how loaded the Jayhawks are at the position. The most likely scenario to start the season will be a three-guard lineup with either senior forward Austin Richardson or De Carvalho filling in at the four spot. There is quite a tossup at the five spot, as Schneider was unable to find a consistent starter last season and, now with redshirt freshman center

Brittany Franklin back in the mix, there could be even more questions at the position. Loaded with talent, Schneider’s squad has a strong chance to at least go .500 this season, but nearly all their wins will come in non-conference play as the Big 12 is loaded with talented rosters, especially in the form of powerhouses Baylor and Texas. Four teams from the Big 12 went on to the NCAA Tournament last season, as well as two other teams that went

on to play in the NIT tournament. The Jayhawks are likely to get swept by both Baylor and Texas but, if they can escape non-conference with at least nine victories and sweep a couple other teams in the Big 12, they will have a shot to make an NIT appearance. For Kansas to escape being labeled a bottom feeder once again in the Big 12, consistent improvement will be key throughout this season.

While coaching the U.S. under-18 team to a gold medal over Canada at the FIBA Americas Championships in June, Self was able to coach incoming freshman guard Quentin Grimes. In his first real coachplayer interaction, Grimes felt like he had an idea of what to expect from the Hall of Fame coach. “I knew coach Self going into the games

was going to be hard on me just because I’m going to Kansas and I am going to have to work a little bit harder than everybody else,” Grimes said following the tournament. Although this was Grimes’ first experience being coached by Self on a consistent level, Self knows Grimes has yet to see him in his full form. “No, this is one of those deals you don’t

want to make anyone mad,” Self said. “So it’s like, ‘Please Quentin, would you please come over here and do this right now.’” As one of the only four players on the team headed to play college ball this fall, Grimes was in a position to be a vocal leader both on and off the court. One game in particular stood out to Grimes, a 104-92 win

over Argentina in the semifinals. A game where Grimes went for 26 points on 10-21 shooting, eight rebounds, four assists, zero turnovers and one steal. We were playing against Argentina and we came together and knew we had to lock in because we were cutting it close at the end,” Grimes said. “I had to talk to a few players on the sideline to get that rebound and

get that stop defensively. Hopefully it will translate pretty well here at Kansas.” Grimes, along with North Carolina incoming freshman Coby White, were consistently the biggest producers. Over the six-game tournament, Grimes averaged 14.7 points on 49 percent shooting from the field, four rebounds and 3.83 assists. With Self and Grimes’ focus turning back to the upcoming Kansas season, Self did not hold back praise for the 18 year old. “I would say he is probably as complete a guard as we have ever had. He can shoot, he can pass, he can dribble, he can score on all three levels — he is a really good player,” Self said. “What I think impressed as much as anything is that he is bright. As good as he is, he is competitive enough that I think he could be special.” Yet, with all the praise, Self wouldn’t let Grimes receive praise without immediately pinpointing a part of Grimes’ game that needs work. “But he’s still streaky, he doesn’t shoot it great all the time, there are a lot of things I can tell you — I’ve told him this.” Late Night in the Phog, the tradition that will jump start the 201819 basketball season, is Friday, Sept. 28.

Grimes feels out Self’s coaching style over summer MICHAEL SWAIN @mswain97 It is somewhat rare in the modern college basketball world that a collegiate coach gets to coach one of his incoming freshmen in a competitive environment before the freshman starts school. For Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self, he has done just that over the past few weeks.

Sarah Wright/KANSAN Freshman guard Quentin Grimes and men’s basketball coach Bill Self discuss their plans and expectations for the upcoming season during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

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LATE NIGHT

A quick rundown of Kansas fall sports BRADEN SHAW @bradenshaw4real

Along with the men’s and women’s basketball teams, the fall sports currently underway will be recognized at Late Night in the Phog. Each team will be presented on the court in Allen Fieldhouse with their season accomplishments read aloud for the crowd. VOLLEYBALL (8-4, 1-0) Coming into this year, the team expected a drop-off from last season with the Jayhawks losing multiple All-Americans, including setter Ainise Havili and right side hitter Kelsie Payne. More adversity came early this season as well, with standout junior hitter Patricia Montero going out in a match against Kentucky, later having to get knee surgery, effectively ending her season. With those absences, others have stepped up, such as junior hitter Jada Burse, who leads the team in kills (164) and freshman libero Lacey Angello who leads the team in digs (159). Kansas has dropped four matches thus far this season, with early season losses to Arkansas and then-No. 16 Kentucky, along with back-to-back defeats to Auburn and Loyola Marymount in the Kansas Invitational. However, the Jayhawks bounced back this past week, with home victories over Drake and TCU, opening up Big 12 play at 1-0. Kansas volleyball takes on West Virginia at home on Wednesday, Oct. 3, with first serve set for 6:30 p.m. FOOTBALL (2-2, 0-1) Despite a surprising opening loss to FCS side Nicholls State in the home opener, Kansas football rebounded against Central Michigan with a convincing 31-7 victory on the road, the first of its kind since 2009. The winning trend continued the following week with a 55-14 win over Rutgers at home, starting the first winning streak for the team since 2011. However, the streak would end at two with a setback against Baylor on Sept. 22, with a 26-7 loss. The Jayhawks have seemingly switched to a more run-oriented offense with the emergence of freshman running back Pooka Williams Jr., who has accumulated 377 yards

Chance Parker/KANSAN The Kansas volleyball team celebrates after winning a point against Auburn. The Jayhawks fell to the Tigers 3-2 on Sept. 7. rushing this season, paired with a twoquarterback system of senior Peyton Bender and sophomore Miles Kendrick. The defense has also stepped up, at one time leading the nation in turnover margin (plus 12). The Jayhawks look to get back on track for a homecoming match-up against Oklahoma State on Sept. 29. SOCCER (7-2-2, 1-1) Kansas soccer started the season with a bang, jumping into the United Soccer Coaches poll for five-straight weeks, the longest stretch for the team since 2014, peaking at No. 16 so far this season. Kansas also has numerous resume-building victories on the schedule, defeating then-No. 18 Pepperdine and then-No. 25 Butler at Rock Chalk Park. Kansas is led by freshman goalkeeper Sarah Peters, who has 22 saves on the season, as well as junior forward Katie McClure, who has scored a team-leading six goals, 15 points and been named both a National Player of the Week as well as Big 12 Player of the Week multiple times. The Jayhawks have lost twice, to then-No. 4 Texas A&M and then-No. 15 Oklahoma State. With Big 12 play underway, Kansas has a record of 1-1, with a 2-1 victory over Oklahoma and the aforementioned defeat to Oklahoma State. The Jayhawks will next take on Iowa State at Rock Chalk Park on Sept. 29

with match time set for 7 p.m. TENNIS Kansas tennis began its season at the Big 5 Challenge hosted by TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. The team is led by a trio

competition of the season, Khmelnitckaia finished 3-0 in singles play, along with junior Maria Toran Ribes, and was crowned champion of the Big 5 Challenge. Also, the team went 8-1 on day

last round, the lowest round score since last season at the Westbrook Spring Invitational (288). Women’s golf will next travel to Highlands Ranch, Colorado, for the Ron Moore

CROSS COUNTRY With one meet under their belts, both the men’s and women’s cross country teams swept the Bob Timmons Classic at Rim Rock Farms against UMKC and Oral Roberts

Chance Parker/KANSAN Freshman running back Pooka Williams Jr. runs the ball downfield against Rutgers. The Jayhawks defeated the Scarlet Knights 55-14 on Sept. 15. of nationally ranked seniors in Anastasia Rychagova (No. 6), Nina Khmelnitckaia (No. 106) and Janet Koch (No. 124), along with promising young talent in freshmen Malkia Ngounoue and Julia Deming. In the first

Chance Parker/KANSAN Freshman Phisitkhwan "Pear" Pooratanaopa competes at the Minnesota Invitational Sept. 10-11.

three of the tournament, including a 4-0 day from Koch and Khmelnitckaia. Khmelnitckaia and Koch will next compete in the pre-qualifying stage at the ITA All-American Championships, which will begin play on Sept. 27 at the Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades, California. WOMEN’S GOLF Through two competitions, the Minnesota Invitational and the Lady Paladin Invitational, Kansas women’s golf has finished tied for eighth and tied for fifth place, respectively. The eighthplace finish at the Minnesota Invitational was the highest finish at the event since the 201415 season, finishing with a score of 883. At the Lady Paladin Invitational, the team finished with a mark of 881 and 17-overpar, but shot a 289 in the

Intercollegiate, hosted by the University of Denver. The competition will begin on Oct. 5. MEN’S GOLF Kansas men’s golf has also competed in two competitions thus far, in the Badger Invitational and the Shoal Creek Intercollegiate. At the Badger Invitational, the team finished in second, thanks to top-20 finishes from sophomore Harry Hillier, junior Andy Spencer, redshirt sophomore Drew Shepherd and sophomore Ben Sigel. Kansas has now finished first or second at the Badger Invitational in four of the last five years. Also, this is the 41st top-five tournament finish under coach Jamie Bermel. Kansas men’s golf will next compete at The Jackrabbit, with competition beginning on Sept. 30.

on Saturday, Sept. 1. This was the seventhstraight victory at this meet for the women’s team, while the men’s team took first place for the third-straight season. Both races were also won by first-time victors sophomores Chace Hale on the men’s side (19:25.3 in the 6k) and Catherine Liggett on the women’s side (18:44.0 in the 5k). Hale was followed by redshirt senior Chris Melgares (19:32.3), sophomore Ben Butler (19:38.8) and senior Michael Melgares (19:40.6). Liggett was followed by junior Lauren Harrell (18:51.0), freshman McKenzie Wilks (19:05.0) and junior Riley Cooney (19:11.5). Kansas cross country will next compete at the Rim Rock Farm Collegiate Classic on Sept. 29.

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History of basketball highlighted in new exhibit BRADEN SHAW @bradenshaw4real Even though the 13 Original Rules of Basketball, written by James Naismith, have been back at Kansas since 2010, and on display at the DeBruce Center since 2016, visitors wanted an exhibit that had more to show. “This whole building is built around the rules of basketball,” said Curtis Marsh, director of the DeBruce Center. “They’re these two little pieces of paper and a lot of folks would come here and say, ‘Is this it? The rules are cool and the hallway is cool, but isn’t there something else?’” With the grand opening happening on Sept. 25, Marsh, Booth Family Hall of Athletics Director Abbi Craig and KU History Coordinator Tim Gaddie helped organize the ‘Original Rules Experience,’ which highlights the original rules and their connections to Kansas. The group began to develop the exhibit before graduation this past May in order to shine a brighter light on the rules themselves and the history of the program at Kansas. “We were able to listen to the people who were guests in the building, both students and visitors, and

find out what they wanted to learn,” Marsh said. “How Naismith started this thing, how did it grow and how Kansas played a role in it.” The new exhibit will join with other parts of both Allen Fieldhouse and the DeBruce Center that showcase the original rules, such as ‘At Home On the Hill,’ which is “thematically displaying Kansas traditions,” according to Gaddie. With the history being at the forefront of the vision, researching statistics and uncovering anecdotes took up most of Gaddie’s time when developing the new exhibit. Even though he “didn’t break a sweat over it,” it was time consuming nonetheless, with accuracy being most important. “You’ll find conflicting dates that things happened,” Gaddie said. “One source might say it was 1906 and another source says it’s 1908. So it’s just trying to cross-reference things to be as accurate as possible.” One of the key focuses of the room itself are the ‘cubbies’ on the far wall, complete with information on the eight hall of fame coaches who have been associated with Kansas: Phog Allen, Adolph Rupp, John McClendon, Ralph Miller,

Chance Parker/KANSAN Curtis Marsh, director of the DeBruce Center, overlooked the creation of The Original Rules Experience. The exhibit opened on Tuesday, Sept. 25. Dean Smith, Larry Brown, Roy Williams and current head coach Bill Self. “It just so happened that there were eight of them and, if you take the number of people who are in the hall of fame as coaches, who either played at Kansas or were head coaches at Kansas, there’s eight of them,” Marsh said. “We said this is a perfect spot to highlight the coaches in the hall of fame that have

Kansas roots.” Not only are former coaches’ records and accomplishments on display, but also videos that tell the history of the program, as well as the evolution of equipment as the game developed over the years. Marsh says that he’s “pretty stoked” to incorporate multimedia elements to the exhibit. Gaddie’s main focus with the exhibit as a whole

on the weekend. “Each group is allowed to draw one number out of a bag for every 5 people present at lottery,” according to the official KU Basketball Camping Procedure. “A group can have a maximum of 6 draws.” TAKING CAMPING SHIFTS Once camping begins, a member from each group must be present at all times — knowing who will be responsible for which times important. Senior marketing and visual arts major Madison Bischler, who’s been camping since her freshman year, stresses the importance of being organized in a camping group. “You start out by getting everyone’s information about what times they can work,” Bischler said. “Then you

make a schedule based on trying to get everyone mixed in and making sure no one is working too much. Once the schedule starts and people start camping, that’s really chill. Once you get going into a rhythm, people get used to it really fast.” If at any time a camper calls roll and a group does not have a member present, that group will lose its spot in line, which is why Bischler cites communication as the most important aspect of having a successful camping group. PREPARING FOR GAMEDAY Each group will receive a number representing its spot in line four hours before tip off. The group will then return to Allen Fieldhouse two hours to tipoff to be let in for the game. Once inside Allen

was to inform people and get visitors excited about the historical aspect, especially given his background in education. “The chance to see people interact with information and learn something and be engaged in is what I’m about professionally,” Gaddie said. Another goal of the exhibit is to showcase the current basketball program, with a particular fo-

cus on recruiting. Marsh noticed that there wasn’t much information at Allen Fieldhouse on Self, with the contents of the hallways focusing on former players instead of coaches. This relationship between the history of the game and the future of the Kansas program played a key role in the development of the new exhibit. “Now, we can promote all of the success of people who have long since passed, and simply explain that’s one of the reasons it’s special here,” Marsh said. Marsh even says that the current coaching staff are the “sales force” of the program and the facility itself. He hopes that this new addition to the DeBruce Center will help further recruiting and showcase the extensive history of Kansas basketball. “The important thing is that they’re able to say there is nothing like this in the whole country,” Marsh said. “You will go to other places and see high quality facilities and amenities and some fun stories, but nowhere else are you going to walk past the original rules of your sport on the way to dinner every night. It’s lovely and historical. It helps us become stronger fans and also helps us sell the program.”

Camping 101: How to prepare for the student section MADDY TANNAHILL @maddytannahill As the anticipation of the long-awaited return of Kansas men’s basketball begins to overwhelm campus, so does the coordination of one particular University tradition — camping. A tradition dating back to the 1970s, camping for seats in the student section has played a large role in developing Allen Fieldhouse into one of the greatest home-court advantages in the nation. With the first exhibition game set for Oct. 25 against Emporia State a little under a month away, here is the rundown on how to get involved with camping this season. ORGANIZING A GROUP Ranging in size anywhere from five to 30

students, each camping group is responsible for having at least one member inside of Allen Fieldhouse during all hours of camping. With hours ranging from as early as 6 a.m. to as late as 10 p.m. — having a group large enough to fill all the shifts is important. After forming a group, the first order of business is coming up with a name. From last season’s “Now You Svi Us Now Udok” to “Netflix and Bill,” students always get creative in their pundriven group names. WAKING UP FOR LOTTERY Lottery, where each group goes to Allen Fieldhouse to draw a number to determine its spot in line, begins bright and early in the morning after each home game, starting at 6:00 a.m. on weekdays and 8:00 a.m.

Kansan File Photo The Kansas student section waves the wheat after a Jayhawk victory in Allen Fieldhouse. Fieldhouse, students find their positions in the student section, that they have earned through hours of camping, and prepare to cheer on the Jayhawks in one of the loudest indoor stadiums in the United States. Though camping may seem like a lengthy process, a lot of work and many early mornings, it has evolved into one of

the most prominent and unique traditions at the University. “Camping sets a precedent,” Bischler said. “You have to camp because this is like one of the best things you’ll witness in your time at KU.” For all official camping rules and procedures, visit k u b a s ke t b a l l c a m p i n g . com.

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Hall of famer leads by example Women’s basketball associate head coach Aqua Franklin is returning for her fourth season of coaching at Kansas, following her induction to the Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame.

Chance Parker/KANSAN Associate head coach for Kansas women’s basketball, Aqua Franklin, is a former college basketball player from Texas A&M. Franklin is going into her fourth season as the Jayhawks’ associate head coach. CARLOS PETERSON @CarlosWritesKU Not everyone has a vision for themselves growing up, with many finding it difficult to decide which career path to follow that aligns with their particular passions. For Kansas women’s basketball assistant coach Aqua Franklin, it was never a doubt that basketball would be a big part of her future. “It was always a dream,” Franklin said. “I never thought that I would be honored in such a way.” Franklin was recently inducted into the Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame, where she played point guard from 2005-08. While in College Station, Texas, Franklin led the Aggies to numerous accomplishments, becoming the first Aggie to become a two-time AllAmerican. She also led the team to both a Big 12 regular season and tournament championship, as well as Texas A&M’s first Elite Eight appearance in program history. The day Franklin received word of her induction was surreal, to say the least. “Getting the phone call that coach (Gary) Blair had nominated me for the Hall of Fame and that I was going to be inducted, I was speechless. The first call I made was to my mother because that was the person that pushed me the most and showed me how to work,” Franklin said. Even with this recognition being for individual accomplishments, Franklin attributes her successes as an Aggie to the team around her. “It means a lot,” Franklin said. “It just shows that hard work pays off, and I owe it all

to my teammates because I think that they were probably more talented, but they allowed me to lead, being the floor general, being a point guard. Having them present was great, so it was an unbelievable feeling.” During her time as an Aggie, Franklin led Texas A&M to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, in what was the start of 13 straight trips, a streak that is still active today. Not only did Franklin lead the team to multiple appearances in the big dance, but also to a legacy of winning, posting a 93-39 record in her time at College Station. Even with these accomplishments, Franklin and others regarded Texas A&M as a “football school” prior to

her time on campus. After she left, her team and the teams after her “totally turned the wheels,” she said. After her playing days at Texas A&M, Franklin has had two stints with Kansas, as an assistant coach from 2011-12 and the assistant head coach since 2015. Now at a place with basketball tradition steeped in its roots, Franklin is appreciative of what being with Kansas means. “Being here at Kansas now for the second time is an unbelievable feeling because everything here is about basketball,” Franklin said. “Being at a place where James Naismith, Wilt Chamberlain, Paul Pierce and all the greats were is a great feeling. (The

fact) I get to drive down Naismith Drive every day to get to my office is awesome.” Now in the coaching ranks, Franklin said she tries to impart wisdom from her playing days to the current Kansas team. However, the impact she has on her players reaches far beyond the basketball court, according to freshman guard Brooklyn Mitchell. “She’s been a mentor for me. Her and I talk quite often,” Mitchell said. “She helps me in practice with a lot of plays and defensive breakdowns.” Franklin averaged almost five assists a game for her career at Texas A&M, just one of the indicators of her ability to lead and get others involved. Her players take notice to her commitment

to them and their growth as both players and people. “It’s an honor playing for Coach Aqua,” Mitchell said. “I feel like her and I have a lot in common, like speed and other things.” Mitchell is new to the program, just now being brought under the tutelage of Franklin. For the more experienced players on the team, such as senior guard Christalah Lyons, the impact is even greater. “She’s more like a second mother to me,” Lyons said. “She makes sure that off the court that I’m okay, taking care of my body and things like that.” With the relationships that Franklin has built while at Kansas, it comes as no surprise that her players were beyond

overjoyed to hear of Franklin’s induction. “My immediate reaction was ‘I’m going to be playing under a Hall of Fame coach,’” Mitchell said. “That’s something to be proud of and something I really take ownership in.” During her time in Lawrence, Franklin has made every effort to be apart of the game that she loves. Yet, Franklin said that she wouldn’t be where she is today without her time as an Aggie. “I miss my teammates, my family, my A&M family,” Franklin said. “The support there was unbelievable. When you walk on campus you feel like you’ve been there for years. That to me is the biggest thing.”

Kansan File Photo Associate Head Coach Aqua Franklin coaches junior guard Jessica Washington in the game against SMU. The Jayhawks were defeated by SMU 63-75 on Nov. 16, 2016.

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3 vs 3 in the Phog: Opportunity of a lifetime JACK JOHNSON @JohnyJ_15 Typically, the Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center is busy throughout the week with students working out, playing games and socializing. However, around this time of year, the basketball courts are even more abuzz than usual with a special kind of energy. The rec hosts the preliminary rounds of the annual 3-on-3 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, which began this year on Sept. 17, and will conclude with both championship games taking place in Allen Fieldhouse at Late Night in the Phog on Friday. On Friday, as students pile into the the blue benches that wrap around the entirety of Allen Fieldhouse, the best four teams will be brought into the spotlight after days of games that all led to this moment. For many, such as Caleb Mann, a sophomore from Wellsville, whose team is still in the tournament, this is a chance to both have fun and showcase basketball talents. “To still be playing is pretty exciting,” Mann said. “It’s competitive out here and it’s just fun to still be playing to get to that final game.” As the tournament progresses and the more teams leave, the more tense the players become. The gym hushes over as

Kansan file photo The winners of the 2016 3-on-3 tournament at Late Night in the Phog accept their trophies.

the clanging sound of the weight machines coming from the workout room becomes apparent to the small number of students left on the court; but the short bursts of yelling and the squeaking of sneakers continue to echo as passersby look on. Arguments seemingly become more intense with the games reaching their final stretch. According to Mann, this is the part where the level of competition rises and

Chance Parker/KANSAN The final two teams of the 3-on-3 tournament compete at Late Night in the Phog on Sept. 30, 2017.

the trash-talking ensues. “It was fun getting to compete against other kids you see walking around campus,” Mann said. “Playing at Late Night is a dream, so the games down here get a little testy for everyone.” The teams who find themselves in the later stages of the tournament tend to ramp up the physical play and trash talking as they know they may not get another shot like this in their entire lives. Little by little, players file out of the gym after suffering the disappointment of elimination. Some of them mutter curse words under their breath about missing a shot or turning the ball over, and some chatter about a certain player not getting called for fouls. As frustration mounts for each team with an early exit from the tournament, junior Dennis Walls still appreciates the moment and the purpose of playing in the event. “I know it would be one of the coolest moments, but scariest in my entire playing career,” Walls said. “Even though

we were knocked out, I was a little relieved at the same time.” Once Friday comes, the spotlight will shine on the men’s and women’s basketball teams for the evening; but, for a moment in time, students who are fortunate enough to play in the 3-on-3 basketball tournament finals will be

able to compete on James Naismith Court. The task can be daunting, according to Walls, and it certainly plays into the reasoning for teams to enter the tournament. Even with those apprehensions in play, Walls says that the opportunity makes playing in the event a chance that one can’t

pass up. “To shoot or make a cool pass is easy to do here at the rec, but to do it Allen and try not to mess up or make a fool of myself is a whole different story,” Walls said. “If I had the chance to make the crowd go crazy though, there would be no better feeling.”

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Numerous top recruits to attend Late Night BRADEN SHAW @bradenshaw4real

Guard Isaac McBride: Little Rock, Arkansas

Along with being an event to get both fans and students excited for the upcoming basketball season, Late Night in the Phog also serves as a major recruiting event for coach Bill Self and his team. Here are the recruits that are expected to attend the 34th annual Late Night in the Phog on Friday, Sept. 28:

One of three point guards attending Late Night, McBride is the No. 18 point guard and No. 109 overall recruit in the class of 2019. McBride, standing at 6-foot, 180-pounds, is from Arkansas Baptist Prep in Little Rock, Arkansas and is expected to sign with Kansas, but has also received 19 total offers.

Center James Wiseman: Memphis, Tennessee

Guard R.J. Hampton: Little Elm, Texas

Wiseman, the No. 2 recruit in the class of 2019, is a five-star prospect from Memphis East High School in Memphis, Tennessee. The 7-foot, 210-pound, center currently is projected to sign with either Vanderbilt or Memphis, but has received 18 total offers.

Hampton is currently the No. 5 recruit in the class of 2020, hailing from Little Elm High School in Little Elm, Texas. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound, point guard has received 16 offers, including California, Florida, Oklahoma State, Texas, UCLA and Kansas.

Forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl: Bradenton, Florida Another five-star recruit, Robinson-Earl is a 6-foot-9, 235-pound forward from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He is the No. 10 recruit in the class of 2019 and has offers from North Carolina, Villanova, Notre Dame, Arizona and Kansas, but is expected to sign with the Jayhawks.

Missy Minear/KANSAN Coach Bill Self yells at then-sophomore forward Mitch Lightfoot going into a timeout during the game against West Virginia on Saturday, March 10. The Jayhawks defeated the Mountaineers 81-70.

Guard Cassius Stanley: North Hollywood, California A four-star recruit, Stanley is the No. 5 shooting guard and No. 31 overall recruit in the class of 2019 from Sierra Canyon High School in North Hollywood, California. Standing at 6-foot-5, 170-pounds, the shooting guard has received nine total offers, including Oregon, Texas, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State and Kansas. Stanley is expected to sign with either UCLA or Kansas.

Forward Anthony Walker: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire Walker is the No. 17 power forward and No. 76 overall recruit in the class of 2019, hailing from Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. The 6-foot-8, 200-pound, power forward is a fourstar recruit expected to sign with Pittsburgh, but has received 19 offers, most notably from Illinois, Miami, VCU, Boston College and Maryland.

Forward Chandler Lawson: Mouth of Wilson, Virginia Four-star recruit Chandler Lawson, a 6-foot8, 200 pound, No. 20 power forward, is from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. Lawson is the No. 87 overall recruit in the class of 2019, and has received seven offers, most notably from Mississippi, Baylor, Florida, Georgia Tech and Memphis. Lawson’s older brothers, Dedric and K.J., are expected to play a big role on this year’s Kansas

team.

Forward Christian Braun: Overland Park, Kansas Braun, the No. 24 small forward and No. 112 overall recruit, stands at 6-foot6, 180-pounds, from Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, Kansas. Braun recently verbally committed to Kansas on Sept. 17, but will still be attending Late Night.

Guard Ty Berry: Newton, Kansas

Berry is currently the No. 25 point guard and No. 121 overall recruit in the class of 2020, and has received 10 offers, including Missouri, Kansas State and Wichita State. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound point guard is from Newton High School in Newton, Kansas. Though he doesn’t have an official offer from Kansas, Berry is expected to attend Late Night.