March 5, 2019

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911 TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019

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Volume 108, Issue 21

HOUSING GUIDE UPD officer proposes on-campus drone usage

By Peyton Emmele News Reporter University Police Department officer Ronald Dorsey has proposed the use of unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, on campus to follow other law enforcement agencies in alternative surveillance methods.

Police departments in San Marcos, Driftwood, Wimberley and other surrounding areas, as well as fire departments and EMS services, formed the Hays County Robotics Taskforce less than a year ago.

On June 6, 2018, the task force was authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration to begin public safety flights that included search and rescues and damage assessment in areas experiencing natural disasters. In 2017-18, the task force assisted in 85

criminal investigations and 442 operations other than investigations, according to a report found on its website.

Dorsey is a member of the task force and has been working for UPD since 1999. He said he was required to attend a training to learn how to use drones. “(The Taskforce) sent officers from Hays County, including me, to go to an academy and learn about drones," Dorsey said. "(Learning) how to fly them and the laws, with the purpose of responding to disasters, search and rescues, traffic accidents investigations, reconstruction, active shooter response, crime scene analysis and crowd monitoring, just to name a few."

SEE SURVEILLANCE PAGE 2

The University Police Department lobby March 1 in the Nueces Building.

PHOTO BY JADEN EDISON

Iconic Village fire sheds light on strength of the community Westover Baptist Church, off of Advance St. in San Marcos, has service at 10:45am on Sunday.

PHOTO BY CLAYTON KEELING

By Camelia Juarez News Reporter Westover Baptist pastor Jeff Latham received a call July 20, 2018, at 6 a.m. from San Marcos Police Cpl. Laray Taylor. There was a massive apartment fire at Iconic Village and Vintage Pads Apartments, and first responders needed an emergency building to temporarily house survivors, parents and nurses. Latham said without hesitation the church would open in 10 minutes.

Westover Baptist Church became the emergency hub for first responders to investigate the fire, treat wounds,

house mourning families and to pray as firefighters fought the blaze for hours to come. At the helm, pastor Jeff Latham helped ease survivors and families back into a daily routine.

The fire, which authorities ruled as intentional during a Nov. 30 press conference, ultimately killed five residents: James Miranda, Haley Frizzell, Belinda Moats, David Ortiz and Dru Estes. Their deaths were ruled as homicides.

Hundreds of other residents were displaced, and survivor Zachary Sutterfield is still receiving treatment after suffering burns across nearly 70 percent of his body.

Student Government concludes TPUSA investigation,

By Joyana Richer News Reporter

Former Student Government President, Brooklyn Boreing's contentious resignation in fall 2018 was surrounded by allegations that her campaign violated election code by receiving unreported political action campaign support. After a months-long investigation, a Student

SEE COMMUNITY PAGE 2

Turning Point USA posters sit March 1 near the free speech stallions.

PHOTO BY JADEN EDISON

Government committee could not corroborate the claims.

Boreing was accused in late August by former Sen. Eli Miller of taking $2,800 and 25 iPads from Turning Point USA, a conservative political action committee that self-admittedly targets student government elections.

The investigation committee was created by Student Government and chaired by Sen. Keely Fruend.

According to Freund, Boreing fired Miller from his position as director of diversity and outreach because members of her campaign did not approve of the choice although Boreing claims God came to her in a dream, Freund said. Sen. Adrian Cooper was vocal with his dissent for the investigation, calling it a waste of time.

SEE TPUSA PAGE 2

TRACS to be replaced by fall 2019

By Sierra Martin News Reporter Texas State’s Division of Information Technology has narrowed down TRACS' replacement to two options, Brightspace and Canvas. The change will begin for all Texas State students and faculty in the coming fall, but it will take several years to be fully implemented.

The long-awaited decision will be made in May 2019 when the data DOIT has gathered is brought before the Texas State University System Board of Regents.

Director of IT Marketing and Communications Scott Ayers has been assisting in which learning management system would be more suitable for the university's needs.

“Some of the capabilities of these other tools that are out there in the world like Brightspace or Canvas allow professors to interact with companies that provide lessons and schoolwork, like McGraw Hill,” Ayers said. "They allow for easy video conferencing and class information; there are all kinds of things they can do that TRACS doesn’t do."

TRACS has been used by Texas State for the past 15 years, so adopting a new platform is a big step toward making the university a more modern campus.

TRACS is the name Texas State gave to the software, Sakai, which was a shared system between multiple universities that developed it. Currently, Texas State is the only university still using Sakai.

“Sakai (is) managed by a community that has not been able to keep up with the ever-quickening pace of advancements in online and digital learning environments,” stated by the LMS Advisory Committee's FAQ page.

Brightspace and Canvas are LMS programs similar to TRACS, but have a more customizable and user-friendly interface that will be able to acclimate to the rapid advances of technology.

Implementing the new LMS may take time for some students and long-time faculty to adapt to when rolling out the new system. Campus will be given time to transfer over materials and resources.

Amy Meeks, senior lecturer of psychology, has experience with Canvas from the summer courses she teaches at the University of Texas. Meeks has background with transferring materials and can distinguish the advantages of updating to a modern LMS. SEE TECHNOLOGY PAGE 2

NEWS Trinity Building 203 Pleasant St. San Marcos, TX 78666 (512) 245 - 3487

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512-245-2261

2 | Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Sonia Garcia | News Editor

The University Star

FROM FRONT COMMUNITY

Shortly after the church opened that morning, Brian Frizzell, the father of Texas State student Haley Frizzel was walking up the church steps. He made it before police and fire marshalls, and he immediately began searching for his daughter. Latham, a Southwest Texas State University alumnus, recognized Frizzell, who is also an alumnus.

“As a university alumnus, it is just heart-wrenching thinking about Cheatam apartments, that’s what it was called back then. I thought of all my friends who used to live there when I went to college,” Latham said. “I remembered one of the dads personally, Brian Frizzell.

I remembered him from college. He had just lost his wife Michelle and now his daughter Haley, but he didn’t know then.

The concern in his eyes was devastating.”

Frizzel spent five days in the restless church waiting for his daughter to show. Latham prayed at his side. At the time, the city had limited protocol for mitigating disasters of this magnitude.

The community, however, came together to battle San Marcos' largest fire with outpouring support, according to Taylor.

“There really was no place to get situated, but Jeff’s relationship with police and the community is what made everything run smoothly and he guided everyone to be in sync,” Taylor said.

Westover’s parishioners assembled a kitchen team to provide three meals a day for five days to the 20 to 40 people waiting for loved ones to show. As time passed, community support grew, and other churches and organizations poured

Pastor Jeff Latham of Westover Baptist Church sits Feb. 28 in his office.

PHOTO BY CAMELIA JUAREZ

daily necessities for survivors into the church.

“Here at Westover, we just wanted to love on everyone. All of our government agencies, everyone, fell in line immediately because they knew the church was available,” Latham said. "Within 48 hours we began having meetings with everyone: fire chief, police chief. My whole theme of this is to bring everyone together.”

At the time of the fire, Texas State had only one trained emergency coordinator: Glynis Christine. The university quickly trained three more staffers to offer emergency services for this disaster occasion.

Assistant Dean of Students Kathryn Weiser said each crisis, from a death in the family to a natural disaster, must be handled on a case-by-case basis.

“We are always trying to help students the best way we can,” Weiser said. "There

is always structure, however, every situation and every student's needs are different. We strive to continue to provide the best services. Our ultimate goal is to help students graduate."

The university aided students by sending out an absence notification, which informed faculty to excuse students going through the crisis. Texas State also started a crowdfunding effort that saw over 1,000 supporters reach $112,569, which directly went to 48 students. According to Texas State's press release for the crowdfunding page, the donations went to replacing clothing, furniture, electronics and in some cases, minor medical costs for applicable students. Texas State provided resource consultations, which guided students as to what their next educational step would be following the fire and displacement.

In the corner of Latham’s desk calendar is a folded paper with a list of five names: Hayley Frizzell, David Ortiz, Belinda Moats, Dru Estes and James Miranda.

From July 20 to when the last victim was identified Aug. 3, Latham hoped he could cross names off as they were found.

Latham said he prays daily for Brian Frizzell and everyone who lost loved ones.

He frequently visits Sutterfield, who was in the same room as two victims, at U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. Lantham said he will not forget the survivors.

Latham visits Sutterfield as he relearns how to live in rehabilitation and continues preaching at Westover.

FROM FRONT SURVEILLANCE The training includes learning about all the different levels of regulations.

Dorsey said UPD will have to follow FAA regulations, as well as federal, state, municipal and university policies and procedures.

The task force is under the Hays County Emergency Management. Kharley Smith, director of Emergency Services for Hays County said the task force was created to unify the surrounding area, as well as share recourses and training so not just one police department, fire department or emergency management agency takes on the financial burden.

Smith said the task force is under a certificate of authorization given by the FAA that mandates they report and publish all drone flights to the FAA. Texas State already has a policy procedure statement regarding the use of drones. It outlines how to get approval to fly a drone on campus, as well as other rules: the drones have to stay in your line of sight and weigh less than 55 pounds.

Dorsey said his personal drone was

$1,500, not including the price of extra batteries and cameras.

“Some drones stay up in the air longer than others so they can range from a thousand dollars for a unit to ten thousand for a unit, it really varies based on the capability you want it to achieve,” Smith said.

He said higher-end drones with all of the special equipment including infrared cameras and floodlights can be around $25,000. The other cost is for training, which is around or over $1,500 for a hands-on experience.

Kari McNelly, urban and regional planning junior, said she doesn’t like the idea of drones.

“I probably would not be a fan of (drones)," McNelly said. "I feel like it’s a waste of money because I don’t think that many serious crimes even happen on campus to warrant that.”

The proposal to get drones for the UPD will first be sent to Chief Laurie Clouse, and if approved, sent up the chain of command.

The University Police Department lobby March 1 in the Nueces Building.

PHOTO BY JADEN EDISON

Captain Rickey Lattie said UPD is evaluating the use of drones.

“We’re investigating the value of (drones), if we would get enough use out of it to be worth the investment,” Lattie said.

Dorsey said he will be turning in the proposal to Clouse this week, but it could take a while before approved. The University Star will provide updates as they become available.

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Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, March 5, 2019.

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Deadlines: Letters to the Editor or any contributed articles are due on Monday the week prior to publication.

Corrections: Any errors that are in the pages of The University Star and are brought to our attention will be corrected as soon as possible.

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FROM FRONT TECHNOLOGY “Personally, I like Canvas. I had no problem transferring all of my resources over from TRACS,” Meeks said. "They did help me with the process, but it was easy to accomplish. I also appreciate the way that Canvas allows you to place all the material you want with each chapter instead of it being alphabetized in resources."

Many students have been anticipating the change and are looking forward to a more reliable website, as TRACS is known on campus for its inconsistencies. Claire Robertson, exercise and sports science junior, said she wants the new LMS to adhere more to student’s needs.

“I am so excited for a replacement for TRACS. Personally, I don’t like the tools function because it is very hard to find what you need. Many times, when I am writing in a discussion forum and attempt to post it, it will crash and delete all my writing. The fact that TRACS is only supported by one server is ridiculous,” Robertson said.

Currently, there are six pilot courses being taught using Canvas and Brightspace. In order to make an informed final decision at the end of the semester, DOIT will ask the students and faculty for their input on using the platforms and any positive or negative experience they had with the site throughout the semester.

To learn more about the new LMS platforms being considered to, try out the test environments or sandboxes online through Technology Resources on the Texas State website. At the end of the spring semester, DOIT will email a survey to those who participated to compile data on the preferred website.

FROM FRONT TPUSA A University Star investigation uncovered a history of Student Government cabinet and senatorial members working with TPUSA. Boreing maintained that she was innocent, but said in a late-August 2018 phone interview with The Star, "the truth doesn't matter,".

Then-Vice President, Ruben Becerra Jr. was sworn in as president shortly after her resignation to which he would follow with his own resignation in February. During his tenure as president, however, a committee was created to investigate the claims against Boreing. Chaired

by Freund, the committee consisted of four senators, four constituents and two Freshman Council members.

In the committee's findings, there were several contradicting reports on from where the unreported support came. Members of the campaign team including Sen. Adrian Cooper, former Chief of Staff, Colin Pruett and Becerra Jr. reported either not receiving iPads or using their personal tablets.

The committee confirmed several details originally reported by The Star including ties between TPUSA and past student government officials such as former presidents Andrew Homann and Connor Clegg, as well as Pruett who currently works for a TPUSA subsidiary, Campus Leadership Project.

However, Pruett claims TPUSA had no involvement in the Student

Government elections and that any winning support came from College Republicans, for which he currently serves as president.

President of Texas State's chapter of TPUSA, Stormi Rodriguez, as well as TPUSA's founder and director of communications Charlie Kirk and Candace Owens, declined to comment on the situation.

Freund says the committee found that Boreing attended a TPUSAhosted conference in summer 2018, however, both Becerra and acting president, Allison Castillo, a close associate of Boreing's had conflicting alibis but denied her trip there.

On several occasions, the senate has moved to suspend the rules and vote by voice which means that no voting record is kept. Freund said it made it hard to keep a record of who was voting in support of Boreing with this type of system, which she feels is an internal strategy to hide controversial votes.

In the end, the investigation committee's tentative recommendation was to ban the use of iPads from all Student Government elections and revisit more regulations for voting. Though Freund thinks there's enough evidence to suggest Boreing violated campaign rules, the committee could not prove Miller's allegations conclusively.

- Carrington J. Tatum contributed to this story

The University Star

Sonia Garcia | News Editor

Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | 3

Editor's Note: The following obituary was provided by the parents of Brihana Landrum who wrote the piece to commemorate her daugher. We have chosen to run the piece as it is to honor the wishes of Landrum's family and her memory.

OBITUARY

By Bret and Mary Landrum

Bret David and Maria Dolores Landrum welcomed their baby girl, Brihana Rea Landrum on May 17, 1994 in Austin, Texas. Ryan Bret and Corey Shea, her older brothers, rejoiced in welcoming their baby sister. Brihana was 24 years old at the time of her unexpected departure from this earth on February 17, 2019 in San Marcos, Texas.

Family who await her in heaven and who we know were touched by her contagious smile – Ito (her maternal grandfather Samuel Lopez) and her paternal great grandparents Rea and James Walker and Granny Landrum.

Aside from her brothers and parents, Brihana was welcomed by a huge tight knit family. On the Lopez side, she leaves behind her “Ita” Maria “Cuca” Lopez Rocha; five uncles and five aunts, among them are her Godparents Lupe and Esteban Rocha and Hector (Breana) Lopez and a total of 17 cousins. Among her cousins, there are two who were raised more like her siblings, Ashley and Sammy Rocha. She was blessed to be a Godmother and leaves behind her Goddaughter Aliyah Rae Caballero.

The Landrum side came a bit lighter as compared to the Lopez’s but are just as important: Paternal grandparents Phil and June Landrum; Aunt Lisa Parcher; her two sisters-in-law Pam Landrum and Caitie Ryan, and an extended family in Kentucky. Brihana also leaves behind two nephews and a niece, her much adored Cayden, Olivia, and Tyler – she was their Nana; uncles Samuel (Minnie) Lopez, Eric (Julie) Lopez, and Rodolfo (Melody) Lopez; cousins: Anna Maria (Nate) Lopez, Samuel Lopez III, Natalie Lopez, and Samuel Alvaro; Adrian and Jacob Lopez; Eliza, Eric, Lhila and Ethan Lopez; Gilbert, Ray, Josiah and Marcos Harros; Rudy Lopez; Britney (Grant) Grissom; 2nd cousins Amaya and Anthony Caballero; and numerous other loving family and friends. Not to mention the multitude of extended family living in Mexico, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, and Austin.

Brihana touched many around her leaving a beautiful legacy behind in her short tenure on this earth. She attended Strickland Christian School, Hyde Park Baptist School, and San Marcos High School. She went on to continue her formal education at Austin Community College and finally Texas State University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences and her Master of Science degree in Family and Child Studies. One goal on her horizon was pursing an MBA or a doctorate in her field. Brihana had many great plans ahead of her, among those was certainly furthering her education.

Brihana was a true servant in many ways. From her early teenage years she began community service right here at Southwest Christian Church from where she had been a part of this amazing family. Her faith path was well paved, her paternal grandfather, Phil Landrum was an Outreach Minister and her paternal

great grandfather (James Walker) played a part in the construction of the education building of this church, at its former site on Emerald Forest. Her Granpa Phil, just before retiring, performed one last great act – baptizing Brihana into Christ at the age of 12. Later that year, Brihana began her ministry in the church nursery, eventually becoming the catalyst for Bret and Mary to follow in her footsteps.

While in college, Brihana was given the opportunity to be an intern in the Children’s Ministry, eventually becoming a resident within the Children’s Ministry, which lasted a year. Her last task while on staff was presenting a business plan to the elders to open a daycare for the church, solidifying her mark on the Children’s Ministry of Southwest Christian Church.

Aside from her work at Southwest Christian Church, she began in the fast food industry working at Wendy’s and Whataburger. Then came her tenure at Victoria Secret where she worked hard to climb the management ladder.

Arise Hospital (formerly Austin Surgical Hospital) was the next stepping stone where she dabbled in the health care industry thinking nursing was her choice of profession. Quickly she learned it was not and went to work at The Children’s Courtyard of Austin where she discovered that children were her passion and boy did she have a way with little ones. While in graduate school at Texas State, she was a Graduate Instructional Assistant for Dr. Delgado. Among her many contributions in this role was her work with the Alcance Project whose goal was to encourage and help Latino kids excel in the school system. But to her, her most important work was nannying for many families who entrusted their babies to her, included in these are: Adrian and Jacob Lopez; Harris and Shafer Hajovsky; Jackson and Spencer Shinn; and Savannah, Trevor, Wade and Rhett Elkins.

After grad school, she deviated from her field somewhat and landed a job at Jewell which is an Oldcastle company.

She began as an inside sales rep, quickly learning the ins and outs of the business, so well in fact, that in less than a year she felt confident she could tackle just about any issue that might come up.

Her dedication, determination, and ability to learn quickly was noticed by senior management and they indicated they had great plans in the works for her.

As recently as a month ago, she traveled to Houston and Dallas to train others while being mentored and developed for a much bigger role, with plans for more travel in the near future.

Brihana also had a creative side to her which she began to show during a semester in high school when she brought home a report card with not so good grades. These bad grades led to all her electronic devices being taken away.

Determined to make the best of it, she took this time to teach herself to play the piano – eventually learning how to play a handful of songs. She also taught herself to crochet, sew, and quilt. Many have been recipients of her hand made

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARY LANDRUM

masterpieces. Carla Thomure was a mentor when it came to quilting. Her Ita was her biggest cheerleader and, as you can imagine, claims Brihana’s creativity came from her. Brihana’s dad, however, begged to differ. Another pet passion of hers was making Christmas goodies with her Grandma June.

Believe it or not, she somehow managed to have a little downtime and always treasured this time. Her cousins – Ashley, Anna Maria, and Eliza were the girls she hung around with the most.

But she had very dear friends as well – Jocelyn, Jessica, Alex, and Julie. All these young ladies made our Brihana laugh but we dare say that she made them laugh even more and loved having a good time. One of her favorite places to let loose alongside her cousins and friends was at her dear Aunt Shirley and her cousin Emma’s Lakehouse in Kentucky.

Brihana was a strong, independent young woman with a tremendous sweet heart that just knew how to love others unconditionally and perfectly. We take comfort in knowing that her faith guided her through all her decisions.

So Brihana, soar your wings high up in the sky, princess. Go and be with our heavenly Father. Joke, hug, kiss and make your mark in Heaven along Ito, Pop, Grandma Rea, and Granny. It is only a matter of time until we meet again. In our hearts you will always be our most beloved sweet Brihana, Bri, Nana, Flaka, Picara Sonadora, and most

importantly…Bret’s Sunshine.

Survived by: Parents and Siblings Bret and Mary Landrum Ryan and Pam Landrum with their kids Olivia and Tyler Corey Landrum and Caitie Ryan with their son Cayden Lopez Family Ita (grandmother)- Maria (Cuca) Lopez Rocha Lupe and Esteban Rocha with Ashley and Samuel Samuel and Minnie Lopez with Anna Maria (husband Nate and kids Amaya, Aliyah, Anthony), Samuel III, Natalie and Samuel Alvaro Hector Lopez and Breana Robinett with Adrain and Jacob Eric and Julie Nguyen Lopez with Gilbert, Ray, Rudy, Josiah, and Marcus And over 200 Tios, Tias, and primos from the Lopez and Rocha family Landrum Family Grandparents- Phil and June Landrum Lisa Parcher with Britney and husband Grant Grissom Joe and Shirley Thomas with Jenny (husband Lee and daughters Emma and Hayley Gibson) Quintin and Joyce Demoss with Dudley Demoss (kids Sara, Katie, and Jacob), Quenell (husband Doyal Brasher and grandkids Evan and Jessie).

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LIFE & ARTS

4 | Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Diana Furman | Life & Arts Editor

The University Star

TRAINING

Students save lives Texas State partners with Hays County EMS

By Brianna Benitez Life & Arts Reporter Life as a college student is difficult already, but Texas State students are taking more than just their own lives into their hands.

Several Texas State students have completed emergency medical technician training while still enrolled full-time. EMTs are first responders that are trained to provide medical care in emergency situations such as car accidents, childbirth and fires.

The role of an EMT involves quick decision making in high-stress situations. To work as an EMT, basic job position training is required as well as EMT-B, where trainees learn to assist patients in emergency situations.

Texas State students have chosen to complete the EMT training program while still enrolled full-time in order to prepare for medical school.

Mason Bartman, microbiology senior, is EMT certified. He recently completed his training while enrolled as a student.

Bartman said it was extremely difficult managing both his training and his school work, but regardless of the stress, achieving certification was worth it.

“When you add the education and training required to become an EMT on top of (being a college student), it becomes difficult to manage time effectively,” Bartman said.

Post-graduation, Bartman said he would like to work as an EMT or in a research lab before continuing his career in medical school with the hopes of

becoming a surgeon.

Cody Carroll, biology junior, works as an instructor for Texas State’s EMT training program. The initiative is a part of the Continuing Education Department on campus and is taught at the San Marcos Hays County EMS administration building. Spring registration for the program is closed, but interested students can join the contact list to be notified when fall registration opens. Students interested are encouraged to register early, as the program is limited to 30 students.

The program consists of both lecture and hands-on oriented instruction.

Carroll said the curriculum is primarily anatomy and physiology based. Students enrolled in the program are taught basic cardiology, patient assessment, trauma, airway management and the operational aspects of working in an ambulance.

Carroll has been an instructor for six years. Eventually, he wants to create curriculum for an emergency medical degree at Texas State in order to give pre-hospital care providers the same educational attention as other health care professions.

“We’re working at similar levels as nurses and doctors, but aren’t given the same education,” Carroll said. “While that doesn’t affect our practice, it does affect how we’re viewed as health care providers.”

He said the lack of educational requirements for EMTs is limiting on the EMT and paramedic industry.

As an educator, Carroll said he wants to expand the EMT knowledge from

Members of Medical Explorers at a refugee clinic in San Antonio hosted by the Christian Medical and Dental Association PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE SAWTELLE

technician to practitioner.

“A technician-level of understanding is more protocol-based, while a practitioner level is more of understanding the problem, knowing how to solve the problem and why that way is the correct way to solve the problem,” Carroll said.

Carroll said he encourages students who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine to consider gaining practice in EMS. “EMS is a great way to get a taste of medicine before going to medical school,” Carroll said.

Carroll said he believes his experience in emergency medicine will benefit with his transition to medical school.

“I will go into medical school, which is primarily patient-centered, already knowing the general concepts of patient care,” Carroll said.

Carroll is currently an active paramedic as well as instructor for Texas State’s EMT program. He is presently enrolled in online courses but aspires to attend medical school postgraduation. Carroll said his ultimate goal is to become a medical director for paramedics.

Texas State’s EMT program is in partnership with Hays County EMS. The program includes both clinical laboratory instruction and lecture.

The curriculum follows the standards established by the Texas Department of State Health Services, the National Associations of EMS Physicians and the National Registry of EMTs. Students have gained scholarships

through Texas State Medical Explorers, a pre-medical and pre-dental organization, in order to train as EMTs. Nicole Sawtelle, biology senior, has been involved with Medical Explorers' community emergency response team, CERT, for four years and is a certified EMT. During Sawtelle's EMT training, she participated in hands-on instruction where she ran calls with licensed paramedics and EMTs. During her EMT training, Sawtelle and her team received a call that a truck had flipped over I-35. When they arrived, she said a crowd of people had helped flip the truck on its side so the driver was not upside down.

“It was really interesting to see how everyone came together,” Sawtelle said.

“Even after the first responders had arrived, the people hung around to see if we needed help with anything.”

Sawtelle wishes she could have worked with Hays County EMS more, but due to the 24-hour shifts, it would not have worked with her 8 a.m. classes.

Like most students with an EMT certification, Sawtelle said she plans to work as an EMT post-graduation before transferring to medical school.

Although EMT training may come with its fair share of overwhelming obstacles, students who complete the training have valuable first-hand trauma and patient care experience. By adding another responsibility on top of attending school full-time, students are helping shape the future of medicine, one life at a time.

SINGING

Student-led a cappella group sings their way toward regional contest

By Ryan Torres Life & Arts Contributor Texas State’s first student-led a cappella group, the Echoes, have worked diligently the last few weeks in preparation for the most important a cappella regional contest of the year.

The Echoes A Cappella, an 18-member group, have practiced together dayin and day-out for their performance

March 9 at the Interscholastic Competition of Collegiate A Cappella in Allen, TX. The competition will host rivaling universities in the region at the Allen Performing Arts Center, 7-10 p.m.

At the ICCA contest, the Echoes plan on throwing back the audience with a cappella renditions of hits from artists like Queen and Pink Floyd. Members have been rehearsing six hours a week to solidify their performance. The top

two winners of ICCA proceed to finals, where the ultimate prize is $20,000 and a recording contract with a music label.

Deja Hall, theater and performance production junior, has practiced singing since age 3. She came to Texas State with a passion to share her voice with an audience. The Echoes A Cappella was a group she had immediate interest in becoming involved in.

“It’s extremely fun but very

challenging,” Hall said. “The thing about this group is that we’re all very close to one another. That plays a big role in how we sound.”

Now, as vice president of the singing group, Hall has dedicated her time to practicing before the contest. Members tend to enjoy being around students who share their same passion for making music.

SEE SINGING PAGE 5

5 | Tuesday, March 5, 2019

The University Star

Diana Furman | Life & Arts Editor

FROM PAGE 4 SINGING Zachary Taylor, business management senior, is a member of the group. He said he believes the amount of practice and responsibility the members have put in is evident in their work.

"Honestly, the biggest motivator for me is showing up to each rehearsal to see a group of people that are ready to work, enjoy what they do, and genuinely

care for one another," Taylor said. "That kind of culture is very hard to imitate."

Students in the Echoes A Cappella group are a mixture of different majors and classifications; there are no restrictions or limits for anyone interested. The group is bound by a creative interest in making music with just vocals, no instruments.

Aliza Sotelo, treasurer, said the group has an important bond.

“We don’t only accept music majors,” Sotelo said. “We’re really trying to give an outlet to those that have any interest in singing.”

As a student-led organization, the Echoes A Cappella have worked their own way to ICCA by teaching

themselves music, finding gigs and creating their own arrangements. The group accepts and appreciates donations on their GoFundMe page.

Tickets to witness the Echoes A Cappella perform in competition can be purchased online at Varsity Vocals.

FESTIVAL

Goodbye Riverfest tradition, hello Gaillardia Fest

By Ivy Sandoval Life & Arts Reporter Texas State’s annual Riverfest is coming to an end after 16 years and is set to be replaced with a brand new festival.

Riverfest has been Texas State's annual spring concert and festival held at Sewell Park to provide students the opportunity to relax by the river and listen to music before finals. However, the traditional concept is now transitioning to a new spring festival hoping to attract a larger audience.

Gaillardia Fest is arranged to last all day April 27, and will be held in Lot B of Bobcat Stadium, where alumni tailgating takes place.

The Student Association for Campus Activities will now be hosting Gaillardia Fest after 16 years of sponsoring Riverfest. The name of the new festival stems from the Gaillardia, the school flower. The organization's primary goal is to promote school spirit.

Destiny McCalla, pride and traditions coordinator for SACA, said Riverfest was fun to host but did not bring in large amounts or diverse groups of students.

The majority of the time, attendees included those who listened to the specific alternative artists performing.

“We just wanted to present this new

event (which would) hopefully attract more of the student body and be more of a representative of the students we have here," McCalla said.

A lot of the details are still in the works, but music will remain a major component of the festival. Student performances will be added. SACA's goal is to make the event take on a more cultural initiative, including various cultural organizations, vendors, food and activities to get people involved rather than just listen to music.

Gaillardia Fest was set to premier in place of Riverfest in 2018, but issues arose with getting approvals from the school and organizations that were going to be a part of the event.

Another initiative being pushed with the new event is creating a more inclusive environment for the San Marcos community as a whole, rather than solely Texas State students. All people are welcome for a small entrance fee.

Some students are disappointed Riverfest no longer exists, but are looking forward to the new change.

Maria Arroyo, finance senior, said she was a bit upset when she heard Riverfest was canceled, but liked the idea of the new event.

“I’ve been to Riverfest the past two years and I was upset when I saw they

Star file photo.

PHOTOS BY SONIA GARCIA

were canceling it, but the fact they’re improving it sounds cool,” Arroyo said.

“It’s pretty nice, especially if they are trying to add more activities and cultural events.”

Amber Olivo, microbiology junior, said she went to Riverfest last year, and is curious about the new festival.

“I personally liked Riverfest and I’m a little sad to know they’re not doing it this spring, but I love that SACA wants to try something new that involves cultural awareness and students performing,"

Oliva said. "That is definitely something I think this campus needs more of."

While the river is no longer an aspect, the event will be a carnival-like setup with a main stage, various vendors and booths set up around the lot. Entry is free for Texas State students.

SACA is currently trying to secure and obtain approval from performers, vendors and all who will be involved.

Details regarding performers, vendors and organizations will be announced March 27.

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OPINIONS

The University Star

Carissa Liz Castillo | Opinions Editor

Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | 6

HAZARD

ILLUSTRATION BY ERIKKA POLK

LBJ Student Center is a safety hazard for students

By Laura Nunez Opinions Columnist The construction taking place at the LBJ Student Center is to be completed

by February 2020. Until then, LBJ has other safety issues that need to be revisited and reevaluated.

Every college has a hub of some sort.

It is a building that hosts the main events of the university and has the most traffic and happenings going on at one time. Unfortunately for Texas State students, our hub is currently under insane construction. This causes extreme inconvenience for students and raises safety concerns.

Texas State decided to care more about its appearance and enhancement than the concerns of their students.

The LBJ Student Center has five levels and—at this point in time—it is an incredibly uncomfortable place to be in.

In fact, according to Jake Rahmann, the Director of LBJ Building Operations, the total amount of students that pass through the student center has dropped more than 30 percent since construction started.

Most students use the building as a

shortcut to the main area of campus from the bus stop located at LBJ. However, students are now completely avoiding the area as much as possible because of the inconvenience of navigating through the building and around the construction.

There is only one entrance that is available to the student body and it’s located on the third floor next to the bus stop. All other doors are only emergency exits, meaning they can’t be used as normal entrances or exits.

Rahmann confirmed that emergency exits were created in preparation for the adjustments that would be made around the building. Yet, the lack of readily accessible exits and entrances currently available is alarming.

The real concern lies in the fact that the building has basically become a giant basement. With little to no windows in the main lobby and the fact there is only one main way to enter and exit the building, it’s a risky place for students who easily feel claustrophobic to be in. Students shouldn’t feel confined in a place they frequent for food, class and events.

The LBJ Student Center is no stranger to evacuations. In late October

of 2017, there were several bomb threats sent to food service employees in LBJ and evacuations had to be made for several hours to ensure everyone's safety. Texas State should be taking these experiences into consideration as they continue to hinder students.

According to Rahmann, there have even been evacuations since construction started. For example, a false alarm evacuation was accidentally caused by a construction worker and his power drill.

Although nothing dangerous occurred, as a result it became clear there is no real evacuation plan made available to the public. The building procedure is for a group of staff members to run around LBJ and guide people to safety, but an actual written plan that students can look towards and use to prepare themselves does not exist.

The first floor of LBJ is the most atrisk location inside the building. Every exit is a designated emergency exit and there are only about four available.

Surely Texas State made sure to stay in proper protocol, but the situation is something students should feel skeptical about.

The LBJ Student Center needs to provide more signs on the first floor to indicate exactly where the exits are located. Attaching small signs on the doors is simply not enough due to the popularity of the area. The building operations staff has provided a brief outline of all the available exits and updates on the construction through their website, yet have hardly made an effort to bring that same awareness inside the actual building itself.

Texas State has every right to look into renovating the campus to capitalize themselves and their appearance.

The problem isn’t the construction; rather, it's the lack of communication the university has with the student body to ensure safety for everyone.

The inconvenience is expected and understandable. However, the safety of the students should be reassured by Texas State and taken into priority.

The LBJ Student Center used to be a core part of campus. It felt like a safe place. Now, all it causes is frustration, paranoia and potential harm to students.

- Laura Nunez is an advertising sophomore

HEALTH

STI/HIV screenings need to be offered for free on campus

By Bayley Bogus Associate Managing Editor In 2016, Testing Tuesdays provided students HIV testing, free of charge.

Every other Tuesday, an organization called PartySafe administered HIV testing to students on campus. This group works as a peer-educated campaign aiming to reduce sexual risks associated with heavy drinking.

If students were unable to attend the testings on any given Tuesday, PartySafe gave out coupons for free HIV tests at the Student Health Center, making screening for STIs and HIV a top priority.

However, in 2017 free HIV testing was issued at a significantly lower rate.

Specifically, it was only available on one day with a time window of two hours. So far, for the years 2018 and the beginning of 2019, there has not been any sign of free testing anywhere.

HIV and STIs are no joke. In Texas there are roughly 82,000 people living with HIV and about 1 in 4 diagnosed people are not obtaining the medical care needed for the virus. Additionally, Texas is on the list for having one of the highest rates of STIs/STDs. Not only is free HIV testing at Texas State apparently obsolete now, each time a student would like to get tested at the Health Center for STIs/ HIV, it requires money out of pocket, sometimes even with insurance.

Students value free things, as well as need them. Once testing for sexual infections, diseases and HIV costs any sort of money, people will stop going and significantly halt checking on themselves. Because the unknown is so dangerous, especially when it comes to

sexual risks, STI/HIV testing should be free on campus.

It is no secret Texas State has a tendency to act cheaply and sweep students’ needs under the rug.

However, this is an issue that cannot be ignored or pushed away, even if Texas is known for its overall conservative views and abstinence-only sex education—if any at all.

Students enter college, especially universities like Texas State, yearning for open-mindedness and sexual awakening. Given the fact that some students may lack knowledge regarding sex or sexual risks before coming to college, having a place on campus to get tested—free of charge—is vital.

Granted, pricing for STI/HIV services is not monumental at the Student Health Center, but no two students come from the same socioeconomic background. It is not fair to say $25 to get tested for chlamydia here or $15 for HIV testing there is cheap, because that is not true for everyone. However, given the costs of the services fall in the lower price range, the fee of each service should just be wiped out completely.

While it is nice students receive a “free” condom packet at their first STI screening, this seems reactive when in reality, proactivity should be the goal.

Condoms and dental dams do not cure infections or diseases, nor do they pay for them.

Additionally, considering a quarter of students attending public schools in Texas do not receive any sex education, comprehension on safe sex may be nonexistent, as is the understanding of what comes inside the packets. So once again, this is a somewhat pathetic

ILLUSTRATION BY VALKYRIE MATA

attempt at aiding students in their sexual health.

What students need is free screenings for STIs/HIV. Often times, people are unaware of an infection they may have due to experiencing little to no symptoms. A large portion of STIs are asymptomatic, and the incredible frequency of sexual illnesses that stay hidden within the body is a factor that makes STIs so common. People will continue in their sexual activity, completely unaware there is anything wrong, and pass their disease to their partner.

This is why regular and habitual screenings are so necessary and should be provided to students for free on campus. Regardless of the fact there

are clinics that administer STI/HIV tests for free or with highly subsidized prices, students coming from lowerincome homes may not have a car or way to access them.

By offering free screenings, students will be encouraged to get tested as often as they need or desire. In fact, people should be tested after every sexual partner and before anyone new to guarantee they are clean and prevent themselves from passing an infection or disease on. Very rarely does this occur, and the main culprits are convenience and money.

- Bayley Bogus is a journalism senior

7 | Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Carissa Liz Castillo | Opinions Editor

The University Star

SEX EDUCATION

College students need more sex education

By Kindalynn Ortega Opinions Columnist Texas State should implement a required sexual education course or training module for incoming students.

It is ideal that students come into their college careers with proper knowledge of sexual health, but school districts fail to educate young teens on the topic. Sex is not an easy topic for families to talk about and many guardians do not feel comfortable having “the talk." As a result, the lack of sex education puts college students at a greater risk of contracting STIs during the most adventurous years of their lives.

Sex education should be enforced at Texas State either through the University Seminar course or online in addition to the alcohol awareness and sexual harassment prevention modules required for incoming students. It would be a great benefit for students because it would make them more cautious during their decision-making in sexual situations.

Being aware of diseases and infections causes young adults to be alert when they are put in circumstances where they are deciding whether they should use protection or let it slide. They will be more likely to think twice.

Also, pregnancy scares are one of the worst things a young adult can experience when they are not ready to carry and/or raise a child. College is a crucial time period in life that a child would greatly interfere with. It would not be impossible to take on, but getting pregnant at a young age can be a difficult experience to get through for some people.

A sex education course could prevent unwanted pregnancies by informing students of all possible methods of contraceptives. Being educated on the benefits and side effects of contraceptives would help students decide which method is best for them if they do decide to use contraceptives.

ILLUSTRATION BY JOSHUA IMAGBE

Memes and posts are tweeted and published daily glorifying unprotected sex. This is troubling because statistics state 1 in 2 sexually active adults will contract an STI by the time they are 25 years old. This is extremely important to keep in mind, especially since the average age most students graduate at is not far from 25.

A required sex-ed course or module should show photographs of STIs and have lists of the symptoms all sexually transmitted diseases and infections have. These sources would serve as reminders of what could occur if precautions aren’t taken. If students were questioning any unfamiliar feelings after a sexual encounter, they could look to what they learned to

help figure out the issue before getting tested if symptoms happen.

Although some STIs do show signs and symptoms, it should also be noted that a few major STIs do not show any. For that reason, the importance of getting tested should be stressed.

The majority of students do not keep up with their sexual health and this puts other students they have sexual encounters with at risk. On February 6, Texas State had free HIV testing for Black History Month, but the number of students that didn't participate or know about this was alarming.

The turnout was very low, and unfortunately this was not a surprise due to Texas State's lack of sexual education.

Students should be taught to get tested if they gain a new partner and aren’t protected or if they have a partner who didn't previously use protection. While sex education mainly focuses on physical health, mental health is also affected during intimate activity and that should not be ignored either.

A sex-ed course would encourage students to prioritize their sexual health. Acknowledging the consequences of not caring about this matter would push students to stay on top of their sexual health.

- Kindalynn Ortega is a psychology freshman

SAFETY

Texas State is lacking in security measures

By Carissa Liz Castillo Opinions Editor With the recent string of crimes in San Marcos, there should be a better safety protocol in place for students.

Within the first two months of 2019, San Marcos has seen two armed robberies near the Texas State campus.

Off campus, a murder-suicide and a drug-related armed robbery turned homicide occurred within two weeks of each other. The Iconic Village fire of July 2018 that killed 5 people was ruled to be intentional and in December 2018, a stabbing incident happened during San Marcos’s Sights and Sounds event.

The crimes happening in San Marcos are not only affecting the reputation of this town, but they also bring into question whether the expansion of Texas State and San Marcos plays a role in the recent string of events. Bobcats are facing a time where Texas State’s ability to keep students safe is heavily questioned. The problem may very well lie within the rapid growth—and consequential over-growth—of San Marcos.

Hays County was recently named the fourth fastest-growing county with a population over 10,000 in the country from 2016-17, and with more people comes more possibility of crime. The bigger a city gets, the more anonymity it has. With this, the likelihood of crimes happening increases exponentially alongside the growing population. In fact, in recent years there has been an uptick in drugrelated crimes in San Marcos and this could be associated with Hays County’s population growth.

Potential students may also be deterred from going to school at Texas

ILLUSTATION BY JADEN EDISON

State, given the frequency of crime that happens and affects students. Texas State’s UPD Campus Watch 2018 reported 2 robberies, 17 burglaries, 4 motor vehicle thefts, 21 assaults and 140 cases of theft in 2017. Of these, all of the robberies, burglaries and motor vehicle thefts occurred on campus alongside 18 of the cases of assaults and 132 of the cases of theft.

This raises the question of how Texas State students are to protect themselves from the numerous robberies, thefts and assaults faced on an almost monthly basis. Students are sent TXState Alerts to warn them of

any dangerous or criminal activity happening on or near campus, but this is a reactionary protocol when there should be a proactive protocol in place.

Texas State is one, if not the main, reason that Hays County and San Marcos are growing so quickly. Since Texas State pours thousands of students into San Marcos every single year, it should strive to put pre-emptive protections in place—both on and off campus.

One way for Texas State to help students is to update and better maintain the safety measures of dorms.

However, Texas State still fails in doing

this as they overbooked freshmen dorms in the fall 2018 semester.

Freshmen are particularly vulnerable because not only is most of their time spent on campus where a lot of the crimes occur, but for some this is the first time they are living away from their caretakers. Most are experiencing San Marcos for the very first time.

Students who couldn’t live in oncampus dorms due to Texas State's overbooking aren’t even granted the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the town or campus. Throwing students who are unfamiliar with the terrain of San Marcos into these situations is reckless and irresponsible of Texas State.

Texas State should also partner with advertised student apartments to increase security measures since student apartments hardly ever regulate their safety protocols on their own. Many complexes advertise having gates at every entrance for added security, but these gates hardly ever work at most places. Student apartments are not as safe as they could be, especially for students who may not be too familiar with San Marcos and the surrounding communities.

While Texas State has no responsibility for students outside of campus or class, it should still strive to protect its students in all situations.

When looking for potential schools to attend after high school, the frequency and number of crimes that Texas State experiences are not promising for prospective students. Texas State offers some solutions in terms of safety, but it is not nearly proactive or sufficient enough.

- Carissa Liz Castillo is an English senior

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SPORTS Baseball falls to Baylor at Shriners College Classic

11 | Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Jakob Rodriguez | Sports Editor

The University Star

ATTENDANCE

Texas State's baseball team traveled to Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas this weekend to take part in the 2019 Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic.

Starting the tournament with victories over the Rice University Owls and University of Houston Cougars, Texas State finished the tournament with a close loss against 12th-ranked Baylor who stole the win with a ninth-inning comeback.

Jaylen Hubbard and Skyler Valentine lead the Bobcat's offense, each turning in three hits, one RBI and one run.

Texas State held Baylor behind from the fourth inning to the ninth inning.

With two outs and two strikes into the final inning, Baylor turned in a lastsecond two-run ninth to take the lead from Texas State for a 5-4 finish.

Texas State will return to the diamond at 6 p.m. Tuesday to face the University of Texas at San Antonio at UTSA. Greek students show their support at the basketball game with flags and signs.

South Alabama triumphs Texas State by a score of 14 The Texas State men’s basketball team fell to South Alabama University by a score of 77-63 on Saturday night at the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Alabama.

Texas State is now 12-5 in Sun Belt Conference play and 23-7 overall.

Senior guard Alex Peacock put up 20 points on the night, followed by Tre Nottingham who scored 16 and Jaylen Shead who scored 10. Peacock also went 3-3 on the line and recorded 6 rebounds.

The hosting Jaguars outshot the Bobcats by more than 18 percent on the night. South Alabama went 10-17 at the three-point line while Texas State slumped at 5-25.

South Alabama improved to 7-9 in SBC play and 14-15 overall. The Bobcats remain a top the Sun Belt Conference at number one followed by Georgia State and Georgia Southern.

Texas State concludes it’s regular season on the road versus UT Arlington at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 9 at College Park Center.

Softball suffers 2-3 record in Houston tournament Texas State’s softball team came away from the 2019 Red and White showcase with a 9-10 record.

Unable to match the University of Houston’s firepower, Texas State ended the three-day tournament with an 8-3 loss on Sunday afternoon at Cougar Softball Stadium.

The Bobcats face No. 24 Baylor University and No. 11 the University of Louisiana Lafayette as they visit San Marcos.

The game against the Bears starts at 6 p.m. March 6 while the series with the Ragin’ Cajuns runs through the weekend starting March 8 also at 6 p.m.

PHOTOS BY KATE CONNORS

Greeks boost basketball game attendance

By Zachary Lopez Sports Reporter Texas State Fraternity and Sorority Life was given a challenge: the Greek organization with the highest overall attendance per council for the final five home men’s basketball games was promised $2,500 per council for use in its philanthropy or organization.

The event was put on by Bobcat Spirit, a programming board of students and staff that helps bring fraternity and sorority life closer to Texas State and its community. The board does this by implementing new and interactive ways to get the Greek community to show its support for Texas State, especially athletic programs.

Bobcat Spirit is serving the Greek community and Texas State student body for the fifth year on campus, Assistant Dean of Students for Fraternity and Sorority Life Bob Dudolski said.

“Bobcat Spirit is a way for both fraternity and sorority members to mix and mingle together,” Dudolski said. “It’s also to make sure they are connected to the greater university.”

The challenge was spurred by an alumnus' donation to the Texas State athletics program. The athletics marketing program then sought to find a creative way to put the funds to use and increase fan participation. Marketing then turned to Dudolski and Texas States' InterFraternity Council.

The Greek attendance challenge helped set record attendance at men's basketball games: 6,581.

Before this season, and before

the University Events Center construction at Strahan Arena took place, the record for single-game attendance at Strahan Coliseum was 5,591, a record held since 1998.

Prior to then, the next two records date back to nearly a decade earlier, spanning back to the ’87 and ’88

"We were excited to come out and check it out. Not just for the prize, but because we knew the whole Greek community would show out for a rowdy time."

-Asher Rogers seasons. This record was held for 21 years until it was broken on the first night of the Greek attendance challenge.

Due to the Greek attendance challenge, Texas State's 14 home game had a total home attendance of 44,772, shattering the previous home attendance record from the 2016-17 season of 37,576.

This season has also reached an

average home attendance of 3,198, another new record for Bobcat basketball. The previous record of average home attendance was 2,286 attendees per game in the 2003-04 season. President of Texas State's Alpha Sigma Phi chapter Asher Rogers said the challenge brought the chapter together for a good cause. ”To be honest, we never really came out to games, all of us together," Rogers said. "We were excited to come out and check it out. Not just for the prize, but because we knew the whole Greek community would show out for a rowdy time. The challenge helped bring all of us out to the games which were always exciting. The energy in the arena is magnifying, it makes you feel as if you're a part of the journey, rooting for the Bobcats.”

Following the last home game for the men's basketball team, Bobcat basketball head coach Danny Kaspar thanked those in attendance and said that they helped contribute to the win over the University of Louisiana Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns.

“You all are a major reason for our successes,” Kaspar said. “My players and I are very appreciative.”

The challenge concluded on the last home game of the season against the Ragin' Cajuns on February 23.

The winners of the Greek attendance challenge are as follows: Multicultural Greek Council - Phi Iota Alpha; National Panhellenic Council - Kappa Alpha Psi; Interfraternity Council - Pi Kappa Phi; Panhellenic Council - Delta Zeta.Zeta.

12 | Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Jakob Rodriguez | Sports Editor

The University Star

BASKETBALL

Toshua Leavitt squares off against a Jaguar defender March 3.

PHOTOS BY JAKOB RODRIGUEZ

Bobcats blow out the Jaguars 82-63

By Colton McWilliams Sports Reporter Following the Bobcats' 82-63 loss Thursday night to the Troy University Trojans, Texas State needed a win against South Alabama in order to stay ahead in a tight race ahead of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.

Behind Toshua Levitt’s 20 points, the Texas State Bobcats would outscore the South Alabama Jaguars 46-18 in the second half on route to a mammoth 7745 victory. To say the Bobcats rebounded from their loss would a massive understatement.

With the victory in hand well into the second half, the Bobcats stayed ahead in the four-team race for a first-round bye in the tournament between Texas State, Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, and South Alabama. Head coach Zenarae Antoine said the team was able to bounce back after a rough game Thursday night.

“Being able to bounce back from (a) game against a really tough team (Troy),” Antoine said. “Knowing that we are facing another tough team (South Alabama) who’s a good scoring team.... our team did a good job defensively.”

The first half was a defensive battle as both teams did not score a field goal until the middle of the period. With a combination of good defense and bad free throw shooting from South Alabama, Texas State held an 18-13 lead by shooting 83 percent from the free throw line.

Starting off the second period, Texas State exploded with an 8-0 run to take a

26-13 lead. In fact, the Jaguars would not score its first points of the second quarter until less than six minutes were left. But South Alabama would advantage from there on, outscoring the Bobcats 14-5 to end the half and cutting into Texas State’s lead, trailing 31-27.

The third quarter turned out to be a tense back-and-forth affair as neither Texas State or South Alabama led more than two points. But with 5:45 left in the third period, Bobcats took advantage of their great defense by responding with a 16-2 run and extending Texas State’s lead to 54-35 to end the third quarter.

The Bobcats kicked the fourth quarter off with 10-0 run and defensively shut down the South Alabama offense. Texas State would finish the quarter outscoring the Jaguars 22-10 on route to the victory.

Senior guard Toshua Levitt said the team's defensive battles were integral to the win.

“We gave them (Troy) a lot of secondchance points,” Levitt said. “But we just knew we had to play better defense and not give people a chance to shoot three’s against zone and man.”

Along with Levitt’s 20 points, which including going 6-9 from the three-point range, Jaeda Reed contributed with a season-high 12 points and eight rebounds as did freshman forward Da’Nasia Hood Forward Zandra Emanuel goes after a rebound following a Jaguar's failed field goal who scored 11 points. attempt March 3. xxxxxand signs.

Texas State faces another tough PHOTOS BY JAKOB RODRIGUEZ challenge next Saturday on Senior Day against UT-Arlington. While Texas State between the two rivals. Antoine said the said. “The Texas State-UTA game is battling for a first-round bye, UTA is game posses huge implications for the across the board has huge implications playing for the Sun Belt regular season team as they head into the postseason. for everyone...this is what March is all title which sets up a massive battle “It’s a huge rivalry game,” Antoine about.”