July 9, 2019

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911 @universitystar | universitystar.com

TUESDAY, JULY 9, 2019

Volume 109, Issue 02

ICONIC VILLAGE: Families find strength one year later

A portrait of Haley Frizzell PHOTO SOURCE FACEBOOK

A portrait of David Ortiz PHOTO SOURCE FACEBOOK

A portrait of James Miranda PHOTO SOURCE FACEBOOK

A portrait of Dru Estes PHOTO SOURCE FACEBOOK

A portrait of Belinda Moats PHOTO SOURCE FACEBOOK

By Sonia Garcia News Editor Five families stood together in prayer at the Westover Baptist Church in San Marcos. Worry and somber veiled them as they prayed over their children they never thought would be gone so young.

A fire broke out July 20, 2018 at the Iconic Village and Vintage Pad apartments. It was a day San Marcos never expected to face, and one that took five innocent lives from the community.

Apartment residents Haley Frizzell, James Miranda, David Ortiz, Dru Estes and Belinda Moats fell asleep July 19, 2018, not knowing it was their last.

Flames consumed Building 500, the location five individuals were recovered. The night of the fire, students jumped from windows and individuals watched their belongings burn from across the street.

More than 200 residents were left displaced by the fire. Zachary Sutterfield, resident, had 70 percent of his body burned.

A year later, Troy and Cheryl Estes, Dru’s parents, are getting ready for a family road trip to Nashville.

Their youngest of five, Dru, was musically driven since he was a kid.

He joined his middle school band and stayed in through college as a bass drum player in the Texas State marching band. He was involved in his church band growing up as well.

Dru's parents said his 10-year plan involved opening a coffee shop in Washington where people could go play music.

The day before the fire, Dru unexpectedly drove to his San Antonio family home. Dru and his parents discussed a Tennessee trip for his 21st birthday a year in advance.

He hugged his parents and exchanged “I love you” before leaving. Cheryl said it was the last goodbye she knows God had given her and her husband.

Dru, a guitarist, singer and songwriter, acted as the last puzzle piece that completed the band, according to his bandmates. The band was called “Apt 216,” and was

comprised of himself and roommates from Iconic Village.

Each of Dru's roommates had been staying elsewhere at the time of the fire. The night before, Dru texted his girlfriend until he dozed off to sleep.

His parents, Troy and Cheryl Estes, believe he peacefully died in his sleep. His death certificate rules his death a homicide by thermal injuries and smoke inhalation.

“When he hadn’t called us (after the fire), I knew he was dead,” Cheryl said. “I feel like it happened yesterday; day 20 of every month is very hard and I relive that day over and over. (My husband and I) are not the people we were before.

You’re not supposed to bury your children. He was an angel the whole time and God just took him back.”

Troy and Cheryl are left with coffee cups and a binder of drum music, only items salvaged from Dru's apartment. The fire chief sent the music to be preserved.

The parents and other fire victims spent time in Westover Baptist Church praying and receiving counseling the week of the fire.

Days after the incident, the church provided breakfast, lunch and dinner to victims and families.

Pastor Jeff Latham, San Marcos chaplain, did not hesitate to open the church when he received a call from the San Marcos fire marshal about the fire displacing 200 individuals.

Latham did what he felt was right in allowing the church to serve as a safe haven.

Since the morning of the fire, Latham has had the names of the five victims written on the side of his desk. He prays for them every day.

“My heart still continues to go out to those families on a daily basis, and I pray for them every day,” Latham said. “We offered them not just our church and building, but our hand, relationship and friendship for many years to come. We are still praying and want to see some justice come from knowing who set the fire at Iconic Village.”

Latham was there for families impacted by the fire through the painstaking time of waiting for their

loved ones to be identified. He was one of the few to gently tell parents about their loss.

One of the victim's family members who drove seven hours after hearing about the fire was James Madison’s closest sister, Jessica Marlow. She relentlessly called him after he did not answer his phone July 20 last year.

Marlow said her husband, kids and two younger brothers immediately got in the car from Mount Pleasant, Texas and drove to San Marcos. The rest of the family flew there.

As Marlow’s mother told the family the fire marshal had said it was no longer a rescue mission but body recovery, Marlow said she felt a loss of breath and heaviness in her heart. “(I thought) this couldn’t be real; this couldn’t be the way it ended,” Marlow said. “Some days are easier than others.”

Madison’s family was left with none of his possessions following the flames. Marlow’s family had planned to visit Madison in August of last year. In his memory, the whole family will be floating the San Marcos River July 20 this year.

“Who started the fire?” is a question that, one year later, no one has a clear answer to. The fire was ruled as arson on November 2019.

Latham said the community has better prepared for a tragic event.

Church members have received a certification of emergency response for Hays County. There are now north, south, east and west churches in San Marcos that will assist the community in times of need. “(The church is) planning on being here if our community needs us again; we’ll do it again,” Latham said. “We’re like the first responder of churches.”

As Iconic Village rebuilds, it will be constructing a memorial for victims of the fire. Student Government has called for a memorial on campus for the victims as well.

San Marcos stands with the families of the victims in their loss. There is discussion between the fire chief and Latham about a commemoration event on the anniversary of the fire.

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

2 | Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Sonia Garcia | News Editor

The University Star

COMMON EXPERIENCE

Editors Editor-in-Chief: Jakob Rodriguez, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor: Bayley Bogus, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu News Editor: Sonia Garcia, starnews@txstate.edu Life & Arts Editor: Laura Figi, starlifeandarts@txstate.edu Opinions Editor: Jordan Drake, staropinion@txstate.edu Sports Editor: Claire Partain, starsports@txstate.edu Design Editor: Molly Gonzales, stardesign@txstate.edu Multimedia Editor: Jaden Edison, starmultimedia@txstate.edu Engagement Editor: Isabella Lopes, starsengagement@txstate.edu

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About Us History: The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University and is published every Tuesday of the spring and fall and once a month in the summer semesters.

It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 5,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels HeraldZeitung.

Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, April 30, 2019.

All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor-in-chief.

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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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Kaela Molina passes incoming freshman Paige Rutherford the 2019-20 Common Experience book, "What the Eyes Don't See", by Mona Hanna-Attisha June 24 at New Student Orientation.

PHOTO BY JADEN EDISON

Common Experience implements new theme: Truth

By Jacqueline Ziebis News Reporter The City of San Marcos and Texas State have partnered to create a donation program, Bobcats Give Back, in an effort to reduce landfill waste.

Bobcats Give Back is a sustainability program created to alleviate large amounts of trash that accumulates during summer move-out season.

Students and San Marcos residents are encouraged to donate items like nonperishable foods, pet supplies, hygiene products, clothing, small appliances and furniture. Trash, damaged furniture and mattresses will not be accepted.

The program will run July 8 to Aug. 9 at participating apartment complexes: River Oaks Villas, Cabana Beach, Treehouse, Copper Beach, Uptown Square, Elevation on Post, Savanah Club, University Club, Vie Lofts, Grove San Marcos, Westfield, Hillside Ranch and Iconic Village.

Shaianne Rubin is a leasing agent at Westfield Apartments. Rubin said Bobcats Give Back is a program that provides residents the opportunity to pay it forward in donations.

“It’s important for residents to have an opportunity to donate,” Rubin said.

“There are people in need and this is a chance for us to give instead of throwing

things away.”

There will be opportunities for residents to donate at the designated resident drop-off site located on Craddock Avenue between Senora and Sagewood Trail. These drop-off events will take place July 12-13, July 19-20 and July 26-27 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

All donated items will be collected by the City of San Marcos and get distributed to local organizations such as Goodwill, Green Guy Recycling and the San Marcos Animal Shelter.

Laura Ishibashi is the administrative services manager for Green Guy Recycling. Ishibashi said the recycling service will accept damaged and recyclable items.

Green Guy Recycling is a local dropoff center that accepts paper, plastic and aluminum foil. The center re-sells materials such as metal tubing, fire extinguishers and hardware.

Ishibashi said it is important for students to donate items that have the potential to be reused.

“If we can get more life out of something, then we’re helping reduce the environmental impact,” Ishibashi said. “It’s good to reuse and if that’s not an option, it’s better to recycle than to have material sit in landfills.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, landfills emit a gas

composed of 50% methane and 50% carbon dioxide. The EPA states methane is a greenhouse gas trapping heat 28 to 36 times more than carbon dioxide. In the United States, trash landfills are the third largest source of human-related methane emissions.

Last year, Bobcats Give Back did a pilot launch with four apartment complexes.

Amy Kirwin, community enhancement initiative manager of San Marcos, said the program collected 107 pounds of non-perishable food as well as 40 bags of clothing and small appliances during the pilot launch.

Kirwin said Bobcats Give Back benefits local non-profit organizations by providing them with materials that help accomplish their mission. Kirwin said this program is an opportunity for Texas State students to give back to their community.

“I’ve lived in San Marcos for 26 years and when Bobcats are able to do good, it gives the community a nice feel-good feeling,” Kirwin said.

Bobcats Give Back is a program that benefits the community and the environment. Recycling and donating unwanted items is an efficient way students can help reduce waste.

For more information on Bobcats Give Back visit www.sanmarcostx.gov/ bobcatsgiveback or call 512-393-8407.

PIPELINE

Permian Highway Pipeline lawsuit gets dismissed

By Christopher Green News Reporter After several weeks of deliberation, Judge Lora Livingston of the 261st District Court in Travis County dismissed a lawsuit against Kinder Morgan Inc., brought on by several landowners along with Hays County and the City of Kyle.

According to Livingston’s letter to counsel, the suit was filed on behalf of the plaintiffs who claimed the defendants acted unconstitutionally. The system granting the power of eminent domain over gas utilities lacks constitutionally as mandated safeguards for a private delegation authority and provides an insufficient due course of law.

Livingston wrote, “the court recognizes the important interests at stake for both sides of this dispute. Plaintiffs are facing an unwanted invasion onto their property with fears of explosions and other potentially dangerous condition."

The Pipeline Defendants point to their $2 billion investment and the public’s much-needed increase for accessible natural gas from the Permian Basin.

However, the court must be conscious of its role to apply the law and not dictate

the policy of the state.

Representatives of Kinder Morgan had previously asked the lawsuit to be dismissed, stating it was up to the state legislature to decide if there was a violation by the entities and not the courts.

The court granted the pipeline defendants motion for summary judgment – rendering in favor of the pipeline defendants.

Kinder Morgan Inc., an energy infrastructure company, plans to develop the gas pipeline to transport up to 2.1 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas. The project has been deemed the Permian Highway Pipeline.

According to Kinder Morgan Inc., the development of the pipeline aims to increase natural gas production from West Texas to growing market areas along the Texas Gulf Coast.

According to Kinder Morgan, the project has an estimated cost of approximately $2 billion and is expected to be in service late 2020. It will generate $42 million of increased annual revenue to applicable state and local taxing bodies.

After the final decision was reached

regarding Judge Livingston’s favor, the president of Kinder Morgan, Tom Martin, released a statement where he expressed his support of the decision.

“The court’s finding validates the process established in Texas for the development of natural gas utility projects, as well as the steps we have taken to comply with that process,” Martin said in the statement.

Some of the parties involved with the lawsuit feel the process of appeals and opposing the Permian Highway Pipeline is not over. The Texas Real Estate Advocacy and Defense Coalition, a landowner rights group that paid the legal fees for the lawsuit, issued a statement saying the group respects the judge's ruling but disagrees.

"We continue to believe the Texas constitution does not allow for the delegation of this awesome power to a private company without oversight," the coalition stated. "This issue should be heard by an appellate court. We are weighing our options for an appeal and planning additional legal actions in other venues to challenge this severely problematic route."

LIFE & ARTS

3 | Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Laura Figi | Life & Arts Editor

The University Star

WASTE MANAGMENT

PHOTO COURTESY GREEN GUY RECYCLING

City of San Marcos launches program to reduce residential move-out waste

By Brianna Benitez Life & Arts Reporter The City of San Marcos and Texas State have partnered to create a donation program, Bobcats Give Back, in an effort to reduce landfill waste.

Bobcats Give Back is a sustainability program created to alleviate large amounts of trash that accumulates during summer move-out season.

Students and San Marcos residents are encouraged to donate items like nonperishable foods, pet supplies, hygiene products, clothing, small appliances and furniture. Trash, damaged furniture and mattresses will not be accepted.

The program will run July 8 to Aug. 9 at participating apartment complexes: River Oaks Villas, Cabana Beach, Treehouse, Copper Beach, Uptown Square, Elevation on Post, Savanah Club, University Club, Vie Lofts, Grove San Marcos, Westfield, Hillside Ranch and Iconic Village.

Shaianne Rubin is a leasing agent

at Westfield Apartments. Rubin said Bobcats Give Back is a program that provides residents the opportunity to pay it forward in donations.

“It’s important for residents to have an opportunity to donate,” Rubin said.

“There are people in need and this is a chance for us to give instead of throwing things away.”

There will be opportunities for residents to donate at the designated resident drop-off site located on Craddock Avenue between Senora and Sagewood Trail. These drop-off events will take place July 12-13, July 19-20 and July 26-27 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

All donated items will be collected by the City of San Marcos and get distributed to local organizations such as Goodwill, Green Guy Recycling and the San Marcos Animal Shelter.

Laura Ishibashi is the administrative services manager for Green Guy Recycling. Ishibashi said the recycling service will accept damaged and recyclable items.

Green Guy Recycling is a local dropoff center that accepts paper, plastic and aluminum foil. The center re-sells materials such as metal tubing, fire extinguishers and hardware.

Ishibashi said it is important for students to donate items that have the potential to be reused.

“If we can get more life out of something, then we’re helping reduce the environmental impact,” Ishibashi said. “It’s good to reuse and if that’s not an option, it’s better to recycle than to have material sit in landfills.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, landfills emit a gas composed of 50% methane and 50% carbon dioxide. The EPA states methane is a greenhouse gas trapping heat 28 to 36 times more than carbon dioxide. In the United States, trash landfills are the third largest source of human-related methane emissions.

Last year, Bobcats Give Back did a pilot launch with four apartment complexes.

Amy Kirwin, community

enhancement initiative manager of San Marcos, said the program collected 107 pounds of non-perishable food as well as 40 bags of clothing and small appliances during the pilot launch.

Kirwin said Bobcats Give Back benefits local non-profit organizations by providing them with materials that help accomplish their mission. Kirwin said this program is an opportunity for Texas State students to give back to their community.

“I’ve lived in San Marcos for 26 years and when Bobcats are able to do good, it gives the community a nice feel-good feeling,” Kirwin said.

Bobcats Give Back is a program that benefits the community and the environment. Recycling and donating unwanted items is an efficient way students can help reduce waste.

For more information on Bobcats Give Back visit www.sanmarcostx.gov/ bobcatsgiveback or call 512-393-8407.

STUDENT ORGANIZATION

PRIDE MONTH

Student organization grows a passion for plants one seed at a time

Industry hosts closeout to Pride Month

By Brianna Benitez Life & Arts Reporter The Plant Biology Society is an up-and-coming organization dedicated to helping maintain local greeneries and spread the importance of sustainability through volunteer work.

The organization started January 2018 after several students from Sunethra Dharmasiri’s botany class were encouraged to start an organization emphasizing the importance of plant life.

At the time, the group started off with only 10 members and no place to hold meetings. As time progressed, the organization blossomed in size with now 30 members and a meeting room in the Supple Greenhouse.

Ryan Council, wildlife biology senior, is historian for the Plant Biology Society and has been a member since it first started.

Council said the organization’s purpose is to educate students on plants in interesting ways. He said being a part of the group is an opportunity for students to connect with the San Marcos community through volunteer work.

“We’ve been able to see different plants grow throughout the seasons, which is important because we get to know our community,” Council said.

Once a month, the organization volunteers with the City of San Marcos in maintaining Sessom Natural Area by removing invasive seedlings and constructing contour terracing for the park.

Additionally, the Plant Biology Society volunteers with the San Marcos Green Belt Alliance by maintaining local trails and areas like Purgatory Creek.

Council said being a member of The Plant Biology Society has granted him the opportunity to connect with other individuals who share the same interests as him.

“Being able to get to know different people and what drives their interest about plants has opened my mind about the great diversity that comes with the passion of caring for plants,” Council said.

MacKenzie Pollock, wildlife biology senior, is the president of The Plant Biology Society and has been a part of the organization since it started.

Pollock said being a member of the organization has helped others interested in plant-related research connect and network with professors.

“Being a member of the society really helps members get in contact with professors," Pollock said. "Students are able to find positions in undergraduate lab research and get

By Ivy Sandoval Life & Arts Reporter

Members of The Plant Biology Society potting plants.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MACKENZIE POLLOCK references that will allow us to propel in our careers.”

Christian Rodriguez, wildlife biology junior, will serve as vice president for the organization during the 2019-2020 school year.

Rodriguez said The Plant Biology Society allows students to take advantage of the university's resources, like the greenhouse.

"Before we started, our greenhouse wasn't really being used by anyone," Rodriguez said. "I think it's important students use every research resource we can."

The Plant Biology Society provides important information about how to care for plants as a hobby, as well as how individuals can protect their environment.

Pollock said she hopes the organization helps educate people on the importance of plants and how they impact the ecosystem.

“Helping the environment all starts with plants,” Pollock said. “It starts with knowing our native plants and educating people about them and what they can do to help.”

For the upcoming school year, Pollock said the organization will continue their monthly volunteer work. Additionally, the organization will participate in Potted Plant Sales, an opportunity where members raise money by selling plants on The Quad. For dates and times for upcoming events, visit the Plant Biology Society website.

General meetings for the organization are held every other Wednesday. Pollock said the organization will have its first meeting Sept. 4 for the fall 2019 school year.

The Plant Biology Society members encourage Texas State students to join. Dues are $10 per semester and anyone is welcome any time throughout the school year.

For more information on The Plant Biology Society, visit them @txstplantbiosoc on Twitter and @txstate_plantbiosociety on Instagram.

The first month of summer has come to a close along with Pride Month. June is christened as Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall Riots, a series of demonstrations by members of the LGBTQ+ community in New York City that occurred throughout the month of June in 1969. The month gives LGBTQ+ members and allies space and freedom to express themselves via events and parades, as well as displaying the impact members of the LGBTQ+ have had.

To celebrate the ending of June, Industry, a local restaurant and bar, hosted a Pride Party with a live DJ and drag show featuring Cynthia Lee Fontaine from RuPaul's Drag Race, as well as San Marcos local Mars and San Antonio native Chyna Cravens.

With a fairly high amount of promotion on social media, fliers around town and on campus, as well as excitement of the staff, the turnout was pretty large considering the restaurant is relatively new to San Marcos.

Harlan Scott, staff member at Industry, said the event was really fun, successful and hopes for an even bigger audience next year.

“We had just enough people to create great energy,” Scott said. “I’d expect three times as many next time, honestly.

Next year, we'd like to sponsor a charity since we can predict turnout a little better.”

Scott enjoyed the fact people were seemingly having a great time and relished in the idea Industry was a safe place for individuals to be themselves.

“People had a great time,” Scott said. “This event wasn’t really something we were trying to make money from. It was more important the community knows there is one more place where everyone can be themselves.”

The environment is a “treat you like family” vibe and with its one rule to be nice, Industry was the perfect place to throw a fun and welcoming show to close out Pride Month.

Giovan Lugo, theatre senior and drag queen, said he really loved the show and getting the opportunity to meet other drag queens.

“It was really fun and we got to meet Cynthia from RuPaul's Drag Race, which was really cool,” Lugo said. “I think it’s great Industry put the show on and created a safe space for everyone. Everyone had fun and was really supportive.”

Sandra Vasquez, attendee at the Pride Party, said she enjoyed her time at the event and was happy she went. She often tries her best to attend Pride events and show her support.

“Although I am not a part of the LGBTQ+ community, I know it’s sadly still the case people are not supported by the ones close to them, or even the world, so I like to go just to tell everyone they are loved and supported," Vasquez said.

Industry is open every day 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. with happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. on 110 E Martin Luther King Dr.

The University Star

Laura Figi | Life & Arts Editor

Tuesday, July 9, 2019 | 4

RESEARCH

Professor begins research to address "farmer suicide crisis"

By Kyle Chitwood Life & Arts Contributor A new study is taking a novel approach in developing mental health support systems in farming and rural communities to address the “farmer suicide crisis.”

Associate professor in the School of Social Work at Texas State Erica Nason and her co-investigator, Abby Blankenship, assistant professor in the School of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, are beginning research to better understand an increase in farmer suicide rates.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a 2016 study ranking farmers with the highest occupational suicide rate, according to the National Farmers Union. The CDC retracted the research in June 2018 due to coding errors, but Nason said the statistic is still a good estimate and the issue has gained attention.

“The National Farmers Union has come out and made a statement about needing research and innovation in

this area,” Nason said. “The House of Representatives and the Senate have both put forth bills looking to address stress in agricultural workers.” can we link to more info on these bills?

Though society is starting to recognize farmer suicide as a problem, Nason said there is not much research on best practices to address the issue in the community. There is not a known cause for the alarming rates yet.

“We saw a need and opportunity and decided to put together a project as a first step,” Nason said.

Blankenship said with the lack of information in this area, there is clearly a need for research. Researchers and clinicians are working to address those needs.

“I think what’s most exciting about (this project) is that no one has really done something like this yet,” Blankenship said.

The research, set to start fall 2019, will begin by preparing senior level agriculture students with a foundational knowledge of mental health. Participants will go through various mental health trainings throughout their semester,

Spider-Man: Far From Home

By Caleb Watkins Life & Arts Contributor After the events of Endgame, Peter Parker goes on vacation to Europe and must save the world from new threats.

Being the Spider-Man fan I am, I was really hoping "Spider-Man: Far From Home" would end the streak of subpar Spider-Man movies before it's time, not including the three Sam Raimi movies with Tobey Macguire.

Yes, I enjoyed "Spider-Man 3" but no, I did not like the "Amazing SpiderMan" movies with Andrew Garfield.

"Spider-Man: Far From Home" takes place after the massive blockbuster movie Endgame and is the seal on the entire Infinity Saga. The film is intended to cap off everything that happened since the first "Iron Man." Those are some big shoes to fill.

However, I do not feel this movie nailed the ending for the past 22 Marvel movies, but it did a fine job of serving as a regular ol' Spider-Man movie.

Tom Holland does an exceptional job playing Peter Parker and an even better Spider-Man. I was not sold on his first stand-alone movie in "Spider-Man: Homecoming," but he definitely upped his game in this most recent film.

Holland's character had amazing chemistry with Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), given this was the first time the two have worked together. I was not entirely sold on his relationship with Mary Jane (Zendaya) due to a lack of appeal, but it didn't ruin the movie.

Characters like Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson), Happy (Jon Favreau) and

even Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) all did a fantastic job as a supporting cast but sometimes made the movie feel a little crowded.

Finally, the action scenes hit the mark, which is something past SpiderMan movies lacked. While the action was awesome to watch, it bothered me how the emotional weight of seemingly every Marvel movie is ruined by a joke.

The thing I loved about the Raimi Spider-Man movies was, while they were fun and light-hearted, the films still carried a fair amount of emotional weight.

Viewers were sucked into the characters and when one was in danger, they mirrored that fear. As far as "Spider-Man: Far From Home" goes, it lacked character relatability. In fact, I cannot remember feeling any weight or connection while watching. I never felt as if Peter Parker was in danger, nor did I feel any connection between MJ and Parker. The stakes were just not high enough for this to be the cap to the last nearly two dozen Marvel movies.

With that being said, the jokes were hilarious even though misplaced at times and the action was incredible.

The visuals and cinematography were amazing, as was the way a post-Endgame world was handled. This Spider-Man movie is up there as one of my favorites, but it did not break top three. Stay for the two after-credit scenes, as they are highly important and essentially change the entire ending of the movie.

I give "Spider-Man: Far From Home" 8/10.

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including webinars to build a base of knowledge, being introduced to webbased mobile apps for better wellness and delivering an outreach based on what they learned.

Students will then be followed into the first six months of their career and assessed on mental health stigma, their own experiences of mental health and if they are using mental health skills.

Nason and Blankenship look to have roughly 300 participants over the course of five years.

Elizabeth Benevides, assistant professor in the department of agriculture at Texas State, said this research will give farmers and ranchers tools to mitigate the problems they are facing and start a new conversation regarding mental health.

“I would want (this research) to help change the narrative on how farmers and ranchers approach mental health,” Benevides said.

With farmers typically living in isolated communities, Blankenship said the biggest impact she hopes the research provide is suicide prevention for someone who may not have had help otherwise.

“This intervention in the community needs to begin with the community,” Blankenship said. this quote is a little bare, is there more of it to add?

Nason said this research could potentially have a broader impact, but right now she is striving to learn what is happening in farming communities, whether this a viable model of approach and if providing this level of education will impact someone's mental health.

“I think it does have potential to impact the workforce in some ways,” Nason said. “This model could be used for other occupations that tend to be very stressful.”

Agriculture students interested in participating in the study can contact Nason and Blankenship by email at projectgrowtx@gmail.com or by phone at 512-553-1695.

Nason and Blankenship’s work is supported by the Educational Literacy Initiative’s Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates grant program from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Midsommar

By Caleb Watkins Life & Arts Contributor A wild two-and-a-half hour ride of pure terror as you follow a group of friends visiting a cult in the middle of nowhere.

Ari Aster is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers and directors.

If you have not seen his first movie "Hereditary," I highly recommend watching it. Aster keeps his style going in "Midsommar" and runs with it throughout the movie.

In "Hereditary," the third act that wrapped up the movie was mindblowing, but to be specific, the last ten minutes made viewers either love or hate it. Midsommar is that last ten minutes, but stretched out for twoand-a-half hours.

A group of friends, stranded in the middle of nowhere consist of the typical dynamic: a smart one, a dumb and funny one, a boyfriend and a girlfriend who think they are fine, but the audience knows they are not. "Midsommar" is great because the audience believes they are in the setting with the rest of the characters.

While I understand the perception of this movie may be better if it was shortened by 30 minutes, I loved the length of the film and did not want it to end.

Aster does an amazing job pulling viewers into the crazy community the main characters are stranded in and making the audience want to learn more about the culture. I never thought the plot slowed because I

was invested throughout the movie.

Audiences have to be on the lookout for any hints or clues Aster provides throughout the movie because everything comes together in the end. While I do not think the storyline was as good as "Hereditary," I believe this puzzle of a movie fit together well. If someone likes horror movies packed with jump scares and fast-paced action, then this movie isn’t for them, as it is a slow burning and unsettling artsy-type of horror.

"Midsommar" is a film someone has to go back and see to catch the little things missed the first time around. The movie juggles a lot of subplots and can sometimes get a little too messy and take away from the actual story. The horror aspect is great and the acting is on par. The world Aster built makes viewers feel like they are losing their minds alongside the rest of the characters in the movie.

Although "Midsommar" was not on the same level as "Hereditary," it definitely leaves its mark. Aster is an up-and-coming horror mastermind everyone should look out for. He's no Stanley Kubrick, but his style is very Kubrick-esque.

Aster masters horror and his take on the genre is a breath of fresh air.

His horror will make viewers think about what they just saw and feel uneasy as they leave the theater.

"Midsommar" has the ability to creeped audiences out and lose their minds for a long and interesting time. For that, I give the film 8.5/10.

OPINIONS

5 | Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Jordan Drake | Opinions Editor

The University Star

COLLEGE TUITION

Free college for all is a bad idea

By Jordan Drake Opinions Editor Many of the 2020 Democratic candidates are running on very similar platforms. Free college tuition has become a reoccurring theme nearly every candidate has touched on, but it would be a tremendous mistake to implement this policy. While never having to be in debt after college would be nice, the cost would not outweigh the benefit, ultimately hurting society as a whole.

A major issue resides in the high cost of taxes associated with a free college program. Estimates of the program costs could range anywhere from 47 billion to a trillion dollars. While politicians like Bernie Sanders swear up and down the average middle-class American will not pay a dime, the reality is this demographic of people will more than likely shoulder the brunt of the burden.

Education is paid for by property taxes in most places, and when other tax plans fail to cover another spiraling government program, it will likely fall on the average everyday American, many of whom never got the chance to attend college to cover this burden. Not only is this a fairness issue, but less money in consumer’s pockets leads to a slowdown in economic growth, resulting in hurting more people than free tuition can help.

Additionally, free tuition programs lead to the devaluation of degrees. This has already occurred to the bachelor’s degree, which is now a baseline qualification for most non-trade jobs.

The simple fact is the more people that get degrees lead to the less unique they become, leading people to compete with a significantly larger pool of individuals for the same positions. There are only so many professional jobs to go around.

Not everyone can be doctors, lawyers or even mid-level management. Free college tuition would teach everyone they need to achieve such jobs to be successful.

Not only will people inevitably fail to reach these goals, but it can drive wage stagnation in such positions.

ILLUSTRATION BY JADEN EDISON

Companies can justify lower wages if there are high numbers of individuals competing for limited positions. This pushes people out of vital trade jobs that are absolutely necessary for growth.

Similar licensing and training programs are underutilized and this discrepancy will only continue to grow.

Additionally, the reduction of quality at universities will deplete. For example, Germany has a robust free college system, but many of their schools fall behind. These free schools have next to no amenities and very limited oncampus housing, forcing many students to move into pricier apartments off

ON-CAMPUS DINING

New on-campus dining changes should not be implemented With the upcoming dining changes for the 2019-2020 school year, students may feel it is an outrage that policies are changing so drastically.

A majority of issues come with the changes regarding the ability to swipe others using via meal swipes, as it has become common on campus for students to exchange swipes amongst one another. But important aspects of the new meal plans are being ignored, specifically the rights that are given up in order to make these “positive” changes.

Every student living on campus is required to purchase a meal plan for every semester they reside on campus.

Meal plans vary from $1,295 for 120 swipes per semester all the way to $2,055 for unlimited meal swipes, although “unlimited” is restricted to twice a day usage versus lower plans, which allow someone to eat either once a day, or 1-3 times a week.

Limitations can be extremely problematic, given incoming students may not know exactly how many swipes they will need as a freshman or which plan will best fit their needs. This leads to leftover swipes that end up a waste of money for first semester students.

A solution to this dilemma is enacting “rollovers” students can use in for the coming semester.

These rollover swipes cannot be used unless another meal plan is purchased for the following semester. Additionally, the rollovers can only be used after having exhausted the second meal plan swipes. Students should not be restricted from using already purchased meal swipes unless they choose to pay for more. A poll taken showed the majority of students had anywhere from 50-100 swipes left at the end of a given semester.

It seems students might never even be able to use all of the swipes they pay for.

With each swipe an equivalent to $6 or more, money can add up fast, costing anywhere between $300 to 600 worth of food that might never get used. Instead of this waste, students should have the opportunity to swipe friends or anyone they choose, for food so someone will

ILLUSTRATION BY JADEN EDISON get to eat regardless.

Campus dining officials noticed the trend of individuals swiping for one other and felt it the swipe policy was being abused. They cracked down on this practice so now Texas State is trying to keep the extra money for themselves and dictate what students should spend their money on.

In addition to the sky-high cost of tuition, students will now pay extra for the food they may not even eat and lack control of who gets to eat what they pay for.

The dining options available to students are facing more restriction as well. Students preferring to eat at Chick-Fil-A, Panda Express, Papa Johns or other chains can now eat at these locations using a “meal equivalency,” meaning they can spend up to the $6 only. If students wish to use swipes instead of meal equivalency, they are tightly limited to eating at Commons or Harris dining halls.

If nothing else, there needs to be a system for leftover swipes so the money spent is not completely wasted. At the bare minimum, students should be allowed to share their meal plan with whoever they choose, as some students are in financial need and an extra swipe can be a lifesaver.

This needless cash grab by the university should not sit well with students. Individuals should have the right to swipe when they want, who they want and buy what they want. This policy change has been for the worse and needs severe alteration before implementation.

- Haley Schmidt is an English junior

campus, leading into the making of these apartments more expensive and overpriced.

Professors are generally underpaid across the German system and class sizes routinely top over 1,000 people stuffed into Cold War-era classrooms. Many colleges in the U.S. are far nicer but students and their parents pay more to live with these luxuries. A good portion of colleges in the U.S. have realized in order to convince students to attend their institutions, they need to be able to offer these extra amenities. With free college, it becomes uncertain how much of the current system can remain.

Texas State has already dealt with overcrowding issues. The constant construction to stay ahead, the systemic problems with buses and parking and the ever-growing class sizes would only be exacerbated with a free college system.

No doubt education is a right, but for those unable to afford college, there are countless programs to aid students. Free college is still extra money out-of-pocket and out of reach for lower-income families; this ends up being a subsidy for the generally wealthier class. As nice as free tuition is in theory, do not take the short cut and get out of loans, as this will just to hurt others in the long run.

The University Star

Jordan Drake | Opinions Editor

Tuesday, July 9, 2019 | 6

RECREATION

Students should have year-round access to rec center

By Bayley Bogus Managing Editor Students can pay upwards of thousands of dollars a semester without accounting for rent, food and other miscellaneous expenses. Life is not as cheap as it once was for previous generations. Student loan debt is accelerating so fast it has become a burden on the U.S. economy, with the average student loan debt sitting at approximately $37,000.

Financial insecurity is directly linked to stress and anxiety which, in turn, may lead to weight gain. Once the average student gets to college, their physical activity hits a decline, as do their eating habits. A new study has found over 70 percent of college students gain weight and body fat by graduation, fueled by late night snacking, fattening dorm meals and decrease of exercise. For Texas State students, visiting the beautiful, renovated and easily accessible gym may be the only way to combat that statistic.

Texas State has a great recreation center catering to any and all students wanting to use it; the facility offers group fitness, basketball and volleyball courts, a weight room, indoor track, a rock climbing center and a ton more. Students do not need to think twice about using the rec center, as the cost is already bundled within tuition. Oftentimes, during a typical academic school year, students who are regular gym-goers may take it for granted, especially during the summer time when — if students are not taking

summer classes — it is only open to the select few.

This is the part most students are probably unaware of unless they have experienced it firsthand. When paying tuition and all categories grouped within the total bill, the rec center accounts for approximately $100. Students essentially pay for all aspects of Texas State to function properly, regardless if they use everything they pay for. The rec center is crucial for those who consistently use it, as it functions as an outlet or hobby.

However, for students currently enrolled at Texas State but not taking summer classes, their time at the gym becomes discontinued unless they choose to pay extra. To visit the rec center during summer hours, students can pay $6 for a daily pass or about $95 for the whole summer. Granted, these prices are not horrible, but more expensive than affordable gyms like Planet Fitness, Gold's Gym or Fitness Connection, which offer similar amenities in comparison.

The issue is, as long as a someone still attends Texas State and has not yet graduated, they should be allowed to hit the gym whenever they please. Students pay for this amenity every semester of attendance and that fee should apply as long as they're enrolled.

A good chunk of the university's demographic cannot or does not want to spend extra money on hitting the gym they have grown so fond of or dependent on. It's an unnecessary hassle, leading

ILLUSTRATION BY JADEN EDISON

students to more sedentary lifestyles come summer or being forced to exercise outside, which no one loves doing in the Texas heat. Plus, it can be extremely dangerous.

Additionally, a good workout serves as an emotional outlet or stress reliever for a lot of people. It may be a portion of someone's day or week where they can forget their worries and just concentrate on movement. Overall, consistent exercise of some kind increases overall health and sense of well-being. It pumps up endorphins, works as meditation in

motion and improves moods.

However, this is not about why exercise and working out is beneficial, but how students should be able to take part in these activities as often they like without worrying about extra fees. It should not matter whether a student is taking summer classes or not; as long as they are considered a current student at Texas State, all someone should have to do is swipe their Bobcat card to use its facilities.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Students need to take part in dialogue about climate change

By Naomi Wick Opinions Columnist With the summer rolling quickly past and heading into the fall semester, Texas State students will be relishing their hometowns and spending time with family and friends for only a few more weeks before moving back to San Marcos.

While this time is understandably needed for rest and serves as a much-deserved break from academics and busy summer festivities, it’s a crucial period for college students to have conversations with their families on tough subjects.

To put it plainly, grandparents will die. Parents will one day die. The older generations did not benefit from the plethora of easily available and accessible knowledge during their formative years

that current Bobcats have now. The number of research projects completed and scientific papers published in the past decade is high, and both Baby Boomers and Generation Xers are largely misinformed on the magnitude of climate change.

The industrial revolution sparked a massive, unprecedented increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.

This change is causing warming oceans, shrinking ice sheets, sea level rise and extreme atmospheric events the Earth is unable to cope with naturally.

Though these are well documented scientific facts and occurrences, parents and older family members of students refuse to acknowledge the reality of climate change. Without first accepting this crisis and taking responsibility for the

effect people have on the environment, reversing these catastrophic damages is impossible. This is where students come in.

Bobcats need to take the skills college provides and implore their families to care about the devastating aftermath of climate change. Leading by example is one thing, but sitting someone down and informing them how their actions and choices are doing irreparable damage to the planet they will one day leave to younger generations is the proverbial missing link. It will be uncomfortable, yes, but doing the right thing is not always comfortable.

In an age of complacency and instant gratification, students must turn away from a non-confrontational holiday season and really, truly argue for the

cause. Argue for the future, their children’s future, for the sake of bettering their loved ones. College students need to force their families to care and understand that everyone’s actions have effects. Older generations need to adjust their actions for the sake of future inhabitants of the earth.

Young people need to have hard conversations with their families on polarizing issues they feel strongly about.

The summer season is the best time for dialogue and important conversations, the kinds that can change hearts and minds that must be done in person.

In the name of bettering themselves and the world, students cannot choose indifference in the name of peace when the literal planet is at stake and we are facing life and death scenarios.

SPORTS

9 | Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Claire Partain | Sports Editor

The University Star

ROLLER DERBY

Rip, ride and roll:

Rollermania takes over San Marcos

By Claire Partain Sports Editor When she’s not Cinderella at children’s birthday parties, Sarah “Pixie Kixx” Lindsey likes to blow off steam by playing one of the most brutal contact sports around- on skates.

The Wimberley, Texas native is a core member of the River Rollers, San Marcos’ first and only roller derby team, who had their first home mash-up of the season on Saturday, July 1 at River Ridge Park. The Rollers mixed with members of other local teams to form Team Fire and Team Ice, with Team Fire taking the win 195-131. The exhibition match was a chance for the Rollers to kick off their season, learn about their teammates and opponents, and mix and match experienced players with beginners.

“We’re really just making a lot of derby friends right now,” Sage “Cherry Poppins” Richardson said. “That’s one of the coolest parts about roller derby is that we encourage everyone’s success, so more than rivalries we just have close friends.”

The Rollers got their start in 2017, with Poppins joining soon after the program began. While she and most other players say that their interest in roller derby stems from “Whip It”, the Ellen Page movie that is a staple to derby culture, Poppins heard about the Rollers through a friend and has become a key player to the team.

“After seeing (‘Whip It’) I told myself that when I got big, I would be doing this myself,” Poppins said. “Once I went to one practice, I bought all the equipment, didn’t even give myself time to think about it, and I’ve been here ever since. We’ve seen a lot of evolution, but it’s also been great to grow with this group of core members that have stuck with the program.”

As a pretty obscure sport to begin with, the team is always challenged with teaching members about derby in general. To get people interested, the Rollers have hosted boot camps, with some being at the most beginner level and a few being slightly more advanced.

The team will teach anyone of any age or skill level as long as they can stay up on skates.

“We started the boot camp saying ‘you don’t even have to know how to skate, you can come as a bare bones beginner’, but I think that was a lot to take on as trainers,” Poppins said. “Now we ask that you have a very basic knowledge, where you can skate and stop on your own and then we can teach you from there.”

While the River Rollers is open to any and all members, the team also has tryouts for the traveling team, the Merciless Mermaids, every few months throughout their May-November season.

So what is roller derby? Derby is played on a track, with five members of each team on at once. Four players of each team, known as blockers, form a cluster, while the other two members, or jammers, begin at a starting line. The jammers then try to force their way through the blockers and around the track as many times as possible through two-minute sessions known as jams, while the blockers play offense and defense at the same time to keep their jammers in the lead.

Throughout all of this, the players are pushing, blocking and knocking one another over on skates, making roller derby both unique, exciting and full-on contact.

“It’s the most contact sport that I know of honestly,” Poppins said. “Then

Jammers chase each other down the stretch of the flat track ahead of the defensive front for both teams July 1.

PHOTO BY JAKOB RODRIGUEZ

you add wheels to it and add that with the beautiful natural falls that come from being on skates, and it makes for a lot of fun.”

For Poppins, Stixx and others, the brutality of derby gives them a chance to leave the rest of their lives behind and get everything out on the track.

I think it’s so unlike anything you do in your normal life and that’s the absolute draw of it,” Poppins said. “I can come here and have a horrible day and all this emotional baggage and then I come here and I just get to wail on my best friends and everyone’s cool with it.

It’s cathartic.”

Many derby players have families and day jobs outside of derby, including Altercation, a friend of the Rollers who plays for her own Houston team.

“When you put on those skates, you leave everything behind, with work, with family, all of it,” Altercation said. “I can definitely feel it when I haven’t played in a while.”

For many, derby is not only a chance to let out pent up aggression, but to develop a whole new confident persona as well. Each athlete chooses a derby name based off personality (Frida Loca), playing style (Strawberry STOMPcake) or puns (HoJ Simpson). The players stay true to brand with Pixxie Kixx carrying Pixie Stix around everywhere and Cherry Poppins sporting bright pink hair. For Poppins, the persona eventually bleeds into regular life as well.

“Especially when you’re new to it, the persona is a way to escape yourself and come into something else and be really tough, and unapologetically so, and you have those separate lives,” Poppins said.

“When you start to do it longer you realize you didn’t really need a persona, it was really yourself all along.”

As primarily a women’s sport, roller derby also gives women a chance to break stereotypes about what it means to be feminine and to appreciate the

Blockers clog the lane for a jammer July 1.

PHOTO BY JAKOB RODRIGUEZ

tougher side to their identity.

“We love when these little girls come out and watch us skate hard and fall hard and be proud of our bruises while still looking cool and pretty.” Poppins said. “For me, personally, it’s a lot about my femininity because I feel tough and strong and powerful in a way that I don’t get in society.”

The goal of the River Rollers isn’t purely physical, however. One of the team’s core values is inclusion, something that Pixxie Kixx believes is invaluable to the sport.

Roller derby is a unique sport because all body types are not only accepted but also necessary, and the Rollers emphasizes that all ages are permitted on the womxn’s team.

“I appreciate how broad the inclusion is and I’, always fighting for more inclusion, but at the same time I understand that sometimes women need a safe space,” Kixx said. “It’s all about a balance between what makes people comfortable and not alienating anyone.

I’m ‘bitracktual’ so I also play on a coed team, but currently our team here is most comfortable with staying womxnexclusive.”

As the River Rollers get more attention

and members, their fan base also increases. More fans show up to each home mashup, and their last Facebook live stream saw more than 1000 views as San Martians learn more about the team.

“San Martians are the perfect breed for roller derby because it’s more of an oddball, underdog rebellious type of sport,” Poppins said. “I think this community is really just soaking this all up.”

Still, the Rollers hope to keep increasing in numbers and attracting new members to the culture of roller derby. Practices are open to drop-ins, and anyone can try out for the Merciless Mermaids.

“We welcome anyone who is curious to put on some skates and be your own hero,” Stixx said. “We will show you the ropes if you just come out and skate with us.”

For their next matchup, the Merciless Mermaids will travel to Rosenberg on Saturday, July 13 for the Yellow Rose Roller Derby. Visit sanmarcosriverrollers. org for more information on the Roller’s lineup, upcoming schedule or prospective members.

The University Star

Claire Partain | Sports Editor

Tuesday, July 9, 2019 | 10

COACHING

Q&A with Spavital: adjusting to Texas State and have a good time. I’ve always loved trying to work and improve and recruit the Hill Country and that was one of the and every day trying to make your team things that drew me here, so I’ve been better to compete at a high level.”

So you’ve basically moved coast to enjoying every single moment I’ve been coast, from West Virginia to California out here.”

Head coaching is also new for you. and places in between. Are you used to How has it been filling those shoes? it by now or is it still a big adjustment?

So it seems like family is important for you, and your brother Zac is also “It’s more organizational. It’s kind of “I’ve actually gotten used to it. My wife working for the program. How is that just making sure that everything runs does an unbelievable job at the moving so far? the course. You kind of take on new process of it all and, you know, football adventures, new challenges and see where coaches have habits and routines, and I “Do you think that Zac’s been a huge you can put yourself to work to be most have programmed myself where I kind asset to this university, he’s well respected beneficial for this team. And that to me of have that mapped out and make sure throughout the state which is great for is making sure we’ve got everything from we keep operating at a high level. But, me because he keeps it very professional, our nutrition going right to making sure I mean, I was laughing the other day there’s a time when he’s my brother our daily operation is being maximized because this July I just started unpacking, but once we step into the office he and these kids are getting as many so I’m far behind there. But other than knows it’s all business from there. Zac’s resources as possible to make them the that, you get to a point where you can done so many different schools, and he best version of themselves. I have a great live efficiently, at home and in the office understands how this position works coaching staff, so I feel comfortable with and over time it works itself out. There’s and how the alignment has to be correct letting them do their jobs, which allows different battles and different cultures at all angles of the program so I couldn’t me to go work at the deficiencies we have everywhere you go, but the biggest thing be more pleased.” within this program. You can’t really get is finding out from a football standpoint experience as a head coach until you how the university works, how they do Did your father being a head coach are one, and so you’ve got to just keep academics, certain events and holidays, leave an impression on you? getting better at it.” and just keeping the same philosophy intact overall.”

“It started off with my grandfather We’ve had a lull in Texas State sports, who was in the NFL and a coach himself, but obviously the team has still been And how do you feel about moving and that kind of inspired my father working. What’s your game plan been to Texas State and San Marcos to get into it and then finally myself. for the summer? specifically?

When you’re raised, you pretty much want to be your father, and really now “College student athletes are off for “I actually love living here. When I can’t picture myself doing something the month of May, so our team got you have a day off, there’s just so many else. I just love the competitive fire of back in June, and we got four weeks of options for your family and friends to go developing a program and constantly summer conditioning before I gave them

By Claire Partain Sports Editor

the Fourth of July week off. Then they have three more weeks of conditioning and then we report for fall camp on July 30, so it’s coming up around the corner.”

You’ve probably answered this a million times, but what are your plans for the upcoming season?

“I just talked to the team about this, actually. I told them there’s a lot of unknowns about us and obviously we haven’t won here in the past and that’s the expectation that a lot of people have for us throughout the country. It really doesn’t matter what anybody thinks about us as long as every day we continue to improve, be the best versions of ourselves and get better as a team and that’s all I’ve been asking is for progress every single day. Where we were at six months ago to where we are now is night and day, and now we have to keep building off of that and we have to play together. I look at what they were last year, losing four games within a touchdown and that comes down to playing together and playing smart football. If we want to change our results of what has happened in the past, then we have to do things differently than we’ve ever done before.

That’s what I challenge them to do every day.”

BASEBALL

Born to coach ball: Trout announced as new baseball head coach

By Claire Partain Sports Editor Texas State President Denise Trauth and Director of Athletics Larry Teis announced former associate baseball coach Steven Trout as the new head of Bobcat baseball amongst coaches, family and staff at the University Events Center on Monday.

The nomination was given in the wake of one of Bobcat baseball’s most successful seasons to date, for which Trout served as an associate head baseball coach. Trout took on hitting and fielding and led the recruiting process for two seasons, helping the team to secure their first Sun Belt Conference Championship in 2019. “(Trout) has tremendous coaching and championship experience, is an excellent evaluator and developer of talent, has great recruiting ties, and is committed to our core values,” Teis said. “He is passionate about coaching and mentoring our young men, and the current kids on the staff definitely let us know that.”

Trout’s coaching roots are here at Texas State, who began his career as volunteer assistant coach in 2009-10 for another groundbreaking season in Bobcat baseball. Texas State set a school record for wins in 2009 (41-17), winning the Southland Conference Championship and advancing to the NCAA Austin Regional before becoming back-to-back conference champions in 2010.

Following his return in 2016, Trout

coached four MLB draft selections, including Theodore Hoffman (2017; 15th round; Detroit Tigers), Jaylen Hubbard (2019; 27th round, Washington Nationals), Jonathan Ortega (2018; 19th round; Boston Red Sox) and Luke Sherley (2018; 14th round; Detroit Tigers.)

Trout’s announcement cleared up the uncertainty following former head coach Ty Harrington’s retirement announcement on June 20. Harrington led the program through 20 seasons to become the winningest coach in Bobcat history and cultivate 53 former players onto the professional level.

The nomination was made more special to Trout because of his respect for Harrington, who took a chance by giving Trout his first coaching job in 2009.

Harrington also oversaw four conference championships and was named Coach of the Year three times to rank as the NCAA’s 46th active baseball coach.

“There wouldn’t be another guy that I would want to follow footsteps in than Ty Harrington,” Trout said. “One thing I really learned from coach was how to run a program for 20 years with class, with integrity, and most importantly with one of his favorite sayings, to ‘just do the right thing’.”

Prior to his return to Texas State, Trout served as an assistant coach at West Virginia University from 2013-15.

Under Trout, the Mountaineers racked up significant offensive stats, with eight batters making All-Big 12 Honors at the premier D1 school.

Trout also took on the role of head coach at his own alma mater in 2012 at Texarkana College, with the Bulldogs leading the conference offensively with a .303 overall batting average.

Trout also served at the University of Houston in 2011, taking on the role of volunteer assistant coach. Trout took part in the Cougar’s second place finish at the Conference USA tournament by guiding hitters, infielders and base runners.

Aside from baseball, family holds high regard to Trout, who thanked his wife, Blair Eckerle, and daughter, loyal Bobcat Ellison Elizabeth, for following him around the nation on his coaching journey. “(Blair) has been my rock…” Trout said. “Anyone who would go to West Virginia with their husband on a journey and then back home, all while moving jobs and crushing it at her job at that… thank you for that.”

Trout also thanked his mother, father, sister and brother who he says were instrumental in making him a baseball lover today. With his childhood home sharing a driveway with the school baseball field, his mother as his undefeated T-Ball coach and his father as head baseball coach in his hometown of Hooks, Texas, Trout believes he was born to coach ball.

“My dad is very important because he taught me the game of baseball, and he still teaches me to this day,” Trout said.

“The one thing he always taught me was if you work hard enough, if you don’t complain, if you work hard enough and

you continue to work, things are going to work out in your favor, and that’s something we’re going to instill in our program.”

Trout takes on the head coaching position at a precarious time for the Bobcats. In addition to the uncertainty following Harrington’s retirement, Texas State saw five players join the professional ranks in June, including redshirt sophomore Hunter McMahon (9th round, Washington Nationals), Nicholas Fraze (22nd round, Toronto Blue Jays), Jaylen Hubbard (27th round, Washington Nationals) and Connor Reich (31st round, Chicago White Sox.) Senior pitcher Brayden Theriot also moved to the professional level after signing a free agent deal to the Tampa Bay Rays.

After a historic season in 2019, the bar has been raised, and Trout already has high expectations for the next round of Bobcat baseball.

“This last 2019 Championship was unreal, but that is no longer a goal for the program. It is now an expectation,” Trout said. “This university deserves to play in the NCAA Tournament year in and year out. With the momentum we have going on at the winning side of baseball, this place is at a special time, and to be the leader of that is very special to me.”

Follow @TxStateBaseball or visit txstatebobcats.com for more updates on Bobcat baseball and their upcoming season.

ANSWERS

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