March 3, 2014 vanguard

VANGUARD THE

INSIDE

VOL. 54, NO. 8

“If it matters to the USA family, it matters to us.”

MARCH 3, 2014

Student Center to reopen April 1

By SAM ANDREWS Editor-in-Chief

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► Campus: Students rally in Capitol for higher education funding.

See Campus, page 2

► Campus: Communication students aid Mobile charities.

See Campus, page 4

► Sports: 2014 USA football schedule revealed.

fter roughly 2 1/2 years, the doors of USA’s Student Center will reopen to students April 1, according to Assistant Director of the Student Center Rachael Bolden.

The completely renovated structure, located adjacent to Meisler Hall, will feature more rooms, which student groups can reserve for events and meetings.

The Student Center has yet to launch the online aspect of its reopening. The goal is to provide online reservation capability, using pictures of each room and confirmation numbers to allow for more organization and convenience. For now, the student center is taking reservations and questions at rbolden@southalabama.edu or 251-4148256.

Space has been reallocated within the building to add the extra rooms, so the student capacity will remain about the same, Bolden said.

The directors have no problem being flexible with the space to accommodate students.

“Before, they wanted to do a fashion thing downstairs,” Bolden said, “so we moved all the furniture out of the way and brought in the stage, and it worked.”

The 5,585-square-foot ballroom will seat about 600 in an auditorium style, Associate Dean of Students and Student Center Director Dr.

SAM ANDREWS | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

(L to R) Student Center Director Dr. Krista Harrell, Dow Bark and Assistant Director of the Student Center Rachael Bolden meet at the student center during its renovations Feb. 28.

Krista Harrell, said.

When addressing the presidents of student organizations at USA Feb. 27 about the reopening, Bolden mentioned that there would be no cost to students or departments, but the center would be able to profit from community members reserving rooms.

“We’re already getting a good bit of traffic for the ballroom, of course,” Bolden added, “just because it’s bigger than the John

Counts Room but smaller than the (Mitchell Center) arena. Those are really the only other places on campus to have an event like that.”

The event hours of the Student Center will run from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

When asked about the possibility of staying open 24 hours, Bolden admitted that funding would be an issue in extending staff hours that long. Because the center is just now completing renovations, money is

stretched pretty thin, she added. The directors have not ruled it out but said it will not happen this year.

Administrative groups such as student affairs, dining services, SGA, academic services and Jaguar Productions will resume operations from their centrally located offices in the student center.

The “soft opening” April 1 will precede the grand opening and celebration that will take place at the beginning of the 2014 fall semester.

See Sports, page 9

► Sports: Men’s basketball conference tourny hopes slip away.

South bounces back back,, takes series against No. 12 Arkansas with double-header sweep

See Sports, page 10 find us on Facebook search “The Vanguard USA”

See Sports, page 8 ALYSSA NEWTON | SPORTS EDITOR

Check out our digital edition thevanguardonline.com

In this Issue: Sports, Page 8 Opinion, Page 14

JagLife, Page 5

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VOL. 54, NO. 8 / MARCH 3, 2014

UCUR offers summer stipends

By STEPHANIE FEATHER Managing Editor

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COURTESY OF JOHN SELLERS

Mary Beth Lursen accepts awards won for USA’s magazine, Due South Feb. 21.

SEJC awards USA journalism

By KANDACE RAYBON Contributing Writer

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he Vanguard and Due South, the University’s magazine, brought home numerous awards from the Southeastern Journalism Conference held Feb. 21 in Lafayette, La. Samantha Andrews, the editor-in-chief of The Vanguard, represented the newspaper in accepting the award for fifth best college newspaper in the Southeast. Due South won the third place award for the “Best College Magazines” category.

Members of Due South’s staff also brought back individual awards from the conference. Catherine Buttrey, a South Alabama freshman, took fifth place in the “Best Magazine Writers” category for her article “Plop, Knock and Drop It.” Ryan Keller

placed fourth for advertising design. Mary Beth Lursen, Due South’s editor-in-chief, placed fourth for magazine page layout design.

“The fact that we have won all these awards already is really awesome considering we are new to this campus and new to being published,” Lursen said. Lursen is Due South’s third editor-in-chief. “I came onto this publication thinking it was going to just be a job for a year, and I was going to get to do things that I liked to do,” she said. “I never thought people would like seeing what we did.”

Lursen is honored that Due South placed third considering the editor of the magazine that placed first is a former intern at Elle Magazine and she has not had that type of experience. Lursen and her staff did well, as did the staff of The Vanguard.

he deadline is fast approaching for students to apply for the Summer Undergraduate Research Program or Volunteer Intern Program with the University Committee on Undergraduate Research.

The goal of the UCUR, according to their website, is to promote scholarly and creative activity in all disciplines at the undergraduate level, enhancing critical thinking, problem solving skills, creativity and written communication. According to their website, the UCUR provides funds to support fellowships, covering the cost for a summer stipend. They also oversee volunteer internships within the University. The UCUR also serves as a source of information for students interested in extramural undergraduate research, scholarly and creative activity programs.

According to the UCUR website, exposure of undergraduates to basic research, scholarly and creative activities serves several purposes. The programs provide strong teaching tools through “hands-on” experience and provide the means to develop critical thinking skills. The activities allow students to move beyond the mere repetition of printed information to a new level where they learn how this information is discovered and distributed.

The UCUR provides a limited number of Summer Research Fellowships designed for rising USA junior or senior students. Exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

The UCUR website states that the primary objectives of the summer fellowship are to encourage interaction among students from different disciplines

and to teach students how to communicate technical concepts in non-technical terms to individuals outside their disciplines. This will help students put their work in perspective by having to address questions from peers with different backgrounds. These objectives will be achieved through informal meetings, during which students will discuss their projects, the progress they have made and their pitfalls with peers in other disciplines.

This program is designed to encourage students to become involved in scholarly and creative activity in their major discipline. The multidisciplinary program runs for 10 weeks during the summer and is conducted every year. Undergraduate students from USA in all disciplines are encouraged to apply by submitting a formal application.

The deadline to apply for this summer fellowship is Friday, March 14 by 5 p.m.

The Volunteer Intern Program has a rolling application deadline. This program is primarily for freshmen and sophomores, and it is designed to provide initial hands-on experience in their discipline. This program does not have a minimum GPA requirement.

The applications for both programs are available through a link on the UCUR website southalabama. edu/ucur/. The program application and all components should be submitted to Anne Boettcher at ucur@southalabama.edu.

Both programs are intended for students who have already identified mentors. If you need assistance identifying a potential mentor, please contact Boettcher before submitting an application for consideration.

Students rally in Capitol

By STEPHANIE FEATHER Managing Editor

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housands of university students, including many from USA, were at the doors of Alabama State House in Montgomery Thursday, Feb. 27 to lobby for additional state revenue.

A group from USA made up of faculty, staff and about 225 students made the trip to the state capital for Higher Education Day, an annual event organized by the Higher Education Partnership.

University students from all across the state of Alabama travel to Montgomery to rally the state legislature for financial support while the 2015 budget is being prepared.

According to a USA news release, the crowd at a morning rally enthusiastically and repeatedly answered a call for a return to sending one-third of the Education Trust Fund to Alabama’s colleges and universities.

According to an AL.com article, South Alabama’s Student Government Association had a large hand in meeting with legislators.

“We traveled to the State House and rallied for higher funding,” SGA Attorney General Danielle Watson said. “I am glad Jag Nation had great representation to advocate for higher funding. We had an amazing time and also appreciate all of the legislators’ hard work to increase state funding.”

Karen Peterson, senior instructor in USA’s English department, felt that February was the perfect time for the day, according to the AL.com article.

See Funding Page 3

COURTESY OF DANIELLE WATSON’S FACEBOOK

Danielle Watson advocates higher education funding in Montgomery, Ala., Feb. 27,

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VOL. 54, NO. 8 / MARCH 3, 2014

Weather for March 3 - 9

“University of South Alabama’s Student Voice”

Editorial Editor in Chief Managing Editor Copy Editor Opinion Editor Sports Editor Web Editor

Samantha Andrews

Stephanie Feather Meg Lundberg Matthew Strickland

Alyssa Newton Matthew Strickland

Distribution Distribution Bobby Faulk Alan Smith

Advertising Advertising Justine Burbank Graphic Designer Ryan Keller Sheldon Hall

Management Advising J. Sellers J. Aucoin Accounting Kathy Brannan

Mission The Vanguard, the student-run newspaper of the University of South Alabama, serves its readership by reporting the news involving the campus community and surrounding areas. The Vanguard strives to be impartial in its reporting and believes firmly in its First Amendment rights.

Send letters and guest columns to: The Vanguard University of South Alabama P.O. Drawer U-1057 Mobile, Ala., 36688.

Or thevanguardeditor@gmail.com Letters and guest columns must be received by 7 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the Monday publication. Submissions should be typed and must include the writer’s name, year, school and telephone number. All submissions become the property of The Vanguard. The Vanguard reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length and clarity. Letters will be limited to 300 words. Letters and guest columns are the opinion of the writer. The Staff Editorial represents the consensus opinion of the Editorial Board All members of the Editorial Board have the same weight. The Vanguard has a commitment to accuracy and clarity and will print any corrections or clarifications. To report a mistake, e-mail thevanguardeditor@gmail.com. The Vanguard is published Mondays during the academic year, except for exam periods and vacations, and is published twice each summer. The Vanguard is supported in part by an allocation from student activity fees and operates in the Student Media Department of the Division of Student Affairs.

Issues are available at most University buildings and select off-campus locations. The first copy is free. Additional copies are $1 each. Freelance writers will receive payment at the discretion of the section editor and will be notified.

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Funding Continued from Page 2

“Higher Education Day in Montgomery could not have come at a better time as the Education Budget came out of the Senate with a cut from the Governor’s proposal to fund higher education at a more equitable level,” Peterson told Alabama Media Group.

“The University of South Alabama had one of the largest contingents of students, faculty, staff, trustees and alumni at the event. USA had over 200 there to make our case to the state house for a return to one-third of the education budget for higher education. The group lunched with their legislators, met with them in their offices and watched the Senate debate before returning home.”

Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Mike Mitchell said the students are taking a stand and paying attention.

“They were so engaged in the rally and in visiting legislators,” he said.

According to the USA news release, Gov. Robert Bentley promised his support, explaining that the mission of higher education is crucial to his job-growth efforts.

“What we’re trying to do in this state is create more jobs, and higher education is an integral part of that,” Bentley said. “We can’t do it without higher education. It is important that we have more people in Alabama with higher education training.”

“I do understand the value of higher education,” Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Hubbard said. “There is no better investment that we can make in terms of taxpayer dollars than higher education.”

The University of South Alabama, according to the USA news release, has an annual economic impact of about $3 billion, with nearly 5,500 employees and $57 million in external contracts and grants in fiscal 2013. Student enrollment annually is more than 15,000.

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VOL. 54, NO. 8 / MARCH 3, 2014

USA communication students aid Mobile charities

By KANDACE RAYBON Contributing Writer

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COURTESY OF ERICK VON SCHAFFER

Brianne Wildman (front) and Jordan Dravis collaborate to assist local charities with their branding needs.

outh Alabama students have been collaborating with local charities to assist with branding needs.

This is a joint effort with Protect America, a Texas-based organization, in a program called Pay It Forward.

According to Protect America’s website, “The Pay It Forward Challenge has been designed to create a learning experience for students while creating a charitable platform for worthwhile local organizations.”

Protect America selected three universities to participate in this program. The other two universities chosen and participating in the Pay It Forward Challenge are the University of Florida and Michigan State University.

Those participating in this project are students in an upper-level advertising class taught by Nadia Bush, an instructor in USA’s communication department. The students were split into teams to form miniature advertising agencies as required by Protect America. The agencies then selected a charity or nonprofit organization

WORK FOR THE VANGUARD Positions Available Managing Editor The managing editor is responsible for all production functions and operations of the newspaper. The managing editor is also responsible for all layout and design responsibilities as defined by the editor-in-chief. 15 hours per week.

Copy Editor The copy editor will be asked to edit any or all copy that appears in the publication for errors of grammar, punctuation, clarity, accuracy, fairness and completeness. Be prepared to demonstrate knowledge of AP style. 5 hours per week.

Web Editor The web editor will have an overall responsibility for web design, content planning and production. 5 hours per week.

Sport Editor The sports editor will be responsible for managing the content and layout of their designated section, while ensuring a variety of USA sports coverage. 15 hours per week.

and were given a nest egg by Protect America to fund their efforts. There are five teams working with organizations focusing on a variety of social causes, from supporting our troops to supporting challenged adults and children.

“As part of the Pay It Forward program, our group for CA 478 is representing the Wounded Warrior Project as Student Ambassadors,” Brianne Wildman of the JBrand Agency said. “My favorite part of the WWP so far is the opportunity to give back to the men and women who have sacrificed for us and to share this opportunity with the community.”

The ODD GOAT AGENCY is promoting the Mulherin Custodial Home, a place in Mobile, Ala. providing support for special needs children and adults. “The focus is on providing a home environment and creating familial bonds between the residents, their families and the staff,” Jackie LeBatard of ODD GOAT said. “It’s a great organization, and we’re all really excited to be working with them.” The slogan for this agency, as listed on its Facebook page, is “Advertising that bites.”

The Delta Advertising Agency, CP+B Squared Agency and the Hermes Group are the other mini agencies from Bush’s class. The Hermes Group has a very active Twitter presence and the other agencies are also actively promoting their organizations on social media sites.

The groups are hoping their efforts continue to have an impact even after their time with the organizations ends. “We hope if we can get our community interested in this organization, then they will be able to continue fundraising when we’re done with our campaign,” LeBatard said.

The organizations were researched and selected by each team and chosen for different reasons.

“The owners of the company I work for are veterans and donate to Wounded Warrior, so they inspired the idea,” Wildman said. One of LeBatard’s colleagues had a connection to Mulherin Custodial Home through her grandfather.

This opportunity gives the students experience and provides nonprofit organizations assistance that they would not have been able to afford.

The Vanguard Staff Positions Paying positions for the 2014-2015 academic year. Send your resume and a cover letter explaining the position for which you are applying. Send samples of writing, photography and layout if available. Applications are due no later than Saturday, March 29. Please send applications to thevanguardeditor@gmail.com.

Likewise, send any related questions. Be prepared to interview for the position.

JagLife Editor The JagLife editor will be responsible for managing the content and layout of their designated section, while capturing the lifestyles and flavor of the USA community. 15 hours per week.

Opinion Editor The opinion editor will be responsible for managing the content and layout of their designated section, while finding and reflecting the diverse, in-depth perspectives across the USA community. 10 hours per week Senior Reporter A senior reporter will be well-versed in AP style, relentless in gathering information and professional when conducting interviews to provide frequent and expert articles. 10 hours per week.

Staff Reporters A staff reporter will regularly cover assigned beats and provide ongoing story ideas, all in accordance with deadlines and AP style.

Please specify which section you are most interested in covering: Campus, JagLife, Sports or Opinion. 5 hours per week.

LEAVE COMMENTS FOR JAGLIFE AT thevanguardonline.com/lifefeedback VOL. 54, NO. 8 / MARCH 3, 2014

jagLIFE

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Chipotle Mexican Grill to open, hire in Mobile

By JORDAN KNOX Contributing Writer

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ver since the first Chipotle Mexican Grill opened outside Chicago in 1999, the company has taken off and become one of the most popular Mexican-style restaurants in the U.S. with more than 1,500 locations nationwide.

For several month now the store space next to the recently opened Dunkin’ Donuts on Airport Boulevard has remained vacant. Mobile, Ala. residents have been holding out hope that the empty lot would eventually turn into a Chipotle Mexican Grill. The popular restaurant currently has multiple Alabama locations, including Auburn, Birmingham, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa. Mobile seems to be a likely next step.

The purchase of this lot by Chipotle has been confirmed by Aaron Solomon of The Shopping Center Group. Its grand opening was set for the beginning of 2014. However, the restaurant has pushed back its opening to April of this year for reasons unknown to the public.

If you have driven by this location recently, you have probably noticed that the once-vacant building now dons a Chipotle sign which further

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confirms Solomon’s statement and creates more excitement amongst many Mobile citizens. A few workers have been present under the “Now Hiring” tent that is set up right outside the storefront.

Hiring for the new restaurant began in December 2013 with a hiring event where they recruited both full- and part-time employees, but the restaurant is still looking for new employees to complete its staff.

Chipotle Mexican Grill serves 100 percent naturally-raised pork, chicken and beef. The restaurant also uses cheese and sour cream that is rBGH-free (meaning, growth hormone-free) and frying oil with zero grams of trans-fat.

The menu consists of burritos or burrito bowls, crispy or soft tacos, salad, and chips and salsa or guacamole. The restaurant doesn’t have many options, but the options they do have are totally customizable with tons of toppings and sides that can be combined to create twenty different entrees. Not to mention, most everything on the menu is less than $7. So if you’re a fan of Mexican food or just like trying new things, be sure to check out the new Chipotle Mexican Grill opening on Airport Boulevard this April.

SAM ANDREWS | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Construction on Chipotle Mexican Grill nears completion as the business prepares to open off Airport Boulevard in April.

If money was no object and you did not have to worry about getting a job after graduation, what would you study in college?

uestion

of the

dition

Ali Milhem Senior of Business “Either something related to technology or mechanical engineering.”

Stephen Jones Freshman of Chemical Engineering “Studio Art. I spend my free time drawing windows.”

George Colbourne Senior of International Studies and French “I would study the same thing.

Fortunately, I didn’t choose my major for the money. I’ll let you know how that works out.”

Sydney Spradlin Freshman of Nursing “International Studies and Foreign Language like Spanish and Russian.”

Hannah Duke Sophmore of Radiology “Education. It would be cool to be in a classroom.”

Taylor Henke Freshman of Nursing “Theater. Theater majors look like they have fun.”

Jamarkus Garrett Junior of Computer Information Systems, Business “Business Administration. If I had all that money, I’d need to invest it.”

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VOL. 54, NO. 8 / MARCH 3, 2014

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VOL. 54, NO. 8 / MARCH 3, 2014

Jag Glass - March 7, 6 to 8 p.m.

Good S

Administration Building USA Baldwin County Campus, 10 North Summit St., Fairhope, Ala., Event is free

tudents and faculty will present their glass work in Fairhope’s First Friday Art Walk in March.

Glass Program Coordinator Rene Culler said she is excited to work with USA Baldwin County

Local

again.

“We are proud to show the creative work made by students of all levels,” Culler said. “Much time, hard work and attention to craftsmanship was needed to produce the high quality objects.”

The show will include the work of USA advanced student artists: David Wiss, Danielle Warner, Leah Fox, Hannan Gold-Vukson, Tammy Reese, Kevin Landry, Katharine Martin, Elizabeth Baird, Stephanie Stringfellow, Tayler Morgan, Skylar Nicholson and more.

The glass art program is now in its fourth year at the University. The program is gaining popularity, attracting about 70 to 100 students each semester, according to Culler.

“You will not want to miss this incredible show,” Public Relations Director Cathi Jones said.

Visit www.myusabc.com or call 251-928-8133 for additional information.

Fun Gala of the Royal Horses March 30, 3 p.m.

Tim Easton - March 21, 7:30 p.m.

USA Mitchell Center Ticket prices start at $36, up to $56

Satori, 5460 Old Shell Road, Mobile, Ala., 36608 Ticket price is free to students and $5 to all others

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he Mitchell Center will soon be hosting an event only previously seen at the famous riding schools in Vienna and Spain. Gala of the Royal Horses is produced and led by world-renowned equestrian master Rene Gasser. This event will include a number of performances involving Andalusian, Friesian, Lipizzaner, and Arabian breeds. The Gala is dedicated to showing off the graceful maneuvers of these majestic animals and what these horses are truly capable of.

Gasser’s family heritage involving his highly decorated military horseman of a great-grandfather and his accomplished horse trainer of a great-grandmother has amplified his involvement in the equestrian entertainment business. His family heritage has allowed him to take his performances to new heights. Having the opportunity to work alongside some of the world’s best trainers and riders, Gasser has the skill, experience and ability to bring an all-new revamped version of the Gala to new audiences in North America.

“The unique qualities of the Royal Horses single them out from all other breeds in the equine world.

Their physical beauty and grace, coupled with exceptional courage and nobility, make them an object of admiration and a source of inspiration for horse lovers everywhere,” says Gasser. According to the Gala’s website, this performance is “equestrian royalty presented at the highest level in a culturally rich and stunningly beautiful tribute to The Royal Horses, complete with Flamenco music and dancers.” Gala of the Royal Horses will be performing at the Mitchell Center on March 30, at 3:00 p.m.

COURTESY OF CATHI JONES

T

COURTESY OF JUSTIN ST.CLAIR

im Easton will bring his Nashville flavor back to charm Mobile, Ala. this month. Allmusic. com claimed Easton is “pretty close to a modern Americana treasure,” and that his songs are “head and shoulders above what passes for alt-country or folk these days.”

The Independent Music Collective, a USA student organization, regularly sponsors musical acts in Mobile.

“The goal of the organization, basically, is to just enrich the local music scene,” Dr. Justin St. Clair, IMC faculty adviser and English professor, said. “We’re not trying to fill the Mitchell Center. We’re just trying to add a small piece to Mobile’s realm of possibilities.”

The most recent performance sponsored at Satori was American songwriter Will Johnson Feb. 13.

More information can be found at Musicinmobile.org.

Three 6 Mafia, ages 18+ March 20, 7 p.m.

Alabama Music Box, 455 Dauphin St., Mobile, Ala., 36602 Ticket price is $20 in advance, $25 at the door

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hree 6 Mafia’s self-proclaimed “signature brand of party music with a hardcore bent” is headed for the Port City this month. Special guests Twisted Insane, Whitney Peyton and Sozay will go onstage before the platinum-selling rap group.

Three6-mafia.com chronicles the group’s nearly 20-year rise to stardom as the first rap group to win an Oscar.

Alabama Music Box added that, through it all, “it has always been about the music” for Three 6 Mafia.

The Alabama Music Box is responsible for showcasing local talent and bringing new acts to Mobile, most recently presenting The Pine Hill Haints, Lost Bayou Ramblers and Nightmare Boyzzz for Joe Cain Sunday.

Csardas! - March 15 at 8p.m. and March 16 at 2:30 p.m.

Mobile Saenger Theatre, 6 S. Joachim St., Mobile, Ala., 36602 Ticket prices start at $20, up to $100

M

usic Director Scott Speck claimed this is one where people are really going to want to get up and dance. This month, the Mobile Symphony Orchestra will perform Romanian and Hungarian Gypsy music with the Kalman Balogh Cimbalom Trio. The act’s featured cimbalom, from the trio’s name, is a stringed instrument played with mallet hammers, which originated from similar, portable folk instruments common among Gypsy people in Hungary.

Speck explained that preparation for the performance will take the musicians only four days. With professional musicians, Speck added, they will already know their part before the guest trio arrives.

In addition to regularly showcasing musicians, MSO supplements the arts within the community through youth orchestra and educational programs, claiming that more than “10,000 people from kindergarten through adult” have been impacted by their outreach.

More information can be found at Mobilesymphony.org

Madama Butterfly March 28, 8 p.m. and March 30, 2:30 p.m.

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COURTESY OF MSO ARCHIVE

Mobile Civic Center Theater, 401 Civic Center Drive, Mobile, Ala., 36602 Ticket prices are $10 for students and start at $30, up to $60 for others

ans of the Mobile Opera are no doubt delighted that the company will be returning to the stage this March for their spring performance. They will continue their 10-year “Puccini Project,” celebrating the works of legendary Italian composer Giacomo Puccini each spring, with a performance of his famous “Madama Butterfly.”

Set in early 20th-century Japan, the opera is the story of a marriage of convenience with unintended consequences. Several South Alabama students have roles in the production, as does Dr. Thomas Rowell, a voice instructor and professor in USA’s Department of Music. “It’s a rare thing for undergraduate students to get to sing in the chorus or small roles,” Rowell said.

“That’s the wonderful thing about our relationship with the Mobile Opera.”

The performances are scheduled for Friday, March 28 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 30 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are only $10 for USA students, discounted from a normal price of $30-$60 for regular tickets. The chance to watch the opera for such a low price is an opportunity Rowell believes students should take advantage of. “It’s not terribly expensive, you get to see great upand-coming artists, and you get to see your peers start their careers, even if they’re just in the chorus. It’s a very moving story with great music.”

Students who wish to have a sampling of the opera can attend a preview at the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center March 24 at 2:30 p.m. During the preview, some of the performers will sing selections from the opera and answer audience questions.

Sam Andrews, Emily Jeanminette and Ryan Wallace contributed to this report.

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SPORTS

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ALYSSA NEWTON SPORTS EDITOR akn1104@jagail.southalabama.edu VOL. 54, NO. 8 / MARCH 3, 2014

Follow us for news, updates and play-by-play tweets: @USAVGSports

Bud Collura @BudCollura: Third baseman This sport is awesome because you can lose 12-1 one day and the take the series the next... #JagsWin Drew Dearman @Drewski72_: Offensive lineman Pitch perfect recital in the cold tub, taking team bonding to the next level Chloe Rathburn @chloerathburn First baseman My teammates talk to me in high pitched voices like I’m a puppy or something... Lol Derek Westbrook @thedwestbrook25: Men’s Cross Country Shoutout to the BEAST @farishbeard for throwing a no hitter and striking out 15 people!! #JagNation is doing WORK!!

Chris May @CmayFive5 Offensive Lineman My mom just bought herself a pair if vans. Transformation to hipster plan engaged!

Olivia Mohler @Olivia_Mohler12 Center Life decisions are the worst. I wanna be Peter Pan!!

Zach Blahnik @ZBlahn_44 · Thrower “What’s a ‘Spring Break’?” - Spring sport athletes

@USAVGSports

ALYSSA NEWTON | SPORTS EDITOR

Locke St. John allowed one run on eight hits and struck out three with two walks in 8 1/3 innings on Saturday.

Baseball takes down No. 24 Arkansas South sweeps a doubleheader to bring home a series win against the SEC team

By SAMUEL BROWN Staff Writer

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he South Alabama baseball team traveled to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to take on the No. 24 Arkansas Razorbacks in a three game series.

Coming into this series, Arkansas was undefeated with six wins on the year.

South Alabama dropped the first game on Friday 12-1, but then swept the doubleheader on Saturday to clinch the series.

On Friday, senior Matt Bell got the start for the Jaguars and it didn’t go as planned. Bell only lasted 2 2/3 innings, allowing nine runs (all earned). Arkansas got off to a fast start, scoring 4 in the bottom of the first inning on a Krisjon Wilkerson single and a Brett McAfee double.

In the bottom of the third inning, Joe Serrano hit a base

clearing double which then extended the Razorback lead to 9-1. Arkansas starter Jalen Beeks went six strong innings, only allowing one run while striking out six. The bullpen did the rest, pitching a final three scoreless innings while the offense added three more runs to give Arkansas a 12-1 victory.

On Saturday morning, Jaguar lefty Locke St. John got the start, providing a much needed strong effort.

St. John nearly threw a complete game, going a career high 8 1/3 innings, allowing only one run, which came in the nineth, and striking out three.

Brandon Hallford came in relief of St. John, and got the next two outs to record the save and Jaguar victory. Razorback starter Chris Oliver also had an impressive start, allowing only one run over five innings, but a top of the seventh error

by Razorback shortstop Brett McAfee allowed Jaguar Erik Hindmon to score the second run, which ultimately gave the Jaguars the 2-1 victory.

In game two of Saturday’s doubleheader, Jaguar right hander Kevin Hill got his first career start, allowing three runs on seven hits in eight innings.

Hill, much like Locke St. John in game one of the doubleheader, pitched into the ninth inning but was relieved by Brandon Hallford.

Hallford retired the side to record his second save on the day and his third on the season. The Jaguars would go on to win 5-3.

In the top of the third inning, Erik Hindmon doubled to center field to score Hayden Jones and Matt Wojciechowski to give the Jags a 3-0 lead. Cole Gleason then scored Hindmon with a single to left field to extend the lead to 4.

The Razorbacks got on the board

in the bottom of the fifth, when a Tyler Spoon triple scored Bobby Wernes and Joe Serrano to cut the lead to 4-2.

The Jags answered in the top of the sixth inning, when Drew LaBounty scored from third base on an error to extend the lead back to 3 runs.

Arkansas was held quiet until the bottom of the ninth when a Andrew Benintendi sacrifice fly scored Krisjon Wilkerson to decrease the deficit back to two.

With the bases loaded and threatening, Brandon Hallford then came in and got two outs to get out of the jam.

With the series win, the Jaguars improve to 5-5 on the season, while Arkansas suffers their first two losses on the year, falling to 7-2. The Jaguars will travel to Jackson, Mississippi on Tuesday March 4 to take on the Jackson State Tigers in a one game series.

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VOL. 54, NO. 8 / MARCH 3, 2014

2014 South Alabama Football Schedule

September 6

at Kent State

*

October 4

at Appalachion St.

* November 8

at Arkansas State

September 13

* September 20

Mississippi State

Georgia Southern

* October 18

*October 25

* November 15

November 22

Georgia State

Texas State

Troy

at South Carolina

* September 27 at Idaho

* November 1

at Louisiana-Lafayette

November 28

Navy

#JagNation

* denotes Sun Belt Conference

PICTURES BY ALYSSA NEWTON | SPORTS EDITOR

10

VOL. 54, NO. 8 / MARCH 3, 2014

Men’s basketball conference tourny hopes slip away With loss to Louisiana-Lafayette, South Alabama won’t be making conference trip to New Orleans

By ALYSSA NEWTON

Sports Editor

T

here will be no Cinderella story ending for the Jaguars this season.

Their 102-76 loss against the Louisiana Lafayette Cajuns has extinguished the last hopes of the Jags continuing to fight for a conference tournament appearence.

By halftime the Cajuns lead the Jaguars by a 25-point lead and would continue to dominate the contest on Sunday.

“We knew coming in it was a must-win game for us and it was going to be a tough game on the road against a very good team that’s competing to get a bye to the semifinals in Sun Belt Tournament,” South Alabama head coach Matthew Graves said. “We really struggled to get any kind of rhythm going because we were giving up too many second-chance buckets— they absolutely crushed us on the glass—and they had 13 points in transition at halftime. At every media timeout we were asking the guys to get rebounds and sprint back in transition.

When you’re asking them to do that at every media, that’s how you get down 25 points.”

ULL outscored USA 25-6 over an 11-minute time period in the first half, including 12 unanswered, to score the most first-half points by a USA opponent all season, according to USAJaguars.

The Jags failed to make a field goal in the final 7:54 of the first half. This added to a 52-27 halftime lead for ULL. Senior Augistine Rubit just missed a doubledouble with 17 points and nine rebounds that could have earned him a new South Alabama record, being just one double-double from the record. But he added four blocks to enter into the league’s career top 25.

FreshmanKen Williams and sophomore Barrington Stevens III each recorded a career scoring night.

Williams ended the night with 22 points with five 3-pointers while Stevens added 20, converting all four long-range attempts. The two combined for 31 of the team’s 49 points in the second half.

According to USAJaguars, ULL used a pair of 9-0 runs to grab a 12-point lead midway through the opening half.

Although South attempted to rally putting up 49 point after the halftime break, South Alabana continued to struggle defensively throughout the half, giving up 50 points to the Cajuns.

The Ragin’ Cajuns, now 19-10 overal. ULL shot for 61.7 percent from the floor while South Alabama hit just 37.9 percent.

This is the fourth time the Cajuns have scored 100 ponts this season and second time

against a division I opponent.

This is the third time ULL has reached the 100-point barrier for the third time in the series history between the Cajuns and the Jags, the last being Jan. 26, 1995.

The 26-point victory is the largest against USA in the history of the two schools.

With this loss the Jags have been eliminated from conference tournament contention.

The Jags are now playing to add another two wins to their 9-20 record.

USA will play Texas State Thursday March 6 and then Texas-Arlington on Saturday March 8 for senior night.

ALYSSA NEWTON | SPORTS EDITOR

Rubit ended the night one rebound shy from breaking the school record for double-doubles.

Lady Jags can’t pull out win over Louisiana-Monroe Lady Jags give up halftime lead, loses 76-70 adding difficulty to the road to New Orleans

By SAVON MORRIS Contributing Wirter

T

he University of South Alabama women’s basketball team was faced with another loss, dropping the game against Sun Belt Conference opponent LouisianaMonroe 76-70 Wednesday, Feb. 26.

“I’m proud of the effort we gave (tonight),” South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler said. “We played a clean game for the most part. We just didn’t have the urgency on the defensive end of the floor that we need to have from the start. We were able to pull it together and get some stops during our comeback, but we just fouled too much and we gave up easy buckets on a stretch where (Louisiana-Monroe) went up.”

For the chance to participate in the Sun Belt Conference tournament, the Lady Jags desperately needed a win.

“Tonight put Louisiana-Monroe in the

drivers season (for the eighth seed in the tournament), but we have to keep going and try and get another one,” Fowler said.

“We can only control what we can control.

We have to go out and win ball games and then see what happens in the meantime as the league moves on toward the conference tournament.”

ULM scored quickly in the contest stunning the Lady Jags in the first minute. South Alabama’s Breanna Hall breathed life into the Jags as they answered with an 11-3 run to take an 8-point lead. Hall continued to dominate by shooting 3-pointers galore for USA. Hall led all scorers on the night with her 26 points. The Mesquite, Texas native was 8-of-15 from the field, including 5-of-9 from the 3-point line. Hall was also 5-of-6 at the charity stripe and recorded 17 of her points in the second half. The junior guard has now recorded double figures in nine of

her last 11 outings.

The Lady Jags showed teamwork in the first half, moving the ball around the floor, opening opportunities from behind the arc.

That led to Rachel Cumbo sinking a couple of 3-pointers and a paint score from Ronneka Robertson.

The ladies hit four of their first six shot attempts to open the game, but it all came to a standstill after a media timeout.

Jasmine Taylor hit back-to-back buckets to give the Warhawks a 23-18 advantage, their largest of the half. The Jaguars responded and regained the lead, 26-24, at the 4:10 mark. Ashleigh Simmons hit a layup with 1:20 left to give ULM a 28-26 lead heading into the intermission. ULM’s defense kept South Alabama off the board for the final four minutes of the opening stanza.

USA and ULM traded buckets back and forth, changing the lead countless times

during the game. South Alabama retook the lead (35-31) as Meghan Dunn connected from the top of the charity strike and Hall banked in four straight free throws. ULM stormed back with 6 unanswered points and took the lead 37-35 on a layup by Jasmine Shaw.

The seesaw battle continued early in the second half until the Warhawks used a 9-0 run to create distance at 62-52 with 6:25 to go. The ignition was fueled by a 3-pointer

by Alexa Tugler and a pair of free throws from Simmons.

South Alabama kept battling and narrowed ULM’s lead to 64-63 when Dunn navigated to find an open hallway in the left corner with 2:42 left for her fifth trey of the game. The Warhawks stretched their lead back out to as much as 7 and hit 10 of their 12 free throws in the final two minutes before taking the 76-70 victory.

11

VOL. 54, NO. 8 / MARCH 3, 2014

Ladies Golf hosts USA USA longboarding club Woman’s Invitational

By JENNA MUNDAY Staff Reporter

By JENNA MUNDAY

Staff Reporter

T

he University of South Alabama women’s golf team recently hosted the 12th Annual USA Women’s Invitational at Azalea City Golf Club Feb. 23 and Feb. 24.

This event lasted a total of two days with a 54-hole format. The first 36 holes were played Feb. 23 at the par-72, 6,071yard course, and the remaining holes were scheduled for the following day.

The USA lineup consisted of Ashleigh Ryals (76.08), Carianne Wright (76.46), Elisa Axelsen (76.50), Ingrid Hagen (76.55) and Anna Lesher (76.62).

USA’s competition included Alabama State, Arkansas-Little Rock, Eastern Kentucky, Jackson State, Jacksonville State, last year’s team champion Louisiana-Monroe (310-306-616), Memphis, New Orleans, Samford, Southern Illinois, Spring Hill, Troy, UAB and Western Kentucky.

USA entered the tournament with a team stroke average of 305.54, which is ranked sixth in the SBC. “Each individual has been working on various things; it’s just a matter of minimizing mistakes and playing the best golf that we can play,” head coach TJ Jackson said. “There’s always going to be a need to improve. No matter how good we are, we can always improve.”

According to USAJaguars.com, the University of South Alabama women’s golf team turned in a second-round 300 to close within seven shots of the lead after two rounds.

After the first 36 rounds, South Ala-

bama sat in fifth place, while Jacksonville State led the tournament with a team total of 603.

Axelsen carded an even-par 36 on the back nine and Wright recorded three birdies Feb. 24 to lead South Alabama in the final round. The two tied for seventh place in the individual standings with a 225 total over 54 holes after posting a 74 and 75 on the final day of the event.

USA (310-300-299) finished the final round with a 299, the lowest team score of the day, to earn a third-place finish in the field of 15 schools. The Jaguars were just four strokes behind tournament champion Memphis (300-304-301), which recorded a group score of 905, while Jacksonville State (303-300-304) closed the Invitational in second place just two shots ahead of the Jags.

“I think the girls gave a tremendous effort today,” Jackson said. “We had a really solid round going. We were three-over par on about 12 to 15 holes, and we got ourselves in really good shape to pull out a win. We got behind a little bit after the first round, but we came back in rounds two and three. We got more comfortable, the swings loosened up, and we gained confidence to carry our momentum to the end.

“Overall, I think we played really well. I think we could learn some things from today,” Jackson said. “When adversity hits, maybe we need to slow down a little and think things through a little better.”

The Jaguars return to the course in two weeks as they head to Hattiesburg, Miss. for their third event of the spring season, the Lady Eagle Invitational March 10-11.

L

ongboarding, a rapidly growing sport of racing, sliding and drifting, has taken the world by storm, and the University of South Alabama is no exception to the craze.

Officially started in 2012, the South Alabama Longboarding Team, or SALT, was founded by Richard Allen and Dylan Glass, the club’s president and vice president respectively.

With few members at the founding, SALT has grown to more than 160 members on Facebook with five members who go out and regularly participate in competitions with other universities.

As the club has grown in numbers through the years, it was only appropriate for longboarding to expand across South’s campus as well. Allen and Glass both facilitated in getting longboards to be sold in the University of South Alabama Bookstore.

With this success, interest in the sport of longboarding has grown and exposure for SALT has increased.

“The turnout has been great as far as getting people on boards and on campus skating,” Allen said. “We’ve also had success in generating club interest and the volume of members on the Facebook page.

However, we are hoping for a better turnout in the sense of those willing to spend time learning the craft of sliding and racing so we can have a larger traveling and competing team.”

SALT’s traveling team competes as representatives for the school against other university longboarding teams such as West Florida, South Florida and Alabama. They compete mainly in downhill races and also

in “slide jams,” which are trick competitions for longboarders.

“Although we compete, the larger goal of the club is just to have fun and get people excited about skateboarding and longboarding,” Allen said.

Longboarding differs from skateboarding in that it uses a slightly longer board that is designed specifically for turning and cruising smoothly at high speeds. This feature of longboards makes events such as downhill racing a popular competition choice.

According to muirskate.com, downhill racing, also referred to as speedboarding, incorporates high speeds that are gained very quickly on downhill-oriented longboards. This is a sport that requires both skill and precision, so it is vital to know how to slide, drift and come to a stop when necessary.

Since conditions can change very quickly while riding downhill, the rider needs an advanced discipline of longboarding along with specialized equipment.

This type of specialized equipment includes wheels that are made out of highgrade urethane, as opposed to plastic or other materials that companies have used in the past. Boards that are more rigid are also important because they are more capable of handling speed.

“The sport has really began (sic) to grow at an insane pace,” Allen said. “When I started four years ago, there weren’t a lot of people interested in long boarding. Now it’s hard to go to a college campus and not see at least a few of us.”

For those interested in joining the South Alabama Longboarding Team or learning more about what they do, visit their Facebook page under the name SALT South Alabama Longboarding Team.

Jags Basketball drop must win to Louisiana-Monroe South Alabama loses another on the road, continues second half woes against Louisiana- Monroe

By SAMUEL BROWN Staff Reporter

O

n Feb. 27, the Jaguars traveled to Monroe, La. to take on the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks in a must-win situation. The Jags went into this one game behind Troy and Texas State for eighth place in the Sun Belt standings. The top 8 teams in the Sun Belt go to New Orleans for the postseason conference tournament, with the winner receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Jaguars’ hopes of a conference tournament bid grew slimmer as, with a strong second half, the Warhawks defeated the Jaguars 71 to 54.

Midway through the first half, the Jaguars trailed the Warhawks by 10 before

a 9-point run brought the deficit to only one. Shortly after, a layup by Mychal Ammons tied the game 33-33. At halftime, the Jags trailed the Warhawks by two, 35 to 33.

The second half was a completely different story. With 16:07 remaining in the second half, a layup by Tylor Ongwae capped a 10-3 run, which gave the Warhawks a 45 to 36 lead. That was only the beginning of the Jaguars’ second half struggles. The Jags shot only 26.9 percent in the second half, while scoring a season low. An end of the game 16-3 run for the Warhawks topped off an impressive second half, ultimately leading to a 71-54 defeat of the Jaguars.

“At the start of the second half, I was really disappointed in how we came out of the locker room,” head coach Matthew

Graves said. “We missed a loose ball, got scored on in the post, and it really snowballed from there. In this game, you’ve got to be strong and physical and have to want contact. They were the more physical, more aggressive team, and nine times out of 10 when that happens, you’re not going to come out on the side you want.”

The 3-point struggles for the Jaguars continued, as they missed all 10 attempts in the second half. They finished 3 of 21 from 3-point range.

“Going 0-for-10 on 3-pointers doesn’t help anything, but we did have some good looks and on the inside, Augustine (Rubit) was 1-for-6 in the second half,” Graves said. “We were really out of rhythm, and we didn’t get much from some of our other guys tonight. It was just an overall disappointing effort in a game you needed

to win to be successful.”

All five starters for the Warhawks scored in double digits, while Rubit was the only Jaguar in double digits with 14 points.

With the loss, the Jaguars fall to 9-19 overall and 3-12 in Sun Belt play. With Troy and Texas State losses, the Jaguars stay two games behind eighth place, but with only three games remaining, the chances of making the conference tournament are extremely slim.

“I really wanted see how we would come out and perform,” Graves said, “because we knew this was a game we needed to compete and win if we wanted to continue our season in the conference tournament.”

The Jags will play Texas State at home March 6 at 7:05 p.m.

12

VOL. 54, NO. 8 / MARCH 3, 2014

USA Bass Fishing finishes top 3 on national stage Team places third in national fishing competition

By JASON RUFFIN

Contributing Writer

O

n February 23, South Alabama’s Bass Fishing team traveled to Lay Lake near Birmingham, Ala. to compete in front of a national audience.

Ethan Wages and Jennings Earnest represented South Alabama at The Bassmaster Classic, an annual event used to determine the best professional angler in the sport.

On the last day of weigh-ins, the Classic holds a college tournament called the Bassmaster College Classic and college anglers take the stage in front of a packed house right before the professional anglers finish their final weigh-in.

Although this is completely separate from the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series and only an exhibition, it takes place during the national championship of bass fishing. This means the exposure received by participating anglers is much greater than any other tournament during the year.

It also guarantees the winners a berth at the annual Carhartt Bassmaster College Classic the following year.

A total of 14 schools, including large universities such as Alabama and Auburn, sent representatives to compete, according to Bassmaster.com. Except for the previous year’s winner, the University of Oklahoma, all the schools that entered the competition were from the state of Alabama.

Wages and Earnest launched at 6 a.m. the day of the tournament.

“All we threw were rattletraps all day,” Wages said. “The day prior during practice,

the boat the team was using ran into trouble and the pair had to drive two hours away to pick up Jennings Earnest’s boat in order to compete the following day.”

All was not lost, however. The pair pulled in decent fish during practice while others struggled, according to Wages. During the tournament, they managed to haul in four fish weighing in total 10 pounds, 12 ounces.

The two realized they had a shot at winning after they returned to weigh-ins as other anglers reported poor numbers. The teams weighed in at 3:45 p.m. at the BJCC Arena in Birmingham just before the professional weigh-ins.

The University of Oklahoma and the University of West Alabama ended up tying for first place, putting the University of South Alabama in third. The difference between first and third was only six pounds, a close margin considering six pounds could be just one or two fish.

Though not first place, this was a significant showing for South Alabama.

The competition also served as a chance for South to show potential sponsors what the team is capable of achieving given decent fishing conditions.

“A lot of folks saw that South Alabama has some serious fishermen that can compete with the best,” Wages said when asked what the exposure means for the team and for South. “We met some Jag alums that were very excited about our growing presence in the collegiate bass fishing community.”

You can watch Wages and Earnest as they took the stage in front of more than 15,000 people on South Alabama Bass Club’s Facebook page.

COURTESY OF KARL WAGES

Ethan Wages and Jennings Earnest look on as thier basses are weighed at The Bass Master Classic,.

13

VOL. 54, NO. 8 / MARCH 3, 2014

Game watch: Spring Break South’s Softball goes 4-1 in Gulf Coast Classic Baseball: at Jackson State March 4, 6 p.m. at Mississippi State March 5, 6:30 p.m. vs. Southern Illinois University March 7, 6:30 p.m. vs. Southern Illinois University March 8, 2 p.m. vs. Southern Illinois University March 9, 1 p.m. vs. Southern Illinois University March 12, 6 p.m.

Loses to No. 12 Baylor, Beard has second career no-hitter

By ALYSSA NEWTON

Women’s Basketball:

Sports Editor

vs. Texas State March 5, 7:05 p.m. vs. Texas-Arlington March 8, 5:05 p.m. (Senior Night)

Men’s Basketball:

vs. Texas State March 6, 7:05 p.m. vs. Texas-Arlington March 8, 7:05 p.m. (Senior Night)

Softball:

vs. Marchall University March 7, 9:30 a.m. vs. Virginia Tech March 7, 3:45 p.m. vs. University of Illinois March 8, 6 p.m. vs. University of Illinois March 9, 10 a.m

By SAMUEL BROWN

D

espite being more than three weeks removed from National Signing Day, the Jaguars’ coaching staff has added a huge need for 2014 in the signing of defensive tackle Dondre Chanet.

As a 6’1”, 315-pound sophomore at Hutchinson Community College, Chanet recorded 33 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Chanet joins Jimmie Hipson, Bryson Johnson and Caleb Butler as the four defensive linemen signed for the 2014 signing class.

Chanet visited campus a week after Signing Day and is now to set to enroll in the fall and compete for immediate playing time at the defensive tackle position, which saw three key players graduate from this past season.

“I didn’t sign on Signing Day because none of the offers I had then fit the description of what I was looking for,” Chanet said. “When I went on my visit to South Alabama, I liked the city and the school, and I can tell that South Alabama is on the rise to big things.”

In his National Signing Day press conference, head coach Joey Jones expressed the desire to sign one more defensive lineman to this class. Jones got exactly what he wanted in Dondre Chanet.

“We’re very excited about getting Dondre,’’ Jones said. “He’s a big, inside guy who’s very active. We feel like he’s going to add good size to our defensive front.’’

Chanet also held offers from Troy, Idaho, Middle Tennessee State, Ball State and Georgia State. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

Don’t expect this to be the last signee of the 2014 class. Jones believes a few more spots can be filled.

“We may have a couple more still out there,’’ Jones said. “We’ll probably sign one or two more at the most during the course of the summer.’’

Statistics: DL Chanet Hutchinson CC Solo Tackles: Assists: Tackles: Tackles per game:

o. 14 South Alabama traveled no more than 45 minutes to participate in the first annual 2014 Gulf Coast Softball Classic hosted by the City of Gulfport and the Mississippi Gulf Coast at the Gulfport Sportsplex.

No. 14 South Alabama 3, Ohio 0

Jags fill need in late signee Staff Reporter

N

14 19 33 3.0

Facts: Chanet is a 6-2, 306-pound Defensive Tackle from Hutchinson, KS. He attended Lafayette (La.) Acadiana HS. First Blue Dragon to sign with South Ala bama since Darrius Morrow in 2011.

On the first day of the first-annual Gulf Coast Softball classic, the South Alabama Jaguars took the first game against Ohio 3-1.

All scores for the South Alabama Jaguars came out of the second inning.

Freshman Chloe Rathburn hit her second career home run over the left field fence.

Emily Messer’s hit to right field caused Ohio to commit a fielding error allowing Alex Breeden and Taylor Walker to score who were both walked prior to Messer.

Farish Beard pitched for seven innings, only allowing one hit, one walk and struck out 12 batters keeping Ohio scoreless throughout the contest.

The win over Ohio marked 400 career wins for head coach Becky Clark.

According to USAJaguars, USA took its three-run lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, Minahan leading off with a solo bomb to center field. Blair Johnson drew a walk and Kaitlyn Griffith singled, Rodgers ripped a single to left field that allowed both runners to score.

Beard now has 81 strikeouts and only a single earned run allowed in 43 1/3 innings pitched for a 0.16 ERA. UTSA’s Chelsea Parker fell to 1-2 with the loss after allowing two runs (earned), striking out two and allowing a pair of walks in three innings.

South Alabama 0, No. 12 Baylor 1 The loss ended a nine game winning streak for the Jaguars, falling 14-2 on the season.

The Jags left seven runners stranded on just two hits while Baylor left eight.

Baylor’s run that would put them on top of the Jags came in the seventh inning.

Baylor’s Kaitlyn Thudmann, who would end the night 3-for-3, would single up the middle to bring in the scorer and retire the Jaguars.

Hannah Campbell escaped jams with two runners on in the third and fifth innings to keep the contest scoreless until the seventh inning. Campbell ended the night with eight strikeouts and nine hits allowed.

South Alabama 2, Nicholls State 1 South Alabama, UT-Chattanooga 1 Hannah Campbell pitched for seven innings, only allowing one hit and one run with no walks and nine strikeouts.

Stephanie Pilkington started off the first inning with a triple before scoring on a fielder’s choice by Rathburn. Nicholls State would answer the Jag’s score in the bottom of the first to tie the game 1-1.

The fourth inning would bring the Jag’s winning run as Pilkington singled, stole second and would score off of an Amanda Minahan double.

While Nicholls State only left two runners on base, South Alabama left 11 Jaguars stranded throughout the game.

No. 14 South Alabama 3, UTSA 0 Farish Beard ended the night with a career-high 15 strikeouts and second career no-hitter

The Jaguars bounced backed from a 1-0 loss to No. 12 Baylor with a win against Chattanooga to end the Mississippi Gulf Coast Softball Classic.

Farish Beard struck out nine batters in four innings to pick up her ninth win of the season, moving to 9-1. Hannah Campbell struck out a pair of Moc batters in three innings of relief to record her third save of the season.

Stephanie Pilkington led USA at the plate, going 3-for-3 and scoring the gamewinning run to take the win over UTC. Chloe Rathburn drove Pilkington in to break a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fourth inning. Taylor Rodgers supplied the gametying run an inning before, rounding home on designated player Clara Bowen’s RBI single that knotted scoring after UTC scratched a run across in the top of the first, according to USAJaguars.

LEAVE COMMENTS FOR OPINION AT thevanguardonline.com/opinionfeedback

14

Opinion

MATTHEW STRICKLAND, OPINION EDITOR strickland.matthew12@gmail.com VOL. 54, NO. 8 / MARCH 3, 2014

Photoshop blurs line between natural and unatural

By MARY BETH LURSEN Contributing Writer

L

ena Dunham was featured on the cover of the February issue of Vogue. While this issue could have passed under the media’s radar as most publications do, a website called Jezebel offered $10,000 to see the unedited versions from the photoshoot.

However, the joke was on Jezebel.

The photos had hardly been altered.

A few wrinkles were smoothed out, her chin was thinned out and her hips were pulled in. These changes are hardly the worst that the media has ever pulled.

Jezebel claims they are just fans who love Dunham the way she is, and that Vogue is in the wrong here.

The truth of the matter is that everyone in the media is in the wrong here.

As a member of (student) media, I can say from personal experience that Photoshop is a miracle for publications. With Photoshop, you can edit out a stray piece of hair, brighten a picture or smooth out a spot where makeup is rough.

Despite the capabilities of Photoshop, it has created a monster, especially for the women who are in the publications and the women who read them. We have publications that

make women look two sizes smaller than they really are. We have publications that smooth out wrinkles on a woman’s forehead. We have publications that change the shape of a person’s face.

Publications claim that this makes their magazines more visually appealing. This makes readers pick up the magazine; that, in turn, makes advertisers want to place ads in the magazine. This gives the magazines money to print again.

In this convoluted system, I think publications have forgotten that they, too, are members of the media.

The media’s first goal is to educate the public.

By Photoshopping real women in ways that aren’t real, they’re telling the public that their bodies are not okay. They’re telling the 14-year-old girls who pick up an issue of Vogue

that it’s not okay that they have a more rounded face. They’re telling 50-year-old women that it’s not okay to have wrinkles. They’re telling 30-year-old women that it’s not okay that they’re bigger than a size two.

The media is educating the public, but they’re telling them that it’s not okay to be who they are. And that is where the media is at fault as a whole.

They are creating these unreal expectations of how a woman should look. And the kicker is that the women in the magazines and the women who read the magazines are someone’s mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, aunt, niece or friend.

These are real women who are told that their bodies aren’t OK. This needs to change, and it needs to change sooner rather than later. Instead of trying to make mon-

ey by being visually appealing, publications should try to make money by being honest. They should portray a woman who is beautiful because of her flaws, not an aesthetically pleasing woman who has no way of being real.

Beware Facebook hoaxes; like at your own risk

By RYAN WALLACE Contributing Writer

R

emember how innocent Facebook hoaxes used to be? I’m talking way back in 2007, when the Colorado Rockies somehow made the World Series and Gnarls Barkley ruled the earth. Back then, the hoaxes were limited to the ever-popular “Share this with five friends or you will never find love” line and that friend of a friend saying that he had a totally sweet Blastoise card that he couldn’t show you right now.

Because the hoaxes weren’t very malicious, the stakes were much lower. Even if you didn’t share the post, your mom would probably still love you.

Now that Facebook has finally grown into its adulthood as a social networking site, criminals and fraudsters have taken their game online, into homes and to a much wider au-

dience than ever before.

Whether trying to annoy you or take money from you, these hoaxes all operate on the same principle: because the cost difference between sending the fake message to 10 people or 10,000 people is negligible, if just a few fall for the trick, then the financial reward (if there is one) is lucrative. If the goal was just to annoy people, then congratulations, you have ruined at least a few peoples’ lunch breaks.

One particular, fantastic resource for these hoaxes is hoax-slayer.com, an online repository for collecting reported fake-outs. Among the favorite types are the Dead Celebrity reports (recent attempts include Rihanna, Miley Cyrus and Celine Dion) that will ask you to enter certain information to see a video of the horrible accident the celebrity suffered.

Once that information (usually a cellphone number) has been entered, the person is signed up for exorbitantly expensive text messages.

Another popular variety is the “Like-farming” phenomenon. Tired of receiving those ads for certain “enhancement” pills you didn’t sign up for? Actually, you did. “Likefarmers” set up pages advertising something everyone wants—“Like this page and be entered to win a

Japanese Toilet Butler Robot”—in order to gain the maximum number of “likes” possible in the shortest time. Then, the page is sold on the black market to certain individuals who have no intention of giving you a toilet butler, but instead rename the page to whatever they wish to try to sell and start marketing it to the people who “liked” the original page.

Finally, there is everyone’s favorite type of hoax, the Internet Myth.

Facebook has made it possible to send these babies around the world faster than a Flat Stanley doll.

Whether it is the infamous “yoga mat materials in your bread” lie or Jenny McCarthy saying vaccines will give your children autism, these hoaxes are as varied in their damage as they are their creativity. Subway probably isn’t losing many customers over something as obviously ludicrous as yoga-mat materials in their bread, but children are certainly losing their lives over not being vaccinated.

In the end, personal responsibility is the only way to protect yourself from Internet hoaxes. NEVER enter personal information on something you found from Facebook. Ever.

Always be wary of what the motives behind a contest or “Like-a-thon” are. Do research on both suspi-

cious-looking Facebook messages and “news” items that sound fishy.

Above all, if something happens to your computer, dip your entire

hard drive in Lysol and bleach. The mixture will get rid of any malicious viruses on your computer. Learned that one on Facebook.

RYAN KELLER|GRAPHIC DESIGNER

15

VOL. 54, NO. 8 / MARCH 3, 2014

POINT

Is mandating Christian prayer in schools okay?

Editor’s Introduction: A new bill passed by committee vote in Alabama’s legislature calls for a mandatory 15 minute civics lesson, which includes a Christian prayer. Does this oppose our constitutional rights or is it a neccessary educational lesson?

The bill’s intentions are misunderstood

Micah Messer

W

hat happened to freedom of religion?

Well, it still exists, for now, but a proposed bill in the Alabama State House, which has already passed a committee vote, brings this into question. I won’t be getting into the separation of church and state, but I do encourage everyone to read the U.S. Constitution and find where it mentions “separation of church and state.”

According to the new bill proposed by Rep. Steve Hurst, the first 15 minutes of daily class time would be devoted to a quick lesson on congressional proceedings, part of which would include a prayer. This has created a huge uproar from all across the political spectrum, and even I question the necessity of such an aspect.

As a Christian myself, I hardly see any issues with praying, however I understand that every student has the right to his or her own religion and shouldn’t be forced to participate in the activities of other religions. However, Hurst said, “If Congress can open with a prayer and the state of Alabama Legislature can, I don’t see why schools can’t.” He makes a good point.

The idea behind the bill is not to force an individual to a single religion but to broaden the knowledge base of the students of public

This is a selfish violation of our civil liberties

schools. The ignorance of even college students about the daily proceedings of Congress has obviously shown us that there is something lacking in education, and that is the lack of teachings on how the government runs. I mean no offense by saying that college students are ignorant. It is just a rather true statement that the majority of college students do not fully understand how the government works.

The main problem with this bill is the idea of the prayer section. The other parts have not been attacked. I personally understand the reasoning behind the opposition to this bill and I do not wish to come across as any other way than an individual stating the facts. Hurst mentioned in a comment to The Anniston Star, “They could read the prayer from the day war was declared in World War II” or, “They could read the prayer the day after Sept. 11.” The idea behind this is not a forcing of religion but an instructional part of the nation’s heritage and response in times of crisis, not to mention the historical aspects.

The common misconception about this bill is the “setting aside 15 minutes for a prepared prayer.” Stephanie Engle, the Democrat running against Hurst, said, “I think prayer is important in anybody’s life; I think it would behoove everyone to have a course in comparative religions,” but she also mentioned how this bill was not going to be constructive.

The actual bill does not set aside 15 minutes of prayer time; it sets aside 15 minutes to learn about about Congressional Procedures, which does include a short prayer. The principal of the institution would be the one to choose the prayer that had been said before Congress, another reference to using only Congressional Proceeding prayers. The State Legislature has yet to vote on the bill, and we will all have to wait to see how this story unfolds.

Jessica Thornton

J

ust last week, Alabama legislators approved a bill, by way of a voice vote, requiring teachers to recite a Christian prayer for a minimum of 15 minutes every morning in our public schools. Seeing as we do live in the “Bible Belt,” this seems like a normal notion. However, the bill was given more no’s than yes’s. Only two Republican representatives voted to pass the bill, while two other Republicans and one Democrat voted against it.

Before this bill, our public school systems allowed a moment of silence at the beginning of each school day. This bill specifically says that the instructor has to recite a Christian prayer. According to gawker.com, Rep. McClurkin voice-voted through a bill “that would allow students to initiate prayer in school and express their religious views in their schoolwork.” This statement makes zero sense. What if a student’s religious views aren’t that of Christianity? It is as simple as that. How is this fair for the students or even teachers who practice Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.? It isn’t fair. This entire situation poses a very large question: is this morally unjust and does it go against our civil rights?

America is known as “The Great American Melting Pot,” full of various ethnicities and religions. I think it’s safe to say that we live in one of the greatest countries in the world.

The amount of freedom we have as individuals is incredible. You can practice, voice, feel and do just about anything you want without punishment or judgment. Our Founding Fathers created this country on a constitution that allows just that.

So why is Alabama the exception to the rule? Allowing this bill to be applied to our future leaders is dancing along the line of corruption. For one, it is unfair to the students and their families who do not practice Christianity. And two, it puts the students in such a close-minded state, unable to explore the likes of multiple religions.

There is no need for this bill due to the ridiculous number of private Christian schools all across the state. There are currently 393 private schools in Alabama that carry 74,587 students. The parents of these students want their children to be in a Christian-oriented environment when they are learning, and that is fine. What’s not OK is our public school systems forcing a single religion on students whose parents, just maybe, do not want that for their children. Now, the only way for them to get away from these practices is to leave the state.

I think a lot of us can agree that this bill is corruptive, biased and simply unfair. It is even more intensified due to the fact that this decision affects our children, who, for the most part, do not know any better. The Alabama representatives who voted yes on this bill were being selfish and partial to their own beliefs, and now everyone is forced to conform.

What are your thoughts on the new, temporary SGA election reform?

Daniel Moran Makes sense. Why should I have a say in someone else’s representative?

Peter Savill I wonder why the voting wasn’t always that way. This will be great for the nursing and allied health colleges who will actually be able to vote in people in those programs and not any sophomore who hasn’t changed their major yet Nick Grondin I like it. I think it’ll lead to more people running.

JagPulse

Nate Arthur Dumb. this is america republicans vote for democrats and vice versa Jeff Wilson I don’t vote for Georgia’s senators or congressmen, for example.

To post your answers to the next JagPulse, be sure to follow us on Facebook.

Coleman Wolf Jaguarelections@gmail.com is the email that the Elections Committee will be using during the upcoming elections. If you have any questions please feel free to email us at anytime.

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VOL. 54, NO. 8 / MARCH 3, 2014