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Vol. 129 / No. 62
ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSIT Y’S NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1888
Cold case warms up after 16 years One student’s assignment brings together various community members looking for answers in an unsolved homicide from 1975 involving a former Illinois State University senior STORY BY EMA SASIC AND KEVIN SCHWALLER | News Editor and Senior News Reporter | @ema_sasic and @kevschwa
I
t has been decades since a homicide involving a former student at Illinois State University, but one sociology major allowed his curiosity to spark a new interest in the unsolved case. “I initially became ‘involved’ with the case one night while doing some research for an assignment I had in a class involving law enforcement in Illinois,” senior James Doughty said. “I stumbled upon Carol Rofstad’s case after doing some, admittedly, unfocused searching about cold cases in Illinois. Hers happened to be the oldest cold case in the state, and it took place right in Normal.” On Dec. 23, 1975, Rofstad, 21, of Elk Grove Village, was found beaten unconscious outside of her Delta Zeta sorority house, then located at 602 S. Fell St. She was discovered around noon, about 12 hours after the attack, according to the Illinois State Police’s website. An 18-inch piece of railroad tie was found nearby, according to the Chicago Tribune. Carol Rofstad She was taken to St. Francis Hospital Medical Center in Peoria, but she died Christmas Eve due to head injuries. Prior to the incident, two white men, aged 18 to 25, were seen between 10 and 10:15 p.m. Dec. 22 around the Delta Zeta sorority house, according to the Illinois State Police. One was carrying a club. Police charged a man with a history of
mental illness who confessed to the crime. However, he took back the claim and the charges were dropped, as the Chicago Tribune reported. Most students left campus at the time of the attack due to winter break. Instead of returning home to Elk Grove Village, Rofstad stayed in town to work at the former Hecht’s Women’s Apparel in Normal. Money was found in her purse and there was no evidence of sexual assault. Doughty’s class assignment was to create a discussion about police involvement in every day life and the role law enforcement play in communities. Though the project ended, Doughty was engrossed in the details of Rofstad’s story, so much so that “even after I had turned off my computer and crawled into bed, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.” He initially had no intentions of getting as involved as he did. However, his curiosity got the best of him. “I started to think, ‘I wonder what I could do to find out more,’” Doughty said. “A thought that was immediately followed up with, ‘I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing or how I would go about doing any more in-depth research, or what that would involve.’” “However, that in and of itself to me was part of the intrigue. I had no idea how to go about learning anything more going forward, and that made me want to try even more,” he said. Doughty found himself going to the library and researching details around the time of Rofstad’s death. He looked at
Kevin Schwaller | Senior News Reporter
Senior sociology major James Doughty began looking up information on a cold case involving a former ISU student this semester as part of an assignment. police and civilian theories, contacted various sources to help him develop his own theory, did a walk through of all the places in Normal Rofstad was seen the night of her death and read books about cold cases. He even contacted women in Delta Zeta for more information. At the time of the attack, two women were in the sorority house, according to the Illinois State Police. However, they reportedly
did not see or hear anything unusual. “I didn’t have any direction, I didn’t have a plan, and I didn’t have an end game,” he said. “I was just interested.” Through gathering information of his own and calling various sources in the community, Doughty was put in contact with someone who knew Rofstad. see CASE page 3
Normal mayor discovery recount to begin Tuesday DYLAN STEVENS News Reporter | @dkstevens12
The recent mayoral race for the Town of Normal was a close call up until final results were announced, but one of the candidates is seeking a recount. A discovery recount begins at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday in the Government Center. Current Mayor Chris Koos leads by only 11 votes over Bloomington High School science teacher Marc Tiritilli. Tiritilli has selected seven Normal precincts to be examined because he claimed there were almost 100 under or over votes, which could have or have not been counted due to several factors. When an election is very close, campaigns can ask first for a discovery recount, which the Tiritilli campaign did by filing a petition form at the Government Center last week. Then, af ter the discover y recount, they can decide whether they want to go to the Circuit
Natalie Stuckslager | Vidette Photographer
County Clerk Kathy Michael will perform the discovery recount that candidate Marc Tiritilli requested. Mayor Chris Koos is mayor as of now. Court to present their case asking for a full recount. Estimates are often between $10,000 and $20,000. County Clerk Kathy Michael, who has been in her office for
seven years, was determined to set aside time for an official recount. This was exciting for her and those in her office because the County Clerk has not been through a discovery recount yet.
This will be a new experience for them and they look forward to conducting this process which has interested many people. “The Tiritilli campaign has requested seven precincts to review, of the 30 Normal precincts. By law, they could request up to 25 percent of the total precincts involved, which rounded, came out to seven precincts.” “We have found that we can allow Mr. Tiritilli to come in as early as this Wednesday to come in per their request as they want to compare voter signatures we have in our voter registration database to the signatures of those who voted on election day,” she said. This was another interesting fact that Michael had learned, for Tiritilli also has the liberty to participate in the recount. Tiritilli is confident in conducting a recount, as he believes it will provide a huge benefit and possible victory for his campaign. “We are pursuing a recount
in the Normal mayoral contest because there are 96 under voted ballots that could possibly change the outcome of the election. These could be truly blank, or they may contain intended votes that were improperly read by the machines,” he said. “These ballots do not get a closer inspection unless the recount occurs. We simply owe it to everybody who voted to examine the election in more detail and ensure everyone’s voice is fully heard.” “I have complete confidence in the County Clerk’s office and am looking forward to engaging in the process with them,” Tiritilli said. If results remain the same, Koos will serve his fourth term as mayor, a position he has held since 2003. DYLAN STEVENS is a news reporter for The Vidette and can be reached at dkstev1@ilstu.edu. Follow him on Twitter @dkstevens12.
PAGE 2 | NEWS | THE VIDETTE
The March Twin Cities unemployment rate was 4.3 percent, down from 2016’s 5.5 percent
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The Illinois Department of Employment Security reported the March unemployment rate in Bloomington-Normal dropped compared to last year with the number of total jobs declining as well. The department found the local jobless rate in March was 4.3 percent, down from 5.5 percent in March 2016. The Bloomington-Normal rate is the second lowest in the state, slightly behind Chicago. Director of Business Assistance for the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council Aimee Ingalls said the March rate for this year is down from 4.8 percent in February. “Labor is a function of supply and demand,” Ingalls said. “What is the labor force participation (supply) and what is the job availability (demand). The labor force is a segment of the population that is 16 years or older that is employed or looking for work.” Ingalls said examples of people not in the labor force are those retired and not working or looking for work and full-time students who are 16 years or older not looking for work. What is causing the drop in unemployment? Ingalls said that according to population projections, the age cohort of 65 to 74 is expected to increase by 40 percent by 2020, which could have significant impact on labor participation. “When the labor participation or supply of labor decreases but the job availability or general demand remains steady or slightly increases then more people are employed and therefore the unemployment rate decreases. This creates a tighter labor market,” Ingalls said. The council conducted a survey they called BN Grows Survey in which it surveyed business retention and expansion visits of 70 local businesses and found most companies are not having problems
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recruiting workers in overall sectors. Ingalls said some sectors may be having more difficulty than others locally if the data were not aggregated, but overall recruitment is not a critical issue in this labor market. Another factor impacting the Twin Cities is population decline. “Since 2013, the U.S. Census has shown a slight downward trend in McLean County’s population.
Since the labor force is a segment of the population, this trend will impact the labor force thereby impacting the unemployment rate,” Ingalls said. “In addition, the budget stalemate is continuing to create uncertainty with regard to business growth. Some growth is tempered and some has stalled. Certain not-for-profits and other publicly funded entities are facing dire consequences,” she said.
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THE VIDETTE | NEWS | PAGE 3
MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017
Vidette Archives
ABOVE: The front page cover of the Jan. 12, 1976 issue of The Vidette, which includes the initial reports surrounding what happened to Carol Rofstad on Dec. 23, 1975. RIGHT: The next day’s issue on Jan. 13, 1976 included a police sketch drawing of one of the suspects that could have been involved in Rofstad’s death.
CASE continued from page 1
“Without thinking much of it, I contacted them and needless to say the conversation the individual and I had was ... odd. It left me feeling uncomfortable,” he said. “I remember thinking, ‘It’s probably nothing, but I should talk to somebody about this.’” Doughty then sought advisers who he felt would be beneficial resources that could help further his theories on the homicide. For confidentiality purposes, Doughty did not want to name those involved nor their affiliations. Other than the work he has done with a few individuals, Doughty has maintained a podcast as an outlet for
the information he has gathered throughout his investigative work. “I’d go all day in between work and class and write little things down that I wanted to make sure I remembered to record that night, and when I finally did, it was like breathing out a big sigh,” he said. Prior to Doughty’s investigation, little progress had been made regarding the case. In 2001, the Normal Police Department sent clothing and other belongings, one of which contained fingerprints, to the FBI Laboratory in Washington, D.C., according to the Chicago Tribune. The fingerprints did not match anyone’s in the FBI’s database, nor one of the initial two suspects the NPD had in mind. With a new f lare of interest surrounding the case,
Doughty said he is taking a backseat currently while others further examine it. “I think in the next few months you can expect to see a podcast from me and get more details then,” he said. Throughout the entire process, Doughty said he has gained an appreciation for curiosity and how it can lead to some unusual findings. Though this unsolved case hits home at ISU, he said stories similar to Rofstad’s have a way of sparking an interest that is innate in humans. “I think once people hear a cold case, it’s hard not to be interested,” Doughty said. “It’s the reason why America is still obsessed with JonBenét Ramsey, O. J. [Simpson] or Hae Min Lee. A cold case sparks something in everyone.”
Fallen soldier Joshua Rodgers returns home EMA SASIC News Editor | @ema_sasic
Army Sgt. Joshua Rodgers’ family, friends and community members gathered Friday morning at the Central Illinois Regional Airport as his casket returned to his hometown of Bloomington. At around 9:45 a.m., a Kalitta Charters jet landed at the airport, and it was greeted with a water salute by two fire trucks. Military and Normal Police and Bloomington Fire Department personnel gathered around the plane to welcome Rodgers home. Over 100 people who came to honor the soldier were holding American flags and standing in silence as his casket was prepared. Rodgers’ casket was covered in an American flag. Illinois Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington) helped put an elastic band around the casket, securing the flag in place. A military chaplain with an honor guard prayed over the casket before carrying it past
family members, military, police and fire personnel, and placing it inside a hearse. A procession went from Eastview Christian Church to Evergreen Cemetery, where a private ceremony took place. A public visitation for Rodgers was held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Eastview Christian Church. A celebration of life followed. Rodgers and Sgt. Cameron Thomas, 23, of Kettering, Ohio, were involved in a raid against insurgents in Nangarhar Province in Afghanistan, according to the Defense Department. A third soldier was wounded. The Pentagon is investigating whether friendly fire was responsible for the deaths. Rodgers is survived by his parents Kevin and Vonda Rodgers, sisters Hannah and Emily Rodgers and brother Ashton Rodgers. Hannah Rodgers is an exercise science major at Illinois State University and a member of the women’s soccer team. Sgt. Joshua Rodgers was a 2013 graduate of Normal Community High School. He
Kelly McNamara | Vidette Photo Editor
Military personnel carried Army Sgt. Joshua Rodgers’ casket past family members and military, police and fire personnel and placed it inside a hearse. was part of the high school track and football teams. Rodgers was a R anger team
leader at the time of the raid, and he was on his third deployment to Afghanistan.
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PAGE 4 | THE VIDETTE
VIDETTE EDITORIAL
MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2017
US should consider French ‘media blackout’ during elections
W
ith an eleventh hour controversy involving campaign emails, a farright opponent with clear ties to Russia and a centrist-liberal candidate clinging to a relatively close lead in polls, France’s presidential election might sound a bit familiar to U.S. citizens. Late on Friday, just hours ahead of a legally mandated “blackout” on campaign communications and media coverage that is a tradition in French politics, a large dump of both real and fabricated documents purporting to be from front-runner Emmanuel Macron’s campaign appeared online. The aim of the document seemed clear and sinisterly familiar: to bolster the chances of a far-right and proRussian candidate, in this case Marine Le Pen. Interestingly enough, it seems that this episode has served instead to validate the enforcement of the “blackout rule” on campaign related communications. It is now worth asking ourselves, with a rise in hacking and its clear implications in recent elections worldwide, should we consider such a rule here in the United States? With the majority of citizens in the United States extremely leery
over state control of information — and rightfully so — it is important to first examine exactly what the media “blackout” is comprised of. The election campaign commission, a nonpartisan entity responsible for ensuring a fair and legal election process, oversees all election matters in France. Beginning at midnight on the Friday before election Sunday, a 44-hour period begins where campaigns
are not allowed to disseminate any more information and media outlets are legally barred from any reporting that could significantly sway the election to one side or the other. The rule was specifically designed to prevent the eleventhhour “throwing” of an election by means almost exactly like the recent hack. Soon after news of the document dump began to spread, the campaign commission released a
statement warning media outlets as well as individuals spreading the information could and would be treated as a possible criminal offense. Even before considering the possibility of a late effort to sway an election, such a rule is a good idea. After months of an election cycle in any modern democracy, citizens have been bombarded by arguments, counterpoints, debate analysis and election-related in-
Editorial Cartoon by Ashley Brown | Vidette Editorial Cartoonist
formation. The blackout of further information is designed to allow voters a period of quiet reflection on all of this information so as to arrive at a personal conclusion of how their vote will be best-spent. If something more sinister — such as a hacking attack — occurs, it suddenly becomes that much more crucial. Now again, it is easy to recognize that the implementation of such a rule in the United States is highly unlikely given our embrace of a truly untethered press. That considered, we should look in the mirror and reflect on the changes that may be needed in our changing world. Elections simply aren’t completely safe — they never have been. But in a world today where one hacking attack and subsequent strategic release of information has the power to shape a nation’s future for decades or even centuries to come, they are substantially less so. It seems that French democracy is similar to that of America’s in that it has odd rules designed to serve the same purpose across changing times and technological periods; perhaps it’s time we take a page from their democratic playbook and the playbooks of others as well.
Editorial written by TOM HEAGNEY, a member of The Vidette’s Editorial Board. Editorial policy is determined by the student editor, and views expressed in editorials are those of the majority of The Vidette’s Editorial Board. Columns that carry bylines are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Vidette or the University.
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A goodbye to the best job on campus MY VIEW AVE RIO Editor-in-Chief
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ne year ago today I could not imagine leaving The Vidette. But here I am, on the last day as editor-in-chief, and I feel ready. The Vidette made my college experience better than I could have ever imagined. It taught me so much about journalism, leadership and people in general. Best of all, it has provided me with experiences that make me confident I am ready to take on whatever comes next. It would be wrong only to reflect on my year as editor-inchief, when really it was the past three years here that shaped me. Starting as a reporter and photographer the summer before my sophomore year, I realized that I could put my writing and photography skills to use in a way that could really make a difference; I could be a journalist. Under the guidance of my news editors and the general manager, I built and refined my journalistic skills and became news editor the next year. That’s when I finally understood why people kept calling The Vidette a “family.” My junior year was a time of deep reflection and growth, as I fell in love with The Vidette and
everyone involved with it. I had found my people, and it just so happened that we all loved working at the same place. The only problem: almost every single one of my new friends was a graduating senior. Come May, I had to say goodbye to all of them, wish them luck and try to tackle being editor-in-chief by myself. I hoped my new staff would become a new family to me, and luckily I was right. We started the year off right by bonding the night before every summer publication and after that, The Vidette family couldn’t be stopped. We worked together to accomplish and surpass every one of my goals. We got over 1 million more impressions on Twitter since the previous year (mostly through terrific in-game photos by our talented photo editors and perfectly-worded tweets by the dream team sports editors and social media manager), we covered the campus reaction to the historic Cubs’ World Series championship, we photographed and reported on the likewise historic, but not-so-happy-ending presidential election (with an award-winning page design and photo from the Black Lives Matter protest in response to the election results), we continued to comment on and criticize the new administration through our editorial board (comprised of our two talented news editors and three other capable columnists) and, finally, we received 16 awards, including second-place
Fall features editor Morgan Kuniej, editor-in-chief Ave Rio, news editor Mary Cullen and photo editor Kelly McNamara say goodbye to The Vidette in front of Fell Hall. in General Excellence and five first-place awards at the annual Illinois College Press Association conference in Chicago. I think that’s why I’m ready to go. My staff and I did what we came here to do. We worked together, reported the news and produced a paper I was proud of twice a week. It was so sad to say goodbye to everyone last year, and I’m sure it will be hard to say goodbye this year, too. Last year when I imagined graduating, it was almost impossible to comprehend. Yet here I am today, and I’m ready. Isn’t it funny how things work out? Sometimes I try to imagine
things happening in the future and think, “Wow, that will be too hard,” or “I’m not ready for that.” But then the time comes, I do it, and it’s just fine. I am excited for my future, and for everyone else’s at The Vidette. While we might not all have jobs lined up yet, I’m confident that our training and experiences at The Vidette will allow us to kick butt in whatever we do next. Right now, I have interviews pending in Miami, Fla., Santa Cruz, Calif., and Washington, D.C. Maybe I’ll start a new adventure in one of those places, or maybe none of those will work out and I’ll go somewhere else. No matter what happens, it will
be fine. Because of The Vidette, I know I’ll be able to handle whatever is thrown at me in the work world. Here’s to hoping I’m surrounded with co-workers half as wonderful as the ones I’ve been lucky enough to have during the past two years. To my lovely Vidette friends: goodbye for now, but I know I’ll be seeing you soon. We’re family, after all. Ave Rio is a senior journalism major and editor-in-chief of The Vidette. Any questions or comments can be directed to vidette_ario@ilstu.edu. Follow her on Twitter @avegrio.
THE VIDETTE | NEWS | PAGE 5
MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017
New infographics explore cybersecurity by country STORY BY KEVIN SCHWALLER | Senior News Reporter | @kevschwa
algorithms that are used to protect our files and internet connections.” The United States also has the highest amount of freedom on the Internet, following Iceland, Estonia and Canada. Stephens said Virtual Private Networks (VPN) are the best way for students to prevent cyber-attacks. “Students often use Wi-Fi networks shared with hundreds of other students, so for them, a VPN prevents other users on that network from intercepting unencrypted web traffic,” Stephens said.
CLAIRE WEINZIERL News Reporter |@claireweinzierl
Illinois State University will dedicate a new gathering space and honor a beloved member of the Redbird community on campus this week. The Redbird Plaza is in the outdoor space between DeGarmo and Fell Halls. ISU will dedicate the new plaza at 4 p.m. Thursday. The entire Redbird community is invited to attend the free event and graduating seniors are welcome to photo opportunities with Reggie Redbird in cap and gown. The dedication will also include time to honor Judith “Jude” Boyer. Boyer retired as vice president of Student Affairs from ISU in 2000. Boyer passed away in 2012, but she left a gift to ISU that is being honored in the new Redbird Plaza by the Student Government Association. “Redbird Plaza will have special meaning to all those who had the chance to work with Judith “Jude” Boyer,” President Larry Dietz said in a press release. “She was a fervent supporter of student leadership opportunities, and her steadfast commitment to elevating student voices in shared governance is legendary.” The new plaza took 10 years to build. It features a bronze bust of Reggie Redbird as a centerpiece. The bust was designed by local artist Rick Harney. Harney specializes in sculpture and woodcarving. Harney is an ISU graduate. His studio is located in Bloomington’s Cultural District. Some of his works are on display at Central Catholic High School, ISU, Illinois Wesleyan University and the Central Illinois Regional Airport.
“We all have moments of carelessness when we slip up and something goes wrong,” he said. “I know students live on their phones and laptops these days. If a student falls victim to a cyber-attack, they may not be able to recover quickly. For this reason, I recommend students regularly back up their devices, either to the cloud or to an external hard drive.” To see Comparitech’s infographics, visit https://www.comparitech. com/blog/information-security/ cyber-security-statistics/.
Natalie Stuckslager | Vidette Photographer
The United States is the most targeted country for Web application attacks.
A
new online infographic examines each country’s level of cybersecurity. Technology website Comparitech created multiple infographics that visualize just how cyber safe the world is. The article’s author Richard Patterson said not all countries are equal when it comes to handling cyber security. “Because so much data is now stored online, we’re constantly exposed to a number of dangers including ransomware, identity theft, malware and cyber-attacks,” Patterson wrote. “These happen every second all over the world, costing the economy millions of dollars.” According to the infographics, Sweden has the lowest amount of malware infection rates, while China has the highest. Comparitech writer Joel Stephens said the company pulled data together from 10 different sources to provide a comprehensive picture of cybersecurity throughout the world. “There are several studies that
compare the cyber security and internet freedom based on different countries, but they usually only look at one factor to make that comparison, e.g. malware infection rates, DDoS [Distributed Denial of Service] attacks, and economic impact,” Stephens said. “We wanted to aggregate several of these studies into one place to give a more clear overall picture of the state of global cyber security.” The United States is the most targeted country for web application attacks. It is also the most affected by cyber espionage, which is when computer networks are illegally used to gain access to information that is normally held by organizations. However, Stephens said it is also one of the best prepared for a cyberattack. “The US is the most heavily targeted country when it comes to cyber-attacks, and in response, it has invested the most in its cyber defenses,” he said. “The US tends to set the standard for cyber security across the globe. The US military, for example, invented the encryption
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PAGE 6 | THE VIDETTE
MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017
As the ’Birds fly the nest... Visiting Reggie’s papier-mâ-shaky past
From retro Reggie to modern Reggie, ISU’s Redbird mascot has changed in looks, but has continued to entertain arenas and crowds aroudn campus. Left: ISU Archive Right: Emma Horath Senior Photographer STUART STALTER Features Reporter | @VidetteStuS
When thinking of what is most synonymous with Illinois State University, the bird is the word. Since hatching in 1981, ISU mascot Reggie Redbird flies first class. ISU archivist April Anderson said, the Junior Redbird Club named ISU’s mascot after famous baseball slugger Reggie Jackson. Reggie was the first (and only) individual mascot name in campus history. Equipped with a new name and suit, Reggie debuted jumping out of a box on September 5, 1981 before the football season opener against Western Illinois (a game ISU won 31-7). Reggie quickly obtained area celebrity status. Reggie maintains a close relationship with students through frequent sporting/campus event appearances and self-management of all social media accounts. While Reggie hatched in 1981, his
family nest traces back nearly 100 years. Anderson said, in 1923, first year athletic director Clifford “Pop” Horton advocated change in ISU’s athletic nickname to the Cardinals. Previously, the nickname split between the Fighting Teachers and Red and White. The change to Cardinals finalized January 5, 1927, when a Vidette headline referred to ISU athletics as Cardinals. Horton also added a bird mascot in 1923; the bird resided in the Bell Tower of the Old Main building. The arrival of Reggie’s ancestors caused community confusion. Anderson notes that, at the time, ISU’s name was Illinois State Normal University. The inclusion of “normal” signified that sports were inferior in importance to education. After World War II, ISU athletics adopted the Red Bird name (with a space) and Reggie’s predecessors gained popularity. “During the 1950s, mascot papiermâchés and wood figures appeared during
homecoming, Founder’s Day and school dances,” Anderson said. A 1957 town parade featured a red bird float. The late 1960s-1970s human-era of ISU mascots experienced harsher beginnings. The early mascot suit was red-painted canvas with red feathers glued together. A papier-mâché head featured “a nose that kept getting knocked off,” one of ISU’s first student mascots Dan Winberry remembered in a 2000 interview with ISU’s alumni magazine. Suit modifications in the 1970s proved equally unsuccessful with the addition of real feathers to the suit. Frequent molting problems arose, leading to some schools like DePaul banning ISU mascots from basketball games. While archives finds no purchasing order for Reggie’s first costume, ISU alumnus and former Clemens Insurance owner Richard B. Percy was involved in either donation or purchase. Reggie’s 1981 arrival ended the homemade costume era.
“I believe ISU’s athletic department ordered the first costume from a sports catalog, and we paid for it,” Percy said. Modern-day Reggie’s flightpath is shrouded in mystery. Students cannot even tell friends they portray Reggie. “Our students who are a part of Team Reggie keep their identity a secret as a way for us to keep the aura and mystique about the mascot,” Zachary Schroeder, ISU director of marketing and fan experience, said. Despite flying under the radar, Reggie broke silence to share joys of entertaining ISU for over 35 years. “You walk in a room and people just light up as you interact and play with children or students,” Reggie chirped. “You just know that you made their day better. Just seeing myself making people happy is enough reward for me.” Whether dancing, cycling or cheering on sports teams, Reggie spreads joy every time he spreads his wings.
RSO brings normalcy to competitive gaming EVAN HOON Features Reporter | @Hoondog7
for ISU to have similar programs in the near future. The two board members are filled with ambition and the energy to keep growing their RSO. The group curJack Blahnik, a freshman secondary math educarently meets in mid-sized rooms in Schroeder and Stevention major, has lofty aspirations for Redbird Gamson. As the following grows, Soto hopes to reserve larger ing, ISU’s game-based RSO. Blahnik and fellow rooms, and even potentially selling out Redbird Arena for executive board member Eleno Soto recently oba competition. As rapidly as competitive gaming is growtained the control of Redbird eSports and decided ing, that ambition is not as far-fetched as it seems. to change the name of the group to Redbird GamA part of the RSO’s strategy is to grow social media ing. The name change was made to bring together followings. Soto and Blahnik are currently revamping all all gamers, competitive and casual, into one RSO. social media accounts under the new name of Redbird Redbird eSports was mostly known for competiGaming. By next fall, the group plans to have active Facetive gaming in games such as League of Legends book, Twitter, YouTube and Twitch accounts. and Overwatch. President Soto, a sophomore Another part of their strategy is to simply include as international business major, wants to keep the many people as possible. There will still be a competition competitive edge of the group aspect to the group, but Soto and Blahnik also want the while also appealing to normal group to be casual and social. Blahnik said, “I want it to be a place for people to go and feel welcome.” to Know students who play video games Getty Image (and board games) just for fun. Soto stresses the importance of student interaction Redbird Gaming aspires to grow in membership while bringing all kinds Soto said, “We are trying to make it as friendly during a busy school year. Gaming with friends is much of gamers together. as possible while also holding that competitive different than gaming alone. Soto said, “If you are here, have the etiquette that athletes have,” he said. “If you caliber.” take that chance to spread your wings and do whatever want to be compared on the same level and respected at The regimen to keeping that competitive caliber is not you want to do.” the same level, why not behave at the same level.” simple. The group hosts tryouts every year to see how With the official name change to Redbird Gaming, the The question of if competitive gaming is a sport is still the players compete. Several teams are then constructed group wants to merge the aspects of competition and comhighly debated, but its popularity is undoubtedly skyrockbased on the game and the skill level of the player. Teams munity, hoping to grow the community even more. The eting. National competitions are broadcasted on major then practice around four hours a week for competitions current 260-person membership hopes to grow to around television networks, and hundreds of competitors are on Saturdays. 400 gamers next year as the group reaches out to more making a living playing professionally. Larger college com- platforms. Sportsmanship and etiquette are also an important petitions are being recorded, and some universities are component to team selection. Soto said, talent does not If the group continues to grow, it is not far off from selleven offering scholarship opportunities for future gamers trump poor gaming etiquette. “We feel that we should ing out Redbird Arena. to play for the school. Soto and Blahnik are both striving
RSO
THE VIDETTE | SPORTS | PAGE 7
MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017
Emma Horath | Vidette Senior Photographer
Freshman designated hitter Jordan Libman swings at Friday’s game against Indiana State.
Emma Horath | Vidette Senior Photographer
Junior catcher Collin Braithwaite loses helmet as he slides into second base.
’Birds stumped by Sycamores
Illinois State swept by Indiana State, drop seventh-straight MVC Game NATE HEAD Sports Reporter | @NateHead51
The Illinois State baseball team lost all three games this weekend to Indiana State at Duffy Bass Field. Strong offensive outbursts from the Sycamores powered them to 28 runs in the series, earning their second sweep in row. Illinois State struggled on the mound, especially in Saturday’s contest, as the ISU pitching staff yielded 15 runs. Owen Miller led ISU at the plate, batting 7-for-14 with a home run in the series.
Game One: Indiana State 9, Illinois State 6 The Illinois State baseball team out-hit Indiana State Friday night but fell short to the Sycamores 9-6 in the opening game of the weekend series. The Redbirds tagged Indiana State starter Tyler Ward for 11 hits and traded runs in the middle innings, but a three-run third inning for the
Sycamores proved to be the difference. “They have more physicality than we do,” head coach Bo Durkac said. “Their power and our lack of it was the difference in the game.” Indiana State opened the third frame with consecutive singles and loaded the bases with a walk. Dane Giesler plated a run with a sac fly and Tony Roselli emptied the bases with a two-RBI double. Illinois State starter Brady Huffman tossed 5 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits. Illinois State scored a pair of runs in both the first and third innings, and Miller hit his team-leading sixth home run of the season. John Rave, Collin Braithwaite and Miller each had three hits to lead the top-half of the Redbird lineup that hit a combined 13-24 (.541). “We had a really good day at the plate,” Durkac said. “Our hitters are putting a lot of extra work in, their approaches are more refined and we aren’t chasing pitches out of the zone early in the count.” The bottom-four ISU hitters did not
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record a hit.
Game Two: Indiana State 15, Illinois State 4 An early offensive start led Indiana State over Illinois State, 15-4, in the second game of the series Saturday afternoon. The Sycamores scored nine runs in the first four innings, including four runs in their first at-bat and three scores in the fourth frame. Illinois State starter Jeffrey Barton was tagged for six earned runs in three innings on eight hits. Danny Giesler hit two of Indiana State’s four home runs to pull into a third-place tie in the Missouri Valley Conference with Dallas Baptist’s Austin Listi. Derek Parola recorded two hits for the Redbirds, including an RBI triple in the fourth inning. Owen Miller has now provided an RBI in eight consecutive games and extended an 11-game hitting streak. Indiana State starter Will Kincanon threw seven strong innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits and 10
strikeouts. “We swung the bat well against a legit top-100 prospect, but just didn’t have an answer for their bats” Durkac said. Indiana State clubbed 16 hits and extended its winning streak to five games.
Game Three: Indiana State 4, Illinois State 3 NICK DAMIANI Sports Reporter | @nGdamiani
ISU continued its struggles Sunday afternoon with a 4-3 loss to Indiana State at Duffy Bass Field. The Sycamores are now on a sixgame win streak, while the Redbirds have dropped seven straight MVC games. The Sycamores broke a 3-3 tie in the top half of the ninth. Tony Rosselli dropped a base hit into left field to bring home the eventual winning run. The Redbirds threatened with two runners in their half of the ninth, but both Rave and Miller were retired to
end the game. Redbird starter Matt Walker cruised through his first four innings, holding the Sycamores scoreless while allowing two hits to go with three strikeouts. “He got a lot of bad swings out there,” Durkac said. “That shows you what kind of talent he has and why we’re excited for the furture of the program.” However, trouble arose in the top of the fifth when the first two Sycamores reached base. A Dane Tofteland single brought in Indiana State’s first run of the day. Two batters later, a potential inning-ending ground ball skipped away from Joe Butler at second, allowing two more runs to score. “That’s on me ... I told the guys I haven’t done enough to have them prepared to make plays,” Durkac said. Butler would redeem himself in the seventh with a lead-off single that turned into the tying run on Miller’s second RBI double of the day. The Redbirds will travel to Carbondale Friday for a three game set with Southern Illinois.
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Sports
PAGE 8 | THE VIDETTE
MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017
Welcome from the new ‘Head’ of Vidette Sports
MY VIEW NATE HEAD | Sports Reporter @NateHead51
Natalie Stucklager | Vidette Photographer
Seniors Jordan de los Reyes (above) and Annie Heineman (below) pose with their respective parents after being honored Sunday
Unfinished Business?
Redbirds clinch share of MVC Regular Season Championship despite being swept by Northern Iowa; first title since 2011 NICK LANDI Sports Reporter | @TheDon1033
One win. That is all Illinois State softball needed to clinch sole possession of the Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship. Instead, Northern Iowa came into Normal and erased a threegame deficit in the standings as they swept ISU last weekend at Marian Kneer Stadium. While both teams get a share of the championship, UNI gets the top seed heading into this weekend’s MVC tournament having won all three games against ISU. Despite the fact they could not get the top seed, ISU’s regular season championship is the first for the program since 2011. After being picked to finish fifth in the preseason standings, the Redbirds ended up exceeding expectations. “We haven’t been able to put a number up there [on the outfield wall] since 2012, so I’m very, very proud of that,” ISU coach Melinda Fischer said. “Absolutely wanted to take a game, there’s no doubt in anybody’s mind. But it wasn’t our weekend and (...) they’re certainly
on a roll.”
Game One: UNI 11, ISU 1 What was at first a pitcher’s duel ended up being a dominant victory for Northern Iowa. ISU junior pitcher Sarah Finck fought UNI freshman Jaclyn Spencer to a scoreless tie heading into the fifth inning. Then, the Panthers broke through. UNI scored seven times in the top of the fifth, with the most notable play coming from junior first basemen Kennedy Bailey. On a full count, she hit a grand slam, her first home run of the season. The homer ultimately knocked Finck out of the circle for the remainder of the day. Bailey also added a three-run blast in the seventh. Despite a solo home run later that inning from junior infielder Alex Caliva, ISU were unable to keep the pressure up on the southpaw Spencer. “We haven’t seen many lefties this year,” ISU senior catcher Jordan de los Reyes said. “So I think kind of seeing that was a little different. And she threw a lot of off-speed which we struggled with.”
Game Two: UNI 8, ISU 2
The Redbirds built a 1-0 lead thanks to a home run from de los Reyes in the first inning, her 19th of the season. However, ISU’s lead was short-lived. UNI scored five unanswered runs throughout the next three innings off ISU sophomore pitcher Ali Domkuski. Both freshman infielder Sammey Bunch, senior starting pitcher Alyssa Buchanan and senior outfielder Macey Wolfe hit home runs for the Panthers, who took advantage of a rough day from ISU’s defense. After having committed only one error in game one, the Redbirds struggled to field the ball and eventually accumulated six errors in the loss. Out of the eight runs Domkuski gave up, only five were earned. “Defensively, six errors in that second ball game, that’s crazy to me,” Fischer said. “They just consistently put the ball in play, got some really good swings and drove the ball deep and scored a lot of runs.”
Game Three: UNI 8, ISU 2
In a rematch from Saturday, Finck once again took on Spencer. This time, UNI did not have to
wait as long to get on the board. A single by Bunch and a triple by sophomore Bailey Lange gave the Panthers a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Finck settled down the next couple innings while ISU scored two in the fourth. Then came the fifth inning. For the second straight day, UNI knocked Finck out of the circle after an offensive onslaught. The Panthers would get five runs off three hits. Up 8-2, UNI sent Buchanan to the circle to finish off the Redbirds. “I think it was more of the pressure we were putting on ourselves,” ISU senior outfielder Annie Heineman said about her team’s offensive struggles. “Just because we knew we had to win one game and we were taking that mindset and putting a little more pressure on ourselves.” After the game, both de los Reyes and Heineman were honored during ISU’s Senior Day ceremony. UNI’s seniors also received recognition and were given flowers by Fischer. ISU will host the MVC tournament 11 a.m. Thursday at Marian Kneer Stadium.
Well, let’s do this. I had the pleasure to meet with former Vidette sports editors Scott Gleeson and Tony Andracki recently, and they echoed outgoing editor Josh Tolentino. This is the best job on campus. I am truly grateful for the opportunity, and I assure readers and followers that I will hone my focus on continuing to provide quality coverage for every Illinois State University team. Mike Marra will join me in the position, and I am looking forward to combining and implementing new ideas while maintaining the qualities that have set the bar high at The Vidette by my predecessors. I grew up and still reside in Freeport, Illinois. I was immediately drawn to baseball at a young age, and the Chicago teams — Cubs and White Sox — received most of the television time. Everyone needs a favorite team, and I picked the Cubs. The wager I placed as a six-year-old kid finally paid its dues last season, as the Cubs won the championship and finally ended that unspeakable drought. I started at The Vidette as a sports reporter in December after transferring from Highland Community College in Freeport. My first beat was the gymnastics team, where I learned the ins-and-outs of the way ISU athletics handled its business on a daily basis. From there, I landed the baseball beat, a position I very much enjoyed as a diehard fan of the game. The team has endured its struggles this season, but it has still been a pleasure to cover the team regardless of the outcome. As a kid, I always knew journalism was the field I wanted to pursue. I played sports all the way up through high school before permanently trading my cleats for a recorder and pocket notebook. Like most sports writers, I wasn’t good enough to play at the next level. But the passion for athletics never subsided. So, covering teams for a publication is the next best thing. Maybe even the best thing. My time at ISU has been relatively brief up to this point, but it didn’t take long to recognize this as the place for me. My writing teachers have been superb, and many schools can’t compete with the opportunities this university provides. To all the coaches, players and SIDs I have crossed paths with so far, I sincerely appreciate the kindness you have shown me. Your willingness to grant interviews and assistance with certain articles has meant a lot to me. Next, my family is instrumental in anything I achieve, and I must acknowledge that I wouldn’t be anywhere without their unwavering support, so, for that, I thank them. Lastly, I thank the readers. You are the ones that keep this place going and make our work so meaningful. Finally, I’m writing this on a Saturday evening, so it’s fitting to propose a toast: To new beginnings.