TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2014 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY > VOLUME 90, ISSUE 12
Ransdell donating salary increase BY LEAH BROWN NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM
Last semester, the Student Government Association passed a resolution that encouraged President Gary Ransdell to consider reducing his salary for the current fiscal year. To lessen the impact of recent budget cuts, the resolution called for Ransdell to take a salary reduction. Ransdell’s current salary is $427,824, which is a $4,236, or 1 percent increase, from the previous fiscal year, according to the Budgeted Salary Report for the 2014 to 2015 fiscal year. Ransdell responded to the resolution by giving up his 1 percent salary increase for the rest of his presidency starting this fiscal year. Ransdell agreed to round up the 1 percent to $5,000 from his base salary to donate to the WKU Foundation annually. “I’m paid well and I do need to be making significant charitable gifts to this university,” Ransdell said. The money will be divided and distributed among campus to places such as the undergraduate colleges, the Kentucky Museum and a scholarship fund. “I’m just giving it back as a charitable gift to the campus,” Ransdell said. SGA President Nicki Taylor said she is glad Ransdell responded to SGA, as well as the University Senate, who also wrote a resolution regarding Ransdell’s salary. Taylor said the writer of SGA’s resolution, Mark Reeves, was happy with Ransdell’s decision because the
JIMMY FEIX | 1931 - 2014
SEE RANSDELL PAGE A2
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T
he last time Jimmy Feix stood on a football field was just over a year ago, against a doctor’s orders. It was the 40th anniversary of the 1973 WKU football team that went 12-1 with an Ohio Valley Conference championship. More than 50 members of the team were honored at halftime of the WKU-Morgan State game. Feix, confined to a wheelchair because of his battle with Parkinson’s disease, rode in a golf cart near midfield. Then, to the amazement of everyone in attendance, Feix stood up and walked to meet his former players on the field that donned his name. “That sent cold chills all up and down our spines,” Leo Peckenpaugh, a quarterback for Feix from 1970 to 1973, said. “He wasn’t going to be in a wheelchair that day.” Feix, the winningest football coach in WKU history, passed away Sunday afternoon.
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ABOVE: Jimmy Feix offers thanks for a face mask penalty against East Tennessee State University in 1977. Feix was part of the football coaching staff for 24 years, serving 15 years as head coach. JIM BURTON/TALISMAN FILE PHOTO
Uniqueness defines MajorRedz BY LASHANA HARNEY NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM
BRIA GRANVILLE/HERALD
Nashville senior Ashlee Robinson, center, helps lead the MajorRedz dancers.
The MajorRedz dance to a different beat here at WKU. The MajorRedz is a student-formed variation of a majorette dance team, drawing influence from multiple music genres. Lexington sophomore MarShaye Griffin described it as a “mixture of ballet and jazz.” Nashville senior Mariah Tibbs, team captain and coach, said in September 2010, she and a few of her friends began a team out of their passion for dancing. The Topperettes, the official WKU dance team, and the WKU cheerleading team didn’t fit their style.
Tibbs said starting a separate, different style of dance team on campus was a way to add diversity. “We were trying to figure out where we belong, to feel more at home,” she said. Louisville junior and MajorRedz dancer Jade Wilson said the dance style of MajorRedz is usually found on the campuses of historically black colleges and universities. “It’s like a genre in itself,” Wilson said. Evansville sophomore Jessica Jackson said this unique style of dance was new to several members of the team who come from different dancing backgrounds. “I come from a cheerleading back-
SEE DANCE PAGE A3
OCTOBER 7, 2014
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COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD
FEIX
Continued from front He was 83. Former players see Feix’s ability to stand up out of his wheelchair in the field that day as evidence that Feix was one of the toughest competitors they’d ever been associated with, but also a coach who had a heart of gold. “One of my former teammates, Larry Deweese, summed it up best last week when he said coach Feix was the toughest man he’d ever met,” Peckenpaugh said. “He was a really classy fellow and highly competitive with integrity. He loved winning, but he handled defeat gracefully and he always was a gentleman about competition. He was one of the most humble people I’ve ever been around. It was an honor and a pleasure to play for him and an honor to call him friend.” Feix remains WKU’s most successful coach with a 106-56-6 record during his 16 years as head coach from 1968 to 1983. With Feix as the coach, WKU won or shared the OVC championship on six occasions. Feix arrived on the Hill in 1949 from Henderson as a quarterback. As a senior quarterback for WKU in 1952, Feix became the school’s first football athlete to earn All-American honors and led the Hilltoppers to their bowl appearance with a 34-19 win over Arkansas State in the Refrigerator Bowl in Evansville, Indiana. Along with serving WKU as an AllAmerican athlete and head coach, Feix was an assistant coach and held the positions of assistant director of Alumni Affairs, director of Alumni Affairs and director of athletics until his retirement in 1990. Director of athletics Todd Stewart said Feix is the patriarch of WKU’s football program.
JAKE POPE/HERALD
LEFT: Jimmy Feix' s jersey number, 66, is displayed on the side of Smith Stadium as one of the four retired football numbers at WKU. RIGHT: Jimmy Feix's name is branded on the center of the WKU football field at Smith Stadium. The field was dedicated in Feix's honor in 1991, eight years after he retired as head coach. “I had a close relationship with him because he was an athletic director,” Stewart said. “I purposely put his name out on my door as a daily reminder for me of the special people who have held this position, he being one of them. He was the kind of person that every time you talked to him that after you finished talking to him you felt better. “It didn’t matter what the topic was, you just felt better having had any kind of dialogue with Jimmy Feix.” The playing field at Smith Stadium was named “Jimmy Feix Field” in his honor in 1991. Feix was inducted into the 10-person inaugural class of the WKU Athletics Hall of Fame that same year. During that same ceremony,
Crime reports • Bowling Green sophomore Joshua Foust reported his wallet stolen from his backpack while in a Grise Hall computer lab on Sept. 30. Estimated value of the stolen item was $54. • Police cited Churchton, Maryland freshman Devonte Francis, of Barnes Campbell Hall, for possession of marijuana in Barnes Hall on Sept. 30. • Bowling Green sophomore Eric Saasita reported his iPad mini and calculator
WKU retired his No. 66 jersey. Outside of athletics, those who knew Feix best say he “lived life the way it should be.” “The things he taught us off the field were don’t do anything that would embarrass you, your family or your university. That was his rules,” Peckenpaugh said. “He was such a family person. He kept in contact with the guys that played for him and knew about their family lives and cared about it a great deal and that means so much to you when a guy stretches out that far. It says something about the quality of him.” Former WKU play-by-play announcer, Wes Strader, said he’s the only person to have seen every play Feix coached on
stolen from his backpack while in College High Hall on Oct. 1. Estimated value of the stolen property was $360. • Police arrested Murfreesboro, Tennessee sophomore Hamad Alkhaldi for reckless driving, DUI and operating a vehicle on an expired operators license on Normal Street on Oct. 2. • Bowling Green freshman Ashton Hardin, of Pearce-Ford Tower, reported that two females near PFT's main entrance assaulted her on Oct. 2. • Police arrested Bowling Green senior Lance Goodrum for alcohol intoxication in a public place at Smith Stadium on Oct. 4.
the field. From the broadcasting side, he said Feix is undisputedly one of WKU’s most prominent names. “His name is associated with Western like Dero Downing’s. Athletically, he was Mr. Western,” Strader said. “He coached because he loved kids. He took great pride in their development for the future. He’s a great person, great coach and great family man. A great representative of the university. Nobody loved it more than him.” The funeral service for the late Feix will be held Thursday at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Bowling Green. He is survived by his wife, Frankie, two sons, Jimmy and Jeff, and multiple grandchildren.
RANSDELL
Continued from front president is sharing the budget burden with students and employees. “I do think that it was very generous of President Ransdell to help out students,” Taylor said. This summer, Raymond Burse, the Kentucky State University interim president, gave his salary raise to KSU employees and asked the KSU Board of Regents to cut his pay because
of university budget concerns. Faculty Regent Patricia Minter said Burse has been held up as someone who has a strong sense of solidarity with the faculty, staff and students and she thinks that Ransdell could have donated more. She said SGA and the University Senate were trying to give Ransdell the opportunity to make a strong moral statement. “I think that’s a real missed opportunity to create some sense of goodwill and solidarity,” Minter said.
OCTOBER 7, 2014
WKUHERALD.COM
A3
WKU opens passport office for students BY BRITTANY ELDRIDGE
NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM
WKU is known for its international reach and students are encouraged to study abroad throughout their college careers. But in order for students to travel abroad, they have to go through the process of getting a passport first. WKU Passport Services, a new department this semester, will issue passports and operate under Postal Services. Marshall Gray, director of Postal Services, said this was something the department started researching about eight to 10 months ago. Gray said they began moving to Downing Student Union during fall break and opened Monday. The office is located inside the post office on the ground floor of DSU. Postal Services and the Office of Study Abroad and Global Learning communicate with one another and have done “passport days” in the past, where students can apply to get their passport re-
newed. “Now that the services are available on campus, every day is passport day,” Gray said. Gray said Postal Services participated in the Majors and Minors and Study Abroad Fair in September and during the fair, the staff had the opportunity to speak to about 100 students about passports. “The biggest thing is the convenience of having it right there,” Gray said. “Not only can the passport office offer the services of getting a passport, but it can answer questions that students may have.” Lisa Kirby, office associate of Postal Services, said if students get a passport on campus, there is a shorter wait time than if they go to the Bowling Green post office. However, the fees and requirements are still the same, as they deal with the Department of State. “If students have a passport, then they would be ready to travel anywhere, and would be more likely to travel,” Kirby said.
JENNIFER KING/HERALD
Passport Specialist Melissa Hayden works in her new office located at the post office in Downing Student Union. The official opening day of the passport office was Monday.
WKU hosts “Food Fight” food drive, encourages students to participate
Good Samaritan donates $50,000 to health institute
BY ERIAN BRADLEY
This semester the Institute of Rural Health received a gift of $50,000 from the Good Samaritan Foundation. Every year, the Good Samaritan Foundation, associated with the United Methodist Church, awards grants for healthcare and health education in the state of Kentucky. IRH received the money earlier this year. The money will be used to help IRH provide medical services such as blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose screenings, as well as health education for medical patients and dental services to southcentral Kentucky. They will also be offering dental exams, cleanings, sealants and fluoride treatments. IRH will be purchasing Cavitron machines, which are used for teeth cleanings. The machines will replace the old ones currently being used which were purchased back in 2001. Matt Hunt, director of the IRH, said students have been showing a lot of good support for all of the new equipment that the IRH has bought. “It’s a great opportunity to allow the students to apply what they learn in the classroom,” Hunt said. “They learn the theory, they learn all these techniques in a classroom, but it’s nice when they go and provide the services and get the hands-on experience.” -Brittany Eldridge
NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM There’s a Food Fight going on on campus, but there’s no food being thrown. Instead, it’s being collected for a good cause. From Sept. 22 through Oct. 22, the department of Leadership & Volunteerism, of the Student Activities offices, will be promoting their second annual food drive — the WKU Food Fight — as a part of Make A Difference Day 2014. Make A Difference Day is a national day created by USA WEEKEND Magazine that recognizes the contributions of everyday people who improve their communities, according to its official website. Allie Sharp, graduate assistant of Student Activities, said the department of Leadership & Volunteerism always does something for Make A Difference Day. The food drive is done online. In order to participate, groups such as campus organizations or clubs sign up through Student Activities for free. Once registered, YouGiveGoods, a website that hosts online donation drives, sets up the online drive page. The group will then receive a link from Sharp that can be
DANCE
Continued from front
ground, a lot of people come from a hip-hop background, so like, changing to majorette style is one of the biggest problems we’ve had,” Jackson said. “There’s a lot of technique that comes from majorette dancing, and we didn’t know it.” Tibbs said MajorRedz is more lenient than the Topperettes and the WKU cheerleading team when it comes to accepting members and will work with a student who does not know the dance routine as long as they are willing. The time frame for auditions varies, but they are held at least once a year. Typically auditions last two to three days. Tibbs said the more experienced dance members and the coaches will teach the auditioning students the routine. The students will be expected to perform it on the last day of auditions, where a panel of judges take note of technique, performance and enthusiasm. Tibbs said the team dances with the WKU Band in the stands during home football games and performs at various events on campus, and plans to
shared with others. Student Activities tracks the donated food through a live leaderboard. The registered groups can donate to one of three organizations: The Salvation Army of Bowling Green, the Barren River Area Safe Space and the WKU Food Pantry. Sharp said the drive is called WKU Food Fight because it demands attention. “If you see that in an email subject line, you may be more likely to click on it… ” she said. “We wanted it to be something kind of exciting, something fun for people to do…” This drive is limited to Bowling Green only. The food drive functions as a fundraiser and a competition. The competition winner gets announced at the WKU football game against the Old Dominion Monarchs on Oct. 25, which falls on Make A Difference Day. Sharp said there were multiple reasons for this food drive. “The reason why we do this is to help out our local community,” Sharp said. “We’re a part of this community. Western’s a part of this community. We want to help out the students and neighborhoods who we know, personally, need our help.”
perform in this year’s Homecoming parade. Tibbs said presently, because of the team members’ busy lifestyle, practices are somewhat spontaneous. “For now, we practice three nights a week and game weeks, we have it four times a week,” Tibbs said. Wilson said MajorRedz has difficulty finding places to practice because they are not considered an official athletic team. “A lot of times we just get in where we fit in,” she said. One of the places where the team has practiced is in Downing Student Union. The MajorRedz pay for most expenses, such as uniforms, out of pocket. The girls fundraise through bake sales and car washes to cover a portion of their purchases. Tibbs said one of the team’s core strengths is persistence. “We don’t give up,” Tibbs said. Tibbs said the team is currently pushing for a performance slot during halftime at football games because it wants more recognition. “We’ve been in the same spot for a long time,” Tibbs said. “We’re hoping the campus will be more open to us. We want to be embraced like family,
BRIA GRANVILLE/HERALD
Louisville junior Shelby Alexander straightens her hair alongside other MajorRedz team members in preparation for a football game matchup against UAB on Saturday. more so than anything.” Head coach of the Topperettes Laura Iverson said she considers the MajorRedz as just another dance team of the school. “I don’t consider them rivals,” she
said. Iverson said she doesn’t know much about MajorRedz, but believes that having more than one dance team adds to the university’s spirit. “The more the merrier,” Iverson said.
OCTOBER 7, 2014 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
WKUHERALD.COM EDITORIAL
OPINION
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COLUMN
HEADACHES OF A STUDENT CYCLIST
BY TANNER COLE
OPINION@WKUHERALD.COM
Support Cycling WKU NEeds better biking options
THE ISSUE: Parking at WKU is still a wreck, and bicycling could provide a helpful alternative. OUR STANCE: WKU owes it to students to make campus a safer place to cycle.
D
riving is no longer an option for many off-campus students, so many have turned to bicycles as a solution. WKU already offers a relatively biker-friendly campus, but there’s plenty more that they could be doing. There are plenty of cycling programs that have been proven to work by other universities that WKU could try. The roads surrounding campus should have dedicated bike lanes for the entire length of campus. Bike lanes that only cover a portion of the road or a section of a nearby road aren’t enough. WKU should commit to making campus as accessible and safe as possible.
Bicycle safety goes beyond traffic precautions, too. There have already been three reported stolen bicycles this semester, and one of those bikes cost $500. Students cannot be expected to use biking as a viable alternative to driving if they don’t feel safe leaving their bikes at campus racks. Bike lockers are a well-appreciated feature at dozens of other universities, including the University of Kentucky and Austin Peay State University. Most schools offer students a flat rate for a key to a locker for the semester. Investing in these lockers could quickly provide peace-of-mind to potential bikers. WKU has an incredible program in Big Red Bikes, the on-campus bicycle library that repurposes abandoned and impounded bikes for free use by students. There is clearly a demand for the service — the wait list is always weeks, if not months, long.
However, Big Red Bikes currently relies on Parking and Transportation for their bikes. WKU funding could increase the number of bikes they have to lend out. An expansion and cost-reduction of ORAC’s bike rental service could also provide the same product without quite as much cost to WKU. At the end of the day, students just need more parking spots. But if WKU isn’t going to provide that anytime soon, then they need to start providing better alternatives. Waiting around at South Campus for a bus is only going to seem like less of an alternative as temperatures go down. If you’re still concerned about the parking situation, write in to ask for these expansions to WKU’s biker safety. WKU isn’t providing the service they sold to students, and it’s about time they started making up for it in other ways.
Three weeks ago, my bicycle was stolen from a bike rack on campus. The lock was cut, and an police have been unable una to find it since. I d decided to cut my losses e and buy a new bike. A week later, I was riding r down the Hill to see a friend. While crossing cros Regents Drive, I rode over a water grate in the road. Unfortunately for my face and I, the grate was improperly installed. The drainage holes were lined up with the road rather than perpendicular to it, and my tire went straight through rather than coasting over as intended. I was sent flying forward into the concrete. Several hours in the emergency room later, I was given eight stitches and prescriptions to heavy painkillers and antibiotics. I had two lacerations on my face, a black eye, dozens of cuts and bruises and a broken bike. In less than a month, WKU claimed two bicycles from me. I missed class, work and plenty of time because of the accident. I started biking this year after moving off campus. Driving isn’t really an option for anyone that can avoid it this year, but at this point biking isn’t an option for me either. As far as I’m concerned, this campus isn’t completely bicycle-safe. I’ve heard stories from fellow students in the past few weeks that have experienced the exact same wreck around campus. We don’t have bike lanes everywhere, and it makes riding a nervous wreck for most cyclists. Two of my friends went and fixed the grate after my accident, but who knows how many others are installed just like it around campus. Basic biker safety needs to be a priority for WKU even when they have an acceptable parking situation, but this year there are no excuses. For now, I’m afraid to buy another bike for fear that Gary Ransdell himself will walk into my house and smash it into pieces.
ALBUM REVIEW
Williams latest record a high-point in an impressive catalog BY SAM OSBORNE LIFE@WKUHERALD.COM Singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams has been lamenting troubled souls and lost causes for the majority of her prolific career. On her 12th album, “Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone,” she’s still weary as ever, but she’s got compassion. “You do not know what wars are going on/Down there where the spirit meets the bone,” she deliv-
ers through her trademark, slurred Southern drawl on the album’s first track “Compassion,” adapted from a poem by her father, poet Miller Williams. “Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone” is Williams’ first album since 2011. The double album of 20 songs recalls her greatest work. Williams’ music lives in the Deep South, and she’s taken listeners from juke joints to desolate gravel roads, and across most of the state of Louisiana, throughout her entire
career. On this record she’s recalling the sultry soul of Dusty Springfield in “West Memphis,” as she warns “So don’t come around here and try to mess with us/‘Cause that’s the way we do things/In West Memphis.” In “East Side of Town,” she’s calling out the hypocrisy of an unnamed politician and conveying the ugly truths of the marginalized, with “You wanna see what it means to be down/Then why don’t you come over to the east side of town?”
It is hard to categorize Williams. In fact, her 1988 self-titled record was instrumental in creating the alternative country genre. She blends country, soul and rock ’n’ roll, but the underlying emotion has always been the blues. Like “Ode to Billie Joe” songstress Bobbie Gentry, a singer-songwriter who never quite fit the mold of country music, Williams’ vignettes portray the minutiae of southern life with the deftness and detail of a Flannery O’Connor short story.
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HELP WANTED City of Bowling Green REFEREE/SCOREKEEPERS Parks & Recreation Department REFEREE: Enforce rules impartially and control the contest so that the players are afforded a positive game experience; display self-confidence and a professional attitude while officiating; Age: 18+; Salary: $18.70/game; Work Hours: 10 to 12 hours/week primarily evenings and occasional weekends. SCOREKEEPERS: Assists with the operation of the Basketball Leagues and Tournaments and know how to keep score and time; must know the rules of High School Basketball; Age: 16+; Salary: $8.37/hour; Work Hours: 10 to 12 hours/ week primarily evenings and occasional weekends. Interested applicants should obtain an employment application from the Human Resources Department in City Hall, 1001 College Street, Bowling Green, or from our website at www.bgky.org. The City of Bowling Green is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Certified Drug-Free Workplace.
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PREVIOUS CROSSWORD SOLUTION
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Focus on your work today and tomorrow. It could get busy and even intense. Meetings conflict with family time. Put love into your efforts and team. Don't get into a silly argument. Provide excellence.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
Things could get lucrative today and tomorrow. Contemplate the costs before buying new stuff. With fierce competition, quality materials do matter. Compromise to fit the budget. Make sure more money comes in than goes out.
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
Consider career advancement today and tomorrow. Plan every move before launching. Give thanks for willing hands. Stick with the basics. Insight illuminates your studies, and angels guide your actions. Avoid somebody else's argument. Prepare.
ACROSS Shoes”; song for 1 Actor on “Law & Elvis Presley Order: SVU” 24 Show boldness 5 Network for 25 Rob Reiner’s news anchor Scott dad Pelley 26 “The __ of 8 Kill Music”; Julie 9 Excuse Andrews film 12 “Dancing with 28 Woody the __” Guthrie’s son 13 “__ Fear”; 29 Annapolis Richard Gere academy, for short thriller 30 “__ Hari”; 14 “Flip __ Greta Garbo movie House”; A&E 32 Actor __ Estes series 35 Illegal 15 Actor Robert __ hallucinogen, for 16 “El __”; short Charlton Heston 36 __-à-tête; movie private 18 Suffix for conversation musket or auction 37 Presidential 19 “Hard __”; power to forbid news journalism 38 “Life as __”; series of the ‘90s Kevin Kline movie 20 Actor Everett 40 “The __ Duke 21 Cheese from Show” Holland 41 “__ Hope”; old 23 “Blue __ daytime serial
42 Opening poker bet 43 Role on “Everybody Loves Raymond” 44 “The __ Hunter”; Robert De Niro movie DOWN 1 “This __ End”; James Franco film 2 Role on “Modern Family” 3 Dumbo’s “wings” 4 Cobb and Burrell 5 Singer __ Simon 6 Radar screen image 7 Scottish actor Alastair __ 10 “The __”; reality dating game 11 Classic Greek epic 12 Sault __. Marie 13 “A __ Named
HILLTOP HOROSCOPES
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Get into a two-day luxuriously lovely phase. You're looking especially good. Public duties or even a confrontation could take from private time. Sense the tension around you, and defuse it with subtle touches. Play a fun game.
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
You're distracted from work. Expect transformations today and tomorrow. Wear your confidence with aplomb. Check to see if the orders have changed. Check your course, then full speed ahead. Suddenly you know. This could be comforting.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)
The next two days are good for travel. Clean and organize. Don't touch savings. Chart your course, and get feedback from companions before spending. Rebellions could flare. Expect the unexpected, but don't let it stop you.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
You're good at solving problems. Get what you need delivered. Sink into a two-day homebody phase. Get fully into a household project. Review basic assumptions and reassess your view. Circumstances may not fit your expectation.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
Schedule carefully. Something's coming due. Over the next two days, clean up old messes. Creative insight fixes them secretly... you don't need to take credit. Just make it happen. You can get through where a nervous friend can't.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Take on more responsibility. Publicize your efforts today and tomorrow. Prayer and meditation are powerful tools. They can cool a chaotic moment. Weave inspiration and passion into a romantic spark. Get inspired by the competition.
Scooby-Doo”; old cartoon series 15 “Here __ the Brides” 17 ...FDR, HST, __, JFK... 19 Joker or jack 20 Ringlet of hair 22 Actress Delany 23 Gilbert or Rue 25 Actress Blanchett 26 Eat dinner 27 Grouch of “Sesame Street” 30 Sloppy 31 “I can’t believe I __ the whole thing!” 33 Furry swimmer 34 “__ Meets World” 36 Albacore or bluefin 37 Weathercock 39 Rower’s need 40 Cushion
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Share feelings over the next two days. Unexpected costs could alter a plan. You're exceptionally intelligent, and can find the perfect solution. Revolutionize your attitude. Re-assess your budget. Guard against waste, and shift methods or materials.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
A new money-making scheme occurs to you. Your friends are a big help over the next few days. Listen carefully. Together, you can move mountains. Don't act in haste. Test the limits first. Divvy the spoils.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Partnership negotiations occur today and tomorrow. Recognize your own stubbornness, and let go some. Compromise. Accept an idea from someone else. Get transparent with agendas. It's possible for both parties to win. Work the situation.
OCTOBER 7, 2014 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
WKUHERALD.COM
PHOTO
Zach Samuels, 8, of Bowling Green works on assembling his own version of a Rube Goldberg machine. His machine will use a marble to move a cup causing a spoon to flip.
e
lementary ngineering
Gray Howard, 10, of Bowing Green, demonstrates how to make part of the Rube Goldberg machine to Carrington Coppinger, 9, of Bowling Green. A Rube Goldberg machine is a complex machine that has the end goal of completing a very simple task.
Onjoy Mahmoot, 10, of Bowling Green explains a problem he was having with his Rube Goldberg machine to WKU Planetarium Coordinator Ronn Kistler.
ABOVE: The notebook paper of Eddie Solberg-Hale shows the steps and diagram of how a spoon flipping Rube Goldberg machine works. ABOVE: Supplies including nails and paper clips were used at the Wacky Engineering camp to construct Rube Goldberg machines. RIGHT: Campers at the Wacky Engineering camp discuss the steps of a Rube Goldberg machine they watched earlier that morning. Wacky Engineering was the theme of the fall break Science Curiosity Investigation Camp at the Hardin Planetarium.
Photos By Jake Pope
OCTOBER 7, 2014 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
WKUHERALD.COM
LIFE
WILLIAM KOLB/HERALD
Marion senior Zach Sizemore (center) and his roommates, New Castle graduate Josh Barnette and Brownsville senior Kyle Vincent, brew their own beer, "Brother Beer," in their home in Bowing Green.
Higher Hops Brewing beer becomes a new hobby
BY KIERSTIN KIRK LIFE@WKUHERALD.COM
F
or Marion senior Zach Sizemore, brewing his own beer is not only a hobby, but is a money saver. He and two of his friends, Brownsville senior Kyle Vincent and New Castle graduate Josh Barnett, regularly brew their own beer. Together, they pitch in their resources and decide what kind of beer they want to brew and split the price. “We all loved craft beer and wanted to see if it was cheaper to make it ourselves,” Sizemore said via text message. “It’s about the same (price) after the initial investment.” The brewing process entails many steps. The most important step is making sure to completely clean and sterilize the brewing space. Any bacteria that gets into the mix could ruin the beer. Another significant stage is commonly
referred to as “wort.” During this process, all the grains are crushed and have been sitting in scalding hot water for about an hour to an hour and a half. The mixing of the starches and sugars during the “wort” process create a sweet smelling aroma recognized by many brewers. The entire process can take up to two months depending on the type of brew, technique and brewing equipment. Sizemore enjoys brewing and has given away some of his beers for free. Some pay him for the beers, but Sizemore and his friends consider that more of a donation. The trio finds most of the recipes they use online and go from there. “There’s a lot of recipes online and we edit recipes to fit our brewing technique and how we want it to taste,” Sizemore said. Sizemore wishes to continue brewing his own beer once he and his friends graduate,
SEE BEER PAGE B2
Students provide helping hands on fall break trip BY KIERSTIN KIRK LIFE@WKUHERALD.COM This fall break students traded a vacation on the beach for baking for children and reorganizing warehouses. The students, under the leadership of Andrew Rash, coordinator for Student Activities, boarded a bus early Thursday morning for a long weekend of community service projects. A group of 17 students, staff and graduate assistants traveled to St. Louis and Kansas City, Kansas for an alternative fall break. “The trip is a service/cultural educa-
tion trip, as well as a leadership builder also,” Rash said. The Student Activities Office plans an alternative trip each semester. There’s one for fall break, and two for spring break. This year, they set their sights on St. Louis and Kansas City for the service opportunities, and also for the attractions that the cities have to offer. Along with completing service projects, those on the trip were able to see sights such as the Arch in St. Louis and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri.
SEE FALL BREAK PAGE B2
PHOTO COURTESY OF VICTORIA DAVID
Students that traveled on the alternative fall break trip pose for a photo at the Ronald McDonald House where they volunteered on the last day of their trip.
OCTOBER 7, 2014
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COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD
NOW PLAYING
Dark twists and turns drive plot in ‘Gone Girl’ BY JACKSON FRENCH OPINION@WKUHERALD.COM Nothing is ever what it seems in “Gone Girl,” David Fincher’s new mystery thriller. With ingenious twists and turns popping up to force the plot in new directions, the movie will have you biting your nails all the way through. When Nick Dunne, played by Ben Affleck, comes home to
discover his wife missing amid full 145-minute runtime. We’re signs of a struggle, he treated to scenes enters a bizarre nightshowing how the mare. As doubts about characters met and his innocence arise, the how they developed movie becomes a tense, as a couple which dark journey where tricks us into thinking nothing is ever certain. we know the score. How little the audience Things get interesttruly knows about the ing when Amy’s diary Jackson Dunnes’ relationship reveals a much darker French early on keeps the film truth lurking beneath surprising audiences for the the surface. Every time more
information emerges from the shadows the viewer is forced to re-evaluate the story. The characters in this movie, while they aren’t saints, are highly appealing. They’re flawed, multifaceted, often immoral and brought to life by a diverse and well-chosen cast. As a man face-to-face with a strange and terrifying situation, Ben Affleck brings a palpable sense of fear and
uncertainty to his role. Meanwhile, Rosamund Pike is perfect as his mysterious missing wife. There are a few pleasant surprises in the cast as well. Both Tyler Perry and Neil Patrick Harris pull off roles far more serious than what’s normally expected from them. With a dark mood, a twisting plot and well-written characters, “Gone Girl” is the most suspenseful movie of the year.
Literacy Center spreads success strategies, reading materials BY ANNA LAWSON LIFE@WKUHERALD.COM Every college student has felt overwhelmed with their classes at some point. Be it failing a test or writing a paper, college presents many difficulties. The WKU Literacy Center wants to make sure that no student falls behind and every student has a resource to help with overwhelming class work. Kristy Cartwright, a co-coordinator of the center, said it is important that students have a safe place to get the one-onone help they might need. “Some students come to college and aren’t prepared for the reading load,” she said. “They may not know how to study, and the center offers a place for them to ask questions.”
The center offers many programs, one being the Student Teacher Literacy Breakfast. The event is a four-part, daylong series hosted by the center. It allows student teachers from around the community to enjoy a casual breakfast and listen to lectures from members of the Literacy Center. “They get to learn how to do things beyond what they do in the classroom,” Cartwright said. “We provide them with professional development.” The event kicked off Monday morning, with the first lecture, “Story Telling and Read Alouds,” by Pamela Petty, the director of the center. “Most of the student teachers are from right around WKU,” Cartwright said. “So it really affects the people in our community.” Other speakers lectured on topics such as technology in
BEER
Continued from LIFE but it depends on how much money and time he will have. Photojournalism professor Josh Meltzer also brews as a hobby. He started brewing beer about seven years ago, when his father-in-law bought him a starter kit as a birthday present. He’s loved it ever since. “I had wanted to before and I was always interested in him doing it,” Meltzer said.
FALL BREAK Continued from LIFE
“It was a really great trip, the Negro League Baseball Museum was really neat and I had some of the best barbecue in the country,” Rash said. The first service opportunity the students were scheduled to do was building and painting a fence for an elderly woman, but the bad weather kept them from completing the project. Instead, they ended up helping Mission: St. Louis, an organization that works with inner city youths and families, reorganize one of their warehouses. The warehouse contained different household products that are typically of high demand, all meant for people who are unable to afford them. “We were there for two hours and I couldn’t believe how much we got done,” Cave City senior Laura Coomer said. “The guys with Mission: St. Louis said that what we got done in two hours would have taken the three of them months to do.”
the classroom, progress monitoring and the importance of literacy centers. The center also offers a myriad of services to help students struggling with their coursework. Every other week, the center hosts a College Reading Success Forum — a short meeting aimed to provide students with help with studying for tests and taking notes in class. “We do things like talk about time management and how to study for finals,” Cartwright said. The center also does things out in the community. Jeremy Logsdon, co-coordinator of the center, has worked with the Simpson County Detention Center to provide reading materials to the inmates. “We were able to help meet that need because we have a
grant with Dollar General. So, we could get them the supplies they needed,” Logsdon said. Their partnership with Dollar General also helps fund several other community and campus projects they host, including the aforementioned College Reading Success Forum. Logsdon and Cartwright both want students to understand that the center is available to all students, no matter what they are struggling with. “When people think literacy, they think it deals with people who cannot read,” Logsdon said. “However, we assist with anyone who is having trouble with reading and writing in their classes.” Logsdon has always enjoyed assisting the students. “I love seeing a student come in who is struggling and being
able to offer them strategies to help bring their grade up,” he said. Cartwright hopes to grow and expand the center in the future. “I want to provide sessions that are beneficial to students,” she said. “We really listen to the needs of the students on campus.” Any student who needs assistance with any class is welcome at the center, which is located in Tate Page Hall Room 401. Students do not need an appointment and can come and get one-on-one guidance for their classes. “The best thing is to see students get it. They come in and are having trouble and then they come back and are successful,” Cartwright said. “They have a smile, and I know we helped them a little bit.”
Instead of being spoiled to his own beer, Meltzer likes to make brands of beer that he enjoys. He said right now he’s making a brand called Surly. Meltzer said the process is less strenuous than people think. He said the most difficult thing that goes into it is the heavy lifting involved when pouring 10 gallons of water out of a very hot pot. “You can do things while it’s boiling,” Meltzer said. “It’s kind of intense for certain moments and then it’s like, laid back.”
Coomer is an officer in the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) and knew there was going to be a regional leadership retreat for the leadership organization in Kansas City during the alternative fall break trip. Attending this retreat was one of the factors that motivated her to take an alternative fall break. She described the trip, including both the leadership retreat and the service projects, as a wonderful experience. It’s something she would love to do again. The second service work the students helped with was baking treats for kids and families at the Ronald McDonald House in Kansas City. Rash said the trip was overall very successful and he enjoyed seeing the students have fun helping others. Another student on the trip, Nashville senior Megan Dunn, helped out at both events and took a lot from the break. “Giving just two hours of your time to someone who truly needs it can mean the world to them,” Dunn said. “That’s why I love service.”
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OCTOBER 7, 2014
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Professors study emotion regulation in infants
BY MACKENZIE MATHEWS
LIFE@WKUHERALD.COM
College may well be the ultimate test for students’ social and emotional development, but psychological sciences professor Diane Lickenbrock is observing where that development begins: infancy. “We’re interested in the development of emotion regulation beginning in infants,” Lickenbrock said. “I wanted to look at not only how infants contribute to that themselves, but also how Diane parents contribute to Lickenbrock that at the beginning of infancy.” The study began last fall and works to examine infants’ social and emotional development at 4, 6 and 8 months old. It focuses on interactions between the child and both parents in order to discover how that relationship affects psychological growth.
Fort Campbell graduate student Angelica Soto said she likes what they could potentially learn from the study. “People have been looking at this for a while, but we may be able to add a new piece to it,” she said. Soto is in her first year of clinical studies. Lickenbrock and her student assistants are using cardiac physiology to examine infants’ external and internal reactions to particular instances with their parents. For example, whenever a parent shifts from playful to serious, the team can observe the stress response of the child by measuring heart and respiration rates. Soto said babies with particular temperaments may react with a greater stress response. Researching through psychophysiology is a new facet of developmental research. Edmonton senior Laura Duncan said this study is different from others because the team is also observing fathers. “Whereas in past studies, it’s mainly mothers and infants,” Duncan said.
Fathers were added to the study as the importance of both parents’ involvement became increasingly emphasized. They strongly affect child development, Duncan said, making them important to observe as well. Studies typically shy away from including fathers because it is difficult for both parents to find time to participate. Families are recruited through community windows, such as daycare and doctors’ offices. Lickenbrock also speaks with pre-childbirth classes in order to contact families well before babies reach the study’s needed ages. “We’re able to talk with families that are expecting,” Lickenbrock said. “Our study starts at 4 months old, so it’s important to contact them early.” The goal is to reach 150 family participants. Since last year, the team has seen and scheduled 27 families. Lickenbrock said that number increases rapidly each semester. In order to maintain an authentic study, the findings thus far are not yet disclosed, but the researchers expect
to take the results to conferences and later publish the information. The study may help to explain some unknowns in current development information. “Hopefully, (future researchers) will be able to use what we’ve done and build off that and be able to answer more questions,” Soto said.
if you would like to participate in this study with your child, call 270-745-4275 for more information
Calendar
Tuesday, OCT. 7 German Film Festival Location: Cherry Hall 210 Time: 6 p.m.
Student Government Association Meeting Location: DSU 2081 Time: 5 p.m. WKU Volleyball vs. Charlotte 49ers Location: Diddle Arena Time: 6 p.m.
The Extended Mission on Mars Location: Hardin Planetarium Time: 7 p.m.
Wednesday, oct. 8 German Film Festival Location: Cherry Hall 211 Time: 6 p.m.
Project Workplace Location: DSU 2123 Time: 6 p.m.
Thursday, OCT. 9 Bluegrass Jams Location: Fraternal Order of Police Lodge Time: 5:30 p.m.
Outlaw Fest begins Location: Edge Hill Farm, 13101 Louisville Road, Oakland Time: 6 p.m.
African Student Union Meeting Location: Gary Ransdell Hall 2003 Time: 6:30 p.m.
German Film Festival Location: Cherry Hall 211 Time: 6 p.m. Flashlight Tour of Scarecrow Trail Location: Lost River Cave Time: 7 p.m.
Kentucky Live! Speaker Series: “Fancy Farm Picnic & St. Jerome Church” Location: Barnes & Noble, 1680 Campbell Lane Time: 7 p.m.
The Extended Mission on Mars Location: Hardin Planetarium Time: 7 p.m.
Solon Pierce guest pianist Location: FAC 0189 Time: 7:30 p.m.
Friday, OCT. 10 WKU Soccer vs. UTEP Miners Location: WKU Soccer Complex Time: 6 p.m.
WKU Volleyball vs. Marshall Thundering Herd Location: Diddle Arena Time: 7 p.m.
SATURDAY OCT. 11 Second Annual Party in Pink Zumbathon Location: First Baptist Church, 621 E. 12th Ave. Time: 9:15 a.m.
Symphonic Band Concert Location: Van Meter Hall lobby Time: 7:30 p.m.
SUNDAY OCT. 12 The Extended Mission on Mars Location: Hardin Planetarium Time: 7 p.m.
The 2014 Talisman has arrived! Stop by the Adams-Whitaker Student Publications Building (across the street from MMTH) to pick up your copy of the 2014 Talisman. We are open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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OCTOBER 7, 2014
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SOCCER
Lady Toppers hope to get out of slump in homestand BY JOHN REECER SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM The WKU Lady Topper soccer team will continue a fivegame homestand having dropped two straight conference games to Old Dominion and Charlotte, respectively. The Lady Toppers (6-4 overall, 1-2 Conference USA) showed promise through the first half of their match against Old Dominion before shots were limited to a near minimum with the Lady Monarchs. In a double overtime victory over WKU, Old Dominion dominated the shot category 20-8. That trend carried over into WKU’s 3-0 home loss to Charlotte with the 49ers scoring three goals in the second half with 12 shot attempts against WKU’s six. “We are a young team and we are still trying to figure things out,” Head Coach Jason Neidell said. “We played a very good first half against Old Dominion, and the second half for whatever reason we came out flat and they were all over us.” Against Old Dominion, WKU jumped out to an early 1-0
lead when junior forward Lauren Moats scored in the 35th minute off an assist from Kelly Phipps. The sophomore forward centered the ball into the box for Moats to score her fifth goal of the season and her 15th of her career, moving Moats to eighth place all-time in goals scored in WKU history. However, the second half proved to be a different story for the Lady Toppers as Old Dominion managed to attempt 12 shots in the half to WKU’s five, resulting in a score for the Lady Monarchs in the 57th minute of action. Old Dominion kicked the game-winner in the second overtime with under two minutes to play via a Devin Dougherty corner kick served to Madison Hogan. WKU failed to capitalize off a one-man advantage in the 51st minute when ODU goalkeeper Erin Kinz was ejected from the match. “Their goalkeeper actually got red-carded and instead of that pushing us up, we actually relaxed more and it was a critical turning point in the game,” Neidell said. “Their motivation went up and we were un-
ALYSSA POINTER/HERALD
Sophomore defender Makenzie Costner battles a Charlotte player during the Conference-USA home opener game at the WKU Soccer Complex on Sunday. der pressure the whole second half.” The Lady Toppers sang the same song against Charlotte: a great first half showing followed by a mistake-riddled second half.
WKU allowed Charlotte to score three goals during a 14-minute stretch in the second half, resulting in a shutout of the Lady Toppers. “Overall, we played well this weekend,” senior midfielder
Allie Auscherman said. “We just have to make fewer mistakes as the competition level increases.” WKU returns to action Friday at home against UTEP at 6 p.m. CT at the WKU Soccer Complex.
WKu football For the record
6th
in total offense 576 yards/game
&completion 53%
in third-down
Only team in the country
Redshirt senior quarterback
Brandon Doughty in total passing yards
with five players having totaled at least 20 receptions 2nd 2,165
yds through 5 games
Sophomore running back Recorded career-highs
Anthony Wales FOOTBALL
Continued from SPORTS Florida. “We just have to continue to improve each week,” Thomas said. “I know we have a bye week, but we are going to treat it like a game week and continue to read our keys and watch this film and past films to see how we can do better in the second half. We’ve got to be a four-quarter team and not just play two quarters. We’ve got the guys to do it. We’re play-
ing hard; we just have to finish games. That is the biggest thing for us right now.” Big plays are seemingly another Achilles heel of this defense, as WKU has allowed 40 running plays of 10 yards or more and 29 passing plays of at least 15 yards. Although the Hilltoppers’ offense averages 6.7 yards per play, the defense gives up 6.4 per snap, which contributes to the fact that all three of WKU’s losses have come by a combined 14 points.
OFFENSE
Continued from SPORTS offense received praise from the Blazers, it wasn’t as productive as usual in the second half of Saturday’s game, totaling 133 yards compared to the 370 it put up in the first half. Head Coach Jeff Brohm said the team couldn’t carry out its offensive plan in the second half, and will use the upcoming bye week to work on execution. “I thought we played well in the first half,” Brohm said. “They tried to press
“Obviously, it’s a very disappointing loss,” Brohm said. “Played well the first half, then in the second half, bottom line, we got beat. The other team played better. Found a way to make plays, we did not. We’ve had a lot of close games. This one was just like it.” The WKU mishaps aren’t limited to the defense. For the first time this season, the Hilltopper offense looked lackluster in the second half, compiling just 133 yards of offense after totaling 370 in the first
us up, but we found ways to make some plays. In the second half, Leon Allen was out and we got Ace Wales and Joe Brown going. I wanted to start the first drive running the ball. They played us soft coverage the first three plays, and we didn’t get the first down running. That was disappointing. That hurt us. “Then they came back the next series with soft coverage again, and we didn’t execute. Then once they got the lead, they manned us up with two high safeties and dared us to run the ball. We didn’t find a way to execute.”
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of 138 yards and three touchdowns against UAB
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half on Saturday. WKU wasn’t forced to punt at all in the first half, but the Hilltoppers began the second half with a punt, a turnover on downs, and another punt. Two of WKU’s three first-half thirddown conversions were successful, but the Hilltoppers converted on just one of their final seven third-down attempts. “They did what any other defense does, adjust at halftime,” redshirt sophomore running back Anthony "Ace" Wales said. “I feel like every-
thing was on us. I’d say we came out a little more flat than we usually do. They came out ready to play. We tried to pick it up at the end, but obviously we fell short.” WKU’s recent play has raised some questions, but according to Thomas, the Hilltoppers have the players to answer. “We didn’t show up this game, but I’m positive these guys hurt right now, and they’re ready to get back and do what they came here to do,” Thomas said.
OCTOBER 7, 2014
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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Lady Tops begin preparations for 2014-2015 BY JONAH PHILLIPS SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM
The WKU women’s basketball team held its first practice of its inaugural Conference USA season Sunday. While the season opener isn’t until Nov. 14 against Central Arkansas, Head Coach Michelle Clark-Heard knows her team has a lot of work to do before the season begins. “We have a long way to go, I’m just glad to get the first one under our belt. I think we did some good things today,” Heard said. “But we just have to get better taking care of the
basketball and doing things we need to do to compete.” Sunday marked the first time Heard got to test the chemistry of her new squad that features three seniors, two juniors, three sophomores, a redshirt sophomore, three freshmen and one redshirt freshman. “They have done pretty well. Ivy (Brown) has done a great job, and stepped in, and played very well. Tasia Brown is not here today because she had a death in the family, but she has been playing really, really well,” Heard said. For the newcomers, the areas that need improvement
were evident after the first practice. “Right now we definitely need to get in game shape. We struggle a lot with that,” freshman forward Ivy Brown said. “Other than that, chemistry – just working on getting everybody on the same page.” With practices now in session, both the coaching staff and the players know chemistry is the most important thing to work on while the team is in its youngest state. “We just have to continue with our chemistry,” Heard said. “When you add players that can realistically come in
Next game
and help, you have Friday Nov. 7 to figure 7 p.M. out how VS. bellarmine you are @ Diddle Arena going to mesh everyone together, and how to continue to get better as a whole.” For the veteran players, this is not just a new team, or a new season – it’s also a new conference. With the new conference comes new expectations for the studentathletes. “From day one we walked out of the locker room, and we set the expectations very
high for ourselves,” Heard said. “With what we have been able to accomplish the past few years, our intentions are always to be the best we can be, so as a staff we have to do what we need to do to prepare our team.” The veteran players have adopted these heightened expectations and relish the chance to lead. “It is a big deal. We had a meeting today before practice started, and we were just talking about how for some of us it will be the last time we get to do this,” senior guard Alexis Govan said. “It’s just really exciting.”
VOLLEYBALL
Volleyball goes undefeated during Florida road swing BY JONAH PHILLIPS SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM WKU volleyball (16-4, 4-0 Conference USA) didn’t drop a set this Next game weekend, today OCt. 7 dishing 6 p.M. out two VS. Charlotte sweeps to @ Diddle Arena Florida International University (3-13, 0-3) and Florida Atlantic University (12-6, 3-2). On Friday, the Lady Toppers took on FIU at FIU Arena in Miami. “We played two pretty good teams. Offensively, they did some nice things,” assistant coach Kristi Griffin said. “But the things that we had been working on in practice defen-
sively really showed through, so we were able to hold both of these teams well below what they are hitting on the year.” Freshman outside hitter Alyssa Cavanaugh once again spearheaded the Lady Topper attack, marking her 12th match with double-digit kills. While it wasn’t their highest mark of the season, the Lady Toppers notched a .294 hitting percentage with 25 kills, but their strength was in their defense. “Rachel Engle, I think, kind of flies under the radar,” Griffin said. “But I don’t think you can ever overestimate the value she brings to our defense flying around back there.” Junior middle hitter Noelle Langenkamp recorded nine
FEIX
Continued from sports
yet often overused, words came from Wes Strader’s mouth. Great. “In sports, we use a term ‘great’ real easy,” Strader said. “It was a great play, he’s a great player. There aren’t many greats. There aren’t many great plays, there aren’t many great athletes. If you had to pick out a great one, who would you pick? I don’t know, but Jimmy Feix was great in all those categories. He was a great person, great coach, great family man and great representative of the university.” I’ll take his word for it. Strader called WKU games on the radio from 1963 through 2000. When someone who’s been around a program that long puts Feix as one of the greatest names of
kills while putting up a matchhigh four solo blocks. Freshman setter Jessica Lucas dished out 31 assists. She also contributed seven digs and six kills to the Lady Topper cause, while sophomore defensive specialist Georgia O’Connell put up 14 digs, seven assists and a pair of service aces. Breezing past FIU in the first set 25-14, it would be the second that proved most difficult for the Lady Toppers’ young squad. The score was tied 10 different times in the set. The set ended the saga at 27-25 after a kill from Langenkamp and an ace from freshman defensive specialist Jackie Scott. After exploding into the third
WKU athletics history, it’s hard to challenge that. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in their right mind who wouldn’t put Feix on their Mt. Rushmore of Hilltopper greats alongside E.A. Diddle. The argument for the other two spots is hardly debatable (Johnny Oldham, Nick Denes, Jack Harbaugh, Paul Sanderford are the top options, in my opinion). Even if you’re not familiar with the history of WKU athletics, it won’t take long to admire what Feix did for the university. In 1952, Feix became WKU’s first football player to receive an All-American honor. As a senior quarterback, he led the Hilltoppers to their first ever bowl appearance with a 34-19 win over Arkansas State in the Refrigerator Bowl in Evansville, Ind.
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set with a 10-2 lead, the Lady Toppers sealed the sweep at 25-18. WKU didn’t miss a beat when they traveled to Boca Raton on Sunday to take on FAU, winning again in sweeping fashion with scores of 25-21, 26-24 and 25-18. “I think they came out and were expecting to upset us,” Griffin said. “But we really stood up to it well and defended at a high level, and it was probably the best we played in the last month.” Cavanaugh proved to be WKU’s key offensive threat against FAU, setting a seasonbest 14 kills. “Alyssa Cavanaugh just keeps getting better and better on the left and getting more comfort-
After an NFL career with the New York Giants was cut short due to an injury, Feix joined the Air Force, where he served for four years. He later joined Nick Denes’ football staff as an assistant and took over as coach in 1968 for the next 16 years. Feix’s head coaching record of 10656-6 currently stands as the best in WKU history. It is a record that will stand for a long time. Without even looking at the numbers, it doesn’t take long for someone to understand the greatness of Feix. Just ask former coach David Elson — now a defensive backs coach at Southern Illinois — about his first spring practice as a defensive backs coach in 1996. “I’m brand new on the job and I’m real into it, then all of a sudden, practice just stops,” Elson said. “Coach (Jack) Harbaugh stopped everything, pulled everybody up and there’s this guy standing there as he introduces Coach Feix.
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able out there,” Griffin said. “She has really become someone that you can count on to go out there and get it done, and being a freshman, you never really know that’s going to play out, but she has done a really great job.” Lucas tallied 38 assists with seven digs. Langenkamp followed with 12 kills, marking an impressive .524 hitting percentage, while senior middle hitter Heather Boyan contributed nine kills and six blocks. O’Connell led the Lady Toppers with 13 digs, while senior defensive specialist Mollie Pajakowski notched nine digs. The Lady Toppers look to keep the momentum going this Tuesday in Diddle Arena against Charlotte at 6 p.m.
The big thing with him is he absolutely loved Western and the kids as much as anything. He was as loyal to that place as anybody could be.” If Feix could physically show up, you’d bet your dollar he’d be there. Since he battled Parkinson’s disease during the final years of his life, former players called it a miracle to see him show enough strength to walk at midfield during a ceremony last season honoring the 40th anniversary of the 1973 D-II national runner-up team. That’s just the surface of the stories that capture the epitome of what defined Feix. For now, and until someone convinces me otherwise, ‘great’ will suffice. “He, athletically, was Mr. Western,” Strader said. “He’s the best known name outside (E.A.) Diddle. His contributions to the university, his reputation, the jobs that he did — everybody knew him and he knew everybody. Nobody loved it more than him. I would say that he’s great.” Well said, Mr. Strader. Well said.
OCTOBER 7, 2014 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
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SPORTS
LUKE FRANKE/HERALD
WKU redshirt sophomore running back Anthony Wales (20) carries the ball against UAB on Saturday. Despite rushing for 138 yards and three touchdowns, Wales could not propel the Hilltoppers to victory in a 42-39 loss that saw the WKU defense allow a season high 591 yards on offense.
FOOTBALL
BLAZED Tops searching for answers following 42-39 loss to UAB BY KYLE WILLIAMS
SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM Saturday’s loss to UAB, in several ways, was descriptive of the Hilltoppers’ season thus far. WKU (2-3, 0-2 Conference USA) racked up 503 yards of offense, and although the defense forced three turnovers, UAB (3-2, 1-1) totaled 591 yards en route to its 42-39 victory in the Hilltoppers’ inaugural Conference USA home game. Despite averaging 576 yards of total offense per game – good for sixth in the country – the Hilltoppers are
giving up an average of 38 points and 516 yards per game on the defensive side of the ball, which has Head Coach Jeff Brohm looking for solutions. “We play well at times. We give up a lot of big plays that hurt us,” Brohm said. “Right now, obviously, we don’t have a good answer for it. We wanted to play well in the second half and, really, it is what it is. We’ll go back and look at it as hard as we can. We need to play better.” The Hilltoppers put forth a valiant defensive effort in the first half of Saturday’s game, limiting the Blazers to
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WKU junior running back Leon Allen (33) carries the ball against UAB on Saturday at Smith Stadium. 210 yards and 14 points while forcing a turnover and totaling five tackles for a loss. Nevertheless, WKU gave up 381 yards and 28 points in the second half, including 21 unanswered to begin the third quarter. In the first half of each of WKU’s five games this season, the Hilltoppers have given up 15.2 points, but in the second halves and three overtime pe-
riods, they’ve given up an average of 23.2. Redshirt senior defensive back Cam Thomas and the rest of the WKU defense will have a second bye week to examine and correct their miscues before the team’s Oct. 18 meeting with Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton,
SEE FOOTBALL PAGE B4
FOOTBALL
SIDELINES
Blazers praise WKU’s high-powered offense
Remembering Topper legend Jimmy Feix
BY KYLE WILLAMS SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM
Following WKU’s slim 4239 loss to the Alabama-Birmingham at Smith Stadium Saturday night, UAB Head Coach Bill Clark and junior linebacker Jake Ganus gave credit where it was due in regards to the Hilltopper offense, and for good reason. WKU’s 576 total yards per game is good for sixth in the country, and if it wasn’t for UAB’s sound defensive adjustments in the second half on Saturday, the Hilltoppers would have more than likely bested that clip. The 503-yard offensive performance against UAB is the second-lowest mark this season for the Hilltoppers, coming in behind WKU’s 400-yard showing at Illinois on Sept. 6. “Offensively, we didn’t
know if we could slow them down,” Clark said. “We made some good adjustments for the second half, came back, played well. We tried to give it away, but you know at the same time, they made plays. It was just a classic game right there.” Redshirt senior quarterback Brandon Doughty, who became the first Hilltopper signal caller to record back-to-back 300-yard games last week, totaled 319 yards passing with two touchdowns. He also hit nine different receivers for completions. He’s reached that mark three times this season, and in the 50-47 triple overtime loss to MTSU on Sept. 13, Doughty completed passes to 10 different targets. Prior to the season’s start, redshirt senior wide receiver Willie McNeal said
he thought Doughty would have a season to remember on the Hill, and through five games thus far this season, he looks to be correct. Doughty holds several top-10 national rankings for his performances thus far: 2,165 passing yards (No. 2), 433 passing yards per game (No. 2), 16 passing touchdowns (No. 6), a 69 percent completion rate (No. 9) and 108 points responsible for (No. 10). “They have (one of the best) offenses I’ve seen,” Ganus said. “They are explosive. They’ve got playmakers everywhere. Their quarterback has a great arm.” As a result of Doughty’s success thus far, five Hilltopper receivers — McNeal, junior Jared Dangerfield, sophomore Taywan Taylor, junior Antwane Grant and
junior running back Leon Allen — have recorded at least 23 receptions on the season, making WKU the only program in the country to do so. “Oh my gosh, what could they not do?” Clark said. “They could throw it and catch it. Man, they caught the ball so well. I think they made every catch in the first half.” The WKU offense found productivity in an unfamiliar place on Saturday. Redshirt sophomore running back Anthony “Ace” Wales erupted for 138 yards rushing on 14 carries for three touchdowns — 107 yards and all three of his scores came in the first half. All three clips are career-highs for Wales. Although the Hilltopper
SEE OFFENSE PAGE B4
BY ELLIOTT PRATT SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM
It’s hard to distinguish one single thought to describe a man like the late Jimmy Feix. Trust me, I’ve asked many people trying to pinpoint it the past two days. Many have said he was a man of integrity, a family man, a good Christian man and one that cared deeply about his players. Elliott Pratt Then in a conversation with someone who watched every play Feix coached on the sidelines, one of the simplest,
SEE FEIX PAGE B5