Nov. 11, 2014 College Heights Herald

WKU EMPLOYEE BATTLES BREAST CANCER

FRESHMAN JOHNSON BRINGS ENERGY TO HILLTOPPERS

NEWS, PAGE A6

SPORTS, PAGE B1

NOVEMBER 11, 2014 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY > VOLUME 90, ISSUE 21

WKU groups to recognize Veterans Day

BY TREY CRUMBIE NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM Tuesday is Veterans Day, a holiday that honors those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. WKU organizations, such as the Student Veterans Alliance and ROTC, will be hosting events throughout the week in honor of the holiday.

On Monday, the SVA hosted “Hot Wings and Heroes,” a fundraising event at Buffalo Wild Wings on Scottsville Road. The event served to help send members of the organization to the national conference in January.

On Tuesday, ROTC will host a wreathlaying ceremony at 11 a.m. at Guthrie Bell Tower to honor veterans and their sacrifice. A reception will follow in the ROTC office located in Diddle Arena, Room 1512.

On Friday, SVA will host Heroes Behind the Hornet’s Nest in Downing Student Union, Room 2124. The event includes a screening of “The Hornet’s Nest,” a film about war in Afghanistan using authentic footage.

Russellville senior Daniel Collins, president of SVA, said the event would include guest speakers, who will talk about the difficulties some veterans experience, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and transitioning back to civilian life.

WKU was named to the 2015 list of Military Friendly® Schools by Victory Media, which recognizes schools that “have gone above and beyond to provide transitioning veterans the best possible experience in higher education,” according to militaryfriendly. com.

Collins said he is happy with the services veteran students receive through the programs on campus, such as Veterans Upward Bound and Military Student Services, which provide free textbooks and a therapy dog named CanDoo. However, WKU still has to improve in other areas, such as providing enough physical space for veterans.

“We don’t have adequate facilities,” he said. “Where we’re at in Tate Page Hall is substandard.”

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MIKE CLARK/HERALD

Junior running back Leon Allen (33) celebrates with teammates after a touchdown. The Hilltoppers defeated the UTEP Miners 35-27.

Rise to the top B

urgers sizzled on grills, laughter and chants filled the air and red towels were waved high with pride as alumni and current Hilltoppers celebrated this year’s Homecoming over the weekend.

The Tops faced off with Conference USA rival University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) at Smith Stadium on Saturday, with a sea of red and white clad fans to cheer them to victory. The Tops won the Homecoming game for the first time since 2011.

During halftime, Cadiz senior Ellie Jolly was crowned this year’s Homecoming Queen. Jolly was sponsored

by Chi Omega sorority, Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. She is the president of Chi HARRISON HILL/HERALD Ellie Jolly, of Cadiz, receives her crown after becoming Homecoming queen. Jolly, Omega.

See page B1 for more coverage of a senior, was sponsored by Chi Omega sorority, Phi Beta Sigma fraternity and Phi the Homecoming game.

Gamma Delta fraternity.

Country artist with WKU roots finds success

BY STEPHANIE JESSIE NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM

Check out our video recap of homecoming 2014

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE READING TODAY » News: ASA to host Miss Africa Pageant A3

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Although Will Hoge’s way of making it big in country music involved quitting school and starving “until you make a living,” he doesn’t recommend that path.

“I wouldn’t suggest that to my children, so I don’t think I would suggest that to others,” he said. “My only thing would be to chase the dream as hard as you can, but also be realistic about what you have to do to survive.”

The Nashville-raised country artist attended WKU in the early ‘90s, only to be dismissed due to a low GPA. “I wasn’t cut out for college,” he said.

Hoge headed back to Nashville after leaving WKU to start his music career, which began with waiting tables while

SEE HOGE PAGE A3

LUKE FRANKE/HERALD

Former WKU student and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Will Hoge opened for the Eli Young Band Homecoming concert at Diddle Arena on Nov. 6.

A2

NOVEMBER 11, 2014

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

NOVEMBER 11, 2014

WKUHERALD.COM

A3

ASA presents the first Miss Africa Pageant

BY SHANTEL-ANN PETTWAY NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM

Those wanting to experience Africa without the cost of traveling abroad will be able to do so next semester.

The African Student Association, or ASA, will put on the Miss Africa Pageant next semester to expose students to the different cultures in Africa.

“In order for me to like WKU more, I decided to form a association of people who have similar customs as myself,” said Nashville junior Nneka Nwosisi, president of ASA. Nwosisi founded ASA in the fall of 2013 to expand diversity on campus and become more knowledgeable of other Africans on campus.

ASA has held different events

on campus, such as bake sales in Mass Media and Technology Hall and Taste of Africa, which showcased African food, fashion and a cultural expose. Last month, ASA also hosted Africa Week.

“During Africa Week, we had an awareness-day discussion panel where we discussed the misconceptions Africa has,” Nwosisi said.

Nwosisi said the main goal of ASA’s Miss Africa Pageant is to give people a feel for what Africa has to offer, to promote the importance of diversity and bring awareness to students about other countries.

“We want our pageant to be diverse — it’s open to every color,” she said. “There’s no discrimination. We want everyone to participate.”

Each contestant in the pag-

HOGE

Continued from Front playing music and writing songs.

After several album releases and an almost life-threatening scooter accident in 2008, Hoge found success in a song he co-wrote called “Even If It Breaks Your Heart.” Released originally on Hoge’s sixth album, “The Wreckage,” the song didn’t capture America’s attention until the Eli Young Band made the song their own and brought it to No. 1 on the country charts.

“I heard for years that I just was one song away from being the star that everyone wanted to be and, when that song got recorded and released everyone told me, ‘This is it; this is the one you need,’” he said. “It just didn’t do anything. No one paid much attention to it, except for the guys in the Eli Young Band who took it and recorded it and then they have a massive number one single with it.”

The song was Hoge and co-writer Eric Paslay’s ticket for ACM, CMA and Grammy award nominations in 2013.

“It was life-changing and totally unexpected,” Hoge said.

The success gave Hoge confidence to continue with his musical career.

“I was always, for years, making re-

eant will have an ASA member as a coach to teach them about different areas in Africa.

The contestant will represent the country their coach taught them about.

Nashville sophomore Michelle Egbujor, ASA treasurer, said the pageant will help students learn about an unfamiliar culture.

“Teaching contestants about Africa makes the competition extremely fun because contestants can learn how to appreciate something that is out of the norm for them,” she said.

The categories in the pageant include introduction, in which the contestants introduce themselves and the country they are representing, evening wear, in which contestants will showcase both

cords without a home,” he said. “I was too country for rock and too rock for country and never had anywhere that I really fit in. And, when that song did as well as it did... In some ways it’s given me confidence, not so much as a writer, but as feeling like I have somewhere to shoot for. I feel like I have a home in country radio.”

Hoge has opened for Dierks Bentley, John Mellencamp, Sugarland and ZZ Top. His song “Strong” was the backdrop for General Motor’s 2014 Chevy Silverado ad campaign.

“He’s the best musician I’ve ever played with,” Brian Kilian, Hoge’s drummer, said. “The best songs I’ve ever played.”

Kilian has toured with Hoge for two years and recorded drums for his upcoming unnamed album, which is expected to be released in February.

“It’s not easy to get on a record in Nashville, and he let me do it,” Kilian said. “The songs are great, so it was a great experience for me.”

This album will be Hoge’s 10th and was inspired by a recent trip to his childhood home, Franklin, Tennessee.

He visited after getting sick with pneumonia last spring. Hoge went to stay with his mom. His wife and kids stayed at a hotel while people were viewing

traditional and modern African clothing, a talent portion and a question-and-answer section.

St. Louis sophomore Alexia Cannady said the evening wear portion of the pageant will be unique.

“When I think of pageants, I immediately think about big ball gowns,” she said. “It’s kind of cool that participants will be wearing clothing we may not be used to and it’ll open your eyes about different fashions between America and other countries.”

ASA is partnering with The Office of International Programs who will help fund the project. The department of African American Studies is another potential sponsor for the pageant.

There will be a $500 book

their house on the market.

“It was the first time I’d been back there for any real appreciative amount of time in 20 years probably,” he said. “So it stemmed a lot of ideas about how I grew up and where I grew up, the people I grew up with and it led to, I think thematically through the album there’s a hint of that sort of hometown, small town idea, which I’m proud of. I think it makes for a cool record.”

Hoge’s current single, “Middle of America,” is from this album and reflects those realizations.

“It tells the story of my growing up in a small town in Tennessee,” he said in a press release from August. “One thing I’ve realized in all my travels is that it is the same for everyone no matter where they’ve grown up. We all know the same characters, just with different names, and that’s what ‘Middle of America’ is to me.”

Hoge came back to WKU’s campus for the first time in 20 years for the Homecoming concert last week.

“It’s much more collegiate looking,” he said of the campus. “It is a lot prettier than it was when I was here, which is exciting because I find myself taking a little more pride in the fact that I went to school here over the past few years.”

scholarship given to the winner at the end of the pageant.

ASA plans to begin fundraising at the beginning of next semester to fund the scholarship and will also seek help from the Student Government Association.

Nigeria native Kathy Onwu, Miss Africa USA 2013, will be a special guest at the pageant.

ASA hopes to get professors, such as Lloren Foster, assistant professor of African American Studies, to participate in judging.

“This pageant will let those who don’t have the opportunity to travel a lot to experience what Africa is,” Nwosisi said. “Even though we’re only in Bowling Green, ASA wants to provide students to take a trip around the world with this pageant.”

CRime Reports • Police cited Alameda, California freshman Derrick Clayton, Northeast Hall, for careless driving, failure to signal, possession of alcohol by a minor and possession of marijuana on Nashville Road and Lansdale Avenue on Nov. 6.

• Police arrested Brandenburg freshman Antwan Ferguson, Keen Hall, in his dorm after a disturbance was reported that he damaged a wall in Keen and assaulted a male student outside of Keen on Nov. 7. Estimated value of the damage was $300.

• Floyds Knobs, Indiana senior Corinn Sprigler reported that a plant had been stolen from the greenhouse behind the Environmental Science and Technology building on Nov. 7.

Estimated value of the stolen property was $50.

NOVEMBER 11, 2014 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

WKUHERALD.COM

OPINION

EDITORIAL

Diving off the Hill into a pool Of debt THE ISSUE: Recent data from the U.S. Department of Education says WKU graduates have an extremely hard time paying back their student loans.

OUR STANCE: WKU can’t afford to keep that rate high.

W

KU has the fourth highest student loan default rate of large public schools in America, according to qz.com.

It’s easy to look at the data and decide that it isn’t a big problem. The ranking only includes the nation’s biggest schools — plenty of other universities actually have higher rates than WKU. But this is WKU’s first year in Conference USA. The freshman class is one of the largest in years.

WKU accepts virtually anyone who applies, and our 72 percent retention rate reflects that. All signs

suggest that WKU is trying to grow and compete on a bigger scale, so it needs to be compared to bigger schools.

The schools we’re trying to keep up with are almost all undercutting WKU on graduation rates. The saddest part of the whole thing is who it affects the most. It looks bad for WKU, but more importantly it presents terrifying problems for current students.

Students are taking out loans under the assumption that WKU is preparing them to get a job. Some of the blame can be pinned on the students, but this problem is worse at WKU than most schools.

There’s something wrong with the way the university handles its students’ futures. It’s WKU’s responsibility to ensure that graduates are receiving a competitive education.

There are two main causes of

student loan defaulting. Some students are upwards of $100,000 in debt in order to pursue low-income careers. Others just can’t find a job after graduation.

Either way, much of the blame falls on WKU, and it’s students who have to worry.

WKU needs better loan-counseling for incoming freshmen. New students can’t be treated like a paycheck — they need to understand the consequences of borrowing tons of money.

More importantly, our postgraduate preparation services need work. If students aren’t finding jobs after getting their degree, then WKU is failing at its biggest job, and solving the problem needs to be a priority.

Of course, if students’ financial nightmares aren’t enough of a motivator for WKU, maybe the massive public relations pitfall accompany-

ing the ranking is. The rankings are being published, and WKU is plainly ranked as the fourth worst. That does not look good to prospective students.

There isn’t any real data on the employment rates of WKU students, but this ranking indicates that it’s a little behind other schools. Why would anyone come to a school that is known for producing above average numbers of unemployed students?

Hilltoppers who are graduating soon with loads of debt obviously need to be doing everything they can to find jobs. One step toward career success might be taking the Herald’s front page story on the default ranking to WKU’s Center for Career and Professional Development.

Sometimes, WKU just needs a little reminder about what is most important — its students.

Let's talk about sex

NOW PLAYING

‘Interstellar’ fails to (because apparently we need to) clear stratosphere

BY TANNER COLE

BY JACKSON FRENCH

played by Anne Hathaway and Matthew McConaughey, enter OPINION@WKUHERALD.COM a black hole, the movie dives Every second of “Interstellar” headlong into complete failmakes it clear that Christo- ure. The story devolves into pher Nolan wanted this movie a tangled mess so confusing, to be his masterpiece. Sadly, it ridiculous and nonsensical didn’t quite work out that way. that no amount of eye candy Though grandiose and visually can save it. From this point on, impressive, the movie slowly the movie is doomed to slowly stumbles through a clumsy wander from one wildly imstory packed with plot holes plausible setup to another. and absurd complicaUnfortunately, the tions. characters make “InterAt its beginning, “Instellar” even harder to terstellar” tells audifollow. Cooper is downences that the Earth is right irritatingly folksy. dying — you never reMeanwhile, Hathaway’s ally see the evidence. character is a terrible There are plenty of scientist making increddust storms in the ibly high-stakes decimovie’s world, but oth- Jackson French sions based on bizarre erwise rural America notions of love rather looks peaceful and everyone than actual science. seems to have enough to get by Nolan is trying too hard to in relative comfort. The char- make his own “2001: A Space acters talk about how millions Odyssey.” Every design choice in of people have died, but the this movie feels straight ripped movie itself neglects to show from the Stanley Kubrick clasany kind of chaos or hardship sic. “Interstellar” even makes an that would make these claims attempt at a thought-provoking believable. twist toward the end, but it only For a while, it seems that the adds to the confusion. story isn’t badly conceived, With a pompous and ill-conjust badly told. That concep- ceived plot weighing it down, tion ends when the movie Interstellar shoots for the stars leaves Earth. Once astronauts but ultimately comes crashing Amelia Brand and Cooper, back down to Earth.

OPINION@WKUHERALD.COM

Last Thursday the Herald ran an opinion piece titled “10 best places to hook up at WKU.” The piece was satire and meant to generate some laughs. The Herald staff expected it to earn some attention, but no one expected it to be taken seriously.

It’s the staff opinion that the Herald has room for a few comedic pieces, and our student-based target audience is probably a suitable audience. Herald writers have freedom of the press, and no one at WKU has the authority to tell anyone on staff what they can and cannot publish.

That said, some readers were very upset.

Apparently, the Herald single-handedly killed journalism with a single opinion piece. It’s pretty impressive considering

the piece was never intended to be journalism and ran on the opinion page.

Many complained that the story took room away from news content. Of course, this was the biggest Herald of the semester. It featured 34 pages of content and a great front-page story about WKU’s abysmal loan default rates.

That story has received fewer than 300 views on wkuherald.com. The hook up list clocked in at about 12,000. There was more than enough room in the paper for the list — it’s the second most-viewed story of the semester. It’s pretty obvious what kind of content the Herald’s readers actually pay attention to.

At the end of the day, the Herald is a student newspaper. Students have sex, and the alumni that came before them had sex as well. Can’t we all just get along?

Facebook comments

Jim Bye Geez guys... lighten up. You’re in college. You sound like a bunch of bible belt senior citizens.

November 6 at 2 p.m.

Julie Sneath Journalism is dead.

November 6 at 12:30 p.m.

Tiffany Cherry I feel you all are being very critical of the article. Being a former student, I actual found it funny and interesting. Regardless

Taylor Harrison* Editor-in-chief

Jake Pope* Photo Editor

Carrie Pratt Herald adviser

Cameron Love* Managing Editor

Katherine Sproles* Design Editor

Jason Thompson Advertising adviser

Trey Crumbie* News Editor

Matthew Langston* Copy Desk Chief

Sam Osborne* Digital Editor

Justin Gilliland* Assist. Photo Editor

Kae Holloway* Features Editor

Kreable Young* Assist. Digital Editor

Tanner Cole* Opinion Editor

Emily Little Cartoonist

Kyle Williams* Sports Editor

Zach Tatoian Ad Creative Director

of how classy you believe they should be, we must take into consideration that it’s a college news paper and they are appealing to the a college audience. Let's keep it real, no one is innocent, and sex is a part of society rather positive or negative.

November 6 at 12:54 p.m.

Dayna Rust Lancaster My daughter is planning to attend WKU next fall. Maybe we need to rethink that

decision.

November 7 at 11:42 a.m.

Lauren Frazier I've got to say I disagree with all of these comments. I understand their points, and sure I am no journalist, but come on, this is a college newspaper! Let's not be naïve, these are things that college students probably have an interest in reading, if not just for a good laugh!

November 6 at 1:00 p.m.

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DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this newspaper DO NOT reflect those of Western Kentucky University's employees or of its administration.

NOVEMBER 11, 2014

WKUHERALD.COM

THE FUN PAGE

A5

CLASSIFIEDS Classified Advertising Manager: Ashley Edwards

advertising@wkuherald.com

HELP WANTED City of Bowling Green GOLF SHOP ATTENDANT Parks & Recreation Department - Golf Division Collects fees, prices, & sells merchandise, answers telephone and schedules tee times; cleans pro shop and equipment. REQUIREMENTS: Must be 18+; able to work well with the public and operate a computerized cash register; HOURS: 15-40 hours per week (depending on position) with weekend work required. STARTING SALARY: $7.97 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.

Studio Calico is seeking individuals who are team players able to multi-task and have great attention to detail for part time work Monday through Thursday 1PM - 6PM. The ideal candidate is comfortable processing piece work, assembling and shipping kits, and inventory management while working in a fast paced environment. Pay starts at $8.00/hour. For a full job description, please see the Production Associate position at http://www.studiocalico.com/careers.

Rafferty's of Bowling Green is hiring Servers!

Apply in person Monday thru Friday between 2pm and 4pm.

1939 Scottsville Road Top Dollar Potential Earnings!

Great Working Atmosphere!

EZ Money Pawn, & Jewelry: Full and/or Part-time person to set up Internet Sales, E-Bay, etc. Apply in person: 1175 Clay St., Bowling Green.

FOR SALE BUY-SELL-TRADE: Games, DVDs, Records!

Also: Comics, CDs, Toys, CCGs, RPGs, more!

The Great Escape Records & Comics 2945 Scottsville Rd. (Near Greenwood Mall) 615-782-8092

MISCELLANEOUS Cash for your broken or unwanted gold jewelry, class rings, etc. EZ Money Pawn & Jewelry, 1175 Clay St. Free drop off service on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at EZ Wash Laundromat at 12th & Clay St. with WKU ID. Note to Readers: The College Heights Herald screens ads for misleading or false claims but cannot guarantee any ad or claim. Please use caution when answering ads, especially when asked to send money or provide credit card information. The College Heights Herald is not responsible for the content or validity of these paid classified ads.

PREVIOUS CROSSWORD SOLUTION

ACROSS 1 Actor __ Sandler 5 Series for George Eads 8 Gilbert or Rue 9 Springfield and Schroder 12 Dug for ore 13 Actor/dancer/ singer Ben __ 14 Actress __ Campbell 15 "Family __"; Michael J. Fox series 16 Dick __ Dyke 18 180˚ from WSW 19 John Ritter's role on "Three's Company" 20 Farrell of "M*A*S*H" 21 Thrown for a __; bewildered 23 Extend one's subscription 24 "Tomorrow Never __"; 007 movie 25 Bath powder, for short 26 "The Sum __ Fears"; film for Ben Affleck and Morgan

6 Alec Guinness and Freeman Elton John 28 Ms. Buzzi 7 __-T; "Law & 29 Hatfields & McCoys, for example Order: SVU" actor 10 Actor on "Person 30 Daredevil __ of Interest" Knievel 32 "Not __ Stranger"; 11 "__ Eyes"; film for Nicolas Cage and Sinatra film 35 Actress Joan Van Gary Sinise 12 Butterfly or __ 36 Nastase of tennis Bovary: abbr.

13 Singer Damone 37 "__ City" 15 George C. Scott/ 38 Crawford and Sean Penn film Williams 17 "The __ 40 Alice's son on Adventures of Old "Alice" 41 Actor Jannings and Christine" 19 One of the others Gosselin sextuplets 42 Gregory Peck's 20 Dissolve "Moby Dick" role 22 Lubricates 43 "__-Wee's 23 Actor __ Juliá Playhouse" 44 Homer Simpson's 25 "One __ Hill" 26 "Men __ Certain mother Age" 27 "Air __ One"; DOWN 1 Of Japan or China Harrison Ford film 2 Actor on "Hawaii 30 Meredith Baxter's role on "Family Ties" Five-0" 3 Length times width 31 Vis-à-__; with regard to 4 "__ About You" 33 Lead character in 5 "Dawson's __"

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"The Lion King" 34 "__ Given Sunday"; Al Pacino movie 36 Eric __ of Monty Python 37 Art and shopping district in Lower Manhattan 39 __ and tuck; like a close race 40 Scottish cap

A6

NOVEMBER 11, 2014

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

WKU employee endures two battles with breast cancer

BY RACHEL PHELPS

NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM Kathryn Steward, assistant director of Health Education, was playing with her 2-year-old son one day in December 2008 when she felt a pain in her chest.

She performed a self-examination on her breasts and discovered a lump.

After a whirlwind of doctor’s appointments, she was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer on Dec. 29, 2008.

Kathryn made an appointment with her gynecologist who also found a lump and scheduled her for a mammogram and ultrasound. After her initial mammogram, she was called back to take another image on the side of her breast, where they suspected there was a second lump.

The same day of her second mammogram, she was also scheduled for her ultrasound. A nurse came in and began to measure the first lump, and then she began to measure the place where the second lump was suspected.

“I asked, ‘Is there another one?’ and the lady kind of shook her head, and that’s when I knew that this might not be good and started to get emotional,” Steward said.

That was the moment she knew that she had breast cancer.

Steward’s gynecologist recommended she see a breast surgeon, and said that the surgeon was likely to perform a biopsy.

The day she saw the breast surgeon, he informed her that the lumps looked like cancer. Steward had to wait several days to get the results of the biopsy, which ultimately confirmed she had stage two breast cancer.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation estimates that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer throughout their lifetime, and that each year, over 220,000 women from the United States are diagnosed and over 40,000 will die. Breast cancer risk factors include having a family history, early menstruation before age 12 and late menopause after age 55.

Steward initially underwent chemotherapy in order to shrink the tumor to make it more operable. After her double mastectomy, or breast removal, in August of 2009, she began radiation therapy two months later and the planning of her breast reconstructive surgery began.

The procedure was performed in March of 2010.

Steward said for three years, everything looked good. She moved on with her life. She still went to regular checkups, but otherwise lived life normally.

WILLIAM KOLB/HERALD

Kathryn Steward, assistant director of Health Education, has been battling breast cancer off and on since December 2008. Steward uses a variety of methods to cope with the disease including prayer and busywork.

In August of 2013, Steward was scheduled to have one of her regular checkups, but moved the date to December because she had other cancer-related checkups around December as well.

On Dec. 23, 2013, five years to the day she had been told she may have breast cancer, she got a call saying something was spotted on the breast MRI. This time, it was on her lung.

A PET scan was ordered and a biopsy taken, and to Steward’s fear, it was cancer.

The cancer on her lung proved to be estrogen-positive, which meant it was a recurrence of her breast cancer and not lung cancer. She was prescribed an estrogen blocker, which would prevent estrogen from being released throughout her body and would begin to starve the cancer. Steward also had her ovaries removed.

Steward is participating in an experimental drug trial through the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center in Nashville, using a treatment that cooperates with the estrogen blocker she was on prior to the trial, which prevents the hormone from feeding the tumor.

Steward said she needed to regroup and focus on living.

“The biggest thing that runs through (your mind) is, ‘Am I going to live?’” she said.

Steward does not know if she is receiving the drug, and there is a chance she is being given the placebo. She be-

gan participating in the drug trial in February.

Presently, Steward’s tumor is less than 5 millimeters in size. It was initially 16 millimeters in size, and the decrease in size has led Steward to believe she is receiving the drug. If her condition begins to worsen, however, she will be taken off the blind portion of the study and immediately given the drug if she is not already receiving it.

Steward said the treatment she is undergoing is much less physically taxing than chemotherapy or radiation and said it’s easy to sometimes forget that she has cancer.

“My life hasn’t changed a ton,” she said. “I’m still able to do everything I need to do.”

Steward said dealing with the emotional side of fighting cancer is much harder than dealing with the treatment. She said it was hard learning she had been diagnosed with breast cancer a second time.

“It’s a little more raw with the new stuff, so if I put myself there, I get emotional,” Steward said.

Steward said she tries to remain optimistic while dealing with breast cancer.

“You do get down and you do get upset, but you just have to be able to pull yourself out,” she said. “If I’m ever not able to pull myself out of that, then I would go and seek counseling. I’ve not been able to do that yet. I usually block

it. Pray. Distract myself. Whatever I can do, because sitting and dwelling on it is not going to get me anywhere.”

Steward uses a variety of tactics to cope with her breast cancer. Steward said she does a lot of prayer, laughter and busywork. She says that she barely misses work, because work is what keeps her mind occupied and away from spiraling into “what-if.”

“I had family and friends that put books together with really great quotes, and my sister put one in there that said, ‘It’s okay to be on the pity potty, just remember to flush it every once in a while,’ and I loved it. It was laughter, and it was a reminder that it was okay,” Steward said.

Steward said the thing that has caused her the most pain throughout the past few years is the way the cancer has affected her family.

“I didn’t want to burden them,” she said. “But I also needed them. Just them being there was important to me.

“I think I’m more emotional now than I was a year ago because it came back. When I got re-diagnosed…the fear of not surviving was much, much stronger."

Steward has two sons, a 9-year-old and a 14-year-old. She said she wants to see them grow up, and wants to be able to grow old with her husband.

Her husband, Jeff, said it was difficult seeing his wife battle breast cancer.

“I guess it would be dealing with all the different emotions and not being able to fix it myself,” Jeff said.

Terri Flood has been a friend of Steward’s for 14 years. Flood, a former employee of Health Services, said she tries to make Steward’s situation as positive as she possibly can, including putting messages on Steward’s desk when Flood worked there.

“I’ve just really tried to stay positive and encouraging to her,” she said.

This past August would have made Steward five years cancer-free, which would have been a major milestone.

While Steward is sad that she wasn’t able to make that milestone, she is grateful that she knows the cancer is back.

“I’m glad I’m not sitting here thinking I’m cancer-free when really, I’m not,” she said.

Steward said she is grateful that she has always had a chance at continuing her life.

“I have always been given a chance to fight,” Steward said. “So I’m going to take that and fight.”

NOVEMBER 11, 2014 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

WKUHERALD.COM SIDELINES

SPORTS

» Basketball: The Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers tip off their respective basketball seasons this Friday and Saturday. Read about both teams' season outlook on page B4.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Hilltoppers answer the call on Homecoming

BY ELLIOTT PRATT SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM

Last week I presented five questions for thought heading into WKU’s Homecoming game versus UTEP. While some were answered with a clear yes or no, other results remained ambiguous.

Question one: How will WKU’s offense respond?

Answer: That was almost a silly question considering what the Hilltopper offense has done all season. Coming off a season low in points (10) and yards (297) at LA Tech, redshirt senior quarterback Brandon Doughty bounced back, throwing for Elliott Pratt 324 yards and three touchdowns. Sometimes you have one of those days, and the offense definitely had one of those days two weeks ago.

“In the LA Tech game, I was kind of not stepping into my throws, and I watched a lot of film, and they were beating up on quarterbacks, and I think that messed with me mentally,” Doughty said. “This week, I kind of watched the game as it went and just kind of wanted to step into my throws, step up in the pocket and do whatever I could to help our team win the game.”

Question two: Will WKU continue to spread the ball in the run game?

Answer: It’s kind of hard to spread the ball around when you’re not running it. WKU had negative rushing yards in the first half, but bounced back (and I use that term lightly) for 34 yards for the game. Leon Allen has proven he can handle the bulk of the carries, but it’s not ideal. Head Coach Jeff Brohm said on Monday that sophomore Anthony Wales “will be ready to play” this Saturday after suffering an ankle injury against LA Tech.

Question three: Will the defense make a game-changing play?

Answer: They sure did. Someone laughed at me when they saw that I had asked that question. This defense making plays? They can’t stop anybody. Part of that is true — WKU still allowed UTEP nearly 400 yards of offense, but the defense stepped up when called upon. Wonderful Terry’s 90-yard pick-6 marked his third defensive touchdown and the team’s fifth.

The Hilltoppers four defensive scores of 80+ yards are more than any other team in the country. The defense answered my question in winning fashion, so stop laughing.

Question four: Can WKU’s defense stop the run?

SEE SIDELINES PAGE B2

BRANDON CARTER/HERALD

Freshman forward Justin Johnson (23) attempts to dunk the ball during the Hilltopper Hysteria scrimmage.

Fresh Spark

Johnson brings a different dimension to WKU basketball

BY BILLY RUTLEDGE SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM When describing freshman forward Justin Johnson, there’s one word that comes to mind.

Explosive.

At least that’s what his new coach thinks.

“You look at Justin Johnson, I know he’s a freshman, but he doesn’t play like a typical freshman,” Head Coach Ray Harper said at the team’s media day. “He is high energy. Anytime you average 18-19 rebounds a game in high school…you can’t teach that. He knows how to chase the ball. He chases it when it’s not in his area, and I’m excited about what he brings to the table.”

Johnson, a 6-foot 7-inch freshman forward from Hazard, will play his first college basketball game as a member of the Hilltoppers on Saturday at 4 p.m. against Austin Peay in Diddle Arena.

Johnson commences his tenure at WKU with an already lengthy résumé. After averaging 21.9 points and 17.6 rebounds in his senior year at Perry County High School, Johnson was named first team all-state by both the Lexington Herald-Leader and the Associated Press.

He played on the Kentucky All-Star

team against the Indiana All-Star team in mid-June and finished his high school career with 1,519 rebounds, good for sixth-most in state history.

Johnson joins the Hilltoppers at an exciting time. WKU’s set to enter its first season in Conference USA, where competition will be increased.

He also joins a first game team with two saturday, November 15 household names 4 p.m. in their senior VS. Austin Peay seasons: George @ Diddle Arena Fant and T.J. Price.

Fant, who currently ranks 30th on the all-time WKU scoring list with 1,180 points, has found himself in a mentor roll this season with Johnson eager to learn.

“We’ve adapted well with the seniors,” Johnson said. “George has taken me under his wing because that’s the guy I battle against in practice every day. I’m always white and he’s always red.

“Going against him, he’s a preseason all-conference player. He’s a great guy to learn from and made me a lot better going against him every day. The competition level between me and him is high, but he is such a great guy to learn from, and I really appreciate him.”

Johnson is one of four freshmen to

join WKU this season that will add a different dimension that the Hilltoppers haven’t had in the past: depth.

Johnson joins a frontcourt that currently contains Fant, junior Aleksej Rostov and sophomore Ben Lawson. WKU also added the services of freshman forward Rob Marberry and has redshirt junior forward Nigel Snipes, who’s logged minutes at the forward position.

“It can be a really deep team,” Fant said. “We have one of those teams this year where, if you don’t bring it in practice, your spot’s not guaranteed in the game. Coach Harper’s really big off who we can trust, and if you show him he can trust you in practice, he’ll trust you in the game.”

WKU has experienced problems with depth in the past. Rostov, senior guard Kevin Kaspar and graduated players Caden Dickerson and Brandon Harris all missed significant time last year due to injuries.

“You’re going to have the nicks, sprained ankles and those types of things, but you want to avoid the ones where guys are lost for extended periods of time,” Harper said. “If this team is able to do that and they all stay on the same page, I like this

SEE MEN'S BAKETBALL PAGE B2

FOOTBALL

WKU’s Homecoming win serves as timely confidence boost

BY KYLE WILLIAMS SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM

HARRISON HILL/HERALD

WKU junior wide receiver Jared Dangerfield catches a pass during the Homecoming game against UTEP on Nov. 8. The Hilltoppers won 35-27 on homecoming.

With three games remaining on the regular-season schedule and with WKU’s bowl hopes still up in the air, Saturday’s Homecoming victory provided more than just a notch in the win column.

It got the Hilltoppers their swagger back.

It couldn’t have come at a better time, either, as WKU (4-5, 2-4 Conference USA) needs at least two more wins to become bowl eligible for the fourth consecutive season.

Following last week’s Thursday practice, Head Coach Jeff Brohm said he challenged his team to enter the UTEP matchup in playoff mode. The firstyear head coach said it’s no different this week as the team prepares for its bout with Army on Saturday at 11 a.m.

“This past week, we wanted to put a little pressure on our guys and say, ‘Look, this is a playoff mentality, we have to win to advance,’” Brohm said.

“We found a way to win. It wasn’t pretty, but guys stepped up when they had to. We’re taking the same approach this week. This is a game we have to win.”

SEE FOOTBALL PAGE B2

B2

NOVEMEBER 11, 2014

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Lady Tops rout Bellarmine in lone exhibition

BY JOHN REECER

SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM

The Lady Toppers tipped off their 2014-15 campaign with a win against Division II Bellarmine on Friday night in Diddle Arena, and although the matchup was deemed an exhibition, WKU’s victory was anything but a walk in the park.

Bellarmine tested the Lady Toppers in the first half, but WKU eventually used a 15-0 second-half run to cruise to a 102-55 win over the Lady Knights.

All five starters for the Lady Toppers scored in double digits with senior forward Chastity Gooch leading the way with 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting.

Junior guard Micah Jones and redshirt sophomore guard Kendall Noble both chipped in 17. Senior guard Alexis Govan added 12 points and three steals in her first game back from a stress fracture.

Despite the game getting out of hand in the second half, the first period featured competitive play from the Lady Knights. Bellarmine junior guard Mariah Gador led the Lady Knights with 14 first-half points en route to her gamehigh 21.

The Lady Toppers headed into the locker room with a slim 44-37 halftime lead.

“In the first half we were really sluggish, but that’s kind of what you expect in front of the crowd — getting the jitters out,” Head Coach Michelle ClarkHeard said. “I just wasn’t pleased with our defense. We gave up 37 points that first half.”

FOOTBALL

Continued from SPORTS The Black Knights (3-6) come into the matchup having secured a 35-21 win over Connecticut on Saturday via a strong triple-option attack; 325 of their 363 total yards against the Huskies came on the ground.

Army currently ranks No. 5 in the country in rushing yards per game at 298.1.

Brohm said the team’s meeting with Army last season and another tripleoption team in Navy should prove to aid the Hilltoppers. The Midshipmen rushed for 412 yards in their 36-27 loss to the Hilltoppers in Annapolis, Maryland on Sept. 27.

“It’s beneficial,” Brohm said. “We played two (option teams) last year.

SIDELINES

Continued from SPORTS Answer: Not yet. UTEP orchestrated a drive that lasted long enough for you to listen to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” by running on 16 of the drive’s 18 plays ending in a touchdown. Once that song finished, the defense forced a pick-6, two punts and a turnover on downs to close the game. It was the second-straight home game where the defense didn’t allow a point in the fourth quarter. But still, WKU allowed 236 rushing yards on 5.1 yards per rush. That’s not good, but in connection to the third question, they’re making up for it by forcing the game-

Despite the lethargic start, the second half proved to be a whole new ballgame. The Lady Toppers came out with full-court pressure and assertive play to begin the second period, leading to an immediate 15-0 run.

“I was really proud in the second half,” Heard said. “I think, defensively, we turned it up. Tashia (Brown) and Alexis (Govan) got on top of the press, and I think that started the energy for our big run.”

The 15-0 run then turned into a 27-5 rout within the first 10 minutes of the second half. Jones aided the Lady Topper run with four three-point baskets.

On top of their full-court pressure and defensive prowess, which yielded only 18 second-half points from the Lady Knights, the Lady Toppers managed to shoot lights out from the field in the second period at a 64.9 percent clip.

WKU forced a total of 29 turnovers, and the Lady Toppers took full advantage of those opportunities as they netted a total of 40 points off turnovers.

One of the brightest spots of the game for the Lady Toppers was the all-around play of Noble. She recorded 17 points, but also notched six rebounds, five steals and five assists.

“I think we know we can score,” Noble said. “It’s about getting stops on defense. We can’t outscore everyone every game.”

The Lady Toppers will take the court again on Friday against Central Arkansas in Diddle Arena at 6 p.m. for the first game of the regular season. The game also marks the beginning of the 2014 preseason WNIT.

We’ve done a whole lot of work preparing for that, we’ve done a whole lot of work this year preparing for it as well.

We played decent against Navy. They still ran for a lot of yards. If you go back and watch, they had some guys open on play action they could have easily hit. …We have to have a good plan ready.”

In addition to a familiar game plan, the Hilltoppers will also have a boosted sense of confidence when they host the Black Knights, as all three units — defensive, offensive and special teams — played a large part in their 35-27 Homecoming win.

On defense, the Hilltoppers pitched a scoreless fourth quarter. Following redshirt junior defensive back Wonderful Terry’s 90-yard interception and touchdown return, the defensive unit

changer.

Question five: Can WKU win a Homecoming game?

Answer: Finally. WKU had dropped two straight Homecoming contests before Saturday, and for a while, it looked as if it was going to be three.

Players don’t — or at least they shouldn’t — let Homecoming hoopla affect their play, but the students, alumni and supporters enjoy it when an exciting game ends in a Hilltopper win. It also set a tone of confidence for the next two home games that determine WKU’s postseason fate. Answering the call on Homecoming wasn’t a bad way to get back on the right track.

WILLIAM KOLB/HERALD

Freshman forward Tashia Brown attempts a layup in WKU's 102-55 win over Bellarmine in Diddle Arena on Nov. 7.

held the Miners to two-straight threeand-outs and a turnover on downs.

“Honestly, I think it’s just relaxing and going out there and playing football,” senior linebacker Terran Williams said.

“Just letting it all hang — just playing.

Leaving everything out there. I think we showed flashes of that in the first couple games and we kind of died off from that. I think Saturday we put it all together.”

The Hilltoppers balanced out their solid defensive performance with a 388-yard outing on offense. Redshirt senior quarterback Brandon Doughty threw for 324 yards and three touchdowns after throwing four interceptions at Louisiana Tech the previous week.

Doughty’s statistical totals in four games at home this season are: 1,583

yards, 16 touchdowns and zero interceptions.

“In the LA Tech game, I was kind of not stepping into my throws, and I watched a lot of film, and they were beating up on quarterbacks, and I think that messed with me mentally,” Doughty said. “This week, I kind of watched the game as it went and just kind of wanted to step into my throws, step up in the pocket and do whatever I could to help our team win the game.”

Several pre-game festivities will take place on Saturday, headlined by President Gary Ransdell’s tandem jump with the U.S. Army Parachute Team, the Golden Knights. Ransdell will jump from 10,000 feet roughly 15 minutes before kickoff in order to deliver the game ball.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

The three-star recruit will taste his first regular-season action Saturday against Austin Peay. At Hilltopper Hysteria last month, Johnson led the white team with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while also placing second in the dunk contest.

With his energy and explosiveness, Johnson has the ability to become a staple of the Hilltopper basketball program for years to come. According to fellow freshman Marberry, Johnson has more than enough tools to make that happen.

"He is possibly one of the most athletic players on our team," Marberry said. "I'm a pretty gritty player who likes to get in there, get physical and get some boards and he's just a freak athlete."

Continued from SPORTS

team. We’ve got a good chance to be a good basketball team.”

Shifting from high school to college brings with it many changes for an athlete and for Johnson, his is more physical than mental.

“I lost 32 pounds since I got here,” Johnson said. “I can play whenever I’m called upon to go in and play those minutes for as long as they need to be played. Being in the right shape and condition to be able to play those minutes is the biggest focus. It’s a big transition. I want to be in condition to play 40 minutes if I have to play 40 minutes.”

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NOVEMBER 11, 2014

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b3

VOLLEYBALL

Lady Tops extend win streak over Southern Miss, Marshall

BY JONAH PHILLIPS SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM WKU volleyball completed its regular-season road schedule this past weekend with wins over Southern Miss and Marshall on Friday and Sunday, respectively, to improve to 25-5 overall with a 13-1 clip in conference play.

WKU fell in the first set for the third-straight match on Friday against Southern Miss (19-11, 8-5 Conference USA), but stayed on par for the course as they rallied back in three-straight sets to win it in four. The final scores were 23-25, 25-9, 2510 and 27-25.

“I was really quite happy with what we did this weekend,” Head Coach Travis Hudson said. “I think we played really hard and we are starting to bounce back — I uncharacteristically gave them three days off after UAB last week just to get their legs back under them and I think it gave them some of their energy back.”

Freshman outside hitter Alyssa Cavanaugh proved again to be one of the more dominant offensive freshmen in Conference USA on Friday night, notching 16 kills. Junior outside hitter Haley Bodway was right behind her at 15.

Senior middle hitter Heather Boyan and junior middle hitter Noelle Langenkamp each tallied 10.

Freshman setter Jessica Lucas continued to show her importance both on the offensive and defensive side of

the ball, notching 45 assists to help the Lady Toppers to a .308 hitting mark. She wasn’t done there — she secured a double-double with 17 digs on the evening.

Hudson’s team has recently been relying heavily on defense in a season that started off with an offensive bang.

“The face of our team has changed,” Hudson said. “If you look at what we did this weekend, we were led defensively, which I am so proud of because that really was an Achilles of our team early on this year. Now we are really relying on our team defensively.”

WKU mustered 69 digs on the evening, highlighted by a then-career-high 23 by sophomore defensive specialist Georgia O’Connell.

Freshman middle hitter Sydney Engle managed nearly half of WKU’s 13 blocks with six.

As the season draws to a close for Hudson and his team, it’s clear that he has found a way to use each player to their strength.

“It has been a very interesting year because, on one hand, we have always found a way to win, but on the other hand I don’t think we have had everyone playing well at the same time at any stretch, but I am very proud of them,” Hudson said.

Just when it looked like it was all said and done, the Lady Toppers found themselves struggling late in the fourth set. After leading 20-14, attack errors and Southern Miss

HARRISON HILL/HERALD

WKU senior middle hitter Heather Boyan (3) spikes the ball as two Charlotte players block on Oct. 7. blocks plagued WKU, leading to a 25-25 tie. However, consecutive kills from Bodway and Boyan sealed the deal at 27-25.

Next, the Lady Toppers traveled to Huntington, West Virginia to take on Marshall (14-15, 8-6 C-USA). Hudson’s squad managed to end it in three with scores of 25-23, 2624 and 25-17, despite giving up large advantages.

“Nothing has been easy for this team, all year long,” Hudson said. “Our kids played really hard this weekend, and we played really well at times, but if you followed the scores you would know, we had some really big leads that we squandered.”

Lucas didn’t miss a beat and notched another double-double, coming up with 12 digs and 39 assists to help her team notch 48 kills. Cavanaugh had 15 kills, followed by Boyan with 12.

O’Connell reset the career high in digs she set on Friday against Southern Miss with 25.

At the net, WKU had 11 blocks, with Boyan notching six.

WKU got out to an early 5-1 lead in the first set. After five score ties, kills by Boyan and Cavanaugh sealed the win 2523.

After an 8-0 WKU run in the second, four Cavanaugh kills and two Langenkamp blocks, it looked like it was smooth sailing for the Lady Toppers as

they led 24-15. However, Marshall managed a 9-0 run to tie the score at 24-24. Bodway stepped up, though, dishing out a kill and assisting Boyan on a block for the win.

WKU’s best set came in the third, hitting at a .293 clip while holding Marshall to a .075 mark. Led by nine digs from O’Connell, WKU won the set 25-17.

WKU has just two more games on the regular season, both of which take place in Diddle Arena this week. UTEP comes to WKU this Thursday for a match at 7 p.m., while Middle Tennessee closes out the Lady Toppers’ inaugural C-USA season on Saturday at 7 p.m.

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NOVEMBER 11, 2014

b4

Hilltopper Basketball previews MEN'S BASKETBALL

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Depth, experience should Lady Topper basketball bode well for Hilltoppers already among tops in

BY KYLE WILLIAMS SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM With the men’s basketball seasonopener just four days away, it’s about time for the Hilltoppers’ reloaded roster to show what it’s made of.

WKU, who opens the 2014-15 season on Saturday against Austin Peay in Diddle Arena at 4 p.m., welcomes back its top four scorers from last season’s team that went 20-12. Seniors T.J. Price (15.5 points per game), George Fant (13.3), Trency Jackson (10.2) and redshirt sophomore Chris Harrison-Docks (9.9) make up that list.

Head Coach Ray Harper enters his fourth season as head man for the Hilltoppers after leading the team to back-to-back Sun Belt Tournament Championships in 2012 and 2013. In addition, he led WKU to the program’s best finish in Sun Belt play in five years last season.

Last year’s early exit from conference tournament play marked the first Sun Belt Conference Tournament loss for Harper in his tenure. He holds an 8-1 record all-time.

WKU’s schedule presents a challeng-

ing non-conference slate for the Hilltoppers, which includes a three-game stint in the 2014 NIT Season Tip-Off. The Hilltoppers will also face two opponents who defeated them last season in Ole Miss on Dec. 13 and No. 8 Louisville in Diddle Arena on Dec. 20.

The Hilltoppers’ schedule features 11 games against opponents that played in the 2013-14 postseason and an 18-game conference slate.

Two WKU players earned Conference USA preseason accolades, with Price and Fant being named to the Preseason All-Conference USA 10 team. The preseason coaches’ poll featured just the top four teams, which did not include WKU: LA Tech, UTEP, Charlotte and Old Dominion.

“It’s not about where you’re picked at in the beginning of the season and what people think you’re going to be. It’s about what you do over the course of the season,” Harper said.

“We just have to continue to work, not worry about what other people think.

“I think we’ve got a lot accomplished and we have a lot more to accomplish going forward. I like this team.”

Conference USA

BY KYLE WILLIAMS SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM As evidenced by WKU’s 102-55 exhibition win over Bellarmine on Friday, the Lady Toppers’ regular season looms.

WKU, coming off a season that yielded a Sun Belt Conference Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance, is set to open its inaugural Conference USA season on Friday in Diddle Arena against Central Arkansas at 6 p.m. in the preseason WNIT. The conference switch will bring with it increased competition, but WKU is already among the top teams in the league, as the Lady Toppers were picked to finish second in the preseason poll, two points behind first-place Middle Tennessee. Senior forward Chastity Gooch was tabbed preseason player of the year.

MTSU went 29-5 last season but loses five seniors and its all-American. Southern Miss comes in as the second-best Conference USA finisher from last season, as the Golden Eagles

recorded a program-record 27 wins.

The Lady Toppers boast depth and experience this season, as four of the team’s top five scorers return from a team that went 24-9 a season ago.

Gooch — who holds totals of 1,322 points and 840 career rebounds, good for 18th and eighth in program history, respectively — is set to make a mark on her final season on the Hill with fellow senior and 1,000-point scorer Alexis Govan, who returns after missing 22 games last season.

Junior guard Micah Jones and redshirt sophomore guard Kendall Noble are other notables, as they combined for 21.1 points per game on 46 percent shooting a season ago.

“Really, really excited about this group,” Head Coach Michelle ClarkHeard said at Lady Topper media day.

“It’s really refreshing to have some veterans with Alexis and Chastity and Illeana (Johnson) leading the way, and, of course, not to leave out Micah and Kendall and the rest of that group. …

Just really excited about our future.”

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