September 11, 2018 by College Heights Herald

Read the Herald Editorial Board’s stance on WKU’s response to former SGA president’s lawsuit

See more photos and coverage of the Cage The Elephant concert

OPINION • PAGE A4

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018

PHOTO • PAGE A6

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

VOLUME 93, ISSUE 03

Detailing SGA president’s lawsuit against WKU BY NICOLE ZEIGE HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

Andi Dahmer, former student body president, filed a lawsuit against WKU, President Timothy Caboni, Assistant Gen-

eral Counsel Andrea Anderson and Director of Student Activities Charley Pride on Aug. 31. In the lawsuit, Dahmer cites verbal, mental and emotional abuse she claims she suffered from the “tortious conduct” of WKU, Caboni, Anderson and Pride. She accused the defendants of discriminating

against her based on sex, failing to “reasonably respond and intervene” in the alleged harassment and not following university procedures such as the “Discrimination and Harassment Policy.” The Herald reported Dahmer’s harassment allegations on April 24. The allegations cited eight Student Government

Association senators. Some of the harassment she said she experienced included senators cursing at her in her office, calling her derogatory names and anonymously exchanging group messages with each other wishing her physical harm.

SEE LAWSUIT • PAGE A2

PHOTO BY SILAS WALKER • HERALD

Cage the Elephant lead singer Matt Shultz crowd surfs during Cage the Elephant’s performance before the first WKU home football game vs Maine on Saturday at South Lawn on campus.

WE GOT ‘CAGED’ WKU welcomes back Cage the Elephant BY JOHN SINGLETON HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

Last Saturday was a game day to remember for the students, alumni, faculty and staff of WKU. Following a pre-game tailgate, students went straight to South Lawn at 4:30 p.m. for a free concert performed by Cage the Elephant. Cage the Elephant lead singer Matt Shultz danced across the stage as thousands of students and fans sang along to hit songs by the Grammy Award-winning rock band and Bowling Green natives. The band played a variety of crowd-favorite songs including “In One Ear,” “Trouble,” “Cigarette Daydreams” and “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.” Fans crowd surfed throughout the concert, and Schultz took a turn toward the end of the performance. “Man, it feels good to be home,” Shultz said on stage. “It feels like a family reunion or something.” The band is led by lead singer Matt Shultz, rhythm guitarist Brad Shultz, lead guitarist Nick Bockrath, guitarist and keyboardist Matthan Minster, bassist Daniel

Ticheno and drummer Jared Champion. Cage the Elephant’s third album, Melophobia, earned the band a Grammy Award nomination in 2015 for Best Alternative Music Album. Its fourth album, “Tell Me I’m Pretty,” was released on Dec. 18, 2015 and won the award for Best Rock Album at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. The band’s newest release, “Unpeeled,” is a live album and was released on July 28, 2017. Blake Turner, a WKU junior, said he was amazed at how this one band brought everyone together on campus. He said several people he had never even met would come up and talk to him about how excited they were for the show. “It just stuns me how unified WKU’s campus is right now,” Turner said at the concert. “We all came together as one group to listen to this band, and it was just amazing.” WKU graduate Jacob Richardson, 26, of Louisville came to the concert because he’s been following the band since middle school. “I’ve just been so in love with this band for so long, and I grew up with their music, so when I heard they were putting on a show right before the first home game

of the football season, I obviously had to make the long drive,” Richardson said. Alyssa Daviess from Atlanta, Georgia, said she came all the way up to Bowling Green to see the band. “I came up here because my sister attends WKU, and I thought it would be an awesome experience to see one of our favorite bands that we grew up watching on MTV together,” Daviess said. President Timothy Caboni introduced the band before the concert and said the concert was a great way to kick off the semester and the football season. Caboni also counted himself a fan of the band, naming his favorite song, “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.” “What an amazing experience for our young people and for our entire community that an internationally known Grammy Award-winning band comes here for our first football game,” Caboni said. “This is something that these kids are never going to forget, something I’m never going to forget, and it’s a remarkable day on the Hill.”

Reporter John Singleton can be reached at 270-745-6011 or john.singleton676@topper.wku.edu.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

ANDI LAWSUIT

CONTINUED FROM FRONT According to Dahmer’s lawsuit and the Herald’s original report, one of the first administrators she met with was Pride, who she said failed to respond and intervene in the harassment. Regarding Pride in the lawsuit, Dahmer noted a connection she claims Pride has to the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, which “a majority of the perpetrators who threatened Andi and created a hostile environment” allegedly were also a part of. Pride is a WKU alumnus and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity while attending the university. He declined to comment on the pending litigation. “While I’m unable to comment on the specifics of the allegations against Ms. Dahmer and the lawsuit, I can tell you that Phi Delta Theta is a values-based organization and does not condone abusive behavior of any kind,” Cody Lunsford, Phi Delta Theta university chapter president, said in a statement. “Any action contrary to this is a direct violation of our principles.” Regarding Caboni, Dahmer said in the lawsuit that she met with him on Feb. 27, to discuss SGA legislation. During this meet-

NEWS A2 ing, she allegedly revealed the harassment she was experiencing to him, and she said he expressed the need for a private follow-up conversation. She claimed that although she reached out to both him and his secretary, Caboni did not follow up with her. Dahmer brought her case before WKU’s Title IX office on Feb. 13. Title IX is a federal civil rights law, part of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in universities that receive federal funding. Title IX’s scope expanded under former President Barack Obama to mandate universities combat sexual harassment, including sexual violence. As stated in the lawsuit, Dahmer alleges that Caboni was made aware of Dahmer’s meeting with Title IX officials and made aware that she had “received no messages or updates from the Title IX investigation for multiple weeks.” Caboni also was allegedly made aware of the Title IX office’s refusal to release the tape of her meeting with them, which she requested for her personal records. Dahmer claims that Caboni requested the tape from the office and assured her “WKU was doing all that it could to help her,” as stated in the lawsuit. The university released a statement

MINOR IN African American

STUDIES

A program of the Department of Diversity and Community Studies For more information, go to www.wku.edu/afam

EBONY COX • HERALD

Senior Andi Dahmer, was sworn in on Tuesday May 2, 2017 as the new SGA President and oﬃcially started in July of that same year.

Tuesday in response to the claims, calling them “maliciously untrue” and stating that it would “vigorously defend the claims” made by Dahmer. The Herald requested a comment from Caboni on the pending litigation and was referred back to the university’s statement. Caboni responded to the alleged allegations on the same day the original story was published, saying he would assemble a group of faculty, staff and a student to review the “structure, processes and procedures” surrounding the office of Equal Employment Opportunity, Title IX and the Office of Student Conduct. In late August, Caboni said he was working on a response to the first draft of the committee’s report. “We’re working back and forth on not just that draft but my response to it,” Caboni said in a meeting with the Herald editorial board on Aug. 24. “My expectation is by early October we’ll have some announcements not just on Title IX but on other changes and recommendations they’ve made.” When Dahmer reported the alleged harassment to the Title IX office, university officials said her case was not considered a violation of the Title IX policy because it did not meet the official standards of harassment. The Herald contacted WKU General Counsel Deborah Wilkins and Assistant General Counsel Andrea Anderson for comment on the pending litigation. Wilkins referred the Herald to the university’s released statement.

According to the statement released by the university, reports of harassment and sexual misconduct are taken seriously and investigated by the university. WKU stated its investigation found no Title IX violations, but did find violations of the Student Code of Conduct, and those involved were penalized according to policy and procedure. WKU plans to file an answer to the lawsuit, addressing each allegation, according to the statement. The statement claims that WKU is confident the court will rule in its favor “against this frivolous suit.” Dahmer’s lawyer, Lindsay Cordes, of Thomas Law Offices, disclosed her and Dahmer’s official statement in an email to the Herald in response to WKU’s statement. “It’s astonishing in this day and age, the administration of a respected university would tolerate open and blatant sexism in student government. The university has shown an utter disregard for students that advocate for diversity and inclusiveness and choose to side with those who vocally promote intolerance. Andi has been forthcoming and candid in this process and has numerous parties who can attest to her claims despite WKU’s assertion that the suit is ‘maliciously untrue,’” Dahmer’s statement read. The cost of damages that Dahmer seeks in the lawsuit are not disclosed.

Nicole Ziege can be reached at 270-745-6011 and nicole.ziege825@topper.wku.edu. Follow Nicole Ziege on Twitter at @NicoleZiege.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

NEWS A3

New technology in dorms keeps track of housing services

BY NATASHA BREU HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

WKU students living inresidence halls are adjusting to a new system for guest check-ins and other functions previously done on paper. StarRez is an online system and is the “market leader in providing housing software solutions to universities and colleges around the world,” accordingy to the website. Housing and Residence Life processes housing applications, assignments, resident assistant programs, housing policy exemptions and visitation logs. All of this is now available on StarRez in an effort to centralize information, according Daniel Rosner, assistant director for student behavior. Rosner said desk assistants have their own login information for StarRez and can access important information regarding WKU students living on campus. “It has information that we previously had access to,” said Rosner. “It’s only whatever the student puts into the system.” Rosner said each desk assistant has a certain access level in regards to the information they can see. He also said going paperless helps with efficiency, resulting in being able to

communicate in a timely manner. “It’s been a very positive change,” Rosner said. Robert Bright, a desk assistant in Hilltopper Hall, said StarRez is effective when it comes to the security of WKU students. He explained the system helps make sure the person being checked in as a visitor has not lost visitation rights. “The system was put in place for the security of the visitor and desk assistant, and of all those in the hall,” Bright said. Brooke Walden, a desk assistant in Gilbert Hall, said going paperless is a part of WKU’s effort to go green. She said StarRez has many convenient functions such as being able to issue new keys automatically by charging residents the $25 fee electronically. “It’s making things a lot easier for everybody,” Walden said. She also said having access to all of this information comes with a lot of responsibility. Walden said desk assistants and resident assistants are under an agreement not to share student information with other people. She said Housing and Residence Life does keep track of what information they access in an effort to ensure confidentiality. Ellie Hogan, a sophomore living in Rodes-Harlin Hall, said she thinks

MICHELE HANKS • HERALD

A PFT desk attendant swipes a student’s WKU ID on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018. All residence halls now have an electronic system that is used to process housing applications, assignments, resident assistant programs, housing policy exemptions and visitation logs. Up until this semester residence halls would keep track of this information on paper. The desk attendants also now have more access to personal student records such as one’s medical history.

StarRez is an overall good change for WKU, though she thought it was “kind of weird” that someone in her history class may have direct access to her personal information. “I know it’s more convenient, though, so it doesn’t really bother me,” Hogan said. Freshman Taylor Rainbolt lives in Pearce-Ford Tower where there can

be long lines for checking in guests. While she appreciates the efforts StarRez does for safety, she said students need to be informed about the access to information.

News reporter Natasha Breu can be reached at 270-745-6011 and natasha.breu597@topper.wku.edu. Follow Natasha on Twitter @nnbreu.

Former professor and civil rights activist dies at 83

BY AMEALIA HICKS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

Alan Anderson, former head of the Department of Philosophy and Religion and avid civil rights activist, died on Sept. 3. Anderson passed away at 83 from congestive heart failure and other illnesses, said Paula Williams, department office associate and long-time colleague of Anderson. Born in Oklahoma in 1934, Anderson graduated from Knox College with a bachelor’s of the arts degree in philosophy, later receiving a bachelor’s of divinity in theology and a master’s in social ethics at the University of Chicago, according to his obituary. While in Chicago, Anderson became involved in the civil rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr. invited him to join a nonviolent protest in Albany, Georgia, in 1962. Anderson and his fellow protesters were arrested for disturbing the peace while praying for civil rights on the steps of city hall, according to a Knox College profile. Anderson went on to work with King

again during the freedom movement from 1965-1967. He also taught the first courses on racial justice in Chicago and at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, according to the Knox College piece.

“He very muched breathed equality and social justice,”

Philosophy & Religion Department Head

JEFFREY SAMUELS

He later co-authored a book titled “Confronting the Color Line: The Broken Promise of the Civil Rights Movement,” which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in history in 1988. He received the Alumni Achievement Award from Knox College in 2008 for

his achievement in social rights. Anderson arrived at WKU in 1985 to head the Department of Philosophy and Religion, Williams said. He taught courses in social ethics and racial justice, according to his website. “He very much breathed equality and social justice,” said Jeffrey Samuels, the current Philosophy and Religion interim department head. Samuels said he worked with Anderson for 11 years. During that time, he said, Anderson’s passion for social justice was evident in his teaching and work in the community. Anderson worked with students to examine and potentially resolve the existing color line in Bowling Green, Samuels said. Anderson worked to uncover racism through surveys and data collections. “He believed that if we gathered enough data, the numbers would speak for themselves,” Samuels said. Samuels recalled Anderson’s humility and subtlety when it came to his life’s work. He also remembered Anderson throwing out a Jolly Rancher to students in class whenever they answered a question correctly. Michael Seidler, philosophy professor and former colleague of Anderson, joined the department the year

after Anderson. Anderson worked well to foster younger faculty and support them in their work, Seidler said. Anderson was known for “liking the good life,” Seidler said. He liked to eat and drink well along with entertaining friends and family. Anderson’s distinct humor also stood out in to Seidler, who recalled his borderline jokes that either hit or miss. “Sometimes you didn’t know how to respond,” Seidler said. “He liked to walk that line.” Anderson retired from the university in 2012, according to Williams. His legacy lives on as students continue his work in uncovering racism and fighting for social justice. Services will be held on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, according to his obituary. In lieu of flowers, Donations to the American Civil Liberties Union, or Cumberland Heights, a nonprofit drug and alcohol addiction resource in Nashville are appreciated.

Reporter Amelia Hicks can be reached at 270-745-0655 and amelia.hicks852@topper.wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @ameliahicks852.

SGA president prepares for a challenging year BY JACK DOBBS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

From strife between its members to controversy surrounding the executive board election race the 2017-2018 academic year was, to say the least, a tumultuous one for the Student Government Association. Despite the firestorm of last year, new SGA President Stephen Mayer is optimistic about the future of the association and has plans to improve the lives of WKU students. Mayer was elected as president, April with running mates Garrett Edmonds and Harper Anderson. He previously served as a senator on SGA for three semesters and spent one semester abroad at Harlaxton College. Mayer, a biology and chemistry double major, said he believes his time in SGA has prepared him greatly for life

after college. “I am an avid believer that campus involvement makes not only a better undergraduate experience but makes for more opportunities post-graduate,” Mayer said. Mayer has described his hopes for WKU, aiming for greater transparency from the Board of Regents as well as from SGA itself. Mayer said he is an avid supporter of President Timothy Caboni’s 10-year strategic plan and agrees with most of what it includes. In addition to his position as SGA president, Mayer also occupies a position as student regent on the WKU Board of Regents. “My role as student regent has taught me so much about things I have never been aware of that I think will benefit me moving into my future,” Mayer said. “It’s not only all of the wonderful people I am meeting, it’s all of the things I am learning.” Lately, Mayer has been an outspoken

“I also don’t see the need to put all of the financial burden on the students’ backs,” SGA President STEPHEN MAYER critic of WKU’s fee structure, especially the $150 per credit hour fee for online classes. Mayer was one of two members of the Board of Regents who actively spoke against the increase in fees. “I understand the university’s need to do this at this time, due to budget cuts from state appropriations, but I also don’t see the need to put all of the financial burden on the students’ backs,” Mayer said.

This year, WKU saw a 4 percent increase in tuition costs, a decision Mayer was against. It comes as part of a plan created by the Council on Postsecondary Education, an administrative board in Frankfort that coordinates higher education in the Commonwealth. The SGA semester began Sept. 4 with the first administrative meeting at which Mayer discussed the tuition increase and the comprehensive advising program. Additionally, a new standard was outlined for SGA members. Now members are required to log at least one office hour a week for students to meet with senators. The elections for SGA Senate will take place from Sept. 17-18. After the polls close, an election results party will occur from 11:30 p.m. to 12:15 a.m. on Sept. 18. Reporter Jack Dobbs can be reached at 270-745-0655 and jack.dobbs469@topper.wku.edu.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

OPINION

EDITORIAL

ILLUSTRATION BY BRANDON EDWARDS • HERALD

SAVING FACE? BY HERALD EDITORIAL BOARD HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

The issue: Last week, former Student Government Association President Andi Dahmer filed a federal lawsuit against WKU, President Timothy Caboni, Assistant General Counsel Andrea Anderson and Director of Student Activities Charley Pride for alleged harassment during her time as SGA president. In response, the university called the lawsuit’s claims “maliciously untrue” and referred to her case as “frivolous.” Our stance: A confusing chronology of rhetoric has developed in the time since Dahmer’s story first unfolded to the public. Caboni’s initial response was to form a committee and investigate the EEO, Student Conduct and Title IX processes. Now, the university has taken a firm stance against Dahmer, whose claims in the lawsuit are extensive and, if true, appalling.

Here’s a quick rundown of what has happened so far: In April, the Herald published a story about harassment allegations made by Dahmer against fellow SGA members. The same day the story broke, Caboni issued a statement saying he was “assembling a group of faculty, staff and a student to review the structure, processes and procedures surrounding EEO, Title IX and Student Conduct.” President Caboni told the Herald editorial board in August that the committee is expected to have a report about recommendations regarding these processes completed by early October. Dahmer’s lawsuit accuses WKU of multiple instances of negligence and violations of Title IX policies. So while WKU undertook formal steps to address potential weaknesses of key policies regarding student safety as a result of Dahmer’s situation, the university now seems to dismiss her claims. This is what Caboni said in April in forming the committee: “We expect members of the WKU community to maintain professionalism, collegial-

“No student – or employee – should feel threatened or unsafe on our campus.” That was the first sentence from a statement released by President Timothy Caboni in direct response to a story regarding harassment Andi Dahmer said she faced in 201718 as SGA president. But looking back nearly five months later, those aren’t the words from Caboni’s initial statement that stand out most. The words from his statement that jump off the page now are “respect,” “professionalism” and “collegiality” — three concepts WKU has apparently forgotten, judging by its most recent statement in response to a lawsuit Dahmer filed last week against WKU, Caboni, Assistant General Counsel Andrea Anderson and Director of Student Activities Charley Pride. Instead of being respectful to the situation and professional and collegial in its response, the university dismissed Dahmer’s case as “frivolous” and said her claims are “maliciously untrue.” The rhetoric just doesn’t add up.

ity and respect as they interact and engage with others.” As WKU now faces legal consequences as a result of Dahmer’s lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court and requires defense of its actions, that “collegiality” and any sympathy along with it appears to vanish. The statement released last week is harsh. It frames Dahmer as a vindictive liar rather than a student who believes she was failed by the system. Shouldn’t “professionalism, collegiality, and respect” apply to a student who called the administration out on shortcomings? Finally, the university’s statement last week undermines the integrity of its own efforts to ensure WKU gives adequate consideration to students who believe they have been a victim of misconduct under Title IX. The university’s strident language makes the Title IX committee assembled in April seem like a kneejerk reaction to a reputation under threat, and appears more like a PR initiative than a commitment to ensuring student safety.

LIGHTS CAMERON, ACTION!

‘The Nun’ largely disappoints with cheap scares BY CAMERON COYLE HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

“The Nun,” the underwhelming fifth film in the “Conjuring” franchise, is another example of the law of diminishing returns on display in the horror genre. Father Burke (played by Demian Bichir), a priest who does special assignments for the Vatican, is sent to investigate the apparent suicide of a nun at a Romanian church in the 1950s. He is accompanied by Irene (Taissa Farmiga), a soon-to-be nun, and escorted by a French-Canadian immigrant (Jonas Bloquet) who simply goes by the name “Frenchie.” At this point, the “Conjuring” franchise lineage looks more like a web than a straight line. The series has spawned an

original, a sequel, a spin-off to the original, a prequel to the spin-off, and now “The Nun,” a spin-off to the sequel. Saying this is not an essential addition to the franchise would just be too kind. The careful character development and patience in storytelling that separated the original two “Conjuring” films from many of its contemporaries in the genre is completely absent. Multiple moments in the film feel like an attempt to create a scene that would gain popularity outside of the theater and on social media rather than a genuine attempt to formulate a creative scare. “The Nun” relies on jump scares far too often, and it doesn’t have to. Throughout the film, the camera lingers as music swells only for it to be followed by an enigmatic loud noise—usually scaring only audience members who have never seen a horror

movie. Not every jump scare is a failure, however, as some are used effectively in quiet scenes where the empty space on the screen is soon filled by a frightening image. These moments, accompanied by the sheer number of jump scares, keep the pop-ups as a whole from being a bore. “The Nun” is obviously at its best when echoing “The Conjuring,” using creepy imagery—upside down crosses, dead bodies and things of this nature—to induce paranoia in the characters and build tension on screen. This is achieved multiple times, but it is never maintained, as another jump scare is likely around the corner. As Frenchie walks home from the church in one scene, he is attacked by a paranormal nun who appears from above him, falls on him, mounts him and then flees the area when he is at his most vulnerable. Less than

20 minutes later in the film, Father Burke is attacked by a demon taking the form of a child he failed to save in an exorcism. The demon produces a snake from its mouth, causing Father Burke to face his biggest regret while also fighting for his life. These two scenes are a prime example of the inconsistency in “The Nun.” Frenchie’s encounter is random and nonsensical, while Father Burke’s incident appears to have purpose—until there is no resolution to Burke’s story, exposing this as a ploy for scares rather than an element of the story. “The Nun” does not utterly fail, but its cheap thrills and poor writing disappoint and further dilute the quality of what is currently the biggest horror franchise in the world. Only extreme fans of the series should seek out this film. Grade: C-

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FUN A5

FUN PAGE Across

Geography Grab Bag

1 Legal prefix 5 Half of the Odd Couple 10 Not quite right 12 Compact stuff 13 Modern singalong 15 Worn down 18 Verdant 19 Man’s man 21 “This means ___!” 22 Coffee maker 23 Kitchen gadget 25 Donate 26 ___ chi ch’uan 27 Canon competitor 28 Windmill parts 29 Gentle breeze 31 How some shall remain 33 Auspices (Var.) 35 Bog down 36 Out of doors 40 Jacket interior 44 Nobleman 45 Morocco’s capital 47 ___’easter 48 Muscat is its capital 49 Branch of biology 50 J. Edgar Hoover’s org. 51 Memory unit, for short 52 Sales booth 53 Shiny on top? 54 Greasing one’s palms 56 Locomotives

1. On which river would you find Victoria Falls? (a) Zambezi (b) Congo (c) Volta 2. The Spanish Steps are located in what city? (a) Barcelona (b) Lisbon (c) Rome 3. The ruins of Troy are in what modern-day country? (a) Syria (b) Turkey (c) Egypt 4. What two countries have the longest shared border? (a) USA & Canada (b) Russia & Kazakhstan (c) Mexico & USA 5. The islands of La Gomera and Tabarca belong to what European country? (a) Italy (b) Spain (c) Monaco 6. Built in 2005, what is the length of the Donghai bridge that connects Shanghai and Yangshan island? (a) 15.8 miles (b) 26.5 miles (c) 20.2 miles 7. The Palace of Knossos (ruins) are located on what island in the Mediterranean? (a) Malta (b) Crete (c) Corsica 8. What modern country is home to the ancient city of Babylon? (a) Iraq (b) Saudi Arabia (c) Iran 9. The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean and what other sea? (a) Caspian (b) Arabian (c) Red 10. How long is the Great Wall of China? (a) 13,170 miles (b) 8,640 miles (c) 10,360 miles 1.a 2.c 3.b 4.a 5.b

6.c 7.b 8.a 9.c 10.a

Last Weeks Solution (9/4) S T E P

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S E A M Y

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

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55 59

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Hunting hostel Furnace button Softens Corn units

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34 Skinflints 36 Atomic weapon 37 Worse, as excuses go 38 Delicate 39 Feedbag fill 41 Babies 42 Majestic 43 Diagrams 46 Bread maker 49 Pig out 52 Young goats 53 Coffin 55 Fancy neckwear 57 Born 58 Fed. property manager

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

PHOTO

SILAS WALKER • HERALD

Cage the Elephant lead singer Matt Shultz sings during Cage the Elephant’s performance before WKU’s first home football game vs Maine on Saturday, Sept. 8 on South Lawn

CAGE ON STAGE BY MIKE CLARK HERALD.PHOTO@WKU.EDU

South Lawn was transformed into a pulsing sea of red as the frenetic energy of local rock legends Cage the Elephant made for a home opener that few Hilltoppers will forget. Lead singer Matt Shultz bounded across the stage while singing fan favorites such as “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” and “Come a Little Closer” during the Sept. 8 concert

which was free for students and anyone with a game ticket. Fans such as Louisville freshmen Drew Brumfield and Ian Burkhead Cunningham sang along as they pressed against the barricade at the front of the stage. Brumfield and Cunningham said they arrived over three hours before the concert to ensure a spot in the front row. The show was the culmination of more than a year of anticipation after the official Cage the Elephant Twitter account tweeted @wku and @WKUfootball on Sept. 4, 2017, saying “we want to throw a free show on campus after one of the football games.”

SILAS WALKER • HERALD

Cage the Elephant lead singer Matt Shultz sings during Cage the Elephant’s performance before the first WKU home football game vs Maine on Saturday.

SILAS WALKER • HERALD

A girl falls into the crowd after crowd surfing for a short time during Cage the Elephant performance on Saturday, Sept. 8 on South Lawn before the WKU vs Maine football game.

MIKE CLARK • HERALD

SILAS WALKER • HERALD

Savannah Foster cheers as Cage the Elephant performs on South Lawn before the WKU football game on Saturday, Sept. 8.

WKU sophomore Logan Hornback cheers for Cage the Elephant during its performance on Saturday, on South Lawn before the WKU vs Maine football game.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

LIFE Minimalist art display fills FAC gallery BY JULIE SISLER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

Confusion and Cage the Elephant, Jarvis said the band has always been electric in its stage presence. “We’d stop working,” Jarvis said. “There’s just something about them. The whole room would just be enthralled.” Jarvis, who grew up in White House, Tennesse, went on to describe the band’s antics at its most recent Tidball’s performance, which took place in 2013, years after Cage the Elephant became a nationally-known band. Jarvis said he remembers the band’s lead singer, Matt Schultz, crowd surfing and hanging upside down from a chain situated near the bar’s inside balcony. During the band’s first “Late Show with David Letterman” performance, when the band’s bassist, Daniel Tichenor, wore a Tidball’s t-shirt during a televised performance of “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.” Jarvis said Tichenor called the bar after to say he wore the t-shirt in honor of Tidball’s, the place where the band got its start. “That was the coolest freaking thing in the world,” Jarvis said. “It still doesn’t seem true. It doesn’t seem like it happened.” Longtime Tidball’s employee Kenny Kessinger, a Bowling Green native who worked at the bar from 2003 to 2013, said in a text message that it was unbelievable to see Cage the Elephant take off outside of Bowling Green. Kessing-

Upon entering the second floor art gallery in the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center, the area first looks a bit barren, compared to the typical art displays covering the walls. “I know it’s not as much as what’s usually in the gallery, but you can look so much closer at what’s actually here,” said Liz Chagnon, a WKU 2018 graduate. “In a way it is empty, but it gives you time to think through it because it’s meant to be conceptual.” A television screen plays calming music and shows footage of students drawing and tearing paper. A table with large pieces of paper and coloring utensils sits in the front corner, ready to be used. The main event, the art itself, is a large gray wall cluttered with jagged scraps of paper. Each piece shows a fragment of a word or picture, rendering the entire wall a mess of incomprehensible thoughts. To the left of the wall, a monitor provides a brief explanation of the thought process behind the madness displayed on the wall. “This exhibit is a sort of response to the traveling that I did this summer,” Chagnon said. During a class trip to an art museum in Cincinnati, Chagnon found a fresco painting she later discovered was one of 22 frescos that had been removed from a church in Spain after the Crusades. “The church is still there, and there’s still remnants of where the pieces used to be,” Chagnon said. “Now they’re split up between four or five locations in Spain and here in the United States.” Upon making this discovery, Chagnon began to wonder how a curator would handle a situation where the piece is fragmented. It was then that she posed the overarching question that guided her studies and art exhibit: If you take something apart from its original whole, is it still the same thing, just a smaller part, or does it change completely? Chagnon began her research by applying for the FUSE Grant, which she received and used to fund the project, which she has done with art Professor Guy Jordan as her faculty mentor. “These grants sound really scary and competitive,” Jordan said, “but the funding is there, and they make projects like this possible. I’m really proud of Liz for taking the initiative and getting those grants.” She also obtained a Gilman Grant to fund her studying abroad, which took her to the original site of the frescos, along with various sites where the fres-

SEE TIDBALL’S • PAGE B2

SEE GALLERY • PAGE B2

MICHELLE HANKS • HERALD

Brian Jarvis poses at Tidball’s on Wednesday, August 29, 2018. Jarvis is co-owner of the bar with John Tidball. The two founded the bar in 2001. Jarvis grew up in White House, Tennessee. and he came to WKU as an English major, but later decided to get involved in the bar business.

RITE OF ENTRY How Tidball’s became Bowling Green’s music sanctuarary BY GRIFFIN FLETCHER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

WHERE BOWLING GREEN FOUND ITS SOUND

It’s been more than two weeks since President Timothy Caboni tweeted a video of himself driving around campus to alternative rock band Cage the Elephant’s 2008 hit “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.” Caboni explained the tweet at a meeting with the Herald editorial board hours later, confirming Cage the Elephant would perform for the first home football game against Maine on Sept. 8. The concert was held on South Lawn Saturday afternoon in front of a packed field of WKU students. Long before Caboni found his way back to the Hill and when Twitter was still in its early stages, Cage the Elephant’s music was primarily coming out of one place. Formed in Bowling Green in 2006, Cage the Elephant has released six full-length albums, performed on “Late Show with David Letterman” three times and even won a Grammy Award in 2017 for its fourth studio effort, “Tell Me I’m Pretty.” Long gone are the days Cage the Elephant first cut its teeth in a graybricked bar less than a mile from downtown Bowling Green.

Located on the corner of Chestnut Street and Morris Alley, Tidball’s has served as one of Bowling Green’s premier locations for live music and cold beer for nearly two decades. From Cage the Elephant to fellow Bowling Green bands Morning Teleportation and Sleeper Agent, many bands have played some of their earliest shows at Tidball’s. Described by renowned music journalist David Fricke in a 2016 Rolling Stone magazine article as Bowling Green’s “long-running equivalent to CBGB,” a New York City music club where groups like the Ramones and the Beastie Boys got their start, Tidball’s has proven itself synonymous in the Bowling Green music scene. Tidball’s co-founder and co-owner Brian Jarvis, said when he and three others opened Tidball’s in 2001, the venue was one of few Bowling Green’s live music locations where Cage the Elephant fit. “They were just reckless kids,” Jarvis said, recalling the first time he saw the band—then performing as Perfect Confusion, the band’s original name—play at Tidball’s around 2005. “Back then, there really wasn’t any other place to play.” Even as newcomers to the Bowling Green music scene, as both Perfect

Mellow Matt’s still spinning in Bowling Green BY DRAKE KISER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU Nearly five years have passed since 48-year-old Matt Pfefferkorn opened Mellow Matt’s Music and More. In that time, he has helped Bowling Green’s first “true independent record store” solidify itself as a hub for music lovers. Pfefferkorn was born in New Jersey, but he said he spent most of his childhood in South Carolina. In 1980, Pfefferkorn and his family moved to Bowling Green. Since his family’s arrival when he was 10 years old, Pfefferkorn said he has never moved away. When it came time for Pfefferkorn to attend college, he chose to stay close to home and attended WKU from 1988 to 1992. Pfefferkorn has been a music fan his entire life. He got his first job in the record store business as a teenager by starting out with inventory work at Re-

cord Bar inside Greenwood Mall before eventually landing a full-time position. Pfefferkorn said he has worked at many different record stores over the course of 30 years. After years of working for larger chains, Pfefferkorn decided to open up his own store in 2013. He said his wife was his biggest supporter, since she knew it had always been a dream of his. Before then, Bowling Green did not have a local record shop to call its own, so Pfefferkorn created Mellow Matt’s Music and More. “When we opened, we wanted to make a footprint in the community and make it be a better place,” Pfefferkorn said. “I’ve grown up here; my daughter has grown up here; we live here. We’re not going anywhere, so we just wanted to make Bowling Green our home and make Mellow Matt’s a part of Bowling Green.” Without help from Pfefferkorn’s friends in the record store game, Mellow Matt’s may have never become a

reality. Pfefferkorn said he has known Mike Grimes and Doyle Davis, the co-owners of Grimey’s New and Preloved Music in Nashville, for many years. Before he opened, he “picked their brains” and asked them for assistance adding Mellow Matt’s to what he has dubbed a “great coalition” of record stores in the area. Jason Thomas Broadrick, the owner of JTB’s Groovy Record Room in Cottontown, Tennessee, is another acquaintance that Pfefferkorn contacted before opening his own operation. Broadrick, whose shop opened two years prior to Mellow Matt’s, has known Pfefferkorn for over 20 years. He said when Pfefferkorn told him about starting a record store, he offered his friend words of encouragement. “People up there knew Matt already,” Broadrick said. “I told him, ‘Man, just do it. People already know you and it’s going to work.’ He’s a record head, and you ain’t gotta Google nothing around him because he’s knowledgeable

about all that stuff.” To Pfefferkorn, the most important measure of Mellow Matt’s success in its first five years is the fact that it is still in business. However, he said the store is always striving to do more, especially regarding outreach. According to the store’s website, some of Mellow Matt’s current partners are D93 WDNS - Bowling Green’s Classic Rock and Blue Holler Brew Supplies. Mellow Matt’s also takes part in Record Store Day, a national event honoring local record shops. Each April, Mellow Matt’s celebrates “Christmas for the music lovers.” Multiple bands and local artists take part in the festivities, and in 2018, patrons could even register to vote, which Pfefferkorn said was a great way for his business to expand its community involvement efforts.

SEE MELLOW • PAGE B2

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

B2 LIFE MELLOW

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 “We’re happy to participate, and it’s just a great thing for independent record stores,” Pfefferkorn said. “We try and make it a party essentially because it is a celebration. With something like Record Store Day, we just want to get everybody in the community together as one.” In the past few years, Mellow Matt’s has become an institution in Bowling Green. The store maintains a special section for local musicians, and Pfefferkorn said a lot of the reason why his store has found success is because of the positive relationships he has established across the region. “We want to get people excited about music and excited about coming to Mellow Matt’s,” Pfefferkorn said. “When bands are playing at local clubs, they want to stop in and do a set here. We do special releases with local bands or bands traveling through, and we might have them do signed copies for us.” In 2015, Mellow Matt’s hosted Cage the Elephant for a signing. Both new and used records are available at Mellow Matt’s. Classic vinyl is priced according to its condition, while new vinyl has a standard list price. Pfefferkorn said while new albums are ordered weekly, used records are acquired through various other channels.

GALLERY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 along with various sites where the frescoes are currently displayed. In order to bring her worldly studies back to WKU’s campus, Chagnon focused on the role of community. “Understanding what community is for each and every person is something really curious to me,” Chagnon said. Chagnon brought in three different classes, each at different times, and presented them with blank paper and things to draw with. She asked them to write or draw what community meant to them. Students spent time writing about family, friends, school, activities, and anything else that they felt connected them to others. After they finished and discussed their pieces, Chagnon explained her studies

TIDBALL’S

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 Kessinger said he had no idea how widespread the band had become until he heard one of its songs being played in a South Carolina bar. “It was surreal,” Kessinger said. “We had some guys who we had watched come into their own right before our eyes. They had been in a band previously that had grown a small fan base, but the fans for Cage were rabid.” Kessinger said he believes Cage the Elephant’s success opened the floodgates for other Bowling Green bands, as muWsicians started to see potential in making a living out of their passion. “It felt like Cage basically wrote the blueprint for success outside of BG, and there are still bands using those blueprints today,” Kessinger said. “They proved that if you work your ass off, you can be successful.” HUMBLE BEGINNINGS As high schoolers in White House, Tennessee, Jarvis and Tidball’s co-founder and co-owner John Tidball met while playing on their high school basketball team. Both went on to study at WKU and eventually work at a bar and restaurant called Kelly Green’s. After Kelly Green’s closed in 2001, Jarvis, Tidball and two others pooled their money to rent the building that would become Tidball’s, officially opening the bar in December 2001. Still in need of renovations and a stable alcohol distributor, Jarvis and Tidball sold beer out of plastic storage tubs they cooled with store-bought ice. Tidball said he and the others opened Tid-

“We’re always on the hunt and looking around,” Pfefferkorn said. “We go to estate sales, and we also go out and look at collections. We’ve gotten calls about people’s collections from everywhere, from here in town to Tennessee and Ohio. We also have people that bring stuff in for us to buy all

the time, whether it’s five records or 50, you never know.” “Vinyl had a renaissance at retail [in 2017] by experiencing sales growth for the 12th consecutive year, comprising 14 percent of all physical album sales.” Pfefferkorn said the dramatic increase in younger

people shopping for records is probably the biggest transformation Mellow Matt’s has seen since the store opened its doors in October 2013. “That first year or so, we were getting the regular record buyers,” Pfefferkorn said. “Since then, I’ve seen young teenagers getting into vinyl and buying their first record players. Now we’re selling Sam Smith, Taylor Swift, Imagine Dragons. Younger kids are really into records, but not necessarily just the new stuff. They’re discovering the Beatles for the first time, the Stones, Madonna even. It’s real cool to see that happen.” Although the record industry is constantly changing, Pfefferkorn’s store remains focused on one thing: music. He said unlike other shops, which might dabble in comics and toys as well as records, Mellow Matt’s is a record store first and foremost. “One of the things I think we have succeeded at is creating a place that people can come and just hang out and talk about music,” Pfefferkorn said. “We want them to come in and find something that they were looking for and go, ‘Wow, that was a great store and great people there.’”

HANNAH VANOVER • HERALD

Matthew Pfefferkorn is the owner of Mellow Matt’s Music & More which is located on Smallhouse Road in Bowling Green and carries everything from new and used vinyl, CDs, DVDs and music equipment it also holds live music events in store. Pfefferkorn has been around music his whole life which led him to open the store five years ago. “Music is what I’ve always known,” Pfefferkorn said.

Features reporter Drake Kizer can be reached at 270-745-2653 and clinton.kizer287@topper.wku.edu. Follow Drake on Twitter at @drakekizer_.

and the story of those 22 frescos, before instructing students to tear up their own pieces. The individual pieces were then shuffled together and put up on the wall, creating the collage of broken thoughts and messages. “The students didn’t know that all the things they were drawing and making would be ripped up in a few minutes,” Jordan said. “What is it like to dismember a coherent work of art and exhibit it as a series of fragments?” According to Chagnon, this forced the students to take on the roles of artist, mover and curator all in a 40-minute period. Junior Olivia Bowers was one of the students who took part in the process. She described the mixed feelings she had when being told to re-form her piece. “We hung up the pieces in disarray to better explain the consequences of dividing up works of art for the purpose of

exhibiting the work all over the world,” Bowers said. “Although I understand the importance of exhibiting work like this, I can also better understand the ramifications of this action.” Chagnon hopes this sentiment will be shared by anyone who views the exhibit, as they will also have the opportunity to participate. The table with blank paper and drawing utensils is available for others to put down their own thoughts on community, and Chagnon will tear it up weekly to add to the display, filling more and more space on the wall. Victoria Layne, the art gallery manager, hopes the exhibit will enable students to explore and dig for a deeper meaning. “I hope students take viewing the exhibit as an experience,” Layne said. “The use of space within the gallery allows the student to contemplate the underlying mes-

sage presented in the exhibit and through Liz’s research. The various elements give students the opportunity to become self-reflective and part of the ongoing aspect of the exhibit.” Chagnon said she researched the frescoes being parts of a larger whole, but that many works of art around the world are also smaller parts of a larger whole, and that it is the curator’s job to decide how to represent that. “I think that it’s important for students to understand that similar to how we are in a community, each piece in an art exhibit is a smaller piece of a larger story, all made up of fragments,” Chagnon said.

ball’s as a way to work for themselves and have fun, knowing the bar’s future was never guaranteed. “We didn’t have a whole lot of expectations,” Tidball said. “We were both in our 20’s still, so it was kind of like ‘Let’s just have some fun, and hopefully we’ll do it at least three years or so.’” Tidball said the bar was opened with live music in mind, as live shows were always what he looked for when going to a bar. “I just kind of always wanted it to be a place that you could come see music,” Tidball said. “That’s kind of what I like.” Though Tidball’s was largely the creation of two just-fired friends, Jarvis said he and Tidball have always stood by their bar. Unable to hire workers to clean out the original rented space, Jarvis, Tidball and a number of friends devoted entire days to renovating the building and preparing it for business. “It’s special to us,” Jarvis said. “We built this place from the ground up.”

“You’re in a tiny, little music mecca,” Rutledge said. “It’s become a staple of our music scene.” Rutledge said The Cartoons played their first show at Tidball’s. Rutledge described a Bowling Green band’s first show at Tidball’s as an inauguration of sorts. “You get your first Tidball’s show, then you’re a Bowling Green band,” Rutledge said. “It’s a rite to passage.” Bowling Green native and music veteran Craig Brown has played keyboards in multiple local bands, including Canago, Fair-Weather Kings and currently Sugadaisy. Brown said he believes Tidball’s is pivotal to helping young Bowling Green musicians find their footing. “They give a lot of people the chance to gain the comfort to start playing music,” Brown said. “That’s as Bowling Green as Bowling Green gets. Taking care of your own.” Along with operating as a starting ground for talented musicians, Brown said he believes Tidball’s is unmatched in its mastery of providing musicians with an environment that lends itself to good performances. As someone who has performed in and around the area for years, he said Tidball’s is always the Bowling Green venue he looks forward to most. “The energy in that room is great,” Brown said. “There’s some magic in there.” Brown said he’s been going to Tidball’s to perform and watch other bands perform for almost a decade. In that time, he said he’s established an almost familial relationship with Jarvis and Tidball. “Tidball’s is where it’s at,” Brown said. “It’s the best bar in Bowling Green. They’re like family to me.”

ROOTED IN COMMUNITY Perhaps it’s best known as the home of Cage the Elephant, but Jarvis said Tidball’s is really a place for all musicians, Bowling Green and its people. “We’re always quick to point out that without the musicians, without the community, there would be no Tidball’s,” Jarvis said. “We’re nothing special.” Though Tidball’s has no plans to expand, Jarvis said the bar has no plans of slowing down either. With local venues like The A-Frame and Rocky’s Bar having been in operation for years, when Tidball and Jarvis do eventually slow down, Jarvis said he only hopes Bowling Green music is left in good hands. In the meantime, Jarvis said he and Tidball are busy preparing for an upcoming Tidball’s Live on the Lot event, which will take place this weekend, Sept. 13-15. Live on the Lot is a bi-annual music event held at Tidball’s in support of local artists and the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, the leading national childhood cancer nonprofit. After Saturday’s WKU football game, Tidball’s hosted an official Cage the Elephant after party, where bands like Taco Mouth and Dan Luke and the Raid performed. Shaped by nearly 18 years of musicians who did and did not sign record deals, Tidball’s remains the stronghold of the Bowling Green sound. As the place where Cage the Elephant and countless other bands played their first show, Jarvis said he’s honored to have been there. “It’s just so rewarding,” Jarvis said. “It’s something that I’ll take to my grave with me.”

A SMALL-TOWN ‘MUSIC MECCA’ As you walk into Tidball’s, you might notice a lack of space designated to the actual bar. Instead, just past a narrow balcony staircase, preceded by feet of barren standing space, lies a stage seemingly oversized for the grungy, dimly-lit room. It’s apparent Tidball’s is first and foremost a place for music. Lead singer and rhythm guitarist Cris Rutledge of another Bowling Green band called The Cartoons explained the phenomena as an effect of years spent housing local bands. Rutledge said Tidball’s is “crucial” to Bowling Green musicians, especially when starting out.

ONE-DAY WORSHIP EXPERIENCE Saturday, September 22 10am-6pm Free admission and food Food will be served from 12pm-2pm Circus Square Park 601 State St Bowling Green, KY 42101 Please visit us at: www.facebook.com/worshipkentucky

Features reporter Julie Sisler can be reached at 270-745-6291 and julie.sisler389@topper.wku.edu. Follow Julie on social media at @julie_sisler.

Reporter Griffin Fletcher can be reached at 270-745-2655 and griffin.fletcher398@ topper.wku.edu.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

VOLLEYBALL CONTINUED FROM PAGE B4 Kowalkowski said the team definitely grew up as a group during Friday’s match against Notre Dame. The junior defensive specialist said the team did its best to remain calm after failing to close out the match

SPORTS B3 the weekend against Chattanooga and never looked back, sweeping the Mocs 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 26-24). Anderson led the WKU attack with 10 kills at a .643 hitting percentage. In the second match on Friday, a rematch of last season’s first-round NCAA Tournament matchup, WKU held on to defeat the Fighting Irish 3-2 (25-17, 25-17, 23-25, 25-27, 15-

“Alyssa Cavanaugh is one of the fiercest competitors I have ever seen in my life.” Head Coach TRAVIS HUDSON

during the third and fourth sets. Sophomore Hallie Shelton received All-Tournament Team honors as well. Shelton finished the tournament second in kills (31) and digs (33) for the weekend. Senior Rachel Anderson led the team in kills on the weekend with 37. The Lady Toppers scored the first three points of their first match of

10). Two Lady Toppers recorded double-doubles in the match. Redshirt freshman Taylor Bebout finished with 50 assists and 13 digs, while Shelton recorded 11 kills and 19 digs in the match. Bebout now has three double-double performances on the season. “That’s been our season right there,” Hudson said of the five-set

MAINE

es. WKU did not use Eckels’ ability to scramble nearly as much in Week 2 after he was the team’s leading rusher during the Wisconsin game. Sanford said Eckels came into the game banged up and protecting him was the reason for his lack of involvement in the run game. “It played a role in it for sure,” Sanford said. “Partly it was predicated by the defense and what they were doing, but it did play a role.” WKU will attempt to soothe the pain from the loss against a Power 5 school on Saturday when they travel to Louisville to take on the 1-1 Cardinals and former Hilltopper head coach Bobby Petrino.

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came in the third quarter when the Hilltoppers went for it on fourthand-1 at their own 15 and failed to convert on a carry by Trigg. After the game, Sanford took blame for the failed conversion. “I feel that we needed some juice, needed some offense,” Sanford said. “You know our offense [to] get that push and wanted to give our guys an opportunity to go out and earn that fourth down conversion, and at the end of the day, that was a call that was detrimental to the overall course of the game. There’s no doubt about it.” Redshirt senior quarterback Drew Eckels off-target at times throughout the game, completing 23-of-42 pass-

Reporter Matt Stahl can be reached at 270-745-6291 and matthew. stahl551@topper.wku.edu Follow him on Twitter at @mattstahl97.

win over Notre Dame. “I’ll be honest with you, if we would have lost that match, I still would have been encouraged. We took some major steps forward today as a team.” WKU defeated Miami (Ohio) 3-1 (25-13, 25-23, 22-25, 25-23) in the final match of the weekend on Saturday. Anderson had five of her teamhigh 13 kills in the final set to help secure the victory and tournament title. Shelton and freshman Katie Isenbarger added 11 kills apiece as Kowalkowski led the team in digs with 16. Freshman Payton Frederick finished with 11 digs, her sixth time finishing in double figures in the category in her debut season. Shelton said going 3-0 in the tournament over the weekend was big for the Lady Toppers. “We were so determined to go undefeated in this, especially since it was at home,” Shelton said. “So it’s a really big step forward for us.” WKU played the weekend tournament just one day after former Lady Topper star Alyssa Cavanaugh announced that she was battling leukemia. Hudson released the following statement about Cavanaugh during

the tournament: “Alyssa Cavanaugh is one of the fiercest competitors I have ever seen in my life. She became one of the best volleyball players in the country during her time here at WKU, but it did not come without times of struggle. And it was those very struggles, the grit and determination that she showed in the face of it, that propelled her to greatness. “She has grown into a strong, mentally tough young woman and is more than capable of facing the challenges that lie ahead of her. The words that came out of my mouth more than any other during her time on The Hill were ‘I believe in you’ and when it comes to the fight she has in front of her, I would utter those same words to her. I will be right beside her every step of the way. “I believe in Alyssa Cavanaugh.” The Lady Toppers remain at home for a second weekend tournament, facing East Tennessee State at 12:30 p.m. Friday in Diddle Arena.

Reporter Casey McCarthy can be reached at 270-929-7795 and casey. mccarthy@topper.wku.edu.

MICHELLE HANKS • HERALD

WKU’s Drew Eckels (4) passes the ball during WKU’s game against Maine at Houchens Industries- L.T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018.

LOUISVILLE CONTINUED FROM PAGE B4 odds still aren’t favorable. ESPN gives WKU just a 7.2 percent chance to win, and the opening betting line favors Louisville by 21 points. With last week’s loss, the outlook on the Hilltoppers’ 2018 season got much more bleak than it was before. Louisville is the second of two Power 5 opponents that WKU will play this year (Wisconsin was the first). To ask WKU to win this game is a huge undertaking. But WKU needs something positive to take away from Week 3. The Hilltoppers are 0-2 for the first time since 2011. They’ve also got a loss to a FCS team on their record for the first time since that same year. The team’s leading rusher, Garland LaFrance, has just 37 rushing yards this year and the second-leading rusher is backup quarterback Davis Shanley. Redshirt senior quarterback Drew Eckels was sacked six times last week and ended up leaving the game with an injury. The Hilltoppers are 8 for 32 on third down. There’s a lot that’s gone wrong on the offensive side of the ball so far.

The Hilltopper defense has impressed in both games this year, recording a takeaway in each game (including a pick-six by redshirt sophomore safety Devon Key against Maine) and totaling seven sacks, which is already more than halfway to its 2017 total of 12. But WKU’s offense—namely the rushing offense—is in need of a strong four-quarter showing to gain confidence in the final couple games before Conference USA play starts. U of L does provide the opportunity for a much-needed strong showing on the ground. The Cardinals’ defense allowed 102 yards to ISU running back Jaquan Keys last week. The Sycamores totaled 174 yards on the ground as a team. Prior to that, Alabama ran for 222 yards on Louisville’s defense in Week 1. The Hilltoppers and Cardinals kick off in Cardinal Stadium at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

Sports Editor Jeremy Chisenhall can be reached at 270-745-6291 and jeremy.chisenhall921@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @JSChisenhall.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

SPORTS THE WALKTHROUGH

Hilltoppers are looking for something, anything to build on this week BY JEREMY CHISENHALL HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

Where does WKU football go from here? After seemingly beating expectations in Week 1 against the No. 4 team in the country, the Hilltoppers went the wrong direction in Week 2, losing to Football Championship Subdivision opponent Maine 31-28 in disastrous fashion. “It was a tough loss, it was a tough night,” head coach Mike Sanford said Monday. “It’s nowhere within any of our players, our coaches, myself, that we want to put that out there: a loss to an FCS team, and that’s what it was. Call it what it was.” And now WKU has to go back on the road to play another Power 5 opponent in Louisville. The Cardinals are coming off a 31-7 win over Indiana State to improve their record to 1-1. If there’s any sign of hope for the Hilltoppers, it’s that U of L is struggling to find its offensive identity after the departure of Lamar Jackson. The Cardinals’ top quarterback over two weeks is sophomore Jawon Pass. Pass is 28 for 53 for 341 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions thus far in the year. Freshman Malik Cunningham also saw action in the Indiana State game, going 6 for 7 for 75 yards and a touchdown. “They’re two different players,” Sanford said of U of L’s quarterbacks. “Malik Cunningham, from a skill set standpoint he brings a lot [of] what they played with a year ago in terms of his dynamic abilities as a runner, you know, can make off-schedule throws. Jawon Pass is built like an NFL sturdy-bodied quarterback … I think very highly of him as a talent.” Even with that being said, WKU’s SEE LOUISVILLE • PAGE B3

MIKE CLARK • HERALD

WKU’s Drell Greene (9) tackles Maine’s Jordan Swann (13) during WKU’s game against Maine at Houchens-Smith Stadium in Bowling Green on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018.

BEAR TRAP

Hilltoppers suﬀer ﬁrst FCS loss since 2011 BY MATT STAHL HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

For a fleeting moment on Saturday night, it felt like 2016 again for WKU football fans, as the Hilltoppers jumped out to a 21-0 lead over Maine in the first quarter of their Week 2 matchup. That feeling didn’t last, as Maine ran off 31 straight points and the Football Championship Subdivision team walked away with a 31-28 victory. WKU has now lost seven of its last eight games dating back to last season, with Saturday’s game being the first Hilltopper loss to a FCS school since 2011, when they lost to Indiana State. Head coach Mike Sanford spoke after the game about the loss. “Almost unexplainable the factors that led to it,” Sanford said of the comeback. “It was just kind of piece

by piece. We got a little out of rhythm offensively.” One of the major issues for the Hilltoppers was a struggling offensive line. WKU surrendered six sacks that resulted in 42 lost yards. The inability to move the ball culminated in 12 straight scoreless drives after scoring 21 points in just over five minutes to open the game. WKU was also unable to get any sort of run game going, only managing 42 rushing yards and averaging 1.4 yards per carry. “We’ve got to be able to run the ball in between the tackles,” Sanford said. “That was obviously disappointing. I thought we ran the ball well in between the tackles against Wisconsin’s front, and honestly we came into this expecting Maine to blitz a whole lot. In that first half, there’s really only seven pressures so it wasn’t really a ton of pressure, wasn’t a ton of blitz. We’ve just got to be better on our combina-

tions and we’ve got to make sure that everything’s tied in well together.” Improving the run game was a focal point for the entire offseason and preseason, but that aspect is still a struggle for WKU. The Hilltoppers’ leading rusher on the season is freshman Garland LaFrance, who currently has 37 rushing yards on the season. After the game, junior running back Marquez Trigg said that he didn’t feel the run game had taken a step back. “One thing about this game is you’re going to have times where you’re going to take a step back,” Trigg said. “It’s not really about you taking that step back, it’s how you bounce back off that, so we have to bounce back off [Saturday] and just keep going forward, staying positive.” The running game’s biggest struggle came in the third quarter when the SEE MAINE • PAGE B3

Kowalkowski named MVP in home tournament sweep BY CASEY MCCARTHY HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

SILAS WALKER • HERALD

WKU senior Rachel Anderson, 4, spikes a block by a Tennessee State player during the 2017 opener. WKU won 4-3 over Tennessee State.

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WKU volleyball secured its first tournament title of the season, sweeping its opponents to move to 6-4 on the year with a huge contribution from junior Emma Kowalkowski. After two straight weekend road trips to start the season, the Lady Toppers hosted the Holiday Inn-University Plaza Invite this weekend in Diddle Arena. The Lady Toppers extended the longest home-winning streak in the country to 27 matches, behind big efforts, both offensively and defensively. WKU set a modern scoring era record with 103 digs in its match against Notre Dame Friday. Kowalkowski was named tournament MVP. She led the way for the Lady Toppers defensively, finishing

with 50 digs in the tournament. “Travis kept reinforcing, ‘Hey let’s just go out and do our job, do what we know we need to do to get the win,’” Kowalkowski said of head coach Travis Hudson.

“Let’s just go out and do our job, do what we know we need to do to get the win.”

Junior EMMA KOWALKOWSKI

SEE VOLLEYBALL • PAGE B3