FIND OUT IF YOU SHOULD ‘SHAKE UP’ YOUR MEAL AT TOP OF THE HILL NUTRITION OPINION, PAGE A4
READ ABOUT ACE WALES’ FUTURE GOALS SPORTS, PAGE B4
TTHURSDAY, HURSDAY, MARCH MARCH 330, 0, 22017 017 > W WESTERN ESTERN KKENTUCKY ENTUCKY UUNIVERSITY NIVERSITY > VVOLUME OLUME 992, 2, IISSUE SSUE 4433
University signs letter of intent with Aramark BY EMMA AUSTIN HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU WKU has signed a letter of intent for a 20-year contract with Aramark Food Service for dining and catering services at WKU. Both sides will continue to negotiate details of the contract until it begins on July 1. The contract is expected to be worth $20 million a year, according to a press release. Under the new contract, all fulltime students not already on a meal plan will be required to pay $75 per semester, which may be deducted from the cost if they choose to purchase a meal plan later. Brian Kuster, vice president of student affairs, said this applies only to “face-to-face” students who take 12 hours or more at Bowling Green’s main campus. “They’re most likely already eating a meal a week or so, you know, in one of the facilities,” Kuster said. “It just supplements issues we know students already have as far as making healthy choices, having those options.” The contract includes a “significant renovation” worth $35 million for Garrett Conference Center, to begin in the summer of 2018. “Quite frankly, [the $75 fee] is part of that financial model to generate the $35 million to renovate Garrett Conference Center,” Kuster said. Louisville sophomore Lauren Goldener said she wasn’t happy to hear about the new fee. “I just think it doesn’t make sense if you don’t live on campus,” Goldener said. “I think if you live on campus, it’s fine to require it, but if you don’t live on campus, it seems unfair.” Goldener lives on campus now without a meal plan and is planning to move off campus next semester. With the new contract are plans for new food options and spaces in Downing Student Union and PearceFord Tower Food Court as well as “a new 24-hour food operation” in Hilltopper Hall, which is currently under construction and scheduled to open in the 2018 Fall semester. “It will most likely be more like a smaller version of Fresh Food,” Kuster said about the 24-hour operation. “We’re still working through what exactly that will be.” Kuster said details about other
SEE ARAMARK PAGE A2
Jessica Pliley speaks to students in the Gary Ransdell Hall auditorium about sex trafficking in the early twentieth century. Pliley was invited to speak as a part of the Boyd-Lubker visiting scholars program, which is designed to share expertise from a wide range of disciplines with the WKU community. NIC HUEY/HERALD
Revealed
Visiting scholar educates students on sex trafficking BY REBEKAH ALVEY HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU
S
tudents and faculty gathered in Gary Ransdell Hall Tuesday night for the annual Boyd-Lubker Visiting Scholars Program. This year, the featured scholar was Jessica Pliley, associate professor of women’s and gender history at Texas State University, who specializes in the study of sex trafficking in the early twentieth century. Pliley has an extensive resume as an author, speaker, teacher and scholar. She has spoken at other institutions including Yale and Harvard University and has shared her
research in countries like Germany, Switzerland and England. Sophomore Andi Dahmer introduced Pliley on Tuesday and said she was incredibly inspired by her accomplishments and immense knowledge on the subject. Pliley’s presentation, “Sex Trafficking and the FBI,” explained the history behind sex trafficking, how the justice and criminal system has handled it and how it has influenced modern issues. Pliley explained the difficulty of teaching sex trafficking because many people already have concrete perceptions on the issue from dramatic media, like the movie “Taken.” She said this trend was also present
in the 1900s, when stories of immorality and sexual trafficking were the most read and films depicting these cases were the most popular. “Those stories were melodramatic, superficial and largely inaccurate,” Pliley said. Pliley said her studies involve extremely complicated topics, asking complex questions like “What is women’s consent?” and challenging these preconceived ideas. She recalled how in her classes, students are often challenged on their beliefs and left without concrete answers because of the complexity of the topic.
SEE FBI PAGE A2
Senate considers new legislation in final weeks of semester BY JAMIE WILLIAMS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU The Student Government Association had seven pieces of legislation on the agenda during its Tuesday meeting, including one that will have implications for organizations seeking SGA funding and one for those seeking to join SGA. The SGA also approved a resolution in response to controversy with the Major Redz dance group during the Fall football season. The group protested at the football game against Vanderbilt University on Sept. 24 by kneeling during the national anthem.
Bill 20-17-S: Statement of Non-Discrimination … Bill 20-17-S requires student organizations to reaffirm a statement of non-discrimination before receiving funding from SGA. The bill was proposed in response to Kentucky Senate Bill 17, which would protect students’ rights to freely express religious or political opinions, allowing student groups to deny a student membership if they don’t agree with the individual’s political or religious views. Some groups, such as the Human Rights Campaign and American Civil Liberties Union, have expressed concern that the bill could result in
discrimination against marginalized groups. Since the bill is on the state level, it could take precedence over WKU’s statement of non-discrimination. The SGA’s bill would require student organizations to reaffirm a version of this statement before they are considered for organizational aid. The SGA’s version of the statement would also include protections for students’ gender identity, which is a clause not included in WKU’s version. “It’s very simple,” SGA President Jay Todd Richey said. “SGA is not going to subsidize discrimination.” Senator Zach Jones disagreed with the bill and said it would hinder the
free expression of different ideologies on campus. “Tolerance is something that we all strive for on a college campus. I would say another thing we all strive for is diversity of opinion,” Jones said. “I think [the bill] hampers tolerance and diversity of opinion to a degree.” Senator Lily Nellans, one author of the bill, clarified student organizations who discriminate in their internal affairs may still exist, but they would have to seek funding somewhere besides SGA. Nellans said providing funding for discriminatory groups goes directly against the SGA constitution. “While SGA is supportive of a di-
SEE SGA PAGE A2
MARCH 30, 2017
A2 FBI
Continued from front “I think there is power in being disoriented; that’s where connections are made,” Pliley said. Pliley emphasized the importance of knowing the subject’s background, focusing a portion of her presentation on the history of sex trafficking. Freshman Tyler Hardy said she was eager to learn about topics not often covered in classes. “It was a history lesson that I actually wanted to pay attention to,” she said.
ARAMARK
Continued from front new restaurants have yet to be finalized, but plans are for there to be increased options for students on campus as well as improving line wait times. Kuster said students will be surveyed about what food options or restaurants they would like to see in the future. At Tuesday’s SGA meeting, Campus Improvements Committee Chair Zach Jones said he did his best to represent the student body as a whole when voting on the bid. “There are costs and benefits to each plan, but this is definitely the
SGA
Continued from front versity of opinion, bigotry is not an opinion,” Nellans said. “SGA is not supportive of bigotry.” The bill was ultimately passed with a 17-9-1 vote. Resolution 3-17-S: Reserved Section for Major Redz at Football Game … This resolution supports reserving several rows of bleachers for the Major Redz during football games. The Major Redz is a student organization that incited controversy last semester after members protested by kneeling at a football game during the Star Spangled Banner. Some students surrounding the group yelled and threw things at the protesters. Following the incident, Major Redz coach Shantel Pettway requested the team’s section be secured before each game so other students would not sit in the dance space. Instead, the dance group was moved to a different section of the stadium, supposedly for its members’ safety. “We were created to bring diversity
COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD
Hardy said she was especially excited to hear statistics that gave her unbiased proof the federal government has and continues to impose laws that control women’s bodies. This event coincidentally serves as an introduction to sexual assault awareness month in April. Pliley said she is involved and has an understanding of this cause on her own college campus. Due to the connection between sex trafficking and sexual assault, Pliley said she makes an effort to provide a historical background on rape to her classes. “We are never going to be able to
battle the pervasiveness of sexual assault if we don’t understand the origins,” Pliley said. She said sexual assault is the primary reason there is a gap in equal access to education, which is why awareness is so important on a college campus. The Boyd-Lubker Visiting Scholars Program is run by John Lynn Lubker and Bobbie Boyd-Lubker. Each year, a speaker is invited to provide a transdisciplinary perspective to all students in all departments. Boyd-Lubker explained it is unique from other speaker events because the scholar spends more time on
campus. In two days, Pliley had given five presentations and contributed to multiple classes. Pliley said she has been met with students who are engaged, curious and enthusiastic about the subject. Boyd-Lubker said she has noticed the appreciation on campus as they attend classes with speakers. She said people have been especially interested in the broad scope of speakers. “It brings the world to Western,” Boyd-Lubker said.
best,” he said. Under WKU’s current contract, all catering must be done through Aramark. The new contract allows Aramark “the first right of refusal,” Kuster said, which means Aramark may decline to cater a university-funded event based on cost-effectiveness. People seeking catering for smaller university-funded events may use other pre-approved vendors, for which WKU is currently seeking proposals. Aramark has been WKU’s provider of food services for the past 20 years. It replaced Marriott in 1997, which was WKU’s first food service company, after the university decided to put the contract out for a bid.
WKU released a request for proposals, or RFP, from outside vendors last spring when its contract with Aramark ended and received responses from Aramark, Sodexo and Chartwells. According to a previous Herald article, releasing the RFP came with the expectation that each company would include proposals for renovation and possible expansion of Garrett Conference Center in their responses to the RFP. According to the article, Garrett has not had any major updates since it was built in 1951, and the renovations would address current accessibility issues with the building. Kuster said the Garrett renovation
design team has not met yet, and there is no definite time for when renovations are expected to be completed. Kuster said the university may set up a temporary structure to take its place for use during renovations, similar to what was built on South Lawn during the renovations to DSU. “We really feel like the proposal that Aramark brought to us really brought more to the table,” Kuster told the SGA on Tuesday, “more financially, for our students — and we have 20 years of history working with them.”
to this campus and give women of color a place at WKU,” Major Redz captain Jessica Jackson said. “By moving us to the visitors section, we feel like we’re visitors at our own university.” Pettway said since the move, the team has been heckled even more and is unable to perform effectively due to the increased distance from the band. “Looking back at the fundamental reasons that these students were moved to a different section, it’s not fair,” said Andi Dahmer, one author of the bill. The resolution was ultimately passed with a 28-0-1 vote.
the Fall 2016 semester, but it has been turned down each time. “Our organization should be recruiting people on this campus that want to do the most for this organization and more importantly for WKU,” Richey said during the SGA meeting on Oct. 25. During the bill’s last appearance in senate, some senators echoed Richey’s sentiment that it would make the SGA more representative of the student body. Others disagreed, saying the SGA should serve as a role model to students. “GPAs don’t show how intelligent somebody is or how good they are in school; it doesn’t reflect that at all,” Senator Kaycee Gibson said during the same meeting. “However, we are representatives. We are voted in; we are expected to be elitist; we are expected to have a certain GPA standard.” In Fall 2016, 39 percent of students who responded to a Twitter poll about the bill were in favor of it, while 61 percent were not. The SGA will again be surveying students for their opinion on the bill before it is put to vote next week. Two bills were also approved that
will provide funding for the Miss World Fest Pageant and “Hidden Hacks of the Hill.” The Miss World Fest Pageant will promote diversity by being a pageant for international and domestic students alike. “Hidden Hacks of the Hill” is an event dedicated to familiarizing minority groups with various on-campus resources such as The Writing Center, the Counseling and Testing Center, and the WKU Food Pantry. Two other bills that would provide funding for the WKU Makerspace and the Take Back the Night event will be voted on next week. The WKU Makerspace is a place where students of any major can design and create, using tools such as a 3D printer, power tools and building blocks. Take Back the Night is a march through downtown Bowling Green to raise awareness for sexual assault survivors. The next SGA meeting will take place next Tuesday at 5 p.m. in Downing Student Union.
Bill 21-17-S: Changing GPA Requirements for SGA Members … This bill, which was tabled until next week’s meeting, would change the GPA minimum requirement for SGA members from a 2.5 to a 2.0. The bill aims to increase the diversity of the SGA to include students who are in good standing with the university but don’t have as high of a GPA. The GPA requirement change has been proposed to the senate multiple times in the past, including during
Reporter Rebekah Alvey can be reached at 270-745-6011 and rebekah.alvey660@topper.wku.edu.
Reporter Emma Austin can be reached at (270) 745-0655 and emma. austin177@topper.wku.edu.
Reporter Jamie Williams can be reached at 270-745-6011 and jamie. williams539@topper.wku.edu.
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COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD A3 Dean of libraries retires after 41 years of employment BY EMILY DELETTER HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU
Connie Foster, dean of University Libraries, will be retiring this summer after 41 years with WKU. Foster said she hopes to spend her retirement traveling with her husband and spending time with her grandchildren. KATHRYN ZIESIG/HERALD
An ongoing search for a new dean of libraries follows the current dean’s announcement of retirement last fall. Connie Foster has worked for WKU for 41 years and has been the dean of libraries since April 2011. She will officially step down on June 30, of this year. Before she was appointed dean, Foster worked part and full time in serials and electronic resources and as department head for library technical services. As dean, Foster administers over three departments, 30 faculty and an equal number of staff and students. Although Foster didn’t begin her career in the libraries, she felt called to her career because of the people. “I just got drawn into a culture and work setting that I enjoyed, and I’ve always enjoyed interacting with people in an academic environment,” Foster said. Along with her work in the libraries, Foster spent 10 years working as an editor for a social science journal. The journal, published by Elsevier, gave her significant profes-
sional experience in editing magazines and publishing models. “Contrary to what people think, you don’t get to read that much,” Foster said of her job as dean. “There is so much to deal with in terms of people, spaces and daily issues that keeping up with what’s hot and what’s not isn’t high up on my list of jobs.” Foster considers her biggest accomplishment working in the libraries to be her help with TopSCHOLAR, the WKU research and creative activity database. Created in 2007, TopSCHOLAR is a database for theses, dissertations, articles and presentations by WKU faculty, staff and students. Foster estimated TopSCHOLAR has reached over two million downloads since its launch 10 years ago. With the help of former WKU provost Gordon Emslie, Foster also aided in the creation and renovation of the Commons on the fourth floor of Raymond Cravens Library on campus. “We were able to take a very dreary walk-through and turn it into a great collaborative and sometimes quiet study area for students,” Foster said. Deana Groves described
working with Foster as helpful, fair and fun. Groves is the head of library technical services and worked with Foster for 24 years. “I knew it was on the horizon,” Groves said of Foster’s retirement. “Her forward thinking moved us to the next step and allowed for growth within the library.” Foster said it is typical to have a dean from outside the college vacancy to chair the search for the new position; Larry Snyder, dean of Potter College, is the chair of the committee for Foster’s replacement. Library representatives and representatives from other colleges make up the remaining committee members. Following her retirement June 30, Foster plans to bike, travel and spend more time with her family and grandchildren. She is most anticipating being in charge of her own schedule. “Ever since I’ve stepped foot in kindergarten, I’ve been part of an academic calendar,” Foster said. “Not being tied to one will be very refreshing.”
Reporter Emily DeLetter can be reached at (270)745-0655 and emily.deletter304@topper.wku.edu.
Advertising & PR discussion pulled from Board of Regents Approval to merge the advertising and public relations departments with the communications department was pulled from discussion by the Board of Regents at its committee meetings on Friday. A revised agenda was posted to the Board of Regents website before the meeting, with approval of the merger removed from the academic affairs committee. Originally, the academic affairs committee had “approval to create the School of Communication through merger of programs in Department of
semester. “If we can move it any faster than that, we will,” Snyder said at the time. “This is a process, though, and it’s going to take a good year to make this a smooth transition.” According to the WKU 2016 Fact Book, in 2015 there were 97 students with a major in advertising and 139 students with a major in public relations. Together, the two departments make up 28 percent of the enrollment in the School of Journalism & Broadcasting. In 2015, there were 253 students enrolled with a major in communications, according to the WKU 2016 Fact Book. Other schools with nation-
Congratulations WKU Student Research Conference Session Winners!
Thanks to the WKU Fund and the WKU Foundation for their inaugural sponsorship of conference winners. Presenters of each winning presentation receives a $50 gift card to the WKU Store.
Reporter Monica Kast can be reached at 270-745-0655 or monica.kast187@topper.wku. edu.
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public relations departments to the communications department, they would be “strengthening all those departments.” Additionally, Snyder said as Loup Langton, director of the SJ&B, is stepping down as director this summer, it would be a good time to make the change as a new director is hired. Helen Sterk, department head of communications, was contacted for more information, but did not reply in time for publication.
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•Laura Allen •Afolasayo Aromiwura •Morgan Askins •Lauren Bailes •Alan Baker •Nandini Bezawada •Shelby Browning •Seth Burchett •Shaima Businnah •Krystal Carver & Samantha Johnson •Nicholas Carver, Joseph Aroh, Patrick Stewart, & Ali Abuhulaigah •Wendy Cecil •Morgen Clayton, Tate Downing, & Natalie Vanarsdall •Linda Cruz •Chelsea Denhard •Sarah McKenzie Driskill •Jeraan Fernando & Janki Naidugari •Keertana Reddy Gade •Steven Green •Brittney Gruber •Andrew Henderson •Denis Hodzic •Elizabeth Hoffman •Leah Jackson •Andrew Jones •Nigar Karimli & Ayush Prasad •Nathan Lasley •Kate Latham •Noemi Liebman
ally recognized programs in media have gone a different direction; Indiana University’s Media School offers journalism degrees and media degrees with concentrations in public relations or media advertising respectively, according to its website. Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media Integrated Marketing Communications offers undergraduate degree programs and certificates concentrated for journalism and marketing tracks according to its website, but are also connected to mass media techniques and advanced technology. Last fall, Snyder said by moving the advertising and
JIM BEAM
HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU
Communication with Advertising, Public Relations and Popular Culture” listed as an action item. At the meeting on Friday, David Lee, provost and vice president, briefly discussed the reason for the removal. “We are withdrawing this for now,” Lee said. “We’ll have some further discussions, but are not bringing it to the Board at this time.” It was announced last semester the advertising and public relations departments would be moved to the communications department. Last November, Larry Snyder, Potter College dean, said the goal was to merge the departments for the Fall 2017
OLIVER
BY MONICA KAST
WKUHERALD.COM CARTOON
OPINION
MARCH 30, 2017> WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY Have an opinion? Tweet us @wkuherald or find us on Facebook at WKUHerald as well. Let us know your thoughts about the editorial, or write us with what is on your mind.
Illustration by Emily Vogler
Shake-it up
WK-CHEW
Top of the Hill Nutrition is a top-of-the-line experience TASTE
price
atmosphere
BY CHRIS DIMEO HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU Every meal presents the timeless question: taste, nutritional value or affordability? But why should we have to choose between such important values in our food? Finally, there’s a
way you can have it all, at the newly opened Top of the Hill Nutrition. The shop, owned by WKU senior Austin Sutcliffe, opened its doors earlier this month at its small storefront on Fairview Ave. Targeting health-conscious college students, Sutcliffe and his crew of fellow students serve up meal replacement shakes, nutritionally rich substitutes that aim to provide a delicious means for students to eat well. This is a brilliant idea, considering college students are notorious for skipping meals. Now students can grab a shake and carry on with their packed schedule, while still getting the nutrients they need. Top of the Hill Nutrition is also unique in its three-step menu. With every shake, customers also get an aloe shot and an herbal tea. First is the mango aloe shot, which prevents heartburn and helps the stomach smoothly digest the shake. At first, the 1 1/2 tablespoons or so of slightly bubbly clear liquid may look a bit disconcerting, but it has a light, sweet taste and is incredibly refreshing. Afterwards, the herbal tea is served on ice to kick-start the metabolism
and set the body up for burning more calories. Unfortunately, this is the one part of the meal where I felt a bit disappointed. The tea, which comes in lemon, peach or raspberry flavor, was very weak and watery. This is a characteristic of herbal teas, but weakness of flavor is far more pleasant in hot tea than cold, so the decision to put the tea on ice seemed less than desirable. Top of the Hill serves over 60 flavors of shakes, from simple fruit flavors like strawberry banana and orange creamsicle to baked goods, such as peanut butter pie, french toast and various Girl Scout cookies. Based on the flavors I tried—strawberry banana and Samoa—the dessert flavors are better tasting than the fruit flavors. All of the shakes have a slight hint of the grainy texture and starchy taste typical of health supplements, but it is barely noticeable at all in the chocolate or baked good flavors. However, I rated the taste at a five out of five because the flavors are incredibly delicious considering that their primary purpose is to be nutritionally substantial. Most health drinks are tasteless or have to compromise sugar content for palatability, but Top of the Hill’s shakes strike an
amazing balance of being enjoyable while still coming in at under 200 calories, providing 25 grams of protein and being the size of a standard milkshake. The shakes are also superior to other health drinks because they are designed to keep people full for as many as six or seven hours, reducing the desire to overeat. As far as the atmosphere of the shop goes, I had mixed feelings. The space is roomy, clean and open, but visually it is rather bare-bones. But considering that it is new, this is not a hindrance to enjoying the experience, especially because the customer service warms up the entire shop. Sutcliffe and his staff go out of their way to talk to customers and treat everyone like an old friend. The cherry on top of this meal replacement sundae is that it isn’t a sacrifice on the wallet. Considering that the shakes substitute for an entire meal, it seems like a steal that they cost only about $6 each. If my outpouring of glowing praise has not made it evident, Top of the Hill Nutrition will please everyone: your wallet, your taste buds and your bathroom scale. So why wouldn’t you go when you can truly have it all?
SYNTHESIS
Ransdell makes strides to muddy records fight BY DAVID HORMELL HERALD.OPINIWON@WKU.EDU Gary Ransdell and the College Heights Herald share an odd relationship. Ransdell championed student publications for much of his time as president; he was the first university president to sign the Society for Professional Journalist’s statement student media’s need for first amendment protection. However, Ransdell has recently backpedaled on his support for the paper and defended WKU’s decision to sue the Herald over an open records request. If you haven’t been keeping up, the Herald made a records request regarding sexual misconduct charges amongst WKU’s faculty and staff last November. The Kentucky Kernel, the University of Kentucky’s student newspaper, made a similar request earlier. The 1966 Freedom of Information Act allows for such requests to be made. FOIA keeps those in power accountable and discourages corruption. The truth is out there, and FOIA empowers quite literally anyone to find it. In a different records battle, UK ended up suing the Kernel with the
Kernel losing the fight, but with plans to appeal. UK President Eli Capilouto released a statement entitled “The Tension of Competing Values,” in which he defended the legal position of the university in UK’s lawsuit, writing: “In these moments of conflict, we believe strongly in the need to protect the privacy of members of our community: our students, patients, faculty and staff.” The title of Capilouto’s statement might lead a casual reader to believe UK has some sort of moral middle ground in this decision. They don’t. Sensitive information – the names of victims in this case – would be redacted per the university, and this confidential information wouldn’t be printed regardless. Both the Kernel and the Herald have policies against the publication of such information. History is repeating itself, in more ways than one. According a Bowling Green Daily News article, at the launch event for Sexual Assault Prevention Month, Ransdell referenced the lawsuit, saying, “I will always protect the identity of the victim … The right to privacy is a fundamental human right, and only she or
he has the right to choose to make the crime against her or him public.” The Herald whole-heartedly agrees with this notion, and so does Attorney General Andy Beshear. His office gave the university the option to submit the records to his office with redacted names and identifiers, but WKU declined. What exactly is Ransdell doing here? There are two possible scenarios. There’s the possibility Ransdell doesn’t understand open records requests. That’s troubling on a fundamental level. The second possibility is that Ransdell knows exactly what he’s doing. In a year of “alternative facts” and mistruths, this could be Ransdell crafting his own reality designed to dissuade truth-seekers. By conflating values and opacity, Ransdell is attempting to make the murky desirable. It’s anything but. At the Sexual Assault Prevention Month kickoff, Ransdell also said, “I could really care less about the privacy of one who has been found guilty of sexual assault.” If that’s the case, he should be a proponent for transparency and truth. Ransdell didn’t stop there. He con-
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tinued: “If you want to put a chill on sexual assault prevention, then make it clear to women or men who choose not to go to the police, but who want to file a complaint that their personal choice is subject to open records ... Nothing would do more to deter women from coming forward more than the knowledge that their own pain will be proclaimed in the media.” Make no mistake: Ransdell is demonizing free press, portraying journalists as unethical ruffians stopping at nothing for a good story. This false narrative has the power to discourage victims of sexual assault from letting their voices be heard, and only empowers their abusers. By spreading misinformation, Ransdell is adding to the noise pollution surrounding the case. As we witnessed with the rise of fake news in this past election cycle, if you shout something long enough – regardless of what you’re saying – people will eventually accept it as a general truth. Let’s not let this be the latest case. Be diligent. Don’t take things at face value. Be on your guard. The truth is out there, but rarely is it easily attainable.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this newspaper DO NOT reflect those of Western Kentucky University's employees or of its administration. *Denotes editorial board members. The Herald publishes on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the school year. The first copy is free, and additional copies are $1 each, available in the Student Publications Center on Normal Street.
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MARCH 30, 2017
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15 1 “La Vie en Rose” 14 singer 17 18 5 Phial 20 21 22 10 Polish language 14 Baal, e.g. 23 24 25 15 Hollow gourd musical 26 27 28 instrument 35 36 16 Rum-soaked cake 32 33 34 17 Jolly Roger 40 38 39 19 This and that 20 Chemistry 42 43 44 Nobelist Hahn 47 48 49 46 21 Address book abbr. 50 51 52 53 22 Feathery scarves 23 Newspaper type 56 57 58 25 ___pedia 60 61 26 Poet’s contraction 59 27 Like hand-me64 63 downs 29 Court ruling? 67 66 32 Capital of Latvia Copyright ©2017 PuzzleJunction.com 35 Parti-colored 37 Chef’s phrase 63 “Not to mention ...” 9 Register 38 First 10 Electronic novel 64 Son of Cain 40 Last syllable in a 11 VIP of Tibet 65 ___ East word 12 Nile bird 66 Hammer part 42 On vacation 13 Chinese truth 67 Thicket 43 Some joints 18 Lacquered 68 Shopper stopper 45 Billiard cushion metalware 46 Little squirt 22 Bathroom cleaner? Down 47 Ever’s partner 24 Establishes 48 Farm mother 25 Strongly built 1 Lulu 50 Fairy tale figures 28 Track offshoot 2 Dimwit 52 Ex-military man 30 Distinctive flair 3 Blood line 56 Extinct bird 31 Mission 4 Barge 57 Annoy 5 Ripen 32 Sidesplitter 58 Palm type 33 Data 6 Civilian clothes 59 Fat 7 Accumulated 34 Don’t look him in 60 Amateur the mouth 8 Orsk’s river
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Violist’s clef Insect stage Caucasus natives Wrap Hit the road Extension Decision makers, briefly Breathing problem Birth-related Broad valley Trattoria drink Napkin’s place Holiday mo. Everyday article Before, in verse
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Emmy Awards 1. In what year was the first Emmy award ceremony? (a) 1949 (b) 1942 (c) 1955 2. What was the first cartoon to win an Emmy? (a) The Flintstones (b) The Jetsons (c) Huckleberry Hound 3. What sitcom won the most Emmy awards for a comedy series? (a) All in the Family (b) Taxi (c) Cheers 4. What two shows have been awarded Best TV Show Emmy's five years in a row? (a) The Odd Couple & M*A*S*H (b) Modern Family & Frasier (c) Friends & I Love Lucy 5. Who was the only First Lady to win an Emmy? (a) Jacqueline Kennedy (b) Hillary Clinton (c) Barbara Bush 6. How many Emmy's has Justin Timberlake won for his guest spots on Saturday Night Live? (a) 1 (b) 4 (c) 3 7. What iconic 80s sitcom was never nominated for an Emmy? (a) Barney Miller (b) Murphy Brown (c) Roseanne 8. Who was the only Friends star never to be nominated for an Emmy? (a) Lisa Kudrow (b) Courteney Cox (c) Matt LeBlanc 9. What show has won the most Emmy ever with 115? (a) Sesame Street (b) Saturday Night Live (c) Walt Disney Presents 10. Film editor Louis McManus won a special Emmy at the awards ceremony in 1949. For What? (a) Inventing the laugh track (b) Designing the Emmy statuette (c) Pioneering the three-camera set-up
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Contact: 270-745-6060 or Adam.Parks731@wku.edu
MARCH 30, 2017 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
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Ayanna Cox, a nursing major from Owensboro, walks from one end of the stage to the other practicing the formal part of the pageant on Tuesday in DSU auditorium during a practice session for Miss Black Western. The pageant will be held on April 28. SILAS WALKER/HERALD
Confident In Beauty M
iss Black Western was started in 1971, when black women were not allowed to participate in Homecoming court or to be crowned Homecoming queen. This tradition is still continued to help give black women confidence in their beauty. The nine women
participating in it have put in a multitude of hours practicing for their presentations. Grad advisor and former Alpha Kappa Alpha member Emma Forte-Kendrick said, “They’ve really come a long way since I was last here.”
photos and story by: Silas Walker Drew Hert, a co-chair of Miss Black Western pageant, watches the nine contestants as they rehearse the parts of the event on Tuesday in DSU. SILAS WALKER/HERALD
Calvion Tandy leads the contestants of Miss Black Western in a dance routine practice on Tuesday in DSU. Tandy is a co-chair of the pageant and also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha. SILAS WALKER/HERALD
Daniell Henry hands one of the unique shirts the participants in the pageant will wear to Alpha Kappa Alpha president Parish Richard during a practice for Miss Black Western pageant. There are nine women participating in the event. SILAS WALKER/HERALD
MARCH 30, 2017 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
WKUHERALD.COM
LIFE
WKU’s Fencing Club meets every Thursday at 7:30 pm for a two-hour training session. They spend hours drilling technique and foot work. LYDIA SCHWEIKART/HERALD
en garde
WKU Fencing Team hits the mats
T
he WKU Fencing Club practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm. All current members in the club had no prior experience before joining. The goal of practice is to help members work on their skills and perfect their form. Practices are a good source of physical activity and teach students the logistics of a unique, somewhat unconventional sport. Students are instructed by Daniel Faller and Dale Robertson. Robertson has been fencing for 30 years, and has been coaching beginners at WKU for 18. Faller has Madison Bates, participates in fencing practice on March 2. Bates joined the club last fall, with no prior experience. She’d had an interest in fencing since middle school, been fencing since 1975, when and when the opportunity to join the team rose, she took it. “I just really enjoy fenc- he first joined WKU’s fencing
club. The club started up again in the mid 80s, and Faller has been a part of it ever since. Spencer Harsh, president of the fencing club, said “I always thought it was a really neat sport. When I came to college I saw the opportunity and just took it... It’s really satisfying to constantly practice and get that feeling of improvement.” Members of the club are encouraged to compete in competitions around the state and surrounding states, however competition is not required. Due to low membership, the club has not been engaged in any recent competitions.
ing. It’s just a cool thing to do,” Bates said. The team practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Preston Center, but because membership is low, they don’t get to compete often. LYDIA SCHWEIKART/HERALD
Taste of Bowling Green raises money for ill children BY OLIVIA MOHR HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU Today from 7 to 10 p.m. at Sloan Convention Center, Dream Factory of Bowling Green will host its annual Taste of Bowling Green event to raise money to make critically and chronically ill children’s dreams come true. There will be a silent auction featuring art baskets, family nights out and many other items from 7 to 8:45 p.m., and the band Tyrone Dunn and Kin-Foke will perform. The event will also feature door prizes and a photo booth. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. They can be bought at Service One Credit Union, Chuck’s Liquor Outlets, Balloon-A-Gram Co. or from Dream Factory board members. Etched wine glasses are included in the ticket price and will be handed out to guests as they enter. Taste of Bowling Green features many vendors including Rafferty’s and Home Café as well as some new vendors including Purple Toad Winery out of Paducah, Roam Sandwich Company, Rockin’ Rick’s BBQ, The Night Cap, The Derby Piano and Dessert Bar, Marco’s Pizza, and Preservation Tasting Room and Bottle Shop.
The event is all you can eat. Joshua Poling, owner of Home Café, This will be Home Café’s fifth year as a vendor. Home Café offers about 800 samples of food, and they offer something different every year. This year, they will serve a Texas barbecue spread. According to Poling, Taste of Bowling Green offers food and drinks for a great cause and “gets the whole community together for a night out of having fun and eating really good food.” Myra Dwyer is executive secretary of ServiceOne Credit Union, co-chair of Taste of Bowling Green and is on the Dream Factory’s Board of Directors. She said she hopes people who attend Taste of Bowling Green will enjoy themselves and try new food while they remember what the event is all about. “I hope they have a good time, and I hope they get to try foods and restaurants that they wouldn’t normally and then they’ll go to those restaurants, and help them to understand why we’re raising the money,” Dwyer said. “We’ll have posters and things out there with some of the children’s pictures, so I think a lot of the regular attendees that keep com-
ing back do it because it is for the Dream Factory.” Taste of Bowling Green brings in about 800 to 1,000 guests annually, and it has been going on over 25 years. It is the Dream Factory’s main fundraiser, and the money raised is usually enough to grant five to 15 dreams annually to children through the Dream Factory of Bowling Green, which is celebrating its 30th year. The Dream Factory fulfills the dreams of critically and chronically ill children ages 3 to 18, and the dreams can range from items to shopping sprees to travel. Dreams range in price and are limited to about $6,000 per child. Dwyer explained the benefits the dreams have on the children and their families. “It releases them from the illness a little while to help them just enjoy their life, I think,” she said. Dwyer vadded that some parents have been unable to pay for their electricity and other necessities because of their children’s medical costs, and the Dream Factory has helped relieve financial issues. The Dream Factory is a volunteer program. Some 90 percent of the money it raises through Taste of Bowling Green and its other fund-
raisers stays in Bowling Green and goes directly to the children, and 10 percent goes to the Dream Factory’s headquarters in Louisville for administrative expenses. Nick Wilkins is a volunteer board member at the Dream Factory of Bowling Green, and he owns Balloon-A-Gram Co., a balloon and costume company. He helps find sponsors, helps with silent auction items and does the decorating at Taste of Bowling Green. He calls Taste of Bowling Green the “signature event of Bowling Green.” He said he hopes guests remember where their money is going. “I hope they realize what their money is being spent for – not just the food and the drinks, but the fact that they’re helping out youngsters, helping us fulfill dreams for someone who is critically or chronically ill,” he said. “It’s one of the events of Bowling Green that you just don’t want to miss,” Wilkins said.
Reporter Olivia Mohr can be reached at 270-745-6288 and olivia. mohr564@topper.wku.edu
MARCH 30, 2017
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COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD
Speaker to discuss threats to press freedom BY CASEY MCCARTHY HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU Joel Simon, executive director of the international nonprofit, Committee to Protect Journalists, will speak at WKU on Monday at 7 p.m. in Mass Media & Technology Hall Auditorium. Simon will give the 13th annual installment of the John B. Gaines Family Lecture Series, which hosts lectures by professional journalists each year. The goal of Simon’s talk, “Trump & The Truth: Defending Press Freedom at Home & Abroad,” is to put current events in the U.S. in an international context by looking at patterns and trends. “We believe press freedom is fundamental to our country and the way things happen all over the world,” Simon said. CPJ has been around for over 35 years and aims to support frontline journalists, especially journalists whose lives and liberty are most vulnerable. Simon said the committee is becoming increasingly more engaged in the U.S. after growing con-
cern with the rhetoric and message sent by President Donald Trump. Journalism professor Amanda J. Crawford, who organized the event, reached out to CPJ and Joel Simon because of concerns by journalists everywhere and concerns with threats to free press in the U.S. “As a journalist who studies these issues, I was thinking there was a nexus of connectivity between what we see around the world and what we are seeing here in the United States,” Crawford said. Simon will also be meeting with students Tuesday in classes and hopes to hold a more intimate discussion as well as raise awareness for imprisoned journalists around the globe. “We have some ideas of how they can put their effort to work,” Simon said. Michael Noble Jr., a senior photojournalism major from St. Louis, said he hopes to learn how to keep himself safe as a journalist. “We’re taught AP style and how to take a photo but not how to protect ourselves, especially in a digital age,”
Noble said. Noble feels there is much more to look out for in the digital age and wonders if secrecy can even be promised. Noble said he has heard a
we think students are interested in, something that’s timely,” Crawford said. Crawford said journalists, who often are mistrusted and doubted, are
We believe press freedom is fundamental to our country and the way things happen all over the world.” Executive Director of CPJ Joel Simon few students mention the event and believes a lot of students will attend. The Gaines lecture series, sponsored by the Gaines family, who own the Bowling Green Daily News, has covered a variety of topics. Previous participants include WKU alumna and New York Times reporter, Nikita Stewart, in 2016 and bestselling author Beth Macy and photojournalist Jared Soares in 2015. “We just try to make it something
seeing a president actively undermine the idea of a free press. “Journalists really help us to see what is actually happening, the truth on the ground,” Crawford said. “And in some countries they are punished, censored, for doing that job.”
Reporter Casey McCarthy can be reached at (270)-929-7795 and casey. mccarthy573@topper.wku.edu.
Theatre & Dance premieres opera at Van Meter BY BROOK JOYNER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU The music and theatre departments will bring the drama of Italian opera to WKU for a three-day run of shows this weekend. As part of an annual co-production between the two departments, the show will feature two stand alone operas originally composed by Giacomo Puccini: “Suor Angelica” and “Gianni Schicchi.” The performances will take place at Van Meter Hall on Friday and April 1 at 8 p.m. and April 2 at 3 p.m. Unlike many operatic productions, the shows are one-act, with each only running about 50 minutes. Although the two acts were written as part of a triptych, they differ great-
ly in their content. “It’s the tragedy and comedy of theater and we get to live it in one night,” said Wayne Pope, professor of music and director of the show. Puccini’s operas fall under the genre of “verismo,” which translates to truth or reality in Italian. Pope explained the goal of this movement was to bring more realistic settings to opera and as a result, create dramatic stories. Unlike traditional theatre, the plot of the stories is driven by singing rather than dialogue. Pope said this, along with the reliance on vocal projection instead of microphones, creates a different experience for the audience. “The success and the struggle of it all, you’ll feel and see,” Pope said. “There’s nothing canned about it at
all. It’s real, you’re in the moment with them.” Pope, along with the rest of the cast and crew, has been working on the production since January. “The cast and everybody is doing such great work,” Pope said. “I’m anxious to give this to the community.” Dylan Wright, a senior and vocal music education major from Frankfort, plays the role of the titular character in Gianni Schicchi. This will be his third opera, previously playing the lead role in “The Marriage of Figaro” two years ago. “What kind of got me hooked on it was how insanely over-dramatic it can be,” Wright said. Although the operas were originally written in Italian, they will be performed in English. This allowed
a more even playing field for people who may not have experience singing in foreign languages to get roles, since the show features everyone from freshmen to graduate students. Regardless of what language it is sung in, Wright said music can be a powerful tool for communication. “Music is a language in its own respect because you can communicate the past, the present and the future,” Wright said. This will be Wright’s final show at WKU before he graduates, and he said he is more excited than nervous. “I broke my nerves in high school,” Wright said. “I’m ready to roll.”
Reporter Brook Joyner can be reached at 270-745-6288 and brook. joyner995@topper.wku.edu
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MARCH 30, 2017
B3
Halpin and Williams flying under the radar after Pro Day BY JOHN REECER HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU The main attraction at WKU Football’s Pro Day on Monday was without question the tandem of former senior offensive lineman Forrest Lamp and former senior wide receiver Taywan Taylor. However, a pair of seasoned offensive linemen were also able to attract some attention even if it wasn’t on the same level as Lamp or Taylor. Former seniors Max Halpin and Darrell Williams were both able to have positive pro days as multiple scouts were interested in both of these prospects. Halpin said he was able to receive some positive feedback from scouts after he recorded 35 reps on the bench press which would’ve been the highest in all of the NFL combine had he attended the event. “To me, that’s the best center in the nation,” Williams said of Halpin. “He is smart, and he knows the offense like the back of his hand. He is a good teammate, and he can get everyone motivated.” During his time at WKU, Halpin was named to the Preseason Rimington Award Watch List in 2015 and 2016. The award is given to the best
center in all of college football. “Max is probably one of the best leaders on our team, and the smartest center I have played with,” Lamp said. “The calls he makes, and the way he learns the offense, it can teach the younger guys. It’s just ridiculous.” Halpin is currently ranked as the 15th best center in the draft by NFLdraftscout.com, but the Fort Mitchell native remains positive about the draft, and how he can help an NFL team. “I think I can help just by pushing the guys,” Halpin said. “I came here as a walk on. The first thing I did was that I pushed my teammates around, and I pushed the o-line around. They really didn’t like that too much, but I just grinded every day, and I made my teammates better. That’s how I can impact a team.” Williams on the other hand also met with multiple teams during the event on Monday. According to a report from Tony Pauline of draftanalyst. com, Williams met with the Indianapolis Colts, the New Orleans Saints, the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. Different from the nerves he usually feels on game day, Williams felt a lot of pressure
Offensive linemen Darrell Williams Jr., and Max Haplin complete a combine drill during Pro Day at L.T. Smith Stadium. KATHRYN ZIESIG/HERALD when he woke up on Monday morning. “I woke up just shaking [Monday]. I was so nervous,” Williams said. “I feel like I did pretty well. I feel like I ran pretty good. My main focus was to get through everything healthy today...” Williams is ranked as the 52nd tackle prospect in the draft by cbssports.com. The website also projects him as an undrafted prospect. “He’s a great guy and one of
my great friends,” Halpin said of Williams. “He is a spectacular dude, and I think he would make a great impact on an NFL team.” The NFL Draft will take place on April 27 through April 29 in Philadelphia as both Williams and Halpin will wait patiently to see if their names will be called toward the end of event. Until then, every goal met from here on will be a memory for both players. “When I first came here as
a walk-on my primary goal was to play,” Halpin said. “As the years went on, and I started so many games I thought I loved the game, and I would give it a shot at the next level. I’m happy I’m out here for pro day. It’s a goal of mine that I’ve achieved. It’s so special.”
Reporter John Reecer can be reached at 270-427-8320 and john.reecer104@topper.wku. edu. Follow him on Twitter at @Reece_12_Falcon.
Justin Johnson joins football team for spring practice BY MATTHEW STEWART For WKU sports fans, the name George Fant should ring a bell. The former Hilltopper basketball great ranks 13th in career scoring and eighth in rebounds. He also used his fifth and final year of eligibility to play football at WKU, putting on the pads for the first time since eighth grade. Fant played with the Tops as a tight end. He saw the field sparingly, but Fant was able to make an impression on NFL scouts at the Hilltoppers’ pro day last year with his size and intangibles. He wound up with Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent. After making his first career start in Week 8 of the NFL season, Fant ended his rookie year in the league as the starting left tackle for the Seattle Seahawks. Now, Fant’s good friend, former teammate and current Hilltopper forward, Justin Johnson may be following in his footsteps. WKU athletics announced on Tues-
day that Justin Johnson will participate with WKU football for the remainder of spring activities with the team, beginning with Tuesday afternoon’s practice. Johnson remains an active member of the Hilltopper men’s basketball team and will work out as a tight end this spring on the gridiron, per the release. This may come as a surprise to some, but to others it makes perfect sense. Johnson is listed as 6-7 and 240 pounds on the WKU basketball roster. He has the frame to be a successful college tight end. In his time as a hooper on The Hill, Johnson has joined the 1,000 point club and finished the 2016-17 campaign as 36th on the WKU all-time scoring list with 1,120 points while being named to the all-Conference USA second team in the 2016-2017 season. Johnson also led the team in scoring this past season with 14.5 points per game and in rebounding with 9.4 per game, leading the conference in rebounding and double-doubles along
opened up many doors. Recently, Wales has frequently been in the presence of top-tier NFL talent. “I was training with LeSean McCoy back in Atlanta,” said Wales. “Me and him look almost the same, and he does stuff I like to do. I look at guys like him, you know, different guys that just come out there and have big plays. I just try to be the best I can be.” McCoy and Wales both had similar body types as they exited college. Excited and humbled by the experi-
ence, Wales is thankful as he remembers back on his time at WKU. “When I was in high school, WKU was a school I never even really looked at or anything,” he said. “They weren’t really winning many games, and for us to come here and start this new legacy and start winning, winning some championships and stuff, it’s just great being around town and people knowing who we are and stuff like that. It’s just a great feeling. Like I’ve been saying man, I’m blessed, and I appreciate the time that every-
HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU
Tight end Justin Johnson, 23, runs a drill during practice on Tuesday. Johnson is already a player on WKU’s men’s basketball team but recently walked on to the football team. KENDALL WARNER/
HERALD
ACE
Continued from SPORTS catalyst. Sometimes he was the show. On many occasions, teams would stack the defensive line to clog his running lanes, only for Wales to break free to the outside for a large gain. Wales could be remembered as one of the best running backs in school history, and his touchdown records is one that likely won’t be threatened anytime soon. Training for an NFL tryout has
WALKTHROUGH Continued from SPORTS
chopped their feet and jolted each other back in pad drills, something else stood out to me even more at Smith Stadium earlier this week. Even though they haven’t been official teammates in months, these former Hilltoppers spoke with the same energy, same passion and same sense of genuine care and well wishes for each other as they had all season long. It’s not the most abnormal or unbelievable type of behavior for former college teammates to exhibit, but it was remarkable to see them going through the same process completely independently, yet at the same time being overly willing to share the experience together. Wales called it a “blessing”. Halpin said it was “awesome”. When I filed my game story from FAU Stadium after WKU capped its 2016 season with a third-straight bowl victory in the Boca Raton Bowl, I knew I had written a good headline. It may not have meant a lot to an out-
the way. With athleticism and numbers that Johnson put on display, comparing him to somebody like Jimmy Graham might not be too far of a stretch. Graham played basketball at the University of Miami. Listed as a 6-8, 260-pound forward, Graham played four years of college basketball and one year on the football team at Miami. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 2010 NFL draft and is considered one of the best tight ends in the game today. Only time will tell what Johnson’s plans and skills will be when on the gridiron. For now he will be in spring practice lining up as a tight end and working toward making noise on the Hill, only this time it might be inside Smith Stadium instead of Diddle Arena.
Reporter Matthew Stewart can be reached at 859-797-3140 and matthew. stewart015@topper.wku.edu Follow him on Twitter at @MES_WKU22.
one has given me. I just love that I’m in this situation.” While Wales anxiously trains this off-season awaiting a phone call from an NFL team, the Bowling Green community will have to adjust to not seeing No. 20 line up in the Hilltopper backfield.
Reporter Kenton Hornbeck can be reached at 859-445-7702 and kenton. hornbeck159@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @KentonHornbeck.
sider, but it made a lot of sense to me and anyone else who followed the team around all season. The headline reads, “Energy and unity propel Hilltoppers to third straight bowl victory”. You can probably guess which of those 10 words sticks out to me most.
Sports Editor Evan Heichelbech can be reached at 502-415-1817 and evan.heichelbech059@topper.wku. edu. Follow him on Twitter at @evanheich.
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MARCH 30, 2017 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
WKUHERALD.COM
SPORTS
» Football: Hilltopper hoops forward Justin Johnson suiting up for spring football.
THE WALKTHROUGH
A prevailing sentiment from Pro Day IN AN INDIVIDUAL EVENT, FORMER HILLTOPPERS ENJOY SHARED EXPERIENCE BY EVAN HEICHELBECH HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU
Former WKU running back Anthony “Ace” Wales perform drills for scouts during Pro Day on Monday at Smith Stadium. KATH-
RYN ZIESIG/HERALD
oversized aspirations Former WKU running back Ace Wales thankful for his time at WKU
BY KENTON HORNBECK HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU
Anthony “Ace” Wales has been an underdog his entire life. From the moment he stepped on to the football field, people questioned his size. Now, people are wondering what NFL team Wales might end up landing on this fall. “Like people been saying I was too small all my life, so I just put it over my shoulder and just worry about having a big heart,” Wales said. “That’s the only thing that matters. I go in each and every day like I’m the biggest guy on the field, so I really don’t care about what my size is. I’m going to go out there and play hard.” Wales burst onto the scene as a junior for the Hilltoppers. The Louisville
native rushed for 1,311 yards from scrimmage with 11 touchdowns in 2015. In 2016, Wales surpassed his previous numbers and ran for a monstrous 1,944 yards and 29 touchdowns, finishing his career as the program’s alltime leader in touchdowns scored. In his final game as a Hilltopper, Wales capitalized his tremendous career at WKU by racking up 329 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns against Memphis in the Boca Raton Bowl. Wales carried the same confidence he earned during last season with him to WKU’s Pro Day on Monday. “I feel like I did really great today,” Wales said. “But just coming out here and showing them my speed, showing these guys my agility and stuff ... I’ve
been able to get a lot of great feedback as far as explosive plays and stuff like that. I just want to keep putting everything in God’s hands, just come out here to work each and every day.” Wales’ presence on the football team was one of the many examples of the transformation of WKU from the new FBS school on the block to one of the winningest football programs in the country during the past few years. Wales hasn’t carried the load by himself though. Fellow seniors Forrest Lamp and Taywan Taylor are projected to get selected in the upcoming NFL Draft. Since the trio has stepped onto campus, they’ve been a part of 39 wins in a four-year stretch. Wales wasn’t just an offensive
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This past fall, I spent a lot of time following the WKU football team. I went to practices, games and press conferences, covering all the ins and outs of the team and learning more and more about the team’s dynamic with each experience. Years from now, when I reflect back on my time as the WKU football beat writer for the Herald, if I remember anything, it’ll be how unified this senior class was. On Monday, I stood in on interviews with some of the former players in what would be their last media obligations as athletes at WKU. The occasion was Pro Day, a completely individual event that requires nothing more than for each athlete to go through their respective position drills and get evaluated by professional scouts and coaches in a oneon-one setting. And even in those circumstances — just like they had all season — the players talked about each other. Max Halpin was the center on an offensive line that went seven players deep with little drop-off in production between the starters and rotation players. That unit featured one surefire professional football player. Forrest Lamp has been a well-known commodity in the college and professional football circles for a while now, but he would be the last person to let you know that. Halpin would gladly be one of the first. Darrell Williams, who played opposite of Lamp at right tackle, would be the second. Ace Wales? He’d be quick to sing Lamp’s praises too. Wales called Lamp “one of the best lineman” he’s ever seen. Williams complimented Lamp’s size, pointing out that his former teammate “is built like a refrigerator” and commending him for always having “good feet.” Halpin spoke to Lamp’s personal qualities, calling him a best friend and someone he can rely on to be there for him at any moment in the future. So as skill players ran blazing 40yard dashes and sprinted through the three-cone drill while the linemen
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Hilltoppers fall on the road to No. 2 Louisville BY TYLER MANSFIELD HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU The WKU baseball team recorded six hits and scored a run on the evening, but that wouldn’t be enough for them to upset the second-ranked team in the country, Louisville, on Tuesday at Jim Patterson Stadium. The Hilltoppers (9-17 overall, 3-3 Conference USA) had a hit in five out of the nine innings, but the Cardinals (22-2, 8-1 ACC) had a hit in each of their batting frames to finish with 17 and beat WKU, 11-1, to stay perfect (17-0) at home. WKU junior outfielder Steven Kraft went 2 for 3 on the day while junior outfielder Kaleb Duckworth, junior first baseman Nathan Methvin, senior outfielder Paul Murray and junior outfielder Colie Currie each tallied a hit. Louisville’s junior first baseman Brendan McKay went 3 for 4 to go along with an RBI and a double while reaching home twice. On the mound for the Toppers, freshman righty Jeff Ciocco relieved left handed redshirt freshman starter Caleb Bruner (0-1) and tallied six strikeouts while giving up eight hits and four runs in 3.2 innings thrown. The Car-
dinals’ senior right hander Shane Hummel (2-0) gave up four hits and had a strikeout in 3.1 innings. With UL’s victory, it took a 65-64 lead in the all-time series against WKU, which dates back to 1924. The Hilltoppers have now dropped three-straight contests to the Cardinals, as they fell 17-0 in Bowling Green and 14-2 in Louisville last season. Louisville jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two complete innings. In the opening frame, junior catcher Colby Fitch doubled to right center before junior shortstop Devin Hairston’s RBI single to the same area gave the Cardinals their first run. Fitch’s RBI groundout and Hairston’s RBI single plated two in the second. WKU’s first – and only threat – came in the top of the third inning. Currie tripled down the right field line to begin the frame while freshman left fielder Kevin Lambert grounded out to second to score Currie and earn an RBI. The run helped cut Louisville’s advantage to 3-1, but that was as close as the Toppers would get. The Cardinals earned another multi-run inning in the fifth, powered by a trio of hits. McKay singled to left center to
Infielder Thomas Peter (7) bats during the Hilltoppers’ 4-3 loss against UK on Tuesday Mar. 21 Wat the Bowling Green Hot Rods stadium. EVAN BOGGS/HERALD begin the bottom half of the inning and senior outfielder Colin Lyman singled to third base to load the bases. Sophomore infielder Devin Mann’s RBI flyout and freshman infielder Tyler Fitzgerald’s RBI triple put UL up 5-1. In the seventh, Methvin singled for WKU, but Louisville picked up three more runs to close the inning with a 9-1
lead. The scoring was courtesy of two Topper errors and a double from McKay. The Hilltoppers went 1-2-3 in their final two times at bat while the Cardinals added two more final runs to their side of the scoreboard in the bottom of the eighth inning to secure the double-digit victory. WKU returns to action this weekend, as it takes on
No. 25 Southern Mississippi in a C-USA series at Nick Denes Field. The threegame slate begins on Friday, with first pitch slated to come at 5 p.m.
Reporter Tyler Mansfield can be reached at (270) 935-0007 and tyler.wkuherald@gmail. com. Follow him on Twitter at @CallMeMansfield.