November 17, 2016

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OPINION, PAGE A4

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Nic Trout, 21, of Bowling Green rides in a bowl on Thursday at Roland Bland Park. “BMX is a stress reliever to me, and it also helps with my endurance,” Trout said. Evan Boggs/HERALD

PolitiFact staffers visit WKU

International dialogue informs students about recent political events BY NATALIE PERRY HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

BY EMMA COLLINS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU Reporters from a Pulitzer Prize-winning, political fact-checking website visited WKU on Wednesday for a presentation on the lies told during the 2016 presidential election. The PolitiFact “Pants on Fire” lecture featured journalists Amy Hollyfield and Katie Sanders and was held in the Mass Media and Technology Hall auditorium. Hollyfield said fact-checking and ranking statements made during the 2016 election was challenging at times because of the amount of exaggerations made by the candidates. “This election has obviously been harder because there’s so much lying and so many talking points that we’ve had to make decisions about what to skip and what not to skip,” Hollyfield said. The lecture was brought to campus as part of the Fleischaker/ Greene Scholars in a First Amendment Studies class. The class, called Politics and the Presidency, is part of the Fleischaker/Greene Scholars in First Amendment Studies Program, Amanda Crawford, assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Broadcasting, said. Crawford, who is teaching the class along with the department of political science head Saundra Ardrey, said bringing PolitiFact to WKU was very timely considering the atmosphere of this year’s election. Crawford believes this election not only had two candidates who were known for their lies and exaggerations, but it also had fake news sites that appeared and reported on false

SEE POLITIFACT PAGE A2

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tudents, faculty, administration and community members came together Tuesday night to participate in a dialogue forum for international students. Audience members were encouraged to ask questions about American politics, safety concerns and changes they may face due to the new political climate. The forum, in question and answer format, was mediated and coordinated by Flavio Chavarri, a junior business management major from Peru, who asked the panel members questions and gave audience members the opportunity to ask their own questions. The panel consisted of Hizareth Linares, president of the council of international students, Jay Todd Richey, Student Government Association president, Scott Lasley, Naif Faleh, president of the Saudi student organization, Nick Haught, assistant director of the pathways program, Tim Stover of Bridges International and Henry Notinson, former president of the council of international students and African student union.

WKU alumni Henry Nottinson, left, speaks as part of a panel to discuss what the recent election means for international students on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at the Honors College International Center. Nottinson is the former president the African Student Union. Brendan O’Hern/HERALD

SEE DIALOGUE PAGE A2

BG Black Lives Matter hosts action meeting BY BRYSON KELTNER HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU The Bowling Green Black Lives Matter group held their first official public gathering on Tuesday night by having a plan of action meeting at the Former Friends of Young Americans House a few blocks away from campus. “We officially became a chapter last month and part of the way we want to get the community more involved is hold monthly meetings,” Brandon Render, a 2011 WKU alum from Nashville, said. “This is the first one. So this is just a way to expand on our ideas and have more community involvement.” Several of the meeting’s attendees have participated in protest events since June, which include

holding a Black Lives Matter event at Downing Student Union, attending a post-election protest of Donald Trump and kneeling during the national anthem at home football games. The Tuesday night meeting was the first event that was officially organized for the public to interact with the group. Render, who is vice president, co-founded the official Bowling Green chapter with Veronica Reed, Chasity Rodgers and Lydia Billion, all of which were in attendance. Also in attendance were WKU students, faculty and staff and community members. They filled the meeting room in the FFOYA House, which led to some attendees standing in surrounding rooms. Render discussed the timeliness of the movement with social tensions currently running high on campus

because of election results. “In terms of the election, I’ve had a lot of people ask me about what we’re going to do now, and I say ‘What we’ve always done,’” Render said. “For us, nothing has changed. Things might get worse, but they were bad before the election. They can be bad after the election. We still need to be here and out in the streets doing our part.” Render began the meeting by welcoming everyone. He then invited everyone there to say his/her name and what black liberation meant to them. People responded with various definitions and some disclosed why they were there. People shared everything from wanting their kids to go to different schools to not wanting their family members to become hashtags. One woman even shared

SEE BLM PAGE A2


NOVEMBER 17, 2016

A2 DIALOUGE Continued from front Chavarri asked everyone in the audience to be respectful and go into the discussion with open minds. The first questions he asked was “what is the difference between the Democratic and Republican parties?” “That was an easier question to answer a couple of years ago,” Lasley said. “Especially before this election.” Lasley used the term hawk-ish and dove-ish to explain the two parties, after mentioning this presidential race was an exception. He went on to note the social and political issues each party generally supports. Saying same-sex marriage and abortion rights are favored by the Democratic party while the Republican party supports more war and military efforts. The beginning of the forum focused on politics and how certain things work within the government. The second question posed was about the electoral college versus the popular vote. Lasley gave a hypothetical example to explain broadly how the electoral college operates. His example being; if a student casts their vote for Hillary Clinton, they aren’t casting it directly for her. They are casting it to Kentucky’s Democratic slate of electors to go to the Electoral College, same with Donald Trump and the republican slate. Lasley said the national election is more like 51 separate state elections. On Dec. 19 electors will go to the

BLM Continued from Front she “might be a racist” and she came to the meeting to learn and become “more informed.” After introductions, Reed discussed why the meeting was occurring. “It’s important for people to know that we are not a hate group,” Reed said to the crowd. “We are not, by any means, saying black lives matter and any other lives don’t. We’re just saying

POLITIFACT Continued from FRONT “The fact-checkers really have had a role both in being a check on the candidates but also being a check on that misinformation that permeates the web,” Crawford said. Crawford said PolitiFact was invited to speak because the website’s purpose is in line with the topics covered in the Politics and the Presidency class. She said the course, which students must apply to take, covered the history of presidential power, advertising and running a campaign, the Electoral College and covering politics as a journalist. PolitiFact works exclusively to cover politics and fact-check statements made by both elected officials and candidates. Hollyfield said PolitiFact factchecks politicians at all levels of government from the local level to the national level. In addition, the website fact-checks some global news. She described the process of selecting statements to fact-check as “tried and true.” Hollyfield said the reporters for the website, which was started in 2007, choose topics based on what is trending or what people are asking about. Once a statement is selected and has been fact-checked, the article is then assigned a ranking on the TruthO-Meter, which is a meter with six ratings used to measure the accuracy of statements. The ratings range from “True” to “Pants on Fire,” which is a rating used for a statement that is “not accurate and makes a ridiculous claim,” according to PolitiFact’s website. Hollyfield said the articles are always objective; however, the ranking on the Truth-O-Meter is subjective and determined by three editors. She

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

electoral college to cast their vote directly for their candidate. The first few questions asked by Chavarri were strictly political to encourage engagement between the international students and the panelists. Most international students do not have the right to vote in the U.S. because they are here using a student visa. Even though these students cannot vote, the decisions made by Americans in last week’s election directly affects them. “It’s important for everyone to realize that the president is not the entirety of the U.S. government,” Haught said after Chavarri asked how presidential decisions were made. Chavarri moved on to asking the panel questions submitted to him directly from international students like “why can international students still feel safe” at WKU. “Here we have a really strong international family,” Hizareth said in response. “We’re here for you; we’re here to support you. This is your home.” Richey detailed the launching of Safe Walk, a new SGA initiative where students can request a student or group of students to walk around campus with them if they ever feel uncomfortable on campus. He warned that this is not meant to replace the need for emergency services like the police. Jieyoung Kong, department of communication assistant professor, asked how international students could feel safe on campus and what resources are available to them. Kong

was approached by a student who had racists comments directed at her by her academic adviser. “What is a student to do in a situation like that,” Kong asked. “Who can a student go to, besides me, to have a compassionate shoulder to cry on? I just don’t know what to do next.” Lynne Holland, dean of students and chief diversity officer, and Richey advised students to download the Rave Guardian smartphone app. Students can report crime anonymously or with a contact. The app provides users with the university police department phone number so calling WKUPD is easily accessible. President Gary Ransdell spoke to international students about the election, saying the results took people by surprise. He said many voters kept their political views to themselves this election, expressing their views only in the voting booth. “The surprise candidate won, and he will be this nation’s next president,” Ransdell said. “I get a little bit troubled when I hear Americans say ‘not me, he’s not my president.’ If you are a U.S. citizen, yes he is your president.” Ransdell also told students the American way of life is highly valued by citizens and he hopes that the international community has lived, worked, played and enjoyed an American lifestyle. He assured students that no one would compromise or change anyone’s way of life in a negative way. Ransdell ended his speech saying freedom of speech does not give one

that right now our lives are important.” Attendees asked the facilitators questions and offered commentary on what has recently been happening in regard to race in the area, which included someone vandalizing an African American’s car, a group writing racist messages in chalk on campus and individuals sending messages with racial slurs to professors. One of the speakers was Francisco Serrano, a Bowling Green sophomore, who shared his story. Serrano said individuals yelled a racial slur

as they threw a cup of liquid at him and his girlfriend outside of Downing Student Union last month. Serrano expressed in a previous article with the Herald he was disappointed with the WKU police for how they responded to the situation. “It was a hate crime,” Serrano said at the meeting. “It should have been handled accordingly, but it wasn’t.” The facilitators ended the meeting to allow attendees to network and discuss actions. They also said future meetings will be on the third Thursday of every month, beginning

in December. More information is at http://blacklivesmatterbg.weebly. com. “With a lot of the acts of racism that have gone on around campus, we hope to obtain a little bit more community involvement, especially from our students at WKU,” Render said.

said the editors are usually able to reach a unanimous decision about the appropriate ranking; however, if the editors are divided, then the majority will win. In the rare cases where a decision cannot be reached, Hollyfield said a fourth editor will be brought in and consulted. PolitiFact fact-checked multiple statements from both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump throughout the campaign season; when the statements from both candidates were compared, Hollyfield said the comparison showed Trump made more false statements than Clinton. Hollyfield said nearly 70 percent of Trump’s statements turned out to be mostly false, while most of Clinton’s statements fell toward the true side of the meter. Scott Lasley, a professor in the department of political science, said fact-checking websites such as PolitiFact are important for an election because they allow people to see the truth. He believes in this election accuracy has been a problem for many of the candidates, primarily because of how the campaigns run. “Part of politics on the campaign side is to present your candidate as the most favorable and your opponent in the most negative light, and so that leads to statements of omission or things like that,” Lasley said. He believes omissions of truth or misleading statements are also often used by candidates. “It’s not just the outright misstatements that are misleading,” Lasley said. “It’s also, for example, when they take things out of context that are technically accurate.” Crawford said journalists have an obligation to inform readers about the accuracy of statements made by politicians. She said there are times when a candidate may want the media to portray him or her in a favorable light;

however, she said the media’s job is not to cater to the politicians. Their job is to present the facts and inform readers of the truth. Crawford said she believes journalists and fact-checking are especially important now that Trump has won the presidency. “We do have a president-elect who is openly hostile to the ideas of a free

press; he has said that he wants to be able to change libel laws to sue media outlets that write negative stories about him,” Crawford said. “That is terrifying to our democracy.”

the freedom of hate. It’s important for people to express themselves, he said, but if your freedom of speech is harmful or unfair to others it’s not right. Faculty and staff want to help students achieve their dreams of graduating, making it as positive and rewarding as possible. “Any one of you, any one of your peers from this nation or any nation across the globe absolutely belongs here,” Ransdell said. “You are loved, you are embraced, you are valued and you bring incredible richness to this university experience.” The question, ‘what is the difference between racism and free speech’ was asked by an audience member after the panel discussed the improbability of student immigrants with visas being deported due to the results of the election. Haught explained to the audience that people can express racism with their freedom of speech as a constitutional right, but if the speech insights violence, hate or fear, it should be considered hate speech and it’s a violation of free speech. The night came to an end around 8:30 p.m. and each panel member was asked to leave the students with one final word of advice. “We are different and our differences make us unique,” Notinson said. “We need to keep showing love to each other; love brings peace.”

Reporter Natalie Perry can be reached at 270-745-6011 and at natalie.perry204@topper.wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @natalie__carter.

Reporter Bryson Keltner can be reached at 270-745-6011 and philip. keltner856@topper.wku.edu.

Reporter Emma Collins can be reached at 27-745-6011 and emma. collins399@topper.wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @__emma_collins__.

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Associate Provost plans awareness of research BY CALLIE MILLER HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU The newly appointed Associate Provost for Research and Creative Activity has plans to increase the department’s social media presence and Cheryl Davis campus outreach. Cheryl Davis, biology professor and the new associate provost, said she wants to promote research and creative activities more on campus. Davis was the interim associate provost from Sept. 1 of last year to Nov. 1 this year when she was officially appointed after an internal search among existing faculty. In an interview with the Herald during the search for the associate provost position, Provost David Lee explained why the right candidate would be important for the university’s continued success. “The university has a very strong commitment to research and creative activity,” When conducting the search, Lee said he wanted someone who had a good record with research involving students and who works well with diverse constituencies, someone who can articulate an exciting vision for the future. “We have a lot of internal talent,” Lee said. Davis said she is focusing on outreach and wants to be more accessible while she is looking for more opportunities to encourage collaboration.

“We’ve been using social media more, and we’ve been doing more news articles and additional press releases,” she said. Departments and researchers will be publicizing their work more effec-

Her goal is to create awareness about what other professors and students are doing. “Taking on this position has really opened my eyes to a lot of things I didn’t know were occurring at the

Taking on this position has really opened my eyes to a lot of things I know were occurring at the universtiy, and it’s been very exciting for that reason.” Biology professor and new associate provost Cheryl Davis tively, but Davis said communication will also be improved within the university as well. “One thing that I’ve realized is that most faculty know very well what their colleagues in their department do and what kind of research they’re involved with, but they don’t necessarily know what people in other departments in their college are doing, and they certainly don’t know what people are doing in other colleges,” she said. Davis hopes in doing this it will give the faculty the chance to work together on grants and proposals on things they have similar interests in, even those who don’t work in the same departments. “I’m really interested in looking for those kinds of opportunities, that untapped potential,” she said. “They can come together and combine their expertise in a really powerful way.”

university, and it’s been very exciting for that reason,” Davis said. Her duties include managing the Office of Research and Creative Activity, which includes the Office of Sponsored Programs that oversees grant proposals and deals with contracts and service agreements. This is for faculty and staff who apply for outside funding for their research, public service activities, or educational outreach, Davis said. ORCA is responsible for the FUSE program that supports students working with a faculty member to do research and scholarly endeavors and for “Posters of the Capital,” in which students make appointments with their state legislators to look at posters they’ve made to give the legislators a chance to support their activities. ORCA also works in partnership with the Student Research Council to organize a conference each spring

that reaches activities across campus. The Office of Research Integrity is also under ORCA, which is responsible for research that involves human or animal subjects or studies anything that is considered a biohazard, such as microorganisms or dangerous substances. Activities that relate to intellectual property, such as when students and faculty have an invention or want to get a patent or trademark on a product, fall under ORCA’s responsibilities as well. With taking on her new position as associate provost, Davis’ own research on Chagas disease has had to be put on a back burner. She is doing mostly surveillance right now while she works to support other students’ and faculties’ research. “I’ve been a faculty member for 25 years and so to have this opportunity to serve in this capacity, the broader WKU community, I think that’s really exciting,” she said. “Throughout my whole career I’ve been involved in research, research with undergraduates students, and master students. It’s been a big part of my career, so it’s something I care a whole lot about.” Davis said she wants to “do what I can to help people get the funding that they need to do the work that they dream about doing.”

Reporter Callie Miller can be reached at 270-745-6011 and caroline.miller528@topper.wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @callie_miller8.

Student’s work prompts proclamation signing BY KYLIE CARLSON HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU Bowling Green Mayor Bruce Wilkerson recognized WKU graduate students and their work on Tuesday at a signing of a proclamation declaring Nov. 14-20 as “Antibiotic Awareness Week in Bowling Green.” The World Health Organization declared Nov. 14-20 World Antibiotic Awareness Week in 2015, according to its website. WHO states the purpose of the week is to consider how important antibiotics are and to prevent overuse which increases the likelihood of antibiotic resistant diseases. During awareness week, WKU public health graduate students ran an information table at the Downing Student Union, sent newsletters to Bowling Green city schools, Warren County schools and to daycares. Additionally, a student spoke alongside a professor on the WKNY television station on Tuesday. “They are really creating awareness through mass media, social media and plain old health education,” Marilyn Gardner, associate professor for public health, said. Louisville graduate student Christian Finch, 28, said she and others specifically targeted day care centers for their project. “We made flyers and newsletters to send out to the day cares,” Finch

said. “That was what I mostly did, but we all worked together and had a little part in it.” The state director for the Kentucky Department of Public Health contacted Gardner and several other Kentucky public health programs to start an initiative aimed at solving a growing problem for the state. Kentucky is the number one prescriber for antibiotics, according to a CDC Library report. Gardner hoped this would be a great experience for the graduating students. “These are Masters of Public Health students, and there are only four of them in the class since it is the last class they take before they graduate,” Gardner said adding the students were able to apply what they learned in the classroom for this project. The students’ work began at the beginning of the semester with a stakeholder meeting and planning session, according to Gardner. The graduate students also partnered with Center for Disease Control and Prevention for their work. Students worked with the CDC Get Smart program, which is an annual, one week observance to raise awareness of the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic prescribing and use, according to the CDC website. The proclamation was given on

behalf of the entire city, according to Wilkerson, and he said he is thankful for the local awareness. “I appreciate that you are bringing it to my attention, so now I can know how to protect myself and my family

as well,” Wilkerson said before reading the proclamation.

Reporter Kylie Carlson can be reached at 270-745-6011 and kylie. carlson15@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @kentuckylie.


NOVEMBER 17, 2016 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

WKUHERALD.COM

OPINION

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.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Standing with my Muslim students

Illustration by Jennifer King

SLICE TO SAVOR

Three major keys to nutrition

BY KELLY BURGESS HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

Yes, I am a nutrition major. Yes, I did agree to dress up as an Oreo for Halloween with my boyfriend this year. Yes, I love ice cream and always say if I ever turn it down, someone should check my pulse. “But you’re a nutrition major, doesn’t that mean you eat healthy all the time?” This is a question I receive often as a dietetics major, and usually I answer by explaining I am a pretty healthy eater, but I am also human. Don’t get me wrong, I am all about eating healthy food, but I am also all about the enjoyment. It seems the general public perceives dietitians as the “food police.” I might be the odd one here, but there’s definitely more to nutrition than simply “eat this, not that.” Now that I seem like the world’s biggest hypocrite, let me explain a few things that might bring the situation into a little bit more light. Here’s a little secret –– dietitians love food! We don’t spend hours studying biochemistry and the digestive process for nothing. We don’t learn how to “rehab” recipes because we want to take away ev-

eryone’s favorite foods. The challenge of being a dietitian is showing food can be your friend, not your enemy. Finding healthier alternatives doesn’t have to mean the food becomes any less tasty. Nutrition is an incredibly complex field and one where everyone seems to hold his or her own opinion. The field is also incredibly engaging; I mean, we all have to eat, right? With endless stacks of information on how to lose 10 pounds in a week, why bread is bad for you and good and bad fats, how do you really know what is reliable and not simply someone’s opinion? There are three universal principles for a truly healthy lifestyle that are easy to remember and don’t require mathematical formulas for extensive calorie counting. First is variety. “Eat the rainbow” may sound childish and unscientific, but the principle behind this idiom is an essential part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Eating a variety of foods is so important to dietary health. Sure, everyone has their favorite foods and their go-to dinners to fix on a busy night, but the more different foods you can eat, the better! Going into the holiday sea-

son, you will probably have many opportunities to load your plate with family favorites. This doesn’t have to be a nutrition nightmare, but instead an opportunity to enjoy several different foods –– and don’t forget to eat the greens! Second is balance. This goes back to not viewing foods as “bad” or “good.” Instead, think of foods as “nutritional” or “fun.” You don’t have to give up your favorite foods that might not be nutritionally ideal; you just need to balance them into your diet. Finally is moderation. Learn to enjoy your food in the proper portions and occasions. On Thanksgiving, eat your pumpkin pie and stuffing too. Special occasions call for special foods, so don’t deny yourself completely. Having favorite foods on special occasions is no crime, and incorporating fun foods into your diet will motivate you to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle. Food is more than sustenance to keep your body going, it is an important part of your lifestyle. You have to eat, so enjoy your food! Even dietitians eat dessert, so go ahead and slice that pie.

This is an open letter to all my Muslim students, past, present and future. It is with a heavy heart that I write you this message. It’s difficult to even know where to begin. Since the election, as I’m sure you’re aware, we’ve seen a rise in hostile rhetoric and behavior against minorities in this country, particularly against those of the Muslim faith or of Middle Eastern descent. It saddens me beyond words to find this going on right here in Bowling Green, my hometown, and even here at WKU, a place where the values of inclusion, acceptance and diversity are espoused as a cornerstones of who we are as a campus community. I don’t know how you feel about all of this, of course. Maybe you don’t feel concerned or threatened, and I hope that to be the case. In any case, this is what I’m writing to say: I’ve got your back. There are more of us good guys out there than there are bad, it’s just that the bad ones are making a lot of noise right now and are getting a lot of attention. I just read in the news about a flyer circulating at Texas State University calling for the “arrest and torture” of university faculty who promote or teach diversity. An empty threat, I’m sure, but the sentiments, I have no doubt, are real, designed to frighten and intimidate. To them I say only this: Bring. It. On. I will not be intimidated. And nor should you. I hope this message isn’t too weird or awkward. I just wanted to reach out and let you know you have a lot of support right now, even if maybe it doesn’t feel that way. Stay strong and be well. Your friend, Barry Kaufkins

KALYN’S CORNER

Coming to understand why people protest BY KALYN JOHNSON HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU Understanding what happened at Pearce-Ford Tower on Nov. 9 was a protest and not a riot is of the utmost importance when moving forward. At 10 p.m., students were not destroying property, but exercising their first amendment right by dancing and singing to “F*ck the Police” while holding signs. This article is by no means disregarding what happened before, such as the troops flag being ripped from a cadet’s hands. The act was disrespectful and, as we know, not tolerated by WKU. We can speculate this is why police were called onto the scene. What happened before 10 p.m. is a grey area filled with incidents that are unclear if the individuals who were arrested were arrested for issues relating to the protest or if they went to start

trouble. If they did go to start trouble, we need to recognize there were two separate groups of people outside of PFT, and not one. People looking for trouble, and people looking to protest. When those groups collide we have issues that paint an entire group as troublemakers instead of protesters; they’re caught up in a grey area where they aren’t destroying property, but bystanders may feel threatened by their presence because of the actions of a few. What must also be understood is why individuals were protesting. Protests happen out of sadness, hurt, frustration and anger. There are ways for individuals to outwardly express emotions to the masses, they are persistent for the observant to recognize and hear their pain. Protests serve as a way for the voiceless to shout for a change in a system they’re far too small to change on their own. They are masses of people that may represent a com-

munity that has, or could, experience disenfranchisement and injustices. We must understand the students of WKU did not smash car windows or cause violent public disturbances, much like the violent protests in Portland, Oregon, the Washington Post described as being “tainted by uncharacteristic violence.” This is a perfect description of what happened the night of Nov. 9 at PFT; a peaceful protest tainted with negative actions of others that affected the group as a whole. However, it is still unfair to lump all the protesters in the catalog of violent protesters when it was a few bad apples. What could have turned very violent on our beloved campus didn’t thanks to police presence. However, we can’t only talk about the bad parts of the situation. We must talk about why the people were there in the first place. They were there because they felt threatened, scared, uncertain and

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confused about the future of our nation. We can’t ignore the fact xindividuals are walking across campus while checking their backs and analyzing their surroundings because they’re afraid of what comes next. It’s easy to look at what happened and call out all of the bad moments, but it’s harder to ask students how they’re feeling about the situation. Try asking a student who may look or think differently from you how they feel about the election, the future of our nation and how they can be helped. Help them make sense of it all, and help them feel safe on and off campus. Consider this a protest to the idea and actions of any riots within our campus community. Consider this an outcry to those who have the power to make change on our campus; all students. Consider those who don’t feel safe and do something about it.

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1. Muhammad Ali retired from boxing in 1981. What was his record? (a) 55 wins 5 defeats (b) 50 wins 3 defeats (c) 56 wins 2 defeats 2. In what year were the first Wimbledon tennis championships held? (a) 1896 (b) 1877 (c) 1905 3. Pele joined what North American soccer team in 1975? (a) St Louis Stars (b) Dallas Tornado (c) New York Cosmos 4. What position did Babe Ruth play when he began his career? (a) Pitcher (b) Second Base (c) Catcher 5. What father-son duo were the first to hit back-to-back home runs? (a) Bobby & Barry Bonds (b) Cal Ripken Sr & Cal Ripken Jr (c) Ken Griffey Sr & Ken Griffey Jr 6. Who is the only coach to win a Super Bowl and a Rose Bowl? (a) Don Shula (b) Don Vermeil (c) George Halas 7. How many times has France won the Tour de France since 1903? (a) 35 (b) 51 (c) 67 8. How many home runs did Ty Cobb hit in his three World Series? (a) 3 (b) None (c) 7 9. What is the maximum time allowed to look for a lost golf ball? (a) 5 minutes (b) 3 minutes (c) 2 minutes 10. In what sport are the terms 'stale fish' and 'mulekick' used? (a) Track (b) Soccer (c) Snowboarding 1.a 2.b 3.c 4.a 5.c

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Wish granter Dashboard abbr. “Let it stand” Business V.I.P.

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39 Sewing materials dealers 40 Mountain tops 42 Words to a jittery person 43 It’s found in banks 44 Green light 47 Trophy 48 Walkie-talkie word 49 Half-moon tide 50 Stretched tight 52 Kind of wolf 53 “Paradise Lost,” e.g. 54 Bring into play 57 Compete 58 Roman title

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NOVEMBER 17, 2016 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Miss Mammoth Cave Area Outstanding Teen Noelle Thompson sprays on hairspray after curling her hair.

WKUHERALD.COM

Miss Bowling Green Outstanding Teen Hannah Robb gets her dressed pinned back while getting ready for the pageant to start.

PHOTO

Winners of Outstanding Teens (left to right) Gabrielle Armour, Hallie Slocum, Chapel Tinius and Molly Sullivan.

Bowling Green beauties photo story by Ann marie disalvo

For the 10th year, women from across Kentucky came together for the Miss Bowling Green Scholarship Pageant in hopes of earning a college scholarship on Nov. 6. Regena Webb, the director and producer for this year’s pageant, has spent 30 years of coaching and teaching pageant women. “Beauty is more than just a pretty face,” Webb said. “It is about going over and above to become the best they can be.” There were seven girls competing in the teen category and four women in the Miss category during this year’s pageant. The women sought to dazzle the judges by performing a talent, showing their fitness in a swimsuit competition, displaying elegance in eveningwear and answering on-stage questions. “You can dress people up and make them beautiful, but you want them to have the knowledge, self-discipline and self-respect for themselves to be prepared -- and hope they do the same for their careers,” Webb said.

ABOVE: Hannah Robb and her mother help her get prepared for the pageant. RIGHT: Miss Bowling Green Outstanding Teen Hannah Robb and her older sister Miss Western Kentucky Alyssa Robb, eats their Jimmy John’s sandwiches before the pageant.


NOVEMBER 17, 2016 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

WKUHERALD.COM

LIFE

Indie punk rock band hits Kentucky

BY ADAM SIMS HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

Indie punk rock band Angry Planet has been slowly rising in the Southern Kentucky music scene, landing gigs across Bowling Green and other surrounding towns, as well as getting a spot on WKU’s radio station Revolution 91.7. The band is from Leitchfield, a small town in Grayson County about an hour north of Bowling Green. Growing up in a rural town with little entertainment for the youth was an influence on the band. “Grayson County is a unique community, and it’s made a bunch of weirdos,� Michael House, Angry Planet bassist, said. “With the complete lack of anything to do, you find a way to live inside your head. For us, that was music. You have to make your own fun.� The members each grew to love music through different channels. Drummer Evan Wooden and vocalist Jessie Tyler Higdon both attribute their interest in music to family members. “I was raised by people who were old hippies,� Higdon said. As for guitarist Nathan Hardin, he learned to love music through Guitar Hero, a rhythm game that was popular when he was in high school. In high school, all of the current Angry Planet members except for House were in a band together called Sounds Taken. Shortly after graduation, the band went their separate ways. After a few years, they regrouped as an unnamed band. This unnamed band played a few gigs and was allegedly kicked out of Dublin’s after being too loud. House was inspired to name the group Angry Planet after watching coverage of Hurricane Andrew, a highly destructive 1992 hurricane. “The planet was angry with humans,� House explained. A television series shares the band’s name, though the band is not concerned. “If they sue us, all they’re getting is a 1999 Nissan and a dog,� Higdon said. Since forming the band, the group has toured and released a debut album, “One Day He Could Save the World.� The members have been promoting their band by passing

SEE ANGRY PLANET PAGE B3

Louisville senior Ellen Emerson, left, performs in the piece ‘Die judge Nonne’ during the student directed scenes on Tuesday, in the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center. Evan Boggs/HERALD

piloting the ship

Opera theatre program empowers students BY ELISABETH MOORE HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

Music rang through the halls of the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center late Tuesday evening. Singing in Recital Hall room 189, 12 students put their opera knowledge to the test as they performed in front of an audience of students, staff and parents. Opera Theatre is a one credit hour course offered by the WKU music department that allows students from all areas of study to study opera and how it is performed. Opera Theatre meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, though they have more frequent rehearsals as performances grew nearer. “Technically, we are singing art songs which differ from arias [solos from operas] since they are stand alone songs written for a solo singer rather than part of a larger work,� Megan Seitz, a senior from Louisville double majoring in Spanish and English

with a minor in music and student in the Opera Theatre class, said. “However, the same vocal technique and classical training are used for art songs and arias.� During this semester of Opera Theatre, students were given the chance to put together their show. For Tuesday’s performance, each student choreographed and directed a scene and performed a song accompanied by pianist Kenneth Stein. “Actually, I came because my boyfriend had to come for a class, but then a friend of mine from high school ended up being in it, so it was really cool seeing her in action,� Louisville sophomore Betsy Rushing said. “It was a total surprise.� Within the first act of the show, students performed scenes to their chosen art song. Campbellsville junior Troy Wethington described the scenes like those from silent movies. Each student was allowed

to incorporate as many students as they needed in their performance as long as they were participating in it as well. During the second act of the show, the students sang whatever art song they chose to perform during the first act, sung in English, Italian or German. “For the performance, we spend all semester doing exercise techniques and really making sure our movements are solid and with everything that we have been learning this semester, we pretty much a couple of weeks ago just put it all together,� Wethington said. Liza Kelly, assistant professor of music at WKU, is the professor in charge of the Opera Theatre. “Students never really get the chance to be at the helm of things, especially in an undergrad environment,� Kelly said. “They usually get told how to do everything, even in the academic classroom. So, I thought it would be em-

powering for them to be able to take the skills and exercises we learned in class, and they get to pilot the ship, essentially.� The performance was free to those who attended, but any audience member could donate to a jar Kelly carried around, which would help fund the WKU Opera Outreach Program. Every other year, the Opera Theatre Ensemble uses the program to help design and perform an opera education program that tours to multiple schools in South Central Kentucky, giving students an opportunity to learn about the components of opera. The Opera Theatre will be performing their last show on Friday, in FAC Recital Hall room 189 at 7:30 p.m.

Reporter Elisabeth Moore can be reached at 270745-6288 and elisabeth. moore938@topper.wku. edu. Follow her on Twitter at @emoore938.

WKU film professor writes, directs movie BY ELISABETH MOORE HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU A drug-addled writer and his ex-boyfriend, with some help from their manager, reluctantly agree to write the next hit song for a teen girl, who they hate. With the money gained from this song, they will get paid and their film may finally get produced. WKU assistant film professor Luke Pennington tells the story of this duo in his most recent film, “Hit Men,� in which Pennington explores what it would be like to write a hit song for someone else. “I just thought, what if Taylor Swift doesn’t write her own songs?� Pennington said. “I’m sure she does, you know, but how much of it?� Through the film, Pennington took into account how many Los Angeles residents take odd jobs to “keep the dream alive.� Eventually something has to give, Pennington said. What if someone is writing these songs, and

they don’t like it? “Hit Men� was mainly shot in California, scattered around in Pasadena, Santa Monica, downtown Los Angeles and eventually in Lexington, Kentucky. After shooting “Hit Men,� Pennington promptly moved his production company Simpatico Films to Kentucky, where he got his job at WKU as a film professor after he graduated from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. The film was shot in 19 days, starting with Pasadena and ending in Lexington. Including preproduction and moving Simpatico Films to Kentucky, the film took a total of three and a half years to complete. Pennington was engaged during the making of “Hit Men� and got married during production. “Actually, she was my girlfriend, became my fiance and then we got married in the course of it,� Pennington said. “So, if you can start a marriage in the hell that is filmmaking,

you are probably going to be okay.� Pennington participated in all aspects of the film, which included being the screen writer, director, film editor and actor. Acting was a last-minute decision, Pennington said. “We had great actors and we had to pay everybody,� Pennington said. “So, I was like, look, I’m going to be there. It was a very small movie. More than half the movie we shot in Los Angeles. So, it was a struggle to get it made financially.� Pennington said a majority of the movie costs were paid through friends and family who had more stable jobs than filmmaking. Pennington’s wife also had a lot to do with funding and making “Hit Men,� eventually becoming the executive producer of the film as well as the colorist, composer and story editor. “We ask people to be productive in either their creative field or in their research field,� Loup Langton, director of the School of Journalism and

Broadcasting, said. “I didn’t know he [Pennington] had the acting ability. I was quite impressed with that as well as the production and directing skills.� Pennington is currently working with Taken Films LLC as a contract screenwriter for “The Reign,� a feature film selected as the IndieWire project of the month in April currently in the running for project of the year. “The Reign� is currently in preproduction, but will start filming after WKU finals. With the assistance of English and film professor Ted Hovet and several WKU film students, “The Reign� will be filmed in and around Cherry Hall. “What more can you ask for?� Langton said. “People are thinking big and then are trying to carry out everything to make those big goal come to life.�

Reporter Elisabeth Moore can be reached at 270-745-6288 and elisabeth.moore938@topper.wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @emoore938.

What can the Kentucky Army National Guard offer you “On the Hillâ€?? ŕ Ž <W [V 2 ;\P[PVU (ZZPZ[HUJL H[ >2< ŕ Ž 4.0)ÂŽ [H_ MYLL H TVU[O ŕ Ž 4VU[OS` KYPSS JOLJR ŕ Ž ;L_[IVVRZ MVY ;YVVWZ™ WYVNYHT H[ >2< ŕ Ž /LHS[O *HYL ŕ Ž :[\KLU[ 3VHU 9LWH`TLU[ ŕ Ž 7HY[ ;PTL 1VI

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NOVEMBER 10, 2016

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD


NOVEMBER 17, 2016

B3 out demo CDs, joining Facebook groups and befriending businesses and other bands. “We’re like the nagging girlfriend of bands,” Higdon said. The band hwas recently played

VOLLEYBALL

Continued from sports

with 12. The Lady Tops will have to contain Macey Austin of the Miners in the tournament as she recorded 12 kills for UTEP in the Oct. 21 matchup. No one else for the Miners had more

on Revolution 91.7. Despite not being native from Bowling Green, nor any of their members WKU alumni, Bowling Green feels like home to them. “This place has been the most accepting of our weird music,” Higdon said. As for the future, Angry Planet

hopes to grow while staying humble. “I want to pay one month’s worth of bills with money we make from our music,” Higdon said. Traveling more is another goal for Angry Planet. So far, the furthest they’ve traveled for a gig is Nashville. They hope to expand soon to southern Ohio. For Angry Planet, this expe-

rience is surreal. “We’ve been doing this for a decade, and people are actually listening to our music,” Higdon said.

than five kills in that contest. The match is set to begin this Friday at noon in Houston, Texas. If the Lady Tops advance, their next match will be on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The championship match is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday. Hudson is confident heading into

the postseason, but he has always had a positive outlook for him and his team. “We’re gonna get knocked off somewhere along the line and when we do it’ll be a team that came out and took it from us that night because this team is gonna come out

and fight and that’s all you can ever ask for as a coach,” Hudson said.

guard and chose WKU over the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “We’re excited to have Taveion join our basketball family,” Stansbury said in an official WKU press release. “It’s very obvious he’s a terrific player from a really good high school program where he’s been really wellcoached.” Hollingsworth was named the KHSAA Sweet 16 Most Valuable Player last year while leading Dunbar to a 33-6 record and its first state championship title. In the tournament, the player played 124 of 128 possible minutes and averaged 21 points and 5.4 rebounds per game as a junior. Hollingsworth has a chance this season as a senior to become Dunbar’s all-time leading scorer, as well as the all-time leading scorer in Fayette County history. One of WKU’s already-enrolled students, Diagne spent the 2015-16 season at Northwest Florida Junior College after failing to meet the academic requirements at Syracuse. He averaged 10.2 points and 7.3 rebounds while playing with the junior college.

Diagne, a 6-foot-9 forward is sitting this year out but will have three years of eligibility remaining. WKU’s other current Topper, Bearden, who will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out this season, averaged 13.7 points and 4.2 assists per game as a sophomore at Buffalo in 2015-16. Bearden started 27 of 30 games as a sophomore and averaged 29.9 minutes and shot 42.3 percent from the field. He was named a Third-Team All-Conference selection in the Mid-American Conference. As a freshman, Bearden started 31 of 33 games and was named to the AllMAC Freshman team. WKU currently has the twelfthranked recruiting class nationally, according to 247Sports.com. Scout. com ranks it 10th and Rivals.com has the program at No. 7. Neither of those rankings include Bearden or Diagne.

Head coach Rick Stansbury talks to Junior Lomomba (5) during the Hilltoppers’ 109-97 double overtime win over Kentucky Wesleyan College on Nov. 5, at Diddle Arena. Shaban Athuman/HERALD

BASKETBALL Continued from SPORTS At the AAU level, Anderson caught eyes by averaging 15.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.8 steals last

LADY TOPPERS Continued from SPORTS ting an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. “These kinds of games are going to be really big for us,” Noble said before the season started. “It’s going to give us a chance to prove ourselves and give us an opportunity to get an at-large bid, so there’s not so much pressure going into the conference tournament like last year.” So far in 2016, the Lady Hoosiers are 2-0 with average margins of victory of 33.5 points and travel to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga tonight before traveling to Bowling Green on Saturday. Last year, Indiana finished 21-12 (12-6 Big 10) and defeated the University of Georgia before falling to the University of Notre Dame in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Junior guard Tyra Buss poses as the toughest challenge for the Lady Tops. Last season, Buss led Indiana averaging 18.7 points per game while becoming the first player at Indiana since 2006 to earn first team Big-10 honors. In a 94-61 win against Vanderbilt University this past Sunday, Buss became the fastest player in Lady Hoosier history to eclipse 1,000 career points. Getting the challenge of guarding Buss will likely be Noble, who will hope her 5’11 frame will be able to slow down the 5’8 Lady Hoosier star. Last season, Noble averaged 18 points per game, 7.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.6 steals per game en

summer for the Louisiana Elite program. Hollingsworth, a three-star out of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington, is a 6-foot-2, 165-pound

Reporter Adam Sims can be reached at 270-745-2655 and michael. sims656@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @adamsimswriter.

Reporter Matthew Stewart can be reached at 270-745-6281 and matthew.stewart015@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @MES_ WKU2

Reporter Tyler Mansfield can be reached at 270-745-6291 and james. mansfield143@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @ByMansfield.

route to winning C-USA player of the year. On top of winning overall player of the year last season, Noble also defended her C-USA defensive player of the year after winning the award during the 2015-16 season. She became just the fourth player in conference history to win both player of the year as well as defensive player of the year. The Noble vs. Buss battle will be one of the more intriguing matchups as Noble will be one of the tougher defenders Buss will face in the Lady Hoosiers’ out-of-conference schedule. Also leading the Lady Hoosiers is junior forward Amanda Cahill. The Clyde, Ohio, native was second behind Buss last season in scoring averaging 14.7 points per game. She also ranked sixth in the Big 10 Conference in rebounds per game (8.5) while earning second team AllBig 10 honors. At six foot two, Cahill will stand taller than any player on WKU’s starting five. Getting the assignment of matching up with Cahill will either be junior forward Ivy Brown or junior forward Tashia Brown, who both are listed just one inch smaller than Cahill’s. The Lady Tops and Lady Hoosiers are set to tip off at 2 p.m. this Saturday at Diddle Arena.

Reporter Sam Porter can be reached at 270-745-6291 and samuel.porter841@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @SammyP14.

Sophomore forward Dee Givens (4) shoots a lay up over Alabama A&M guard Whitney Creech (15) during the Lady Toppers 96-32 win over Alabama A&M on Friday, Nov. 11, 2016, at Diddle Arena. Ebony Cox/HERALD

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NOVEMBER 17, 2016 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

WKUHERALD.COM

SPORTS

» Basketball: The WKU Basketball team will be back in action against Belmont University on Saturday at 7 p.m in Nashville.

Freshman defensive specialist Emma Kowalkowski (3) serves the ball during the Lady Topper volleyball team’s victory over North Texas during senior night on Thursday, Nov. 10, at Diddle Arena. The volleyball team was undefeated in all Conference USA games. Kathryn Ziesig/HERALD

set for success wku heads into conference tournament WITH CONFIDENCE

BY MATTHEW STEWART HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU After winning the Conference USA regular season championship and the C-USA tournament last season, the Lady Toppers won the regular season championship this year and will head into the conference tournament as the number one seed. Head Coach Travis Hudson led his team to an undefeated 14-0 in conference play to clinch the title of regular season champions for the 201617 campaign. The Lady Tops are currently ranked 20th in the country in the AVCA poll and are 17th in RPI after going 27-2 during the regular season with marquee wins over programs like the University of Cincinnati, the Univer-

sity of Pittsburgh, Villanova University and Belmont University, Heading into the C-USA tournament, the Lady Tops know all eyes will be on them and teams will bring their best for a chance to take down the tournament favorite. “I know we’re gonna have a target on our back, but we’re gonna wear that and go in confident,” All-American junior outside hitter Alyssa Cavanaugh said. The team has been building up its confidence as the season has progressed. With only two losses on the season the Lady Tops have built their best regular season so far this decade. “I’m really confident going into the tournament,” senior defensive specialist Georgia O’Connell said. O’Connell was one of five Lady

Tops who earned C-USA All-Conference recognition on Wednesday. Earning first-team status were sophomore middle hitter Rachel Anderson, Cavanaugh and junior setter Jessica Lucas. WKU volleyball players with second-team nods were O’Connell and junior outside hitter Sydney Engle. While winning the conference tournament is a tough task, the team has already accomplished something that Hudson says is much more difficult: winning a regular season championship. “To win a tournament championship you gotta be good for three days and to win a regular season championship you gotta be good for two months,” Hudson said. Hudson said he is proud of his

team and has said throughout the season nobody has had the perseverance this group has had when faced with adversity. “We’ll never have a group that fights harder than this one,” Hudson said. First up for the Lady Tops in C-USA tournament play is the Miners of the University of Texas El Paso. Earlier in the season the only matchup between the two the Lady Tops swept UTEP 3-0 in which Hudson won his 550th career match. In the match, Lucas recorded a near triple-double performance with 30 assists, nine kills and nine digs while Cavanaugh led WKU in kills with 12. The Lady Tops will have to contain

SEE VOLLEYBALL PAGE B3

Hoosiers Hilltoppers sign five-star recruit up next at home for Lady Tops BY TYLER MANSFIELD

HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

BY SAM PORTER HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU For the second year in a row, the WKU women’s basketball team will host a top-25 ranked team in a pivotal non-conference matchup. Last season, the Lady Toppers upset then 16th-ranked University of Louisville by a score of 71-69 thanks to a Kayla Smith basket with just 34 seconds to play. This Saturday, the Lady Tops welcome 23rd ranked Indiana University Bloomington to Diddle Arena in what is expected to be a very competitive battle. After losing in the Conference USA tournament in heartbreaking fashion a year ago, the Lady Tops missed the NCAA tournament despite a 27-7 record. Redshirt senior and defending C-USA player of the year Kendall Noble said she hopes winning an out-of-conference game like this will help the Lady Tops’ chances of get-

SEE LADY TOPPERS PAGE B3

Tuesday night the WKU men’s basketball team announced the signing of its highest-ever ranked recruit as 6’11, 215-pound five-star center Mitchell Robinson officially became a Hilltopper. Robinson, who committed to play at WKU back on June 29, joins the Toppers out of Chalmette (Louisiana) High School. The big presence is a consensus five-star recruit across all recruiting networks and is ranked as the No. 4 prospect nationally in the 2017 class by 247Sports.com and No. 6 by Rivals.com and Scout.com. 247Sports also rates Robinson as the top center prospect in the country and the No. 1 player out of the state of Louisiana in the Class of 2017. “It’s obvious Mitchell is one of the most talented big guys in the country,” Stansbury said in an official WKU press release. “His best days all lie ahead of him. He has a lot more abilities than just running and jumping and blocking the ball. He has a skill set where he can step out and really shoot the basketball. We’re excited to have him and his family be a part of our program.” Robinson, who was once committed to Texas A&M, averaged 20.9 points, 13.6 rebounds, 8.1 blocks and

two steals per game last season as a junior at his high school, where he also shot 69 percent from the field. Robinson, whose godfather is WKU assistant coach Shammond Williams, also averaged 15.5 points, 11.6 rebounds and 4.1 blocks per outing for Pro Skills on the EYBL last summer. While participating in the Peach Jam, the athlete recorded 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per contest while shooting 71.8 percent.The WKU men’s basketball program’s slogan for the 2016-17 season is “Back On The Map,” as the coaches, players and fans all have high expectations for Head Coach Rick Stansbury and the Hilltoppers for the next years to come. With a total of three highly-touted signees and two transfers all a part of the 2017 freshman class, WKU has made strides towards making that slogan a reality. Three-star guard Taveion Hollingsworth signed his National Letter of Intent last Wednesday while four-star guard Josh Anderson did the same on Monday. Former Syracuse player Moustapha Diagne and Buffalo transfer Lamonte Bearden will also both be eligible with the Tops next season. Although all three signings were eye-catching, the official announcement of Robinson engaged many

Twitter users. WKU Basketball’s official account tweeted at 6:29 p.m. on Tuesday and said “So how is everyone’s Tuesday night going? Would you like us to make it a whole lot better? #GoTops,” and then followed it in a new tweet reading “Our latest signee is a BIG one in more ways than one. WKU fans, please welcome Mitchell Robinson to The Hill.” Four-star guard Anderson joins the WKU program out of Madison Prep Academy in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He is ranked as the No. 43 player in the country in the 2017 class by Rivals.com, No. 50 by Scout.com and No. 52 by 247Sports. “We’re very excited to have Josh join our basketball program and family,” Stansbury said in an official WKU press release. “He’s a talented young man who brings a lot of athleticism offensively and defensively. Besides being a terrific basketball player and athlete, he’s a great young man that comes from a really good family.” Anderson, a 6-foot-4 guard has led Madison Prep Academy to threestraight championships in four years. Last year, he averaged 18.1 points, 5.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game as a junior. He and his team won their second-straight title and appeared in their third-straight state championship game.

SEE BASKETBALL PAGE B3


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