Liberty Champion March 5, 2019

Lady Flames season ends with a splash

CPAC at LU

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VOLUME 36, ISSUE 16

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LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA

LIBERTYCHAMPION.COM | TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019 | LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

Mike Pence is coming back

Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion

VP — During CPAC, Vice President Mike Pence announced to the crowd that he will be the keynote speaker at Liberty’s 46th Commencement, May 11. Pence currently serves as the 48th vice president of the

United States. He previously served the people of Indiana as the state’s 50th governor. Pence was last at Liberty in October 2016 to address Convocation during the 2016 presidential election. Pence’s address follows President Jimmy Carter (2018) and President Donald Trump (2017).

LYH is for visitors Lynchburg Visitors Center is getting a face-lift in 2019 Emma Smith esmith83@liberty.edu

The city of Lynchburg’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism is renovating the Visitors Center located on the corner of 12th and Church Streets, with the intent of creating a space for both Lynchburg residents and visitors to connect with the city.

“It’s a cool little building,” Anna Bentson, the assistant director of Economic Development and Tourism, said. “We’re restoring it … to its roots. The first part of the renovation was to put our tourism sales team down there, … then Jan. 1, we closed the public

side of the building to do the renovations.”

The awning-clad building, which stands in contrast to its surroundings, served as an auto shop in its early years. Bentson said the renovations will bring back roll-up garage doors, giving the location both indoor and outdoor event space.

Additionally, Bentson said the project will divide the interior of the building into several smaller rooms, rather than one large room.

“It will be kind of a multi-purpose space, so instead of one big room, we’ll turn that into a conference room, and we’ll be able to do meetings and trainings and bring stake-

holders in,” Bentson said. “We’ll have a little bit (of a) smaller retail footprint, but we’re hoping (to have) more Lynchburg products.”

Despite some construction setbacks, Bentson said the center is expected to reopen April 1. A pop-up Visitors Center is currently operating in the lobby of the Lynchburg Museum located at 901 Court Street.

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LU hears the success SCDC students and professors dominate the BEA awards Will Evans wjevans@liberty.edu

Liberty University junior Abigail Voggenreiter has always kept her talent for writing poetry a secret.

“I’ve written for so long and have so many different pieces I’ve written, but I had always kept them to myself,” Voggenreiter said.

However, during an audio production class during the fall 2018 semester, she decided to step out of her comfort

zone and submit a recording of her poem “I’m Worth It (And So Are You)” for her final class project. “(My professor) told me he wanted to submit it to this competition, and I was like, ‘OK,’” Voggenreiter said. “I had no idea what it was.”

Her professor, Kornel Gerstner from the School of Communication & Digital Content, submitted her project, as well as several others from Liberty students and faculty, to the Broadcasting Educa-

School of Engineering to receive new home Liberty University’s School of Engineering will receive its own building next to the new School of Business. Construction will begin on the three-story structure in the Fall 2019 semester and is expected to open for the Fall 2021 semester, according to Liberty News Service.

Liberty hockey players represent Team USA in Russia Five Liberty University hockey players — one ACHA Division I men’s hockey player and four Division I women’s hockey players — played in the 29th Winter World University games in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, Liberty News service reported. The opening ceremony for the games was March 2, and events will continue until March 12.

Local Beloved Walmart cashier passes peacefully Gil Cartagena Puzon, 81, of Lynchburg passed away Friday, March 1. Puzon was a favorite cashier at the Old Forest Road Walmart, and a memorial table with a guestbook, flowers and his name tag are on display, WSET reported.

Rivermont Avenue to experience traffic shift

tion Association’s (BEA) International Competition, an organization that recognizes excellence in media arts and education.

Voggenreiter, who is studying Digital Media and Cinematic Arts, won an Award of Excellence for her poem “I’m Worth It (And So Are You).”

To install new fiber optic to traffic signal cabinets, Lynchburg Public Works will be closing portions of Rivermont Avenue west bound from March 1 to April 4. Closures will happen on “random days” between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., according to WSET.

National Tornado kills 23 in Alabama Alabama sustained devastating damage after a tornado, which killed at least 23 people, ravaged the state March 3. According to the Associated Press, the tornado winds were part of a storm and peaked at about 160 mph.

Photo Provided

WINNER — Abigail Voggenreiter,

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Liberty

pictured above, won for her poetry.

California teacher strike ends in deal

Teachers of Oakland, California, returned to the classroom March 4 after a seven-day strike, which began Feb. 21, according to the Associated Press.

INSIDE THE CHAMPION

Content

After the January 2019 accident, Liberty is takling about how to reassess safety concerns. A6

Opinion

In the shadow of scathing sexual abuse scandals, what should the Catholic church do next? A5

Sports

What’s News

Emily Baker talks transgender athletes competing in gender specific competitions. B3

Feature

For those who have their ring by spring, the Virginia Bridal Show is ready to help.

B7

Content Opinion

A1 A1

Sports Feature

B1 B6

content

A2 | March 5, 2019 | Liberty Champion

LEADing the way to success Fellowship program offers unique learning opportunities for students seminars like this one, all the students who participate are expected to engage in conversation and learn from each other.

All students are welcome to apply for the LEAD Fellowship, and if accepted, will receive a scholarship. Along with the monthly seminars, students in the program partake in community service, mentoring, cultural experiences and family development.

Li is participating in the LEAD Fellowship for a second semester and said he joined the fellowship not only for the scholarship, but also to interact with other students from the program.

Kyle Throp, a LEAD Fellowship supervisor, started the seminar by having the students break into groups and answer questions. These questions focused on how different cultures influence career paths

and work ethics. Later in the discussion, “From a biblical perspective, you have to Throp asked the students how they could take what you do not only here in college honor God with their work or school. but out in the real world,” Li said. “You After a time of dialogue between students, won’t always be around Christian people Students involved in the Leadership Throp transitioned into how they could ap- outside Liberty, and you have to be prepared Excellence and Academic Development proach evangelism in (LEAD) Fellowship discussed career, cultheir future workplace. ture and work ethic during a monthly semiThrop said integrating nar hosted by the Office of Equity and InSuccess in business and ministry faith and work together clusion, March 2, in the Hancock Welcome should be a priority.

Center. usually occur when we display godly “If it’s Christian, it “You get to meet other students who should be better, and we character in our work. Christians might have similar cultures and interests,” shouldn’t ever be satisDavid Li, a freshman at Liberty, said. should expect to be recognized for fied with a mediocre “There are several activities you can be injob,” Throp said. volved with and talk with others about your doing a good job at something because Throp followed up interest and ideas.” this statement with a The LEAD Fellowship offers students the we have this dedication. rhetorical question to chance to succeed through experimental the crowd, asking if they learning opportunities. Through monthly - Kyle Throp wou ld be comfor table for that.” bringing a mediocre result to After Throp finished his presentation, he their heavenly father. handed the podium over to Mark Hager, the “Success in business and assistant director of employer relations for ministry usually occur when the Career Center. we display godly character Hager discussed career opportunities and in our work,” Throp said. career strategies, highlighting the services “Christians should expect the Career Center offers to students. Hager to be recognized for doing a good job at some- also spent time focusing on the importance thing because we have this of a good resume, cover letter, application and follow-up emails. dedication.”

Throughout Hager’s presentation, LEAD One way students in the Fellowship students had the chance to ask LEAD Fellowship have a chance to practice displaying questions and learn more about the Career godly character in their work Center.

Students interested in learning more is through their scheduled community service activities information about the LEAD Fellowship program can email sdefillo@ throughout the semester.

For Li, he said it is impor- liberty.edu. tant to be prepared to step Dillon Brown | Liberty Champion out from Liberty, taking what CONVERSATION — Students who attend the monthly LEAD Fellowship seminars are expected to engage in conversation he has learned into his future to learn from each other. career path.

TROUTMAN is a content reporter.

Hattie Troutman hatroutman@liberty.edu

CAMPUS CALENDAR 03/06 - Coffeehouse Tryouts

5 p.m. | LaHaye Event Space 03/17 - Lynchburg Greater Virginia Bridal Show

1 p.m. | The LaHaye Multi-Purpose Center 03/19 - Open Mic

7 p.m. | Argo Tea Cafe 03/20 - Sodexo Produce Stand

9 a.m. | Montview Student Union Tabling - Argo Tea 03/22 - Josh Garrels feat. Nicole Miller and Naoto Barrett

7:30 p.m. | School of Music Concert Hall 03/23 - Navy Sea Chanters

7:30 p.m. | School of Music Green Room - 021

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Liberty Champion | March 5, 2019 | A3

Fighting the stigma National Eating Disorder Awareness Week prompts awareness on campus Madison Hirneisen mghirneisen@liberty.edu

At some point in their lives, 20 million women and 10 million men in America will struggle with an eating disorder, according to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).

Dr. Keith Anderson, the executive director of Student Health and Wellness Initiatives at Liberty University, and his team know that eating disorders are a national epidemic. They worked to provide students with opportunities to learn more about eating disorders during National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, Feb. 25 - March 1.

Anderson hopes that through raising awareness about eating disorders, students will be able to identify their own health needs and learn how to advocate for others who are struggling.

“I want our students to be equipped with the latest and greatest techniques, information and maybe even inspiration through the Word of God to help them build habits today that (will) help them in the future,” Anderson said.

Throughout the week, the Health Center had tabling events in the Montview Student Union where students could pick up flyers and ask questions to Health Center repre-

sentatives. Television screens in the Montview Student Union and in the surrounding dining areas showed positive messages relating to Eating Disorder Awareness with sayings promoting positive body image, like “Positive over Negative.”

The Health Center hosted the keynote event of the week, “Challenges to Loving Your Body,” Tuesday, Feb. 26 in the School of Divinity.

The event presented a panel of eight professionals from various departments, including representatives from LU Serve, the Office of Equity and Inclusion, Counseling Services and Fitness Training Services.

Anderson moderated the event, presenting an array of audience-submitted questions to the panel. The panel answered questions regarding the physical effects of eating disorders, how to prompt mindset change about body image and how to help people move into positive change.

Chair of Behavior Health for the College of Osteopathic Medicine Dr. Linda S. Mintle shared her perspective on a number of the questions asked by the audience. With her extensive experience working with eating disorder patients, developing diagnoses and executing treatment, she had information to offer students, regarding not only the mental side of eating disorders, but also the

Atang Agwe | Liberty Champion

ANSWERS — Health Center representatives were on hand at the Montview Student Union to answer ques-

tions from students about how to live a healthy life.

physiological effects.

“One of the reasons it feels so devastating to the person is (they’re) having a lot of physical problems along with everything else that’s going on,” Mintle said. “You have hair loss and brittleness, your skin changes — there (are) a lot of different (symptoms).”

Panel participant Quan McLaurin, the associate director of student engagement for the Office of Equity and Inclusion, shared with audience members the effects of his own struggle with an eating disorder.

McLaurin shared that when he was in high school, he struggled with anorexia. Along with the physical challenges that came with his diagnosis, McLaurin shared his struggle of being a man with an eating disorder.

“It’s hard to explain at times what can go through your mind when you feel like your image just doesn’t align with what you think it should,” McLaurin said.

Athletic Counselor Neil Binette counsels a number of students in the Liberty Athletics program and shared that eating disorders can affect everyone: males, females and even Division I athletes. Binette further emphasized the stigma men can face when it comes to battling an eating disorder.

“Especially as men, (eating disorders) can be a very isolating thing,” Binette said.

Many of the panelists also touched on the spiritual battle associated with eating disorders and body image issues. Director of LU Shepherd Timothy Griffin reminded audience members about the negative way society can make individuals feel and the importance of looking to God’s Word for guidance.

“Scripture has told us we have been fearfully and wonderfully made,” Griffin said.

“Scripture has told us we are God’s masterpiece. … If we can impart that knowledge, (and) we can impart that message to people that are dealing with anything, I think that helps to begin to fight the battle.”

Within the final questions, panelists shared their thoughts on prompting mindset change and advocating for others. A number of the panelists shared different views on shifting to a body positive mindset, including counselor Emily Budowanec from Lib-

Leah Stauffer | Liberty News Service

SUPPORT — Keith Anderson hopes students

learned during the week how to advocate for others who are struggling with eating disorders.

erty Counseling Services.

“Expectations are usually more from us than they are from God,” Budowanec said.

“Half of the expectations I put on myself are just from me, and they are expectations that God never gave to me. God only asks that I be human.”

To close the discussion, the panelists reminded students of the resources available for those who may be struggling with an eating disorder. Students in need of assistance can visit physicians at the Health Center, submit a referral to the CARE team within the Speak Up initiative and visit counseling services on campus.

In her parting thoughts, which prompted the end of the panel discussion, Mintle shared a final message of hope with the students and encouraged the audience that eating disorders can be overcome.

“It’s really hard to find a new view of yourself, but again, none of this is hopeless,” Mintle said. “There’s always hope; you can always get better. There’s always a way of escape, and that’s what God says.”

HIRNEISEN is a content reporter.

Producing good food Pop-up fruit, vegetable stands give Liberty students a berry good taste of spring Jacqueline Hale jrhale@liberty.edu

Although winter does not officially end until March 20, Sodexo is bringing back the sights, smells and tastes of warmer weather with its pop-up produce stands throughout the semester.

While the Feb. 20 stand was canceled due to snow, there are still two more coming up this semester. On March 20 and April 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the first floor of the Montview Student Union, Sodexo will be selling locally-produced sweet potatoes, apples and nonperishable goods, as well as fresh berries, pears, plums, avocados, peppers, carrots and other produce.

Students can purchase these products using dining dollars and Flames Cash, as well as with cash or card.

This produce is provided by Cavalier Produce, a wholesale company located in Louisa, Virginia, which receives its produce from farmers throughout Virginia.

The stands are part of Sodexo’s

initiative to provide both healthy and unique options and showcase local produce students can purchase using their meal plans.

In speaking of his goals with the produce stands, Duke Davis, aka “Mr. Rot,” said, “I just want to be able to provide something different that students don’t (normally) see.”

This goal has been met and exceeded by the vast amount of produce that has been available for purchase.

Students recognize the uniqueness and the benefit of these stands.

“It is just stuff that you normally would not get,” Jericho Beck, a sophomore who has enjoyed the stands, said.

Other than the produce for sale, one of the main attractions to the stand has been Homestead Creamery. Because of their free samples of ice cream and milk, and even a cow they brought at the beginning of the school year in 2018, Homestead Creamery draws a lot of attention to the stands.

Davis is excited about the work

Homestead Creamery is doing, hoping to create a partnership with the company in the future to have them on campus full time.

For now, he just enjoys the opportunity to feature them during the produce stands.

The pop-up produce stands, which began in August 2017, started from a conversation Davis had with Cavalier Produce.

“Our produce company could really showcase some of the local produce that they have from people in the area and share that story with the students,” Davis said.

From there, Rachel Sanders, the district dietitian with Sodexo, took over and has been leading the initiative ever since.

There have now been four or five different stands each semester, and all have been successful.

“No other time can (students) purchase a whole squash or a whole container of berries to enjoy in their dorm, so that experience is exciting,” Sanders said.

Sanders hopes that, though other dining locations provide a variety of tasty options for stu-

Photo Provided

EATING — Honey, jam and candy are some of the items available for purchase. dents, the produce stands give students access to nutritious foods on campus, allowing them to live a healthier lifestyle.

Beck has appreciated this nutritious addition on campus.

“It gives me the opportunity to be more healthy,” Beck said, as she was able to buy products such as peaches and cucumbers to share with her roommates.

During the two-hour event, Sanders is present the whole time, talking with students and sharing information with them about liv-

ing a nutritional lifestyle. At one stand, she was able to share with students how they can cook squash in a microwave.

“It is exciting to have an opportunity to engage (with students) … for that short period of time throughout the semester which is the whole concept of a pop-up,” Sanders said.

Information about Sodexo’s other initiatives can be found at liberty.sodexomyway.com.

HALE is a content reporter.

Photos Provided

FOOD — Students have the opportunity to purchase fresh produce from farmers around Virginia. Items include fruits, vegetables and canned jams. Everything is available for purchase with Flames Cash, dining dollars, cash or credit card.

OPINION

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March 5, 2019

American enemy ISIS bride forfeited her American citizenship Kelly Sobnosky ksobnosky1@liberty.edu

The debate of citizenship of a former ISIS bride and member, Hoda Muthana, continues as she is barred from returning to America, and for good reason.

Muthana, 24, is the daughter of a former Yemeni diplomat. She was born in the United States and lived her entire life in the U.S. According to Vox, Muthana, then 20 years old, withdrew from the University of Alabama-Birmingham in 2014 and used a U.S. issued passport to fly to Syria and join ISIS. According to the Counter Extremist Project, Muthana sent out a tweet March 19, 2015, about Americans stating, “Go on drive-bys and spill all of their blood, or rent a big truck and drive all over them.”

Now, Muthana wants to come back to the United States with her 18-month-old son.

Muthana said she is ready to face the consequences of her actions and has expressed remorse for leaving Alabama. President Trump tweeted “I have instructed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and he fully agrees, not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the Country!”

The government claims that she is, and never was, an American citizen.

Muthana’s father was a Yemeni diplomat around the time of Muthana’s birth. As diplomats are generally exempt from the laws of the nation they serve in, the children they have while in that nation are considered citizens of the country their diplomatic parents serve.

The question of Muthana’s birthright citizenship stems from whether her father was a diplomat at the time of her birth.

Muthana was born Oct. 28, 1994, in Hackensack, New Jersey. Due to the Yemeni civil war, her father’s status as a diplomat was terminated. According to the Atlantic, his position was terminated on Sept. 1, 1994, over a month before Muthana’s birth. However, the Atlantic also noted that according to the government, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations was not notified of his termination until Feb. 6, 1995, which was more than three months af-

LIFE WITH

LOGAN Logan Smith lcsmith1@liberty.edu

Google Images

PASSPORT BURNING — Hoda Muthana’s citizenship is in question in part because she allegedly burned her passport in 2016 and has no valid American ID, according to Vox.

ter her birth.

While Muthana was previously granted passports according to the New York Post, she burned her passport when she joined ISIS, an act which shows she was fully renouncing the United States and waging war on the freedom we hold so dear. Give Muthana’s history with an extremely dangerous terrorist organization like ISIS, it is highly unlikely she will ever be considered for a Green Card.

“Ms. Hoda Muthana is not a U.S. citizen and will not be admitted into the United States. She does not have any legal basis, no valid U.S. passport, no right to a passport, nor any visa to travel to the United States,” Mike Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State said.

In spite of the evidence presented and the Trump administration’s wish to bar Muthana from the country, BBC reported that Muthana’s father filed a lawsuit for “unlawful attempt” to revoke Muthana’s citizenship. If this lawsuit makes it into the judicial system, it has the potential to set a powerful precendent for any other former American ISIS members looking to re-enter the U.S. Even if Muthana was a natural-born American citizen, according the law, she gave up her right to citizenship when she pledged allegiance to a foreign state. A state that is constantly waging war on the ideas of the “west”

and the rights of their own citizens to live a free and prosperous life. Muthana gave up her chance for “The American Dream” when she renounced everything we as United States citizens fight for every day.

The U.S. cannot allow every sympathetic ISIS fighter back into the country. Yes, she showed remorse for leaving, but it remains to be seen if she has shown remorse for the heinous acts committed by ISIS or any remorse toward the thousands of lives ISIS has taken as a result of their war on the west.

Muthana made a decision when she was 20, a legal adult. That decision was to turn her back on the United States and the freedom we are afforded every day of our lives. If she turned her back on the U.S., then we have the right to turn our back on her.

Muthana left the country to fight directly for the enemy of the United States of America. Treason is not taken lightly in this country, and Muthana must pay the price. The American Dream is earned, and never given. The only right she has now is the right to live with the consequences of her treason.

SOBNOSKY is an opinion writer.

Late-term abortion Christians must fight against New York abortion law Samuel Brandt sbrandt3@liberty.edu

A new bill before Congress has the power to save lives. The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, known as Bill S. 311, was introduced by Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb). The bill states, “If an abortion results in the live birth of an infant, the infant is a legal person for all purposes under the laws of the United States and entitled to all the protections of such laws.” It is important that we strive to protect precious human lives that are at stake.

Many Americans would

say the leading cause of death is heart disease. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) heart disease accounts for 635,260 deaths yearly. Abortion is the leading cause of death — there are over a million abortions annually. In other words, there is one abortion every 30 seconds.

Planned Parenthood teaches patients the baby will feel no harm during an abortion because the child is in the mother’s womb.

This is false. After no later than 20 weeks, gestation, pain receptors are present and functioning. Once the

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PRO-LIFE — Nation wide pro-life demonstrations occurred Feb. 9 in response to New York’s late-term abortion legislation.

baby is born, has a beating heart and is breathing on its own, there is no reason to believe the baby will not feel pain. Dr. Colleen Malloy, a board-certified neonatologist, has witnessed babies kicking and moving quickly in response to sharp objects during 4D ultrasounds.

Shortly after New York made late-term abortions legal, a crime was committed in which a five-month pregnant woman was stabbed in her stomach and murdered by her boyfriend, according to the New York Post. Unfortunately, since late-term abortions were legalized Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019 by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, the man only faces murder charges against the mother, since abortion has been removed from criminal statutes.

America has an abortion epidemic that runs under the radar, and now even extends to infanticide in some states. You will never hear abortion as the leading cause of death. Some women say it is their body and their choice to end their pregnancy, and it gives them a sense of empowerment.

The reality is half of babies aborted are females, so it does not empower women,

it kills them. A baby in the womb, with its own body, and unique DNA, is not just an extension of the mother, but its own living being.

Women who consider abortions are unaware to some of the consequences that may follow. According to the Abortion Risks Organization, women that have an abortion are 3.4 times more likely to commit suicide compared to women who had not been pregnant the previous year. About 45 percent of women who have an abortion have reported suicidal feelings after their procedure. This organization recorded that there is a 110 percent increase for alcohol abuse in women postabortion.

Speak up, rise up and act.

Write to your senator or local state delegates and tell them that late-term abortions must be illegal. Once a baby is born, that baby must be given the full legal protection of a human, and no live birth abortion should be allowed. Join me in holding our nation accountable for its actions.

BRANDT is a guest contributor.

Our companionships often determine our personalities.

When I interact with negative people, I usually replicate their disposition. Likewise, I’m much more optimistic when I socialize with positive people.

That’s why whenever my family shopped at Walmart on Old Forrest Road in Lynchburg, Virginia, we always kept our eyes out for Gil Puzon, a dedicated cashier who embodied positivity better than most, happily GIL PUZON greeting Walmart shoppers as he scanned items and organized them in plastic bags. Whether he smiled, sang or simply engaged in light conversation, Gil’s positive attitude cultivated contentment and joy.

Even when the shopping lines exceeded their typical length, we always made an effort to check out at Gil’s station.

To me, he was just “the happy Walmart cashier,” but I didn’t realize his impact until he unexpectedly passed away March 1 at age 81 in his home.

Facebook exploded with remorse, and Walmart even displayed a decorative table to honor his steadfast service and signature kindness.

I never knew him well because our interactions were brief, lasting no longer than a few moments as he scanned groceries. But I always left the building feeling better, if only a little.

According to the News & Advance obituary, Gil previously worked as an engineer for NASA and other companies before enjoying the last 18 years of his retirement humbly working as a Walmart cashier. His constant glee reached more people than he realized, and he taught Lynchburg shoppers that even the smallest gestures can drastically transform someone’s disappointing day.

We interact with hundreds of people every week, and each person has a different background. Some carry heavier predicaments than others, so always treat people with kindness and respect. You don’t have to sing like Gil, but sometimes a smile is all you need to boost someone’s mood.

As I write this column, I also preach to myself. I’m far from perfect. My friends and family can testify to my shortcomings. I’m a sinner, saved by the grace of God. Every person you interact with matters.

The most important thing to remember is this: your attitude will directly affect your social sphere — either positively or negatively.

It’s your choice.

This doesn’t mean crying, criticizing or expressing disappointment is off limits.

Sometimes, we need to voice our concerns and release our frustration, but that’s different than living a lifestyle of negativity and grumbling.

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Throughout my life, I’ve been blessed with positive influences. My dad is always a source of encouragement, and Emma Smith, our Asection copy editor, helps keep my head on straight. Our previous Champion graduate assistant, Nate Haywood, frequently rejuvenated my perception on work.

The list of friends, family, coaches, teachers, teammates and coworkers trails forever, and I could never thank them enough.

The more I interact with positive people, the more enthusiastic I become. And as a result, more people are reached. Every day, I work to become a better me — you should do the same.

Be like Gil.

SMITH is the manager of content.

opinion

Liberty Champion | March 5, 2019 | A5

Healing in the church The pope and other Catholic leaders must aid and help victims of abuse Macy Hrncir mhrncir@liberty.edu

In the past seven decades, more than 3,600 children, most under the age of 13, were sexually abused

by Catholic clergy members, according to a study commissioned by the Roman Catholic Church Bishop’s conference.

In June of 2017, Cardinal George Pell was convicted of abusing two choir boys in 1996. Pell was the highest-ranking Catholic in Australia and was previously Vatican treasurer. He was seen by many as the church’s third most powerful official.

Ten days prior to the conviction, Theodore McCarrick, a former cardinal in the U.S., was defrocked after abuse claims. Cardinal McCarrick was the most modern senior Catholic figure to be dismissed from priesthood.

There have been multiple claims of cover-ups inside the Catholic Church in the past few years, and many say the Vatican has not done nearly enough to fix this tragic situation. The pope has stuck behind a policy of divine justice and hopes for changes of hearts — a policy that does not seem to be very effective in clearing the scandal and abuse coming from inside the Catholic Church.

The problem of abuse inside the church has become so notorious, Pope Francis addressed the church during his traditional Christmas address. In this address, Pope Francis called on the clerics who had been involved in abuse to turn themselves in to the respective authorities.

“To those who abuse minors, I

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JOHN PAUL II — Pope John Paul II served as pope from 1978-2005, when the church was plagued with priests violating young boys and girls. The pope never publicly acknowledged the abuse.

would say this: Convert and hand yourself over to human justice, and prepare for divine justice,” Francis said. He denounced the clerics and later added: “They perform abominable acts yet continue to exercise their ministry as if nothing had happened. They have no fear of God or his judgment, but only of being found out and unmasked.”

Even though the pope did address the issues within the Catholic Church, there seems to be little evidence of any concrete action being taken to solve the problem.

If the moral compasses of these priests have already become so perverted that they commit acts of abuse, there is no reason to be-

lieve they will simply turn from their sin and step down from their positions after a few stern words from the pope.

Anne Barrett Doyle, a co-director of BishopAccountability. org, a website that tracks clergy sex abuse cases, said she fears the pope is indulging in make-believe and misdirection, when what is really needed is visionary leadership and radical change.

“In commanding child molesters to turn themselves in, Francis is pretending,” Doyle said. “He’s pretending that sick men can suddenly see the light. He’s pretending we don’t remember it was the Vatican that has blocked the few

efforts by bishops’ conferences to mandate reporting to law enforcement. He’s pretending the problem lies with perpetrator priests and some ignorant bishops of the past rather than with ongoing secrecy modeled by the Vatican itself.”

When it comes to moral judgements involving the inherent Christian principles, some may cite passages calling for Christians to love their neighbors and forgive their transgressors. However, in situations like these, there should not be any leniency. People who commit acts of abuse are breaking the law, plain and simple. And not only the law of the land, but God’s ultimate law.

The people responsible for the rampant abuse typically occupy leadership positions in the church, which is unacceptable and repulsive. Leaders in the church should be morally and ethically upstanding teachers of God’s word and principles.

The pope himself said the source of these abusive acts came from the clerics’ notions that they were superior to their parishioners, when in reality they are called to be nothing but servants. These abusers damage the credibility of the Catholic Church and put a stain on Christianity’s reputation as a whole. No one who commits these types of acts should be allowed any position in God’s house.

Instead of waiting for changes of hearts, the Catholic Church should dedicate more of its resources to investigating claims of abuse and weeding out the corruption inside the church. This is not the time for passive stances. It is time for concrete action.

HRNCIR is an opinion writer .

Note from the Editor: In 2002, the Boston Globe first began reporting on the sexual abuse of minors in the Catholic Church, resulting in thousands of victims coming forward to accuse hundreds of priests nationwide. But this plague is not restricted to Catholicism alone.

As the Houston Chronicle began reporting in February 2019, 380 leaders and volunteers in Southern Baptist churches have been accused of sexual misconduct. More than 700 victims, many of whom were minors at the time, have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse and assault.

While Christianity cannot claim perfection or immunity from sin, this systemic, horrific violation of church members deserves a zerotolerance policy from denominational and pastoral leaders. Some victims in the Chronicle report were 3-years-old when they were molested, and some registered sex offenders actually returned to the pulpit after allegations were brought against them. Time and time again, churches, leaders and even former presidents of the SBC failed to report these abuses to law enforcement and completely mishandled the complaints.

Only when awareness is given to the systemic culture of abuse within both Catholic and Protestant churches, and when Christians have the strength and courage to stand up to these abusers, will the church begin to see the change it so desperately needs.

-Chad Wylie, Opinion Editor.

International election Benjamin Netanyahu is a strong American ally, but he may not be reelected

Mary Obringer mgobringer@liberty.edu

Israel is America’s strongest ally in the Middle East.

However, will the relationship between the two countries stand the test of this year’s election for Israeli Prime Minister? President Donald Trump strongly hopes that incumbent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will win the election against the coali-

tion of Benjamin Gantz and Yair Lapid. Anyone else who wants to see peace in the Middle East should hope for Netanyahu to win as well.

For years, Trump has supported Netanyahu. The two have had a friendly relationship ever since Trump took office, according to Fox News. Both leaders have expressed their high regard for each other. In fact, Netanyahu is using signs with pictures of him and Trump

together as part of his reelection campaign. Fox News also mentions Netanyahu has defended Trump’s comments and actions on multiple occasions.

Israeli Deputy Minister and former ambassador Michael Oren said that the Trump administration has been the most Israelifriendly administration since 1948, Fox News reports. The people of Israel consider Trump an ally, and

Google Images

PRIME MINISTER — Benjamin Netanyahu has developed a strong diplomatic relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, but an indictment on several corruption charges from the attorney general of Israel has thrown Netanyahu’s reelection campaign into doubt.

he has shown support for the nation by moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.

Friendly relations between the two countries are especially critical now. A mutual respect would give Trump’s peace plan for the Middle East a higher chance of success. The United States is Israel’s strongest ally. If the relationship between the two countries becomes strained, it could jeopardize diplomacy with other countries as well.

If the Gantz-Lapid alliance succeeds in winning the election, this could throw a wrench in the peace plan. The Guardian said Gantz has been vague about his views of running the country and has pushed the message of being both a dove and a hawk on the issue of security. According to The JewishPress.com, Gantz and Lapid’s joint party includes both freemarket capitalists and labor unionists, and both leaders seem to have combined their platform to attract more voters. Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper, argues that the only reason they have joined forces is to oust Netanyahu.

Because Gantz and Lapid intend to split the power of the position if elected, this could lead to additional problems in many negotiations. The New York Times reports that if the joint ticket wins, Gantz will be prime minister for two and a half years while Lapid holds the foreign minister position, then they will switch jobs. Negotiations are difficult enough without leaders playing hot-potato with the prime minister position.

Would the two lead Israel in a similar direction?

The biggest potential concern if Netanyahu wins the election is that he may not stay in office for a full term due to the corruption charges filed against him.

The charges Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit is expected to bring against Netanyahu include bribery and breach of trust for accepting gifts in return for favors, according to the Times of Israel. Netanyahu has denied the charges.

The pending decision regarding the corruption charges brought against Netanyahu could throw a curve ball into the peace plan.

However, the corruption charges could take a long time to sort out, and there is no guarantee that the charges will be strong enough to remove Netanyahu from office. Even if the charges go through, the process of removing Netanyahu from office would take a while. In the meantime, Netanyahu and Trump can begin negotiating the peace plan.

Trump’s ideal results would be for Netanyahu to win the Israeli election and avoid being indicted on corruption charges. This would enable Trump to negotiate with the leader he has known and respected for years and who has shown respect and support for him.

With the chaos and hostility that has characterized relations surrounding the Middle East, friendship and mutual respect could go a long way toward finding peaceful solutions. In the pursuit of peace, the importance of respect among these countries’ leaders cannot be overstated.

OBRINGER is an opinion writer.

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content

A6 | March 5, 2019 | Liberty Champion

Let your voice be heard

National Survey of Student Engagement benefits Liberty, other colleges Rachel Van Tuyl rvantuyl@liberty.edu

Liberty University seniors and first-year students have a chance to win one of 70 prizes by completing the National Survey of Student Engagement, which helps Liberty continue to improve its programs.

The survey is open to first-year students and seniors earning a bachelor’s degree.

Students who complete the survey by March 11 will be entered in a prize drawing, which includes iPads, Walmart gift cards, Liberty T-shirts and Liberty hoodies. The drawing is subject to the official rules, available on the Office of Institutional Effectiveness’s website.

Elicia Charlesworth, director of analytics for Liberty’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE), said the survey will help them understand how students’ activities

affect successful outcomes, such as GPA, graduation and retention rate. “(The survey) gives us an idea of how students are spending their time in those activities that contribute to success,” Charlesworth said.

Liberty participates in the NSSE once every three years; OIE administers both Liberty and national surveys other years. These surveys include the Student Satisfaction Inventory, the Priorities Survey for Online Learners, Assessment Day surveys and others. Charlesworth said they try to space out these surveys, so students do not become overwhelmed.

“We understand that a student’s time is valuable and is under great demand by several different competing areas,” Charlesworth said.

The survey is also used to compare how well Liberty is doing compared to other

Light it up, up, up

schools, and they choose those schools based on the type of report they are getting.

Charlesworth said around 400 to 500 schools usually participate in the NSSE each year, and the results can help Liberty see where they need to improve. These changes may address areas inside the classroom, such as academic departments and students’ interaction with faculty, or outside the classroom.

While many people are wary of surveys because of privacy concerns, Charlesworth explained the OIE does not look at individual responses.

“We’re not looking at what Jane Smith is (doing),” Charlesworth said.

“We’re looking at the grouping of students.”

Additionally, students have the option of selecting “prefer not to answer” on some questions.

Because of the threeyear cycle, many students will not take the NSSE. This year, the OIE sent the survey to more than 24,000 eligible Liberty students. In past years, the OIE has gotten about a Logo Provided 25 to 50 percent response

rate. Charlesworth hopes students will participate in the survey to help Liberty become better.

“If there’s an area where we find issues, we share it with the departments who would be part of it and say, ‘Okay, what can we do to fix

AWARDED continued from A1

professors who have helped her every step of the way and encouraged her do what she is passionate about.

“Dr. Mott (Associate Professor, School of Communication & Digital Media) told me, ‘If you’re not passionate about your work, your work is not going to be good,’” Voggenreiter said. “That’s why I decided to

“

If there's an area where we find issues, we share it with the people who would be part of it and say, "Okay, what can we do to fix this?"

January accident raises safety concerns On the evening of Jan. 20, two female students walked through a poorly-lit crosswalk on Liberty University’s campus, which crosses the U.S. Route 460 on-ramp.

They were hit by a vehicle turning onto the ramp, resulting in both students being hospitalized for treatment of minor injuries.

Due to increasing foot traffic by students, crosswalk safety is a concern for both pedestrians and drivers.

Dan Deter, vice president of major construction for Liberty University, said they are constantly reevaluating safety issues on campus when they get reports of dark areas.

“It’s not uncommon for us to get a building done and then a month down the road, we get a call from housing or LUPD or one of the other monitoring agencies and they say, ‘There is a dark area over here,’ and we will take care of that,” Deter said.

Because many of Liberty’s roads are privatized, some of the city of Lynchburg’s regulations on street light installation does not apply when the Planning and Construction Department builds new roads and installs street lights around campus.

“We try to look at it from a campus safety and security stand point, (whereas) the city doesn’t have that

Liberty on-campus student Matt Sammons said he can recall a couple times where he has been close to hitting someone due to the lack of light on some campus roads.

“The lack of lighting definitely needs to be addressed for the safety of us,” Sammons said. “I don’t want to get hit.”

Sammons said crosswalk areas around the Commons residential halls and the Circle are places where underlit crosswalks can be dangerous for the students walking and driving.

Another student, Hannah Gwaltney, said areas around Commons II, the Circle and the East Campus Tunnel are areas that need to be addressed for their safety.

“When crossing from the East tunnel to Commons I, (it) can be dangerous because that is a huge spot were people will come down that hill and just speed up (going down) the hill. That is definitely difficult to cross,” Gwaltney said.

Students who are concerned about vehicular safety on-campus should contact LUPD or someone from The Office of Residence Life, like an Resident Assistant or Resident Director. same protocol,” Deter said.

“They are looking more for vehicular safety (whereas) we are looking for more pedestrian safety.”

In reference to the recent accident at the 460 on-ramp, Deter said they will look at lights or vehicle slow-down methods, but the pedestrians have to take priorities over the vehicles. “(President Jerry Falwell) would fully support if I were to go down to him and ask for ‘x’ amount of money for street lights. He would sign off on it,” Deter said.

Despite work being done to prevent dark, unsafe

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion

CROSSING — The crosswalk near Commons II has been a cause for safety concerns, especially at night.

spots around campus, lowlit areas still exist. According to Deter, some of the detriments of having built so much on campus over the last eight years are the areas in between new buildings that might fall through the cracks.

“LUPD is a good source, and I have four to five people on my own staff that one of their directives is to let me know if there are areas that are dark,” Deter said.

“I want to know if there are areas that are unsafe for students.”

During the fall 2018 semester, Deter was contacted by the office of Residence Life, requesting that dark areas around Dorm 17 on the Hill would be evaluated and fixed. After assessing the issue, Deter and his team provided more lighting and safety to the area.

“We are always looking for feedback if there are areas that we don’t see that the student body sees,” Deter said.

TROUTMAN is a content reporter.

this?’” Charlesworth said. “And that’s really (for) a lot of surveys we do, that’s one of the main goals is how we can be better.”

More information about the NSSE can be found at nsse.indiana.edu/html/ about.cfm/.

The OIE will also be assisting both academic and non-academic departments on Assessment Day April 3, 2019, where students will have the opportunity to participate in their program assessments in the morning and non-academic surveys and focus groups in the afternoon. Participants in the non-academic assessments will be entered in prize drawings.

VAN TUYL is the assistant content editor.

“

Students speak about on-campus safety

Hattie Troutman hatroutman@liberty.edu

— Elicia Charlesworth

If something is really impactful to you, don’t be afraid to put your stuff out there because there may be someone who needs to hear it.

— Abigail Voggenreiter

Leah Stauffer | Liberty News Service

ENCOUNTER — Dr. Chris Underation’s

production, “The Encounter,” won a Best of competition Award.

record this poem I wrote.”

Now, Voggenreiter wants to share her newfound passion with students who, like her, are timid about sharing their work.

“If something is really impactful to you, don’t be afraid to put your stuff out there because there may be someone who needs to hear it,” Voggenreiter said.

In total, Liberty took home nine BEA awards this year. For the complete list of Liberty winners and their projects, visit the School of Communication and Digital Content’s Instagram page @libertyscdc.

Gerstner, along with School of Visual & Performing Arts Associate Professor Chris Nelson and School of Communication & Digital Content Associate Professor Dr. Chris Underation and episode author and scriptwriting student Philip Sitterding received for their work on the Liberty Radio Drama “The Encounter,” a Best of Festival award, the highest award available.

“For people who do what we do, this is the EVANS is a content reporter. pinnacle,” Underation said. “There is no higher award. There is no greater honor.”

“The Encounter” also won a Best of Competition Award for the third straight year in a row.

“I’ve done a lot of really awesome projects that have taken me to really awesome places, … but I’ve not loved any as much as I’ve loved (“The Encounter”),” Underation said. “It’s just really good.”

For Voggenreiter, her piece was deeply personal.

“The piece I had written was about a lot of rejection I had in my life,” Voggenreiter said. “I think that was the Lord using that bad for good. God has closed doors, and now he’s opening them. … It’s wild.”

The recent success of Voggenreiter’s poem and her newfound confidence have given her multiple opportunities for freelance work, including a spoken word piece she is writing for a women’s conference in Los Angeles.

“It really validated my work,” Voggenreiter said. “Actually, being recognized for my work was a huge confidence booster for Leah Stauffer | Liberty News Service me. It’s definitely spurred me on to do more PROF — Kornel Gerstner submitted Voggenrethings.”

Voggenreiter said she is grateful to her iter’s work to BEA.

content

Liberty Champion | March 5, 2019 | A7

SGA parties for a purpose A Night to Remember gala raises money to fight human trafficking

Emily Wood ewood13@liberty.edu

Student Government Organization’s (SGA) A Night to Remember gala Monday, Feb. 25, raised over $1,600 for the ReMade Campaign, a local nonprofit that raises awareness of human trafficking and offers resources for victims of sexual exploitation.

The gala not only provided Liberty students an exciting evening at the Snowflex Lodge, but it also offered a way to contribute to a worthy cause in the Lynchburg community.

The End It Movement’s worship night Feb. 7 at Thomas Road Baptist Church (TRBC) influenced Student Body President Jake Page’s decision to do more than bring awareness to human trafficking for just a day. Hearing of the ReMade Campaign sparked his passion to contribute to the movement in a more significant way.

“Having awareness (of human trafficking), like we had at the worship night is great,” student body Vice-president Derek Rockey said. “But (the ReMade Campaign) is an even greater impact we can make.”

SGA decided to take the End It Movement’s goal to end human trafficking to the next level by donating 100 percent of the gala’s ticket revenue to the ReMade Campaign. “(The ReMade Campaign) is a way we can pour back into our Lynchburg community by fighting sex trafficking and prostitution right here in our backyard,” Page said.

Hosting events like the gala allows SGA the opportunity to better the community while enhancing the Liberty college experience. They raised over $1,500 for Habitat for Humanity through the Winter Gala last

Chad Kubis | Student Government Association

MONEY — The A Night To Remember gala raised over $1,600 for a local nonprofit­­­­—ReMade Campaign. semester.

“We want to leave Liberty, Lynchburg and our nation better off,” Rockey said.

Central-Virginia resident Veronica Bullock began the ReMade Campaign after her heart broke for victims of sex trafficking during a mission trip to Nicaragua in 2011.

After seeing young women in brothels, Bullock resolved to fight this injustice.

Bullock’s desire to advocate for victims of human trafficking manifested itself through beginning the ReMade Campaign in 2015.

“What makes me so passionate and connected to it is that we have so many women and kids enslaved to this abuse and trauma and shame, that I want to give them the opportunity to meet Jesus and have the restoration that I’ve had,” Bullock said.

The ReMade Campaign exists for others to relearn the truth about trafficking, to reconcile harmony, to redeem those in

captivity, and to allow others to be remade into something new. The campaign also tries to educate people of the realities of human trafficking, so they will understand its prevalence in the 21st century.

“Trafficking is the legal term that they give to the criminal activity of exploitation,” Bullock said. “The exploited people are left in trauma.”

SGA’s donation from the gala will go towards purchasing a safe house in the Lynch-

Chad Kubis | Student Government Association

SIGNING — Attendees had the opportunity to sign a banner for the ReMade Campaign at the gala.

VISIT continued from A1 In 2017, the city of Lynchburg’s Tourism and Economic Development offices merged. Bentson explained this merger, which involved staffing reorganization and help from Lynchburg Public Works, allowed for an opportunity to give the Visitors Center an “interior facelift.”

“It’s really important that when people visit a community, they have a great experience and it’s welcoming and … memorable. … (so) when they go back home, (they’ll) tell their friends they’ve been to Lynchburg, and it’s just a great place to go visit for a weekend. That’s invaluable word of mouth,” Ashley Kershner, director of the Downtown Lynchburg Association, said. “So, if the Visitors Center can help them have a better experience of Lynchburg, it’s a really important marketing tool for (the city).”

Not only will the refreshed center serve as a marketing tool for

the city, but it will also be a place for local artisans to showcase their work.

“Part of our mission in (the Department of Economic Development and Tourism) is to showcase small businesses, makers and people who are making interesting things in the city,” Bentson said.

“One of our ideas is to make (the Visitors Center) a pop-up space … people could use it for a month or three months to showcase their products.”

With the diversity in opportunities offered by the new space, Bentson hopes the Visitors Center will drive both local traffic and tourism to downtown.

“I think the purpose of (the Visitors Center) is to provide a welcoming space that really showcases the Lynchburg experience,” Bentson said. “It’s a place where people can come, both people who have lived here for many years and those who are visiting or are new to the city, to come and get a taste of who Lynchburg really is, and then we’ll send them out to explore the

Emma Smith | Liberty Champion TEMPORARY HOME — One idea for the renovated space is to make the Visitors Center a pop-up space where businesses could show their products.

burg area for victims of sex trafficking to live while they recover from this trauma.

Bullock will soon leave her full-time job to solely pursue the ReMade Campaign. The overwhelming community support in the past few months makes her work possible.

“I am blown away from the response of SGA and (TRBC’s) Ascent College Ministry,” Bullock said.

Almost 50 Liberty students have already come beside Bullock to volunteer for the campaign after she spoke at the End It Movement’s worship night at TRBC. For more ways to contribute to the ReMade Campaign and continue the fight against human trafficking, visit www.theremadecampaign.org.

“We should not just stop here,” Rockey said. “This is just another stop towards the destination with the ReMade Campaign, to not just (raise money), but to hopefully get out into the community with them. They need more than just the money and just a house. They need boots on the ground.”

WOOD is a content reporter.

Chad Kubis | Student Government Association

GALA — Students spent a fun night at the Snowflex Lodge.

Emma Smith | Liberty Champion

COMING SOON — On the corner of 12th and Church Streets, the Lynchburg Visitors Center will reopen in April. rest of the city from there.”

Another major hub of Lynchburg is the Lynchburg Community Market, which Bentson described as a “good entry point for a lot of college students.” The Visitors Center is virtually on top of the Community Market; however, when standing at the market, only the back of the Visitors Center is visible. Bentson said the department hopes to integrate the Visitors Center with the amphitheater on the market’s grounds in the future to create “synergy” between the two spaces. “(12th and Main Streets) are the corner people start their journey on during a weekend downtown,” Kershner said. “I think having a more cohesive experience would obviously be a benefit to the tourism industry. A lot of people who go to the Community Market don’t know the Visitors Center is up there on the corner.”

SMITH is a copy editor

Emma Smith | Liberty Champion

VISIT US — Judi Harvey, pictured above, provides travel assistance to Lynchburg visitors.

content

A8 | March 5, 2019 | Liberty Champion

Allison Heise| Liberty Champion

STORIES UNTOLD — Multiple veterans attended the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) March 1. Following the event, many veterans posed for a photo with actor Gary Sinise.

CPAC honors Veterans Liberty University brings in veterans and political speakers for conference Logan Smith lcsmith@liberty.edu

Actor Gary Sinise, who played Lieutenant Dan in “Forrest Gump,” fought back tears as he expressed his gratitude for veterans and active military during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) March 1 in the Vines Center at Liberty University.

“God bless our service members,” Sinise said after a long pause. “We could never do enough for the men and women (in our military).”

Sinise is the founder of the Gary Sinise Foundation, an organization that serves veterans, first responders and their families, according to its website.

Although political in nature, CPAC at Liberty dedicated the second of two segments to veterans and active military. Steve Chealander, retired colonel and former Military Aide to Ronald Regan, and Sergeant Edgar Harrell, one of the last survivors of the USS Indianapolis, made appearances prior to Sinise.

“I have read some books before on the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, so I was generally aware of the story,” Liberty junior James Nyberg said. “However, hearing the perspective of Edgar Harrell … was incredibly insightful and inspirational.”

Harrell, 94, detailed his formidable experience after Japanese torpedoes struck and sank the USS Indianapolis in 1945. Harrell was among the few who survived hunger, dehydration and preying sharks for five days in wide-open sea.

“It was much easier to die than to live,” Harrell said at the podium. “We were desperate.”

More than 800 sailors had survived the Japanese attack, but that number slowly narrowed to 317 when over the next four days, hungry sharks circled and attacked the struggling survivors.

Several sailors suffered salt water poisoning after trying to quench their thirst with ocean water. Many hallucinated and swam away, only to get torn apart by sharks.

“I was so inspired by (Harrell’s) leadership, strength through adversity and beyond anything else, his knowledge of God’s presence that allowed him to go through such an ordeal,” Nyberg said. “I could tell he was a Marine.”

Local veterans were invited to the front of the stage for pictures, following Sinise’s segment. Marine veteran Laron D’Shannon said he was impressed by all the college stu-

dents in attendance who patiently listened to the veterans’ speeches.

“I think they should just be young, (happy) college students, that’s part of why we fought,” D’Shannon said. “At the same time, it’s important not to be dismissive. These are ordinary people who’ve done extraordinary things. It’s hard for a 19-year-old to grasp that.”

To open Liberty’s CPAC, Donald Trump

LT. DAN — Actor Gary Sinise described his gratitude for veterans.

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion

Jr., Political Commentator Charlie Kirk and a special live-stream appearance from Vice President Mike Pence greeted Liberty’s Convocation.

Pence’s speech was live-streamed from Washington D.C., at CPAC’s main venue, where he announced he would be Liberty’s 46th Commencement speaker.

“I thought it was very important that (Pence) echoed what the president said: that America will never be a socialist country,” T. Sutton Roberts, a sophomore government politics and policy student, said. “I’m also excited for him to come to Commencement.”

As its name implies, CPAC was also a conservative political conference. Liberty’s CPAC, however, was divided into two segments: political engagement and honoring veterans and active military. Each segment lasted 3-4 hours.

“I am grateful that Liberty has committed itself to standing for conservative politics and providing opportunities such as this,” Nyberg said. “I thoroughly enjoyed hearing from all of the speakers Liberty brought in.”

Former Press Secretary Sean Spicer, Virginia Representatives Ben Cline and Denver Riggleman, and Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin all made appearances during the first segment.

Musical guest Zachary Radcliff performed his new song “I’ll Stand” twice during the event. Several local veterans saluted in appreciation and respect while the music played.

Attendees also received tickets for door prizes upon entering. Numerous scholarships were given, and a lucky winner took home a new car.

“There are very few places, universities especially, that would even have an event like this, and that’s a shame.” D’Shannon said. “I still am not quite sure what to do when somebody says, ‘Thank you for your service.’ Seeing so many of the young kids coming up to me today was really special.”

SMITH is the manager of content.

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion

APPRECIATION — Local veterans were honored at CPAC.

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion

WINNER — Liberty sophomore Dave Wilhelm received the car.

FIGHTER — Sergeant Edgar Harrell is one of the last survivors of the USS Indianapolis.

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion

MUSIC GUEST — Zachary Radcliff performed his new song, “I’ll Stand.”

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON — Donald Trump Jr. addressed students during Convocation.

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion

CLOSING — Veteran Tim Lee gave a gospel presentation to finish the day-long event.

SPORTS

March 5, 2019

B1

Searing the Huskies

Flames lacrosse continues win streak with 12-7 win over UCONN Huskies

David Eppinger | Liberty Champion

RETURN — The Flames soared past UCONN for the win.

John Nekrasov ydnekrasov@liberty.edu

T

he men’s lacrosse team extended its winning streak against the University of Connecticut March 2, confidently winning 12-7 after blasting in six unanswered goals in a one-sided second quarter.

Coming into the contest, Liberty (4-0) had fallen to the Huskies (1-2) in both their previous meetings, but a promising early start by Connecticut faded as the Flames grew into the game. Outscoring Connecticut 10-3 in the last three quarters, the Flames ultimately left the field as comfortable victors, with midfielders C.J. Nichols and Carter Elliott both scoring hat tricks.

Head Coach Kyle McQuillan believed imposing Liberty’s playing style was key to reversing the Flames losing trend.

“I think both games in the past were situations where we just didn’t play our game,” McQuillan said. “We didn’t play our style.

We didn’t play our brand of lacrosse. So, we didn’t need to reinvent the wheel here —

I think we just needed to come out and play leading 4-2, with the Flames in search of an our game. I think in the past two previous offensive spark. meetings with UConn we just came out flat — That offensive spark came in the form of we didn’t respond when we needed to.” attackman Caleb Britton, who unleashed a When Connecticut went up 3-1 within the rocket into the top corner to cap a fast-paced first eight minutes, counterattack with just history seemed to be over four minutes gone repeating itself. Libin the second quarter.

We feel like we Britton’s goal ignited a erty conceded four penalties throughout 6-0 run for the Flames, have a very lethal with four different playthe first quarter, and Connecticut’s confiscoring for the Flames offense, and if we can ers dence in possession throughout the period. left the Flames often get the ball, we can “Every single game this trying to force poor year, we’ve just had a large shooting opportuniscore some goals. variety of guys on the stats ties. sheet,” McQuillan said.

— C.J. Nichols “For opposing teams tryThough Nichols and attackman Sam ing to take a look and see Gregory each tallied in the first quarter, Lib- who they have to cover, it basically commuerty regularly seemed off the pace throughout nicates that you have to cover us all — there’s the period as Connecticut came roaring out not just one guy that’s going to have sucof the gates, determined to respond to their cess.”

8-7 overtime loss to Virginia Tech Friday Freshman faceoff specialist Cole night. The quarter ended with the Huskies Jankowsky dominated throughout the pe-

“

riod, winning five of his seven faceoffs in a performance that laid a foundation for the Flames to run rampant.

Nichols emphasized Jankowsky’s importance to the team’s success.

“Cole is an animal,” Nichols said. “We feel like we have a very lethal offense, and if we can get the ball, we can score some goals, and Cole’s intensity and quick hands today were impressive.”

Attackman Thomas Poucher-Pinel, Nichols and Britton all tallied, and with 5.7 seconds left in the half, Elliott added his second of the day, slamming a shot beneath the goalie to cement an 8-4 lead going into halftime.

After holding a two-goal lead in the first period, Connecticut trailed by four as they marched back onto the field for the second half, needing an early goal to gain some momentum. Within 51 seconds, midfielder Matt Crowe obliged, pulling one back for the Huskies and cutting Liberty’s lead to three.

See SEARING, B5

Senior slaying

Flames basketball celebrates seniors with win over Kennesaw State Owls Peter Gooch pgooch1@liberty.edu

Jamie Hall | Liberty News Service

FALTER — The Lady Flames struggled to get their offense going for the first two quarters of the game.

Hooting the Owls Women’s basketball defeats Kennesaw St. Benjamin Craft bcraft2@liberty.edu

In a game filled with mostly inefficient play, sophomore forward Bridgette Rettstatt emerged as the light for the Liberty Lady Flames as they took down the Kennesaw State Owls 68-55 Tuesday, Feb. 25. Rettstatt, the reigning ASUN player of the week, tied her career-high, which she set earlier this month against North Alabama, with 25 points. She scored 14 of these points in a pivotal fourth quarter.

“I feel like when I’m playing, I’m just wide

OPINIONS AND FEATURES THIS WEEK

WE’LL SEE YOU AT THE GAME

open,” Retstatt said. “My teammates are finding me in the perfect spots, and I don’t even really have to work for a lot of these buckets. Right now, my shot is just falling.”

For most of the first three quarters, Retstatt was the only consistent offensive weapon as the Lady Flames and the Owls struggled heavily from the field early on. The Owls jumped out to a 9-2 lead to start the game but were then held scoreless for the next 10 minutes after a media timeout with 6:54 left in the first quarter.

See HOOTING, B2

ESP/Em returns as Sports Editor Emily Baker examines the impact of transgender athletes in women’s sports.

B3

W. Basketball vs. UNA March 5 @ 7 p.m.

On Feb. 26, 2016, the Liberty Flames men’s basketball team stood at a dismal 1218. They were blown out the night before, losing 73-56 on the road at UNC Asheville.

Exactly three years later, the script was flipped — and then some.

The Flames clinched their Division I program-record 24th win of the season Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019, defeating the Kennesaw State Owls, 76-59, on “Senior Night” at the Vines Center.

“We chose to go the hard and difficult way … but the guys that have stayed (and) that have really invested in the building of this program; I’m telling you I’m really proud of them,” Liberty Head Coach Ritchie McKay said. “And I think 24 wins is great, but I hope we win more.”

Guard Lovell Cabbil, Jr., guard Zach Farquhar and forward Keenan Gumbs, who transferred to Liberty prior to this season from Schreiner University in Texas, were honored as seniors shortly before the Flames took the court and rolled to the record-setting victory.

See SENIOR, B2

Couch’s Corner is back again with Assistant Sports Editor Jacob Couch’s thoughts on college football in the state of Florida.

B5

W. Lax vs.

East Carolina March 6 @ 4 p.m.

Baseball vs. NJIT March 22 @ 6 p.m.

Ryan Klinker | Liberty Champion

SENIOR — Guard Zach Farquhar drives for

basket during last regular season home game.

Flames athletics communications members and brothers Joe and Paul Carmany are highlighted.

B5

Softball vs.

Lipscomb March 23 @ 3 p.m.

Baseball vs. NJIT March 23 @ 4 p.m.

sports

B2 | March 5, 2019 | Liberty Champion

Andrew Snyder | Liberty News Service FINISH — The Lady Flames look back at their final times.

Joel Coleman | Liberty News Service SPRINT — Alejandro Perlaza Zapata was voted as the ASUN’s men’s outstanding track performer this week.

Running the ASUN Men’s and women’s track take the ASUN indoor track championships Christian Weaner crweaner@liberty.edu

Liberty men’s and women’s track and field continued their dominance, claiming the 2019 ASUN Indoor Track and Field Championship in their inaugural season in the conference Feb. 23.

The conference changed but the results remained the same for Liberty’s men’s and women’s squads at the 2019 ASUN Indoor Track & Field Championships, which wrapped up Saturday at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. In their ASUN meet debut, the Flames and Lady Flames claimed Liberty’s first two ASUN Conference team titles in any sport.

The men’s team defeated secondplace Kennesaw State by a final team score of 190-139, while the Lady Flames held off the defending champion Jacksonville 187-149.

Liberty men’s track and field team entered its first ASUN conference meet having won 21 straight indoor championships in the Big South. Director of track and field Brant Tolsma was confident in his men’s team but was especially impressed with the effort of the women’s team to complete the conference sweep.

“I felt like our chances were good on the men’s side, but for the women it was us and Jacksonville,” Tolsma said. “I was giving (Jacksonville) the nod a little bit. I thought they might

take (the women’s team) by five to 10 points, but we had a few key events where our girls really stepped up.”

The triple jump and the 60-meter hurdles were two key events for the Lady Flames. Jacksonville’s women, who won 12 of the 13 ASUN indoor meets in conference history, were the favorites in each, but Liberty placed ahead in both events.

“Those two events really changed the complexity of the meet,” Tolsma said. “It went from us being underdogs to thinking that now it is just a matter not breaking down and we can win this meet.”

Flames freshman Jada Thomas claimed the 60 hurdles final with a time of 8.62 seconds, while the preliminary-leading Dolphins runner finished in seventh.

In the triple jump, Makenzy Mizera and Adrianna Mitchel finished second and third, respectively, out-jumping the Jacksonville competitors, who placed fourth and fifth.

“That was a huge swing when we went second and third (in the triple jump) and (Jacksonville) went four and five,” Tolsma said.

Mizera also broke the longest standing school record of 34 years when she achieved a leap of 19-1 ½ to win the long jump competition.

Another Lady Flame who had a record-breaking weekend was sophomore Naomi Mojica. Mojica defended her 2018 Big South indoor and out-

door shotput title by finishing first with a record breaking ASUN meet record 49-5 throw.

On the men’s side, the Flames took an early lead when sophomore Branson Rolle won the long jump with a sixth-round jump of 23-4. The team won 15 of the weekend’s 34 total events to complete the dominating 51-point victory.

One of the outstanding performers for Liberty was senior distance runner Azaria Kirwa. Kirwa has been one of the most successful runners for the Flames during his time in Lynchburg.

Most recently he claimed the team’s first ASUN title when he won the conference cross country meet in the fall.

Kirwa lost the 3k race March 1, but rebounded to win the 5k March 2, in resounding fashion. His wire-to-wire winning time of 14:17.38 was a new meet and facility record.

“The coaches told me I need to push the pace and do something about (Friday’s loss),” Kirwa said. “I was just trying to focus on pushing the pace.”

The Flames will look to continue their success in the ASUN during the outdoor track and field season, which begins March 16 when they travel to compete in the CSU Spring Break Invitational.

Cabbil Jr. and his parents on senior night.

Ryan Klinker | Liberty Champion FORCE — Senior Keenan Gumbs prepared for a slam dunk.

Swim & dive wins championship Emily Baker egbaker@liberty.edu

The Lady Flames swimming & diving team won its second Coastal Collegiate Sports Association championship February 22, dethroning defending champion Florida Gulf Coast University by nearly 200 points. Liberty’s first championship win was in 2014.

The Lady Flames set the conference record with 1,859.5 points, followed by FGCU’s 1668 points.

Liberty set two program records in the course of the meet, which was held at the Liberty Natatorium for the first time. The records set were 27 podium finishes and 10 event wins at a CCSA championship meet.

Lady Flames Head Coach Jake Shellenberger was voted CCSA’s Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year, his third honor and first since 2014. Shellenberger shared the honor with Campbell Head Coach Pascal Molinard and UNC Asheville Head Coach Elizabeth Lykins.

The Lady Flames wrapped up their season by hosting the second annual Liberty Last Chance meet March 1-3, where two Liberty swimmers made NCAA B cut times, hopefully qualifying them for the NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships.

BAKER is the sports editor.

Andrew Snyder | Liberty News Service SPLASH — The Flames captured their second Coastal

WEANER is a sports reporter.

SENIOR continued from B1

Ryan Klinker | Liberty Champion FAREWELL — Flames Head Coach Ritchie McKay greeted Lovell

Scalding the CCSA

While the Flames are currently enjoying unprecedented success, not too long along almost the complete opposite was true.

Cabbil and redshirt-junior Caleb Homesley were both on the 201516 squad that finished 13-19 after weathering an ugly 12-game losing streak.

“It was really hard coming from thinking you’re going to win every game to going and not winning,” Homesley said. “And I think it was hard on us because we were a young team.”

The tumultuous season was McKay’s first back coaching the Flames after a six-year hiatus as an assistant coach at the University of Virginia. All but one member of the team was either a freshman or sophomore.

Cabbil was one of those freshmen.

This year, as a senior, in his last regular season home game, Cabbil scored 12 points, dished six assists and won his 80th contest in a Flames uniform, making him a part of the winningest senior class in program history.

“Just the road to get here — it’s been hard and a lot of work,” Cabbil said. “We started off the first year really bad, and I feel it’s just gotten better over the years, and I’ve been a part of that. It means a lot.”

Collegiate Sports Association championship.

When it comes to long and difficult journeys, there may be no one more familiar than Homesley.

On Dec. 10, 2016, about one month into Homesley’s second year on the team, he suffered a gruesome season-ending knee injury against Princeton University that required ACL surgery.

“The game against Princeton, when he was on the floor, I didn’t know what to say to him,” McKay said.

Fast-forward to “Senior Night” versus Kennesaw State in 2019.

Homesley, in an acrobatic move to the basket with just over three minutes left in the game, scored his 1,000 career point as a Flame, becoming the 27th player to surpass the milestone.

“You have a great story for ‘Senior Night’ next year because I told him he wasn’t going to make it here,” McKay said. “He was the laziest, softest … dude that had that much talent that I’d ever seen. Now he’s a pro.”

Against the Owls, Homesley led the charge offensively with 17 points as all five starters scored in double figures for the first time this season. He also threw down two monstrous dunks that thrilled the home crowd of 3,376.

One of the dunks checked in at No. 2 on ESPN SportsCenter’s top 10 plays of the night and helped the Flames jump out to a 19-9 advantage with just over 13 minutes left

in the first half.

But Kennesaw State, led by guard Danny Lewis, who finished with a career-high 27 points, rallied to get within 33-29 at halftime.

Liberty responded with a strong start to the second half, as sophomore guard Elijah Cuffee hit backto-back three-pointers before feeding junior forward Scottie James for a fast-break dunk that put the Flames up 41-29. The Owls never recovered.

Cuffee ended the game with 16 points, converting on 5-of-7 field goals and 4-of-5 three-point attempts.

“It feels really good,” Cuffee said. “I’ve been kind of frustrated with my shot throughout the last couple of games, and it just feels good to finally see it go back in.”

Having a hot hand is a huge confidence booster for Cuffee as Liberty gets set to enter postseason action.

The Flames hosted a quarterfinal contest March 4.

It is a far cry from the position Homesley and Cabbil were in at the same point three years ago.

“I really want to pay respect to the coaches for sticking with us and really building a good culture,” Homesley said. “I think that right now we have one of the best cultures in the country. … Guys that are around have really bought in.”

GOOCH is a sports reporter.

sports

Liberty Champion | March 5, 2019 | B3

Softball sweepers

Lady Flames softball team owns weekend Liberty Classic series Paige Frost pmfrost@liberty.edu

The Liberty Flames Softball team gave its games all they had in the Liberty Softball Classic tournament Feb. 28 - March 4, ending March 2 with their sixth straight shutout.

Not only was this a big day for their eight-game winning streak, but they had the shortest game in the history of the Liberty Softball Stadium. The Lady Flames defeated Cleveland State 9-0 in five innings in the first game March 2, per the mercy rule.

“One thing we love about fast pitch softball is that it is fast,” Head Coach Dot Richardson said. “We love to play fast, keep it going, and try to get the last game of the day in warmer weather as much as possible.”

After keeping the first game short, going into the second game against Robert Morris University was an easy transition. Freshman Braelyn Cooper started the second game and did not allow any runs.

“My approach to the second game was different,” Cooper said. “I was just there to relax and do my thing. The first game I was tense, and I was too focused on trying to get people out, but once I relaxed, I was ready.”

Freshman Kara Canetto scored the first run of the game in the second inning, and the Lady Flames kept their spirited lead throughout the rest of the game.

Nearing the end of the third inning, sophomore Alexis Erich hit her first career home run, bringing in two more runs for the Lady Flames.

“I tried to find a way on base,” Erich said.

“Coach always told me to seize my opportunities, and that’s been a really big part of how I’m playing this year.”

Richardson encourages her players to do their best and that is all they can give, and when Erich hit her homer, Richardson had a proud coaching moment.

“Every time we would go to watch her, when we were recruiting, she would hit towering home runs,” Richardson said. “She’s born to compete, and she had more confidence in her moves and her plays. That’s when I knew she was ready, and I put her in.”

INTERNATIONAL — The Lady Flames began their season with a tournament in Mexico.

Cooper continued her pitching dominance and struck out 10 out of the 12 batters. In the top of the sixth inning, senior Chase Cassidy entered the game as the Lady Flames pitcher and did not give up any runs.

This tournament so far had not just one filled with firsts, but one filled with milestones. The team has seen their 25th consecutive home game win, and this energy is only going to continue to roll over to the next games that the Lady Flames play.

Their next games were a doubleheader Monday March 4 to finish the tournament against Sacred Heart. The game concluded too late to be included in this issue.

Following non-conference play, the Lady Flames will focus on winning the ASUN conference.

“These kids just really love it,” Richardson said. “These gifts are in the sport of softball, and they are going to seize these opportunities. They are trying to play with freedom and trust, and not focusing on winning or losing.”

FROST is a sports reporter.

Emily Baker egbaker@liberty.edu

Consider the differences between a man and a woman. Differences that are not simply reproductive organs, but full-body differences.

Men, on average, have larger lungs, a higher blood capacity for oxygen, thicker joints, stronger ligaments and tendons, longer and stronger bones, much more muscle capacity and a higher concentration of fast-twitch muscles. Not only do larger bones and joints lead to more muscle capacity, they also lead to much better leverage regardless of muscle mass. These facts are backed up by numerous studies, including one published by the American Physiological Society on sex-based differences in skeletal muscle kinetics and another done on sex-based lung development published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Because of all this, on average, men are bigger, faster and stronger than women.

Why does this happen? At the bottom of the list is the most obvious reason: men have a Y chromosome instead of two X’s like women do. It’s basic biology; the Y chromosome causes the growth of male reproductive organs which, in turn, produce male hormones — primarily testosterone.

Testosterone is the cause for these advantages, and its effects cannot be reversed, not even by surgery. This is why male-tofemale transgender people, particularly athletes, tend to remain much larger and stronger than biological females.

It’s also why transgender women should not be allowed to compete against biological women. Despite years and years of hormonal treatments and even sex change surgeries, transgender females are still, at their core, biologically male. Their chromosomes have not changed.

This isn’t to make a political statement, but rather to point out the disparity in performance and the danger this trend presents to biologically female athletes.

Everyone should be able to compete and play sports, regardless of identity, gender, race, or any other factors, but there needs to be rules to keep things fair.

There are rules against men competing against women, and there are rules against performance enhancing drugs, which mimic testosterone’s effects on the body.

These rules are in place to promote fairness and an even the playing field, and introducing transgender athletes into women’s athletics presents an unfair challenge.

One of the most recent examples of this is in the Connecticut girls’ state track meet. Two runners have won the state race for the 55m, 100m and 200m races for the past two state meets, one in June 2018 for outdoor track and the other in February 2019 for indoor track. These two runners are transgender and one, Terry Miller, set the girls’ state record.

Miller and Andraya Yearwood, the other transgender athlete, took first and second in the most recent 55m race. Miller ran a 6.91, a new state record for females, while Yearwood ran a 7.01 and the third athlete, a biological female, ran a 7.23. In the 55m race, a .3 second gap is quite significant.

Some supporters of the movement have pointed out that Miller and Yearwood are competing far below the bar for their sex.

The two wouldn’t even break the top 100

Gabrielle Calhoun | Liberty News Service

in male competition in Connecticut, with Miller ranking 120th and Yearwood ranking 195th. The boy’s 55m record is 6.47 seconds and now the girl’s is 6.91.

The issue is, what difference does this make? These are biological males who run mediocre times for their sex, but break records for the gender they want to be.

While Miller and Yearwood have surely put in hours and hours of work like their competitors, their performance and competition is and always will be a step above.

Miller and Yearwood are biologically male, and will always have an advantage.

The same goes for many other transgender athletes. Rachel McKinnon, Fallon Fox, Laurel Hubbard, and several other names come to mind.

It’s obvious in their dominant performances, with Hubbard lifting 20 pounds more than the silver medalist in the Australian international women’s weightlifting competition, McKinnon took gold and broke the 200m world record for track cycling, and Fox punched an opponent hard enough to fracture her orbital socket and give her a concussion.

While things are somewhat different for professional athletes, it’s dangerous for biological females at the high school and college levels. If this trend continues, eventually women won’t be a major competitive factor in women’s athletics because they have been replaced by transgender women.

And some of the same people pushing for all-around gender equality and equal rights are the same people who are inadvertently killing women’s athletics. Allowing transgender athletes to continue to compete against women can lead to transgender athletes winning scholarships over biological females.

If one college or professional team begins to accept transgender athletes, the others will be forced to in order to maintain a competitive bid. And the team with the most biological males will be the most likely to win in most situations, which will eventually eradicate women from sports designed for them.

It’s the same as in coed sports — women will rarely ever be chosen first because male athletes will perform better and produce more wins.

Whether the solution is creating a separate league or separate teams for transgender athletes or other exceptions, something needs to change.

Some states have made this change — athletes are only allowed to compete by their biological gender in Texas, Nebraska and North Carolina. Other states work on a case-by-case basis, such as New Mexico, Oregon and Ohio, and some allow athletes to compete against their preferred gender.

The states that permit athletes to compete by their preferred gender include Virginia, Connecticut and Florida.

Again, all athletes should be allowed to compete. It’s who they compete against that needs to be defined.

BAKER is the sports editor.

sports

B4 | March 5, 2019 | Liberty Champion

Batting for the stars Liberty softball and baseball teams kick off strong start to 2019 John Simmons jasimmons2@liberty.edu

In softball, defense begins with a solid performance from the pitcher. If the pitcher dominates opposing batters, the team’s chances of winning will increase exponentially.

The Liberty Flames softball team’s superb pitching over its current eight-game win streak was highlighted by the Lady Flames 12-0 victory over the Princeton Tigers Feb. 24. In addition, senior Julia DiMartino became just the fourth Flames pitcher in program history to throw a perfect game, facing merely 15 batters over five innings while striking out seven in the second game of the Liberty Softball Challenge.

Flames Head Coach Dot Richardson had nothing but praise for DiMartino not just for her game against Princeton, but also for how she has performed over her career.

“She’s a superstar in her own right,” Richardson said. “When you give her the ball, she gets it done. We rely on her a lot because she can deliver.”

DiMartino only threw 54 pitches in her perfect game, with 40 of those pitches counting for strikes. DiMartino said that the pitching staff told her to pitch “backwards,” meaning she changed the normal routine of her pitches. Typically, DiMartino will rely on her first-pitch “riseballs” to get ahead in the count, but she kept Princeton batters guessing by relying on a heavy dose of curveouts and change-ups.

DiMartino also said that while she knew she had a chance for a perfect game as the contest progressed, she did not get wrapped up in the moment and stayed focused on her task at hand.

“I don’t really think about it that much,” DiMartino said. “You just go and do what you can and do it for the team, and if you get the game, you get the game.”

Baseball Liberty’s baseball team has been equally impressive in recent action as well. The Flames have won seven of their last eight contests, which included a dominant, 9-3 win over the No. 20 Wake Forrest Demon Deacons. In that game, right fielder Ayden Karraker made a running catch in foul territory as he flipped over a fence.

The play received national attention, ending up as the No. 1 play on ESPN’s Top 10 Plays.

This past weekend, Liberty welcomed the Maine Black Bears to Lynchburg and swept the three-game series. First baseman Logan Mathieu drove in three runs on two hits, and Andrew McInvale and Evan Brabrand combined to pitch nine scoreless innings in a 7-0 win March 2.

Liberty followed that win with 3-2 and 7-1 victories March 2 and 3, highlighted by more stellar pitching by Garrett Price and Noah Skirrow.

Both the softball team and baseball team will continue their action this week, with the men’s team staying in Lynchburg to host the Virginia Tech Hokies March 5 at 3:30 p.m.

The softball team will travel to Long Beach, CA to play the San Diego State Aztecs in the first round of the UCLA/Long Beach State University Tournament. The first pitch is March 8 at 2:30 p.m.

SIMMONS is a sports reporter.

Leah Stauffer | Liberty News Service ROUT — The Flames defeated Maine in a March 1-3 weekend series.

RECENT NEWS IN LIBERTY ATHLETICS Men’s and women’s track earned their first ASUN championship titles. The Flames remained undefeated at home in conference championship meets for all-time.

Lady Flames softball pitcher Julia DiMartino pitched a perfect game Feb. 24. The perfect game was Libery’s fourth ever in NCAA play and was DiMartino’s third career no-hitter.

Men’s basketball earned its first ASUN regular season title. The title is shared with Lipscomb after both had identical conference records. Liberty finished 25-6 and 14-2 conference.

Gabrielle Calhoun | Liberty News Service

PITCH — Pitcher Julia DiMartino pitched a perfect game Feb. 24.

Basketball forward Caleb Homesely reached 1,000 points in his career Feb. 26 in a game against Kennesaw State. He is the 27th player in school history to earn 1,000 career points.

Along with her 25 points, Rettstatt pulled down eight rebounds and shot 68 percent from the floor.

Baker finished with 11 points and four assists. The standout player for Kennesaw State was sophomore guard Kamiyah Street who had 19 points and 13 assists. Street secured a double-double before the first half was over.

Baker and Rettstatt’s offensive performances ensured the Lady Flames victory. This win puts the

PUSH — Sophomore guard Ashtyn Baker drove past a defender.

HOOTING continued from B1 “I had to use a timeout, and I never use timeouts in the first quarter,” Head Coach Carey Green said. “We weren’t looking good.

They were beating us up and down the court, getting easy layups, and we needed to settle in and get back to the little things.”

During this defensive battle, the

teams had to deal with fouls slowing down the pace of the game tremendously. Four of Liberty’s post players finished with four or more fouls. However, Green was willing to accept this in return for good defense.

“They were being aggressive,” Green said. “That’s what I want.

It’s unfortunate that KK Barbour fouled out, but we have more players on the bench that we can go to.”

The middle of the third quar-

team at 8-6 in ASUN play with only two games remaining before the conference tournament.

Liberty has a rematch against North Alabama Tuesday, March 5.

The Lady Flames previously defeated North Alabama 61-57 when they played Feb. 16. How Liberty finishes out the season will decide which seed they will take into the ASUN tournament.

CRAFT is a sports reporter.

Jamie Hall | Liberty News Service

ter is when Liberty found its offensive rhythm. This carried into the fourth quarter when sophomore guard Ashtyn Baker and Rettstatt combined for 19 of the team’s 25 points.

“We were sharing the ball better,” Baker said. “It was something we were lacking in the first quarter.

I think we only had seven assists in the first half, and we ended with 17.

We’re a much better team when we share the ball.”

Jamie Hall | Liberty News Service

CONTROL — Senior captain Tatyana Crowder controlled the ball.

sports

Liberty Champion | March 5, 2019 | B5

Carmany communications

Brothers work together as SIDs in LU athletics communications department Emily Baker egbaker@liberty.edu

Growing up together and later working together as adults is a pleasure that many brothers do not experience. A pair of Liberty’s sports information directors, however, get to enjoy just that.

The Carmany brothers, Joe and Paul, work together as SIDs for the Flames athletics department. The two handle organizing interviews for coaches and athletes, play-by-plays, statistics and a myriad of other things for the teams they work with. The stories published online for the teams are often written by the SIDs and their live statistics are handled in-game by the SIDs as well. Joe and Paul Carmany can often be seen on the sidelines or in the press box working on the statistics together.

The two grew up together in New Middletown, Ohio, and went their separate ways when Paul Carmany, who is older by a couple of years, went to college at Ashland University in Ohio. Paul Carmany attended Ashland for both his undergraduate and graduate degrees, first graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and later with a Master of Education degree in sport education.

After graduating from Ashland with his master’s, Paul Carmany found himself faced with employment challenges. Despite his lengthy experience, including work as a sports writer for the New Middletown Postmark, a women’s basketball team manager, a sports writer and columnist for the Ashland Collegian and later as a graduate assistant in Ashland’s sports information office, Paul Carmany struggled to find a job.

According to Paul Carmany, he applied to more than 20 different jobs, mostly around his hometown in Ohio. Liberty was one of the few exceptions, and Liberty was the one that ultimately hired him.

His work paid off when Liberty offered him a job as an SID in July 2006. Since then, Paul Carmany has worked with eight different teams and currently works with the women’s basketball, men’s and women’s track & field teams and cross country teams.

SEARING continued from B1 Liberty’s physicality, however, regularly forced turnovers, with Connecticut often vulnerable to rapid counterattacks. When midfielder Chase Wright burst through the defense to restore Liberty’s four-goal cushion, Connecticut’s momentum deflated, and Elliott’s hat trick goal 2 minutes later cemented Liberty’s control of the game.

Stepping onto the field in his first game since December after an injury, Elliott reveled in the moment.

“Honestly just going in and running around was incredible — it was so much fun, whether or not I scored,” Elliott said. “I

And in 2011, Joe Carmany joined him.

After graduation from high school, Joe Carmany attended Malone University and graduated in May 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in sports ministry. After graduating from Malone, he moved forward to Mercyhurst University in Pennsylvania to earn his Master’s in organizational leadership while working as a graduate assistant.

After graduating from Mercyhurst, Joe Carmany faced much the same problem that

traveling with their respective teams.

Working as an SID is not easy. As soon as one sport ends its season, the next one starts.

“You have no idea what the day will be,” Paul Carmany said. “There are no typical days. You can leave the office in the evening and have no idea what you’ll come in to in the morning.”

A day may start with answering emails and messages, then meetings, then an afternoon spent at practice and an evening spent work-

Joel Coleman | Liberty News Service

TOGETHER — The Carmany brothers are two of the Flames most popular sports faces.

Paul Carmany did: finding a job. And not just a job, but a career.

Between his graduation from Mercyhurst and his hiring at Liberty, Joe Carmany found an internship with the sports communications department at Charleston Southern University during the 2010-2011 academic year. He found his place at Liberty in the summer of 2011.

Joe Carmany currently works with the volleyball, swimming & diving and softball teams.

Since Joe Carmany was brought on, the two have worked together almost nonstop.

Between long hours, short off seasons and little time off, the two spend lots of time in the office, working game stats together or

made some mistakes, but it’s ok — it was fun just to play with the guys again and encourage the guys both on and off the field.”

As the quarter progressed, Connecticut’s energy waned, and Liberty held an 11-6 lead going into the final period.

With the pace of the game gradually dying down, the game’s last two goals sealed both Nichols’s and Connecticut attackman Matthew Blois’s hat tricks, leaving the score at 12-7 with 9:30 remaining in the game.

Though Connecticut continued to probe for another goal, they rarely threatened Liberty goalie Brayden Harriman as Liberty wound down the clock. When the buzzer finally brought an end to the game, the Flames

trotted off the field comfortable winners, having never looked truly troubled after the opening 15 minutes.

The Flames next face West Virginia University away in the first of three games during a busy spring break on the road for the team.

As Liberty’s season progresses, Elliott believes greater cohesion will be the key to success this season.

“The biggest thing we need to work on is just chemistry with the guys, defense working with defense, offense working with offense,” Elliott said. “Once we get into a groove, I don’t think there’s going to be any stopping us from there.”

NEKRASOV is a sports reporter.

David Eppinger | Liberty Champion

STRIKE — Liberty continued its winning streak as they defeated the Huskies.

ing a game, then writing up the stats and a postgame story, then finally, a chance to get around to the original plans for the day.

Both brothers find it difficult to get enough free time to spend with each other outside of work. When the weather is nicer in the spring and summer, both of them enjoy running together in the mornings before work.

“Oftentimes, especially since we live in the same town a mile apart, I wish we had more time to spend together,” Paul Carmany said.

“I guess that’s, in general, one of the drawbacks of this profession. I wish I had more time to spend with my wife and daughter. But with the travel and the time apart, that’s one of the sacrifices you make.”

Jacob Couch jtcouch@liberty.edu

Warm sunshine and an overwhelming scent of barbecue greet first-timers entering one of the locations that contain the greatest sporting experience a football fan could wish for. Deafening crowd noise and chills that run down the on-lookers’ spines overpower spectators as they feel the intimidating yet incredible sensation of being a part of an event that is recognized around the world as one of the most desired sporting experiences.

This is college football in the Sunshine State.

The history is rich, and the passion is overpowering. Whether it’s from the Swamp in Gainesville watching the Florida Gators or in Orlando watching the UCF Knights from Spectrum Stadium, having the privilege of standing amongst tens of thousands of wild fans in 75-degree October weather is an experience that is difficult to match.

Not only is the state’s college football atmosphere incredible, but Florida is home to some of the country’s highest caliber of on-the-field product.

To name a few, the Florida Gators finished the 2018 season as No. 7 in the country and UCF finished as No. 11 in the nation. The University of Miami, the University of South Florida and Florida International all finished with winning records in the 2018 season.

The Florida college football experience is primed to be even better in 2019 as the sunshine state welcomes Ohio State transfer quarterback Tate Martel to the University of Miami. Martel is known to be arguably the greatest high school football player ever, going 43-0 as a starter. With one of the easiest 2019 football schedules, Martel and the Hurricanes have an excellent chance to make a push for the College Football playoff, barring a loss to the

The work isn’t all bad, though. Traveling the country with NCAA DI athletics teams is an experience that very few people enjoy.

Not only do the Carmany brothers get to fly around the country with their teams, but they also get the reward of watching the student athletes grow.

“I think just getting to see the student athletes grow and develop and succeed and see hard work pay off, both in the classroom and on the court, is the biggest reward for me,” Paul Carmany said.

For Joe Carmany, one of the neatest things is the new people he meets and the places he sees.

“One of the coolest things for me is the amount of access to events and places we have,” Joe Carmany said. “It’s cool to look back and see all the places and people we’ve met.”

The Carmanys found a love for sports early on in life, when the two of them would spend their days watching or playing sports together. Their love only grew as they grew up and became involved with the teams and the sports industry, even if they were not actually competing.

And, unlike some siblings, the two get along very well. Their literal brotherhood has pulled them through a couple of tough situations.

“Sometimes we’ve had some situations that have been very difficult work-wise with technology, and there was one time with volleyball that we got through together,” Joe Carmany said. “It was the best that we could make it, and it was better that we were brothers and that we had that bond. If not, it wouldn’t have come out as well. We ended the night at Taco Bell.”

Not only has their brotherhood helped them through challenges, the challenges have helped them grow closer.

“I hear a lot of people say that they couldn’t work with their brother or with their siblings, and I don’t know of any other SIDs in the country that work with their siblings,” Joe Carmany said. “For us, we don’t really think about it.”

BAKER is the sports editor.

Florida Gators in week one.

UCF will begin the 2019 campaign without the talents of Heisman-caliber quarterback McKenzie Milton due to injury. The Knights will rely on either sophomore quarterback Darriel Mack Jr. or Notre Dame transfer Brandon Wimbush to carry them to their third straight undefeated regular season. The Knights have begun to generate excitement throughout the nation after two consecutive years of making legitimate arguments for the College Football Playoff.

The Florida Gators will look to build off of a 2018 season that saw them regain their status as the state’s top team. The Swamp has crept back into the elite tier of the nation’s most dreaded stadiums to play in.

Legacy, intimidation, excitement, dedication. Florida college football is a league of its own. The 2019 season will see three Florida teams enter the postseason in the top 10.

Maybe that is a bold prediction. But the Hurricanes, Gators and Knights all have the talent and schedules to obtain top 10 status.

It doesn’t matter if you prefer the SEC or ACC, Florida has both. Say what you will, Texas has its football, California has its football. But Florida does it best.

From the pregame hype to the on-field display of talent. From the stadium atmospheres to the gorgeous season-long temperatures. It is paradise. You haven’t lived until you experience a college football game in the Sunshine State. The fall can’t come soon enough.

COUCH is the assistant sports editor.

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B6 | March 5, 2019 | Liberty Champion

Dancing the night away

LU alumna equips dance community through Lynchburg Dance Connection Rachel Kauderer rkauderer@liberty.edu

Dancers from all across Lynchburg kicked, leaped and twirled in Lynchburg Dance Connection’s World Tour Showcase Sunday, Feb. 24. Alisha Clark, director of the event, made it her mission to bring dancers together throughout Central Virginia to dance as a community and to support each other’s gifts and talents.

Clark grew up in upstate New York where her passion for dance began. According to Clark, dancing in New York came with rivalries and a competitive spirit. It was in New York where she realized how badly those apart of the dance world needed support and encouragement from one another.

“I have always been heavily involved with extracurricular activities that included people of different backgrounds, ages and levels,” Clark said. “I think at some point that transferred into me wanting to create or be a part of something even bigger that took separate groups in the community, and combined them together as one.”

Clark graduated from Liberty University in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in sports management. During her time at Liberty,

she made connections with the student-run dance groups on campus as well as members of dance studios located in Central Virginia.

She believed that Lynchburg needed college students to dance, train and build relationships with those who have similar passions.

Clark founded Lynchburg Dance Connection in 2017. Through her business, she has provided a database where dancers can find auditions, open classes, masterclasses, workshops, and other opportunities in the area. Clark has connections in major cities of Virginia and also makes connections in Los Angles, California. Clark also connects dancers who want to join college dance teams, but have no idea where to start. According to Clark, networking is crucial in the performing arts field.

“I make an effort to know the leaders of each team, studio, and crew so when a dancer asks which one fits them best, I can better direct them,” Clark said. “I fully support all teachers and dancers in my area of expertise, which is why I put together this showcase.”

Lynchburg Dance Connection’s World Tour Showcase featured over 230 dancers from all over Central Virginia. This was the first year for Central Virginia’s combined dance showcase that was performed at the

Taryn Azimov | Liberty Champion COMMUNITY — Lynchburg Dance Connection unified dancers from Central Virginia.

Taryn Azimov | Liberty Champion MOVE — Liberty dance groups, Liberty Flamettes and D-Trex, performed at the event.

Academy Historic Theatre in downtown Lynchburg. “This event aimed to unify the dance community by bringing them together for one night to showcase, support, and celebrate dance,” Clark said. “The diversity in this community is what makes each group unique. We are excited to bring everyone together for a night to celebrate each other and the one thing we all have in common, dance.”

All Liberty University dance teams participated in this event. This includes the Liberty Flamettes, Divine Call, D-Trex, Rhythm Tap and the Peacemakers. Brianna Baker, a Divine Call dancer, won a scholarship award through Lynchburg Dance Connection and came away with a positive outlook through this experience.

“Being able to dance alongside other talented dancers and the community full of all ages and backgrounds was an incredible experience,” Baker said. “There tends to be a lot of unnecessary tension, comparison, and rivalry in the dance world, but Alisha Clark has done so much to try to make dancing about community rather than competition.”

Lynchburg Dance Connection’s World Tour theme is more meaningful to artists who have been on “world tours.” Accord-

ing to Clark, she designed the World Tour theme with the color royal blue in mind.

“After doing the google thing we all do, I found many definitions and words that blue can represent like loyalty, professionalism, and calmness,” Clark said. “The blue that represents the water, can be seen as a division or a way to unite others. … For me, royal blue represents all the foundations of unity in one.”

Kayleigh Light, a Liberty Flamette dancer, expressed her joy after dancing in the showcase along the side of Clark. She has grown up dancing under Clark’s direction and has an appreciation for what she does for the community.

“She has made such an impact in my life and so many others,” Light said. “ … Not just through dance, but as a loving, supportive, selfless, and encouraging person. … She has done so much for the dance community of Lynchburg.”

Clark said she is excited to see what doors open after the World Tour showcase, and cannot wait to see what dancers rise up from the community.

KAUDERER is a feature reporter.

Bodacious Burgers March 19th from 4-7p .m. | At Fresh Market Swipe + $2.99

feature

Liberty Champion | March 5, 2019 | B7

Here comes the bridal show

g n i r p S ? k a e r B n

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Lynchburg Bridal Show will bring everything wedding to Liberty campus Sunday, March 17 Rachel Van Tuyl rvantuyl@liberty.edu

For a second year, the Lynchburg Greater Virginia Bridal Show will return to Liberty University’s campus Sunday, March 17, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the LaHaye MultiPurpose Center.

One of several annual shows held

by Virginia Bride Magazine around the state, the event will boast over 40 vendors, including photographers, DJs, wedding planners, caterers, wedding cake bakers and hair and makeup artists.

The show is open to both Liberty students and the community.

“Someone planning a wedding can come to this bridal show and leave with pretty much their entire wedding taken care of,” Angeline Frame, owner of Virginia Bride Magazine, said. “The important thing is that people get to meet these vendors in person … and see their work.”

Attendees will watch a few demonstrations at the show from vendors like a musical quartet and dance instructors. There will also be a fashion show with gowns trending in 2019. “(However), the main focus of the show is having the vendors there to display, so people can connect with them,” Frame said.

People can also save money on wedding vendor costs at the show.

“The other big reason people come to the show is they know they can not only save time by finding all of their vendors in one place, but they can also save a lot of money,” Frame said.

Attendees will be able to save money on vendors because many vendors offer discounts for booking the vendor either during the show or a certain length of time afterward. Many of the vendors are local to Lynchburg or the surrounding area, but some ven-

dors, like photographers or DJs, also travel.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to win thousands of dollars in door prizes or a grand prize.

This year, the prize will be an eightday, exotic honeymoon in one of a handful of locations, including Europe, the Caribbean or Hawaii.

Attendees must be present to win.

While door prizes will not be announced until the day of the show, Frame said in the past, vendors at similar shows from the magazine have offered prizes like makeup baskets, spa gift cards or a free stay at a resort venue.

Virginia Bride Magazine has been producing bridal shows all over Virginia for 17 years. While the magazine does an annual show in Roanoke, several of those vendors lived in Lynchburg and had asked for a Lynchburg show.

“We looked at the market and decided strategically that having a show there on campus would be great because you do have a lot of

college students that get engaged in the spring, right before college graduation,” Frame said. “And obviously Liberty is such a wellknown entity in Lynchburg that we wanted to partner with them.”

Virginia Bride Magazine partners with Liberty’s wedding department, Weddings at LU, to put on the bridal show. Weddings at LU also co-sponsors the show.

Frame encouraged people attending the show to plan on arriving early and making an afternoon of it. She also suggested bringing pre-printed stickers with name and contact information to make it easier to sign up for vendors.

Admission to the show is $10 at the door, and more information is available at vabridemagazine.com/shows.

Students interested in helping with the show can contact Frame at publisher@vabridemagazine.com.

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VAN TUYL is the assistant content editor.

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for

• Mama Crocketts on 5th Avenue • Rookies • Daughters and Sons Pizza • El Jefe

• Blackwater Creek Trail • Smith Mt. Lake • Hikes - Sharp Top - Cole Mountain - Humpback Rocks • LU Softball & Baseball Games • Speakertree • Venue Cinemas • Poplar Forest

If you’re stuck in Lynchburg for spring break, enjoy the rest and explore all that the area has to offer!

Photo provided

GLAMOUR — Vendors offered discounts to brides at the 2018 event.

Design: Elizabeth Mallicoat

Busting common food myths Live Healthy Liberty event teaches students the truth about dieting trends Victoria Nelson vfnelson@liberty.edu

If there is something weird in your grocery list …

Who you gonna call? Foodbusters!

If it is something weird, and it won’t look good …

Who you gonna call? Foodbusters!

Campus dietician Rachel Sanders tore down popular food myths at the Foodbusters event, set up by the Live Healthy Liberty Coalition Feb. 28. Rather than use a proton pack, however, she used her own knowledge and expertise — and a well-structured PowerPoint presentation.

The seminar was planned to bring awareness to NEDA week — National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, from Monday, Feb. 25 to Sunday, March 3. The goal was “to discuss nutrients and current dietary trends

Bethany Kocik| Liberty Champion

FACT? — Campus dietician Rachel Sanders addressed nutrition misconceptions.

“

Good nutrition is not rocket science.

A good knowledge base, research and advice are the keys.

— Rachel Sanders

… to separate fact from fiction as it relates to what we should be eating,” according to the event’s Facebook page.

In the seminar room above Argo Tea, Sanders debunked the most popular myths about diets and food sensitivities. Some of the myths included, “Carbs make you fat,” “Detox cleanses are good,” “Vegan diets are the healthiest diets,” and “Eating healthy is too expensive.”

To debunk the myth about carbohydrates, Sanders referred to the food pyramid.

Grains, which make up the majority of carbohydrates, make up a substantial portion of the suggested daily meal. She said every food group should be eaten in moderation, but if “a diet excludes a whole food group, there should be a red flag.”

Sanders gave evidence against the myth about detox cleanses, perhaps one of the most popular diet fads. A long-time favorite of Hollywood celebrities and fitness gurus, this diet is often used to “clean out” the body of toxins before starting a long-term diet. Sanders quickly debunked that theory by telling the audience that the human body has detox organs already in place, such as the kidneys and liver.

“The bottom line is, our bodies don’t need our help to detox themselves,” Sanders said.

The latest diet trend is veganism. Sanders said that veganism and vegetarianism is totally healthy — as long as the participants get all the nutrients they need. Particularly in America, meat is generally the basis of the average meal, when vegetables should be getting more of the plate. As a result, Sodexo is working to be “plant forward” in meal prep in the future.

The last myth affects pocketbooks more than bodies. While some protein powders and health bars can be pricey, Sanders said that the basics of a healthy meal are quite inexpensive. Rice, tuna and raw vegetables are healthy basics that are very cheap at the

grocery store.

It is “easier than ever” for people to be eating healthy, Sanders said. She said that much awareness has been brought to dietary needs that it is now commonplace to see restaurants and stores supplying gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options. Sanders put the individual in the driver’s seat as far as making healthier diet choices.

“Good nutrition is not rocket science,” Sanders said. “A good knowledge base, research and advice are the keys.”

More information about healthy living can be found through the Student Health Center and Wellness Initiatives page on Liberty’s website.

NELSON is a feature reporter.

Bethany Kocik | Liberty Champion

HEALTHY — Students gained knowledge into finding nutritious food that is inexpensive.

B8

FEATURE

March 5, 2019

‘Band of gold’ The Gray Havens perform at LaHaye Event Space out into the audience. Pink, gold, blue and purple lights roamed the room, washing the walls in a rainbow effect. The band’s songs here was nothing “gray” about the were filled with colors, too — from “Band of Gray Havens concert Friday, March Gold” to the sun-filled lyrics of “Three Birds 1 at the LaHaye Event Space. in Babylon.”

Even the opening acts played into the colBefore the band started, Lead Singer Dave or scheme.

Radford told of his heart and passion for The first act, a band named “Gray,” joked Wycliffe Bible Translators. Of the thousands about the irony of opening for “The Gray of languages in the world, only a relatively Havens,” though they emphasized that there small number had partial Bibles, and even was no affiliation between the two. The fewer had complete Bibles. starting band, named after the lead singer, “This has to be the biggest crisis in the played songs of worship akin to cathedral world,” Radford said. music with what sounded like a church orHe asked the audience to consider a gan. Though the first songs were melodic monthly donation or a one-time gift to the and deep, they were not afraid to crank up organization to help with this issue. the drums and keyboards for the latter half of Then the music began. Radford was cortheir set. rect to describe the band as “narrative pop Singer-songwriter Chris Renzema elic- folk.” Listening to them sounded like walkited cheers from the audience. He had only ing into the middle of a “Lord of the Rings” his acoustic guitar, which contributed to his or “Narnia” novel — fantastical, gentle, and country vibes, but being alone on stage did brimming with adventure. not intimidate him.

As soon as he strummed the first notes on “I don’t have a band, but I have you,” Ren- his guitar, the audience erupted into cheers zema said, smiling into the audience. for the hauntingly slow “Ghost of a King.”

Then Gray Havens took the stage.

The song is basically the Gospel put to muAlthough the members were dressed in sic; Radford afterwards discussed that the muted colors, with a white canvas decorated band’s most popular hit came from a convictwith black birds and emblazoned with “The ing sermon series.

Gray Havens,” fluorescent lights gleamed “I thought I knew what being born again was until I listened to this sermon series,” Radford said.

The band’s songs span the spectrum of music, from the sweet and somber “Three Birds in Babylon” to the hopeful, expectant “Gone are the Days.” Radford rapped the song “High Enough,” which originally featured Christian hip-hop artist Propaganda.

During a brief intermission, Radford enticed audience members to follow the band on social media. A random picking of Instagram followers resulted in one lucky fan coming on stage and winning a children’s book, titled “Gray Flowers,” written by the band members.

Ending with the old hit “Train Station,” the band members appeared to exit the stage — only Allison Heise| Liberty Champion to come back without ACOUSTIC —Chris Renzema offers signature mellow sounds. warning.

Victoria Nelson vfnelson@liberty.edu

T

“We are pretending that there have been shouts of ‘encore, encore!’” Radford said, laughing, asking the audience to humor him. “We really want to play an unreleased song for you guys, without any technology.”

A quiet hush settled over the audience as Radford and his wife, Licia Radford, harmonized with the guitar. They offered a song of utter worship; their voices filled with passion.

Afterwards, the audience sat for a moment completely silent, captivated in the moment of adoration. Then they broke into cheers.

While the cheering comAllison Heise | Liberty Champion menced, a Student Activities GENRE — Dave Radford performed “narrative pop folk.” event staff member started a question-and-answer ses“I kept praying, ‘God, why did you call me sion, inquiring about how the couple got together and what their future to something I can’t do?’” Dave Radford said of his illness. “But time after time and grace plans were.

The Radfords playfully passed the micro- after grace … on the last day of recording, we phone back and forth on the questions, giv- made it; we were done. I tell you that story ing small responses, until the interviewer because it is good to hear that God is faithful, good — he will never leave you or forsake asked about the recording process.

Dave Radford paused to collect his you. You are his. That’s it. If we have Jesus, thoughts. He talked about how he dealt with we have everything.”

The tour dates for The Gray Havens and writer’s block in the crucial months before the album deadline and how his sickness af- ticket information can be found on the fected his ability to concentrate. He almost group’s website. gave up, but persevered, even after the deadline. His faith struggled but remained above NELSON is a feature reporter. the surface.

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion

HAUNTING — The Gray Havens’ song “Ghost of a King” was inspired by a sermon series.

He is a ‘reel’ inspiration LU Cinematic arts students reflect on influence of filmmaker Scotty Curlee side me, and he put his arm around me, and he goes, ‘Once it hits the big screen all this is worth it, brother.’”

Austin Stumvoll, a Liberty UniCurlee never planned on teachversity School of Cinematic Arts ing. In 1992, he competed as a alumnus, remembers cold hands cyclist in the Olympic trials. When and sore feet during long days his father died, he returned to his of filming. He remembers early mother and sister in South Korea, morning classes fueled by caffeine. where his mother asked him to attend college. Curlee grew up attending a Christian school started by a Liberty alumnus, so he decided to attend Liberty to study sports management. He then earned his MBA at Averett University and worked in the pharmaceutical industry. But he wanted a new passion.

Curlee met Jerold Franks, a casting director who introduced him to the film industry. Soon he had written, produced, directed and distributed “The Potential Inside,” a feature film about a cyclist recovering from tragedy.

“If anybody came to me and said … I’m going to Photo by Kara Tolley write, produce and direct a movie that’s going get real SHOOT — Curlee directed on set of the film “Extraordinary.”

Esther Eaton eeaton@liberty.edu

He remembers rolling into a tiny town to grab diner food during a long shoot for the feature film “Extraordinary.”

And he remembers his professor Scotty Curlee.

“One time … I was beaten down and I was tired, and I was hungry, and I was worn out,” Stumvoll said. “And (Curlee) came up be-

distribution — I would say you’re really naïve,” Curlee said.

When founders of Liberty’s cinematic arts department asked Curlee to join the school, he saw it as a chance to invest in students and build a legacy. He teaches, and he also mentors students and helps them make industry connections.

Austin Lewis graduated with the inaugural class in 2014. He said Curlee connected him to the Erwin Brothers for “Moms’ Night Out.” That job, Lewis said, provided a stepping stone to his career working on films such as Marvel’s “Venom.” Over coffee at Starbucks, Curlee encouraged Lewis to build a work process that would prepare him for high pressure situations.

“Sometimes I’m at work and I look … and the person to my left has won an Oscar, and the person to my right has won an Oscar, and the person in front of me is about to win an Oscar,” Lewis said. “And here I am, little old Austin Lewis.”

As first assistant camera, Lewis runs the camera department on films. He has filmed chase scenes with dozens of cars and cameras, written programs to overcome technical challenges, and built new equipment

days before a shoot began.

“Sometimes you have to find a way that hasn’t been found before,” Lewis said. “And I think that (Curlee) personally has … drilled within you that every single day you need to be learning something different.”

Stumvoll calls that drive to improve a little every day the 1 percent rule.

“I got that from (Curlee) whether he knows it or not,” Stumvoll said. “ … You’re always growing, you’re always learning and you’re always moving forward.”

Curlee keeps equipping students to excel. He wants to focus more on television and continue bringing students into every project he takes on, such as the 12 who worked with him on “War Room.”

And he encourages students to consider their impact as they choose how to spend their time.

“Whatever vocation we choose,” Curlee said, “Whether it’s a filmmaker or whether you have another vocation … we have to be intentional about getting involved and making a difference.”

EATON is a feature reporter.