Northwest Missourian

Northwest community service club helps clean up Florida community

HANNAH CLAYWELL

In September 2022, a category four hurricane struck Florida. Fort Myers, Florida was devastated by the destruction. Northwest organization Alternative Spring Break traveled down to help rebuild and provide for the community.

In Fort Myers, the organization helped restore old buildings and churches that had been destroyed by Hurricane Ian. The group also helped at a food bank. The main part of Alterna-

tive Spring Break is volunteering and providing service for places in need.

President Elisha Westover and Vice President Sage Thelen said Alternative Spring Break is a heavily student led organization and a fun opportunity to be a part of.

“I felt like I was actually able to help people but also visit different places and kind of experience and broaden my horizon and my mindset,” Westover said.

Westover has been a part of Alternative Spring Break since 2020, when the trip was can-

celed because of COVID. She said she has not seen a normal trip, but the organization being student led and trial and error is the new normal.

This year, seven students attended the trip — no Northwest faculty attended with the students.

“I’m excited for our food pantry, especially because we’ll get to talk to some of the people in the community and learn more about life in general,” Westover said.

Westover said the organization has been getting smaller throughout the years, but she

hopes to see more people join and continue the group because everyone on the executive board are seniors. The program’s academic adviser Amy Nally is also going to be retiring soon.

“We do kind of fear for the future of this club because we are diminishing in members, so we are looking for more young people to join our group,” Westover said. “It’s a great organization, and I hope people continue that. It’s a little scary leaving it.”

THEIR STORIES

ILLUSTRATION BY JULIANNA LAWRENCE DESIGNER

Women’s stories shared through events

LAKEN MONTGOMERY News Reporter | @lmontgomerymiss

Throughout the month of March, Northwest’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion has planned multiple events to celebrate Women’s History Month and share influential women’s stories. These events include themed movies, two Lunch and Learns and an award to celebrate women’s influential stories.

Justin Mallett, assistant vice president of Diversity and Inclusion, said the Women’s History Month Committee, made up

of Ashlee Hendrix, Terry Immel, Jacque Loghry and himself, have been meeting since early January to prepare for these events.

“We met weekly starting in January,” Mallett said. “We started putting together programming because the theme for the month is celebrating women’s stories, we wanted to make sure that we were capturing that in all of our programming.”

Each year, March is designated as National Women’s History Month to ensure the history is recognized and celebrated in schools, workplaces and communities throughout the coun-

try. The stories of women’s historic achievements provide an expanded view of the complexity of living a full and purposeful life, according to Northwest’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

The first event was at 6 p.m. March 15 in the J.W. Jones Student Union Boardroom. It was a screening of Queen of Katwe with a discussion following.

The Queen of Katwe is a true story about a young girl named Phiona Mutesi who lives in rural Uganda. The movie shows the adversity Phiona faces advancing her chess career and being able to provide a better life for

her family because of it.

The second event takes a different direction, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion has organized a lunch and learn 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 16 in the Union Meeting Room B.

The Lunch and Learn: Women, Wellness and Work-Life Balance will feature three women that were invited to share their professional journey and discuss the balance between work and life and how their wellness should be prioritized with everything they do.

SEE HISTORY | A4

SAC announces band, opener for spring 2023 concert

For months, the Student Activities Council has kept a secret of who would be coming to Northwest for its yearly spring concert. The Eli Young Band will be performing 7 p.m. April 21 at the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse for the SAC of Spring 2023.

The Eli Young Band is an American country music band that consists of four members: Mike Eli, James Young, Jon Jones and Chris Thompson who met at the University of Texas in 2000.

The Eli Young Band has been on the Billboard Hot 100 country charts eight times, and three of their singles have reached No. 1. “Crazy Girl” was the top country song in 2011, along with “Drunk Last Night” and “Even if it Breaks Your Heart.”

SAC has been on campus since 2001 and has been putting on concerts since the organization started. It plans activities for the student body by hosting a variety of events such as movies, lectures, comedians and concerts. Some previous performances include Bazzi in 2018, Blackbear in 2019 and AJR in 2022.

Faith Thompson is the student involvement coordinator for SAC and spoke about the planning of the upcoming event.

“I do the backstage work that most people don’t see, like helping assist in writing the contract, making sure that all of Trent’s ideas and the logistics are in place and communicating with our agent and university officials to ensure we are putting on the best and safest concert for the community and the University.,’ Thompson said.

Mason Ramsey will be the con-

cert opener. He is best known for a video of him in Walmart singing “Lovesick Blues” by Hank Williams Jr. that later got millions of views. Since then, Ramsey has done voice-overs in movies such as “Angry Birds Movie 2” and a vocalist in “Sing 2.” Ramsey made an appearance in the Top 65 of the Billboard Hot 100 with his song “Famous.” “Famous” also launched at No. 2 on Country Digital Song Sales. Before the concert, SAC will be hosting a tailgate called Bobby’s Boot Scoot’n Bash. It will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Hughes Fieldhouse parking lot. There will be food trucks, vendors and yard games. Alcohol will be available for those over the age of 21. All food and drinks will be at an additional price.

SEE CONCERT | A4

Northwest students enjoy the 2022 AJR and Careless Vibez spring concert hosted by SAC. Mason Ramsey will be opening for Eli Young Band at this year’s spring concert 7 p.m. April 21 at the Carl and Cheryl Hughes

Fieldhouse with Bobby’s Boot Scoot’n Bash prior to the concert.

BECKY DAVENPORT Missourian Reporter | @TheMissourian

Northwest memorialized Karen Hawkins, a previous Northwest sorority member, before she became a victim of murder and sexual assault in 1995. Northwest has done this through a week of events, such as presentations, fundraisers and more.

A presentation by Nodaway County Sheriff Randy Strong was given March 13. During this presentation, Strong told the story of the Karen Hawkins investigation, from finding evidence in Hawkin’s car, her body being found in the 102 River, all the way to the demise of Hawkin’s killer, Dennis Jones.

“I think (sexual assault) cases are being reported more,” Strong said in response to a question after the presentation.

Survivors’ rights are more widely known by law enforcement, as well as a

Sorority memorializes sister lost to assault

softening in the ways survivors are treated by our justice system, he explained.

Julianna Marshall, Sigma Sigma Sigma’s Philanthropy Chair, planned the week of events.

“Sheriff Strong was the detective on her case, and he will be going over the gruesome details of what happened (the night of the crime),” Marshall said.

Because of this, Northwest sororities now utilize a week of events to raise awareness for the safety of the current Northwest student body.

A specific part of Northwest’s student body, Greek life, has been stated by both Karen Little, Career Services coordinator, and Marshall as huge participants in this memorial week. Even alumni and people native to Maryville participate, Marshall said in an email to The Missourian.

Little was a friend of Hawkins.

“(The presentation is an) eye-opener

to what can happen, and what terrible things people can do,” Little said.

The “Cheesin’ for Karen” fundraiser, where walking tacos were served, was held March 14 in the Roberta Lounge in Roberta Hall. Little said there is a special time designated for the sororities of Roberta Hall where Hawkins will be recognized for the great person she was.

The University Police Department held a self-defense class for the public in Martindale Gym March 15.

“We want this week to be an eyeopener for people because this happened in Maryville, and I don’t think enough people are realizing how important it is to be aware of your surroundings, to know basic self-defense and other things like that,” Marshall said in an email to The Missourian.

A silent walk dedicated to memorializing Hawkins will be held March 16

at the Memorial Bell Tower. This walk acts as a grand finale to the week, adding a powerful moment of silence to signify the loss of Hawkins.

“(Hawkins was) a force of sunshine anywhere she went. … She was so amazing to so many people,” Little said. “We want that respect to be paid. We want to use this situation for good.”

Little and Marshall have both stated awareness is a vital thing they both want the Maryville people to get from this week. Little wants young women to know what to do for their own protection in case something like what happened to Hawkins is attempted on them.

“Although it sounds morbid, I want people to realize that they are not safe from anything like this happening to them,” Marshall said in an email to The Missourian.

Furries United club causes debate during Senate

Controversy met Student Senate at the March 14 meeting as Furries United at Northwest came forward to seek approval to form a club.

Club representative Travis Rogers came to Senate with a presentation to explain why F.U.N. should be an organization. Rogers is currently the

president of Northwest Gaming Club and wants to be the president of F.U.N.

“It is, at its base, a hobby of self expression,” Rogers said.

“A sense of community is our main focus. To connect furries together and represent them to Northwest.”

Audience member senior William Anderson attended this meeting to give his input

about the formation of F.U.N. Anderson spoke during the discussion time about his negative feelings towards the formation of this club.

“We jeopardize (Northwest’s) credibility to not just current members, but faculty, alumni, community members, Maryville and prospective students,” Anderson said.

During Rogers’ presentation, he said this would only be a club of self expression, not the sexual connotation it is normally given. Anderson rebutted this and said furry culture is full of obscene material despite what this group claims, and told Senate the reason the club should not be formed is because of the logo being the improper use of the Northwest logo and the potential exposure to children.

“Northwest Missouri State is home to the Horace Mann Laboratory School,” Anderson said. “The exposure to sexual behavior to children is not only damaging to a child’s development, but it’s also illegal under federal law.”

Inclusion representative Darren Ross said many members of Senate have reviewed the formation of this club, and it meets all requirements. There is no reason to believe it goes against federal law.

Many of the senators were in favor of approving this club, such as On Campus Representative Kindyl Jones and Lead Green Representative Ciara Mattson.

“We are a public university, so we’re open to having organizations that might be out of our comfort zones,” Mattson said. “I think we should give them the opportunity. They’re trying to show representation, and we should give it to them.”

Senate voted unanimously to approve the formation of F.U.N. Anderson was not pleased with the turnout of this vote because he believes this is not something

to be allowed at Northwest.

“I believe that this is a disgrace and an absolute tragedy to our public university and will only lead to our downfall for society,” Anderson said.

On the other side, Rogers is ready to form this club and bring students who are furries together. He said he hopes the club might even be able to attend a furry convention.

“I’m aware that there were people who were speaking out against me,” Rogers said. “... I

want more people to stop hating on furries so much, just because of preconceived thoughts, stuff they were told on the internet.”

Other Student Senate Business:

• Block and Bridle was appropriated $1,500 to host a livestock show in Kirksville, Missouri.

• Phi Mu Alpha was appropriated $1,010.46 for the Phi Mu Alpha province workshop.

• Delaney Stott was sworn in as the Freshman Class Representative.

Kelsie Wade, Savanah Wheeler and Courtney Kennedy at the Sheriff Randy Strong presentation March 13. The presentation is free to attend and open to the community in hopes to honor Karen and educate people about violence in our community.

GRACE ROTHWEILER MISSOURIAN PHOTOGRAPHER

William Anderson stood in disagreement of Furries United at Northwest during Student Senates meeting March 14. However, by a unanimous vote, the Student Senate approved the new organization.

KAYLA ALLISON MISSOURIAN PHOTOGRAPHER

HANNAH CLAYWELL Asst. News Editor | @Hannah_9504

Sheriff Randy Strong gave a presentation about the Karen Hawkins murder case when Strong worked as a detective on this case in 1955. Every year he recalls the story in honor of Karen Hawkins and her legacy.

GRACE ROTHWEILER MISSOURIAN PHOTOGRAPHER

Kayla Myers and Sydnie Ehm celebrate Karen Hawkins remembrance at the Cheesin’ for Karen event March 14. They served walking tacos at the event with a $5 entry fee — the proceeds benefited North Star Advocacy Center.

GRACE ROTHWEILER MISSOURIAN PHOTOGRAPHER HUNTER DOSS News Reporter | @HunterDoss2003

Professor strives to create engaging classroom

From a classroom, the excited voice of a professor fills the air with discussions of government, politics and theories. He talks passionately, hands gesturing wildly to make his point as students take notes around him.

Associate Professor of political science Luke Campbell teaches seven classes in Valk Center, primarily focusing on upper division political theory and political thought.

“I fell in love with politics and the study of politics when I was an undergraduate,” Campbell said. “I love the challenge, and I loved the way of thinking that is necessary to study politics in a particular way.”

To start his teaching career, Campbell had the opportunity to be a teaching assistant in graduate school. He was responsible for teaching his own sections of different classes. Campbell's main approach is instructing in a way that aims to have students learn how to think for themselves. Oftentimes, this includes open discussions, lectures and group activities.

“It was terrifying at first,” Campbell said. “But I loved challenging students, helping students see things in a different way, giving them a completely different view of the world than they had before.”

While lecturing, Campbell stresses his desire to remain unbiased so students don’t know his personal opinions on political matters. This allows him to instruct in a way that gives equal emphasis to both sides of an issue.

In politics, professors can take multiple angles when teaching. Campbell knows how he chooses to instruct his students can greatly affect how they perceive different topics.

“I really am incredibly intentional about making students grapple with both or multiple

different perspectives at the same time,” Campbell said. “I want students to realize that many different things, even contradictory things, can be true at the same time.”

Junior Jillian McNamara has known Campbell since she took an Introduction to Political Theory course with him her sophomore year. She has been a student instructor for him since the spring semester of 2022.

McNamara loves how engaging Campbell’s classes are. When listening to him lecture, she knows that he is engaged with the material and with students. Throughout class, he constantly invites students to interact and ask questions.

Even students who do not come into the department their freshman year have been influenced by Campbell. Transfer student and senior Daisie Cruse has had Campbell as her adviser since summer 2021.

when he approaches things, he always questions things first,” Cruse said. “He’s very on point. With other teachers, we talk about more facts, and he’s more of a theory teacher.”

McNamara said Campbell is passionate about the material he teaches. In his classes, she knows he is always attentive and will encourage students to talk and participate in discussions.

“He has a very similar energy to me when I talk about the things that I care about,” McNamara said. “I see myself in the way that he teaches, so I really connect with it.”

Campbell said one of his favorite parts of teaching at Northwest is the academic freedom. He has enjoyed the challenge and rewards that come without having someone looking over his shoulder to see what he’s teaching and how he runs his class.

Though he only teaches it once every few years, Campbell’s favorite class gives an overview of terrorism and gives emphasis on government action and policies aimed to prevent attacks.

At the beginning of the class, students are asked to choose a terrorist group to analyze. Campbell said he has them essentially become part of the group to learn how they operate. He helps students look at different perspectives of the organization such as who they target and what they are attempting to accomplish in order to counter terrorism. Several students enjoy taking this class with Campbell and particularly enjoy his approach to the topic.

system at home consisting of his wife and two sons.

Cruse applauds his ability to engage students by applying the material to their lives and making them think about it more in depth than they would by memorizing dates.

“It’s always questions,

“He’s commented that (terrorism is) his favorite class, and I just learned a lot of new information,” McNamara said. “I always learn new stuff in his class, but I think just taking a professor’s favorite class kind of makes it your favorite class.”

Teaching about politics all day, five days a week, can become draining. To combat this, Campbell has a support

He enjoys quality time with his sons participating in activities such as mountain biking with his eight-year-old. He said his wife provides him with the ability to completely step away from thinking about politics.

“She understands how important this job is to me, she understands how much I love teaching, but she doesn’t always want to talk about politics or this kind of stuff,” Campbell said. “It provides just a much different kind of outlet for me to actually sort of physically, mentally, step away.”

Since 2016 when he joined Northwest, Campbell said he has been challenged and learned a lot. He is still learning who he is academically and expects to grow even more through continued participation in scholarly articles and the obstacles presented through teaching.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the years that I’ve spent here, I thoroughly enjoy my colleagues and the different challenges that are presented to me as a teacher and a scholar from the leadership and examples of my colleagues, that’s been wonderful,” Campbell said.

During a class discussion in social justice, associate professor Luke Campbell calls on a student to speak about their experience with religion. As soon as Campbell entered the room before class, students excitedly engaged in conversation with him. They asked about Campbell's personal life, inluding a discussion about whether he dyed his hair or not.

SAVANNAH ATHY-SEDBROOK ASST. DESIGN EDITOR

“

“I thoroughly enjoy my colleagues and the different challenges that are presented to me as a teacher and a scholar from the leadership and examples of my colleagues.”

-LUKE CAMPBELL ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

Council extends water pilot study

Maryville City Council approved a two-month extension on the timeline for the Maryville Water Treatment Plant Pilot Study following an eight-week shutdown.

The original plan from July 2022 was with HDR Engineering for nine months of pilot testing before the collected data would be sent to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to evaluate a permanent plan for the water treatment system. With the additional time, the test will now run until July 2023.

The amendment to the original plan also comes with an increase of over $68,000 to extend the contract with HDR Engineering and Intuitech, which will be split by the city’s unallocated American Rescue Plan Act Funds and the Water/Sewer Fund.

City Manager Greg McDanel said the winter weather and carryover sand caused issues and a shutdown.

“HDR has been working behind the scenes with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources on how this impacts the study duration, the pilot plant,” McDanel said. “As a result, the city received a letter on Feb. 23 from (MDNR) approving additional time for an additional two-month period.”

Quality, taste and smell issues of Maryville drinking water dates back over six years. When algae blooms at Mozingo Lake, cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, are released into the water leaving it with an earthy taste and musty smell.

As a short-term solution, the council members approved treatments of EarthTec algaecide. The city also added a $1.2 million granular activated carbon adsorber to help keep the algae counts down. This pilot

CRIME LOG

for the week of March 16

Northwest Missouri State University Police Department

March 4

There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in Dieterich Hall.

March 3

There is a closed investigation for harassment in Garrett-Strong Science Building.

March 2

There is a closed investigation for stealing in the J.W. Jones Student Union.

There is an open investigation for rape in Franken Hall.

Maryville Department of Public Safety

March 8

A summons was issued to James D. Teague, 21, for failure to appear in court, failure to register a motor vehicle and failure to maintain financial responsibility on the 100 block of East South Hills Drive.

There is an ongoing investigation for a lost or stolen license plate on the 1700 block of East First Street.

March 5

A summons was issued to Kristen J. Johnson, 25, for driving while suspended and failure to register a motor vehicle on the 100 block of North Main Street.

March 4

A summons was issued to Daniel J. Bonge, 33, for driving without a valid driver’s license, failure to register a motor vehicle and failure to maintain financial responsibility on the 300 block of East Third Street.

March 3

There was an accident between Caitlin M. Smith, 22, and Jaime R. Meijia Artiga 32, on the 100 block of East South Hills Drive. Artiga was issued a citation for driving without a valid driver’s license.

A summons was issued to Carl D. Colville, 62, for driving while suspended on the 1100 block of South Main Street.

A summons was issued to Nichole S. Weaver, 38, for failure to appear on the 300 block of North Main Street.

plant is a step in the long-term fix to the water quality issues Maryville is facing.

The current water facility was built in 1959 and does not have membrane filtration systems used today. This pilot plant is a requirement by MDNR before the city can proceed in building a new treatment facility.

Aaron Robison, HDR project manager, has been working with the city on recommendations for the water treatment and with MDNR on the pilot plant.

“Starting December of last year, the cold water started impacting the Actiflo unit, which is the pretreatment process upstream of the membranes,” Robison said.

He said they have talked with staff before about problems with the membrane and started get-

SPRING BREAK

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Both Westover and Thelen said fundraising is a very important part of the organization. Members each pay $150 to be a part of the club then continue to fundraise the rest of the year. For the last two years, the entire trip has been paid for through the fundraising and the membership fee.

On top of fundraising, there is a lot of budgeting that goes into the program to make sure it is as cost efficient as possible.

Thelen said the club recognizes that cost is something potential members are worried about, but the organization wants this to be as accessible as possible to stu-

SAC

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Tickets are available for Northwest students, faculty and the general public with no limitation to the amount of guests they can bring. General admission for students is $10 in advance or $15 on the day of the concert. The public may purchase tickets for $20 in advance and $25 on the day of the concert. No meet and greets will be available.

$10 per ticket for students who purchase in advance

The decision was made by creating an online survey sent to all undergraduate students at Northwest in fall 2022. The survey asked students preference of genre, acts and concessions they would want to have at the tailgate.

Country was the top genre pick with pop coming in second. It was then worked and decided on as a team consisting of the OSI Pro Staff Trenton Jones, Thompson, executive members and general body members.

“I am really excited to bring the Eli Young Band and Mason Ramsey to campus,” Thompson said. “I think that these two artists will bring in a lot of community members and students.”

ting calls and saw problems that required them to shut down the pilot plant. Since then, the pilot has been running again for the last two weeks.

Councilman John McBride asked if these problems will be something also seen in the new water treatment facility the city is looking to build. Robison said there are different provisions that can be made to make sure this doesn’t happen with the new plant.

Other City Council Business:

• The council approved street closures for the Art Rhythm and Brews festival May 19.

• A contract with CampLife was approved for online reservations at Mozingo Lake Recreational

dents interested in joining.

“We’re trying to instill sustainability of the program,” Thelen said. “It’s not an expensive program.”

The group does not go to the same place every year. Last year it did beach restoration in Panama City, Florida. While on this trip, they learned about beach erosion and the native wildlife. Westover said making connections while on the trips is a great experience.

Alternative Spring Break hopes to continue to provide help to places in need in the coming years and grow in its numbers.

“It’s something that you can really fall in love with after your first trip,” Thelen said.

THURSDAY, MARCH 16

Lunch and Learn: Women, Wellness and Work-Life Balance

J.W. Jones Student Union Meeting Room B 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

WOMEN CONTINUED FROM A1

“I think this is a time to be able to honor another intersection of identity that we have on campus,” Mallett said. “A lot of times when people think of diversity and inclusion, they only think about it through the lens of race. As we start looking at other identities, women were also marginalized as well, being able to celebrate and honor women and the struggles that they’ve also experienced and being able to show that on a college campus that is predominantly female is very important.”

From 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 21 in the Expo Area in the Agricultural Learning Center, guest speaker Chelli Green has been invited to lead a panel discussion with women leaders on campus and in the community. This event will also award and highlight the recipients of the 2023 Northwest Influential Women’s Awards.

Park. The new system will show availability and map locations.

• The council approved a contract with Heiman Fire Equipment for the purchase of four FireDex Interceptor Packages and an agreement to use ARPA funds to replace five portable radios and one mobile radio for Maryville Fire Department.

• The council approved a contract with Higher View Enterprises for a bucket truck for Maryville Public Works.

• Maryville zoning codes were updated to be in compliance with the updated recreational marijuana codes. Chapter 405 was changed to remove the medical marijuana wording.

• JS Concrete Construction was selected for on-call concrete repair services for the city.

TUESDAY, MARCH 21

Panel discussion with guest speaker Chelli Green

Expo Area in the Agricultural Learning Center 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Influential Women at Northwest Award is an award given each year to recognize Northwest women who have made a difference in the campus community and celebrate women who inspire, influence and contribute to the success of students and the University.

Amanda Cullin, interim police chief for the University Police Department, won in 2021 for her support through many organizations and positivity on campus. Anna Summa, report analyst for the Office of Institutional Research, was a 2020 recipient. Pat Wyatt, accessibility coordinator, won in 2019 and many more that date back to 2007.

The last event that takes place 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. March 30 in the Union Meeting Room B is another Wellness Lunch and Learn, this time aimed at women’s body image. The lunch and learn event is in collaboration between Wellness Education and Prevention Wellness Services and the Student Dietetics Club. Wellness Services Counselor Courtney Koch

THURSDAY, MARCH 30

Wellness Lunch and Learn: Body Image

J.W. Jones Student Union Meeting Room B 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

will lead a discussion regarding women’s body image, embodiment and relationship with food.

Mallett pointed out the importance of this month affects every student, not only women. Mallett said every student has a mother, sister or grandma and understanding some of their experiences and things that they went through is very important.

“I think that this is a very important month,” Mallett said. “But I also want to make sure that every single time I do a story, that just because we’re acknowledging and enhancing our focus on women’s history during the month of March, doesn’t mean that it’s the only time we should focus on it. Women’s history happens every single day.”

Clarence Green, Northwest’s interim president, said Mallett made an excellent point that people should be celebrating women’s history every single day.

“I think Mallett summed it up perfectly when he said everyday is Women’s History Month,” Green said.

Aaron Robison spoke on the ordinance to execute Amendment No. 2 to a lease equipment agreement for pilot plant equipment and continuing services with HDR Engineering. The council approved an extension on the pilot testing due to the past weather causing issues and required them to shut it down.

KAYLA ALLISON MISSOURIAN PHOTOGRAPHER

Northwest organization Alternative Spring Break poses with other volunteers in Fort Myers, Florida for its annual service trip. Every year, Alternative Spring Break goes somewhere in need to provide help to communities.

MAKAYLA POLAK Editor-in-Chief @kaypolak

Sexual harassment has been historically known to mainly happen in the workplace, but it goes far beyond sitting behind a desk. If you search for sexual harassment, nearly all the results will come up with work related sexual harassment information. This needs to be changed sooner rather than later.

Sexual harassment by definition is the use of explicit or implicit sexual overtones, including the unwelcome and inappropriate promises of rewards in exchange for sexual favors.

There is no specific mention of work environments in the definition, so why are we pretending that it only takes place there? We can’t keep treating this like it isn’t happening nearly anywhere you may go.

Although it happens everywhere, nightlife locations are the ones that really grind my gears.

Bars and clubs are consistently full of comments that fall under the definition of sexual harassment, but it isn’t spoken of to the amount that sexual harassment in the workplace is.

It is nearly impossible to do research on this topic because all the information that we receive is about sexual harassment from employees or employers.

In a 2018 parliament report, it was stated that “It is a cultural norm, and women are no longer surprised to be hassled, harassed or assaulted (in nightlife locations).”

When women are receiving unwanted comments, passes and even touching in a public setting, we are used to just laughing it off and pretending it didn’t affect us.

But the question is, why do we brush it off so easily?

Sexual harassment in the workplace isn’t prohibited by law until it becomes frequent or severe or when it results in the employee being fired for their actions, according to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Women have learned to laugh, move on and get over it because other than someone just telling them to stop, there isn’t much more we, as a society, can do about it.

Unfortunately it has almost become part of the experience when going out. People go out to clubs or bars knowing that this is going to happen. For some people, there is an initial conversation that is had before arriving at the bar, telling their friends that if it happens, there needs to be a plan in place to get them out of the situation.

Personally, I dread going to bars or clubs because I know that at some point, it is going to happen — it has never failed to happen in the past. The worst part is that I had prepared myself for these things before I even left my house.

It blows my mind that we are just accepting sexual harassment for what it is rather than trying to do something about it.

Women should not have to become acclimated to being sexually harassed. We need to put an end to men being allowed to behave this way. There is no rational reasoning for women being treated with disrespect.

Your Bearcat hates coming back from spring break

Let me just be honest for a moment. Actually, let me be honest this whole time: I don’t care where you went for spring break, how fun it was or if you swam with the dolphins or not. You know what, I’m swimming too — in medicine. That’s right. Backstroke, freestyle, you name it. That’s because

while you all were out forgetting where you were last week, I went home. On the surface, “home” sounds like a great place to go and hang out for spring break. While that’s true, it also does not mix well with whatever is going in the Maryville air. I don’t know what all this

nonsense is about with the water, but you all should be focused on the invisible vapors someone is clearly letting out up here. Every time I go home and come back to Maryville, I get sick. Not a normal sickness either. Every time, it feels like quite possibly the worst nondeadly illness possible.

And I know you’re probably thinking home is what gets me sick, but how can that be when I don’t get sick when I go home, I don’t get sick when I stay home and I don’t get sick when I stay in Maryville? Exactly. Checkmate.

OUR VIEW:

Society needs to balance women’s inequality issues

It’s Women’s History Month, and a woman’s role in society has shifted, but there is still room to make changes for the better. There are stereotypes about how women should act, look and think. These societal norms need to be improved.

Women make up 49.7% of the world’s population, yet there are only 14 countries that allow women to have full legal rights. The United States is not on that list. For such a “socially advanced” country, women should have the same opportunities as men.

An example of where women are treated differently than men are in athletics. Women are expected to play the same game as baseball but with a smaller field, bigger ball and different pitching style but similar rules. Many would say that because of genetics, women aren’t as strong as men, but that isn’t always the case. This isn’t just a problem we are facing now. It’s been an ongoing problem. In 1967, Kathrine Switzer became

YOUR VIEW:

Why do you think women are treated differently in society?

AIDAN KRAHN Freshman Biology Major

the first woman to officially complete the Boston Marathon. Women back then weren’t allowed to run anything over one and a half miles, and once she did, she was physically attacked by a race official trying to get her bib off

During the 2021 NCAA March Madness, there were a lot of inequalities in the amenities, dining and workout facilities. Even the COVID testing was imbalanced for women’s tournaments compared to men’s. This was brought to the world’s attention head-on by players and coaches on social media in hopes to bring enough awareness for change. With the amount of money that the NCAA makes during the tournaments, there are no excuses for how the women were treated. The NCAA made $1.14 billion in revenues in 2022, and one billion of those earnings were purely from March Madness. Despite it being in the middle of COVID, there should be no excuse

“While women weren’t treated as fairly back then, there are still some very defining differences in how they are treated. I think the reason women are treated differently in society are outdated ideologies that just haven’t made their way out of the system yet. I have worked at jobs that don’t have a pay gap and jobs that do have a pay gap, it all depends on who is in charge..”

for the inequalities to be that large in a widely publicized stage for athletes as the tournaments are. Women are still fighting for slivers and crumbs of the opportunities that men get.

Even as we have evolved, people still expect women to be the one that does the work around the home, do the dishes, cook, clean and take care of the kids. Women are expected to be nurturing, emotional and dependent. While men are usually independent and aggressive. Most of the time when women are independent and don’t conform to what society expects, they are labeled “toxic” or are automatically called a feminist.

Women are just expected to want to be mothers. If a woman was to say that they do not want children, most of the responses are “You’re young, you’ll want them in the future.” When men say they don’t want children, it’s seen as a financial gain.

“Women have always been treated differently. Some men think that they can dictate everyone, especially women. In some aspects, it is not as bad as it has been, but I don’t think we have changed anything. They have just changed how they suppress women today.”

CALLIE CLOPP Junior Environmental Geology

“Well, the roles of men and women have always been different, divided really. Men would work to provide for the family, but women would stay at home. I wanna say that recently though, society has moved past that. We don’t put men and women in these restrictive boxes of what they can and can’t do. But those old habits have left an influence on us and how we allow women to be treated differently, even though opportunities are there now.”

HAILEY JOHNSON-NEESER CARTOONIST

The Stroller has been a tradition since 1918 and does not reflect the views of the Northwest Missourian.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

PHOTOS BY MAKAYLA POLAK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

UPCOMING GAMES

The Bearcats won’t be ending their season with confetti in Evansville, Indiana, but they still claimed their 10th-straight MIAA regular season title and their seventh MIAA Tournament Championship in eight seasons.

“I thought they were pretty dialed in from day one,” McCollum said. “I thought their preseason was very good, and I’ve been impressed with how quickly they could, you know, kind of make sure that we were going to have success without Trevor (Hudgins) anymore.”

After signing a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets June 23, the program was without its all-time leading scorer for the first time in 139 games.

While Trevor Hudgins (201722) headed south, the team also added four freshmen, guards Bennett Stirtz and Jonah Hinton and forwards Jack Ratigan and Trey Moala. With new faces on the team, Waters said he took on more of a leadership role than in seasons past.

“For the most part, we’ve had a lot of guys in the program that have been there for a few years now, and so I think the younger guys see the way that we show up to practice every day, how we’re ready to go, the maturity that we approach it with and I think that they understand what kind of program that we are and what it takes to win at the level that we have,” Waters said. “That was definitely a priority for me, and I feel like I embraced it.”

With the departure of Hudgins, the team focused on a collective effort on offense, but a couple players still set themselves apart.

Stirtz, from Liberty, Missouri, left his mark during his first season in the green and white. He became just the seventh player in program history to win MIAA Freshman of the Year. He topped the conference with 60.1% shooting from the field, and he was third in steals per game with 1.9.

Heading into the season, senior guard Diego Bernard was already a three-time national champion, an MIAA Defensive Player of the Year and in the top 10 for multiple program records. At the end of it, he also added Central Region Player of the Year, MIAA Player of the Year, the MIAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player and another MIAA Defensive Player of the Year to his resume.

“I think just his competitiveness, his toughness, his willpower — all those things are going to be hard to replace,” McCollum said.

The Crimson Storm brought an end to the Bearcats’ 31-3 season, but for McCollum, that part doesn’t matter. The game is over, nothing to do about it. Besides, his plan is still the same.

vs. Harding 3 p.m. March 18 St. Joseph, Missouri

CONTINUED FROM MHS T&F Bearcat Indoor 10 a.m. March 18 Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse

UPSET NW SOFTBALL vs. Wayne State 12 p.m. March 20 Bearcat Softball Field NW BASEBALL vs. Emporia State 12 p.m. March 19 Bearcat Baseball Field

vs. Wayne State 2 p.m. March 20 Bearcat Softball Field Maryville Time Trial 3:30 p.m. March 22 Maryville High School vs. Emporia State 3 p.m. March 19 Bearcat Baseball Field

MHS GIRLS SOCCER vs. Savannah 5 p.m. March 21 Bearcat Pitch MHS BOYS TENNIS vs. Savannah 4 p.m. March 21 Savannah, Missouri vs. Emporia State 1 p.m. March 20 Bearcat Baseball Field

NW GOLF Midwest Intercollegiate Invite March 20-21 Warrensburg, Missouri

Boys basketball squad reflects on season

The 2022-23 Maryville boys basketball season came to an end in the Class 4 District 16 Championship March 3, and some players have started preparing for the next season, while four seniors also get ready for their next journey.

After finishing the 2021-22 season with a 15-12 record and an exit in the district semifinals, the Spoofhounds went 23-5 and made it to the district championship. Coach Matt Stoecklein said the players and their personalities are what carried the team.

“This group cared about each other and got along well, and that’s why the way it ended really hurt them,” Matt Stoecklein said.

The Spoofhounds were 12-3 going into the Cameron Tournament Jan. 23-28. A 58-56 loss to Smithville Jan. 25 began a 10game win streak for Maryville.

The Spoofhounds went into the Class 4 District 16 Tournament as the No. 2 seed and had two days off before starting their tournament run at St. Joseph-Benton High School. The Spoofhounds played Benton in the semifinals and sent the Cardinals flying into the offseason with a 59-50 win March 4.

Maryville advanced to the district championship game

March 3, where the team took on Lafayette-St. Joseph. The Fighting Irish caused the Spoofhounds’ a semifinal exit in the 2021-22 district tournament.

Lafayette did it again, knocking off Maryville, 51-46, in a closely contested battle between the two Midland Empire Conference rivals. The Spoofhounds kept the game close, but the Fighting Irish broke away to win 51-46 and their second straight district tournament title.

Sophomore Peyton McCollum finished the district championship game with 15 points and said he expects to take on a leadership role on the court next year.

“I look forward to taking what I learned from past leaders in my career, helping the other guys out on the court and hopefully lead the team to a district championship,” McCollum said.

Three consistent starters for Maryville will be graduating and moving on to the collegiate level — seniors guard Caden Stoecklein, forward Keaton Stone and guard Drew Burns.

Stone announced via his Twitter page Dec. 3 that he will be continuing his athletic career with the track and field team at Central Missouri. While he still has one more Maryville track and field season left, he said he’s ready to head to Warrensburg, Missouri.

“Track is a new sport for me,” Stone said. “I have played basketball for a long time, and track was something I started my sophomore year. I fell in love with it, and I am excited to continue that at the next level.” Matt Stoecklein said he is going

to miss coaching this senior group, and all three of them worked hard throughout their high school career. He said they each provided something different, and each strength was an asset to the team.

“Drew became that defensive player that people didn’t want

to be guarded by,” Matt Stoecklein said. “Keaton started coming alive on offense during the end of the season, and I liked his desire to win. Caden was another senior that wanted to win and loved the teammates he played with and enjoyed being around them.”

Maryville girls senior duo talks about success, time in program

After 25 games and 95 days since the first game of the season — a 68-35 Spoofhound loss to Chillicothe — Maryville girls basketball had its campaign come to an end against the Hornets, 58-42, in the Class 4 District 16 Semifinals March 2.

The lone seniors on the team — forward Rylee Vierthaler and guard Anastyn Pettlon — reflected on their time at Maryville High School, as their Spoofhound basketball careers come to an end.

“I grew up closer to a lot of people that I never would have expected just from this sport and this season,” Vierthaler said. “Put in the effort. Put in the work. My coaches have really stressed that, and it’s made me into the player I am.”

“Being able to play with the same girls from the year before was pretty fun,” Pettlon said.

Vierthaler and Pettlon were the two leading scorers for the ’Hounds (12-13) this season. Vierthaler led the way, with pergame averages of 12.9 points, 7.6

rebounds and 2.9 assists. Pettlon scored 12.3 points per game, while averaging two assists and two steals per contest.

Pettlon also broke the program career 3-point record in a 67-42 win in the first round of the district tournament against Cameron (8-17) Feb. 28.

They are also No. 2 and No. 3 on the all-time career program scoring list. Pettlon finished with 1,162 points, and Viethaler finished her career with 1,123 points.

Coach Kelly Obley said she could not have asked for a better duo of leaders.

“I don’t think that there are enough words to describe what Rylee and Anastyn have meant to Spoofhound basketball,” Obley said. “They’ve been four-year starters for us, and they have just really continued the standard of the work and dedication it takes to be at your best. To have both of them graduate together with those honors, just says so much about them and how much time and dedication they’ve put into basketball.”

With the two seniors being re-

sponsible for a majority of the scoring for Maryville this season, the Spoofhounds will have to look across the roster for some other key players to step up.

“With that leadership, we have a great group of underclassmen that have had a chance to play with (Vierthaler and Pettlon), and now it will be their turn to step up,” Obley said.

The sophomore class — guard Jalea Price, forward Ryesen Stiens, guard Addison Weldon, forward Alyssa Cunningham and forward Rylee Hornbuckle — will play a significant role in the ’Hounds success. Price, Weldon and Stiens started for Maryville, and Hornbuckle and Cunningham came off the bench to play in some crucial minutes down the stretch.

Obley said the players have a great work ethic, and she expects great things to come in the future.

“Winter basketball is a long season, but credit to these girls and who they are,” Obley said. “They showed up everyday, excited to be together and excited to work and get better. I think that just having that spirit in them, allows us to be at our best.”

Bearcat women look to ‘take a bigger step’ in offseason

It’s the time of year in Missouri when the weather begins to be moody. One day it could be a nice, 70-degree spring day, but the next it could be 10 degrees and snowing. To most, that signifies the changing of seasons, but to some, it marks the changing of winter sports to spring sports. In this case, it’s also one of many signals marking the end of Northwest women’s basketball.

The Bearcats’ season came to an end with a 65-43 loss against No. 7 Nebraska-Kearney in the MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals March 2. The ’Cats ended with a 15-15 overall record and a 9-13 record in the MIAA. For Northwest, it was the first time with back-to-back seasons with a .500 or better winning percentage in 15 years.

It was also the first time Northwest has made back-to-back MIAA Tournaments since the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. The Bearcats defeated Newman, 70-54, in the MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals, giving them their first postseason win since the 2019-20 season.

Coach Austin Meyer said the program took a step forward this season, even though the team fell from a 17-12 overall record and a 12-10 conference record in the 2021-22 season.

“Honestly, I hoped it would be a bigger step forward, but it is what it is,” Meyer said. “We have really good kids, they work hard and are fun to be around. We’re a young team, with mostly freshmen and sophomores, so a team that is going to continue to grow and hopefully we can take a bigger step next season.”

The season started with three-straight wins before losing to Minnesota StateMankato, 71-46, Nov. 19, 2022 in Hays, Kansas. The Bearcats bounced back with a 75-61 win over Peru State in their first home game of the season Nov. 27.

The ’Cats earned their first MIAA wins against Northeastern State Dec. 31 and Rogers State Jan. 2 in Bearcat Arena. Sophomore guard Molly Hartnett shot a career-high 41.7% from the field and 34.8% from 3-point range this season.

She said the Bearcats grew as a team as the season went along.

“I think our team overcame a lot of adversity and did what we needed to do that helped us succeed, but obviously we’re looking for some titles rather than getting out in the MIAA Tournament,” Hartnett said.

Meyer said the improvement of the ’Cats this season was, ironically, highlighted in some of the team’s losses.

Then-undefeated Central Missouri, with a record of 15-0 prior to, escaped Bearcat Arena with a 68-67 win Jan. 19. A week later, the Bearcats pushed then-No. 13 Nebraska-Kearney to its limit, but the Lopers won 66-65 Jan. 26 in Kearney, Nebraska.

This was the first of two back-to-back 1-point losses. The next came against Hays, 50-49, Jan. 28 in Hays, Kansas. Meyer said, even though the games ended in a loss, it showed the fight within his team.

After having offensive struggles all season — including being 11th out of 14 teams in the conference in points per game (62) — the ’Cats exploded with a 97-50 win against Central Oklahoma Feb. 23 in Bearcat Arena.

Out of the 15 players Northwest started the season with, the Bearcats will only lose one player, junior forward Paityn Rau, for next season. Hartnett said having almost the same team going into next season is a great thing.

“We have really good team chemistry like we hang out all the time, and we’re really close,” Hartnett said. “Our culture here is one-of-a-kind, and I think just having the same team and knowing what we’re going to get out of everybody is a great thing. We only can improve.”

RIVER BOYD Sports Reporter | @RiverBoyd5

Senior guard Caden Stoecklein, junior guard Delton Davis, junior guard Derek Quinlin, senior guard Drew Burns and senior forward Keaton Stone cheer on their teammates during the last quarter during game one of the Class 4 District 16 Tournament against Benton.

DAKOTA WEAVER PHOTO EDITOR

TREY HOUCHIN Missourian Reporter | @NWMSports

Senior forward Rylee Vierthaler looks to pass the ball during Maryville’s win over Cameron in the first round of the Class 4 District 16 Tournament Feb. 28.

DAKOTA WEAVER PHOTO EDITOR

Northwest women’s basketball sophomore guard Caely Kesten signals a play during the Bearcats’ 65-43 loss to Nebraska-Kearney in the MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals March 2.

DAKOTA WEAVER PHOTO EDITOR

looks ahead to start of

As the spring season continues, so does the competition for Northwest softball. Or, at least it was going to. As for the Fairfield Classic March 1719 in St. Joseph, those games have been canceled.

With the games being canceled this weekend, the Bearcats played their first home games of the season against Augustana in a doubleheader (7-6) at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. March 15 at Bearcat Softball Field.

Northwest Athletics Assistant Athletic Director Colin McDonough said in an email to The Missourian the weather was a factor for the cancellation of the Fairfield Classic.

“The tournament in St. Joseph was being played at city park fields that haven’t been able to be put into playing shape yet,” McDonough said in an email to The Missourian.

Northwest softball (13-9, 1-3 MIAA) is playing at home for the first time March 15, although the Northwest baseball team had to shift locations against Washburn March 14 from Bearcat Baseball Field to in Topeka, Kansas, due to field conditions.

“Our baseball field is still pretty wet and not in great playing condition,” McDonough

Bearcat baseball to host Hornets

outscored 119-67 this season.

said in an email to The Missourian. “Washburn has turf, so it was better to play there and then switch the game with them on (March 28) back to our place. The softball fi eld is in better shape at this point as it has gotten some better sunlight for drying.”

As for the softball team, the Bearcats played in two MIAA doubleheaders against Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney March 11-12. The ’Cats went 1-3 in its first four conference matchups of the season.

Coach Naomi Tellez said it felt good to get some conference games under their belt as they head into the long MIAA schedule.

“Just as a whole, everything that we’ve worked towards and everything that we have practiced for is finally here,” Tellez said.

Junior catcher Lauren Gray said the non-conference games in the beginning of the year is what gets them ready for solid conference opponents as the year progresses.

“It’s a tough conference to be in,” Gray said. “We just really need to get our minds right for conference, and I am confident that we have the talent and the physical aspects of this game. We just have to keep working on our mental game

and stay determined.”

Northwest is No. 2 in the MIAA in batting average as a team (.317) and No. 4 in the conference in on-base percentage (.392). Gray has played a significant role in the Bearcats’ success inside the batter’s box this season. In her 14 games played this season, she is No. 4 on the team in batting average (.333), No. 3 on the team in on-base percentage (.462), along with 11 RBIs and two home runs.

Tellez said it is key for the team to stay loose and confident while up at the plate, rather than being tight and upbeat.

“We don’t really harp on a lot mechanically from that perspective,” Tellez said. “It’s just our approach and having the mindset to do damage, really swing at our pitches and being patient enough to get our pitches.”

Gray said having nearly the same team as last year has been a huge boost in the team’s confidence and success thus far in the long spring season.

“I think that we have a lot of talent on our team,” Gray said. “I think it’s all mental for us. It’s just the mindset that has been switched this year, and we know what it felt like to not be a winning team last year, and that really just put a fire underneath us.”

Northwest baseball has struggled this season. The Bearcats are 4-17 overall and 2-8 in the MIAA. The venue hasn’t made much of a difference so far, as the ’Cats are 1-2 at home, 0-9 on the road and 3-6 at neutral-site games. Northwest has also been

Coach Darin Loe said his team can’t let the negatives get to them. He said he feels like the Bearcats are right on the edge of success.

“Our guys need to understand that we have a good team,” Loe said. “We’ve run through a tough schedule from

Dr.

the start until now. Playing a lot of quality opponents, and just remembering that we’re a really talented team and could go on a run anytime now. We just have to flip the switch, get the losses turned into wins and roll with that.”

The Bearcats are set to play a three-game home series against Emporia State March 19-20.

After their previous home series against Pittsburg State March 10-12 was moved to Pittsburg, Kansas, due to weather conditions, the matchups with the Hornets will make it just six home games played thus far this season for the Bearcats.

Junior pitcher Zach Wiese was the lone pitcher to earn a win against Pittsburg State March 11. Wiese pitched over five innings and had four strikeouts while giving up one walk, six hits and allowing one run. Wiese said playing at home gives them a big advantage.

“We practice all the time outside and practice hard,” Wiese said. “So when we have home fans come out, I think that makes it a lot harder for teams to play at our place.”

In a season where 17 of the 50 games are at Bearcat Baseball Field and only four home games through the first 21 contests, Northwest has been on the road a lot already and will be in the future.

Mother nature can be unpredictable, though, and Loe said having to move home games to road games is unfortunate and hard.

“It’s mostly important just to play at home, unfortunately, the Pitt State series was supposed to be at home, but the field wasn’t ready,” Loe said. “We had to move down there, and it’s a difficult place to play — they’re good at home. Our game against Washburn was also moved due to a wet field. It’s one of those things you have to deal with when you have a natural field.”

Emporia State (8-14, 4-5 MIAA) went 1-2 in a series with Central Missouri. The Mules outscored the Hornets 22-9 in the three-game series. Emporia has struggled on the road so far, as the Hornets have an away record of 1-4, compared to being 5-9 at home.

The Bearcats are 4-6 against the Hornets in the last 10 games in the all-time series. Emporia defeated Northwest 7-3 March 20, 2022, in the last meeting between both programs.

Loe said the key to defeating the Hornets is simply playing good baseball. He said it

doesn’t take any tricks, all his team has to do is hone in on what it does well.

defense,” Loe said “We also need to get more confidence at the plate. Our hitters have been hitting the ball hard, and, a lot of times, right at people, but that’s baseball. Those hard-hit balls will start finding holes, eventually, and hopefully, it starts this weekend.”

DAKOTA

Junior

21. DAKOTA WEAVER PHOTO EDITOR

Northwest track claims national titles

Kennedi Cline and Truman Hare had never competed at nationals before. The duo were at the end of their freshman indoor season for Northwest track and field, and they ended it in the history books.

Cline and Hare went to the Division II Indoor Championships March 10-11 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and when they came back to Maryville, they brought with them a pair of national championships.

“It was pretty surreal,” Cline said. “The coaches were crying, everybody was giving us hugs and I was so glad I was part of that team and can do it with those people.”

With a blistering time of three minutes, 36 seconds and 76 milliseconds in the women’s 4x400-meter relay, junior Tiffany Hughey, sophomore Chloe Saenz, sophomore Luisarys Toledo and Cline won the event March 11. Not only did the triumph secure themselves a na-

tional title, but it also set the Division II record.

At the Lone Star Conference Indoor Championships Feb. 19, Angelo State’s senior Zykia McDaniel, junior Shiean Walters, junior Maricia Spence and junior Shadae Findley set the previous record with a finish of 3:38.38, passing 3:39.24 set by Lincoln in 1997. At nationals, the quartet ran even faster, with a time of 3:38.31, but it wasn’t enough to catch the Bearcats.

“Once we won, it was just pure joy,” Cline said. “I was so proud of the team and knowing that everybody did what they’re supposed to do. It just felt really good.”

The relay squad wasn’t even Northwest’s first national champion of the weekend. On the first day, March 10, Hare was the only athlete to finish the men’s 400-meter dash under 47 seconds with a time of 46.99.

For him, though, it wasn’t the trophy but, instead, it was the people there that made the moment so memorable.

“As I’m walking over to the

award stands, I can see my mom running down the stairs to come get to me, and that felt good on the heart,” Hare said. “The fact that (Mom and Dad) took time out to take some of their vacation days to come fly out and see me run, as a freshman in nationals, and to then overachieve my ranking and actually win it and be able to have one of my first hugs be from my mom was very special.”

Hare’s performance helped the men’s team finish seventh overall at nationals after the team was slated to finish 16th, and Cline’s relay squad propelled the women’s team to 10th overall, even after being picked to claim 21st-place.

Coach Brandon Masters said a lot of expectations, not just for the teams themselves, were surpassed, and the level of success the Bearcats earned was incredible.

“To have both, the relay squad and Truman, pull that o ff was insane,” Masters said. “My big thing is ‘overcome.’ It doesn’t matter what you are on

paper — overcome your ranking. … That’s been my mantra to the kids, you know, from the beginning of my coaching career, ‘Just because you’re ranked this, doesn’t mean you can’t score this much better at a championship.’”

While the championships weren’t until the weekend, Hare said the team flew to Virginia Beach a couple days before. Masters said the trophies are amazing, but he also enjoyed watching the athletes interact with each other throughout the event.

“That’s one of the biggest things I can say about this team over my previous teams, here at Northwest and before, is this team is so close,” Masters said. “Everybody enjoyed the trip. They loved the trip because there weren’t any issues. There’s no drama. There’s no infighting. There’s no, ‘I’m better than you are.’ This team is amazing because they are a true family, and that’s what makes a difference.”

The past few years have not been easy. It is more important than ever to understand and prioritize your mental health and take the time to Be Kind to Your Mind.

Whether in need of help for yourself or to help someone else, you can find resources available and free to Northwest students at the link below. Together we can become Bearcat Better.

Northwest track and field coach Brandon Masters, sophomore Chloe Saenz, sophomore Luisarys Toledo, freshman Kennedi Cline, junior Tiffany Hughey and assistant coach Nikki Wetstein pose with national championship trophies at the Division II Indoor Championships March 11.

SUBMITTED NORTHWEST ATHLETICS

WESLEY MILLER Sports Editor | @wesleymiller360

Men’s basketball season concludes in second round of Central Region

WESLEY MILLER Sports Editor | @wesleymiller360

March 12 — the day Northwest men’s basketball end ed its season and the day the Bearcats were no lon ger the three-time defending national champions. While those trophies, along with other titles the program has collected over recent years, reside ri ht in coach en c oll s o ce Northwest can no lon er de fend its three-peat after a season-ending, 61-57 loss to South ern Na arene in the entral e ion o rna ent e ifnals

“I thought, early in the season, they played with a level of maturity that wasn’t necessarily because of the experience, they just were a mature group,” McCollum said.

Of the 15 players on the team this season, senior guard Di ego Bernard and junior forward Luke Waters are the only ones to have been with the squad for all three national titles. Waters, who became the 27th player in program history to score 1,000 career points in a 84-74 win against Nebraska-Kearney ec said he en o ed his fnal season with the earcats

“I couldn’t imagine going anywhere else for my college career as a student, as an athlete, as a person,” Waters said. “It’s the whole city of Maryville and the community. It’s allowed me to grow so much as a person. … I wouldn’t change anything, and I consider myself very lucky.”

For McCollum, that’s always been part of the plan for all of his players. He said winning is secondary to ensuring player growth.

“We don’t ever focus on winning,” McCollum said. “Our thing has always been: If we develop the individual kids, we challenge them, and we take them out of their comfort zone, winning will take care of itself. … Winning is a byproduct. It’s a result — you don’t really control whether or not you win. The best way to control it is with your process, and that’s what we’ve put our attention on.” he f e ti e National ssociation of asket all oaches ivision II Coach of the Year had his season start the same way the last three national championships ended — with a win. In the season o ener a ainst then No est e as No in akeland lorida the earcats defeated the alos nd so it e an he onl tea in i ision to win the national championship three-straight times was on a new camai n t was flled with its own net c ttin its own s iles and its own cheers, but it was also full of disappointment and tears.

PHOTOS AND PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MAKAYLA POLAK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SEE UPSET | A8