VOLUME 129, ISSUE 13
the
SIGNAL A P U B L I CAT I O N O F O U AC H I TA BA PT I S T U N I V E R SI T Y
APRIL 29, 2021
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cover story....................................3 news................................................4-5 arts/entertainment....................6 opinions...........................................7 Sports................................................8
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the
SIGNAL
Caity Hatchett
Elizabeth Steely
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
SPORTS EDITOR
Sara Patterson
Matthew Branch
OSDN COORDINATOR
Katie Kemp
Hannah Smith
COPY EDITOR
NEWS EDITOR
Langley Leverett ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT & OPINIONS EDITOR
Dr. Jeff Root Adviser
Caroline Derby AD COORDINATOR
PHOTO EDITOR
Abby Blankenship PHOTO EDITOR
Dr. Deborah Root Adviser
The Signal is the student newspaper of Ouachita Baptist University, and is published twice a month on Thursdays during the fall and spring semesters when school is in session. The newspaper is distributed free of charge; 1,200 copies are placed in more than 20 locations across campus. Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or university. The Signal is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press and is printed by the Nashville Leader. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Letters to the editor are encouraged and accepted, unless libelous, irresponsible or obscene. Letters should be typed and include a signature and contact phone number, and must be less than 500 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and style. Letters should be sent via campus mail to Box 3761 or via email to signal@obu.edu.
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On the cover: Senior Meagan North carries the Great American Conference championship trophy out to where the rest of the team is celebrating. The Tigers won their second conference championship in program history on April 17, 2021. On this page: The Tigers relish in their victory over the Bison, holding the trophy together. The team fought hard to win the championship. (photos courtesy of Ouachita Athletics)
Earning it: Women’s soccer wins GAC trophy BY RYAN YORK Staff Writer
Kicking the game-winning goal is more stressful than you would think. At least, that’s what freshman Frankie Nine found out during the Great American Conference championship a couple of weeks ago. The Tigers faced off against the Oklahoma Baptist University Bison, and Nine’s overtime goal brought the trophy home for the team. Ouachita’s defense worked hard to block every shot the Bison put up. The Tigers stood tall with Michele Snow as their goalie, who kept the score tied at 0-0. Throughout the game, the teams battled strong winds that threw the ball off course and made passing more difficult. As the regular
clock ran out, both teams’ captains stepped up to the center of the field for a coin toss to choose their sides of the field for overtime. “When Meagan [North] won the coin toss and we got the wind, I felt confident,” junior midfielder Jaymee Dotson said. “There was a momentum change: ours went up and OkBU’s went down.” The score was still tied at 0-0 toward the end of the first overtime, when sophomore midfielder Gracen Turner took a shot. From there, Ouachita was set up with the last chance in that overtime to score from a corner kick. Nine got ready for the kick after getting some advice from Head Coach Kevin Wright. “Kevin goes, ‘Take your time. Give us a good ball,’” Nine said. “But I did not take my time, I felt
rushed. We were in the last minute of the first overtime, so I had to go fast.” Lining up, Nine kicked the ball inside the box with a slight curve to it. Since her last corner attempt had been unsuccessful, the team held its breath. “I think everyone thought it was going out of bounds,” Nine said. The ball cut past the Bison defense and crossed the goal line in the final minute of the game, giving Ouachita the 1-0 lead and the championship. Dotson and the others charged Nine, while the rest of the team rushed to the seniors. Most of the team was in tears, realizing that they achieved what they had been working toward. Just getting to the championship was not easy, though. The team
faced many challenges along the way because of COVID-19. “COVID affected us tremendously. There were a lot of new rules we had to follow during practice,” Dotson said. “Some weeks we would only have around eight girls at practice because others would get sent home to quarantine.” At the beginning of the fall semester, the team had to incorporate social distancing into its practices. This gave the Tigers time to focus on formation and passing, but it did not allow them to practice other aspects of the game. “Make sure you earned it” became Coach Wright’s goto phrase during practices. The Tigers pushed through socially distanced practices and intrasquad
scrimmages to start their season. However, these challenges proved crucial in creating the team that won the championship. Normally, the players would only have a couple of weeks to practice together before the start of the season. This year, the team had the opportunity to practice together for a whole semester before having any games, giving the freshmen time to build chemistry with the other players. The delay to the season allowed the Tigers to come into the spring as one unit. During this season, the Tigers overcame different obstacles and opponents, pushing themselves to the tournament, where they won in the final minute of the championship game. It’s fair to say they definitely earned it.
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Spring Theme seminar hosts campus color war BY ERICA WILMATH Staff Writer
The Honors Spring Theme Seminar hosts a different event every spring. While last year’s “Battle of the Bands” did not happen because of COVID-19, this year’s color war took place on April 28. The event included different rounds of a color war, pitting four different teams against each other. There were snacks and activities for those who wanted to watch, but not get messy. The color war culminated in a Tiger War, where students threw purple and yellow powder at each other. The students were able to get hands-on experience with event planning and all of the challenges that come with it, while providing a fun way for their peers to relax before finals. After initial event presentations, the class selected the color war as its event just three weeks ago. Having to produce a full-fledged event in such a short amount of time made planning the color war fun, but challenging. The class was split into four teams to handle different aspects of the planning process: logistics; design and decor; food and drinks and activites and personnel. Caity Hatchett, leader of the activities and personnel team, worked with her teammates over the last couple of weeks to set rules for the color war and choose additional activities to have during the event. Hatchett was also in charge of dividing people into teams when they signed up for the color war. “My team was in charge of laying out the rules for the color war and deciding how each round was going to work,” Hatchett said. “We also had to choose activities for people that weren’t participating to do, and we got to pick the colors
and teams for the color war.” Participants received their wristbands when they checked in for the event. Then they met up with their teams and prepared for the opening rounds of the color war. For many of the students in the seminar, the greatest challenge in planning this event was trying to accomplish all of the tasks in the allotted time. Since the first half of the class was about designing an event and the class was split into three different groups that proposed three different events, they chose their event and finalized the plans for it in less than a month. The students had to balance planning this event with preparing for finals, projects and presentations in their other classes. This made open communication between the four teams a key aspect of the event planning process. “I’m really proud of the work our class put into the event, and I’m especially proud of my team,” Hatchett said. “We had to make decisions with a pretty quick turnaround and we’ve done that really well. It was fun to see everyone come together to plan the event and use their skills to make it great.” Kayla Whittington, who served as head of logistics, and her team were in charge of getting the event approved twice, since it was moved forward a day due to rain. There was so much that went into planning, and the class tried to incorporate what they had learned earlier in the semester into their event. “I have to give lots of credit to Sabaoth Esho and her team for coming up with this event idea and laying the groundwork for us to carry this event out in such a short time frame,” Whittington said. “It is always a gift to lead with a team. I’m especially thankful for Adam Wheat and his role in our class and this event.”
Student media receives awards BY MACKENZIE HALL Staff Writer
The Arkansas College Media Association announced the winners of the 2021 Collegiate Media contest on Friday, April 9, during a virtual presentation on Facebook. Ouachita received 39 of these awards for work featured in the “Ouachitonian” yearbook, “The Signal” and episodes of “The Roar Rundown.” Colleges from around the state submitted outstanding student publication and production work in radio, television, newspaper, online, yearbook and general excellence categories to this year’s contest. “For each division there are a list of categories. You can submit up to three entries for each category,” “Ouachitonian” Faculty Advisor and Associate Faculty Advisor of “The Signal” Dr. Deborah Root said. “It’s an online judging system, so you just submit PDFs or digital files of your entries into the system. The entries are then sent to judges to decide the winners.” The Collegiate Media contest includes all collegiate schools throughout Arkansas. Ouachita competed against the University of Arkansas, Arkansas State University and the University of Central Arkansas, which are much bigger schools, along with schools that were closer to its size, like Harding University and Arkansas Tech University. “I think that the awards that we won represent the Communications Department very well because we competed against all the colleges and universities throughout the state,” Root said. “Most of them are much larger than we are. There are some community colleges that participated as well, but they are still larger than we are. It really shows that we can compete with big universities and it shows
the strength of our students and their dedication to our publications.” The students’ hard work and dedication was evident. The “Ouachitonian” took home 27 awards, “The Signal” took home seven awards and “The Roar Rundown” took home two awards. Brooke Woessner, a 2020 graduate, served as editor of the 2020 “Ouachitonian” yearbook. The stories and photos submitted to this year’s contest were from Woessner’s “Ouachitonian.” However, this year’s “Ouachitonian” editor Ben Swanger won Yearbook Editor of the Year. This award was both an honor and a surprise for him. “I actually didn’t see the results right away. Dr. Deb texted me and asked if I was in the office. I was not, and [she] texted me back a graphic with the results. I was super excited right away. It still has not hit me that hard. I know it is a big award,” Swanger said. “I’m proud of the work that I have put in to produce the yearbook. I had no expectations of winning the award; I did not expect to win at all.” Swanger’s effective leadership and drive to produce a quality yearbook will hopefully lead to continued success for the “Ouachitonian” in next year’s contest. “Winning these awards happens every year with the ‘Ouachitonian,’” Swanger said. “There is a great amount of recognition that Ouachita has with the ACMA. We topped last year’s recognition. I was proud of that accomplishment because it is important to build on success that we have had.” More than anything, Swanger is pleased to see the hard work that comes with putting a yearbook together paying off. Swanger knows that the process is more intricate than some might think from an outside perspective. Students who walk by the news-
room have likely seen Swanger sitting in his editor chair by the door. This is where the magic happens. “There is a lot of work that goes into the yearbook,” Swanger said. “I feel like a lot of people see me sitting in a chair, staring at a computer for hours, but there is much more than that.” Caity Hatchett, editor of “The Signal,” was also pleasantly surprised by the contest results. Hatchett was personally recognized as second place for Newspaper Editor of the Year and first place for Newspaper Sports Photo. “I was a little surprised that I placed as well as I did because I knew my competition would be tough,” Hatchett said. “I was not expecting to win or even place, so to see my name in the top four for that [Newspaper Editor of the Year award] really meant a lot to me.” Hatchett was more surprised by winning first place for her sports photo, though. “I started taking baseball photos in the fall, mostly for fun, and photo lab co-editor Hannah Smith told me I was actually really good at it,” Hatchett said. “So, I ended up using a couple of photos from the team’s Fall World Series to go along with a story about sports superstitions in ‘The Spooky Signal,’ and I ended up deciding to submit that photo kind of last-minute.” Hatchett’s last-minute decision landed her notable recognition in the state of Arkansas for sports photography. On the production side of things, “The Roar Rundown” won first place for sports reporting for the second year in a row and an honorable mention for its live Battle of the Ravine production in 2019. Swanger and Hatchett will graduate in May with their heads held high., while returning students who received awards will use these achievements to motivate their performance in the upcoming year.
NEWS
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Scholars Day features student research BY CAROLINE DERBY Staff Writer
The Carl Goodson Honors Program, directed by Dr. Barbara Pemberton, held its annual Scholars Day on April 21, 2021. After the virtual Scholars Day last spring, students, faculty and staff were excited to have in-person presentations this year. This day serves to honor and commemorate the exceptional work of Ouachita students. Students from different majors across campus present their work in a variety of ways, from poster and oral presentations to art galleries and theatre performances. Honors seniors also present their thesis projects at Scholars Day. These students work outside of their typical classwork to complete these projects, and Scholars Day is meant to honor them. Mady Cate Rottinghaus, a senior biology major from Hot Springs, presented her summer research in a thesis presentation titled, “The Effects of Temperature & pH on BPA Leaching in Oral Hygiene
Products using Fluorescence Spectroscopy.” This is the research she did the summer before her senior year through the Patterson School of Natural Sciences. “I sampled children’s toothbrushes that were BPA containing at temperatures of 20 Degrees C (Room Temp) and 37 Degrees C (temp of oral cavity) and at different pH values (3,6,10) to further mimic oral cavity,” Rottinghaus said. “I found that by increasing temperature, BPA leaching increased as well. As far as pH, 3 & 6 had larger fluorescence intensities than pH value of 10.” Rottinghaus presented this research as her honors thesis, which will allow her to graduate with honors in May. Aside from her own presentation, Rottinghaus loved getting to see her peers’ work and accomplishments. “I loved sitting in on other thesis presentations and walking around listening to research posters! It is a wonderful opportunity to highlight the amazing work of amazing students on our campus,” Rottinghaus
said. Rylie Slone, a senior political science and Christian studies double major from Bentonville, presented her honors thesis titled, “The Not-So-Great Apostasy? A Response to the Mormon Argument of the Great Apostasy.” Slone researched and sought to prove that God’s truth has never left the East and that the church never entered a period of total apostasy. She did this by using the lenses of church history, church doctrine and textual criticism. Like Rottinghaus, Slone will be graduating in less than a week and accredits much of her success to her professors. “Giving my presentation and seeing all of my professors in the room, they were the ones who had taught me, encouraged me, and helped me make it this far in my educational journey,” Slone said, “and being able to present in front of all of them was a complete honor.” Professors guide, mentor and learn alongside students in preparing their honors theses. Each
honors student working on a thesis chooses a professor to be their thesis director as well as two other professors to be thesis readers. The thesis director mentors the student throughout their writing process, while the readers give constructive criticism on the student’s last few drafts of their thesis before it is finished. They see it all come together in the student’s thesis presentation on Scholars Day. Laura Beth Warner, another senior and Christian studies major from Benton, created a children’s book for her honors thesis. Warner reimagined a story many are familiar with: The Good Samaritan. In her presentation titled, “The Unexpected Neighbor: A Retelling of the Good Samaritan,” Warner described the process of creating the book and even had the audience listen to it. Her family was even there to support her. Doing this project was a little outside of Warner’s comfort zone, but she completed it nonetheless. “My favorite part was feeling like I did something to be proud of! I had my favorite high school En-
glish teacher record herself reading my book and played it with the pictures so everyone could experience my story,” Warner said. In addition to the presentations happening across campus, the newest members of Alpha Chi were inducted into the honor society. The Alpha Chi Honors Society recognized the top 10% of the junior and senior classes. Those students were presented to campus and officially inducted as members of this prestigious organization. Members do not have to be involved in the honors program to be inducted. Scholars Day is about honoring students in the honors program, students in Alpha Chi, and students who went above and beyond their normal classwork to gain extra educational knowledge. It is a memorable event that takes place every year, despite extenuating circumstances. This year’s Scholars Day program gave the entire campus an opportunity to join together and support these students’ academic success, hard work and dedication in the face of a tough year.
Carl Goodson Honors Program members gather for a photo before Scholars Day begins. Scholars Day was last Wednesday, April 21, and students across campus presented their work. (photo by Levi Dade)
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Juried art show displays high engagement, diversity BY SARA PATTERSON News Editor
Art club leaders Nick Herrington, Jenna Whitlow and Tehya Hinkson (left to right) celebrate this year’s juried art show. (photo courtesy of Jenna Whitlow)
The Juried Student Art Show makes its way to the Hammons Art Gallery each spring. This year, the exhibition’s opening day fell on Scholars Day. Among the range of disciplines the day lent itself to, the juried art show attracted many students, faculty, staff and visitors throughout the day. The exhibit will be up for the remainder of the spring semester and into the fall semester, giving students plenty of time to earn Arts Engagement Credit and to enjoy the pieces. Months of work are required to produce a successful juried art show. Senior studio art major Jenna Whitlow served in leading the production of the show this year by bringing in an alumni juror and physically arranging the exhibit. Alumna Emily Woods choose what art pieces would be exhibited. Once the pieces were chosen, the accepted artists were instructed to
frame their artwork and bring it back in a couple of weeks. Then, juried art show chairs would handle display, design and set-up. Nick Herrington, studio art and history double major, serves as a chair for the juried art show and was involved in the set-up process. “It was mine and Jenna’s job to create labels and place pieces and just get it all set up and ready for the reception,” Herrington said. Tehya Hinkson, studio art and education double major, serves as president of the OBU Art Club and was willing to lend a helping hand wherever it was necessary, including repainting and respackling the walls in the gallery. However, Hinkson’s favorite part of the show was witnessing people engage with the art more closely than she might have expected. “It was so cool to see so many people walking around and talking about pieces and actually reading labels,” Hinkson said. Hinkson also appreciates the juror’s discernment in choosing which pieces to feature this year.
By going out of her comfort zone, Woods was able to curate a show that featured the full spectrum of art at Ouachita. “A lot of times, whoever jurors chooses pieces that favor their style. Subconsciously, that’s what you tend to go toward,” Hinkson said. “But this year, the lady who jurored did such a great job of picking diverse pieces. We had pottery, we had drawings, we had paintings, we had an animation! The diversity and being able to see all aspects of art was definitely my favorite part.” The show features diverse art works that reflect the community in the art department. It also shows how important art is in helping connect students in the department. “It’s just so supportive and so involved with each other which I really appreciate. Since we all share this passion of art, it helps you be more connected,” Hinkson said. “The people in the art department really strive to be engaged. I just love that community engagement that we get to have here.”
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” worthy addition to MCU BY WYATT ASHLOCK Staff Writer
Marvel Studios released “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” in March 2021 as a mini-series created by writer Malcolm Spellman. Following the events of “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), Sam Wilson/ The Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastain Stan) are trying to find their place in a post-blip world. In the series, Barnes is trying to make amends for his actions as The Winter Soldier, while Wilson struggles to decide whether or not to accept his role as the next Captain America. Wilson gives
Captain America’s shield to the Smithsonian to pay tribute to Steve Rogers and is stunned when the U.S. government names U.S. soldier John Walker (Wyatt Russell) the new Captain America. When a terrorist group called the Flag-Smashers, run by Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman), begins using more radical tactics, Barnes and Wilson must reunite to stop them in “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” (2021). This show plays as Marvel’s love letter to traditional buddycop films. The hilarious chemistry between Stan and Mackie is even better this time around, as it shows elements of friendship and competition. While neither
of these characters have had an opportunity to carry an individual story themselves, this series shows that they are more than compelling enough to do so. The character development for Barnes and Wilson is some of the best writing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The plot of this show is equally compelling. Morgenthau is a sympathetic antagonist, while Walker demonstrates that character is just as important as strength when it comes to superheroes. The show does not shy away from issues of race, instead embracing it as a central theme in the plot. Wilson struggles with accepting the mantle of Captain America
because he is afraid that America is not ready for a Black man to carry the shield. The show also examines what it means to be a hero on a personal level. Walker struggles in the huge shoes that Rogers left to be filled, and he consistently demonstrates that not just anyone can be a hero. “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” is an excellent mini-series, rivaling “WandaVision” (2021) for the best recent Marvel series. Though their tones are drastically different, they both have a lot to offer to die-hard Marvel fans. Both have powerful messages about problems going on in today’s society. While “WandaVision’’ focuses
more on mental health issues and “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” focuses on race and veteran PTSD issues, they both are unified in their stunning ability to suprise the audience with their honesty. This show is a powerful addition to phase four of the MCU, proving that even after 10 years, the Marvel Universe is still going strong. I loved each and every episode of this show. The show’s messages are important even for us nonsuperheroes to consider. While it got off to a slow start, the pace has increased and has not slowed down since. The entire series is available to stream now on Disney+. I rate it a 5 out of 5 Tiger Paws.
OPINIONS WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM | PAGE 7
Challenging perceptions, looking within to find courage as students on Ouachita’s campus BY ASHA SAMSON
2021 Integrity Project 1st Place Winner This essay was submitted as part of the 2021 Integrity Project. The theme dealt with defining what courage looks like for students at Ouachita. Courage is a loaded notion that is commonly attributed to superheroes or pedestrians that pull people out of burning cars. It often describes people who push the boundaries of what we would consider safe and comfortable behavior. However, in this essay, I am insisting that it doesn’t always involve grandiose gestures, but we actually can display courage through small acts around our own campus. In the current climate, it does feel hard to speak our opinions and fight for truth and justice without the fear of judgment or cancellation. This prompt asked us to respond to how we can combat this through courage but to really address that we must first discuss how this climate is created. As we walk around our beautiful Christian campus, we are often plagued with the idea that we must display perfection. Because we try so very hard to disguise our shortcomings or ignorance, we are not able to grow and seek help. The first step of courage that is essential on this campus is to shed as much of this idea as we can. As students, we must have the courage to own our imperfections and struggles because they make up who we are. By doing this, we
have the great potential of helping others with similar situations and creating a closeness that was never there before. Frequently, hostility comes from either misunderstanding, mistreatment or a refusal to listen. I do not think that intentional mistreatment or refusal to listen is the issue at Ouachita because most students strive to love and honor the Lord. However, I do dare say there is a bubble formed here sometimes when many people are not exposed to cultures or information that are outside of their own. To this I say, as students, we must have the courage to ask questions. This is so simply put, but it is one of the hardest ones for me. I honestly do not know when or why asking questions became something that was feared and avoided. Just mustering the courage to ask and admit you don’t know everything can clear up issues and unnecessary confusion. Adding just another layer to this, as students, we must have the courage to challenge our own preconceived notions and biases to have more compassion and understanding for others. It is scary to examine ourselves, but it is impossible to love one another if we hold on to our own ignorance. Once we strive to be the best version of ourselves, as students, we must have the courage to fully trust that God has a plan for us and just do our very best to get there. This courage may be hard to display but its power stems from loved ones, friends and your own integrity not to accept anything less than your best efforts.
Senior reflection: perseverance characterizes Ouachitonians BY MADELINE MARTIN Staff Writer
I never imagined that I would face a pandemic and a blizzard during my senior year at Ouachita. It has been a unique school year, to say the least. Join me in reminiscing on this school year and all of its highs and lows. When we returned to campus in August, students were excited. I was one of those students, eager to get out of quarantine and back on campus with my friends. Little did we know that the pandemic would change campus life as we knew it. This year lacked in on-campus events. Most notably, Tiger Tunes was canceled. Instead, the Ouachita Student Foundation found a way to still raise money for student scholarships by hosting Tunes Rewind. The event proved successful and showed that there are still ways to bring people together during a pandemic. Masks and social distancing created obstacles, too. I’m sure every student forgot to bring a mask to class at least once (I know
I’m guilty), and not being able to sit near friends in class felt foreign. As a theatre student, I often found these hurdles difficult to overcome while performing. However, we adapted and made the guidelines work so that we could stay. Then, we experienced the great Arkadelphia blizzard of 2021, when we got over ten inches of snow in one week. In the past, snow days meant cancelled classes, but instead professors transitioned to virtual learning for the week. Despite still having to attend class, students got to have fun in the snow and escape from the craziness of pandemic life. Almost a year after getting sent home due to COVID-19, students became eligible to receive the vaccine. Ouachita hosted a clinic for students to get fully vaccinated. For me, this created a sense of relief. It felt like the beginning of the end for the pandemic. One of the hardest things that students had to go through, in my opinion, was the cancellation of spring break. Burnout is real, and Ouachita students experienced the exhaustion that comes with
pushing through classes without a long break. Sure, we got Catch-Up Days each month, but not having a spring break added a lot of stress to the student body. Mental fatigue set in and made it difficult to find motivation to keep up with course work. I think that the overarching theme of this school year is perseverance. Despite the fact that we had to sacrifice many events and campus activities that we were accustomed to, students and faculty came together to make the best of a difficult situation. We persevered and adjusted according to HMAT guidelines. We made things work so that we could be one of the few universities in the nation that held on-campus learning this academic year. It took detailed planning and the cooperation of students and faculty, but we did it. I think we are lucky that we got to spend the academic year oncampus while so many colleges continued with remote learning. Despite the hardships we faced and sacrifices we made, I am glad that I got to spend my last year at Ouachita on campus.
The Tiger statue is covered in snow during this year’s snowstorm in the middle of February. (photo by Madison Melcher)
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Pettigrew finds passion for ministry, leadership BY LANGLEY LEVERETT
Arts & Entertainment/Opinions Editor Beneath the busy schedule of her softball practices, social club meetings and academic pursuits is a love for connecting with people. Encouraging others and building a positive atmosphere is Lacey Pettigrew’s number one priority, whether it’s on or off of the field. Pettigrew is from Bentonville and is a sophomore Christian studies major with an emphasis in biblical languages and theology. She is involved in Chi Delta, the Pruett Sisterhood, the Carl Goodson Honors program and, as of last August, she plays softball for Ouachita. Pettigrew played softball all four years of high school but decided to take a break once she came to college. After a year of missing the sport, she sent an email to OBU’s head coach at the time, requesting a spot on the team. Pettigrew received a positive response and was able to join the team. “I wasn’t recruited in high school, so I naturally assumed that my time as a softball player was over. I knew I wasn’t going to go pro,” Pettigrew said. “I really missed being part of a team, and I wanted to get back into it. I just got lucky, plain and simple. A week before I came to Ouachita for my second year, I got added to the softball group chat.” Although Pettigrew was new to softball at Ouachita, the team had experienced a rough season in 2020. On top of the disruption from COVID-19, the athletics department hired new head and assistant softball coaches. However, Pettigrew was still excited to reconnect with a team. “I missed the team aspect. I was excited to get back into that. I thought, ‘Even if I don’t get to play
Sophomore softball player Lacey Pettigrew spends time in the dugout at the softball field. Pettigrew joined the team in August 2020 and has found joy in connecting with and encouraging all of her new teammates this year. (photo by William Read)
here, I know my role on the team, and I’m going to do my best to achieve that goal,’” Pettigrew said. “Last season was a hard season. Coming in, I had heard what had happened, but I hadn’t experienced it. So I still had this feeling of renewal. Getting a new coach helped others to join in on that excitement, like ‘Hey, we really have a chance
of being a new team.’” In Pettigrew’s eyes, the team has undergone tremendous growth since Head Coach Derrick Grimes joined the team and initiated a new practice style. The Tigers still have one series left this season, and they’ve already clinched a spot in the championship. “It’s just amazing to see that
growth in such a short time. Me and Coach Grimes were reflecting on it the other day, and he was like,‘Y’all couldn’t catch any balls, now ya’ll don’t let a ball drop,’’ Pettigrew said. “It’s definitely paid off; we can keep up with that fast pace now.” Winning the series against Oklahoma Baptist University is a defin-
ing moment from this season for Pettigrew. Moments like this not only encouraged the team to keep pushing hard, but it also affirmed that their hard work was producing fruit. Pettigrew didn’t get to play much in high school, but she has had more playing time in college. “Seeing that excitement fuelled us a lot more. Personally, I’ve grown a lot more. I’ve worked on things that I knew needed work, I’ve fixed things that I didn’t know needed work,” Pettigrew said. “I feel a lot more confident in myself, and I feel like I can help my team in more than just cheering, if I get put in that situation.” Coming to Ouachita was a nerve-racking choice for Pettigrew, but after taking a few core Bible classes, she discovered a passion for ministry. Being part of a team and many other social organizations has helped guide her into realizing her future vocation. “I just want to live up my experience here. Trying to choose a college can be so confusing and anxiety ridden,” Pettigrew said. “But I don’t think there’s a better school I could’ve gone to than Ouachita to pursue a career in Christian studies. I would like to pastor. I want to be teaching lessons, speaking and counseling people.” Sports and studying theology has uncovered and enhanced Pettigrew’s passion, which is leadership. Playing softball has taught her the value of support, encouragement and genuine compassion. “I value leadership, and I think leadership takes a lot of different forms. There’s a lot more leading on the sidelines, or like in softball, leading from the bench,” Pettigrew said. “You better believe I’m giving everything I got to scream as loud as I can, and for as long as I can, to hype them up to play to the best of their ability.”
