The Times-Delphic

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER FOR DRAKE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

THE TIMES DELPHIC DES MOINES, IOWA | THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 2011 | VOL. 131, NO. 19 | WWW.TIMESDELPHIC.COM

First-Year election ends in a run-off Two continue on for another round of campaigning

by Lauren Horsch

Managing/News Editor lauren.horsch@drake.edu

As the clock hit midnight yesterday morning, students gathered near Pomerantz Stage in Olmsted to await the announcement of the First-Year Senator elections.

Candidates Justin Kochanski and Joey Gale were voted as the finalists and will enter another week of campaigning.

The Election Commission took the stage after midnight and thanked everyone for coming. Senior Commission Co-Chair Jessie Hill said that there would be no “fancy PowerPoints” that night. Instead, she just made the announcement.

She said that over half of the first-year class voted, and over 700 votes were counted. In order to receive an outright win, a candidate has to receive 50 percent plus one of the votes, Hill said.

Kochanski received the most votes with 258. Gale, who ran as a write-in candidate, earned 153.

The other five candidates — Tay-

lor Larson, Ashley Garvais, Ekta Haria, Josh Schoenblatt and Kelly Tafoya — collectively earned 294 votes.

Each first-year student was allotted two votes for separate candidates during the voting period.

After the vote totals were announced, Kochanski said that it was a “good feeling” after the past week of campaigning.

Gale also said he felt the same.

“Nobody ever wants to be a write-in candidate for a major election,” Gale said. “I’m definitely glad that there was a lot of people out there who wrote my name in.”

Kochanski said that in the upcoming campaign cycle, he was going to try and not receive as many technicalities, or penalty points, but said that he was “still Justin.”

Gale said that he was still using his same platform; he was just going to be dropping the “write-in” aspect of his campaign. He also said that he might make some small changes.

Each of the candidates in the run-off election has something different that they can offer to the first-

year population at Drake.

“I can offer them someone that will willingly fight for them,” Kochanski said. “Some(one) that has experience speaking and debating, someone who will sit around the table and represent them.”

He said that he could represent the first-year class in any manner, whether it dealt with academic affairs or Sodexo food quality.

Gale said that he could utilize a lot of tools on campus such as the First-Year Interest Committee. He would also like to use email as a tool for communication in the first-year class.

Kochanski said he was looking forward to talking to more people during this new campaign period.

Gale said he was looking to change-up a few of his campaign methods now that his name was on the ballot.

“I’m excited to change the tactics of how I campaign,” he said.

They both collectively thanked the first-year class for voting for them in the first round of elections, as well.

Vote totals by candidate:

Penalty points earned by candidates:

Kochanski: 258

Kochanski: 175

Gale: 153

Gale: 0

Larson: 78

Larson: 275

Haria: 74

Haria: 100

Schoenblatt: 60

Schoenblatt: 469

Tafoya: 53

Tafoya: 0

Garvais: 29

Garvais: 125

HANNA BARTHOLIC AND LAUREN HORSCH | news team

JESSIE HILL (ABOVE RIGHT) addresses the crowd on Wednesday night. THE CROWD (ABOVE LEFT) awaits the announcement of the First-Year Senate elections. JOEY GALE AND JUSTIN KOCHANSKI (BELOW LEFT) shake hands after the announcement was made. THE ELECTION COMMISSION (BELOW RIGHT) sits on Pomerantz Stage for the announcement.

College admissions using Facebook as a tool for perspective Drake officials use a ‘holistic’ approach for admitting students

by Sarah Laughlin

Staff Writer sarah.laughlin@drake.edu

In today’s society, technology is on the rise. The majority of students will come home from class, log onto the Internet and automatically go to Facebook.

Administrators seem to have caught on and are checking prospective students’ Facebook pages for hindrances that would prevent them from being a good applicant for that college.

Facebook is a social media website that is used by over 800 million people. When logged into the site, users are able to search others’ profiles by looking at pictures, posts, comments and personal information.

The number of college admissions at the activities prospective students Nearly 12 percent of those students officials using Facebook to learn more have been involved in, along with viewed had a “negative impact” on about applicants has quadrupled in course loads, classes and counselor their admission. the past year – though not everyone recommendations.

In 2009, only six percent of adat Drake University is in agreement According to USA Today, over 24 missions officials used Facebook. of using this method.

Sophomore Brit“Drake takes a hotany Michael did not listic approach,” said care whether admisDrake University Friend Request Laura Linn, Drake’s disions officials viewed rector of admission. “We her Facebook page. look at students as real The Internet is a people, not objects of space where informaDENY Regina George ACCEPT Facebook.” tion is public, and MiShe said that people chael said when going might portray themselves into college she had no Aaron Samules ACCEPT DENY on Facebook one way problem with school but end up being nothofficials checking her ing like they seem, and page. it is unfair to judge them “I have nothing to based on Facebook. percent of admissions officials at 359 hide,” she said.

Linn also noted that it is more selective colleges across the country Lilianna Bernstein, senior admisimportant for administrators to look used Facebook to review applicants. sion counselor at Drake, reviews be-

inside

tween 500 and 600 applicants each year. In past years, there have been over 6,000 applicants, and out of those only 3,800 were admitted, Bernstein said.

“I don’t have time to look at 600 profiles and still be able to do my job,” Bernstein said. “It’s unethical to look at some students profiles and not others.”

Bernstein said that she is sure this debate will go on for a while, and that Drake is obviously an exception from other schools.

“If you wouldn’t want your mom and grandma seeing pictures of you doing beer bongs, then don’t put that on the Internet for others to see,” Bernstein said. “While Drake doesn’t check, other schools do. Keep that in mind.”

NEWS

OPINIONS

FEATURES

SPORTS

A new student organization offers a secular view

Find out some nifty ways to make money

Financial literacy program hits Drake’s campus

Basketball is in the air, check out our preview

PAGE 2

PAGE 3

PAGE 4

PAGE 6-7

NEWS

news

THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 2011 | PAGE 2

quote of the

day

“

the non-Drake affiliated male in a nearby church lot. The male became very agitated and smelled of alcohol. Police arrived and the male was arrested for public intoxication.

HULKING OUT? 5:39 p.m. Oct. 29 A security officer on patrol noted a male Drake student in the health center parking lot bending a handicap sign with his hands. The student bent the sign back in place but told security he had a fake ID. The ID was turned over to security. The ID has now been turned over to the Iowa Department of Transportation for further investigation.

9:03 p.m. Oct 24 Security and police responded to the 1100 block of 26th Street on a report from a Drake real estate tenant that a male had just knocked on the residence door and was asking for money. Security arrived in the area and found

“

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

12:19 a.m. Oct. 28 Security observed a male Drake student acting suspiciously by running in and out of buildings between Olmsted and Aliber. The student was stopped and had slurred speech and was having trouble standing. The underage-for-drinking male had a fake driver’s license in his wallet.

The license was confiscated and turned over to the Iowa Department of Transportation for further investigation. The student was escorted back to his residence hall.

3:00 p.m. Oct. 29 A Drake student reported to security that someone broke off her vehicle side mirror in the Drake parking lot located at 32nd Street and Carpenter Avenue..

12:49 a.m. Oct. 30 Security observed a male Drake student tip

It (Occupy Wall Street) is not a hoard of petulant hippies who are ‘envious’ of powerful businessmen.

—MAREN HOKANSON, DRAKE SENIOR| PAGE 3

over a trash can near Hubbell Dinning hall.

Security stopped the underage-for-drinking male student. At this time, security smelled a strong odor of alcohol and noticed the student had slurred speech. The student was told to set the can back up, but the student fell to the ground. He then got up and tried to knock the security officer to the ground with his feet. The student then took off running. He was caught by security near Goodwin-Kirk Residence Hall.

Police were called. The student was arrested for public intoxication. The dean of students was advised.

5:05 p.m. Oct. 30 Security and police responded to a Drake Real Estate house located at 3103 University Ave. on a report of marijuana smell. The male Drake student in this room allowed security to search the room and marijuana was found. Police arrived and confiscated it and advised the student that narcotic detectives would follow up the investigation. The dean of students was advised.

International Students Association holds week-long celebration

by Jessica Ott

Staff Writer jessica.ott@drake.edu

International Night will mark the finale of International Week at 6 p.m. this Saturday.

At International Night, the International Students Association brings together the cultures celebrated during International Week:Latin American, Caribbean, North American, European, South Asian, Middle Eastern and East and South East Asian.

“The main goal of International Night is to allow the international students on campus to display their cultures to Drake students, faculty and community by performing dances, cooking food and displaying costumes,” said junior ISA Middle Eastern ambassador Moayad Baadhaim.

International Night begins with a skit and performances in Sheslow Auditorium from the South Asian Student Association, La Fuerza Latina, Malaysian Students Association, Chinese Student Association, African Students Association and Drake Tae Kwon Do. The skit will be based on “Beauty and the Beast.” The main character is a made-up Student Senate president named Derrick Mason, who is a culturally insensitive young man that is turned into a beast by made-up first-year student Kathryn. If he doesn’t change his ways by the end of International Night, he will be a beast forever.

“I’m just excited for everyone to share in the wonderful experience I’ve had of learning about where people come from and making a lot of new friends,” said senior Rebecca Scott, who was invited by an ISA member to partici-

pate in a skit and a dance for North America.

After the performances, there will be a dinner featuring international food cooked by students in Parents Hall in Upper Olmsted. The meal will include Thai green curry, jerk chicken, escovitch fish, Indian corn curry, chocolate mousse and empanadas as well as other international food.

“We’re going to have food cooked by natives,” said junior ISA Food Committee Chair Taylor Harris. “It will be the best $10 meal anyone has had all year. Plus, it comes with entertainment.”

International Week consists of free events that raise awareness about different cultures by allowing students to participate in crafts and traditions of the areas that each day focused on. The ISA Executive Council and continental ambassadors choose the events. Earlier this week, Latin American, Caribbean, North American, European, South Asian and Middle Eastern cultures were celebrated.

Today, nkaba bead making in the Hubbell Breezeway will give students a chance to make traditional beaded necklaces and bracelets and sample African food. Tomorrow, there will be a pasar malam market in the Olmsted Breezeway to give students the experience of walking down an Asian street with stations promoting snacks and games from Eastern and South Eastern Asia. Nkaba bead making will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the pasar malam market will be from 3-5 p.m.

“This is ISA’s largest annual event, and this year we are collaborating with SAB to make it even bigger and better,” said junior ISA President Sunrita Sen. International Night costs $10 for Drake students and $15 for people who aren’t affiliated with Drake. Tickets are on sale now.

DEREK NIPPER | staff photographer

MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ASSOCIATION hands out food to Drake Students outside of Olmsted and Hubbell.

JOEY GALE | photo editor

SAMANTHA KENISON, Scott Barcus and Bre Hess (left to right) offer a new student group for those who identify as non-religious, atheist or agnostic.

Secular organization gives opportunity for open discussion

by Katie Kalmes

Staff Writer katherine.kalmes@drake.edu

In 2010, 23 percent of college students listed their religious preference as “none,” according to a survey by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program.

These students are whom junior Breanna Hess, sophomore Samantha Kenison and senior Scott Barcus are targeting with their new campus organization, Secular Student Alliance.

“It will mostly be a social group intended for students who are non-religious, atheist or agnostic, but we welcome students from any faith,” Kenison said. “We plan to have meetings, events and campus-wide programs.”

Kenison came up with the idea for SSA at the beginning of this semester and approached both Hess and Barcus to see if they would be interested in helping her start it.

“I was reading a book one day, and this firstyear student came up to me and we started talking,” Kenison said. “He mentioned that he was atheist, and we began talking about how great it would be to have a group for students like us on campus, so I decided ‘well we should start a group.”

According to Hess, the idea to form the group and for her to join the effort was in the “spur of the moment.”

“We definitely felt that a group like this was necessary, but it didn’t come out of any particular event,” Hess said.

Hess, Kenison and Barcus want SSA to be a place where students can speak freely about controversial topics, whether those are about religion or other topics.

“As a law, politics and society major, in all

my classes we always talk about controversial topics, but when it came to religion, no one wanted to talk,” Kenison said. “I thought it was weird that it was so avoided, and I think that’s what we really want to fix with our group.”

Barcus, an atheist, joined SSA because he liked the idea of a community for people who share similar beliefs with him, so that they can converse and educate others outside of their community.

“The main reason I wanted to do it was because atheists are a highly under-represented group,” Barcus said. “It’s one of the last groups that its generally OK to discriminate against.

Atheism is something that we would like to make people more aware of. We’re not evil, immoral people.”

The group welcomes other religious or nonreligious students as well. Hess, who is agnostic, joined because she never felt comfortable talking about her religion.

“Most of the time when you ask people what religion they are, you’ll get a blank stare,” Hess said. “It’s not that they’re ashamed, but they’re not used to talking about it. We are here to provide a venue for people to express themselves further and to learn about different faiths and beliefs.”

SSA has its first event planned for Nov. 14 when Randy Henderson, president of the Iowa Atheists and Free Thinkers group, will be giving a lecture titled, “Taking Dominion Over America: The Theological and Political Agenda of the Religious Right.” The lecture begins at 6:30 p.m. on Pomerantz Stage.

To learn more about the Drake SSA and how to get involved, visit the group’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/DrakeSSA.

Figuring out classes doesn’t come easy

Students are coping with the difficulty of registering

by Kylie Rush

Staff Writer kylie.rush@drake.edu

In the next two weeks at Drake University, students can be seen scurrying across campus in a mixture of emotions. Some students will portray sheer joy while others will be anxious or disappointed. The cause of all these emotions is the spring 2012 semester registration.

“I liked figuring out my schedule,” first-year education major Cara Lutes said. “It was an interesting and fun process.”

Through her excitement, however, she still has some doubts.

“I’m a little nervous about classes being full,” Lutes added. “However, I have taken time to find back-up options, so I feel confident that registration will not be overly stressful.”

Students have to log onto blueView to register. They are given a certain time during the week to register based on the number of credits

they have earned thus far in their college careers. Registration started on Monday, and the final day for undergraduates to register will be on Nov. 11.

Mary Beth Holtey, assistant dean for student affairs, and other members of the Drake staff will be prepared to help students with any problems they run into during registration.

“During the registration process, I and my colleague, as well as individuals in the college and other school offices, get to the office at 7 a.m. to assist students with registration questions and issues,” Holtey said. “The college and school offices register those students who are studying abroad.”

Some students may experience holds on their accounts that they must handle before registering. In order to get rid of these holds, students are advised to contact the office who has placed the hold to find out what to do to be sure it is removed.

First-year pharmacy student Quang Phan said he feels that the Drake staff is very helpful on registration days.

SEND YOUR STORY IDEAS TO LAUREN.HORSCH@DRAKE.EDU

“During the mornings of registration, the staff at the front office usually stays on the computer and answer emails from students in a very swift manner,” Phan said. “So if I have any problem with registration, I can just email one of them and receive reply in less than 15 minutes.”

Many students, especially first-years like Lutes, meet with their academic advisors several times before registration to make sure they know which classes they are required to take and have a back-up schedule in mind.

“I met with my advisor,” Lutes said. “She did not map out my exact schedule with me, but she helped me get started the correct path with paperwork and helpful advice.”

Other students have also given her advice.

“Older students and professors have told me to ‘double-dip’ as much as possible,” Lutes added. “This concept revolves around trying to fill (areas of inquiry) requirements with your major’s courses.”

Phan, on the other hand, said he feels that meeting with his advisor is not a good use of

his time.

“I didn’t meet with my advisor since the curriculum is pretty much set,” Phan said. “I’m not taking any elective next semester. I will have to meet with my advisor if I do take any electives down the road.”

Students trying to fulfill their AOI requirements may experience some difficulty getting into classes. Often, these classes are also requirements for certain majors and may be closed to outside students. Waiting lists are available for students who are trying to register for classes that are full.

“Field of study restrictions are lifted on Monday, Nov. 14,” Holtey said. “At that time, anyone may register for any course or add themselves to a course waitlist if the course is full. On Wednesday, Nov. 16, the waitlists become automated, meaning that if a seat in a course opens, students on the waitlist will receive an email.

Students will have 48 hours from the time they receive the email to register for the class, or the seat will be offered to the next student on the waitlist.”

FOR BREAKING DRAKE NEWS, CHECK OUT WWW.TWITTER.COM/TIMESDELPHIC

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

PAGE 3 | THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 2011

THE TIMES-DELPHIC Des Moines weather has been all over the place. This weekend’s forecast is calling for temperatures in the 50s.

opinions&editorials

$

Top 8: Ways to Make Money

As college students, we sometimes need a little extra spending money. Whether we want to save up money for Christmas, want some cash so we can go out or just want to splurge every now and again, we like to have money. Below are a few ways to make money without much time commitment.

1

SwagBucks. This great online tool pays you in “bucks” or points that can be redeemed for gift cards and cool prizes. All you do is sign up for an account and use the site’s search engine, play games or take surveys to accumulate points. I have used this off and on for about four months now, and I have enough points to redeem a $25 Amazon gift card already.

4

Blog. There are many websites, like Google AdSense, that let you put advertisements on your personal blog, and you can make money just by having people visit your site. This takes some time to build up, but you can certainly make money if you stick with it.

2

Write for The Times-Delphic.

Writing is a great way for you to gain experience, get heard and have pieces for your portfolio. You get $15 for each article written and $7.25 for every column or photo.

3

Work for ChaCha. You can answer questions for Cha Cha at about $0.02 per answer. While this money is coming slow, you can work on your own time and make a little extra cash just by answering questions.

5

Recycle cans. Because I am from a state without the fivecent deposit, I have my parents save their old soda cans once they are done. I return them here in Iowa for 5 cents a can and the money adds up. I usually get about $25 every month or so.

7

Tutor. Why not use your skills in one subject to help someone who struggles in that subject? Some colleges set these up for you on campus, while other times you can seek out students yourself.

8

Ebay or Craigslist. If you are anything like me, you brought too much stuff on move-in day and have things you know you will never use.

Why not sell them to someone who would get use out of them?

6

Donate plasma. This is a great way to help those in need and for you to get a little extra cash in the process. While some say donating is a little painful, others say it is no different than donating blood. Word on the street is that the centers around Des Moines pay around $15 every time you donate.

ERYN SWAIN | COLUMNIST

Swain is a junior marketing and writing double major and can be contacted at eryn.swain@drake.edu

Letters to the Editor...

Dear Times-Delphic Editor, I noticed that your recent article “Male-Female Ratio Myth Examined” did not provide statistics for the ratio at the Drake Law School. I was curious if this was intentional or a mere oversight considering all the other graduate programs at Drake were included?

For your information, this year’s class of first-year law students at Drake is 46 percent female. Although the study of law is becoming more gender equal, according to 2010 data from the Law School Admission Council, more men take the LSAT and are admitted to law schools in the U.S.

I’m not expressing any opinion about these facts, merely bringing them to your attention.

Thanks for your time, Stacey Van Zuiden Juris Doctorate Candidate, May 2012 Drake University Law School Van Zuiden can be contacted at stacey.vanzuiden@drake.edu

I would like to address Mr. Levine’s op-ed in the Oct. 31 issue of The Times-Delphic, in which he argued against ideals perpetuated by the people participating in the “Occupy Wall Street”movements.

Levine seems to think that the top 1 percent earned the “right” to their staggeringly full bank accounts by working hard, coming up with new ideas and contributing to the American economy, as if America is a country where everyone is born with equality of opportunity.

While there are arguments to be made concerning the entrepreneurship of top business executives such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, Levine’s editorial completely ignores the fact that economic class in this country has been built on centuries of racism, sexism and classism. To say that the people controlling a dispro-

portionate amount of wealth did not come to their status by being born into privilege and exercising that privilege throughout one’s lifetime, and to paint CEOs as plucky kids who pulled themselves up by their bootstraps is woefully simplistic and speaks to the ignorance perpetuated by opponents of the OWS movement.

Ben Levine also seems to miss the point entirely of the OWS movements.

It is not a hoard of petulant hippies who are “envious” of powerful businessmen. It is a group of citizens who are livid that while wealthy CEOs earn millions of dollars a year, there are people in this country struggling to provide basic health needs for themselves and their families, who can’t find jobs and who can’t pay the mortgages on their homes. They are

TD incensed that corporate power dictates public policy and undermines the very democratic process that we are told since childhood is an integral part of the American way.

So if you are to speak of class warfare and morality, Mr. Levine, speak of the wealthy white men that wage war on women’s health, on the public welfare of the urban poor, on the single parents that can’t buy university education for their children and on democracy as a whole, all in the name of accumulating and keeping wealth. This is why Wall Street will continue to be occupied until we see an egalitarian distribution of resources and no sooner.

- Maren Hokanson Hokanson can be contacted at maren.hokanson@drake.edu

STAFF EDITORIAL

Our Two Cents • Too bad Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries had more ‘issues’ than the TD. We thought it was clever. But seriously, we think it’s ridiculous that Kim Kardashian is getting more publicity than the Herman Cain incident.

• We’ve all heard about Christmas in July, but we’re not on board for Christmas in November. With Halloween

THE TIMES-DELPHIC THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER FOR DRAKE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884 KRISTEN SMITH, Editor-in-Chief

JILL VAN WYKE, Faculty Advisor

BENNETT HANSEN, Digital Editor

JOEY GALE, Photo Editor tdphotoed@gmail.com

tdeditorinchief@gmail.com

jill.vanwyke@drake.edu

tddigitaled@gmail.com

LAUREN HORSCH, Managing Editor

tdnewsed@gmail.com

HANNA BARTHOLIC, News Design Editor

tddesigneditor@gmail.com

ELIZABETH ROBINSON, Feat/Op Editor

NICOLE DYAR, Feat/Op Design Editor

EDUARDO ZAMARRIPA, Sports Editor

HILARY DIETZ, Sports Design Editor

tdfeatsopsed@gmail.com tdsportsed@gmail.com

MATT MORAN, Copy Editor

tdcopyed@gmail.com

KAILA SWAIN, Business Manager kaila.swain@drake.edu

tddesigneditor@gmail.com tddesigneditor@gmail.com

just in our rear-view mirror, our headlights aren’t even on Christmas yet. We want our Thanksgiving turkey before we sip our eggnog.

• It seems that we have a reoccurring trend on campus.

The ‘side-mirror bandit’ has struck again. We don’t think the vehicle owners at Drake appreciate being blind on the road.

The Times-Delphic is a student newspaper published semi-weekly during the regular academic year and is produced by undergraduate students at Drake University. The opinions of staff editorials reflect the institutional opinion of the newspaper based on current staff opinions and the newspaper’s traditions. These opinions do not necessarily reflect those of individual employees of the paper, Drake University or members of the student body. All other opinions appearing throughout the paper are those of the author or artist named within the column or cartoon. The newsroom and business office of The Times-Delphic are located in Meredith Hall, Room 124. The TimesDelphic is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The editor-in-chief sits on the Board of Student Communications.

LETTERS & SUBMISSION POLICY

The Times-Delphic strives to represent student views as accurately and honestly as possible. We rely on readers to provide us with criticism, comments and new ideas so that we can continue to serve the interests of the students in the fairest possible way. We encourage interested readers to submit letters to the editor. Letters must include the author’s name and phone number. Unsigned letters will not be published.

Deadlines for guest submissions are noon Tuesday for the Thursday edition and noon Friday for the Monday edition. The Times-Delphic reserves the right to edit letters and submissions for space and in the interest of taste. Letters and submissions reflect only the opinions of the authors and should be limited to 250 words.

ADVERTISING POLICY

The Times-Delphic’s business office is located at 2507 University Avenue, 124B Meredith Hall, Des Moines, IA 50311. The Times-Delphic is published on Mondays and Thursdays during the university’s fall and spring academic terms. The newspaper is distributed for free around the Drake campus. All advertising information is to be submitted noon Tuesday for the Thursday edition, and noon Friday for the Monday edition. Advertisements can be designed by The Times-Delphic or submitted via e-mail. We accept cash and check. A 10 percent discount is offered for prepayment on advertisements. The business office can be contacted at 515-271-2148.

© The Times-Delphic

KATELYN PHILIPP, Multimedia Editor

tdmultimediaed@gmail.com

MARY HONEYMAN, Ads Manager mary.honeyman@drake.edu

Access additional information and multimedia – including slideshows, videos and interactive features – from The Times-Delphic online.

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

FEATURES

features

THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 2011 | PAGE 4

don’tmissthis

$

College basketball is back. Be on the lookout for your favorite teams, especially Drake, playing this weekend.

!

$

$?

Online financial literacy program to assist students

photo illustration by HANNA BARTHOLIC| news design editor

by Ann Schnoebelen

Staff Writer ann.schnoebelen@drake.edu

For most students, post-college life symbolizes the end of an all-Ramen diet, thankless part-time jobs and sleeping in a winter coat. But in the midst of what is being referred to as the “student loan crisis,” students in Iowa may have to sustain their thrifty habits.

According to the Project on Student Debt, in 2009 (the last year for which data was available) Iowa’s college students graduated owing an average of $28,883, the second highest in the nation after Washington D.C. Drake 2009 graduates left with an average debt of $34,919.

The Iowa College Student Aid Commission has been working to develop ways to help students tackle that debt, and in

early October, Drake announced a new partnership with the organization. The university will become the first in the state to adopt a new program designed to help students understand and overcome their college debt.

Buttonwood is an online personal finance curriculum developed by EverFi, a company that creates educational technology platforms. Students can access the program at www.IHaveAPlanIowa.gov, where users create an account and are then led through seven modules addressing 600 financial literacy concepts. They must pass exams along the way in order to move into the next level and can also access other online financial resources through the site.

Shannon Langan, residence hall coordinator for Goodwin-Kirk and coordinator of wellness programs for the office of residence life, helped bring Buttonwood to Drake after Dean of Students Sentwali

Bakari mentioned it to her at a meeting in mid-September.

“Seeing as how financial wellness is a part of the wellness model the office of residence life subscribes to, he came and asked me if I wanted to get involved,” she said.

Langan also said she began working on the project immediately, and students received emails containing the link during the first week of October.

“I thought it was such a good idea; we got on the ball with it very quickly,” Langan said. “We didn’t want to wait to implement it next fall or anything. We thought ‘Even though it’s the middle of the semester, let’s just do this now.’”

The email from Bakari piqued junior marketing and management major Nate Bleadorn’s interest. He has already completed the first module and describes the activities as “very interactive.” He also said

that while his finance background had already prepared him for a lot of the topics, the focus on the issues facing current college students and recent graduates was helpful.

“It’s very practical information,” he said, pointing out that loan payment plans, FAFSA forms and loan payment methods are among the concepts the program covers.

Langan said she likes the Buttonwood curriculum because it’s applicable and relevant to so many people.

“Because it covers virtually every aspect of finances college students or recent grads are going to encounter, it essentially crosses over every demographic of a student population,” she said.

Langan cited responsible credit card use, knowledge of student loan repayment requirements and plans and retirement planning as some of the most important

aspects of finances a student should know and could learn through Buttonwood.

Bleadorn agreed that the information Buttonwood provides to help students understand is very relevant, but he had one reservation.

“I think it’d be very beneficial if students take the time to sit down,” he said.

“But it can take a while.”

So can paying back $34,000 in loans, which is why proponents of the program emphasize that users can go at their own paces and use the interactive activities to learn. Buttonwood’s target demographic is full of people at important decision-making points in their lives who need to know this information, Langan said.

“Ask any financial expert, and they’ll tell you the ages of 21 and 22 can be pivotal,” she said.

Spring break provides opportunity for students to make a difference

by Katie Ericson

Tasha:“It’s a p assion I have to give back to t he commun ity.”

Samantha:“It’s a great way to spend your break versus just chilling at home.”

er p u s e r e uw o y e k i l l e u fe o ce.”

Y “ n : e n r i e b f f i d Ro ea d a m d n ea v i t c u d o r p

TV Guide

Interested in having a movie night this weekend? Pop some popcorn, grab your blankets and turn to the TV to watch some movies.

Friday • • • • • •

Seven Pounds - 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. - TNT Tropic Thunder - 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. - FX The Wizard of Oz - 9 p.m. - TBS Get Rich or Die Trying - 9 p.m. - MTV Napoleon Dynamite - 10:30 - Comedy Hustle and Flow - 11:30 p.m. - MTV

Saturday • • • • • • •

Inspector Gadget - 6 p.m. - Car toon Network Silence of the Lambs - 7 p.m. - CW Beauty and the Beast - 7 p.m. - ABC Family The Girl Next Door - 7 p.m. - E! Aladdin - 9 p.m. - ABC Family Good Luck Chuck - 10 p.m. - USA Seventeen Again - 10:45 p.m. - TBS

Staff Writer katie.ericson@drake.edu

While November just started and snow threatens the area, Drake’s alternative spring break trips have been chosen.

These week-long projects are in many locations. Previous trips have been in Mississippi, New Mexico and Kentucky. They’re based on service learning but allow for free time.

Senior Robin Sautter, co-president of Habitat for Humanity, said her favorite part of the New Mexico trip was hiking with friends after working on an adobe house.

Tasha Stiger, director of campus programming, said there were similar outings at Kentucky, like dessert nights and bluegrass concerts.

Now, there are three trips.

One is in Alamosa, Colo. At an elevation of 7,000 feet, it is home to a sacred Navajo mountain and 320 sunny days a year.

Natalie Smith, the trip advisor, is from the area and added that it has strong Spanish influences and “green chilis put on everything.”

This is one of the nation’s poorest regions.

The trip is dedicated to building low-energy

houses. Though the trip is through Habitat for Humanity, you’re not required to be a member. The group will be taking eight students and a leader, and it costs $500 with a $75 deposit.

Each group has a leader who works with faculty on budgets, activities and fundraising.

They receive a discount of $100 and have a specific application that is due Nov. 11, followed by an interview.

The Chicago trip needs a leader and is taking members of social fraternities and sororities. The group will include eight people and the leader. This trip has a $100 deposit and adds up to $625 total. This project is about fighting hunger and homelessness.

Multiple services are available to work with.

Also, there will be a tour of the National Headquarters of Sigma Chi and Alpha Phi International. Spare time will let students explore the city.

All trips allow for exploration, and the Chavies, Ky., trip offers classes on poverty, social justice and Appalachian history. It focuses on repairs like installing linoleum, shingles and handicapped ramps. The trip is $525 with a $110 deposit, and it will include a leader and between 8-10 people. While Stiger admits construction experience is a plus, she

admits last year that her approach was “measure twice, cut once.”

This will be the second Appalachian trip.

Both Stiger and junior Samantha Carlson went, and both agree it “really opens your eyes.” They said they loved the sense of community and new relationships. Carlson admitted that she still eats lunch with four of the members on the trip. There will be students from other schools at this project as there were on previous trips.

There is a general application for the trips.

These are due to the Student Life Center on Dec. 2 and are fist come, first serve. Short answer questions are involved but Stiger said that “they’re not really tough.”

Each form requires a deposit, but the total cost includes transportation and meals. However, the costs do not count fundraisers, which could reduce costs. The next payment would be in January.

These forms are available in the Student Life Center. If you’re interested in more than one trip, you can check both boxes and discuss the options with a leader.

These forms are at the Student Life Center. If you’re interested in more than one trip, you can check both boxes and discuss the options with a leader.

Drake music groups host Practice-a-thon

by Johnathan Edgeton and Erin Donegan

Staff Writers johnathan.edgeton@drake.edu erin.donegan@drake.edu

On Saturday, the Drake University professional music fraternities Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Sigma Alpha Iota will host a fundraiser to benefit the Des Moines Public Schools music programs.

The fundraiser will be held in the Harmon Fine Arts Center and is in the form of a “practice-a-thon.” The students will find people to pledge a pre-determined amount of money for every hour they practice.

The money raised will be given to the Des Moines Public Schools music programs and will go toward various needs such as new instruments, instrument repairs, summer music camp scholarships and more.

The practice-a-thon will start on Saturday at 8 p.m. and last until 8 a.m. the next morning.

“It’s a fun way for all of the Drake music students from choir, band, orchestra and musical theater to do what they came to college to do: practice,” said sophomore Bryan Hummel, social chair of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Besides practicing, participants will enjoy free food, music, games, contests and concerts throughout the evening. The practice-a-thon is a lock-in event; once the participants enter FAC, they must stay for the entire night.

The event is currently looking for participants, pledges and performers to fill the concert slots.

If you’re interested in being a part of this practice-a-thon fundraiser, contact Hummel at bryan.hummel@drake.edu.

FEATURES

PAGE 5 THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 2011

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

Local wine expert and winery owner speaks at final series lecture Staff Writer annelise.tarnowski@drake.edu

illustration by NICOLE DYAR |faetures/opinions editor

“Let’s DU Lunch” is a series that began 12 years ago, and it is the longeststanding program in the alumni office.

Jessica Berger, the assistant director of campus and student engagement, said that the series was founded by two alumni who wanted to begin a tradition that would “provide alumni with a way to connect to Drake while also attending an enjoyable program (where) they can learn a little bit and network.”

Jean Groben, owner of Jasper Winery for the last 11 years and former president of the Iowa Winegrowers Association, delivered a lecture yesterday as the last installment of the fall semester’s “Let’s DU Lunch” series. She spoke about the history of wine-making in Iowa, what the wine industry looks like now and a little bit about her own history as a wine expert.

Groben said that she first became interested in learning more about wine in the 1990s when people once again became interested in growing and producing wine.

“We purchased a 100-acre farm in Newton, (Iowa), and raised a lot of our own food,” Groben said. “I got a big interest in cooking and pairing food and wine.”

She also said that owning a brewery was a “hobby that went astray.”

In the United States, Iowa was one of the first places to grow grapes in the 1850s when German settlers began arriving. By 1870, Iowa had grown almost a half-million pounds of grapes, and by the 1900s, it was the ninth state in the nation in terms of the amount of grown

>> CAMPUS CALENDAR WHAT: International Night WHERE: Sheslow Auditorium WHEN: Friday, Nov. 5, 6 p.m.

WHAT: Men’s Basketball vs. Quincy WHERE: Knapp Center WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 5, 11 a.m.

WHAT: Drake vs. Jacksonville Football WHERE: Drake Stadium WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 5, 1 p.m.

WHAT: Drake vs. Wichita State Volleyball WHERE: Knapp Center WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 5, 7 p.m.

WHAT: Women’s Basketball vs. Quincy WHERE: Knapp Center WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 6, 2:05 p.m.

grapes.

The prohibition era brought destruction to many vineyards across the state, and in 1995 there still weren’t any in Iowa. Now, there are over 100.

“The (wine) industry has grown really fast in Iowa,” Groben said. “Most people think it’s new in Iowa, but it’s actually a resurgence that’s coming back.”

The Jasper Winery started in Newton in 2000. Groben and her husband ran it there for six years, but the production outgrew that facility. The couple decided to move to where there was a larger population base, so they brought it to Des Moines. Groben said she enjoys running a company in Des Moines.

“It’s great. We do a lot of events here,” she said. “We not only produce (wine), but we have a tasting room so people can come in and sample all wines or purchase or sit and have a glass or buy a bottle.”

Groben’s presentation is only onesixth of the “Let’s DU Lunch” series for this academic year. Previous guest speakers from this semester have been Scott Bush, founder and president of Templeton Rye Spirits, and Susan Moritz, president of the Iowa Public Television Foundation.

“We like to get amazing speakers with very interesting views who have something relevant to say,” Berger said. “We hold the event in downtown Des Moines in order to go to our alumni rather than ask them to come to Drake. That way we can engage with alumni and provide a networking opportunity as well as some continued learning.”

Be on the lookout for next semester’s “Let’s DU Lunch” series beginning in February.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

by Annelise Tarnowski

SPORTS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 2011 | PAGE 6

TD Basketball Preview: Everything you Sizing up the MVC

by Matt Moran

Copy Editor matthew.moran@drake.edu

In a poll conducted by Missouri Valley Conference coaches, media and sports information directors, Creighton was selected as the preseason conference champion. Drake earned the seventh slot in the 10team league.

Sophomore Doug McDermott leads a loaded Bluejays squad. Last season, McDermott became the first freshman since 1951-52 to earn AllMVC first-team honors. He set the freshman league scoring record with 581 points and was one of two sophomores selected for the preseason AllMVC team.

Creighton earned 29 of the possible 40 first-place votes and 389 out of the possible 400 points for the top spot. Wichita State (350 points) was picked to finish second, while last year’s State Farm MVC Championship winner Indiana State (331) was chosen to finish third.

The Bluejays received enough votes to be considered No. 33 in the country in the season’s first USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Coaches Poll.

The Bulldogs garnered 159 points and are expected to finish right behind last year’s regular-season MVC champion Missouri State. Drake is expected to finish ahead of Illinois State, Southern Illinois and Bradley, who were picked eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively.

“We’re excited about our group,” Drake head coach Mark Phelps said at the 2011 MVC Media Day in St. Louis. “It’s the first time since we’ve been there that we have more upperclassmen than underclassmen …

Overall, this is a league that has success with upperclassmen.”

Sophomore Rayvonte Rice received an honorable mention for the preseason All-MVC team. Rice set the Drake freshman scoring record

last season and was sixth in the MVC in the same category.

“Certainly a focus for us this year is going to be on the defensive end,” Phelps said. “We’ve dug up some stats from last year that aren’t too pretty, and it’s been a big focus of our team, and they (the players) have embraced that.”

Missouri State’s Kyle Weems was selected as the preseason MVC player of the year. Weems captured the Larry Bird Trophy last season as the league’s top player during his junior season. The Bears lost four starters and their head coach Cuonzo Martin after a 26-9 season.

Indiana State made a memorable run to capture the MVC tournament title last season to earn a spot in the NCAA tournament. The Sycamores received the No. 14 seed in the East Region and gave No. 3 seed Syracuse a pretty good battle before waning in the game’s final minutes to lose 7760. The team is led by sophomore Jake Odum, who was also chosen as a member of the preseason All-MVC team. Odum represented Indiana State on the 2011 State Farm AllMVC Tournament team as a freshman.

Toure’ Murray of Wichita State and Colt Ryan of Evansville round out the preseason All-MVC team. In addition to Rice, Gregory Echenique and Antoine Young of Creighton, Anthony James of Northern Iowa and Mamadou Seck of SIU earned honorable mentions.

Northern Iowa was chosen to finish fourth while Evansville was selected to finish fifth to complete to preseason conference poll.

Last season, Creighton won 23 games and represented the MVC in the postseason CBI tournament. The Bluejays made it to the best-of-three finals, and they lost to Oregon in three games. Creighton is one of nine schools in the nation to compete in 14 straight postseason tournaments.

Five reasons why the men will not win the Missouri Valley Conference

by Eduardo Zamarripa

Sports Editor eduardo.tamezzamarripa@drake.edu

DEFENSIVE WOES The Bulldogs finished last in the conference in scoring defense, allowing 67.7 points per game. They also allowed opponents to shoot 45 percent from the field, a tremendously high shooting percentage (good for second worst in the conference). On the bright side, Drake did top the conference in 3-point field percentage defense.

NO REBOUNDING Drake consistently lacked an interior rebounding presence in the middle. Injuries to redshirt junior Jordan Clarke and junior Seth VanDeest did not help the cause either. The Bulldogs surrendered a conference-worst 35.6 rebounds per game and were also last in rebounding margin at -5.5 rebounds per game. The team was also last in the Missouri Valley Conference in offensive and defensive rebounding percentage.

Unless the team improves significantly on the glass, it’s hard to predict Drake making any kind of run.

ROAD STRUGGLES Winning outside of the Knapp Center proved almost impossible for the Bulldogs last season, as they finished

2-10 on the road for the year. Achieving at least a .500 mark outside of the Knapp will be key if the Bulldogs want to make the jump into the MVC elite.

THE ART OF PENETRATION Something that plagued the Bulldogs last season was their inability to get into the lane and breakdown defenses. The responsibility will fall on senior Kurt Alexander and redshirt freshman Karl Madison to generate drive-and-kick opportunities for knockdown shooters like junior Ben Simons.

Getting in the lane opens up the game for everyone, and the Bulldogs have not been able to consistently generate open buckets.

INJURIES, INJURIES AND MORE INJURIES The Bulldogs need to stay healthy, something they have not been able to do in the last couple of years. Frank Wiseler quit the team due to injuries.

VanDeest has been plagued by injuries his entire Drake career. Redshirt sophomore David Smith and redshirt junior Cory Parker have already missed time this year. Redshirt junior Jordan Clarke is coming off an elbow injury from last season. Everyone needs to be healthy for Drake to have a shot.

JOEY GALE | photo editor REDSHIRT JUNIOR JORDAN CLARKE (far left), sophomore Rayvonte Rice (center left), junior Ben Simons (center right) and redshirt freshman Karl Madison (far right) laugh together in the Knapp Center. Drake will need the quartet to set the tone for the 2011 season. The Bulldogs host an exhibition game against Quincy on Saturday at the Knapp Center at 11 a.m.

Five reasons why the men will win the Missouri Valley Conference

by Matt Moran

Copy Editor matthew.moran@drake.edu

HEALTH Before Drake can even think about contending in the Missouri Valley Conference, it must get healthy. Juniors Seth VanDeest and Reece Uhlenhopp are still seven or eight weeks away from seeing action. Other players have suffered nagging injuries in the first few weeks of practice. For the first time in head coach Mark Phelps’ tenure, he returns more than two of the team’s top four scorers and rebounders from the year before.

Drake has talent, but it needs to be on the floor to win and not in the training room.

RAYVONTE RICE Forget the offseason mistakes. Rice and the team have moved on. We do know one thing after a stellar freshman season; this guy can play. With Rice, Drake has a go-to scorer that has the potential to be one the top five best players in the conference. He led Drake in nearly every statistical category and broke the school’s freshman scoring record last season. If VanDeest heals and becomes a solid No. 2 option on offense, it will only open things up for Rice. Drake fans can only hope that Rice takes another giant step in his development as a player heading into his sophomore season.

HOME, SWEET HOME Last season, Drake went 1-8 on the road in MVC play. That must change if the team wants to contend for the league’s top spot. The Bulldogs went 6-3 at home in the Valley. If Drake

can improve by one game at home and improve its road record to 5-4, then the Bulldogs will be 12-6 in MVC play. This will assure Drake one of the top seeds heading into the State Farm MVC Championship, and the Bulldogs will have their best chance to return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2008.

BEN SIMONS After struggling with his shot for his first year and a half at Drake, Simons hit his stride in the second half of last season and had some big games.

He is a hot pick to have a breakout year. He ended up as the team’s top 3-point shooter (42 percent) last season, and if he can improve, it will spread the floor and open up the lane for Rice and redshirt point guard Karl Madison. Simons is Drake’s only returning player to shoot better than 40 percent from beyond the arc last season.

THE DEFENSE WILL IMPROVE Phelps has emphasized defense and rebounding heading into the season. Drake cannot contend unless it makes drastic improvements. The Bulldogs allowed an average of 67.7 points per game and were outrebounded by 5.5 boards per game. Opponents shot 45 percent combined against Drake, and the Bulldogs had games where they surrendered 90 points (at Bradley), 91 points (at Iowa State) and 82 points (vs.

St. John’s, vs. Weber State and at Wich

i t a State). Championship defenses play better than this, and if Drake has title aspirations it must improve on the defensive end of the floor.

BOTTOM LINE: The Bulldogs will improve, but won’t crack the MVC elite. With the right seeding, the Bulldogs might have what it takes to make a run to the finals.

Predicted record : 17-14

Madison: ‘I play every game as hard as I can’

by Taylor Soule

Staff Writer taylor.soule@drake.edu

JOEY GALE | photo editor

For point guard Karl Madison, Drake basketball is more than a sport, a support system and a passion. It’s a way of life.

Madison, a 5-foot-10-inch redshirt freshman, fell in love with the game as a youngster when his father put a basketball in his hands at just 6-monthsold. The rest is history as Madison’s early love of the sport translated into his first competitive game at age 6, followed by a promising high school basketball career.

Earning all-state honors at Lanphier High School in Springfield, Ill., Madison knew a collegiate basketball career held promise for him, and Drake was just the place.

By his side every step of the way,

Madison’s parents influence their son’s endeavors both on the basketball court and in the classroom.

“My role models would have to be my parents,” he said. “I always look to them for guidance.”

Madison also said that his mentor Ted Docks and his network of friends have been integral to his growth of a player.

Sidelined last season due to a knee injury, offseason conditioning has been Madison’s focus entering his first healthy season as a Bulldog.

“Oh, it’s very important,” Madison said. “I wanted to be better conditioned this year, and it has been really tough, but it really helped me, and it helped a lot of the other guys to be better players.”

The Bulldogs’ hard work in the offseason, Madison said, will lead to exciting games, packed stands and

loud crowds as Drake opens the season with this Saturday’s exhibition against Quincy at 11 a.m. at the Knapp Center.

“The fans can expect to see a lot of excitement this year,” Madison said. “I think we have a lot to show. We’d like to see the Knapp Center filled up this year. We’d like to see a lot of people support us and help us win some games.”

Channeling an energetic approach at the point guard position, Madison said he hopes his style of play contributes to that enthusiastic atmosphere this season. With a three-player battle for the starting point guard spot, alongside senior Kurt Alexander and redshirt sophomore David Smith, the 2011-12 season is sure to provide a powerful, interesting lineup.

“I would like to bring energy, (be a) great defender and just a leader,” Mad-

ison said. “I want to be the best point guard I can be. I play every game as hard as I can.”

Particularly important as a returning player, Madison said he hopes to be a role model for the Bulldogs as he strives to lead by example and overcome tough situations both on and off the basketball court.

“I’d just like to learn and be coachable, and there will be bumps and bruises along the way, but I just want to learn from those mistakes and try to get better each day,” Madison said.

With a team he describes as “family” behind him, Madison is looking forward to facing the Missouri Valley Conference’s toughest teams this season, particularly Wichita State and Creighton. The Bulldogs open MVC play on Dec. 28 against Indiana State.

PAGE 7 | THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 2011

SPORTS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

need to know about your 2011 Bulldogs Depth is key for Drake

by Eduardo Zamarripa

Sports Editor eduardo.tamezzamarripa@drake.edu

CARTER OSWOOD | staff photographer SENIOR RACHAEL HACKBARTH (left), redshirt junior Brittnye McSparron (center) and senior Amber Wollschlager (right) pose together in the Knapp Center. The Bulldogs will need solid contributions from their experienced players this year.

Five reasons why the women will win the Missouri Valley Conference

by Eduardo Zamarripa

Sports Editor eduardo.tamezzamarripa@drake.edu

RACHAEL HACKBARTH Make no mistake, senior Rachael Hackbarth is one of the most dominating players in the Missouri Valley Conference. Coming off a season that saw her average 14.6 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game, a healthy Hackbarth is looking to have an even bigger year. She will garner double-teams and triple-teams at times, freeing up her teammates to knock down open looks. If she stays out of foul trouble, she’s an imposing defender as well. Hackbarth has the ability to carry this team.

DEPTH The Bulldogs have one of the deepest teams in the MVC. Along with Hackbarth, Drake will most likely start sharpshooting senior Amber Wollschlager and junior forward Steph Running. At the guard position, redshirt junior Brittnye McSparron is finally back at the point and junior Kayla Person will make the move to the two spot. Off the bench, the Bull-

dogs can play around with their matchups. They might throw in sophomore defensive standout Morgan Reid or look for some scoring punch from sophomore Alyssa Marschner or redshirt freshman Carly Grenfell. And don’t forget about freshman Symone Daniels; she’s ready to contribute. This team has plenty of options.

SENIORS AND JUNIORS As opposed to other Drake squads in recent years, the Bulldogs have three seniors and three juniors anchoring a squad that already had a pair of sophomores asked to contribute right away last season. Thefreshman class is looking ready to contribute as well. Leadership should not be a problem for Drake this season.

THE BULLDOGS TAKE GOOD SHOTS If there’s something that head coach Amy Stephens should feel confident about, it should be her team’s shot selection. The Bulldogs were second in the MVC last season in field goal percentage at 42.5 percent. With Hackbarth back and the additions of outside threats such as Daniels and freshman Kyndal Clark, the Bulldogs might be even more dangerous when they spread the floor.

CHEMISTRY Talk to anyone in the Bulldog locker room. The word on the street is that this is as cohesive as a unit as there has ever been in recent years. Listen to the optimism of Stephens’ interviews. They might just have the right mix of experience, youth and toughness to do it.

After losing All-MVC first team performer Kristin Turk and coming off a 15-15 season that saw the team exit in the quarterfinals of the 2011 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championship, the Bulldogs haven’t been harassed by expectations.

They did, after all, lose their best scorer, and they did only win half of their games last season. But perhaps flying under the radar is exactly what this team needs.

Despite being picked to finish seventh in the conference, Drake is boasting its deepest squad in years.

Also, health and experience are finally on the Bulldogs’ side. That and the presence of senior center Rachael Hackbarth.

“We are excited about the play of Rachael Hackbarth,” head coach Amy Stephens said at Drake women’s basketball media day. “She ended the season in her last seven games averaging almost 25 points a game. She had a great offseason, she worked hard to improve and add some things to her game. In the last nine or 10 games of the season, she came into her own and really started becoming the consistent player that we thought she could be.”

Hackbarth averaged 14.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last season. With Turk gone, Hackbarth will face double-teams and triple-teams, and the Bulldogs will have to spread the floor in order to give their shooters open looks.

“If they’re going to be doubleteaming and triple-teaming, we’re going to make them pay,” Hackbarth said. “Almost anyone on the team can shoot the three.”

Along with Hackbarth, the Bulldogs will also have senior Amber Wollschlager and reshirt junior Brittnye McSparron return.

McSparron injured her knee her sophomore season and then missed her entire junior season when she re-injured her knee. Her return will bring a lot of quickness and explosiveness to the point guard position, and it will allow junior Kayla Person to switch to her natural shooting guard position.

“It’s been really difficult, just because I had never been injured until I got to college,” McSparron said. “Just when things start going well again, I get injured again, which is really tough. It has been a struggle sitting out. I feel like I’ve been sitting out more than I’ve played.”

Wollschlager also returns after averaging 7.4 points per game last season.

“Personally, I just want to have an overall successful year,” Wollschlager said. “I want to win, don’t get me wrong. I want to have a successful season as far as that goes. But I also want the chemistry to keep it as it has been this year.”

But the Bulldogs have to get used to life without Turk and to adjust to the new offensive principles that first-

year assistant coach Kirk Crawford brought over to the program.

“I think we’re getting a better grasp of it now because we’ve been doing it a lot in practice and stuff like that,” McSparron said. “A lot of those plays that we do are just basketball reads. To play D-I (Division I), you’ve got to have a basketball IQ.” Hackbarth said she believes that they will be able to execute a balanced attack on the offensive side of the ball.

“Last season, we were more twodimensional between me and Turk,” Hackbarth said. “This season I think our strength is the balanced attack that we are going to have. Getting the ball to the right person for the right shot is something that we’ve been working on.”

The Bulldogs will have the depth that they have missed in recent years.

Along with Person, McSparron, Wollschlager and Hackbarth, a lot is expected from junior Stephanie Running and sophomore Morgan Reid.

Coming off the bench, the Bulldogs will have the 3-point shooting of sophomore Alyssa Marschner and redshirt freshman Carly Grenfell at their disposal.

“I think it will help us because a lot of teams in the conference don’t have that depth,” Person said. “When we have people who can go 19, 20 minutes a game and then we have freshmen that can easily come in and play, I think that’s a huge factor for our team. To have 13 healthy players in practice, you get better that way.”

The Bulldogs welcomed four freshmen to their program: Symone Daniels, Liza Heap, Kyndal Clark and Cara Lutes. All four of them might be expected to contribute right away.

Missouri State and Northern Iowa are considered the class of the conference, but the Bears lost some key players to graduation, and the Panthers recently lost star point guard Jacqui Kalin to a season-ending injury.

The Bulldogs understand that they can make a splash in the MVC. They have the depth and the experience to make a run.

“Being picked seventh, teams seem to think there are no expectations for us,” Person said. “For us, that’s like big-time motivation. We’re the underdog. We’re going to do everything in our power to be an upperhalf team. We go in day in and day out every day thinking about what can we do to make ourselves better, and so that we can prove (to) ourselves that we are not a seventh-place team.”

BOTTOM LINE: The Bulldogs face tough competition in the MVC. But Hackbarth will command the middle, and depth and athleticism will carry this team to a surprising season.

Predicted record: 17-12

Five reasons why the women will not win the MissouriValley Conference

by Matt Moran

Copy Editor matthew.moran@drake.edu

SCORING The biggest question Drake faces heading into the 2011-12 season: Who will replace Kristin Turk’s MVC-best 20.0 points per game? Senior Rachael Hackbarth is a prime candidate to shoulder the load, but she will need a sidekick. If nobody else steps up as another go-to scorer in key situations, the Bulldogs could experience a lot of heartbreaking losses.

EXPERIENCE With a roster loaded with young talent, Drake will depend heavily on its lowerclassmen. Sophomore Morgan Reid, who was second on the team in rebounding last season, will need to be a force inside to compliment Hackbarth. The Bulldogs also need some of their highly touted freshmen recruits to step in immediately. Another question mark is redshirt junior point guard Brittnye McSparron. McSparron missed plenty of time the last two years due to injuries, and Drake will heavily depend on her to lead its young team.

SECOND HALF PLAY Last season, Drake outscored its opponents by a combined 24 points in the first half of games. The second half of games is where the Bulldogs struggled.

Opponents outscored Drake by a combined 55 points in the final 20 minutes of contests. This deficit led to plenty of tough losses for the Bulldogs to swallow.

Drake must solve this problem in order to contend in the Missouri Valley Conference this season.

scoring, but she led the team in assists (93), steals (81) and minutes played (1059). Second in assists was senior Amber Wollschlager (67), in steals was Reid (37) and in minutes was Hackbarth (859). Those are whopping gaps the Bulldogs must fill if they want to improve this season. However, Turk also led the team in shots (470) and turnovers (110). Drake may benefit from depending more on the team instead of just one player.

THE VOID OF KRISTIN TURK Not only did Turk lead Drake in

COMPETITION Sometimes, the truth hurts. The

truth is that the MVC is loaded this season, and the Bulldogs were selected in a preseason poll to finish seventh. Missouri State returns its top seven scorers and is an overwhelming favorite to capture the conference crown. Drake has no players who were selected on the preseason All-MVC team. Defending back-to-back State Farm MVC Championship winners Northern Iowa is strong once again and is expected to finish second. All signs point to the Bulldogs not having enough to compete with these top squads.

Spotlight: Kayla Person is ready to carry the load

by Eduardo Zamarripa

Sports Editor eduardo.tamezzamarripa@drake.edu

When junior Kayla Person first arrived at Drake she was not asked to be a focal point in the offense. Back then, she was a defensive specialist who stood out by her impressive physique. At 5-foot-7, no one lifts more in the weight room than the chiseled Person.

But with the departure of Kristin Turk, Person is going to be asked to fill part of the offensive void.

“Kayla (Person) has definitely put in her time in the offseason,” senior Amber Wollschlager said. “Shooting by herself, shooting on the gun and it definitely shows in her game. Her pull-up jump shot has improved a lot.”

In her freshman year, Person averaged 3.5 points per game. Last season, Person increased her scoring to 5.8

points per game. With the time that Person has invested in the offensive end, she’s ready to take on a bigger load.

“Oh, my gosh. I would have to say I spent at least five hours extra this summer shooting on the gun, working on my outside shot,” Person said. “As a player, when it came to game situations, it should hurt when people double-off of you. My freshman year they did that a lot. I was like, ‘I’ve got to make a change.’”

Head coach Amy Stephens said she believes that Person might be the third scorer the team sorely needs.

“We’ll look for Kayla Person to step up, especially on the offensive end,” Stephens said. “That helped create some balance last year, and she might be the third key to our team this year.”

Person was recruited by Drake to play as a shooting guard, but injuries to redshirt junior Brittnye McSparron

forced her to adjust and play the point guard position.

“I’m so excited to have Brittnye (McSparron) back because I’m playing more in my element now,” Person said.

“I’m in attack mode from the wing. I feel a lot more comfortable.”

The Missouri native has continued to grow into her own on the offensive side of the ball, but what has also garnered attention from her teammates is how competitive Person is.

“Kayla definitely has the competitive heart in our team,” Hackbarth said.

“She hates to lose, and she shows it by being in the gym and shooting on her own.”

Wollschlager recalled a game against Iowa State two years ago in which Person was asked to step up to the free throw line late in the game.

“She was almost crying,” Wollschlager said. “She was so scared

in the end of the game, but now she wants to be there. That’s one of the coolest things as a teammate. Someone changes from being scared and terrified that they are going to miss to wanting to be on the free throw line.”

For a player who has earned 46 starts in the last two seasons, Person knows that as an upperclassman she needs to continue to be a leader on this team.

“I’m not afraid to tell people how it is. I think that’s one thing that my teammates admire about me, my ability to be so upfront with my team because I care about them a lot,” Person said.

The Bulldogs will need everything they can get from Person this year, and if they have plans of making a run in the MVC, Person will surely set the tone. photo from CHRIS DONAHUE

SPORTS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 2011 | PAGE 8

Colin Hagan and sophomores Brogan Austin and Doug Brady were named DID YOU Senior to the 2011 Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Scholar-Athlete Team on This is the first time that each of these student-athletes have earned the KNOW? Tuesday. distinction. That’s pretty cool. Major props to the cross country standouts.

sports

DRAKE (7-2) VS JACKSONVILLE (6-2) SATURDAY, NOV. 5, 1 P.M. | DRAKE STADIUM

FOOTBALL

‘Just win, baby!’

Bulldogs in control of own PFL destiny

by Ashton Weis

Staff Writer ashton.weis@drake.edu

courtesy of Mark McDonald SOPHOMORE NICK ENDS hands the ball off to freshman running back DeAndre Calloway in the Bulldogs’ match against Valparaiso. Drake needs to win its last two games of the season to claim the PFL championsip.

After the snowstorm of last week’s game, the Drake Bulldogs will take on the Jacksonville Dolphins at Drake Stadium at 1 p.m. this Saturday.

After the snowstorm gave the team several extra travel hours after last week’s 23-13 win at Marist, the Bulldogs are ready for the short commute to play on their home field.

“It’s a relief to be at home for these next two games after having to push the bus around a little bit and be on there for eight hours,” senior linebacker Tyler Moorehead said. “It’s a relief to be at home and have our last two big games at home.”

Moorehead was named the Pioneer Football League co-Defensive Player of the Week after three sacks against Marist last Saturday. “(It’s) definitely a great honor,” Moorehead said. “I have to give a lot of credit to our whole defense and also the offense, too. The offense kept us off the field and our defense was just playing great together, flying around, making plays.”

The Bulldogs are gearing up to take on the Dolphins, who are unde-

feated in the PFL, in hopes of attaining the PFL championship. Not only that, but on Oct. 9, 2010, the Bulldogs and the Dolphins were fighting for the championship as the co-leaders of the PFL. Drake struggled during the first half of that game and lost by a slim margin of five points.

“They beat us in ’10 last year, 3934, and then we beat them in ’09, 4538, and they beat us the year before that, and really those are the only two wins that they’ve ever had against Drake,” head coach Chris Creighton said. “They’ve actually never won at Drake Stadium, but their program is much better now than it was. It is two of the top teams playing at the end of the year. It’s fun.”

As Jacksonville continues to win, the Bulldogs are also showing constant superiority on the field. Even in cruel conditions, Drake manages to excel. Senior quarterback Mike Piatkowski is only one example of the continuing excellence of this Bulldog team.

Piatkowski is ranked 20th in the Division I Football Championships Subdivision in total offense. He continues to move up the Drake career passing chart and set the NCAA FCS

single-game completion percentage record by completing 30 of 33 tosses during Drake’s win against Campbell.

“I don’t really look at my stats so often,” Piatkowski said. “As long as we win, that’s all I really care about.

I mean, it’s a big game, but we try to approach it like every other week. Try not to get too nervous, stay calm out there.”

Moorehead is looking forward to taking on one of the best teams in the league and knows the game will be a challenge.

“There’s always a lot of pressure to go out there and do your best,” he said. “This game on Saturday is a huge game, a great opportunity.

(We’re) looking forward to it though, and hopefully things will just work out well.”

Creighton agrees with Moorehead’s assessment of the upcoming game.

“They’re a really good team,” he said. “They were picked to win it, and they’ve proved thus far that they’re the team to beat. We’re just excited to have the chance to play them because we feel as though we’re playing pretty well right now, (and we) like our chances.”

The sophomore diaries There is no doubt that one of the best parts about college athletics is the team itself. What better way to spend your college experience than with people working toward a common goal? In my mind it doesn’t get much better.

Taking exaggeration into account, we probably spend over half our waking lives together. It’s only logical to think we get sick of each other, but this actually isn’t the case.

We are with each other just as much off the court. With the relationships that we’ve built, it’s always acceptable to poke a little fun. Let’s meet the newest editions to this year’s team.

LIZA “POPPY” HEAP Liza is known for her ability to speak in a British accent. It’s so good in fact, that we gave this alter ego a name — Poppy. If you ever aspire to meet Poppy, just ask. She will happily rap Nicki Minaj’s verse in “Super Bass” just for you. Aside from this, Liza has impressed many with her forte in napping.

Give her three seconds and a hard wood floor, and she is out like a light. Liza brings a lot to the table on the basketball end; her smarts and scrappiness on defense are a few of those things. Her ability to anticipate passes for the steal is one ability that not many players carry.

SYMONE “MAYOR OF DRAKE” DANIELS Do I even need to tell you who this is? I think Symone knows at least half the people at Drake. It’s almost to the point where I can hardly handle walking through campus with her. She waves, has a conversation or acknowledges countless people along the way while I awkwardly smile and wave. We like to refer to her as the “Mayor of Drake” for these reasons. Symone will play the post for us this year. Her shot-blocking and defensive savvy is what sets her game apart along with some range from behind the arc.

KYNDAL “MAKE IT RAIN” CLARK The first word I think of when it comes to Kyndal is automatic. She is an extremely smart, aggressive player specializing in 3-pointers. There’s no doubt Kyndal will make an impact this year on both the offensive and defensive ends. As much as she loves shooting the three, team assists are bound to skyrocket. Off the court, Kyndal has a strong love for both HuHot and haunted houses. I’ve turned down several offers to HuHot since she asks me to go nearly every other day. We know you love HuHot, Kyndal, but asking us to eat there more than a child asks their mom “but why?” is a bit excessive.

CARA “FRUIT CHUNK” LUTES I don’t think I’ve met someone as happygo-lucky as Cara Lutes. If your go-to phrase is “fruit chunk,” you must be pretty harmless.

She is an absolute workhorse. Her presence in the post is one that will contribute positively to our team. Her competitive spirit is something that can’t be replaced. My favorite story about Cara happened last week in practice. We were doing a drill that involved the “bags,” which is something the coaches break out to create a more physical environment.

She was cutting across the lane and literally managed to toss one of our coaches at least 10 feet away from her. I couldn’t help but laugh at how awesome it was.

So there you have it, our freshmen in a nutshell. These young women have been a joy to be around, and I’m sure the rest of my teammates would agree. It’s always an adjustment in the beginning, figuring out what they are like and how they will fit in. The team dynamics have changed, but it’s definitely a change for the better.

an Aveda Concept salon

25% off 3200 Ingersoll Suite E

•

your first haircut, basic facial or basic massage

Des Moines, IA 50312

Marc Stephens and Friends Salon

•

(515) 274-4545

@MarcStephensSal

10% off when you use your Drake I.D.

>>DON’T MISS IT

CARLY GRENFELL | COLUMNIST Grenfell is a sophomore public relations and management double major and can be contacted at carly.grenfell@drake.edu

The Bulldogs take on Quincy in their last exhibition game of the season on Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Knapp Center.

Intramurals co-rec basketball is underway The second season of intramurals is underway, and a heightened sense of determination is circulating the Bell Center. As the co-rec basketball leagues have just finished their first few rounds of games, teams are already itching for the T-shirts that they may have been robbed of in a sport during the first season. The preventable mistakes — like coming to play without a Drake ID or refusing to remove that LIVESTRONG bracelet your girlfriend gave to you — are now lessening, and the stakes are being raised through pure competition alone.

When the level of extrinsic incentives begins to nearly equal that of internal incentives, intramurals athletes tend to weigh all the options for an attempt at winning a championship.

An area of contention that seems to arise around this time of year for the intramurals program is the debate surrounding how teams should be divided into the competitive and recre-

ational leagues — typically referred to as the ‘A’ and ‘B’ leagues, respectively.

After a few years playing for intramurals, skilled players that have consistently been denied in the competitive league may move themselves to recreational play in hopes of easily gliding through to the championship match. The team usually walks away only with a falsely-inflated ego and a few enraged teams whose fun was demolished by LeBron Jameswannabes.

These situations can only be avoided through light admonition, as the intramurals staff has no control over which teams decide to play in which leagues. We can only hope that my bleak attempt at morally guiding you in the right direction will prevent any inaccurate reputation you may acquire from joining the wrong league in the future.

Before signing up for a league, gather a collective opinion from your team on how committed each

player is and what his or her selfacknowledged skill level may be. If most players say his or her basketball experience revolves mostly around playing once in the fourth grade or occasionally playing “horse” with a sibling, perhaps your squad is mostly aiming to have fun for a study break in the recreational league. If you find players that are equipped with ankle braces, real basketball shorts and a repertoire of multiple state-wide athletic achievements, the competitive league is probably for you.

The teams never naturally pan out to be as black and white as mentioned, but through considering the most honest evaluation of your potential players, we hope you can choose the right league. Of course, instances always arise when a team unknowingly joins the wrong side and becomes very aware of it during the first game. If this happens, contact Intramural Coordinator Matt Gasser as soon as possible and develop

the most genuine, self-deprecating plea that expresses your dire need to change leagues.

In the same game that a team may unintentionally be wrongly placed, another team may potentially be there under full awareness that they should not be. If you are hoping to spend a game endlessly draining 3-pointers and easy layups for that huge award the intramural program gives away for beating an opponent by more than 80 points, we hope you will reconsider.

For the spectators and devoted scouters, here are some upcoming games to watch this week in co-rec basketball:

Until next time, please play by the rules.

HALEY BOSCO | COLUMNIST Bosco is a senior English and secondary education double major and can be contacted at haley.bosco@drake.edu

RECREATIONAL SecretSecret MustacheClub vs. The Moonwalking Bears – Sunday at 8 p.m.

Shawn Kemp’s Kids vs. Bubba Gump Schrempf – Monday at 9 p.m.

COMPETITIVE Basket! vs. The Funky Bunch – Tuesday at 10 p.m.