The University of Mary Washington’s Independent Student Newspaper Serving the community since 1922
The
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Ringer
VOLUME 97 | ISSUE 12
December 8, 2023
Eagle Landing Parking Deck top floors close for structural maintenance, students seek alternative parking spots
Kelly Hernley Staff Writer On Nov. 20, the fourth and fifth floors of the Eagle Landing Parking Deck closed parking access to students for structural maintenance. According to an email sent to students on Nov. 17 from Amy Jessee, the executive director of university communications, these two levels will remain closed through Dec. 15. The structural maintenance consists of resealing joints and attending to minor concrete repairs, according to the email. During the maintenance, the third level of the parking deck will remain open for students.
“We have a week left and the could’ve waited until all the students left for break.” - Danielle Bergida To accommodate for decreased parking access, students have been instructed to park in one of five other locations around campus: Alvey parking deck’s first three floors, the north side of the Eagle Landing residence hall, the Sunken Road north and south lots, the Pizza Hut lot and the Battleground lot. Students were also advised to view the campus parking map if they needed assistance in determining where those parking lots are located. The reason for the structural maintenance is due to water leaks, according to Brian Gorham, the executive di-
The third floor remains open for student parking access.
|2 INSIDE News Eagle Land-
THE
RINGER
ing parking deck closes on fourth and fifth floors
rector of facilities operation for the university. Gorham indicated that structural inspections of the parking garages on campus occur annually, and these inspections can identify potential long-term issues that need to be addressed. “The work being performed on the deck is urgent due to the fact that the garage is very susceptible to water leaking from the top deck onto the floors below, which, during freezing conditions, can create a dangerous, slippery, ‘frozen’ situation,” said Gorham. The fourth and fifth floors of the Eagle Landing Parking Deck closed access to students for structural The maintenance is being maintenance. Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer done now, rather than after stuStudents were given a three-day notice about the dents leave for winter break,due to the materials that are maintenance work, during which they had to move their used to seal the cracks in the parking garage. These ma- cars from the fourth and fifth floors. The email with the terials are dependent on the outdoor air temperature and notice was sent on Friday, Nov. 17, and the work started have to be applied when it is above 45 degrees, according on the following Monday, Nov. 20. to Gorham. Gorham indicated that the notice to students was de“The risk of waiting means that if the temperature livered later than desired. dropped significantly, the work would not have been “The expedited notice was due to limited contractor completed,” said Gorham. availability, as they are in high demand,” said Gorham. However, some students were frustrated at the timing “We decided to move forward as they were available so of the maintenance repairs. that we could best ensure the long-term safety of our stu“I think it’s really inconvenient and honestly horrible dents using the garage structure.” timing,” said junior philosophy: pre-law major Danielle Bergida. “We have a week “Personally, it is a bit of an left and they could’ve waited until all the annoyance but understandably students left for break.” As a result of this maintenance, Bergida necessary.” found it difficult to park her car. “Personally it hasn’t affected my every- Brian Veranga day, but it makes parking super inconvenient,” she said. The work will be completed by Thalhimer, the real esStudents have also searched for park- tate agency that manages the building, according to Goring in other areas around the Eagle Land- ham. ing Apartments. Veranga explained that he hasn’t felt much of an im“I have resorted to regularly checking pact overall from the parking garage closure. for parking spaces behind and beside the “Personally, it is a bit of an annoyance but understandEagle Apartments,” said senior applied ably necessary,” said Veranga. “I don’t drive a lot in my economics major Brian Veranga. “Since it’s daily routine, but I do sometimes miss the luxury of not closer to the end of the semester, I have worrying about fighting for parking.” had better luck regularly finding parking.”
Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer
Opinion | 3
UMW needs to offer more art minors to serve liberal arts mission
Life | 4
“Dead Space” 2023 offers better graphics and visuals in remake
Sports | 8
UMW varsity swim team competes in mid-season invitational
News
Friday, December 8, 2023
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Weekly Ringer UMW Honors Program welcomes alumnus The
Editorial Staff
Editor-in-Chief Norah Walsh weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com
Ava Spencer as first post-baccalaureate fellow
Norah Walsh Editor-in-Chief
Even though university admission is declining, the UMW Honors Program thrives, welcoming about 12% of the UMW student Associate Editors body into the Program. As the standard for Callie Harkins honors programs is usually 5–10% of the Emma Brennan student body, the responsibilities and roles weeklyringer.associate@gmail.com have outgrown the capacity of Dr. Mara Scanlon and Dr. Kelli Slunt who work partNews Editor time as directors of the Honors Program in addition to teaching English and chemistry, Ky Huynh weeklyringer.news@gmail.com respectively. So, when UMW expected to welcome its largest incoming freshman class in Honors Opinion Editor Program history in the fall of 2023, this numMargaret Jackson ber raised an alarm in the Honors Program, weeklyringer.opinion@gmail.com as there weren’t enough hands on deck to be able to fulfill the numerous responsibilities and roles that the Program requires. Life Editor In light of this, Scanlon and Slunt spoke Charlie Li with the director of Virginia State Universiweeklyringer.life@gmail.com ty’s Honor Program at one of the meetings of the Virginia Honors Collegiate Honor Sports Editor Council. There, they were recommended to take the same step as some other honAbbey Magnet weeklyringer.sports@gmail.com ors programs, which was to establish a post-baccalaureate fellowship. Considering the array of positive effects Online Editor that this role could have on the Honors ProDavy Washington gram, Slunt and Scanlon began to craft the weeklyringer.online@gmail.com responsibilities of the Honors Post-Baccalaureate Fellow, and they sent out the job Photography Editor posting via email at the end of the spring Abbey Magnet 2023 semester to recent alumni. weeklyringer.photos@gmail.com Flash forward a couple of months, and Ava Spencer, a 2023 graduate in environFaculty Advisor mental science on the social track, was hired to be the first post-baccalaureate fellow for Lindley Estes UMW’s Honors Program. In this position, lestes@umw.edu her role pertains to assisting in the City as Text program, which welcomes incoming Honors students to campus early and leads them through an array of projects and activities; facilitating discussion in the Honors Advertisement Service Learning course, which is a required Please direct all advertising course in the Honors Program; attending inquiries to Norah Walsh at weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com.
Corrections Please report any corrections to Norah Walsh at weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com or Lindley Estes at lestes@umw.edu
Bell tower logo designed by Bernadette D’Auria ‘22
The Honors Program welcomed its largest freshman class in the fall of 2023. which was about 12% UMW’s student body. Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer
open house events as a representative and alumna of the Honors Program; and establishing an alumni affinity group to better connect with Honors alumni and keep them involved in the UMW community. In addition, Spencer also acts as a liaison to the Honors Student Advisory Council (HSAC) and plans community activities, which often involves cooperating with other student groups on campus. However, this position is twofold in its educational opportunities, as it offers an extra level of support to the Honors Program in their endeavors as well as helping the fellow gain workplace experience. According to Slunt, this fellowship offers a useful step into the post-baccalaureate world, allowing the fellow to become comfortable in the professional skills that they learned through UMW’s liberal arts education. Slunt commented on the position’s twofold nature when she considered, “what needs need to be met for the Honors Program, but also how can we help support our students to gain some skills?” From the perspective of Spencer, who is the inaugural Honors Program fellow, the position has utilized a lot of the skills she developed while completing her undergraduate degree working in the Office of Admissions, running various Instagram accounts for clubs on campus, being a peer mentor and interning with the Office of Sustainability. One of the strongest aspects of this fellowship is its development of alumni relations, according to This past October, Honors fellow Ava Spencer and professors Scanlon and Slunt. For this work, SpenSlunt (left to right) hosted the Honors Program alumni affinity group for cer collaborates with Philan alumni social. @umwhonors / Instagram lip Duggins, the associate
director of regional alumni engagement, and Mark Thaden, the executive director of alumni relations and advancement communications. Together, they implemented an Honors affinity group, which helps bring alumni back to campus to facilitate conversations and connections between current and graduated Honors scholars. As an alumnus, Spencer reflected on her work with the Office of Alumni Relations. She said she was excited about these connections, as “even after this position, there’ll be opportunities for me to be involved. Because I love UMW, and I love the Honors Program.” Spencer also noted the success of the fellowship and delved into the aspect of alumni relations for Honors alumni. “The goal for [the Honors affinity group], I think, is that they’ll be so self-sufficient— hopefully pretty soon—so that when I leave, it doesn’t just sort of stop,” said Spencer. “And that I think the goal is to sort of make the alumni know that we still want them to be a part of the community, that they’re still a valued part of the Honors Program and to help them getting engaged on campus or online as best as possible.” From the perspective of the Honors Program, the fellowship has been successful in helping them fulfill the responsibilities that help enrich the Program, most notably the alumni affinity group. The position is set up to extend over a 10-month period, beginning at the end of the summer with the Honors City as Text Program and ending with graduation in May. While it is technically a renewable position, the intent behind this fellowship is to welcome a new recent alumnus each year, and the continuation of the fellowship depends on the funding and administrative approval for the position. This piece was written for the Fall 2023 edition of the Honors Outlook newsletter.
Friday, December 8, 2023
Opinion
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UMW Department of Art and Art History should offer more minors to align with liberal arts philosophy Tanner Glascock Staff Writer At a liberal arts university, students are encouraged to depart from the institution with a broad range of knowledge from a variety of subjects. Major and minor programs at liberal arts universities reflect this with their wide variety of academic options for students to explore. At UMW, some academic offerings embody this liberal arts mission with major and minor programs, providing students with opportunities to major in their main focus and supplement their degree with minors.
“I know many people who are not majoring in theatre but have that musical theatre minor because it’s something that interests them and it really make them come alive.” - Matthew Monaghan However, one department that currently does not offer minor programs is the Department of Art and Art History. Within this department, studio art and art history are offered as majors only and as such are less accessible to those who are interested in the subject matter but already are majoring in another subject. As someone with a passion for art who has taken multiple art classes during my time at UMW, it was disappointing that—unless I were to double major—I could not supplement my degree with a minor in studio art. Because of this, Mary Washington should offer more minors in the arts, especially the studio arts. This would allow students who have an interest in curating a degree that highlights their knowledge of the technical field to
Melchers Hall houses many art and art history classes at UMW.
also showcase their understanding of the arts, which would truly encapsulate the philosophy of a liberal arts institution. For reference, similarly sized universities in Virginia, such as Christopher Newport University and Longwood University, both offer studio art majors and minors, according to their respective course calendars. Relatedly, UMW’s Department of Theatre and Dance has a musical theatre minor, which opens new opportunities for student who are not involved in the theater major but wish to enrich their education. “I know many people who are not majoring in theatre but have that musical theatre minor because it’s something that interests them and it really makes them come alive,” said Matthew Monaghan, a senior theatre major. “Honestly, I’ve seen so many people transfer over to the musical theatre minor and have such a more positive campus life because they’re doing something they enjoy.”
“Whether it’s a study in art history or the practical studio art realm, I think that, definitely if I were studying STEM, I would feel like something was missing from my education without art.” - Wyatt Zatterstrom As a result, Mary Washington needs more minor programs like this in the arts, as the currently offered theatre minor is successful in expanding the horizons of students who are involved in other major programs and wish to branch out. It’s a missed opportunity for UMW not to offer students the option to supplement their degree with more art
Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer
minors. Being able to go into the workforce with a specialization in a technical field while also having experience in the field of arts and artistic appreciation would create not only a well-rounded resume but also a well-rounded individual as aligned with the philosophy of a liberal arts institution.
The duPont Gallery encourages art education by preserving and exhibiting artwork. Abbey Magnet / The Weekly Ringer
“I think that a well-rounded education definitely consists of study in the arts,” said Wyatt Zatterstrom, a senior art history major. “Whether it’s a study in art history or the practical studio art realm, I think that, definitely if I were studying STEM, I would feel like something was missing from my education without art.” Jon McMillan, the chair of the Department of Art and Art History and associate professor of ceramics, spoke about why the department does not offer minor programs. “It’s not technically something that I’ve decided on; it’s something that we inherited as faculty members here,” McMillan said. “In studio art, especially, we don’t want to restrict the enrollment in our courses to majors and minors only. So, in some ways, not offering a minor is a way for us to keep more course availability to students across the campus.” Studio art courses fill quickly, meaning that students with priority registration have the highest chance of getting into them. Furthermore, these courses, which are already in high demand, might be made even more unavailable if they were to be included in a minor program, as stated by McMillan. Another issue in the way of the offering of the minor program is the limited number of faculty in the department. “I think if we were able to increase the size of our faculty in studio art so that we could therefore increase the number of courses we offer, then it would be possible,” said McMillan. With the reworking of majors in the Department of Art and Art History approaching in the future, there is hope on the horizon for these requirements to be met for the minor to be offered, according to McMillan. The major roadblocks are the lack of faculty and courses offered, which prevents the minor from being offered without blocking students outside of the major from taking the classes. But, with the renovation of the arts and music department expected in the fall of 2026, hopefully these challenges will be overcome. “There’s a big renovation of the studio art facilities coming up in a couple of years, and that’s going to really transform what we’re able to do,” said McMillan. “And so that’s a time period that there’ll be growth in the department.”
Friday, December 8, 2023
Life
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Nostalgia and good times: “Dead Space” 2023 is a jaw-dropping recreation of the 2008 original
In the 2023 remake, the graphics quality contributes to the horrific atmosphere in “Dead Space.”
PEARL LEE Senior Writer In 2008, Electronic Arts set out to create one of the best survival horror game series of all time called “Dead Space,” which was influenced by the 2005 game “Resident Evil 4.” From the impressive design to the bone-chilling monsters you fight in the game called “necromorphs,” the game is highly regarded among critics and fans alike. Just earlier this year, the game was a nominee for two awards: Xbox Game of the Year and Ultimate Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards. But does this remake hold up, or is it just a nostalgia trip of the original? I’m going to be honest: I’ve never played a survival horror game before. It’s never been an appealing genre for me, which is surprising because I enjoy almost all genres. So, I’m going into this game review completely blind, apart from the knowledge I already know about this game. According to IGN, it seems that the 2023 remake follows the same storyline. The story is incredibly compelling because it throws the player in the middle of the action where everything hits the fan all at once, so they get first-hand experience that the necromorphs are not to be messed with. Overall, the game has a complementary blend of action and storytelling, and the player never gets overwhelmed with what needs to be done. My first impression of this game after beating the first mission was on-the-edge-of-your-seat terror. In general, many game visuals have become so realistic it’s like watching a movie, and Electronic Arts went above and beyond to improve the graphics. After watching a comparison video between the new and old “Dead Space,” it was like night and day with how realistic the graphics looked. The most iconic and recognizable look from the new “Dead Space” is protagonist Isaac Clarke’s engineering suit that, in my opinion, received the biggest glow-up. In the 2023 version of the game, Clarke’s jacket resembles a motorcycle jacket with realistic-looking leather with all
@Dead Space / Facebook
the little details found on the actual machinery all over the suit. Compared to the old suit from the original game— which had the appearance of 2001 “RuneScape” with its very awkward-looking blocky texture and mismatched color palette—the overall appearance of the player’s main character is greatly detailed and is a massive improvement. The main thing that jumps out is the spinal rig unit on Clarke’s suit that indicates the player’s health. The rig shows individual health bars through what looks like a semi-transparent tube, which is an element that was not included in the original game. Furthermore, I want to praise the bronze plating on the suit itself, which has a very clear corroded look to it and the suit reveals noticeable wear and tear. With an improvement in the graphics, the suit is also able to interact dynamically with the environment depending on where the player is. Aside from the graphics, the biggest thing that either makes or breaks a horror game is the sound design. This is what makes the player’s hair stand up, and, if done well, it can make the player break out into a sweat with the terror of knowing that their possible demise is just around the corner. One of the biggest improvements to come from the remake is that Issac Clarke finally has a voice. Unlike the silent protagonist from 2008 who just followed orders that were barked at them from non-player characters, we finally get to hear Clarke’s deepest thoughts about the situations unfolding all around him. Because of this, it’s like the players controlling Clarke feel a human connection when they see him lose his friends at the hands of the necromorphs. Likewise, players may also feel the biggest sense of relief when Clarke comes out triumphant after every encounter. Consequently, players can now experience Clarke’s realistic human emotions instead of suffering in silence at the game’s most traumatic moments.
The gameplay is also very smooth because players play in the third person and can see everything around them. Furthermore, as the story progresses, characters help players identify the best way to tackle an issue, such as prioritizing running away and hiding rather than dealing with the enemy head-on. The necromorphs, which are half-human and half-alien meat grinders that hit like a semi-truck, have nothing to stand in their way and only one thing on their mind: tearing Issac Clarke to shreds. The new and improved weapon inventory that has the firepower to make even Russia blush creates a sense of relief every time the player takes the walking meat grinders down. Overall, the 2023 “Dead Space” is a love letter to the original. Electronic Arts hit every mark on the checklist to perfectly recreate the experience players had in 2008 with a more modern look while also fixing issues from the old game. Through these changes, they perfectly crafted a brand new experience of a beloved game for both new and old players. Not only did they improve the diverse weaponry already present, but, with improvements to both gameplay and graphics, they were also able to elevate the game’s desired potential to a new level. I was unsure about survival horror games before “Dead Space” because they seemed like cookie-cutter versions of each other. However, Electronic Arts has done a great job at completely revamping and upgrading one of the titans of survival horror games to its fullest potential, cranking the terror all the way to the max and upping the risks that the player will have to face. All in all, I would have to give the 2023 version of “Dead Space” a rating of 9.5/10. The 2023 remake version of the game came out on Jan. 27 and is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X&S and Microsoft Windows.
Pearl Lee describes the improved graphics and audio in the 2023 “Dead Space.” @deadspace / Instagram
Friday, December 8, 2023
Life
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Meet the Editors: Spotify Wrapped Edition 2023
Norah Walsh, Editor-in-Chief I think my Spotify Wrapped accurately represents who and what I listened to this year, and Mac Miller continues to be my top artist for yet another year, which proves that his sound and creativity never falters. I also wanted to highlight my top podcast, which was NPR’s “Ted Radio Hour,” as it keeps me company when I’m traveling alone, and I always learn fascinating information in every episode.
Callie Harkins, Associate Editor I saw all of my top five artists live in concert this year. I saw The 1975 four times: First in Dublin, Ireland; next in Baltimore, Md.; then in Philadelphia, Penn.; and, finally, in Montreal, Quebec. I also attended Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour three times: Twice in Philadelphia, Penn., and again in Los Angeles, Calif. Lastly, I saw boygenius—Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus’ band—twice in Columbia, Md.
Davy Washington, Online Editor I’ve been in the top .001% of listeners for Summer Salt for the past three years, so I’m not surprised that they were my top artist. However, I didn’t think I listened to enough Lil Yachty to make three of his songs in my top five. Overall, I need everyone to stop sleeping on Lil Boat, and I’m happy that the band I DON’T KNOW BUT THEY FOUND ME got up there. Dallon Weekes, the lead singer of the band, is a genius, and I’m excited for their upcoming album “GLOOM DIVISION.”
Ky Huynh, News Editor My top artists definitely showcase the idea that I listen to different genres, such as pop, R&B and country to name a few. I’ve listened to John Mayer since I was in high school when I started playing the guitar, but this year I began listening to more SZA, especially her most recent album, “SOS.” I’m surprised that Jack Johnson isn’t on there, though, and his song “Better Together” was the song of the summer for me.
Charlie Li, Life Editor Surf Curse is definitely my number one artist, as I was in their top 0.005%, and I’ve gone to two of their packed concerts: one in New York and one in Washington, D.C. where they opened for Greta Van Fleet. My music taste has been shifting more towards rock this second half of the year, and my current favorite artist to listen to would have to be Hot Mulligan. My favorite song from them that I have on repeat, is “I Fell In Love With Princess Peach.”
Abbey Magnet, Photo & Sports Editor According to Spotify Wrapped, I’m a collector of music, and my sound town is Eau Claire, United States. I’ve been listening to Taylor Swift’s “1989” nonstop since it was released, however, I’m surprised that Sean Stemaly wasn’t one of my top artists because I’ve listened to his music a lot during the past year. That being said, I do think that Spotify Wrapped gives an accurate representation of the genres I enjoyed the most.
Friday, December 8, 2023
Advertisement
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Friday, December 8, 2023
News
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Student vendors showcase creativity and entrepreneurial skills at second Night Market in Chandler Ballroom Mateo Gutierrez Staff Writer On Dec. 1, UMW’s Night Market returned to campus to give the community a vibrant and dynamic event that let students stray beyond the boundaries of their traditional education to display and sell their creative works. The market, initiated in 2022, is an evening spectacle that transforms Chandler Ballroom into a bustling marketplace, illuminated by twinkling lights and creative pieces. There, students took center stage as budding entrepreneurs, transforming their dorm room experiments, artistic endeavors, culinary passions and technological innovations into marketable commodities. Planned by the Office of Student Activities and Engagement and Andrea McGrath, the night and weekend program assistant in SAE, the event featured 36 vendors. For a second year in a row, the Night Market offered students a platform to showcase and sell their unique and diverse works. Vendors sold an array of items, such as handmade crafts, artisanal goods, original artwork, homemade treats and sustainable fashion creations. When asked about the event, Director of SAE Sandrine Sutphin said, “I think it’s a great and really fun opportunity for students to showcase their skills. You know, something like this doesn’t exist elsewhere on campus.” Learning Beyond the Classroom Walls The Night Market embodies a combination of innovation, commerce and community, fostering an environment where students have the opportunity to gain entrepreneurial skills within their community, as their sales are primarily to peers and local attendees.
Megan Cena sold crocheted animals at the Night Market.
Crime Column Ky Huynh News Editor The Crime Column is based on UMW Police reports from Nov. 27– Dec. 5.
The event also offers a unique learning experience that complements students’ academic pursuits. Participants can acquire essential skills like budgeting, marketing, salesmanship and customer service in a real-world setting, and they learn to navigate challenges, such as customer feedback and adapting to market trends. Kolby Simpson, a junior business administration major and Night Market attendee, shared his positive remarks about the event, and he also expressed hope for the potential future expansion of the event. “It was interesting to see the small businesses that other students here at UMW created,” he said. “This is the first student market I’ve been to, and I can’t wait for the next one. Hopefully, they get a bigger venue next time so more students can participate.”
“It’s a fun environment with lots of different things to look at and there was also really good food. All of the work from the boutiques were really good quality and there was a wide selection of items.” -Chloe Delone Fostering a Collaborative Community The Night Market makes space for collaborative efforts to emerge, which could lead to partnerships and the birth of innovative projects that harness the collective talents of diverse individuals. In essence, the event allows vendors to share their innovations and thoughts with the community, especially their academic community. It amplifies the students’ creative skills, providing them with a platform to turn their passions into profitable ventures. The Night Market also allows students to support each other by buying their fellow Eagles’ works. Situated right before the holidays, this was an opportunity for students to buy gifts while also investing in their classmates’ success. Fiona Archer, a senior communication and digital studies major said, “Last year Charlie Li / The Weekly Ringer
Jack Wiese sold his own clothing designs at the Night Market. Charlie Li / The Weekly Ringer
I spent an incredible amount of money because there’s something about just wanting to support student artists.” Whether the vendors are motivated by profit or merely sharing their work, the Night Market offers an opportunity for classmates to support their friends and peers and enjoy their creations. “It’s a fun environment with lots of different things to look at and there was also really good food. All of the work from the boutiques were really good quality and there was a wide selection of items,” said senior art major Chloe Delone. Charlie Li contributed to reporting for this article.
Vandalism/Trespassing
Harassment by Computer
On Nov. 30 at 2:26 a.m., there was a case of vandalism and trespassing reported at Marshall Hall. A notice has been served.
On Dec. 1 at 11:01 p.m., there was a case of harrassment by computer reported at South Hall. This case is pending.
Friday, December 8, 2023
Sports
UMW varsity swim team competes in Franklin and Marshall Invitational
amanda sheward Staff Writer
From Nov. 17–19, the University of Mary Washington’s swim team competed in the first of two mid-season invitationals at Franklin and Marshall College. The meet took place over the course of three days, and there were six sessions in total with preliminaries in the morning and finals at night. In February, the team will compete in their second mid-season invitational at the New Jersey Aquatic Conference. In order to make it to finals, each swimmer had to be in the top 24 after their preliminary swim. The invitational at Franklin and Marshall happens every season the week before Thanksgiving break. It is always a fun meet for the swimmers because it allows them to spend more time with each other and make memories that will last a lifetime. Aidan Deege, a fifth year student who majored in A UMW swimmer dives into the water. UMW Athletics business and is currently pursuing his graduate degree at “It’s always a roller coaster at this meet,” said Deege. “Everyone has UMW, is one of the team’s swim captains. Last year, Deege did not expectations for how well they want to perform and it’s never going swim at the Franklin and Marshall invitational, so this year his goal to go the way you pictured it initially. Despite knowing this going in, was to compare his times to when he was a junior two years ago. I had an incredible experience this year in my new role as captain and
“It’s always a roller coaster at this meet. Everyone has expectations for how well they want to perform and it’s never going to go the way you pictured it initially.” - Aidan Deege “I used this as a way to tell myself how much improvement I have undergone since then, maturing both physically and mentally,” said Deege. “I had no doubt that I was going to improve, so I was also looking forward to having a good time with my family and teammates.” Being a captain is a substantial role to handle, especially when it comes to meets as large as the Franklin and Marshall invitational. Furthermore, the invitational serves as an indicator of where the team stands in the middle of the season, which puts pressure on the team to swim their best.
Aidan Deege swims breaststroke in the Franklin and Marshall Invitational.
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University of Mary Washington
Fall Sports Schedule and Scores
Abbey Magnet Sports Editor
Men’s Basketball (6-3)
Dec. 2 vs. Marymount (52-49) Dec. 5 vs. Randolph-Macon (79-51) Dec. 8 vs. Guilford Dec. 18 vs. Bridgewater Dec. 29 vs. Emory
Women’s Basketball (7-1)
as an individual swimmer in the meet.” During long, multiple-day swim meets, it was hard for swimmers to keep their energy going, but their sense of community helped them power through. “I was the most proud of our team’s ability to support each other. It’s very hard to bring such a large group of people together in ways that we are able to as a team,” said Deege. “I’m environmentally oriented, meaning when the community around me is happy and thriving, I am as well. I love our team.”
Dec. 2 vs. Marymount (67-60) Dec. 9 vs. Messiah Dec. 16 vs. N.C. Wesleyan Dec. 29 vs. Rochester @ San Juan, Puerto Rico Dec. 30 vs. Haverford @ San Juan, Puerto Rico
“Franklin and Marshall was super fun and it was very exciting to see everyone’s hard work throughout the season pay off.”
Nov. 17-19 vs. F&M Invitational @ Lancaster, Pa. (placed 4th) Dec. 2-3 Arena Yellow Jacket Invitational @ Chesterfield, Va. (placed 1st)
- Peyton Lawrence Peyton Lawrence, a freshman accounting major, shared her experience at the invitational. “Franklin and Marshall was super fun and it was very exciting to see everyone’s hard work throughout the season pay off,” said Lawrence. “My favorite part of the meet was being able to swim in finals because the environment at night is so much better than in the morning.” Grace Gartman, a 2021 graduate, is now one of the assistant coaches for the swim team. According to Gartman, her favorite part of the meet was the final event, which was the 4x100 meter women’s freestyle relay. Kinsey Brooks, Selby Heyman, Ann Karr and Margie Jones swam the relay, and the team tied with Frostburg University with a time of 3:34.18. “It was an exciting race to watch that relay come together and put up impressive splits,” said Gartman. At the end of the invitational, the men’s team came in fourth and the women’s team came in second. Photo courtesy of Amanda Sheward.
Men’s Swimming (3-2)
Women’s Swimming (4-1)
Nov. 17-19 vs. F&M Invitational @ Lancaster, Pa. (placed 2nd) Dec. 2-3 Arena Yellow Jacket Invitational @ Chesterfield, Va. (placed 1st)
Games are available to watch via livestream on the UMW Athletics webpage. https://at.umw.edu/athletics/ calendar Full schedule not listed above. Most recent games included. Bold indicates home game.