OVERCOMING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER
pg. 6
pg. 8
Vinson reflects on standout freshman campaign
How NKU’s Institute for Health Innovation is helping fight addiction in rural NKY Edition 69 Issue 02 Wednesday, April 6, 2022
thenortherner.com
Inside the
@northernermedia
SOTA COSTUME SHOP
PREPARING STUDENTS FOR CAREERS IN THE ARTS PAGE 4-5
Inside SOTA’s scene shop located next to the Corbett Theatre at Northern Kentucky University.
PHOTOS BY: EMORY DAVIS DESIGN BY: YSABEL CORDOVA-ELIAS
02 Happenings
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
NORTHERNER STAFF
WWW.THENORTHERNER.COM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Matthew Dietz [dietzm5@mymail.nku.edu] MANAGING EDITOR Madison Plank [plankm3@mymail.nku.edu] NEWS EDITOR Mildred Nguyen [nguyend8@mymail.nku.edu] ASST. NEWS EDITOR Haven Wolfe [wolfea15@mymail.nku.edu]
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Check out the hottest campus happenings and can’t-miss events around NKU and Greater Cincinnati.
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Braden White [whiteb15@mymail.nku.edu] ASST. ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Amari Brandy [brandya2@mymail.nku.edu] SPORTS EDITOR Matthew Dietz [dietzm5@mymail.nku.edu] ASST SPORTS EDITOR Brendan Connelly [connellyb3@mymail.nku.edu] ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Blake Lehmann [lehmannb2@mymail.nku.edu]
NKU’s Campus Recreation Center. PHOTO BY: ZAYNE ISOM
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VIDEO EDITOR Dylan Boling [bolingd3@mymail.nku.edu] PHOTO EDITOR Emory Davis [davise19@mymail.nku.edu]
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DESIGN EDITOR Allie Rose [rosea18@mymail.nku.edu]
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ASST. DESIGN EDITOR Ysabel Cordova-Elias [cordovaely1@mymail.nku.edu] WEB EDITOR Sean Gibson [gibsons13@mymail.nku.edu] ASST. WEB EDITOR Blake Wagner [wagnerb7@mymail.nku.edu] COPY EDITOR Misti Hopper [hopperm7@mymail.nku.edu] ASST. PHOTO EDITOR Zayne Isom [isomz1@mymail.nku.edu] ADVISOR Michele Day [daymi@nku.edu]
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YES FESTIVAL NKU’s biennial Year-End Series festival will return for its 20th anniversary from April 1-17, hosted by SOTA. This year’s iteration of the new-play festival will feature four world-premiere plays, including a regional collaboration with The Carnegie in Covington. Several of the shows scheduled include “Keeper of the Realm” by D. Lynn Meyers and “New Year’s Eve at the Stop-n-Go” by Samantha Oty.
CLEVELAND GUARDIANS @ CINCINNATI REDS, GREAT AMERICAN BALL PARK, 4:10 P.M. Opening Day in Cincinnati is a tradition like no other in Major League Baseball. Despite Tuesday’s game not being the official first game of the season for the Reds, as it is every other season, expect much of the same pomp and circumstance around the city, including the Findlay Market Opening Day Parade at noon and the Charity Block Party held by the Reds Community Fund at the Banks near the ballpark before first pitch.
CELEBRATION OF STUDENT RESEARCH At Celebration, NKU undergraduate and graduate students will have the opportunity to present their research, artistic and creative projects through different presentations and exhibits. A poster session will be held in the Student Union Ballroom from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., while oral presentations will be scheduled throughout the day on April 13 as well.
What does this issue of The Northerner have in store?
Matthew Dietz EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Page 3: When NKU director of athletics Ken
Bothof announced that he will retire on June 30, 2022, it marked the end of an era for Norse Athletics. Sports reporter Kyle Neace sat down with Bothof as he reflected upon his time at NKU, the accomplishments that he had in Highland Heights, and how he plans to spend his upcoming retirement. Page 4-5: While the performers are often the
ones in the spotlight when it comes to SOTA performances, there is another aspect of the musicals and plays that is preparing students for lifelong careers in the industry as well. Arts & Life Editor Braden White spoke with students involved with SOTA’s design and technology program about the valuable experiences they are getting behind the scenes. Page 6: News Editor Mildred Nguyen investigat-
ed an emotionally moving story about how NKU is
helping those in rural areas treat and recover from substance abuse through the Institute for Health Innovation. Page 7: Arts & Life reporter Andrea Turner met
with NKU senior foundations lecturer Nicholas Bonner as he takes over the director of galleries position at the Pendleton Art Center. Bonner discussed the Clay Alliance, a non-profit organization that he is a part of, as well as the exciting new chapter of his life that allows him and other artists to present and sell their work to the public. Page 8: Assistant Sports Editor Blake Lehmann
spoke with star NKU basketball player Sam Vinson as he reflected on his freshman season in 2021-22, and the aspirations that he has for his sophomore season with the Norse.
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
Sports 03
Ken Bothof gives his remarks during the press conference for the welcoming of the new Men’s Basketball Head Coach Darrin Horn in 2019.
PHOTO BY: COLIN JOHNSON
An end of an era for NKU Athletics as Ken Bothof plans for retirement
Kyle Neace REPORTER
Ken Bothof announced his retirement this past semester, and with it comes the end of a career that changed Northern Kentucky University Athletics for the better. Since his arrival, Bothof has created several changes and upgrades to NKU and its athletics, including facility upgrades, marketing and communication improvements, student athlete classroom success and the transition to Division I. This started back in 2013 with his arrival as the new NKU Athletic Director, and will officially end June 30, 2022. Once joining the school, Bothof had four major goals to achieve for his vision at NKU. GOAL ONE
The first major goal Bothof had for the athletic department started from within. This goal was to build confidence with the school and its athletics department. He wanted to make sure that he and his staff conducted themselves in a manner that would rebuild. This goal was essential in more ways than gaining new trust between a school and a new athletic director. The athletics department was not in the same state in 2013 as it is now in 2022. One of the major issues just prior to Bothof ’s hiring was former Athletic Director Scott Eaton’s admittance to
embezzling up to $150,000. Over the course of his career with the Norse, Bothof conducted himself in a professional manner, allowing trust to rebuild within the athletic department, not only with his professional behavior but also his ability to make the right choices. “He’s going to be extremely honest with you, up front with you, caring, so you know that what he’s telling you is honest and accurate,” said associate athletic director Debbie Kirch. GOAL TWO
The second goal Bothof looked to achieve was greater pride in the school and its athletics among the students and its surrounding community. Bothof wanted to see that the Northern Kentucky community was proud to be fans of their school, especially moving towards the transition into Division I. This goal can be seen under success with men’s basketball sales almost tripling during his time with NKU. “We really felt like we had an opportunity as we moved to Division I to really create that pride in our program and our university,” Bothof said.
to make sure that he had the correct coaches and staff in place. During NKU’s first year of eligibility to make the NCAA tournament, the Norse women’s soccer team made it to the tournament. Bothof believed this was the start of the success. “I think there was always this concern that would we really be able to be successful in Division I especially early on,” said Bothof. “But then later on when men’s basketball made it to the NCAA tournament? I think that was a real game changer for us.” GOAL FOUR
The final goal Bothof set to achieve was to make sure they had the necessary resources in order to remain successful after the transition to Division I. Bothof always stayed on top of the game and helped inform his staff of all evolving procedures to continue success. “He understands that college sports is evolving in all different directions,” said NKU head golf coach Daryl Landrum. “He’s trying to keep us all up to date on what’s going on all the time and makes sure we understand the whys and wants of everything.” During Bothof ’s time student GOAL THREE athletes at NKU had well over a 3.0 Bothof ’s third goal was to have cumulative GPA in 14 consecutive success early in the transition to semesters. Division I. For this, Bothof needed “If you look inside of those four
goals, student athlete academic success was certainly at the core of all of that,” Bothof said. Bothof is looking forward to catching up with his family, spending time out west, and doing some fly fishing in states such as Idaho and Montana. But overall, Bothof plans to continue living in and enjoying the Northern Kentucky area. “We’ve made a lot of great friends, gotten engaged in different things that we’ll remain involved in,” Bothof said. “I’m really looking forward to just becoming a fan and enjoying athletics from a standpoint of just watching.” With just a few months left in his career, Bothof sent a heartfelt message to NKU. “I would just say thank you to all Northern Kentucky, all of Norse nation. Certainly thank you to our student athletes, coaches and staff. You have a special place here,” Bothof said. “We can do some really special things here at [Northern Kentucky]. So stay engaged, stay involved, stay committed because our student athletes are worth it, our students are worth it, and Northern Kentucky University can do special things in this region.”
04 Arts & Life
An inside look at the costume shop in SOTA
Arts & Life 05
How NKU's SOTA design and technology program prepares students for lifelong careers in arts Braden White
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR PHOTOS BY: EMORY DAVIS
For many SOTA students, faculty and staff, room FA 203 is a place considered to be a home. Inside this room is SOTA’s costume shop, full of sewing machines, fabrics and other technology used to create costumes seen in the many shows NKU’s theater and dance department produces each year. Some students spend 20 hours a week working outside of class on upcoming shows SOTA is producing. Assisting these students in the design and creation of costumes is Ronnie Chamberlain, associate professor and area coordinator for costume design and technology. Chamberlain mentioned how she hopes she can help students gain practical experience and overall help students find their niche as a technician. “In our design technology program, we hope that students walk out with handson, job practical experience,” Chamberlain said. Chamberlain then went on to discuss what students can do post-graduation from the design technology program, adding how the program can prepare students for a career or even a graduate program. “They built their resumes here so that when they are ready to walk out into that workforce, they have a resume that will get them those jobs, or they will have resumes that will get them full rides to school,” Chamberlain added. Chamberlain mentioned how the costume shop isn’t just for those who enjoy sewing. Many students that work in the costume shop come from lots of different backgrounds and skill sets, ranging from acting majors to even construction man-
agement majors. “Believe it or not, we get a lot of students that come over from construction management because they like to build houses and engineer stuff. Well, we build fake houses. We do all sorts of things, so just knowing that there are other options out there to take your creative path. If you're a jack of all trades, there's probably a place for you,” Chamberlain said. Fifth year acting and English major Haley Beggs decided she wanted to get involved as a way to get to know more people since she was a commuter. This led Beggs to take an introductory class where she learned more about sewing. Prior to attending NKU, Beggs had some prior knowledge about sewing, but getting involved with the costume shop has allowed her to gain new skills. “It kind of just started as a way for me to get involved, to do things and do something I enjoy. It’s something I wanted to progress at and utilize later,” Beggs said. Although Beggs isn’t a costuming major, she talked about how getting involved with the costume shop has opened her up to many opportunities within the costuming field. She mentioned how her experience in the shop helped her get a summer stock opportunity. “There are a lot of things you can learn that are beneficial in real life that can get you jobs. I worked at the University of Virginia Heritage Theatre Festival and I was not even a costuming major,” Beggs said.
“
Ronnie Chamberlain, associate professor and area coordinator for costume design and technology, inside the costume storage room.
I think the best part of the job and helping students is seeing them come in from their first year and talking to them about what they want to accomplish. Then, building on that when they walk out the door with the skills they have learned,”
SCHMEAL ON TEAMS
Beggs mentioned how beneficial it has been for her to learn multiple skills while attending NKU. “I think that NKU, SOTA specifically, offers a really well-rounded education. They encourage you to get into other fields of theater, to learn different things and to see that tech side of it. I think that it is really important to learn as well,” Beggs said. Cat Schmeal, costume shop manager for the theatre and dance program at NKU, said how exciting it is for her to see students progress from when they first start working at the costume shop to when they leave. “I think the best part of the job and helping students is seeing them come in from their first year and talking to them about what they want to accomplish. Then, building on that when they walk out the door with the skills they have learned,” Schmeal said. Overall, Schmeal hopes that students involved can learn life long skills to take to a career. Additionally, she hopes that students can take advantage of everything NKU has to offer in the program. “We hope that students can learn skills that when they leave here they feel like they got everything out of NKU,” Schmeal added. For more information about the theater and design department, visit https:// www.nku.edu/academics/sota/theatre/ prospective/technicalbfa.
Hats and other apparel inside the costume storage room in SOTA.
SOTA's scene shop located next to the Corbett Theatre.
A student worker inside the costume storage room in SOTA.
04 Arts & Life
An inside look at the costume shop in SOTA
Arts & Life 05
How NKU's SOTA design and technology program prepares students for lifelong careers in arts Braden White
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR PHOTOS BY: EMORY DAVIS
For many SOTA students, faculty and staff, room FA 203 is a place considered to be a home. Inside this room is SOTA’s costume shop, full of sewing machines, fabrics and other technology used to create costumes seen in the many shows NKU’s theater and dance department produces each year. Some students spend 20 hours a week working outside of class on upcoming shows SOTA is producing. Assisting these students in the design and creation of costumes is Ronnie Chamberlain, associate professor and area coordinator for costume design and technology. Chamberlain mentioned how she hopes she can help students gain practical experience and overall help students find their niche as a technician. “In our design technology program, we hope that students walk out with handson, job practical experience,” Chamberlain said. Chamberlain then went on to discuss what students can do post-graduation from the design technology program, adding how the program can prepare students for a career or even a graduate program. “They built their resumes here so that when they are ready to walk out into that workforce, they have a resume that will get them those jobs, or they will have resumes that will get them full rides to school,” Chamberlain added. Chamberlain mentioned how the costume shop isn’t just for those who enjoy sewing. Many students that work in the costume shop come from lots of different backgrounds and skill sets, ranging from acting majors to even construction man-
agement majors. “Believe it or not, we get a lot of students that come over from construction management because they like to build houses and engineer stuff. Well, we build fake houses. We do all sorts of things, so just knowing that there are other options out there to take your creative path. If you're a jack of all trades, there's probably a place for you,” Chamberlain said. Fifth year acting and English major Haley Beggs decided she wanted to get involved as a way to get to know more people since she was a commuter. This led Beggs to take an introductory class where she learned more about sewing. Prior to attending NKU, Beggs had some prior knowledge about sewing, but getting involved with the costume shop has allowed her to gain new skills. “It kind of just started as a way for me to get involved, to do things and do something I enjoy. It’s something I wanted to progress at and utilize later,” Beggs said. Although Beggs isn’t a costuming major, she talked about how getting involved with the costume shop has opened her up to many opportunities within the costuming field. She mentioned how her experience in the shop helped her get a summer stock opportunity. “There are a lot of things you can learn that are beneficial in real life that can get you jobs. I worked at the University of Virginia Heritage Theatre Festival and I was not even a costuming major,” Beggs said.
“
Ronnie Chamberlain, associate professor and area coordinator for costume design and technology, inside the costume storage room.
I think the best part of the job and helping students is seeing them come in from their first year and talking to them about what they want to accomplish. Then, building on that when they walk out the door with the skills they have learned,”
SCHMEAL ON TEAMS
Beggs mentioned how beneficial it has been for her to learn multiple skills while attending NKU. “I think that NKU, SOTA specifically, offers a really well-rounded education. They encourage you to get into other fields of theater, to learn different things and to see that tech side of it. I think that it is really important to learn as well,” Beggs said. Cat Schmeal, costume shop manager for the theatre and dance program at NKU, said how exciting it is for her to see students progress from when they first start working at the costume shop to when they leave. “I think the best part of the job and helping students is seeing them come in from their first year and talking to them about what they want to accomplish. Then, building on that when they walk out the door with the skills they have learned,” Schmeal said. Overall, Schmeal hopes that students involved can learn life long skills to take to a career. Additionally, she hopes that students can take advantage of everything NKU has to offer in the program. “We hope that students can learn skills that when they leave here they feel like they got everything out of NKU,” Schmeal added. For more information about the theater and design department, visit https:// www.nku.edu/academics/sota/theatre/ prospective/technicalbfa.
Hats and other apparel inside the costume storage room in SOTA.
SOTA's scene shop located next to the Corbett Theatre.
A student worker inside the costume storage room in SOTA.
06 News
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
‘I know how it feels to need help’: How NKU is tackling substance use disorder in rural Northern Kentucky
Mildred Nguyen NEWS EDITOR
PHOTO BY: EMORY DAVIS
COPE and OCCATI provide resources – GED tests, training, jobs – for families with addiction.
Tammy Barrett-Wolcott recalled a student from Carroll County who had been using marijuana every day for as long as she could remember – probably since 10 years old. She had very low self-esteem, always put her head down when she came to class and refused to participate in group therapy. Now, she has not touched marijuana in three weeks. She is speaking up in class, giving presentations, and she wants to join the youth coalition because she wants to travel, Barrett-Wolcott said. Helping such youths who may be struggling with substance use is part of Barrett-Wolcott’s role as coordinator for Carroll County Drug Prevention Coalition, in which regional institutions, health departments, EMS workers, healthcare professionals and business owners collaborate to help reduce mortality and morbidity around substance use disorder in rural Kentucky communities. The Coalition is part of Carroll & Owen Partnership Expansion (COPE). Along with the Owen County Collaborative Addiction Treatment Initiative (OCCATI), it is among the programs focused on chronic illness by Northern Kentucky University’s Institute for Health Innovation. IHI Executive Director Valerie Hardcastle gave a presentation on these programs at the year’s first Board of Regents meeting in January. COPE and OCCATI are products of a $2.2 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to combat the opioid crisis in rural areas, according to Hardcastle. These programs educate the community on what substance misuse is and how it can stem from several psychological bases, not just weakness of will, Hardcastle said. They provide resources – GED tests, training, jobs – for families with addiction. They help
schools work with curricula so that students get to learn about substance use. They also screen the students, offering them Moral Reconation Therapy should they misuse substances, instead of having to face suspension or expulsion. The rural areas where these programs operate may not have adequate health infrastructure and resources. In Owen County, for example, there is no hospital, emergency care or medical treatment for substance use, Hardcastle said. Nor are there homeless shelters, food pantries, buses, Uber or Lyft. Internet and phone services are not uniformly available throughout the region. Residents in need of healthcare have to be referred out of state, and they do not always have the means to do so. In comes OCCATI, where Care Coordinators like Shanna Osborne help connect people with substance use disorders to treatment and support groups, food, clothes, shelters and emergency care. When they require transportation, sometimes Osborne drives them herself. But the task is far from easy. According to Osborne, Owen is the largest county in Kentucky landmass-wise but has a small population. “So I have a meeting close to my house, I might drive 80 miles to get one person to that meeting and back home,” Osborne said. “If it’s 45 miles to go get them, pick them up on the other side of the county and then take them back, you’re talking about a pretty huge distance: a lot of miles, a lot of time and effort involved.” However, Osborne now has a team of Peer Support Specialists who can help with the connecting when she gets overwhelmed. Some were among the more than 350 clients who have connected to the program since 2019, when the grant started. Bryan Ruth is one of those Peer Support
Specialists. He has known Osborne since school and has a history with substance use disorder himself. She got him to go to support meetings and into the internship with NKU. He now helps her run the meetings and provide clients with what they need. “I would make it my full-time job because I enjoy helping people,” Ruth said. “I know how it feels to need help, and to have somebody be there to help me.” Ruth’s favorite part of the work is getting to learn the stories of the many different people he meets: a perspective shared by Osborne, who has worked with people with substance use disorders for over 20 years because they affected her family and friends. “It can be incredibly emotionally taxing to get to know and love people, and then have to suffer with them when they fail because relapse is a part of recovery, so we see some failures. We’ve lost some permanently, who overdosed or died,” Osborne said. “But the success of it is definitely worth it, to see people get their kids back, people get their lives back on track, be successful in their careers and whatever they have.” It is similarly rewarding for BarrettWolcott to see immigrant families grow in their communities, to see youths break the cycle of substance use and to see the little milestones. Nevertheless, COPE faces its own set of challenges. The Drug Prevention Coalition combines the money, resources and expertise of its many members into a progressive effort that holistically supports struggling students and their families, but it is not always united. “We have a very diverse community, but the diversity is not always embraced, for lack of a better word,” Barrett-Wolcott said. “They have very clear lines in the sand: you’re either a Christian or you’re
not, you believe in this specific Christian way or you’re not, or you’re Republican or you’re Democrat. They don’t want to pull together and work together as a community, so that has been kind of hard.” To get them working together, at each meeting Barrett-Wolcott emphasizes the facts and evidence-based nature of their work, and stops them from discussing religion, politics or their distaste for each other. She hopes to see unity in the future, where mental health or substance abuse is not questioned, where students can talk about mental health in class and have access to resources for their mental health. “Right now I hope to see programs in schools, because I truly believe to break the cycle we have to go upstream,” Barrett-Wolcott said. “We have to start working in elementary and middle and high schools if we ever want to decrease recidivism … I hope to see their medical needs addressed full force, because until we can meet basic needs we can’t stop substance use disorders.” For her part, Osborne hopes to create a sustainable recovery community with housing opportunities for everyone, so that the dream of sober living can continue indefinitely, before the money runs out. “Substance use disorder continues to be a really difficult issue, in Kentucky and around the U.S. It’s not just a medical issue, it’s not just a political issue, it’s not just an economic issue. It’s a complex interaction of all three. We need to get to the roots before we see a huge change,” Hardcastle said.
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Wednesday, April 6, 2022
Arts & Life 07
The Clay Alliance space at the Pendleton Art Center. PHOTO BY: NICHOLAS BONNER
NKU lecturer takes on new position at local Pendleton Art Center Andrea Turner REPORTER
Alongside the Clay Alliance, senior foundations lecturer Nicholas Bonner has taken over the position of director of galleries at the Pendleton Art Center. Bonner has assumed the director position while still remaining a lecturer at Northern Kentucky University, as he has for nearly 23 years. During Final Friday, artists in the Pendleton Art Center open their studios to the public and allow people to purchase their work. This event happens on the final Friday of every month. Bonner was a part of the Clay Alliance, a non-profit organization in the Greater Cincinnati area that aims to educate and raise awareness about clay makers and their work. Before his position at the Pendleton, he joined the board of directors in the Clay Alliance. After applying for a space, the Clay Alliance moved from the Essex building to the Pendleton Art Center. The Pendleton houses hundreds of artists that are able to showcase and sell their work independently or during Final Friday at the end of every month. Bonner had a vision for the space even before becoming the director, but no one quite understood how
it would change the outcome of the experience for the public and for the potters. “My personal feelings is if the space looks like a gallery, it will attract more people, increase sales, and everybody involved will up the ante in terms of the quality of work they put in the gallery,” Bonner said. With about 150 potters involved in the Clay Alliance, 22 of them sell pottery within the gallery space. Bonner hopes to change the public’s experience as they walk through, and intends to make multiple changes over time in what he calls “phases.” “As we know, if you want quality, you either have to do it yourself or pay somebody to do it. I just wanted to really elevate the look and feel of that space,” Bonner said. When the old director was in position, Bonner would take part in Final Fridays and became a staple in the space. “It was really easy for me to pop down every Final Friday and hang out and tell people about ceramics and explain the chemistry,” Bonner said. Because Bonner was well known in the space, he was asked to become the new director. The change in position came after the sudden passing of the last Pendleton Art Center director
and as Bonner’s board term with the Clay Alliance had completed. To make this transition to director easier, Bonner hired an assistant, Drake Ash, to carry out logistical practices for the space. Being a potter herself, Ash explained how she feels that she is learning more from Bonner about the craft itself and the gallery. “I would say that he is probably helping me more [than I am helping him]. Because he is a professor of ceramics and he has that professional experience, I have tried to get as much information out of him as possible while we work,” Ash said. “Much like Ash, fellow potter and member of the Clay Alliance Marcia Cochran expresses multiple positive changes in the space because of Bonner’s expertise. “He immediately changed the look of the gallery. He has brought a brighter and fresher look to the space and it looks more organized,” Cochran said. Bonner explained that his educational degree in ceramics allows for an elevated perspective to the space in terms of his overall experience in ceramics and in teaching. Ash shared that Bonner also hopes to get a biography of every artist in
the space as a new initiative to share more of the personal side to artists and the pieces they share to the public, and she intends to help him in this process. “I want to have small bios of everybody that is in the gallery and a picture of them so that people can see who they are and relate to them,” Bonner said. Bonner hopes that the Pendleton Art Center, including the Clay Alliance’s space within, will be a place for artists and people of the community to build a better connection. “It’s for those kinds of people who want to support the arts and individual artists and don’t have the ability or interest in making, but they love appreciating and having,” Bonner said. Bonner has tried to emphasize the importance of community at the Pendleton just as NKU has intended to do since its foundation. “One of the things we do at NKU is create connections between what we do here and the community. I think this furthers one of those goals. That is the university’s goal: to create stronger connections and relationships between the community and the university,” Bonner said.
08 Sports
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
Vinson’s incredible freshman season lights the way for bright future Suicide #2 leading cause of death among college students
44.5%
Not recieving education regarding mental health issues as a college athlete Occurence of depressive issues
33.2% 25.7%
Accessible treatment at their university
A diagnosis of depression in the past six months Head coach Darrin Horn talks to Vinson as he waits to check in the game. Blake Lehmann
PHOTO BY: EMORY DAVIS
ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
In a mid-major program that is heavily built upon the foundation of player development and building talent over tenure, it’s an anomaly to see a freshman get as many opportunities to shine as Sam Vinson had in his first year at NKU. But then again, Vinson’s talent level itself is an anomaly. It’s what made him Kentucky’s Gatorade 2021 Player of the Year and a key component of Highlands High School’s run to the state championship last year. Norse head coach Darrin Horn said that the 6’5” guard’s qualities and talent that drew Horn towards recruiting him translated excellently on the floor for Vinson’s freshman year. “He’s a rare combination of a big, athletic guard that can do a lot of basketball things, but he’s also got a tremendous basketball IQ,” Horn said. “He has outstanding competitive character and he’s all about winning.” Those qualities are a huge part of what helped Vinson earn various honors, including the Horizon League’s Freshman of the Year award for the 2021-22 men’s basketball season, as well as seven Freshman of the Week honors over the course of the year. Nationally, he was selected to the Kyle Macy All-American team and was a finalist for the top fresh-
man in all of college basketball. His play also made him a factor in the Norse’s run towards the Horizon League Championship game. But from Vinson’s perspective, adjusting from high school to the college level at first wasn’t as simple as “plug-and-play.” He said the biggest challenge he struggled with during the offseason was the difference of speed between the two levels of play, and he didn’t quite see the floor like he used to. “The flow of the college game is a lot faster and a lot more physical,” Vinson said. “At first, I was struggling trying to see the floor like I used to and just finding my spots, finding open shots.” But Horn was steadfast in his persistence and confidence in Vinson. The potential that he showed in high school and over the course of summer workouts began to stand out more and more over time, and Vinson began to make the plays that were needed out of him. “A lot of guys that are good players coming out of high school are guys that are ‘good’ as it relates to making plays for themselves,” Horn said. “Sam is a guy who makes plays for others. He distributes, rebounds, plays great defense, blocks shots, so we like all of those things.” Over the season, that sentiment
would shine through. Vinson was the only player on the team to start all 32 games and averaged 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals while playing nearly 33 minutes per game. His 66 steals were good for twelfth nationally, while he also broke the Horizon League’s freshman record in the category. Coming up clutch in the big moment was another thing that made Vinson vital to the success of the Norse this year. Vinson scored in double figures nearly 20 times throughout the season, as well as scoring 20-plus points thrice, including a huge 24-point performance in a 74-70 overtime thriller against the University of Illinois-Chicago: a conference win that would prove to be vital for NKU down the stretch. “The bigger the moment, the better he is,” Horn said of Vinson’s ability in the clutch. “He has the ability to impact the game in a lot of different ways.” From a teammate’s perspective, sophomore guard Marques Warrick said that the confidence and reliability that Vinson and others grew to have in him over the course of the season made him reliable in a pinch. “When you see someone as confident in the way they carry themselves on the court, it puts the confidence in you, too,” Warrick said. “You’re
confident in them that they’re going to make a play and that they’re going to make the right decision. We know his talent level and what he’s capable of, but confidence level is the main reason why we trust him.” One of the biggest reasons Vinson said he came to NKU wasn’t just for the caliber of the coaching staff and the quality of competition the Horizon League offers, but also the ability to stay closer to home. “I wanted my family to be able to come out and attend the games and have my community around me come out and support me,” Vinson said. Even with the honors that he received this season, Vinson said his focus is on the future of the team and his own development. He said that he’s more driven than ever to continue to improve his game this offseason. Vinson separated himself from the rest of the freshman class in the Horizon League and beyond during the 2021-22 season. Now he looks to further his development this offseason and stand out even more. “I’m looking to be on the Horizon League First Team [or] Second Team next year,” Vinson said of his goals. “As for the team, it’s always to win the Horizon League Championship.” @northernermedia