Ball State Daily News Vol: 103 Issue: 20

An interactive train exhibit and water table to debut at the Muncie Children’s Museum as early as Feb. 1 04

BRENDEN ROWAN, DN ILLUSTRATION

02.01.2024

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Did you miss it? Catch up on the news from January 27-Febuary 1 and take a look at upcoming events...

BallStateDailyNews.com Muncie Mall sold to Hull Property Group

Jan. 31: Hull Property Group announced Wednesday the acquisition of the Muncie Mall according to a press release. The property adds to the company’s retail property portfolio of almost 20 million square feet, including 35 enclosed shopping malls across 17 states. The group said they are excited about renovations.

DN FILE

Ball State travels to Western Michigan

Feb. 3: After falling to Bowling

ANDREW BERGER, DN

Green Jan. 30, the Cardinals look to find the win column as they hit the road to Western Michigan. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. Ball State is currently 11-10 on the season and sits No. 9 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) with a 3-6 conference record.

The Broncos are 8-13 and are No. 7 in the MAC with a 5-4 conference record.

VOL. 103 ISSUE: 20 CONTACT THE DN Newsroom: 765-285-8245 Editor: 765-285-8249, editor@bsudailynews.com

The Ball State Daily News (USPS-144-360), the Ball State student newspaper, is published Thursdays during the academic year except for during semester and summer breaks. The Daily News is supported in part by an allocation from the General Fund of the university and is available free to students at various campus locations.

EDITORIAL BOARD Daniel Kehn, Editor-in-chief Kyle Smedley, Print Managing Editor, Co-Sports Editor Olivia Ground, Digital Managing Editor Grayson Joslin, Director of Recruitment Trinity Rea, Associate News Editor Katherine Hill, Associate News Editor Elijah Poe, Co-Sports Editor Zach Carter, Associate Sports Editor Hannah Amos, Lifestyles Editor Ella Howell, Associate Lifestyles Editor and Copy Editor Kate Farr, Opinion Editor Elaine Ulsh, Associate Opinion Editor Jacob Boissy, Video Editor

AP: 3 U.S. soldiers killed in drone attack Jan. 30: On a United States

Military base in Jordan near the Syrian border, a drone strike killed three citizen-soldiers and wounded 40 others. The enemy drone was mistaken for an American one, leading it to be flown into the base without challenge. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said failure to shoot down the drone was “human error.”

Cardinals head to Bellarmine Feb. 3 Both of Ball State’s swim

and dive teams face Bellarmine for a dual meet Feb. 3. The event will start at 1 p.m. The men’s team is 2-1 on the season with its last win coming against IUPUI Nov. 3. The women’s team is 4-1 and its most recent victory was against Toledo Jan. 20.

This will be the last dual meet for the women’s team.

Oakley Myers, Social Media Editor Mya Cataline, Photo Editor Andrew Berger, Associate Photo Editor Meghan Holt, Visual Editor Jessica Bergfors, Visual Editor Brenden Rowan, Visual Editor Maria Nevins, Podcast Editor Lisa Renze-Rhodes, Adviser TO ADVERTISE • (765) 285-8256 or dailynewsads@bsu.edu • Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon-Fri. • ballstatedaily.com/advertise TO SUBSCRIBE Call 765-285-8134 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mon. -Fri. Subscription rates: $45 for one year. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Daily News, AJ278, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306 JOIN THE DAILY NEWS Stop by room 278 in the Art and Journalism Building.

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CORRECTION

In the Jan. 25 edition of the Ball State Daily News, Simone Robinson-Stevens’ last name was mispelled on page 11.

Additionally, she is the club’s outreach officer, not a club member.

To submit a correction, email editor@bsudailynews.com.

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4-DAY WEATHER

FORECAST Noah Gordon, Weather forecaster, Benny Weather Group

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

PARTLY SUNNY

PARTLY SUNNY

MOSTLY SUNNY

SUNNY

Hi: 50º Lo: 35º

Hi: 43º Lo: 30º

Hi: 50º Lo: 29º

Hi: 53º Lo: 31º

THIS WEEK: A rather tranquil week with plenty of sun in store. Temperatures will range above average, in the upper 40s to lower 50s.

START CHECKING, FROM DAY ONE.

Waking Up with Cardinal Weather is Ball State University’s first and only morning mobile show focused on getting your ready for the day through local news, weather and lifestyle trends. Waking Up with Cardinal Weather airs every Friday morning at 8 a.m. at @cardinalwx live on Facebook.

DNNews

02.01.24 A crowd gathers to hear about The Village Revitalization Project Oct. 20, 2023 at Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center. The project was approved by the Ball State Board of Trustees in March 2022. KYLIE CLAYTON, DN

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Local

Final round of Hoosier survey results released In this final batch of results, answers surrounded around voting, voter fraud and state taxes. The Hoosier is specific to Indiana and covers state opinions. The inaugural survey was conducted in 2008 and is run out of the Bowen Center for Public Affairs.

The Hoosier survey brief has been updated on the document which can be found on Ball State’s website.

National

AP: Broadway’s Chita Rivera Dead at 91

Bridging the Gap Young Alumni Council serves to connect younger graduates to the university.

Abigail Denault Reporter Once university graduates cross the stage for their degree, they complete one chapter of their college experience and begin another as alumni.

It can be daunting for students wanting to be involved in large-scale efforts, such as the Alumni Council, which can seem unattainable to a fresh graduate.

“We were seeing there was a big gap between those that just recently graduated and that Alumni Council,” Young Alumni Council President Giang Petroviak said.

The Young Alumni Council was formed to offer an option to young alumni wanting to be involved.

Petroviak was graduating when the council was formed in 2014, but since she began her involvement she has steadily moved up the ranks.

Before her presidency in the organization, she served as a general member, chair of the committee,

secretary and then vice president.

As president, she has been working toward the long-standing mission of the organization to get younger alumni engaged and connected to the university.

“Historically, you’ll see more of the older alumni go to those things,” Petroviak said. “We’re trying to get that young alumni population more involved with Ball State right as they’re graduating.”

Nearing its 10th year, the current council is looking to create more young alumni-centered events. Specifically, they want to create events that help younger alumni transition into postgraduate life.

“When I bought my first house, I had no idea how to navigate that process,” Petroviak said. “We want to be having those big, hot-button topics that we can help the alumni with.”

Other members of the council, such as Kinsey Reese, Ball State Admissions’ social media strategist, said there are plans to build connections between

young alumni and current students as well.

“We would like to find a way to connect with students more and hear their voices so we can better connect with them and better serve them as young alumni,” Reese said.

Unlike the Alumni Council, there are often recent graduates on the Young Alumni Council who utilize the freshness of their post-graduation life to relate to current students. One of the council’s efforts to connect is through its Young Alumni Council Student Leadership Scholarship and mentorship with the Top 100 program, where a student named as a part of the Top 100 is paired with an alumni mentor.

“They try to match us with someone who has common interests, or maybe it was the major that we had in undergrad,” Petroviak said. “For a year, we’re paired with that student just to connect, see how they’re doing and how we can help them navigate the workforce or the final few years of college.”

See YAC, 14

Broadway legend Chita Rivera died Tuesday at 91. Her death was announced by her daughter, Lisa Mordenate. In 1957, Rivera played Anita in West Side Story, a breakout role that began her longtime career as an actress and two-time Tonywinning performer. She forged a path for Latina actresses and performers across the country.

State

Circus animals escape freeway fire Along Interstate-69 in Grant County early Saturday, a truck carrying zebras and camels for a circus performance caught fire. This fire prompted the Grant County Sheriff’s Office to rescue the animals, with some of them roaming along the freeway. The truck driver, officers and animals were all uninjured.

ON BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM: BOARD OF TRUSTEES FURTHERS VILLAGE REVITALIZATION PLAN

DNNews

02.01.24

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The water table features fake clouds that spout rain Jan. 25 at Muncie Children’s Museum. The museum director, Andrea Snell hopes this helps children connect with Muncie. ANDREW BERGER, DN

New additions to Muncie Children’s Museum are designed to teach children about Muncie’s locality.

Katherine Hill Associate News Editor The Muncie Children’s Museum (MCM) is prepared to unveil two new additions, which will open Feb. 1, that aims to teach children about Muncie’s local train stations and rivers. The water table designed to teach about rivers is still under construction.

Andrea Snell, MCM Director of Exhibits and Education, said her favorite part of the job is “interacting with the guests and developing programs that excite the community.”

She helped design the new additions and cited interaction as a key factor in the design plans, following the generational success of other interactive exhibits.

“The most successful exhibits we have are our Marsh grocery store market and our Nutrition Kitchen… All kids gravitate toward them [because they involve] shopping for new food, cooking, sorting things out, etc.,” Snell said.

Snell hopes the train exhibit and water table will emulate similar success.

Salim Hashmi published answers to the questions, “How Do Children Play with Toy Trains and for What Benefits?” in his literature review for the European Journal in Health, Psychology and Education published September 2023.

“Toys such as trains may allow children to engage in construction play, involving building things with materials,” he wrote. “The structured, realistic and familiar nature of such toys was a key feature that facilitated childrens’ play with toy trains in these different ways.”

To promote interactive play, the train exhibit will feature a career corner where children can dress up and act out the different careers within the realm of locomotive engineering. The water table, Snell said, is largely based on Muncie’s White River and will include the activity of dam building with Lego bricks.

“It’s a huge upgrade compared to what we had [at] our last train exhibit [and] on our last water table,” Snell said.

The landscape includes the industrial aspects of Muncie, as well as pinnacle landmarks like Ball State’s Shafer Tower.

Something so elaborate and meticulous does not come without careful financial planning.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Snell said.

The museum is in the middle of the “More to Explore” capital campaign with new projects first pitched in January 2019. The following January, the ideas seemed like they could financially come to fruition, and the museum began working with Train Worx, a professional model train designing company in Texas.

We actually had thought we would have the train table installed a year ago, [but] it was worth the wait.”

- ANDREA SNELL, Director of Exhibits and Education at The Muncie Children’s Museum.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic halted any further construction plans.

“Their owner and the main person that does all the designing got lung COVID, and he was really sick, but he’s one of the best [model train designers] in the country, so we wanted to stick with him,” Snell said.

The waiting delayed a public announcement of the museum’s new exhibit until spring 2022.

“We actually had thought we would have the train table installed a year ago, [but] it was worth the wait,” she said.

“I’m really excited for people to finally see what we’ve been talking about for several years now.”

- ANDREA SNELL, Director of Exhibits and Education at The Muncie Children’s Museum.

The water table has followed a similarly delayed installation process, despite being completed.

“The water table has actually been finished and has been sitting in the warehouse since August, ready to be installed,” Snell said.

She said the process had been delayed due to contractor communication and the installation of necessary flooring to sustain the water table.

Ultimately, there is great anticipation as both additions enter the completion phase.

“I’m really excited for people to finally see what we’ve been talking about for several years now,” Snell said.

She hopes the additions will last for generations. To ensure 15-20 years out of each attraction, Snell found solutions for the two persistent questions on her mind throughout the design process: “How easy is it for a kid to break?”, and, “How easy is it to clean?”

Each attraction was structured to be durable, and the train exhibit will be maintained by the Muncie Western Model Train Club.

Hashmi concluded that all children place a different Just past Shafer sits an homage to the Delaware County emphasis on trains during early development.

“Neurodivergent children have been found to Fair Jan. 25 at Muncie Children’s Museum. The new train particularly enjoy playing with toy trains compared attraction features all Muncie landmarks. ANDREW BERGER, DN to other toys and more so than neurotypical children,” Hashmi wrote.

He also concluded there was no consistent evidence to support that trains are a “gender-stereotyped” toy.

Kynda Rinker, MCM executive director, said the museum’s current train exhibit is a crowd favorite of adults and children alike, but added, “It has nothing to do with Muncie.”

The new train exhibit will help children understand Muncie and Delaware County.

“We focus on trains because we do have a lot of trains that come through Delaware County,” Snell said. “A lot of things that we have in our train exhibit and our train activities are largely based on the kinds of trains that children would see in Delaware County.”

For example, no passenger trains pass through the county, so passenger trains are not represented in the exhibit.

“It’s mostly just cargo trains, and we tried to focus specifically on the kinds of cargo that would come through Delaware County and Muncie,” Snell said.

At the children’s museum, adults and children can experience childhood and ride the rails of nostalgia and imagination together.

The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Contact Katherine Hill with comments at The new train attraction features Ball States Shafer Tower Jan. katherine.hill@bsu.edu .

25 at Muncie Children’s Museum. ANDREW BERGER, DN

DNSports

02.01.24

“Loyal as the day is long” Associate head coach Audrey McDonaldSpencer pursues her basketball dream at Ball State.

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Men’s Basketball

Jihad named MAC CoPlayer of the Week For the third time this season, junior Basheer Jihad was named as a MidAmerican Conference (MAC) player of the week sharing the honors with junior Anthony Pritchard from Central Michigan. Jihad averaged 24 points, 11 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game last week. His three Player of the Week honors are the second most in the MAC this season.

Men’s Volleyball

Ball State faces Loyola Chicago, Penn State

The Cardinals will have back-toback home games Feb. 1-2. The first matchup will be against MIVA foe, Loyola Chicago. The Feb. 1 match will start at 7 p.m. The second game Feb. 2 will see Ball State take on Penn State as a part of a Dance Marathon Night with a red-out theme. The game will start at 7 p.m.

Track and field

Cardinals travel to Notre Dame

Associate head coach Audrey Spencer watches as her team celebrates their win over Toledo Jan. 21 at Worthen Arena. McDonald-Spencer ended her own athletic career at Ball State scoring eighth on the schools all-time scoring list. ANDREW BERGER, DN

Ball State will compete in the Notre Dame Meyo Invitational Feb. 2-3 in South Bend. The Cardinals are coming off a performance at the IUPUI Invitational that saw Ball State win multiple events. This will be the second-to-last meet before the MAC Indoor Championships. The Meyo Invitational will start at 4 p.m. Feb. 2 and start at 11 a.m. Feb. 3.

ON BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM: BALL STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS TO BOWLING GREEN

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02.01.24

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As a player and coach, Audrey McDonald-Spencer has been at Ball State for nearly two decades.

Elijah Poe Co-Sports Editor Like most kids in Indiana, basketball started for Audrey McDonald-Spencer in a driveway.

“We were always in the driveway, beating each other up,” Ball State women’s basketball associate head coach McDonald-Spencer said. “It was just how it was.”

With a basketball-obsessed brother and an uncle who is in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, basketball was in McDonald-Spencer’s blood.

Growing up playing all sports, it was basketball that stuck.

While at Kokomo High School, McDonaldSpencer scored more than 1,000 points, went 87-14 during her four years and was an Indiana All-Star her senior year. She was led by her uncle, Charlie Hall.

When it came time to pick schools, McDonald-Spencer said the Ball State women’s basketball program did the best job of forming a relationship with her, making it an easy choice to become a Cardinal.

The Player

When McDonald-Spencer was a sophomore in high school, former Ball State head coach Tracy Roller and then-associate head coach Lisa McDonald took her to center court at Worthen Arena and gave her a scholarship offer on the spot.

I am loyal as the day is long to this university, and I love it to the core.”

-AUDREY MCDONALDSPENCER, Associate head coach “Once I got some Big Ten offers, they (Ball State staff) still hung in and created the relationship,” McDonald-Spencer said. “It was the relationships, the people, the team.”

As a freshman, McDonald-Spencer said she had the perfect senior class to show her the ropes. They showed her how to lead, keep a team together and help teammates make an impact.

Although she remembers her freshman year fondly, her junior year was the season most people remember.

The Cardinals 2008-09 team got over the barrier of defeating Bowling Green to win the MidAmerican Conference (MAC) Tournament and headed to the NCAA Tournament.

In their first round contest, Ball State faced off against the previous two-time national champions, the Tennessee Volunteers, coached by the legendary

Ball State alumna Audrey McDonald-Spencer looks to pass the ball in 2008 at Worthen Arena. McDonald-Spencer made 238 three-pointers for her career with Ball State. BALL STATE ATHLETICS, PHOTO PROVIDED Pat Summitt. The Volunteers had never been beaten in the first two rounds of the tournament.

As the final buzzer rang, Ball State had made history with a 71-55 victory.

“Yeah, that was special,” McDonald-Spencer said. “That is what everyone remembers.”

McDonald-Spencer has stayed in touch with her former teammates through group chats, alumni games, and get-togethers in the summers, she said there were no fake relationships, and they are all still close.

“When we need each other, we are there,” she said. “We’ve been at weddings, we’ve been at babies’ births, all the things. Even the hard things, like divorce.”

Seeing the relationships she has formed, McDonald-Spencer stresses the importance of those relationships on her current team.

The Coach

Ball State women’s basketball associate head coach Audrey McDonald-Spencer helps her team warm up before playing Miami Jan. 24 at Worthen Arena. During her career with Ball State she has led the Cardinals to 157 wins. ANDREW BERGER, DN

McDonald-Spencer always wanted to be a coach, and former Ball State coach Kelly Packard (200811) gave her a shot in the director of operations role right out of college.

From director of operations to assistant coach to associate head coach, McDonald-Spencer has been coaching with current head coach Brady Sallee for 12 seasons.

“He was a different personality than anybody I had worked for or played for,” McDonald-Spencer said. “Very passionate, very black and white.”

When making his decision to keep her on staff at Ball State, he said it has been one of the best decisions he’s made as a coach.

“None of this would have happened without

her,” Sallee said. “I believe that.”

One thing that has changed is how she works with Sallee. She said she is like an extension of Sallee, a right-hand man (woman) in her position.

“I’ve learned so much from him in terms of what mattered,” McDonald-Spencer said. “The details, all of those things. I consider Brady one of my best friends; he is a mentor who teaches me something new every day. He has given me more and more responsibilities as we’ve gone through it, but I could not ask for a better boss, mentor and human being to work with.”

As she learned the art of coaching, McDonaldSpencer said she would almost be a friend to players when she first started out, but now understands the importance of having tough conversations with players.

“You are not just teaching them basketball, you are teaching them life,” McDonald-Spencer said.

“You don’t do it for them to score 20 and have 10 rebounds. It is life, it is so they can be successful in life. Whether it is a mom, CEO, teacher or nurse, it doesn’t matter. You teach them the life skills in how to be a successful woman.”

The relationship between Sallee and McDonaldSpencer has grown. Sallee said she understands how he wants to run the program and can complete his sentences.

“She is a head coach who just happens to be on my staff,” Sallee said. “She is better than a lot of the people I go up against day in and day out.”

McDonald-Spencer’s main focus on coaching is the “back” (point guard) position. It features juniors Ally Becki and Nyla Hampton, sophomore Hana Mühl and freshman Ashlynn Brooke.

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02.01.24

DNSports

She wants the best for you. She is nitpicky to make you a better player, and I appreciate that. It is stuff like that that will make us a better team.”

-ALLY BECKY, Ball State women’s basketball junior McDonald-Spencer recruited Becki very early, having a lot of long conversations on the phone with her while she was still at Brownsburg High School.

“Watching her growth has been awesome,” McDonald-Spencer said. “She is figuring out what she needs to do. It is great to watch them grow as people on the court and off. She is only going to get better.”

During Becki’s freshman year of high school, she said McDonald-Spencer was the person who guided her through the recruiting process.

“Anytime I talked to her it felt like I was talking to someone just to talk about my life too, like a friend,” Becki said. “That made me very comfortable with her, and seeing the relationship we built over the phone is impressive. It was important to me and one of the main reasons why I came here.”

Becki said McDonald-Spencer always made Ball State feel like a home.

“She wants the best for you,” Becki said. “She is nit-picky to make you a better player, and I appreciate that. It is stuff like that that will make us a better team.”

Becki said it can be refreshing to have someone like McDonald-Spencer to go talk to about normal day-to-day activities instead of always talking about basketball.

“It is just being able to get away,” Becki said. “I think that is what made our bond closer.”

Before she was an assistant coach, assistant coach Moriah Monaco was a player under Sallee and McDonald-Spencer.

In Monaco’s second year at Ball State, McDonald-Spencer became her position coach.

Monaco said they instantly clicked.

“There were countless amount of times I was on her couch,” Monaco said. “Just talking about life and basketball. She jokes now that I am one of her kids but it is probably true because she is like a mother figure to me.”

Sallee said McDonald-Spencer recruits how she played: relentlessly.

“Since I have been here for half of my life, [Ball State] runs deep,” McDonald-Spencer said. “They get that it is more than the name on the back and more about the one on the front. I live that, so I think they respect that.”

McDonald-Spencer said it would have to be “something” to get her to move, emphasizing a big job. She said she does have aspirations to be a head coach but said she is happy at Ball State with no desire to go anywhere else.

The Mother

Recruiting. Traveling. Talking to players.

Getting children to school. Is someone home to watch the children? Practices. Games. Film.

With long hours and something to do almost every day, McDonald-Spencer’s

schedule is a hefty one, just like any coach.

McDonald-Spencer also has to balance her work with a family of her own.

“Is it always glorious? No,” McDonald-Spencer said. “There are a lot of late nights. A lot of them going with me to recruit, but I look at it as a blessing that they are experiencing all this stuff.”

McDonald-Spencer said it has been a blessing for her kids to grow up around a Division-I level program.

“I joke that my kids have been on multiple charter flights from Muncie to wherever, and they just think it is a way of life because they don’t know any better,” McDonald-Spencer said. “To be able to give them that experience is awesome.

They think every year in March we are going to Cleveland; that is just what we do, which is cool.

They want to be at every home game.”

Sallee said the family culture is refreshing, helpful and fun when you love the players and people you work with.

“Our families are really good friends, and that makes this journey that much more enjoyable,” Sallee said.

In times when McDonald-Spencer’s husband has to work, her children can often be seen at practices or around the program. She said Sallee understands the family aspect and treats her children like his own.

“My kids love the team,” she said. “They love it.

They breathe it. They understand it.”

Associate head coach Audrey McDonald-Spencer watches her team warm up before facing Miami Jan. 24 at Worthen Arena.

She was inducted into Ball State’s hall of fame in 2021. ANDREW BERGER, DN

The lifelong Cardinal

Ball State is all McDonald-Spencer knows.

“It has been a part of who I am, now it is a part of who my family is,” McDonald-Spencer said.

“It’s everything, I do not know how to describe it.

I love everything about this place. The love is real for this place.”

Sallee said if McDonald-Spencer had not coached, her love for Ball State would have never wavered.

“If you are friends with her, she is loyal to you.

If you work with her, she is loyal to you. If you played for her, she is loyal to you. I don’t know that she has an enemy, and that is probably a big reason why.”

Sallee said she could be a head coach whenever and wherever she wants. He can even see her sitting in his head-coaching chair, something he hopes one day happens.

“I am loyal as the day is long to this university, and I love it to the core,” McDonald-Spencer said.

Contact Elijah Poe via email at elijah.poe@bsu. edu or on X @ElijahPoe4.

Womens basketball associate head coach Audrey McDonald-Spencer gives her players high fives as they prepare to face Toledo Jan. 21 at Worthen Arena. She began at Ball State as director of basketball operations. ANDREW BERGER, DN

BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM Read the full story online.

Ball State alumna Audrey McDonald-Spencer looks to pass the ball in 2008 at Worthen Arena. McDonald-Spencer was a part of the 2008-2009 women’s basketball team that won the MAC Championship. BALL STATE ATHLETICS, PHOTO PROVIDED

DNSports

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NEW NAMES, SAME GOALS

Graduate student pitcher Tanner Knapp pitches the ball during a practice scrimmage Jan. 26 at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. Knapp has a 7.16 earned run average in two seasons with the Cardinals. ANDREW BERGER, DN

Ball State baseball’s retooled roster aims to replicate 2023 season success.

Nick Shelton, Trinity Rea Reporter, Associate News Editor A third of the way through the 2023 NCAA regional tournament game, Ball State held a tworun lead against West Virginia.

This changed fast, with the Mountaineers opening the fourth inning by hitting four home runs in four at-bats. Quickly, the Cardinals postseason dreams faded.

This season, Ball State looks not only to get back to the NCAA regional but to go further.

Ball State baseball has been led by head coach Rich Maloney for 17 seasons in two separate stints. First from 1996-2002 and 2013-present. In that time, Maloney earned the title of winningest baseball coach in Ball State history.

This winning culture has become a staple of Ball State baseball and something that has not been unrecognized by the team.

“I think we just need to trust the process. I mean, our coaches… they’ve been there. Tthey know what needs to be done,” junior center fielder Houston King said. “We just need to trust their process and go play our game.”

For Maloney, winning is the culture he aims to create, something he has tried to perfect as he approaches 30 years of experience.

Across the past four years, Maloney’s team has averaged 38 wins per season.

“I’m excited about this year’s team,” Maloney said. “The talent that’s been added with a mixture of the guys that are back who’ve won a lot of games, I think the combination of the two gives us

a chance to be pretty good.”

Even with this winning mindset at the helm, last season was the first time since 2006 — and the first of the Maloney era — that Ball State won the Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament championship.

It was also the first time the Cardinals found themselves in the NCAA regional tournament in Maloney’s tenure.

looking to make adjustments.

This means that winning carries its own penalty.

After a successful 2023 campaign, Ball State retained less than half of last season’s roster, losing four of its top pitchers to the MLB draft: Trennor O’Donnell, Ryan Brown, Ty Johnson and Ty Weatherly. With an additional six graduating and 11 transferring out, the Cardinals were left with only 15 returning players.

A big part of why people want to come here is just the winning program. Every year, you lose all these guys to graduation, transfer, draft and all this stuff. Then new guys come in, and then this success continues,” - DECKER SCHEFFLER, Senior outfielder Following Ball State’s early tournament exit, the Cardinals faced a slew of roster changes, a pattern that quickly spread across the MAC. Change has become a facet of college athletics, and nowhere has this become more apparent than in the world of baseball.

“I think there’s five new coaches in the league, so there’ll be a different energy,” Maloney said.

“All of those guys will work really, really hard… and they know how to win.”

With close to 20 percent of all active players entering the transfer portal each year, change does not only occur within losing programs that are

In only his second year as Ball State’s baseball recruiting coordinator, Alex Maloney had his hands full.

Positionally, he faced the expectation of refilling a heavily depleted roster full of new talent in both the infield and outfield. On the other side, he bore the weight of a heavily depleted pitching core, where major questions loomed about how the Cardinals could replace the kind of production they received from their top pitchers last season.

Maloney turned this situation into an off-season strongpoint for the Cardinals, who were able to bring in a recruiting class of 21 new student-

To be the best, you want to play the best, we don’t take a backseat to anybody. It’s just a mentality we’ve had for a long, long time in our program. We love to compete, and sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and then you learn from it,” - RICH MALONEY, head coach athletes. “A big part of why people want to come here is the winning program,” senior outfielder Decker Scheffler said. “Every year, you lose all these guys to graduation, transfer, draft and all this stuff. Then new guys come in, and this success continues.”

Highlighting Ball State’s transfer class are a pair of juniors who both show promise of becoming major contributors for the Cardinals this season: junior infielder Michael Hallquist and junior pitcher Merritt Beeker.

Hallquist transferred from Division II Minnesota-Crookston where he earned NCBWA All-American honors along with a spot on the 2023 D2CCA All-American Second Team. After accruing 22 home runs and 65 RBIs during the course of last season, Hallquist was also named the 2023 Player of the Year in the Northwoods League.

Beeker comes in from Division I East Carolina University, where he made 19 appearances, pitching with an ERA of 2.95. Beeker was the No. 11 prospect in the American Conference in the 2023 MLB Draft.

“The new guys have done a great job of buying into the culture and the team, and I’m excited to see how we do,” graduate pitcher Tanner Knapp said.

While core players like 2023 MAC Second Team shortstop and MAC Tournament MVP Adam Tellier joined No. 1 ranked Wake Forest during the offseason, there is a young crop of talent ready to make their mark at Ball State.

“We’ve got a lot of great players that are already in the house,” Maloney said. “It’s time for somebody else to step up and keep the tradition going.”

Returning to the Cardinals is a collection of tenured veterans — including their entire senior class — combined with a handful of underclassmen looking to continue their success at Ball State.

Knapp is one of these veterans, entering his third year as a Cardinal. In his time at Ball State, he’s appeared in just 21 innings as a pitcher, but he has made an impact at the plate and as a leader to his newer teammates.

“It’s definitely a little emotional, knowing that more than likely it’s my last dance here at Ball State and with baseball in general, but also, it’s motivating,” Knapp said. “To come back knowing I was going to be one of the veterans, one of the leaders here, I’m just trying to teach all the younger guys the Ball State way, how we do things and the winning culture.”

4See BASEBALL, 14

DNLife

A Rare Gem Found Downtown

Kat and Shannah Mesaros have recently opened a crystal and curiosities shop in downtown Muncie. 10

02.01.24

09

Community

Muncie Civic Theater Feb. 2-4 and 8-11, Civic is performing the award-winning comedy show, “The Play that Goes Wrong” on the mainstage. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday Matinees at 2:30 p.m. A captioned performance will be held Feb. 11. Tickets are available on Civic’s website. Tickets for students and children are $15, and adult prices are $20, $22 or $25 depending on seating.

Campus

Hairspray The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical’s touring company is performing at Emens Auditorium Feb. 5. The show starts at 7:30 p.m., and it follows the story of 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore who tries to get on TV’s most popular show. Tickets are available at Emens’ box office, calling 765-2851539 or online on Ticketmaster.

Community

Euchre Night

Jade Gardner and her daughter Sunshine Sanders made a stop at the new “Create Your Own Spell Jar” bar Jan. 17 at Kat’s Crystals and Curiosities. They included small dried flowers into their bottle. ELLIE MARKER, DN

Fiction Boulevard LLC game store is hosting Euchre Night Feb. 4 from 6-8 p.m. on the second floor. All skill levels are welcome to attend the event, and there is no fee to get in. Guests are encouraged to bring their own snacks and drinks for the event. Parking is available behind the building, and there’s a back door open to visitors.

ON BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM: HOW SUSAN DANNER’S HOME-BASED PIE BUSINESS CAME TO BE

DNLife

02.01.24

10 ELLIE MARKER, DN ILLUSTRATION

A store that lives up to the name: Kat’s Crystals and Curiosities.

Ellie Marker Reporter

K

at’s Crystals and Curiosities is a place full of hidden gems, from crystals and bones to work from local artists displayed for sale.

The business started out as just a hobby for Kat Mesaros. She has always been interested in collecting various crystals and learning about the metaphysical properties they hold. When the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020, she knew she wanted to get more into crafting with gemstones.

Kat saw an event called “Hippie Fest,” known for arts and music, and signed up to be a vendor there.

Her mom, Shannah Mesaros, joined her and created things to sell at the stand as well. Since then, they’ve been a team.

All of the jewelry is hand-made by Kat and Shannah, except for the hematite rings. Kat makes the earrings and crystal bracelets, while Shannah makes the rings and wire wraps pendants.

They grew more through pop-up events and an Etsy shop, but their primary focus has become Facebook and the physical store. The location opened in November 2023 after the mother-daughter pair obtained their Limited Liability Company (LLC) in July 2022.

Kat’s Crystals & Curiosities is one of few metaphysical stores in Muncie and is located downtown. Kat said many of the customers have left positive feedback about how nice it is to have a store like it in Muncie.

The pair share the responsibilities of the local business and run it as a 50/50 partnership. They both create the majority of products in the store with other items sold from a team of 10-12 local artists and a few authentic wholesalers.

Kat’s Crystals & Curiosities sells products like gemstone bracelets, wire rings, tarot, runes, candles, herbs, paintings, clothing, ethically sourced sage and incense. The best-selling items are crystals, handmade jewelry — specifically earrings — and books.

Shannah said crystals have energies and can be charged by things like moonlight, sunlight, moon water, Florida water, sound, smoke or even by your

Store owners Shannah Mesaros (left) and Kat Mesaros (right) pose for a photo Jan. 26 at Kat’s Crystals & Curiosities.

Local artists have their artworrk displayed in the store for sale. ELLIE MARKER, DN own intentions as you hold a crystal. They charge all of their crystals in store by moonlight and moon water, if it is safe for the crystal.

Shannah shared that oftentimes customers come in to search for a certain crystal with a meaning and find a crystal they feel drawn to. It ends up that the crystal they are looking for is the one that stood out to them.

“It seems coincidental, but [Kat was] drawn to it for a reason,” Shannah said.

The business has received a ton of support from other local business owners in addition to its customers. Some of the business owners with shops also located downtown know one another from previous networking and by their hospitality when a new place opens.

“A lot of people are happy to have this in our community now,” Kat said. “I think it is good for the community and the local economy because we are keeping our dollar in Muncie.”

Occasionally, special events are held in the building, like tarot readings or yoga, with people found through networking at different events, festivals or trusted shop customers. Some mediums and spiritualists from Camp Chesterfield in

Chesterfield, Indiana, have also been invited to the store. These events are posted on the store’s Facebook with further information regarding each event.

“We can’t do it all, but we know people who can,” Shannah said.

One of their big goals has been to include local artists in the shop. Shannah shared they have the space and love to help artists who don’t have a store.

Kat said they are still gathering information as they go, as a business and as people. They are always welcoming of knowledge that their customers bring in. For example, one customer came in and shared their knowledge of “Witches’ Runes,” — a series of symbols carved in resin or stone used in divination — and it inspired Kat to start selling a few sets.

“Some of the things I stock I don’t necessarily use myself, but I know people in the community do, and so, I like to have that available for them,” Kat said.

A new addition to their space is dedicated to a personalized experience with a “Create Your Own Spell Jar” bar.

There are four sizes of jars to pick from and a table loaded with various ingredients and things for maximum creativity and customization. Both Kat

and Shannah are highly educated about the meanings and uses of each item available and gladly carry on conversations with each guest.

Jade Gardner, a good friend of Kat, has been supporting her from the start. She was the very first customer at the shop when it opened. “[Kat] puts her heart and soul into all this, and you are going to get great products,” Gardner said.

Gardner and her daughter, Sunshine Sanders, put together a spell jar for happiness, loaded with various ingredients that match the intention and energy they want. Clear quartz, small yellow flowers and moon water were added into the bottle. Each item symbolizes peace, protection and happiness — matching the intentions of their creation. Together, the two added charms of the sun and a star to the top of the bottle before pouring yellow wax to finish off their spell.

For those who are interested in learning more, Kat said books are a good place to start. The store sells affordable tumbled crystals and tarot with guidebooks that are also great for beginners.

“We really try to be there for people who don’t feel like they have a community elsewhere,” Kat said. “Our customers are amazing. They are some of the most supportive, great people ever.”

Contact Ellie Marker with comments at eliana. marker@bsu.edu.

A lot of people are happy to have this in our comunity now.”

- KAT MESAROS, Co-owner of Kat’s Crystals & Curiosities

Left: Kat’s Crystals & Curiosities has satin spar wands, raw black tourmaline, crystal chips and hearts, as well as the popular tumbled crystals Jan. 17 at Kat’s Crystals and Curiosities. Each item is marked with the correct name and price available. Right: Kat Mesaros and her mom hand-make the jewelry sold in their shop Jan. 17 at Kat’s Crystals and Curiosities. Earrings have been really popular with the customers. ELLIE MARKER, DN

CARDINALS LOSE

TO RAINBOW WARRIORS

11

02.01.24

DNSports

Ball State men’s volleyball hosted topfive-ranked Hawaii.

Above: Freshman libero Cameron Gray hits the ball against Hawaii Jan. 28 at Worthen Arena. Gray had five digs in the game. MYA CATALINE, DN

Above, left: Sophomore outside hitter Patrick Rogers serves the ball against Hawaii Jan. 28 in Worthen Arena. Rogers scored 15 points in the game. ISABELLA KEMPER, DN Above, middle: Freshman setter Lucas Machado sets the ball against Hawaii Jan. 28 at Worthen Arena. Machado had nine digs in the game. MYA CATALINE, DN

Left: Ball State men’s volleyball gets ready to play against Hawaii Jan. 28 at Worthen Arena. The Cardinals lost 3-1 against the Warriors. Right: Junior opposite hitter Tinaishe Ndavazocheva celebrates scoring a point against Hawaii Jan. 28 at Worthen Arena. Ndavazocheva had 16 kills in the game. MYA CATALINE, DN

DNOpinion 12

02.01.24

The influx of strikes this past year paints a picture of growing worker dissatisfaction.

MEGHAN HOLT, DN DESIGN

ON BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM: THE HIGH PRICE OF BROADWAY

13

Kate Farr

Opinion Editor, “Face to Face” Kate Farr is a second-year journalism major and writes “Face to Face” for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.

From late May to August this year, I lived in Atlanta with my partner, Riley. He moved there in August 2021 — only a couple of months after graduating high school — at the age of 18 to pursue work in the film industry.

Long-distance has never been easy. We’ve been doing it for nearly three years now. And between Facetime calls and seeing each other for maybe a weekend every few months, Riley had a hard enough time getting work and breaking into a competitive industry.

As he gained his footing, he applied for membership with IATSE 479, the Georgia and Alabama union chapter for crew workers in the entertainment industry.

His application was accepted and paid his initiation fee.

It seemed like he would soon be on bigger productions in Atlanta and begin chipping away toward gaining union benefits. But everything was put on hold this past July. On top of being a full-time student, his work was what was paying his way through college, covering his rent and providing him with groceries.

While the negotiations for the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA)’s new contract began March 2023, he didn’t expect the strike to have the gravity and longevity that it did.

By hopping onto any project thrown his way — whether it was an independent music video or any nonunion project still in the works despite the strike — we were able to make ends meet over the summer. While I left come August to return to Indiana, the dry spell for union work in Atlanta wasn’t over until SAG-AFTRA’s union committee tentatively reached a deal in November.

I knew it wasn’t an ideal start to his career, and I saw first-hand his many restless nights either losing sleep over the lack of work or working late hours on indie projects. But the film industry’s prolonged strike was only the peak of this year’s strike iceberg.

The strikes shed light on a bigger issue: unions could be thriving in this current surge of worker protests, but union-busting efforts often scare workers into staying compliant.

But where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Picketing. Protests. Walkouts. 2023 saw a surge in U.S. labor movements. From Starbucks to Amazon, Hollywood writers to healthcare providers, it’s become clear that there’s a growing dissatisfaction among workers in dozens of industries.

A study from Cornell University found that strikes rose by 52 percent and more than 224,000 workers were involved in the effort.

While it was a summer of strikes, the number of American workers in unions remained almost unchanged compared to the year prior. As unions

gained memberships from many of the year’s highprofile strikes — including the SAG AFTRA and Kaiser healthcare workers strikes — the overall rate fell simultaneously, presenting a troubling problem in membership decline.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the union membership rate among public sector laborers showed little net change from 1983 — the first year where union comparable data became available — to 2011. Since then, membership has declined by 32.5 percent.

If the government is for the people and by the people, then it should be ensuring the working class has strong, secure rights.

Workers deserve the right to a clear path for joining unions, promoting negotiations and taking part in collective bargaining.”

As the U.S. makes ongoing efforts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw the addition of 2.7 million jobs in 2023. Even with the swell of position openings, many companies continued to enforce antiunion tactics in a ploy to keep workers from organizing and negotiating wages, benefits, workplace safety and other work-related issues.

02.01.24

For instance, at least 293 of Starbucks’ 9,000 company-owned U.S. Starbucks stores voted to unionize in 2021. Starbucks Workers United, the labor group seeking to unionize stores, has yet to reach a contract agreement with the company at any Starbucks store, according to the Associated Press. The chain’s removal and ban on LGBT pride decor, as well as unfair labor practices, at several Starbucks stores led to employee walkouts at 150 Starbucks locations, including the Seattle flagship location.

Due to necessity, a majority of Americans have to give their lives and livelihoods by working for a powerful few — a corporation’s board, owner or boss.

But the ability to band together and voice collection demands is crucial.

Unions are meant to bridge the gap between workers and those in power. A single laborer has no power to fight for their rights, and they can be replaced if they voice their concerns alone.

Labor organizations are what have given workers rights across the board — whether it be the establishment of 40-hour work weeks or overtime pay in the 1930s and 40s — and that’s what companies and corporations fear. Higher wages and benefits cost them money. Unions are in favor of the working person and they level a usually uneven playing field.

But with ongoing strikes and negotiations, unions are missing the mark, which is why the number of workers represented by unions is waning. While recent grassroots activism has led to improvements like wage increases in 2023, it hasn’t translated into any major growths for union enrollments.

The biggest issue is that U.S. labor laws keep workers from successfully organizing and collectively bargaining.

Current labor laws allow corporations to intimidate workers and delay proceedings. And many corporations often illegally fire almost one-third of union organizing efforts, according to the Center for American Progress.

This exploitation and abuse of power is what keeps union success low. It’s what allows just 1 in 7 labor organizations to achieve a first contract.

With the risks at hand, most workers choose not to risk their financial stability by trying to form a union.

Policy reform is the only thing that can give unions another chance.

Congress is the next step in making progress. By passing the Protecting the Right to Organize Act and the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, those who want to organize in the workplace won’t have to keep fearing muzzling tactics by company higher-ups.

If the government is for the people and by the people, then it should be ensuring the working class has strong, secure rights. Workers deserve the right to have a clear path to joining unions, promoting negotiations and taking part in collective bargaining.

These strikes should be a clear sign that, by all means necessary, workers will find a way to have their demands heard and met.

Contact Kate Farr with comments at kate.farr@bsu. edu.

DNOpinion

DNNews

02.01.24

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YAC

Continued from Page 03

A stack of paper with information on the Young Alumni Council sits on a table Nov. 10, 2023 at the Ball State Alumni Center. KINSEY REESE, PHOTO PROVIDED

BASEBALL Continued from Page 08

Another key piece for the Cardinals returning is junior catcher Hunter Dobbins. The Mt. Vernon High School graduate has been consistent since arriving at Ball State, scoring 29 runs in his freshman season and following it up with 31 in his sophomore season.

Along with his success at the plate, Dobbins has made a huge impact behind it. Across the past two seasons, Dobbins has earned a fielding percentage of 99.3 and has recorded 405 pop-outs.

“I love it here… We win, and that’s really all I care about. I love to win, but I’m a big team guy,” Dobbins

Ball State baseball players lean out of the dugout during a practice scrimmage Jan. 26 at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. Ball State baseball plays its first game Feb. 16.

ANDREW BERGER, DN

Beyond the outward involvement of the council, there is also an internal culture of improvement and support.

According to its website, the Young Alumni Council includes alumni who graduated in the last 15 years.

As a result, there is a variety of experiences in the council with a wide range of ages present.

Petroviak, a 2024 graduate, recalled a meeting where an icebreaker game with pennies–A Penny for your Thoughts—made the difference apparent.

The game involved passing out a penny to each person, who then said a memory from the year inscripted.

“The person that sat next to me was sharing the year that she had like ‘I was in eighth grade during this year’ and I’m like ‘I was in college when you were in eighth grade,’” Petroviak said.

Instead of separating them, Petroviak said the differences seem to fuel their bond over a shared love of the council. She said she also enjoys the experience of meeting alumni from the last 15 years, whom she would not have had the chance to meet otherwise.

Echoing Petroviak, Reese said the span of graduation years allows for a variety of experiences that complement each other and improve the council as a whole. She also mentioned a type of mentoring between the older and younger alumni within the council itself.

“It really is helpful because you have some internal mentoring, people who have been in the field for a long time mentor some of our younger young alumni.,” Reese said. “We have older alums said. “So for me, it was that I wanted to be a junior here, and I wanted to be the next leader here.”

Dobbins said one of his best friends on the team is Scheffler, and being able to lead with him this season is very exciting.

For Scheffler, this excitement was echoed.

Entering his fourth year with the Cardinals, Scheffler comes off of his best collegiate season yet in the batter’s box. Last year, he accumulated 46 runs and 49 RBIs in 196 at-bats for a batting average of .378 on the season.

Along with this offensive success, his performance in the outfield was also noteworthy.

With 145 pop-outs accumulated, he earned a fielding percentage of .980.

“Coach made it aware to me after last year that I was going to be one of our leaders. So I’ve taken that role; I’ve enjoyed that role,” Scheffler said.

“Playing in regionals is a good way to motivate this year’s team to want the same thing.”

Aside from the returning upperclassmen, there are a handful of underclassmen looking to make an impact this year.

Freshman pitcher/outfielder Keegan Johnson is set to be one of those impact players.

In high school, Johnson was a dual-sport athlete, playing baseball and football. Though he made statement performances in both sports, he committed to Ball State baseball his sophomore season.

“I’m hoping to be a really good baseball player, and I’m hoping to learn a lot from my coaches,” Johnson said. “I’m hoping to get a lot of innings, as I’ve been

who are professionals and have a lot of experience out of college and then we have younger alums who have that really close connection to the student body.”

Reese herself is on the younger portion of the council, graduating undergrad in 2021 and is currently working toward her master’s degree. She is not quite the youngest alumni as others such as Ethan Davies, just graduated in May. Davies came to the council after being convinced by a fellow council member, Kelly Osceola, who was involved in events like homecoming, where Davies previously sat on the Homecoming Steering Committee board as the Special Events Chair. It was a conversation with Osceola that made Davies become involved with the Young Alumni Council.

“She’s like, ‘Hey, Ethan. I see how much you have love for this university. Let me tell you a little bit more,’” Davies said. “We were sitting in the football stadium. She was telling me about this while we’re watching a game and I said, ‘OK, I’m gonna go fill in the application tomorrow night.’”

He said he received notice of his acceptance in a letter during the summer and remembers the excitement of the moment.

“It was midnight, my phone rang and I was like, ‘Oh my god,’” Davies said. “I didn’t fall asleep that same night, I was so excited.”

To Davies, working with the university was a long-term goal.

“I knew that throughout my time as I went to undergrad, I really wanted to work with university after,” Davies said. “I know when I have kids one day or have a family, it’ll be cool to be like, ‘Ethan’s working with university still.’”

Time in the Young Alumni Council can also be a stepping stone toward later pursuits, such as involvement in the Alumni Council, which is the future goal of Petroviak, who also serves her

regional alumni branch.

The low time commitment of the council allows for those involved to pursue a connection to the university while still maintaining their postgraduate lives. Council members are required to attend two in-person meetings and two Zoom meetings a year as well as serve on one of the five committees of the council.

“I get home and I’ll spend a good chunk of my time just sharing the articles and news within Ball State; on top of that, just working with the council, text messaging people in the council, whatever it may be,” Davies said. “It’s something that I’ve learned to discipline myself, but it’s a fun discipline because I’ve always wanted to be in this position.”

There are outreach-focused committees such as Beneficence, the “giving back committee” and Communications, managing social media and other public relations-type communications.

Other committees revolve around engagement with alumni, including Signature Events, assisting with events such as Cocktails for Cardinals; Student Engagement, working with current students; and Young Alumni engagement, working with the younger alumni base.

While the Young Alumni Council is not currently accepting applications, those interested can apply on its website and their application will remain active for three years whenever positions open up.

Those who choose to get involved can foster a connection with their alma mater long after they leave its halls.

“It really serves as a great bridge for people who are leaving Ball State but don’t feel quite ready to leave,” Reese said. “I really love being a part of that with people who are also alumni who love Ball State as much as I do.”

Contact Abigail Denault with comments at abigail.denault@bsu.edu.

working really hard trying to get my chance.”

NEXT WEEK: SOFTBALL Alongside Johnson is sophomore pitcher/first Check back next week for a preview of Ball State baseman Blake Bevis, a player Maloney said is softball’s upcoming season, which starts Feb. 9. one to watch.

In his lone season with the Cardinals, Bevis recorded a .273 batting average, hit 11 home runs and had 39 RBIs. In the outfield, he recorded 314 popouts and garnished a fielding percentage of .985.

“We’ve been very consistent,” Maloney said.

“Names change, but we’ve still managed to be reasonably successful, and that is the challenge this year with losing all those great players.”

Overall, Maloney and his team are confident in their ability to mesh, regardless of the roster changes made after the departure of some of last season’s key players.

“To be the best, you want to play the best,” Maloney said. “We don’t take a backseat to anybody. It’s just a mentality we’ve had for a long, long time in our program. We love to compete, and sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and then you learn from it.”

The Cardinals will have their first opportunity to prove it when they open their season in Charleston, South Carolina, for the Swig and Swine College Classic. First pitch in game one of the four-game series is at 1 p.m. Feb. 16.

Contact Trinity Rea or Nick Shelton with comments via email at trinity.rea@bsu.edu, nicholas.shelton@bsu.edu, or on X @thetrinityrea Freshman infielder Eli Kieser watches as the other team bats Jan. 26 at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. @NickS9954 ANDREW BERGER, DN

15

Crossword & Sudoku

ACROSS 1 Element of ecclesiastical architecture 5 Pave over 10 Business magnate 14 Tailless cat 15 “Same here,” more formally 16 Gold element of some religious paintings 17 Thing that may have twists and turns 18 Capacitance unit 19 Penny-__ 20 Add bulk to cured meat?

23 Pro Bowl org.

24 California’s Big __ 25 Treat haricot verts to extra plant food?

32 Longtime “Dancing With the Stars” judge Goodman 33 “My bad” 34 Zelenskyy’s country: Abbr.

36 Range units 39 Hubbub 40 __ del Carmen, Mexico 42 Give some oomph to pot stickers?

45 “No time to talk!”

46 Half of an interrogation pair 47 Decryption need 48 Highway sign no.

50 WWII carrier 51 Dreyer’s partner in ice cream 52 Concerns for commuters, or an apt title for this puzzle 55 Corn Belt state 58 Shiraz resident 59 Milton setting 63 Pub contest 64 Disciplined, in a way 65 Roof overhang 66 Place to build 67 Months and months 68 Was positive

DOWN 1 Band aid 2 Sidekick 3 Stuffed shirt 4 Length 5 Some drawings 6 Biblical birthright seller 7 Renovator’s protective cover 8 Key of Beethoven’s Sym. No. 7 9 Rolls past 10 Yogic spiritual center 11 Off-the-wall 12 PC key near Z 13 Sturgeon delicacy 21 Young salamander 22 Have regrets about 25 Turn into

26 Disorderly 27 Thing that may have twists and turns 28 Pakistani language 29 Dance with a queen 30 Fine point 31 Heavenly body?

32 Shortsighted solution?

35 Rough, in a way 37 Org. concerned with plastic pollution 38 Buddhist teaching 40 One in a buffet stack 41 Starbucks top 43 Paralyze with fear 44 “The Not-Too-Late Show With Elmo” airer 49 Strange and scary 50 Hard-hit baseball 52 Throw for a loop 53 Mandlíková in the International Tennis Hall of Fame 54 Try to find 55 Sharpness figs.

56 “Absolument!”

57 One with a knack for snappy comebacks 60 Auerbach of the Black Keys 61 “House of the Dragon” actress Best 62 Word in four state names

SOLUTIONS FOR JANUARY 25

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02.01.24

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