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Shelby Anderson, Associate News Editor
Kyle Stout, Sports Editor
Trinity Rea, Associate Sports Editor
Katherine Hill, Lifestyles Editor
Jayden Vaughn, Opinion Editor
Charlotte Jons, Associate Opinion Editor
Channing Matha, Copy Editor
Isabella Kemper, Multimedia Editor
Kyle Ingermann, co-Associate Multimedia Editor
Kadin Bright, co-Associate Multimedia Editor
Jessica Bergfors, Visual Editor
Brenden Rowan, Social Media Editor
Corey Ohlenkamp, Adviser
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House, Senate vote to pass Epstein bill
Both Houses of Congress passed legislation Nov. 18 to direct the Justice Department to release all case files involving sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, according to Tribune News Service (TNS), after the files had been “under seal” for almost two decades. House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated there will likely be “swaths” of material that could be redacted regarding the files. At the start of his election campaign, President Donald Trump promised to release the files, but later changed his mind and fought having them released to the public. Trump then called for the files to be released, directing all Republican House members to vote for the measure, according to TNS.
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The Ball State Daily News is committed to providing accurate news to the community. In the event we need to correct inaccurate information, you will find that printed here.
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Trump takes steps to dismantle Education Department
Nov. 18: The Trump administration plans to transfer some of the Education Department’s largest grant programs and major portions of several offices to other federal agencies, according to Tribune News Service (TNS). This plan would shift billions of dollars in funding out of the department and would give the Department of Labor more oversight of the federal education budget. White House spokesperson Liz Huston said in a statement provided by TNS that President Trump has “promised” the American people he would dismantle the Department of Education, returning education to the “state and local” level, according to TNS.
Football looks to bounce back
Nov. 23 : Ball State football’s season is on the line as the Mike Uremovich-led squad will travel to Toledo to take on the Rockets. The Cardinals (4-6, 3-3 Mid-American Conference) need to win two consecutive road games to secure bowl eligibility, and it will start with Toledo. The Rockets come into the game posing the second-best defense in the NCAA, just behind the Ohio State Buckeyes. Playing on the road has been a struggle for Ball State thus far, as they are 0-5 outside of Schuemann Stadium. Toledo is averaging 47.4 points per game at home this season. Kickoff for the game in Toledo is at 2 p.m.
SAUL LOEB/AFP/TNS
TIERNEY L. CROSS/TNS
MALLORY HALL, DN
DNNews
COMMUNITY CAMERA, LIGHTS,
Liberty-Perry School Corporation and the surrounding community banded together to produce Legally Blonde Jr. despite theft from music department funds.
Katherine Hill, Linnea Sundquist Lifestyles Editor, News Editor
Two weeks before opening night of Selma Elementary’s Legally Blonde Jr., Liberty-Perry School Corporation was met with a “very public, unexpected financial challenge that deeply affected the music department,” as described via email by Victoria Jones, a mother whose children were set to act in the family-friendly production.
The “very public, unexpected financial challenge” Jones referred to was investigated by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, resulting in the Oct. 29 arrest of 46-year-old Amanda Ullman.
The former president of Wapahani High School Music Boosters was charged with felony counts of fraud, theft and forgery, according to police records. Ullman allegedly stole $45,000 from the school district’s music funds from May 2022 through October 2025 and forged colleagues’ signatures on various documents.
Staff were first alerted when the school’s band account was overdrafted by nearly $1,400, money that Ullman reportedly used to gamble and buy cigarettes.
In a statement, police wrote Ullman said she “didn’t want the music director to have the money.”
The discovery of such abrupt funding gaps did not ideally coincide with the timeline of Legally Blonde Jr. — if not for the surrounding Selma community in Delaware County — which stepped in to help just ahead of showtime.
“It overwhelmed me, and it was really
per year, allocating eight weeks of rehearsals for each show; Legally Blonde Jr. had been in the works since August.
The show’s cast and crew were “more prepared” than in previous years, Van Note said.
Two weeks before its debut — at the time of Ullman’s arrest — cast and crew members were rehearsing the show from curtain to curtain, complete with microphones and light cues — which only deepened a sense of “devastation” and “heartbreak” throughout Liberty-Perry’s School District, as described by Jones in an interview, when the show was threatened by the sudden discovery of fund mishandling.
The show came to fruition because it was shouldered by community members like Jones,
school system’s music department to involve the Delaware County community more often in their productions, though Hargins and Van Note unanimously agreed they hoped they would not have to lean so heavily on neighboring generosity again in the wake of the financial crisis.
In an Oct. 30 press release, Liberty-Perry’s superintendent, Aaron Black, stated, in full, “The actions of one individual do not define the spirit or integrity of the Liberty-Perry community. We are committed to ensuring that every dollar raised in support of our students is protected, accounted for and used as intended, to enhance their learning and extracurricular experiences. We also want every parent, staff member and community member to know that if they ever have concerns
about the handling or misuse of funds, they should feel comfortable coming forward immediately. Transparency and accountability are values we
Delaware County Sheriff Tony Skinner confirmed Ullman’s Oct. 29 arrest via email. She was released on a $15,000 bond Oct. 30. Online court records do not yet reflect an initial hearing date for her case, and though charges are pending, Ullman faces level five counts of fraud and theft
If convicted of both level five felony charges, Ullman could face up to 12 years in prison and a
Ullman’s arresting officer, Jeff Stanley, is quoted saying, “[Liberty-Perry School Corporation students] work hard…This is just another addiction where somebody’s going to have to recognize that they have a problem, and when they understand they have a problem, they need to get help.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with a gambling addiction, Muncie has several rehabilitation clinics or group therapy services, like those at IU Ball Memorial, open to offer help that accept walk-ins and allow for anonymity.
Associate News Editor Shelby Anderson contributed to this story.
Contact Katherine Hill and Linnea Sundquist via email at katherine.hill@bsu.edu and linnea. sundquist@bsu.edu.
Elle Woods meets Paulette, played by Ellie Wright and Maci Goodpaster, in Legally Blonde Nov. 6 at Selma Elementary School. KRISTINA RAINWATERS, PHOTO PROVIDED
CARDS CLEAN SWEEP
Ball State Women’s Volleyball celebrated seniors and swept Central Michigan Nov. 13 &14.
Sophomore and junior middle hitters Tiiffany Snook and Camryn Wise attempt a block Nov. 14 at Worthen Arena. BSU has scored 58 blocks across the season.
AYSLIN BOWMAN, DN
Junior setter Lindsey Green tosses the ball up in order to set Nov. 13 at Worthen Arena. Green has dished over 20 assists in five matches. ADAM JONES, DN
Freshman outside hitter Taylor Cripe celebrates with her team after scoring a point Nov. 13 at Worthen Arena. Cripe has a high of six aces in a game this season. ADAM JONES, DN
Junior middle hitter Gwen Crull blocks the ball from going over the net Nov. 13 at Worthen Arena. Crull played in 26 matches last season, with 16 starts. ADAM JONES, DN
DNSports
Members of the Ball State women’s basketball team during media day
Rylan Crum Reporter
A season ago, Head Coach Brady Sallee and the Ball State Women’s Basketball team had one of its best seasons to date. The team went 27-8 and won the Mid-American Conference (MAC) regularseason and tournament championships, clinching its spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009.
This year, the team has the same goal, but with an abundance of new faces. Ball State had 10 players leave the team after last season, resulting in an almost entirely different squad despite some returners: Grace Kingery, Zuri Ransom, Tessa Towers and Ashlynn Brooke. They went from a team with only two freshmen on the roster to six, most of whom are from overseas.
While many of the new faces are freshmen, junior guard Karsyn Norman, freshman guard Violeta Rojas and senior forward Bree Salenbien transfer into the program as upperclassmen with some experience under their belts.
Norman spent the past two seasons as a guard for the Butler Bulldogs, where she
scored 251 total points and garnered 110 rebounds. Rojas comes in after a year at Trinidad State, where she averaged 20.1 points with a 47 percent shooting percentage. Salenbien spent four seasons with the Gonzaga Bulldogs and recorded a total of 75 points and 40 rebounds before suffering an injury at the end of that year, which sidelined her for her sophomore campaign. Last season, she played in 21 games while averaging 6.4 points per game.
Although Salenbien is a fifth-year and one of the leaders on this team, she says she still has a lot to learn after being set back by multiple injuries over her career.
“Everyone thinks I have a lot of experience, but I’ve been hurt a lot. I’m kind of learning as we go, it’s a group effort for sure,” Salenbien said, “I’m trying to be the best I can, and I think it’s a learning effort for all of us.”
As the Cardinals added on three upper classmen to their roster, they also brought in six freshmen, most of whom are international, in Zhen Verburgt (Belgium), Alba Caballero (Spain), Georgia Gorini (Italy), Laura Martinez (Spain), Aniss Tagayi (France) and Brooke Winchester, the only player from the freshman class who is from the United States.
This freshman
class could be seen as the future faces of the Cardinals, as most of them already have experience playing at a high level, including Tagayi, who was part of the 2023-24 U18 Women’s French Cup Finalist team and the 2024 U18 Women’s European Championship team.
France
U18 Women’s French Cup Finalist team
Tagayi credits her time with her different teams in France as helping her adapt to new playing environments.
play with during the year, so just trying to adapt yourself to your teammates and all,”
“When you’re going to the National team, you’re playing with people you never play with during the year, so just trying to adapt yourself to your teammates and all,” Tagayi said.
While a majority of the freshmen are international, such as Tagayi, that’s not something Coach Sallee is necessarily looking at. For him, it’s all about talent.
“For us, it’s just one big pot of potential players, and we go find the ones that fit the way we play and what we’re looking for,” Sallee said. “From a character standpoint, a toughness standpoint, a skill set standpoint, they checked the boxes and it ended up the way it ended up.”
Sallee is focusing on their growth and on building this new squad to reach their full potential.
With the team loaded with underclassmen, Sallee is focusing on their growth and on building this new squad to reach their full potential.
“It’s got to be the process that we fall in love with [and] it’s off to a good start. We played through some adversity, we’ve shown some real toughness, got two big wins on the road, but we’ve got plenty to learn from and get better with, and that’s the exciting part,” Sallee said.
As the new additions have played in four games so far with the Cardinals, they’ve also had time to settle in on campus and make themselves at home.
As the new additions have played in four games so far with the Cardinals, they’ve also
“It’s a college town for sure, and everyone’s all in at Ball State, so it’s been pretty cool,” Salenbien said.
In addition to making the most of the campus, students can use the amenities to not only become better athletes but also better students.
“I think [it’s great] because of all the things you have for your students and for your athletes,” Tagayi said. “When you’re studying [and need help], there’s a lot of stuff to help you. I love the fact that teachers can help you, and they’re really open if you have a question. I think that’s what I like the most so far.”
The new faces have fit in well so far at Ball State, not only in the classroom but also on the court, as the Cardinals Women’s Basketball team is currently 4-0 in their 2025-2026 campaign. They look to keep their momentum in full force as they get ready to welcome the Cincinnati Bearcats to Worthen Arena Nov. 20.
students can use the amenities to not only become fact open rylan.crum@bsu.edu or on X @
Contact Rylan Crum at rylan.crum@bsu.edu or on X RylanCrum.
Members of the Ball State Women’s Basketball team during media day Oct. 6 at Ball State University. BALL STATE ATHLETICS, PHOTO PROVIDED
[ABOVE] Members of the Ball State Women’s Basketball team during media day Oct. 6 at Ball State University. BALL STATE ATHLETICS, PHOTO PROVIDED [BELOW] Freshman Aniss Tagayi and senior Tessa Towers pose during media day Oct. 6 at Ball State University. BALL STATE ATHLETICS, PHOTO PROVIDED
MunCiE Skate ParK
Kyle Ingermann co-Associate Multimedia Editor
Navigating a skate park comes with respect. Unspoken and unwritten traffic patterns dictate where and when you roll.
As 5 p.m. hits, the skaters come out. Parents’ folding chairs, teenagers’ energy drinks and an overwhelming amount of tenacity flood the concrete jungle. Built in Westside Park, Muncie Skate Park (MSP) opened June 14.
The coalition and positive community support are some of the reasons MSP exists today.
Members of the coalition, Todd Swackhammer and Amy Leffingwell, explained why the park means so much to them.
“If your town doesn’t have a skate park, your town becomes a skate park,” Leffingwell said.
She went on to explain that having a skatepark has not just benefited her, but the entire Muncie community.
Football players have fields, volleyball players have courts, but where do the skaters go? Before
MSP, Leffingwell said Muncie skaters had the streets. Skaters notoriously get a bad reputation for vandalism and destruction.
She explained their goal is not to destroy the town they live in. Wear and tear are to be expected when grinding stair rails and jumping obstacles. What do you want them to do? Skate in a straight line? Lame.
Swackhamer is a long-time skate enthusiast, telling stories of old skate shops, old friends and new motivations. When Swackhammer started skating, he and his friends would build rails out of 2x4s and PVC pipes.
It was clear that Swackhammer wanted to help create a place where kids and adults could live out their dreams as skaters, scooters and roller bladers. MSP fought to keep their sport alive, and as a result, a new community was born.
51-year-old Kenny Smith is a regular at Muncie Skate Park (MSP). He holds an unpaid leadership role in the community.
Jordan is tying his son Landon’s, shoes prior to returning to the park Oct. 9 at Muncie Skate Park. KYLE INGERMANN, DN
Young skater prepares to drop in Oct. 9 at Muncie Skate Park. KYLE INGERMANN, DN
Chris Ullman jumps out of a bowl
Sep. 30 at Muncie Skate Park. KYLE INGERMANN, DN
Skater Robert Dennis skating ramps Nov. 2 at Muncie Skate Park. KYLE INGERMANN, DN
Local skaters rest on a bench Oct. 20 at Muncie Skate Park. KYLE INGERMANN, DN
Local skater practicing new poses at the top of a ramp Oct. 6, at Muncie Skate Park. KYLE INGERMANN, DN; JESSICA BERGFORS, DN PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
Local skater Kenny Smith, poses for a portrait Nov. 1 at Muncie Skate Park. Kenny is an influential member of the MSP community. KYLE INGERMANN, DN
SKATE
Continued from Page 11
Smith’s skate journey began in the summer of 1978. He remembers spending his Saturday mornings as a kid watching Wide World of Sports.
Hosted by Jim McKay, Wide World of Sports was ABC’s weekend show about everything sports. Smith saw pro surfers - people he looked up to - using skateboards. The waves were not always available, so he went out in search of a skateboard.
Realizing his brother’s board was “off limits,” he used his college-aged sister’s “big foot” board. He hopped on the board, went down the driveway, and the “rest was history.”
One thing Smith reiterated is leading by example. In the MSP he sees himself, as others do, like a “father figure” or “Pap-Pap,” referring to grandfather.
He said he strives to be the person he never had growing up. His presence in the skatepark does not go unnoticed.
To Smith, MSP is a place to be a better man. When visiting the park, Kenny can be seen gifting skateboards to kids who do not have any. His dedication to the park is a direct reflection of the community that has been made in Muncie.
Jordan Jarnagin and his 11-year-old son, Landon, think very highly of the skateboarding community and the park, tying its influence to much of Landon’s success and growth.
After spending time with the community, it was clear that skating is more than a sport; it’s a mentality. Landon was not the only one learning from their father-son time. Jordan was also highly encouraged to reignite his passion for skating.
“A lot of people, not just kids, are tied to phones, tablets, TV, video games or whatever other technology. This was good for both of us and got us both out and active.”
Think of a time when you felt afraid because you did not know how to do something. Seriously, stop reading and think about.
MSP’s community actively tries to eliminate those fears. Smith leads by example, Jordan is learning with his son, and many others in the community add that little piece of “safety.”
Injuries are to be expected when attempting aerial maneuvers on a wooden plank with wheels. It is what happens after you fall that determines your success in this sport. Take a break, get some water, but don’t give up.
At MSP, the expectation is not perfection, but rather dedication. This anti-genius mentality is uncanny. MSP’s community continuously encourages others to come out and be a part of the skating world.
“There’s so many different people from all walks of life, school kids, construction workers, office heads, etc.,” Joshua Hatfield, local skater, said. “It’s just cool to see so many really different people have the same thing in common and come together to make a community over it.”
Christopher Puente, local skater, added, “I believe the unspoken rule is be kind to everyone and welcome new skaters and to help keep the park clean.”
Contact Kyle Ingermann at kyle.ingermann@bsu.edu.
tHere’s so many difFerenT peOpLe fRom alL walKs of life, sChoOl kidS, conStRucTiOn worKerS, office heAdS etC. it’s jusT coOl to seE so many reAlLy difFerenT peOpLe have tHe same tHinG in comMon anD come togetHer to make a comMunity over it.”
- JOSHUA HATFIELD, Local skater
Joshua Hatfield attempts a new trick Oct. 3 at Muncie Skate Park. KYLE INGERMANN, DN JESSICA BERGFORS, DN PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
MINIMAL, BUT MISSING
Vibrant nostalgia fades when minimalism removes color.
KAI HARRIS, DN ILLUSTRATION
Minimalism trades vibrancy for emptiness.
Charlotte Jons
Associate Opinion Editor
Charlotte Jons is a second-year journalism major and writes “The Peanut Gallery” for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.
Imagine you are back in your elementary school classroom. The door is decorated with a colored construction paper sleigh and warm-tone rainbow lights surround the white boards at the front of the room. Remember how you played in the snow with your friends during recess, if you were lucky, donning puffy snowpants that made swishing sounds when you walked.
Your teacher poured hot chocolate into foam cups to pass out to you and your peers, which you drank slowly to avoid burning your tongue with the hot sweetness. Later in the day, your teacher put on “The Polar Express” and watched the film with you on a colorful, fluorescent carpet at the front of the room.
Decades later, that scene is only a memory — one that is impossible to return to.
Nostalgia, or a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, is a widespread emotion, with 60 percent of Americans worldwide reporting nostalgic feelings for past events, according to a 2025 article from the Human Flourishing Lab.
Often, nostalgia is a bittersweet connection to our childhood. Other times, it is a desire to return to a previous location or missing friends or family that we used to know.
Recently, a plethora of nostalgia-based content has found its way to my social media algorithm, highlighting technicolor classroom decor, pajama day during spirit weeks and other sentimental standouts from the grade school experience. These videos typically showcase a range of sounds meant to tug at the heartstrings, from sappy songs about longing to the sounds of a child’s laughter.
This content almost always goes viral. The shared experience of growing up, no matter where, when or how, is something that connects our entire population.
The connection between these reactions to nostalgic content is the emotion — a mix of joy for what it was and sorrow for the loss of that reality and the inability to return.
The current popularity of nostalgia conversation comes with another trend: minimalism.
Minimalism is an artistic movement that centers on the intentional removal of unnecessary visuals or busyness. In a blog post, minimalist interior designer, artist and psychologist Mia Danielle explains the aesthetic as spanning multiple platforms that began as a clear lifestyle choice, one that prioritizes gratitude for what we
have rather than leaning into consumerism and overconsumption. Danielle shows the importance of creating a neutral environment, one that is not overstimulating, with just enough to be happy.
From that original definition of the aesthetic, the minimalism style has skyrocketed, transforming into something with new values and purpose altogether.
Now, minimalism is an advocate for replacing that vibrant Christmastime grade school classroom with beige snowflakes and simple white lights in favor of appearing aesthetic.
While the minimalism movement began as a purposeful pattern of thinking to prioritize our current belongings without buying anything we do not need, its meaning has quickly changed. From its original way of frugal purchasing and gratitude setting, minimalism has moved into a sleek aesthetic that is without a moral purpose, existing only to look clean and empty, focusing on style over the initial intention of thankfulness.
Now, where there was formerly style and color, that branding has been removed in favor of a minimal appearance devoid of character.
This new iteration of minimalism is everywhere. The saying “less is best” became a new saying from marketers in the 21st century. Branding became simpler and simpler, appealing to the new stylistic majority.
Art by Frank Stella, Donald Judd and similar minimalist artists began to resurface, taking the place of busy, colorful works that formerly hung in living rooms.
Minimalist music began to go mainstream, characterized by repetition, a steady pulse and often a gradual change. Large key changes and music without a main chorus or verses fell out of popularity, losing to more steady, consistent pop. Songs like Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” and “Sunflower” by Post Malone and Swae Lee are wellknown songs that follow the minimalistic pattern.
The most noticeable change was in architecture. The clean, sleek look has been one of the biggest trends of our modern world, exhibiting clean lines and simple, repetitive patterns. This began in homes with a quieter color palette, containing beiges, grays and whites. Now, new homes built with minimalism in mind are often entirely square, designed to look more stylish and chic in comparison to more complex house designs. IKEA-inspired interiors have trumped the maximalist housing designs of the 60s and beyond, with neutral colors and simple shapes replacing funky patterns and bright colors.
Restaurant designs have followed suit, with chains that were once colorful and characteristic becoming sterile. Chains like Starbucks, McDonald’s and Chipotle have moved away from their previous characteristic interior design toward something far more clean.
Minimalism has become a defining influence in many areas of modern life. Unfortunately, this is
more trouble than it sounds.
While minimalism started as that intentional thinking about our spending and possessions, the meaning has almost entirely vanished from the aesthetic. Not everyone who likes minimalism follows the intentional anti-consumerist practice, and while the two concepts can still overlap occasionally, as they initially did, the priority of minimalism has shifted entirely from gratitude to only the style of the movement.
Not only that, but minimalism has become a consumerist luxury. Where there is glamor in showing how little you own, there is also an extreme privilege in having so many possessions. Intentionally removing or not showcasing all of them can also be an aesthetic choice. A 2024 article published by Becoming Minimalist claimed that creators boast about the freedom of deciding to live a consistent, simple life, and they rarely disclose that there is an inherent opulence in being so well-off that not having enough is a blessing, not a struggle.
The most common critique of minimalism is deeply tied to nostalgia. Many people reflecting on nostalgic content often remark that everything seemed more vibrant when they were growing up. The colorful, maximalist Christmas trees that were once adorned with a jumble of homemade ornaments, ribbons and twinkling LED lights have gradually been replaced by sleek white garlands and uniform red bulbs.
As a result, the past does not just feel more colorful — it was more colorful.
When brands, music or interior design remove style and character in favor of something exceedingly simple, the color and emotion of the former design are lost.
In my childhood, color and busyness were everything. Childhood color palettes are often more vibrant, showing immaturity and youth. Yet, grade school classrooms filled with colorful lights before winter break are not solely immature, they are full of joy, innocence, hope and life. As a young adult, I still find value in colorful decor and rooms filled with things I love, bringing me back to a nostalgic time and reminding me of the life I have always felt excited to live.
Minimalism tells us that less is more, but I cannot help but miss the more. The morals of minimalism and nostalgia-based thinking can go hand in hand. We can be thankful for what we have while also putting it on full display, living a life that is chaotic, real, colorful and bright.
Nostalgia is not just looking back — it is a reminder of the vibrancy of living a life authentically.
Contact Charlotte Jons via email charlotte. jons@bsu.edu.
GO HOME’ ‘WIN OR
Ball State football prepares for pivotal matchup against Toledo.
Elijah Poe Reporter
Redshirt senior wide receiver Qian Magwood and the rest of the Ball State football seniors only have two more guaranteed games left of their collegiate careers.
After years and years spent playing the game of football, the guaranteed time left for them on the field can only be counted in minutes — 120.
“It’s win or go home,” Magwood said.
Ball State football will face off against MidAmerican Conference (MAC) opponent Toledo this Saturday. The Cardinals are 4-6 (3-3 MAC) in 2025 and must win their final two games to make a bowl game with no room for error.
Ball State is coming off a 24-9 loss to Eastern Michigan University on senior day in Muncie.
Ball State head coach Mike Uremovich said that the loss to Eastern Michigan last Saturday was rough, but so was the following Sunday for the Cardinals after analyzing the film.
“It is the pain of discipline and the pain of regret,” Uremovich said. “We were not disciplined as a football team, so we have to deal with the pain of regret and learn from it.”
Uremovich said the Cardinals want to win and learn, but said losing and not getting what you want out of a football game can sometimes be the best teacher. The head coach said that is part of the beauty of football because, win or lose,
there is a game coming up next week, and Ball State has to have the same detail in preparation for each opponent.
“It’s an opportunity gone, but all you can really do is just learn from it,” Magwood said.
Uremovich made it clear that Toledo is in the running to be the top team in the MAC every single year. Specifically, this season, he said their defense is elite.
Toledo has the No. 1 offense and defense in the MAC. The Rockets score an average of 32 points per game, while only allowing 13.4 points per game.
opponents 237-37. The Rockets’ lowest amount of points scored at home in 2025 is 42 points, in a 42-3 win over Northern Illinois University.
Statistics like those make Uremovich excited to have the opportunity to face off against Toledo, calling it a “great challenge.”
I feel like we kind of wake up in the third, fourth quarter, but if we can do that in the first and second, who knows how good we can be.”
-
QIAN MAGWOOD, Redshirt senior
The Rockets’ defense is ranked No. 2 in total defense in the NCAA, only behind Ohio State University.
wide receiver
Toledo only allows 88.5 rushing yards per game, the seventh-best in the nation in that category. They are also the fourth best in the NCAA in passing yards allowed, with 143 yards per game.
Toledo is 5-0 at home and has outscored
The Cardinals are 0-5 outside of the 756 area code, and Uremovich sees the matchup against the Rockets as a prime position to fix that. To do so, the head coach said Ball State will have to stay ahead of the sticks on offense because Toledo thrives in third-and-long situations with its stiff defense.
“We have to have success on first down,” Uremovich said. “We have to make an emphasis to get completions on first down and have effective runs on first down. Three yards isn’t terrible on first down. You can’t go backwards, and you can’t have a negative play.”
Redshirt junior running back Qua Ashley was injured against Kent State in the Nov. 5 MACtion
primetime matchup and did not take the field against Eastern Michigan. Uremovich said Ashley is planning on being back in the lineup for Ball State when they take on the Rockets.
Magwood said Ball State’s offense needs to finish drives, which is “the name of the game.” He said the Cardinals’ defense has been getting it done, but he thinks the offense has let them down. That is something he takes personally.
“The offense is going to need to score points,” Magwood said. “I feel like that’s something that we have to do, not just this game, but just moving forward.”
Magwood said there is no certain recipe to get the Cardinals’ offense rolling, and to him, it is more about Ball State being able to make plays on a consistent basis. He also said the slow offensive starts can diminish a play being made because the Cardinals are already down two scores.
“I feel like we kind of wake up in the third, fourth quarter, but if we can do that in the first and second, who knows how good we can be,” Magwood said.
The redshirt senior wide receiver said Ball State has to have a “game-seven” mentality on the field to close out the season strong.
The matchup between Ball State and Toledo will kick off at 2 p.m. Nov. 22.
Contact Elijah Poe via email at elijah.poe@bsu. edu or on X @ElijahPoe4.
Redshirt Junior Wide Receiver Eric Weatherly hurdles on Akron player Oct. 18 at Scheumann Stadium. ISABELLA KEPMER, DN
Crossword and Sudoku
Solutions for Nov. 6
WCRD is a student-run radio station that operates as a fully FCC-licensed station broadcasting local news, music and more. WCRD offers comprehensive sports coverage of Ball State and surrounding area high school games not documented by any other stations.
WCRD offers game play-by-play and coaches’ interview shows for Ball State varsity sports and much more for your listening pleasure or participation.
