BSERVED
SCENE
Golden moments from past weekend’s ceremony
ACTION! A peek inside CWU’s revived film club
See Pg. 5
See Pg. 6
Vol. 127 NO. 1
UNBURIED TO BE RETURNED: NAGPRA’S REVISED REGULATIONS
SPORTS
Women’s basketball team crosses half court on their season See Pg. 7
January 11, 2024
Winnie Killingsworth News Editor Buried in archives and storage rooms of museums, federal agencies and universities across the country, human remains and cultural objects have been separated from their actual resting place. But changes are coming. A final rule with changes and additions to the Native American Graves Protection & Reparation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA) , which is administered by the National Park Service, will be effective nationwide Friday, Jan, 12. Published on Dec. 13, 2023 to the Federal Register in vol. 88, no. 238 and starting on pg. 86518, the final rule also has an extended version. It responded to 181 individual submissions with 1,800 specific public comments from the 90 days the rule was open for them in 2022 and 2023. There are 124 summaries of comments and why or why not the comments were not part of the changes effective on Jan. 12. “The changes and additions reflect and center the concerns and wants of tribal communities,” said Lourdes Henebry-DeLeon, CWU’s NAGPRA director. “They emphasize deference to traditional knowledge and tribal consultation.” Before 1990, there were no regulations about repatriations with these objects. Since they were removed from the burial sights, there had been requests and demands for the remains and objects to be returned. On Nov. 16, 1990, NAGPRA became law. After the act was signed into law, federal agencies and museums (of which universities are legally defined) who received federal funding were required to go through their inventories and make entries to culturally identify the Native American human remains,
funerary items and objects of cultural significance before sending the collected listed to the Tribes and Native Hawaiian groups. The goal is to repatriate as much as possible. But not everything could be culturally identified and was classified as culturally unidentifiable. The identification process was done at each institution and agency on their own with no oversight. Some, such as Harvard, would say that none of the estimated 5,500 Native American remains were able to be culturally identified and have delayed repatriations while still being in compliance with NAGPRA. While other places are now going to be just beginning their repatriations, CWU is well on its way. Here at CWU, there has been collaboration with Tribes since 2005. The way that CWU will be impacted by the NAGPRA changes are the deadlines now in place. “The new required deadlines for specific actions by museums are a challenge, but we will do what we always do - consult with the Tribes, create protocols that meet the legal mandates while doing NAGPRA the way the Tribes want us to do NAGPRA,” Henebry-DeLeon said. As these changes become regulation, more Native American human remains, funerary objects and cultural objects will begin their journey home. The repatriations are helping many heal. In a press release on Dec. 6, 2023, Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American cabinet secretary, said, “Among the updates we are implementing are critical steps to strengthen the authority and role of Indigenous communities in the repatriation process. Finalizing these changes is an important part of laying the groundwork for the healing of our people.”
(Left) Lourdes Henebry-DeLeon (From Association on American Indian Affairs X page @IndianAffairs)
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January 11, 2024
Beyond Our Coverage Local
National
Global
An arrest was made in relation to arson and criminal trespass on Jan. 5 in Ellensburg, Washington, according to the Daily Record. A Tumwater woman allegedly lit a man’s trailer on fire after an argument at a nearby 7/11 and proceeded to force her way into a neighbors home.
A series of storms hits multiple regions of the U.S. according to the New York Times, with tornadoes tearing up Florida, blizzards blanketing the northwest, and heavy rain flooding the East Coast
NASA has delayed Artemis Lunar missions due to safety concerns. According to the New York Times, the Artemis II mission which would be a trip around the moon will occur September 2025 at the earliest, while the Artemis III moon landing mission is dated for 2026.
The Nevada man seen on camera leaping over a table at a judge has been charged with attempted murder. According to CNN, Deobra Redden, 30, was again faced by the same judge to continue his sentencing after the trial went awry the first time.
3 CWU music groups were invited to perform at the Northwest Regional Washington Music Educators Association conference in February this year, according to the Daily Record. The conference will be held in Yakima and CWU’s Jazz Band 1, Chamber Choir and Symphony Orchestra will be in attendance.
Thousands of pages of documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking schemes were made public this past week according to NBC News. Lists of high-profile names and celebrities were revealed among the documents, however, it is unclear if any wrongdoings were committed based purely on this new information.
The trial for a man accused in the death of a college student commences, according to the Daily Record. Nearing the four year mark since the death, the trial seeks answers surrounding the tragedy.
Australia bans Nazi imagery and salutes after far-right protests. According to the Washington Post, these salutes were used at anti-transgender and anti-immigration rallies by far-right extremists. Australia’s new center-left government will be enforcing 12-month imprisonment to violators. Greece will reopen Aigai, ancient capital of Alexander the Great. According to the Washington Post, the capital will be open to the public this Sunday after 16 years of renovation, which cost north of 20 million euros.
Letter from the Editor Hey CWU, It’s getting far too cold, and snowing far too much. I hope you’re all warm and cozy in your homes as we begin another quarter. I’m Isaac, and I’m thrilled to be your new Editor-in-Chief at The Observer. I’ve been here for six quarters now, one as a reporter, three as Sports Editor, one as Scene Editor, and now I’m beginning my journey as Editor-in-Chief. Many people over the course of my time here have implored me to consider seeking this position, and I’m happy that I’m in a spot where I feel I can bring everything I’ve got to this. This isn’t a position I take lightly, nor is it something I will take for granted. I hope to bring high-quality content and news to you all on a week-to-week basis, along with fun and varying opinion pieces. I follow a lineage of excellent writers, editors and people in this position, and I will be lucky to achieve even half of what they all did. The paper had a feeling of grandness and something bigger than myself when I first got here, and maybe that was just me being a fish out of water, but if that feeling was ever even real, I hope to bring it back. This week we have a short and sweet editors-only issue for you as we ease into the new quarter, with a bigger and more news-oriented issue coming next week. I’ve written a story about CWU’s recently established film club, and I am very happy to bring back my Oscars column and talk about the happenings from the very bizarre Golden Globes ceremony this past weekend. From the rest of the crew, we have a story about the women’s basketball team’s domination while we were all home for the holidays, a nice preview of upcoming music at the beginning of the new year and more. I’m very excited to be in this position, and I hope that I can challenge myself and our preconceived notion of the paper to create something truly special. Good luck this quarter Wildcats, Isaac
Staff Editor-in-Chief Isaac Hinson
Copy Desk Lead / Opinion Editor Megan Foster
Scene Editor
Isaac Dobmeier
Faculty Adviser/ Editorial Consultant Francesco Somaini
Sports Editor Charis Jones
News Editor
Winnie Killingsworth
Graphic Designers
Brandon Davis Z Morris
Editorial Policy: The Observer is a public forum for student expression, in which student editors make policy and content decisions. The mission of The Observer is two-fold: to serve Central Washington University as a newspaper and to provide training for students who are seeking a career in journalism. The Observer seeks to provide complete, accurate, dependable information to the campus and community; to provide a public forum for the free debate of issues, ideas and problems facing the community at large; and to be the best source of information, education and entertainment news. As a training program, The Observer is the practical application of the theories and principles of journalism. It teaches students to analyze and communicate information that is vital to the decision making of the community at large. It provides a forum for students to learn the ethics, values and skills needed to succeed in their chosen career. If you have questions or concerns, email us at cwuobserver@gmail.com.
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Staff Reporters
Lee Beck Devanee Lopez Raya Miron Astor Powell-Pedersen Jackson Roberts Layla Taha Natalie White
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January 11, 2024
It’s so over/ we’re so back:
THE
BSERVED OPINION SECTION
Twin tumultuous hip hop album rollouts usher in the new year Isaac Dobmeier Scene Editor For millions of starving fans, gratification comes in the form of a bald British man on Instagram, shrieking a brief announcement of new music on behalf of the enigmatic rap superstar Playboi Carti. Feral with anticipation, fans of the rapper turn any social media platform into their battleground on these rare and momentous evenings. They boast of their dedication—surviving a year(!) of radio silence and undelivered promises from Carti himself—a self-inflicted abusive parasocial relationship for these staunch supporters. Whispers of new albums have haunted Carti’s community nearly since its inception, establishing a routine of disappointment for veteran fans leading up to the rapper’s much-rumored and genre-bending 2020 release “Whole Lotta Red.” More music was announced through an Instagram post by the rapper, scheduled to release on Sept. 13, 2021. The date came and went with no new material, and disappointed fans labeled Carti a liar. The rollout for his upcoming project, titled simply “Music,” has again been anything but smooth. Music was first teased back in December 2022, with nothing but a cryptic image and a title. All other promotional material halted until December 2023, when a snippet dubbed Ur The Moon was released alongside a massive banner declaring, “I AM MUSIC.” Those close to Carti ensured that the long-awaited album was guaranteed in January. After positive announcements, Carti’s upcoming tour has been postponed for the second time in a year, and jaded fans continue to voice extreme disappointment despite being satiated with consistent new singles. Playboi Carti’s signature mystery remains essential to his brand and personality, attracting new listeners and disappointing those who expect transparency from their favorite artists. Mirroring the devotion and agony found in the Carti community, rumors of Kanye West’s new collab album with Ty Dolla $ign, titled “Vultures,” have sent fans of the rapper into a frenzy. Disappointment after continued
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album rumors has been a hallmark of Ye’s community since 2018, after the cancellation of his now-defunct project “Yanhi.” Since then, obsessive fans have followed all news of the rapper’s newest projects, including his aforementioned “Vultures,” set to release on Jan. 12. Ye’s antics on social media, and near-constant delays of the album leave its release status murky. Notably, “Vultures” marks Ye’s first release since the anti-Semitic statements he made in 2022, garnering a notoriously poor public perception. Any news about the album is taken with a grain of salt by fans, disillusioned by previous deception. Both rappers maintain a cryptic persona at the cost of the goodwill of their fans, leading to an arms race of mystery associated with these two landmark album rollouts.
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THE
(Photo courtesy of Pexels.)
Grey skies and blue moods Megan Foster Columnist
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
SAD vs. Post holiday blues
The magical feelings associated with the holiday season have frittered away. The tinge of red and green that coated the world has washed off. The fragrant smells of holiday cheer have become dull. The fruitful sounds of family and friends are dimming into the distance. The days are feeling shorter, the sun is quickly slipping off to bed. The chill from the outside creeping in, and the warmth of the world hiding away. You tuck yourself further into bed, further from the outside world. You could have a case of Seasonal Affective Disorder.
While we all may experience the occasional hump when stepping back to reality after the holidays, for some it can be more difficult. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD as it is often referenced, is a type of depression that tends to affect individuals during certain seasons of the year, according to the Mayo Clinic. SAD is more prevalent during fall and winter. The change in season often results in less sunlight, lower temperatures and shorter days. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, this change in season can be correlated to a chemical or hormonal change in the brain, which is thought to be associated with SAD. The rainy season that Washington is known for, while calm and optimal for some, can pose a harsh reality to other residents. The inevitable change from the beautiful, warm summer to a dark, cold and wet winter can bring on a case of SAD.
The wind up to the holidays is my favorite time. The anticipation of what is to come; the climbing excitement of seeing friends, family and all the cheerful festivities. However, the wind down from the holiday hullabaloo always puts me in a funk. Returning to normalcy after this time can pose a difficult task. SAD can look different for everyone, but being able to distinguish SAD from a case of post holiday blues is important. Fatigue, anxiety, decreased interest in formerly enjoyed activities and social withdrawal are just some of the symptoms associated with SAD, said Johns Hopkins Medicine. Regardless of what you may be experiencing, it is important to be prepared; have resources and reach out if you need help.
Resources compiled by and courtesy of the Office of Health Promotion.
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Combating SAD this year A case of SAD can come out of the blue, which makes preparation and knowledge your best friend. Even if you don’t experience symptoms of SAD yourself, having knowledge and tools in your back pocket may help you or your loved ones.
Here are a few things you can do to tame SAD this season: Reach out to a professional if you need help. Talk with friends and family members. Find activities that you enjoy.
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Take time for yourself. Be patient with yourself.
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January 11, 2023
BSERVED OPINION SECTION
GOLD RUSH
Takeaways from the Golden Globes, and what they could inform us about the Oscars Isaac Hinson Columnist
Robert Downey Jr. called ‘Oppenheimer’ a ‘Goddamn masterpiece’ during his acceptance speech (Photo courtesy goldenglobes.com)
Lily Gladstone gave the first portion of her acceptance speech in the Blackfeet language. (Photo courtesy goldenglobes.com)
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Awards season officially kicked off this weekend, as the 81st annual Golden Globes ceremony took place on Jan. 7. Hosted by comedian Jo Koy, the Globes returned to television on a one year prove-it deal from CBS to see if the show would be worth renewing on a longer contract. Well, how was the show, who won and what could the results from the night tell us about the Oscar race? The show got off to an extremely rocky start. Koy’s opening monologue was absolutely dreadful, with arguably his worst jokes being “‘Oppenheimer’ is based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, and ‘Barbie’ is on a plastic doll with big boobies,” which highlighted the rampant sexism the film has faced throughout its entire existence. This was on-top of him admitting at the top of the show that he had hardly seen anything nominated until he had gotten the call to host 10 days prior, and had not even finished “Oppenheimer.” Then, about halfway through his monologue, it seemed to dawn on him that he was completely bombing, when he then proceeded to blame the writers of the show saying “I wrote some of these, they’re the ones you’re laughing at.” Overall, a lackluster and borderline pathetic effort from someone who clearly was either underqualified or didn’t have the foresight to make it seem like he actually cared about being there. The producers of the show seemed to take notice, as Koy was largely removed from the rest of the night. After this it was fairly smooth sailing. On the television
CWU Observer
side, “Succession,” “Beef” and “The Bear” swept, with each series bringing in multiple performance wins and winning Best TV Series in their respective categories. Although, I personally was a little sad to see no love for “Barry” in its final season. Shows like “The Last of Us,” “Daisy Jones and the Six” and “Fargo” also failed to bring home any wins. On the film end, I found everyone who took home an award to be extremely deserving. I also think that these wins tell us a lot about how things could shake up at the Oscars in March, with some wins solidifying some campaigns, and others opening up alternate possibilities that seemed less than likely before. Although, keep in mind, nominations are not even out yet, so this is all speculation. Firstly, “Oppenheimer” won five awards: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama (Cillian Murphy), Best Director of a Motion Picture (Christopher Nolan), Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (Robert Downey Jr.), Best Original Score (Ludwig Gorannson) and Best Drama Motion Picture. It’s looking increasingly likely that “Oppenheimer” is the film to beat this year in pretty much every category that it will be recognized in. Notably, Robert Downey Jr. winning in Best Supporting Actor is a huge boost for him, as coming into the night many believed that Charles Melton could’ve won for his performance in “May December.” Melton gained a lot of traction over the holidays as “May December” debuted on Netflix, with both the movie and his performance garnering immense praise. I thought Melton was absolutely incredible in his role, but Downey has been the front-runner for the majority of the year and as of this weekend it seems like he is holding firm onto that position. Emma Stone won Best Actress in a Comedy Motion Picture and Lily Gladstone won Best Actress in a Drama Motion Picture for their roles in “Poor Things” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” respectively. This tells us what we’ve known for a while now, that it’s going to come down to these two in March, and honestly this might be the most difficult award to predict. Stone is truly transformative, hilarious and endearing in “Poor Things,” but Gladstone’s performance
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in “Flower Moon” is deeply powerful, and she demands your attention while sharing scenes with Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DiNiro, and you can count the number of actors who have ever done that on one hand. In the biggest upsets of the night, Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” won two awards: Best Foreign Language Film and Best Screenplay of a Motion Picture. Admittedly, “Anatomy” is one of the few films of the season that I have yet to see, and I hope to get that rectified sooner than later, especially after these wins. “Anatomy” beat out seeming frontrunners “Past Lives” and “The Zone of Interest” in Best Foreign Language Film, which was a surprise in-it-ofitself, but the real shock comes from it beating out “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer,” “Poor Things,” “Past Lives” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” in Best Screenplay, making this arguably the most revealing win of the night. “Anatomy” has arrived at awards season in a real way, and in my mind has cemented itself as the fourth film in my completely imaginary power rankings of these movies. Well, what would be the three ahead of “Anatomy?” I think there is a pretty set trio after the Globes: “Oppenheimer” in the lead, “Poor Things” trailing it and “The Holdovers” rounding it out. Coming into the night I would’ve had “The Holdovers” ahead of “Poor Things,” as it seemed to really resonate with a lot of people who watched it over the holidays. All three central performances from Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa and DaVine Joy Randolph had been immensely praised, with Giamatti and Randolph even being recognized at the Globes themselves. But, “Poor Things” beat it out for Best Musical or Comedy Motion Picture as a far more irreverent and complicated movie, which gives me pause about “The Holdovers” chances at the Oscars. I still think that it is the clear third-place suitor, but in terms of upsetting “Oppenheimer,” I’d give “Poor Things” a better chance. Also, they should give “Succession” an honorary Oscar. Just for fun. I love that show.
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SCENE
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January 11, 2024
Behind-the-scenes of the CWU Film Club Isaac Hinson Editor-in-Chief For almost two years now, CWU’s film club has been encouraging students, both film majors and not, to get their creative and critical juices flowing. Senior film major Matthew Corbin serves as president of the club, and was encouraged to get the club back up and running after an extended hiatus. “I wouldn’t say I started it, I’d say I restarted it as the film club existed prior to COVID, probably about five or seven years back,” Corbin said. “If you go online, you can find evidence that they have an old YouTube channel that’s now defunct and hasn’t been uploaded to since 2019.” After months of attending clubs, Corbin felt he needed to take it upon himself to bring back the film club after he realized there was not an active one. “I took the bones that were there and essentially tried to jumpstart it again after COVID,” Corbin said. “I found out that it was dead and no one else wanted to do it, so I said I’m gonna take initiative and do it myself … No one else is going to do it.” Since Corbin serves as the clubs president, he is responsible for many duties to keep it running, while also serving as the vocal and physical leader. “First and foremost, I’m the face of the club,” Corbin said. “I’m usually the one that will be up at the front speaking and delivering stuff and running activities, usually with Trent by my side. I also do a lot of the high-admin stuff, the things that have to do with the large finances and communicating with other organizations outside of the club.” Vice President of the film club, sec-
ond-year film major Trent Meacham shed light on his role in the club, and the similarities between how actual student film sets and the club operate. “I do everything [Corbin] does but I do it with style.” Meacham said. “The film [club] officers reflect how a student film set usually goes. Even though there’s these set positions like director, writer, gaffer and all that, there tends to be a lot of overlap as well. A lot of people tend to work in different positions or multiple positions at once.” Through each month, the film club follows a loose schedule. In the initial meeting of each month, Corbin and Meacham teach club members new and old, about techniques used in the industry. “The first meeting [of the month] is usually going to be some kind of workshop where we focus on some aspect of filmmaking that might now be being taught at the school,” Corbin said. “Or to reiterate to people who might not know about filmmaking and kind of teach them in the most basic terms.” The second and third meetings of each month are “up-in-the-air,” as Corbin puts it, and are never set in stone to allow for flexibility. This can include pitching scripts, checking in on projects and more. The final meeting of each month sees the club venturing out to the local movie theater the Grand Meridian to check out a new release. “[We] go and request funding from the school for trips,” Corbin said. “Which is essentially ‘Hey, can you pay for us to go to the Grand Meridian?’ and we say ‘Hey, first come first serve, we have 10 tickets available
The club attending ‘Stop Making Sense’ at the Grand Meridian (From left to right: Michael Boyer, Trent Meacham, Eryck Figueroa, Grace Mitchell, Audry Baratto, Matthew Corbin, and Gurdil Dardi / Photo courtesy Trent Meacham)
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for this movie.’” Meacham highlights the friendliness and community of the club, and Tyler Diltz showing off a camera at a workshop how that is one of his favor(Photo courtesy Trent Meacham). ite parts of what they’ve built. “The cool thing about these meetAll of this will come to a head with ings is afterwards after the meetings the film club’s second annual 72-Hour are over, we just kind of go to each Film Bash. The bash, which will take other and start talking with each othplace from Friday Jan. 12 until Sunday er and hanging out,” Meacham said. Jan. 14, will put club members to the “I got to meet like five new people test, and enlist them to create their that I’d never talked to before.” own five-minute short film over the Meacham ignores the notion that course of three days. you need to be a film buff to join the “I decided a genre, a specific charclub, as even beyond the technical acter and a specific object, and you aspect of crafting movies they hope have within five minutes,” Corbin to guide members through all lenses said. “And based on those four things of film. you have to go make a film. Last year “We want to get everybody in,” it was a psychological thriller, it had Meacham said. “Whether or not to include an FBI agent, and it had to you’re super interested in making include the prop of a carrot. That crefilms, we still want to provide the edated some rather interesting results.” ucational value of film, the historical All of this will come to a head with value and also a community of peothe film club’s second annual 72-Hour ple that could just get together and Film Bash. The bash, which will take make things whether it’s filmmakplace from Friday Jan. 12 until Sunday ing related or not.” Jan. 14, will put club members to the There are many questions that test, and enlist them to create their new members may find themown five-minute short film over the selves asking at first glance, course of three days. and Corbin is aware of that while “I decided a genre, a specific charleading the workshops. acter and a specific object, and you “How do you make a film?” have within five minutes,” Corbin Corbin said. “What goes on during said. “And based on those four things pre-production? What goes on you have to go make a film. Last year during script-writing? How do it was a psychological thriller, it had the cameras and headlights work? to include an FBI agent, and it had to [We] do these fun little interactive include the prop of a carrot. That creworkshops that a club member can ated some rather interesting results.” interact with and learn through. I do not think film is something that you can learn by reading, or learn by watching, it’s something you have to have your hands on.”
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January 11, 2024
Lady Cats navigate triumphs and challenges through midseason Charis Jones Sports Editor The CWU women’s basketball team’s overall record currently stands at 12-4 with a Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) record of 3-1. The team went on an eight-game winning streak over winter break until their matchup against Montana State University Billings (MSUB) on Thursday, Jan. 4. Not only is MSUB a nationally ranked team presently holding a 13-3 overall and a 4-0 GNAC record for the season, but the series history reveals that they’re also leading in victorious matchups against the Wildcats over the last few years. Emphasizing the importance of drawing upon lessons learned from previous games, “we take what we’ve done in the past, what has worked with teams and what has not, and make adjustments because the [opposing team] made adjustments in themselves and those types of things,” Richardson said. “[We] take a lot of things from the past, especially with programs that have had long-standing coaches.” Sophomore guard Asher Cai spoke to the training regime supplied by Richardson and discussed the preparation that went into this competition. “Some of the strategies that Coach Randi wanted us to execute included things like defend the three, since they are shooting a very high percentage from beyond the arc as well as locking down on their post play being that we are a smaller team.” By this, Richardson intended to instill a defensive mindset among the team in order to combat MSUB’s high three-point success rate and their shots being taken close to the basket, known as the post.
However, Cai pointed out that the work put in for this game was no different than it would’ve been for any other opponent. She highlighted that regardless of MSUB’s status, their team remained headstrong and stuck to their game plan. “Preparation for these games and any games we play this season doesn’t change based on ‘how good’ a team is,” Cai said. “We spend the whole week better understanding and repping their offenses to be able to defend them and their key players.” Junior guard Sunny Huerta emerged as CWU’s top scorer of this game with 29 points, and according to Cai, her impact on this team is only anticipated to further expand. “Sunny doesn’t just impress me in games, but practices as well,” Cai said. “She is always pushing herself and her teammates to be better and that is something I admire about her. Everything that she has done has started with her being a great leader and showing us all how we need to operate in order to win games.” In reflecting on the team’s collective performance against MSUB, Richardson applauded her team’s attempt and pointed toward a stronger sense of persistence among players for future clashes. “I’m pleased with our team’s overall effort tonight against a very good MSUB team,” Richardson said according to wildcatsports.com. “We got a great taste of what conference basketball is and hopefully, we improve on our sense of urgency to execute on both sides of the floor.” With a seemingly restored sense of urgency, the Wildcats bounced back against the Seattle Pacific University (SPU) Falcons short-
ly after on Saturday, Jan. 6 ending with a final score of 71-61. Both Huerta and Cai have been threats on CWU’s offense this season as they’ve continually been trading places as top scorers per game. Cai was at the top against SPU with 21 points, Huerta followed close behind with 19 points, and preceding them was freshman forward Capri Sims with 13 points and junior guard Malia Smith with 9 points. “Sunny and Asher are going to be a big part of our scoring for the remainder of the season,” Richardson said. “Teams have tried many of different things [to defend them] already this year … it’s fun to see them step up to these higher pressure roles and bigger expectations of performance every night.” Cai’s defensive statistics have paired well with her offensive ones as she has been able to maintain success on both ends of the court. She attributed her skills to her mental preparedness as well as support from her team. “My mindset is to come into the game knowing what steps I need to take on defense to get stops for the team, and offensively to keep shooting and being aggressive regardless of the shot before,” Cai said. “I wouldn’t be able to get the looks I do if it weren’t for how well the team shares the ball and how selfless the team is.”
CWU Observer
Photos courtesy of Jacob Thompson / Thompson Sports Media
The Wildcat’s next showdown is versus the Western Washington University (WWU) Vikings on Thursday, Jan. 11 inside the Carver Gym in Bellingham, Washington. This will be the team’s first game on the road since the opening weekend of the GNACtion tournament at the end of November last year. “We have to improve defensively in defending their bigs, they have a very massive strength with having a lot of size,” Richardson mentioned when discussing potential challenges about facing the Vikings. Regardless, Cai expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming match and getting to face their rival team. “This game will show how much we have grown throughout the season … it should be a good game with a good game plan and we are feeling confident coming in,” Cai said. “Although playing at Western can be tough, we’ve done it before and we can do it again.”
Sophomore guard Asher Cai shot 61.5% from the field against SPU last Saturday.
Freshman forward Capri Sims patting junior guard Malia Smith.
Freshman forward Capri Sims swatting the ball against an SPU opponent. Sims currently has four blocks recorded on the season.
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SPORTS
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EVENTS
Page 08
January 11, 2024
Meet this quarters editorial staff!
Wildcat Words What is your favorite comfort show?
Charis Jones
Isaac Dobmeier
Brandon Davis
Z Morris
Sr. Media and Journalism
Soph. Media and Journalism
Jr. Graphic Design
Soph. Business Marketing
“‘The Vampire Diaries’ will always be one that I come back to.”
“I’ve just finished up ‘The Golden Bachelor’ and that was comforting.”
“My comfort show is ‘Adventure Time’ because it grows up with the viewer.”
“‘The Big Bang Theory’ and Howard is very relatable.”
Student Athlete
Q&A compiled by Megan Foster
A &A Q Q&
Maggie McBroom is a senior here at CWU. McBroom is studying to graduate with her major in environmental geography and minor in journalism. While here for her studies, McBroom also plays as an outside back on the CWU women’s soccer team.
Maggie McBroom (Courtesy of Thompson Sports Media)
When did you start playing soccer? Since I could walk I would kick the ball around, and joined my first team at three years old. A coach at a soccer camp introduced me to club soccer when I was ten, which was a decision that totally changed the trajectory of my life. Why did you want to come to CWU? CWU is driving distance from home, has major programs that I was interested in, and the team was super welcoming on my visit and made it feel like somewhere I’d like to spend the next four years. What has been your favorite part of playing soccer for CWU? Definitely getting to spend time with people that I wouldn’t otherwise know, and getting to build relationships and learn more about life through new experiences What is your favorite memory at CWU? So far, my favorite memory has been hiking Colorado Springs with the team, it was gorgeous and we all had a lot of fun. How do you balance school, soccer and your social life? It’s a lot of work, but if you manage your time well, it’s doable. Planning ahead and separating out time to do homework is key so that you can spend the rest of your day doing whatever you want to.
Megan Foster
Winnie Killingsworth Sr. Violin Performance
Sr. Media and Journalism
“It depends on my mood, but it’s hard to go wrong with ‘Friends.’”
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Weekly Events
11
4 to 7 p.m. - Rob McKirdie Exhibit: Sarah Spurgeon Gallery 4 to 5 p.m. - S&A Committee Meeting
THURS
12
2 to 5 p.m. - CPR and First Aid Training: SURC 301
FRI
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - OPR Snowshoe Trip 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. - Intro to Working Out Clinic 9 to 10:30 p.m. - The Hot New Jam
National Dress Up Your Pet Day
13 SAT
14 SUN
Martin Luther King Jr. Day 6 to 11 p.m. - Monday Movie Madness “Selma:” SURC Theatre
National Religious Freedom Day
15 MON
16 TUES
5 to 6 p.m. - Trivia Night - “Dance Moms”
17 WED
Do you have any advice for other student athletes? My advice would be to look for things that you love about your sport when it gets hard, and appreciate that you get to see your best friends everyday and travel around the northwest. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In ten years, I would love to be living on the Oregon coast, possibly working as a lineman or in forestry conservation. However, that plan will likely change and I really just want to see where life takes me. Who inspires you? My teammates always inspire me. Whenever it gets hard, we can draw strength from one another by recognizing that we’re all in the same boat and that if your teammates can do something, then you can do it too.
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