3.9.23

63.9% of survey respondents believe K-State responded inadequately to claims of sexual assault

multi-tiered education, public disclosure, schoolwide mobilization and ongoing self-assessment.

not needing that resource, they can tell a friend that this office is here.”

The sexual assault campus climate survey, published Feb. 24, revealed 60% of the 1,319 respondents believed Kansas State creates an environment where sexual assault seems common or normal.

To combat these numbers, Thomas Lane, vice president of student life, said the Culture of Respect Collective is helping spread awareness to make progressive change.

“I think what it underscores is that, not only do we as a nation have a lot of work to do in this area, but we as a campus have a lot of work to do in this area,” Lane said. “And so I think that is one of the reasons why I am really proud of the work that the Culture of Respect Collective is engaged in because it really is truly taking a community wide approach to a difficult issue. ”

Lane said the Culture of Respect Collective is a national program offered through NASPA, a higher education association.

“Basically they provide campuses a way to assess how are they doing in regards to response and prevention of sexual assault and relationship violence,” Lane said. “So they give you a list of things to take a look at and evaluate, then they come up with an individualized plan to say OK, if you work on these areas you should be improving response.”

Lane said K-State has completed the assessment and received their implementation plan based on the key focus areas: survivor support, clear policies,

“Underneath each of these pillars we have action steps that we are looking forward to as a collective in moving forward with to hopefully move the needle on this,” Lane said.

The Office of Institutional Equity is also making improvements to better serve the student body, Justin Frederick, interim director and Title XI coordinator, said.

“Since the survey was done, we have done a lot of outreach; so, presenting to classes, working with K-State first, working with the CARE [Center for Advocacy, Response and Education] office to do presentations,” Frederick said. “How can we be most visible and private? That is one the other balances. We want to make sure people have privacy here and so gearing our outreach to have components where if there are sensitive items, we are able to address those as well. I think continuing our outreach efforts there is really important.”

Frederick said they started presenting to classes, all K-State athletic teams, fraternities and sororities in the fall of 2021.

“There are a lot of times people do not know about an office until they need it. So if we receive information we reach out to every person involved and then they will know about our office and resources,” Frederick said. “But it continues to be that people are not aware of things they are not using, so what is really important for us is that we are getting into classrooms so that even if it is a person who is

The Office of Institutional Equity has made improvements to their intake process and form.

“We have redone the form since that survey and the process to help people better understand what we cover, what areas we address,” Frederick said. “I think an important thing to know is that the resources available in our office are available regardless if someone files a complaint or participates in the process. So, someone can file a complaint and not participate. Those resources are still available.”

The intake form is now more clear with reworded questions, Frederick said. The intake process is the biggest change — now there are meetings before decisions have to be made.

“We do not set a deadline or timelines with our process because we are aware that trauma impacts people, so now people have the ability to take a complaint and think about it,” Frederick said. “This is what we would consider driven by the complainant to move forward with that process at their comfort level.”

The process of following through with a complaint looks different for everyone, Frederick said.

“Some people want a full process, some people do not,” Frederick said. “The other challenge is the sensitivity to privacy. Sometimes there is just not a knowledge about that resolution so that those parties have their privacy. There are a number of reasons for those numbers, but

The Culture of Respect Collective, a two-year effort to reduce sexual violence on campus is underway, but a 2021 sexual assault climate survey revealed that students were unaware of available resources and lacked confidence in K-State’s capacity to hold perpetrators of sexual assault responsible.

it was important for those to be shared so that we could look at our processes so that we are better able to educate and address those concerns and will we continue because like anybody we want those numbers to improve.”

The initial meeting reviews the report, resources, safety and next steps, after which the complainant is given time to consider their desired path forward, Frederick said.

“We wanted to make sure we are giving people the information they need and also allowing them to have that in a step process,” Frederick said. “I am the person someone would primarily meet with on intake and then investigators handle anything beyond that.”

Stephanie Foran, assistant director of the CARE office, said the numbers from the survey were discouraging, but she is happy that the issues were brought to attention.

Data reported from the K-State Sexual Assault Climate Survey.

52.5% of students who responded to this series of questions believed K-State creates an environment in which sexual assault is more likely to occur.

“Sexual violence is a problem on every college campus, however I would say that K-State is improving in that field especially with the Culture of Respect initiative,” Foran said. “One of our primary objectives is to create a flowchart of the reporting process, so hopefully, once we have a visual depiction of the reporting, it will make things easier for those who do report.”

Foran said the Collective is in its second year, and the goal is to make K-State as safe as possible for all students.

“I think it is just really important for us to make sure students do know about these resources,” Foran said. “I think working with the Culture of Respect Collective … that will help tremendously. Hopefully students will resubmit that survey and show that K-State is doing the work and is trying to make this a better place.”

62.8% of students who completed the survey identified as a woman, 33.6% identified as a man, 3.6% of students who completed the survey identified as transgender, genderqueer/gender non conforming, or nonbinary.

Students who completed the survey ranged from 18 to 50+; 78.1% were between 18 and 25.

60% of students who responded to this series of questions believed K-State creates an environment in which sexual misconduct seemed common and/or normal.

55.6% of students who responded to this series of questions believed that K-State makes it difficult to report an incident of sexual assault

62.5% of students who responded to this series of questions did not believe K-State is doing enough to prevent sexual assault.

60.8% of students who completed the survey do not know where to go to make a report of sexual misconduct.

72.9% of students who completed the survey do not understand what happens when a student reports a claim of sexual misconduct at K-State.

MARGARET LATENSER

news editor

Manhattan High School’s Interpersonal Skills

Manhattan’s Got Talent, a student-led show where Manhattan High School students of all abilities showcase their skills onstage, took place on March 3.

Susan B. Anthony Middle School started the tradition. This is the second year Manhattan High has hosted the event and changed the show to promote inclusion at MHS, Jamiee Schnee, Interpersonal Skills teacher, said.

“Something we had established bringing it here from the middle school was rebranding it to become more inclusive and representative of people at MHS,” Schnee said. “We really want to drive that point home of inclusion and acceptance for all the students at MHS no matter what.”

Manhattan’s Got Talent is an opportunity for students of all abilities and backgrounds to shine, even if they have no experience, Schnee said.

“How many people get to pull a curtain backstage, put together a music list, or do a program for a show?” Schnee said. “We wanted to give opportunities to people to show off the skills that they already have and to give people the chance to figure out skills they didn’t know they had.”

Students in her Interpersonal Skills class are responsible for hosting the show, Schnee said.

“Mrs. Jung and I took care of setting up the date, the place and all of that,

but everything else has been completely run by members of our class,” Schnee said.

Schnee said this year, the talent show was led by over 40 students who took on various responsibilities including lights, sound and program design.

“We each have a part whether that’s backstage, front stage or being an MC,” Tymir Chatman, senior in Schnee’s Interpersonal Skills class, said.

Alongside Chatman, Nathan Morrow, MHS senior, helped coordinate the event.

“It was kind of chaotic,” Morrow said. “It’s definitely a process. It takes a lot more than I first thought because I thought you just get people and put on a talent show, but there’s a lot more that goes into it.”

Schnee said this relates to the focus of her Interpersonal Skills class where seniors and students with disabilities work together to spread their message of inclusivity.

“We learn about disabilities, how society views disabilities and how we can change mindsets and be more open about being inclusive,” Schnee said.

Morrow said his greatest take away from Schnee’s class is how rewarding it is to include everyone, no matter their differences.

“It’s very nice to have a mixed pool of personalities and stories,” Morrow said.

“It’s also very educational to be in a class where you can hear all of these diff erent lives and stories that are very diff erent from your own.”

Beyond the classroom, Chatman said the talent show has helped him understand the importance of inclusion.

“I’ve learned to include everyone, even if they have disabilities or anything like that,” Chatman said. “It’s been cool just to meet different people from diff erent grades and other people I wouldn’t normally talk to.”

In the future, Schnee hopes to continue Manhattan’s Got Talent and spread a larger message about the difference diversity and kindness can make within education.

“We can be more inclusive of others even just through small acts like saying hello to people, eating lunch with somebody you’ve never met, complimenting people or showing kindness,” Schnee said. “Those are

little steps we can make as a school so we can all create a culture that is supportive of everyone no matter what.”

Religion Directory

SOPHIE LENKIEWICZ staff writer

All interpersonal skills students come onstage at the end of the talent show. The talent show raised money for No Stone Unturned Therapeutic Learning Center.

Best Collegiate Radio Station

Wildcat 91.9 receives national recognition

Kansas State’s student radio station, KSDB-FM 91.9, received national recognition by winning several 2022-23 Intercollegiate Broadcasting System media awards Feb. 25.

“We got … Best College/

University [Radio] Station with over 10,000 students,” Dawson Wagner, news director and programming director for Wildcat 91.9, said. “And that alone is kind of the main award that the majority of colleges with over 10,000 students are really working for with all their programming and all their award

submissions. Then, there’s the Abraham and Borst Award. So, the Abraham and Borst award is the best overall station in the nation award … it’s a station that’s able to embody every single facet of broadcasting whether that be sports, news, promotions, PSAs, specialty shows, dramas, comedies and music.”

Andrew Smith, A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication professor of practice and co-founder of Wildcat Electronic Media, said K-State was up against other Power Five schools, some of which have a better reputation for media than K-State.

“It’s unprecedented here. … It’s kind of like going into March Madness and winning the national championship,” Smith said. “We’re up against everybody.”

Ian Punnett, chief operator and faculty advisor for Wildcat 91.9, said he sees the value of awards for the radio station.

“Awards could lead to funding and the more you get your name out there, the more you become sort of a player at a certain level,” Punnett, A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication professor of practice, said. “We put a big emphasis — when I got here — on, we’re gonna put our best foot forward all the time, and it’s always going to be about recognition for what we’ve done right, and a willingness to measure ourselves against what other people are doing around the country.”

Wagner said he, along with Kolby Van Camp, graduate student in mass communication, received awards from IBS. Van Camp won Best Graduate Assistant and Wagner won Best News Feature Story.

“That was a Ukrainian student that I interviewed, and his name was Volodymyr Kavetskyi,” Wagner said. “He gave me a background on his family and kind of the things that he’s

gone through over the last year, and I was able to do a feature story over him as an agronomy student at K-State from Ukraine.”

Wagner said the IBS comprises more than 1,000 nonprofit education-affiliated radio stations and webcasters.

“We’ve submitted for the IBS awards for the last, you know, five, six years … and we’ve had individual winners here and there, but it wasn’t until this year when we’ve really been able to step up our game with the amount of things we’ve been programming at the station to really showcase how far we’ve come as a radio station,” Wagner said. “I think that’s why we ultimately won the awards that we did.”

Wagner said one thing that helps Wildcat 91.9 stand out is their neurodiversity campaign.

“We had over 50 different students create their own individual public service announce-

ment, highlighting neurodiversity resources or talking about their own experiences with neurodiversity, or maybe interviewing somebody who’s neurodiverse and having them share their experience,” Wagner said. “And really diving into what neurodiversity is and how people either can get help, or the benefits that they can have from being open about neurodiversity instead of hindering them, is what that campaign was all about bringing awareness to. And so, I think that’s one of the things that the judges took into consideration.”

Punnett said another piece of Wildcat 91.9’s success is due to the number of women they have on the air.

“The kind of shows that they do often are much more talk than music oriented,” Punnett said. “And so they talk about the, kind of, the female K-State experience on the air, and that just sounds great. We just love it.”

Wagner said some other highlights from the year include behind the scenes content from the Big 12 Championship game, highlighting local bands and airing specialty shows about topics such as Dungeons & Dragons and Black History Month.

“It’s quite a range,” Wagner said. “From sports, to music, to movie reviews.”

Smith said Wildcat 91.9 is a reflection of K-State.

“It’s not A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication — it’s Kansas State,” Smith said. “So we have people from the music department, from film, from ag, from business, from architecture, from all over the place. Even if this isn’t your specialty and … you want the experience, you can get it, and I think that that’s unique.”

Avery Johnson | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP Dawson Wagner and Hailey Case host Kansas State’s student led radio station, Wildcat 91.9. The station has been named Best College/University Radio Station in the country.

MARA ABERLE staff writer

Several unlocked cars burglarized along College Avenue

MEREDITH MCCALMON staff writer

On the morning of Feb. 28, Rose Earle, resident of The Gramercy, said she found her car in disarray after burglars broke and stole valuable items.

“The thieves left the glove box open, and everything was moved around,” Earle said. “They stole my entire wallet and my car registration.”

Aaron Wintermote, public information officer for the Riley County Police Department, said Earle was one of many victims of vehicle burglary that day.

“We had a report on February 28 at about 10:30 in the morning,” Wintermote said. “A wallet was stolen with debit and credit cards; that was at The Gramercy.

We also had one around 10 a.m. that morning. Phone charging cables, their vehicle registration and a battery jump-starter were stolen out of the car.”

Wintermote said there were also break-ins at Prime Place, another apartment complex on College Avenue.

“There was one breakin there on that same day, February 28, and there were two or three from the following days,” Wintermote said.

Earle said she, as well as other victims at The Gramercy, all left their cars unlocked the night of the thefts.

“My boss’s friend and my roommate both had their car broken into,” Earle said. “They both left their car unlocked.”

Joshua Kelley, property manager of Prime Place, said the burglaries at their

location mirrored those at The Gramercy.

“Every car that we know had been broken into was unlocked,” Kelley said.

“We always suggest that people should just lock their doors,” Wintermote said. “It’s a very easy way to prevent anything from being

aren’t standing around trying to break into something that’s locked.”

Wintermote said apartment complexes such as The

very small area,” Wintermote said. “That is the biggest thing. When you have that many cars in a small location, chances are there’s going to be ones that are unlocked with something inside that [thieves] can steal.”

After discussing with RCPD, Kelley said he thinks there were multiple thieves involved who were not residents of Prime Place or The Gramercy.

“It might’ve been an out-of-town crew that came through and hit all of these apartments in one evening,” Kelley said.

RCPD has not reported any suspects for the vehicle burglaries.

Wintermote said 8090% of car break-ins in Manhattan are due to people leaving their cars unlocked.

burglarized, whether that’s your car, house or storage unit. These are quick crimes, so most of the time people

Gramercy and Prime Place are easy targets for vehicle burglars.

“You have a large concentration of vehicles in a

A r t i s t S p o t l i g h t

J e r e m y R i c c i

K S U C o n c e r t & U n i v e r s i t y B a n d @ M c C a i n A u d i t o r i u m , 7 : 3 0 P M

W e A r e B r a n c h e s + B l a c k b i r d F i e l d s @ A u n t i e M a e ' s , 8 P M

T h e S c h w a g ' G r a t e f u l D e a d E x p e r i e n c e ' @ T h e H a t , 8 P M

T h e G r a t e f u l D u d e s @ W i l l i e ' s H i d e o u t , 7 P M

J a k e K l o e f k o r n a c o u s t i c @ F i n n ' s P u b , 7 P M

M 3 1 @ F i n n ' s P u b , 8 P M

J e f f P f a n n e s n s t i e l + D a v i d S p i k e r @ M a n h a t t a n B r e w i n g C o m p a n y , 7 P M

R i c c i i s a f a m i l i a r f a c e i n M a n h a t t a n ’ s s t a n d - u p c o m e d y s c e n e , p e r f o r m i n g h i s o w n s e t s a n d h o s t i n g m a n y o p e n m i c n i g h t s a r o u n d t o w n . H e s a i d w r i t i n g j o k e s h a s m a d e h i m o b s e r v e t h e w o r l d m o r e c l o s e l y a n d d e v e l o p a s e n s e o f h o w t o k e e p a n a u d i e n c e o n h i s s i d e . R i c c i , a g r a p h i c d e s i g n e r a n d v i d e o g r a p h e r f o r C h a m p i o n T e a m w e a r , w a s e n r o l l e d a t K - S t a t e f o r s o f t w a r e e n g i n e e r i n g b u t d i d n ’ t e n j o y t h a t w o r k . H e s t i i f P h o t o s h o p a n d o t h e r d e s i g n s o f H e s t a r t e d d e s i g n i n g p o s t e r s

f o r A g g i e S t a t i o n , a n A g g i e v i l l e

b a r t h a t h a s s i n c e c l o s e d . H e

t h e n w o r k e d f o r A b l e P r i n t i n g

b e f o r e s t a r t i n g h i s c u r r e n t j o b

a t C h a m p i o n T e a m w e a r i n 2 0 1 7 .

R i c c i s a w h i s f i r s t A u n t i e

M a e ' s o p e n m i c i n 2 0 1 2 a n d a

d e c a d e l a t e r , i s w r i t i n g j o k e s

a n d h a s p e r f o r m e d a r o u n d

w w w . m h k m u s i c s c e n e . c o m

t o w n , i n c l u d i n g A u n t i e M a e ’ s

a n d L i q u i d A r t W i n e r y .

@ t h e j e r e m y r i c c i

Wintermote said 80-90% of car break-ins in Manhattan are due to people leaving their cars unlocked.

Police officers patrol Ratone Street between 8th and 12th Street, a trendy spot for Kansas State students and others from out of town to drink and have fun. Each year hundreds of students gather to celebrate Fake Patty’s Day.

Fake Patty’s Day 2023

Photos by Benjamin Voller | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP

Photos by Cole Bertelsen | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP

Photo Spread by Zoe Schumacher | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP

Shattered glass, empty beer cans and vomit covered the ground of Manhattan last weekend, following the 16th annual Fake Patty’s Day. It’s shameful, but it’s not the fi rst time Manhattan has been tinged with the wrath of college drinking wreckage.

Student football tailgaters have left the Chester E. Peters Recreation Center lot and fi elds fl ooded with red solo cups. House party trash tarnishes neighborhoods and empty fast-food bags are frequent fl iers in Aggieville.

If Kansas State truly is

a spot we love full well, we need to start treating it as such. The respect we show for our home is a refl ection of who we are as people, but right now our space isn’t a refl ection of us.

Earlier this school year we stopped the vulgar University of Kansas chant and saved the Wabash. The chant was a poor representation of our character and disrespectful to all parties involved.

Instead of being rightfully proud and reverent of the Wabash’s importance in Wildcat tradition, we coated it with trash. We let a school, whose football is mediocre at best, tarnish a tradition at the

heart of our football games.

The only thing good to come out of the Wabash chant is it showed we’re passionate about K-State. The problem was we were placing our passions in the wrong places. Instead of concentrating on preserving our spaces and legacy, we let our negative feelings take over.

Littering our community and campus, the home and heart of our alma mater, is just as bad, if not worse, than letting KU in on the Wabash.

When we trash our community, we’re disrespecting ourselves; ruining our homes, culture and traditions with literal junk. This is our home;

quit fl ooding it with trash.

If you’re hosting a party, make sure you have enough trash bags and a plan for cleanup. If you have the time, recycle.

The same goes for tailgating, especially when the university trash cans start to fill up. It’s not the university’s fault there aren’t enough trash bags. It’s yours for not taking responsibility for your trash.

Leave places better than you found them, especially in Manhattan. Who knows, a clean campus could prevent a touring high school senior from going to KU.

Partiers sit in a circle around a pile of discarded beer cans. People start partying early in the morning on Fake Patty’s Day and don’t stop until late at night.

KAITLYNN FABER staff writer

ALLISON DOLLAR staff writer

The word “opera” often suggests massive sets, huge choruses and women wearing helmets with horns. Last weekend in Nichols Hall, “Cendrillon” proved none of that is necessary.

“Cendrillon” is a French opera by Pauline Viardot that tells the story of “Cinderella.” It is set in modern times and sung in English, making it more accessible to audiences unaccustomed to opera. There are even some twists that keep the story fresh and the audience guessing.

Performing the opera in the smaller Chapman Theatre rather than McCain Auditorium was a wise choice. The cast was only an ensemble of eight. The smaller theater allowed the voices to fill the space; the singing seemed effortless even as the

cast tackled difficult passages.

David Mathes, senior in vocal music, as Le Prince Chamant was as handsome and charming as tradition demands. In one of the twists, he trades places with Le Comte Barigoule, played by Carter Keesecker, freshman in vocal music, so he can court Cendrillon as himself without his royal status getting in the way. Le Comte is also handsome and charming and has no trouble passing himself off as a prince.

Armelinde and Maguelonne, played by Catherine Stagner and Emma Curry, both seniors in vocal performance, are the stepsisters. They are not evil so much as extremely self-centered and irritating. In fact, most of their stage time is spent taking selfies. This pair has the highest notes in the opera, and they didn’t miss one.

Cendrillon’s father, Le Barone de Pictordu, played by Ethan Irons, senior in vocal performance, isn’t the traditional meek character either. He has a secret past and is recognized by Barigoule. Attention is drawn to the fact that he was not originally a baron, although it wasn’t made clear why this matters to the story. Irons plays the baron as tightly-laced but relaxes after his secret is revealed.

One of the most beloved characters in the story, Le Feé, also known as the Fairy Godmother, takes another step away from tradition. Paige Padgett, senior in vocal performance, became an audience-favorite the moment she bounced onto the stage in her lime green suit, fussy hat and black granny shoes. She wielded her magic with all the cheerfulness of a puppy. It was impossible not to smile when

she was onstage.

Alyssa Byers, senior in vocal performance, didn’t let anyone down with her performance as Cendrillon. She is not a passive victim; she helps her stepsisters because she wants to. She loves the prince because of who he is to her, not because he’s the prince. Most of all, she looks the part. Although it was somewhat disappointing that Le Feé did not execute a magical costume change onstage while getting Cendrillon ready for the ball, the disappointment was overshadowed by Byers’ breathtaking arrival. She was every inch the princess she was cast to be.

Sometimes old traditional stories can be told so often they lose their power, but “Cendrillon” brought back the magic. It was worth the ticket.

We’ve started advertising more with the Collegian in the last few years and it’s been paying off major dividends! Our exposure is up, we’re way busier, and sales are awesome! I know advertising with the Collegian is a huge part of that Daren and his team really know how to deliver! Fun, creative ads, that reach our target audience with the perfect message; be it radio, print, internet, or social media. All for a great price! We’ve found tremendous value in the services the Collegian Media Group provides. I highly recommend them! You won’t regret it!

Charles Zentz General Manager / Partner Tanner's Bar and Grill

March Events

3/9 - Concert Band/University Band Concert, McCain Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

3/9 - Improv Comedy Night, Liquid Art Winery and Estate

3/12-3/19 - Spring Break

3/18 - St. Patrick’s Day Road Races, Aggieville

3/24 - 2nd Annual Kansas LGBTQ+ Leadership Conference, Morris Family Multicultural Student Center

3/25 - Aaron Watson, The Hat

3/28 - Lunch with the Deans: First-Gen Students, Calvin Hall, 12:00 p.m.

3/28 - Pitch and Pizza Night, College of Business

3/29-3/31 - LABash: APDesign, K-State Alumni Center

3/31 - Reflections: Spring Dance Concert ‘23, McCain Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

LUKE LAZARCZYK sports editor

The Wildcats’ excitement-filled season ended on a down note with an 89-81 loss at West Virginia. Even so, Kansas State built a resume to comfortably fit inside March Madness as a high seed.

K-State’s 11-1 start in non-conference play boosted the team’s March Madness chances, while the beginning of conference play cemented its position in the tournament. K-State propelled

itself to the top of the rankings by winning six out of its first seven games in the Big 12, including wins against Texas, Baylor and Kansas. The Wildcats kept afloat the rest of the season even through ups and downs.

Now, finishing 3rd place in the Big 12, K-State ranks inside the top 30 in nearly every ranking metric. The Wildcats’ March Madness position is now solely dependent on their performance in the Big 12 Tournament.

K-State March Madness Resume

Record: 23-8

Conference Record: 11-7

Point Differential: +7.1

Quad 1 Record: 9-7

Quad 2 Record: 4-1

Quad 3 Record: 3-0

Quad 4: 7-0

Best Win: 83-82 vs. No. 2 Kansas Jan. 17

Worse Loss: 79-65 @ Oklahoma Feb. 14

BPI Ranking: 28

KenPom Ranking: 18

NCAA NET Ranking: No. 17

NET Strength of Schedule: 16th Highest

ESPN Bracketology Prediction: 3 Seed

The Kansas State women’s basketball team faced a series of difficulties this season, starting with the loss of star center Ayoka Lee and concluding in its descent to the bottom of the Big 12 rankings. Despite its record, the team remains a formidable opponent for any team.

Jeff Mittie, the program’s most successful head coach, has talented players on his team. However, the Wildcats have encountered difficulties due to a young core facing some of the top women’s basketball teams in the Big 12. One of its biggest struggles is falling behind early in games.

“I’m in talking to this team about running through the finish line, and they pushed hard last night to get past that point,” Mittie said after losing 90-86 to No. 16 Oklaoma on March 1 in a near comeback. “In past games, we have felt like we’d gotten there, and we’d exerted a lot of energy but we didn’t understand how hard we needed to push through that.”

The Wildcats were able to fight back from a 22-point deficit against the Sooners, including gaining the lead with under a minute left in regulation. In the closing seconds of the game, Oklahoma managed

Looking for help, senior guard Gabby Gregory holds the ball out of her opponent’s reach. K-State played the University of Texas and lost 80-52 on March 4, 2023. The loss came in the last game of the regular season as the team celebrated Senior Night.

to score, leading to overtime where the Sooners ultimately

emerged victorious.

“I think our team knows we can come back but, you know, when you walk out of there disappointed like we did, you just got to go to the next game and convince yourself the next time we’re gonna push through and finish,” Mittie said.

Many losses in K-State’s season have come down to close second-half games. With each loss the team builds more experience and chemistry.

The young Wildcat core continues to grow behind the veteran presence of guard Gabby Gregory. Gregory is a crucial piece to the Wildcat offense and has found chemistry with many young players; one player in

particular is sophomore guard Serena Sundell.

“I think that as the year’s gone along, she’s gotten a lot more comfortable in her ability to score the basketball, and I just think that she’s playing her best basketball at the best time,” Gregory said.

Sundell has come alive in the back half of the season, averaging over 20 points in the last seven games. Alongside Gregory, Sundell will be a player for opposing teams to watch.

“I’ve told her she’s got to stay aggressive,” Mittie said. “We were having this conversation the other day on the floor. She struggled with her 3-point shot, and she was turning some

shots down and I said, ‘You have to make the right play.’”

Concentration is key to the Wildcats’ success in the Big 12 Tournament as they plan to finish off on the right foot. The journey starts against Texas Tech in the opening round at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 9, at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, where K-State finds themselves as underdogs.

“Just one game at a time, however, the standings and whatever game we’re putting first,” Gregory said. “The good thing about it is that you played everybody twice already. So just going into it and knowing that we can beat any team we play. It doesn’t matter who it is.”

H I R I N G : C N A , C M A & H H A

Full and part-time | New hires are eligible for up to $4,500 sign-on bonus*

Haven't taken your test yet?

Not a problem! We will hire you as a nurse aide trainee II.

Apply at https://careers.meadowlark.org/ (785) 323 3893

hrteam@meadowlark.org

KIER BISHOP staff writer

Macey Franko

Graphic by Catherine Eldridge | COLLEGIAN MEDIA GROUP

CHASE HAGEMANN staff writer

Youngstown State travels to Manhattan to face the Kansas State Wildcats in a three-game series at Tointon Family Stadium. The Penguins have a 3-10 record; despite this, the four-game series split at Baylor showcases competitive ability.

Redshirt junior Trey Law and the O’Shaughnessy brothers, Padraig and Braeden, lead Youngstown State in batting average. Law stroked 18 hits, three doubles and six RBI for a team-best .360 average while Padraig O’Shaughnessy drove in five runs on 15 hits, four doubles, one homer and a .349 aver-

age. Braeden O’Shaughnessy follows his brother in batting average, hitting .327 on 17 hits, two doubles, six RBI and two home runs. The three players hold just under a third of Penguin run production with 21 of the team’s 65.

Eli Brown is hitting .500 but only has 10 at-bats on the season, knocking in two RBI, five hits and three runs scored. The Ohio-native has seen an uptick in playing time with appearances against Memphis and Baylor and could make a showing against the Wildcats.

Travis Perry and Zach Stayduhar are the only Youngstown State pitchers who have thrown under a

four earned runs average, both at a 3.86 ERA. Stayduhar doesn’t qualify for second best pitching statistics in Penguin records because his outings don’t add up to one inning per game. However, the redshirt freshman struck out six batters and surrendered four runs, two earned, in 4 2/3 innings while Perry struck out 21 hitters and allowed eight runs in 16 1/3 innings. Perry is the only Penguin with a winning record: 1-0.

WE’RE HIRING!

Advertising Manager: Sales Department

The Collegian Media Group is searching for a new student Advertising Manager for Fall 2023! If you have an interest or background in advertising or sales, we invite you to apply.

Apply here: www.collegianmedia.com/join/apply/ OR

for more info

Other weekend starters include Brandon Mikos and Nick Perez. Mikos holds a 7.36 ERA, striking out 10 batters while surrendering 12 earned runs in 14 2/3 innings. Perez has collected a 9.64 ERA, allowing 19 runs, 15 earned, in 14 innings pitched.

K-State edges out Youngstown State in nearly every major statistical category. The Penguins collectively pitch an 9.29 ERA compared to K-State’s 4.89.

Wildcat hitters smoked 118 hits, 21 doubles, three triples and led the Big 12 with 22 home runs. Meanwhile, Penguins batters tallied 108 hits, 25 doubles, one triple and 10 home runs.

There’s no reason to believe that K-State doesn’t sweep the Penguins following a pair of two-game sweeps against Army West Point and Stonehill. The Wildcats

have a 4-0 record at Tointon Family Stadium, which will improve to 7-0 heading into a four-game road stint at Creighton and Baylor.

First pitch takes place at 6 p.m. on Friday. Tickets are available at K-State Sports and viewing is accessible at ESPN+ on Big 12 Now.

Infielder Nick Goodwin celebrates after scoring a run against Army. The Wildcats beat Army 14-8 in Tointon Family Stadium on Sunday, March 5, 2023.

Strolling down aisles with her shopping cart, Debby Hughes searched for groceries while life-changing family news occurred back at the Hughes family residence. Without consulting his mother, PJ Hughes called Army head baseball coach Chris Tracz on Sept. 11, 2022, accepting an invitation to play baseball at Army and serve the U.S. for five years after graduation. It was PJ’s first offer and coach Tracz’s first commitment as Army’s coach, making for an emotional family celebration.

“I was at Dillons and when I came back in, Pete and PJ were in the kitchen and he said, ‘Are you going to tell mom something, the news?’” Debby said. “It was overwhelming because neither of us have a military background, but I was really excited for him.”

All four Hughes sons played division one baseball, starting with Kansas State assistant coach Thomas, who played at OU and K-State. Hal followed suit by playing at LSU and Rice, and Dom currently plays outfield for his dad. PJ’s commitment is unique, as he is not only committing to baseball, but also becoming the first member of the Hughes family to attend a military academy and serve his country.

“He doesn’t know what he wants to do or what branch he’ll serve in yet, but it’s an honor to have my son protect the rights and freedoms of this country,” PJ’s dad and K-State head baseball coach Pete Hughes said. “There’ll be some worry over

those five years and if he wants to make it a career no doubt, but I know PJ, and I feel safe knowing that the kid will be serving our country, for my own selfish interests.”

PJ said Air Force and NAIA program Benedictine recruited him while William & Mary and Davidson invited him to camps. Even so, he made the decision before having the chance to attend. His decision was influenced by a blend of factors, including the October atmosphere on the Army campus during his visit to West Point in New York as well as living in Manhattan, Kansas, during his high school years.

“Former Fort Riley [Lt. General Douglas A. Sims II] and my dad were good friends when we moved here, and he was a very big inspiration for me going there,” PJ said. “Moving here has grown our respect and connection for the military and just knowing D. Sims and wanting to be the kind of person he is, that was a big reason for me going there.”

Thirteen days after his verbal agreement, PJ appeared in front of Congressman Tracey Mann’s six-member panel at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene. The interview determined whether PJ would get nominated to attend West Point. The nomination letter arrived in the

mail two weeks later, enrolling PJ at West Point.

The family is already entwining their Northeast roots with recent Midwest relations, creating bonds ahead of their PJ’s departure. They have family in New York City, so Debby connected with moms on their visit, joined online groups and attended an Army tailgate when K-State hosted the Black Knights this past weekend.

“It was a huge tailgate, there were like 150 people there of West Point alumni and people from Fort Riley, so he got to meet a lot of people and is feeling comfortable,” Debby said. “June 26 is our big drop off day.”

PJ hasn’t signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Army yet, but said he’s leaning toward April where he’ll sign with a group of athletes who play other sports at Manhattan High School. The Indians baseball squad started practice on March 6, and PJ kicks off his senior season on March 24 at Wichita South.

CHASE HAGEMANN staff writer

Sporting a black Army West Point shirt and purple Kansas State baseball hat, PJ Hughes watches his dad and brothers face his future team. PJ verbally committed to play baseball at Army on Sept. 11, 2022.

2. Many students will stay in _________ this spring break while others will travel.

3. All the cars broken into at the Gramercy were _______.

4. ______ (Cinderella) was an opera held at K-State on March 2.

5. Men’s basketball is projected to be a ______ seed by ESPN Bracketology.

8. Cans from Fake Patty’s Day litter ____ street the morning a er festivities.

Collegian Staff Gambling Picks

Bets/Odds Sportsbook

Florida Atlantic to win the Conference USA Tournament: +150

UC Irvine to win the Big West Tournament: +200

Earnings

Fanduel Draftkings

Carter K-State to win the Big 12 Tournament: +800 Barstool

Chase Over 139.5 points, Gonzaga vs. St. Mary’s: -110 Draftkings

-$38.60

-$24.50

$17.86

-$12.97

1. Baseball manager Pete Hughes’ youngest son committed to play at _____.

6. Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson were named to this All-Big 12 team.

7. e 2021 sexual assault campus climate survey revealed out of 1,319 students, 63.9% believe K-State responded _____ to their claims of sexual assault.

9. Women’s basketball nearly completed a 22-point comeback against _______.

10. Wildcat 91.9 named best radio station in the

What