February 7 2014

FRESNO STATE

COLLEGIAN.CSUFRESNO.EDU

SERVING CAMPUS SINCE 1922

FRIDAY ISSUE | FEBRUARY 7, 2014

THE STATE OF SMOKING

Bertoni to run for ASI President

Fate of tobacco, e-cigarettes remains cloudy

A

By Brianna Vaccari The Collegian Jared Bertoni, a sophomore majoring in business marketing, will run against Associate Students, Inc. President Moses Menchaca in the upcoming ASI elections.

The 19-yearold Fresno native is currently an ASI senator-at-large for clubs and orga- Jared nizations. Besides Bertoni ASI, Bertoni is a member of Sigma Chi and a student adivser for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) committee, which is dedicated to the integrity and meaning of the accredited degree.

The Collegian sat down with Bertoni and asked him about what he plans to do if elected president, and on what platform he plans to run.

By Yesenia Valle Special to The Collegian

Smoke -free campuses UC Davis UC Irvine UCLA UC Merced

See SMOKING, Page 3

UC San Francisco UC Santa Barbara CSU Fullerton San Diego State

Photo illustration by Katie Eleneke / The Collegian

lthough California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White and the Academic Senate proposed a CSU-wide smoking ban last year, Fresno State has yet to participate in the proposal.

Initially, the chancellor proposed that all schools in the CSU system should become nonsmoking schools by the end of 2013. The proposal then became a campus-by-campus decision. CSU Fullerton and CSU San Diego are the only campuses to participate so far.

Lisa Kao, an administrator in the office of environmental health and safety, risk management and sustainability department, said that Fresno State has yet to make any plans to ban smoking completely from campus.

“At this point, we are just waiting to see if the chancellor wants it to happen,” Kao said.

“He has to make it mandatory, and that has yet to happen.”

Kao said that in order for a smoking ban to take place, a list of people would have to be consulted.

“We are not to where anything is being planned yet. Nothing is set in concrete,” she

Warnors Theatre:

The art is on the walls Photo by Katie Eleneke / The Collegian

-- Page 5

Pedestrian hit, five-car collision ensues

By Jesse Franz and Christopher Livingston The Collegian A 53-year-old man is in critical condition after being hit by a vehicle Thursday night while jaywalking near campus on Cedar Avenue near Shaw, the Fresno Police Department said.

Police were dispatched to the scene at 6:55 p.m., and the man was taken Community Regional Medical Center by ambulance.

The man was hit by a Toyota Corolla while walking westbound toward Popeyes, ending up in the southbound turn lane.

As of 11 p.m. the man was in

surgery receiving treatment for head injuries, internal bleeding and a compound fracture to his right arm.

The driver who hit the pedestrian reportedly slammed on the brakes, causing a five-car collision. None of the drivers suffered injuries from the wreck.

The fifth car involved in the accident fled the scene, Fresno Police Lt. Joe Gomez said.

“Independent witnesses, not people in the cars, said that the drivers were going at a normal speed, and the pedestrian just walked out into the road for unknown reasons,” Gomez said.

Julian Paredes / The Collegian

A Toyota Corolla hit a pedestrian who was jaywalking westbound across Cedar Avenue near Shaw Avenue Thursday night, cracking the windshield of the car.

THE COLLEGIAN: What made you want to run for ASI president?

BERTONI: Just being exposed the last two years. I’ve gotten to know a couple of the past ASI presidents, and right away I just could tell it was something I was going to aspire to do at one point. I feel like I’m a pretty See ASI, Page 6

Up bright and early 7 a.m. classes rare, but still offered for certain majors

By David Lee The Collegian Fresno State freshman Kaitlyn Williams has her alarm set at 5 a.m. every morning. When it goes off, she grabs the materials that she prepared the night before and heads out the door about 5:30 a.m.

Williams is one of the few students on campus who has to make the trek for classes that begin before 7 a.m.

She walks 1 ½ miles from Cedar Avenue to First and Dakota avenues, where she waits for the No. 28 bus, which usually arrives around 6 a.m.

The bus takes her to her first class on campus, a physical training requirement for the Air Force ROTC, which begins at 6:30 a.m.

“It was hard at first, but I definitely adapted to it, and Air Force ROTC is what I want to do so it was easy to make that sacrifice and change,” Williams said.

Other sacrifices Williams has made include not going out on weekSee EARLY, Page 6

OPINION PAGE 2

GOT OPINIONS? We want to hear them.

COLLEGIAN-OPINION@CSUFRESNO.EDU FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014 1

COLLEGIAN.CSUFRESNO.EDU

Sochi 2014: A world divided THE OLYMPICS

The Olympics symbolize a time of unity. Why are they being hosted in politcally polarizing Russia?

By Julian Paredes The Collegian The modern Olympic games are not just a collection of sporting events, athletes and gold medals.

There is a more idealic halo around them – unity.

And this is why Russia might just be the worst host for the Olympic games. Amid much political strife, the threat of terrorism is very real.

People are holding their breath for fear that these games might be the next Munich tragedy, especially considering the Volgograd bombings which occurred only last December.

Even as it stands today, the Sochi Olympics are rife with politics and controversy, which is the antithesis of what the games are supposed to represent.

Russia’s draconian policy on homosexuality is just one of a myriad of examples that show that unity is not a part of Russia’s agenda.

The brutal protests in Ukraine highlight the widespread instability of the region. Russia’s invasion of Georgia just before the Beijing Olympics in 2008 demonstrate that peace is of little value for the Russian government.

These actions prove to be diametrically opposed to the notion that the Olympic games are for unity through healthy competition.

All of this is a disservice to the competing athletes.

These games are the culmination of a lifetime of sacrifice. The talk of protests, hacking and unfinished hotel rooms take away from the accomplishments of the competitors in the winter Olympics like Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt.

These controversies distract audiences from everything that these athletes have worked for and everything that is good about the Olympic games.

These are the same questions

being asked of the World Cup in Brazil.

Should we choose a nation that cannot resolve its own humanitarian issues as the host for a worldwide event?

Hosting an event such as the Olympics is a privilege and an honor for a nation.

Can we, in good conscience, reward a nation that discriminates against gays so unabashedly, that has had internal conflicts with Chechnya for decades and that has been under the rule of Vladimir Putin for over a decade?

The Olympic games are a sanctuary of peace and unity in a world that has so little of either.

It should be a time that allows us to forget all the petty things that separate us and cause conflict.

Allowing nations such as Russia to host the Olympic games only draws more attention to the terror, strife and brutality in our world.

If these games are supposed to unite us, then the Sochi games have already failed.

Even before the opening ceremony has taken place, we remain as divided as ever.

OneFinger Salute Culled each week from discussions in The Collegian newsroom.

THUMBS UP GOOGLE: The search engine made a bold statement Thursday by honoring LGBT Olympics by unveiling on its home page a "doodle" of silhouettes of athletes above its letters with the same rainbow color pattern as the gay-pride flag. Talk about unity.

THUMBS DOWN

FACEBOOK MOVIE: So cheesy, so pointless. Tacky music and an overall annoyance to friends' newsfeeds.

There are better ways to celebrate your 10th birthday, Facebook.

THUMBS UP SOCHI 2014: It's the Olympics! Figure skating, luge, snowboarding -- sports that step out of the shadows of football, basketball and baseball to have their day in the sun. How many gold medals do you think America will win?

Pretend this is the lunch line at the USU food court

THUMBS DOWN

SOCHI 2014: It's in Sochi. Meaning the Olympics are in a place several American news outlets are depicting as desolate and isolated and technically not in the city of Sochi at all.

Meaning that the West Coast will have to stay up at insomniac hours to watch some events -- there's a 12-hour time difference!

Jennifer Sawyer / The Collegian

THE

Collegian

The Collegian is a student-run publication that serves the Fresno State community on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Views expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or university.

The Collegian California State University, Fresno 5201 N. Maple Ave., M/S SA42 Fresno, CA 93740-8027 News Line: (559) 278-2486 Business Line: (559) 278-5735 http://collegian.csufresno.edu

Letters to the Editor (collegian@csufresno.edu) All letters submitted to The Collegian must not exceed 250 words in length, must be type-written, and must be accompanied by a full name and phone number to verify content. The Collegian reserves the right to edit all material for length, content, spelling and grammar, as well as the right to refuse publication of any material submitted. All material submitted to The Collegian becomes property of The Collegian.

Each member of the campus community is permitted one copy of The Collegian. Subscriptions are available for $25, on a semester basis. Staff positions at The Collegian are open to students of all majors. Contact the Editor in Chief for details.

All content Copyright © 2013 The Collegian.

Editor in Chief News Editor Assistant News Editor Arts and Entertainment Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Staff Photographer Design Editor Sports Reporter Staff Reporter Multimedia Director Multimedia Journalist Webmaster General Sales Manager Local Sales Manager Business Development Manager

Ricardo Cano Jesse Franz Brianna Vaccari Yvette Mancilla Christopher Livingston Katie Eleneke Matthew Vieira Khlarissa Agee Daniel Leon Nadia Pearl Rachel Waldron Julian Paredes Joseph Deutscher Nicole Knod Andrew Gustafson Courtnei Johnson

Assistant Ad Manager Heather Beam Special Projects Matthew Schneider Nathan Talbot Art Director Diana Williams Assistant Art Director Martha Pinilla Distribution Manager Emanuel Clemente Accountancy Assistant Vanessa Rodriguez General Manager Financial Manager Advertising Faculty Adviser Faculty Adviser MCJ Chair

Rich Marshall Toni A. Carmona Jan Edwards Dr. Bradley Hart Dr. Katherine Adams

.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

THE COLLEGIAN NEWS

SMOKING: Campus e-cigarette policy possible in the near future CONTINUED from page 1

said.

Georgianna Negron-Long, health educator at the Student Health Center, said she can understand why a smoking ban was proposed, and in the future she foresees more universities adopting the ban, including Fresno State, however, at this point, she says it is nowhere close to happening.

“A university campus is not like a restaurant where you can declare it to be smoke-free and have the ability to change it and enforce it,” Negron-Long said. “This ban is in very new stages. At this point, it’s just an initiative and not a mandate that came from the chancellor’s office.”

There are many things to consider when it comes to the ban, she said. The students who do smoke also need to be considered. Smokers should be supported and pointed toward resources and help in order for them to quit smoking, should they choose to do so.

“There isn’t a large smoking population on campus, but we

do not want to alienate them,” she said. “We have a responsibility to serve all students.

“It all comes down to everyone’s own choice. The students who do smoke are not mentioned in the ban, and they should also be taken into consideration.”

Even if the ban was to be put in place, she realizes there will be students who choose to break the rules, which brings up how students would be punished if caught smoking on campus and what will be done to enforce the ban.

“According to the CSU Senate, we will have to create a task force for the enforcement of the ban,” Kao said.

Neil O’Brien, ASI senator of Health and Human Services, says the ban isn’t necessary and that the smoking policy now in place is sufficient.

“There are other remedies out there. This ban wouldn’t be one of them,” O’Brien said.

“We have smoking areas. That is good enough. We just need better promotion of them.

“We need to let people know where they are so they can use them or so they can

PAGE 3

avoid them.”

He also says that instead of forcing students not to smoke, the school should promote an awareness campaign so people can choose to stop smoking.

“It’s a personal choice. It’s free will,” he said.

O’Brien fears the punishment for students caught smoking on campus if the ban is placed.

“Will these students be put on disciplinary or academic probation? I wouldn’t want something so silly to impact a student’s record,” he said. “I understand the intention of the ban, but it is not the right choice.”

The only changes Fresno State might see in the smoking policy anytime soon might be the inclusion of e-cigarettes, which are currently not in the policy.

“I have asked Dr. [Joseph] Castro to convene a smoking review committee to include e-cigarettes in the school’s smoking policy,” Kao said.

“But other than that, there is nothing to report so far.”

Photo Illustration by Katie Eleneke / The Collegian

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 4

COLLEGIAN.CSUFRESNO.EDU

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

PAGE 5

Bitwise Industries brings the tech

A Night At Warnors

A local company’s efforts to make Fresno the ‘next great tech’ spot

A photographic look at one of Fresno’s historical venues

By Sam Desatoff The Collegian Bitwise Industries, a technology aggregate, has a goal of making Fresno a location known for innovations in the technology industry as well as a factor in boosting the local economy.

Jake Soberal, CEO of Bitwise, said that his company is trying to create and continue to be the community for inspiring entrepreneurs and developers in the tech world.

“When we try to put a tag on Bitwise, it’s that we are the mother ship of technological education collaboration and innovation in Fresno,” Soberal said. “We want to make Fresno a technology hub on par with the Silicon Valley or New York or Los Angeles and make technology in Fresno a viable sector of the economy.”

Similar to the way Silicon Valley is centered on Stanford University, Bitwise hopes to turn Fresno into a hotbed of innovation by utilizing students and alumni from valley colleges.

“I would bet that of those working in our building, probably about 50 percent are Fresno State graduates,” Sobarel said. “There’s a lot of opportunity for students to connect into what we do. I think a key component is just how important the university and its population are to what we’re doing.”

Based in Downtown Fresno, Bitwise consists of four separate sectors: Hashtag, SHIFT3 Technologies, the Bitwise Mural District and the Geekwise Academy.

While discussing the relative advantages Fresno possesses in regards to its budding technology scene, Soberal stressed the importance of people.

“The biggest advantage that Fresno has is people, Soberal said. One of the things we have done to capitalize on that advantage is the Geekwise Academy.”

The Geekwise Academy offers a six-week course that serves as an introduction to HTML and basic coding languages. “[Coding] has become a fluency that’s a lot like reading or doing basic math,” Soberal said. “It is something that we’re all going to touch on in our careers regardless of what we do.”

The rising importance of technology in today’s business world is becoming more apparent each year Soberal said.

“Raising our collective acumen in technology is going to be key to growing our economy,” Soberal said.

Matt VIeira / The Collegian

Bitwise Industries’ break room features a pinball machine, arcade games, video game consoles and other entertaining features for employees, students and visitors to enjoy.

Hashtag is another sector of Bitwise that seeks to provide a venue for Fresno’s technology leaders.

Located in Fresno’s Tower District, Hashtag is a 24 hour “collaborative workspace” where, for a monthly fee, local web developers, game designers and other “techies” can gather to toss ideas around and collaborate on projects together.

A number of Hashtag regulars have had their work recognized on a larger scale, and many have national ambitions.

Bitwise also participates in ArtHop, an event that

Photo Illustrations by Katie Eleneke / The Collegian

An outside look of Warnors Theater on Thursday night. Warnors opened in 1928 and is one of Fresno’s oldest landmarks. Warnors was originally opened to house Vaudville variety shows.

occurs every first and third Thursday of each month in Downtown Fresno and in Tower District.

Bitwise partakes as a venue on one of the stops of the ArtHop where people can take in different artists’ works of various genres.

“We like to take every opportunity to get people in the door and introduce them to the [Bitwise] community,” Soberal said.

Bitwise’s ArtHop venue takes place at the Bitwise Mural District on 2210 San Joaquin Street in Downtown Fresno.

Fresno State Dance member Sam Chapa poses within the theatre. The theatre possesses an organ that was originally put into place to accompany silent films as music and sound effects.

Second AnnuAl

Student-Selected lecture SerieS

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Weekend Wonders

Fresno Jewish Film Series Presents: “David”

The Fresno Jewish Film Series Committee show various films each month that either display or celebrate different aspects of Jewish culture.

On Saturday, the film series will showcase the film, “David,” in which a case of mistaken identity leaves an eleven-year-old boy with tough choices to make in multi-cultural New York.

You can catch the film at 7 p.m. at the Temple Beth Israel in Fresno. Check the website for more details at www.fresnojewishfilm.org.

Sweet Treats: Animal Enrichment Day Animals at Fresno Chaffee Zoo will be receiving Valentine sweets from the animal care staff and volunteers.

The Valentine’s Day-themed event is part of the Zoo’s enrichment program that is designed to “stimulate natural behaviors in the animals such as foraging and play.”

The event takes place Sunday starting at 10:30 a.m. with the elephants and ending at 2:30 p.m. with the condor.

For more details, check the Fresno Chaffee Zoo Facebook page.

Fresno Bully Rescue Valentine’s Day Bachelor Auction and Spotlight Party Fresno Bully Rescue, a non-profit organization and shelter that specializes in bully breed dogs, has partnered with Club Habanos for a “Stoplight Party & Bachelor Auction.”

The bids will be donated as proceeds to the Fresno Bully Rescue.

Adoptable dogs will be present along with a necklace/earring set that will be raffled off.

The event will be held Saturday and the price is $10 at the door. More details can be found at www.fresnobullyrescue.org.

Dis/Orient/ed Comedy The first ever Asian American female comics national standup tour will be in Fresno

Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Tower Theatre.

The event will benefit Asian Pacific American communities of the Central Valley through the help of co-presenter, the organization Central California Asian Pacific Women (CCAPW).

The comedy show will feature new up and coming comics and veteran comedians who have been on Showtime television, Logo TV and other venues.

All the proceeds will be distributed to the CCAPW programs including the scholarship fund that benefits local students.

For more information check the website www.towertheatrefresno.com.

Certified Organic Farmer’s Market Kristina’s Natural Ranch Market is a yearround certified organic market.

The market sells local produce, organic milk, honey and more.

Kristina’s Natural Ranch Market is open on Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon and is located on 761 E. Bartstow.

For more information, check the website, www.kristinasranchmarket.com.

February

Dr. TwoTrees

13

Esoterica, the Paranormal, and Superhumanity: Secular-Religious Mythology in Contemporary Culture

th

Discovery

Cinema 7, 7 Saturdays, 7 Films: Young Frankenstein

February

Rosemary W. Diaz

Peeve’s Public House is screening the film, “Young Frankenstein” on Saturday at 8 p.m.

The film is presented by Tioga Sequoia Brewery and Fresno Life Magazine and is free to watch.

Peeve’s is located on 1243 Fulton Mall and for more information, contact (559) 5735735.

19

Building Bridges between the Deaf-World and Hearing Allies

Diversity

th

Twin Rivers Vintners Winery Journey Fresno County’s Wine and Chocolate Journey is a pre-Valentine event that will start at noon until 6 p.m.

The annual event will be free for those that bring their favorite wine glass.

Each winery can be found on a printable map on the website www.fresnocountywineryjourney.com.

If you participate, you simply pick a winery to start at and go at your own pace.

February

Dr. Jenelle N. Gilbert

26

The Psychological UNIFORM: A Blueprint for Peak Performance

th

Distinction Reception 6:30pm

Lecture 7:00pm

Satellite Student Union 559.278.2741

Fresno State Dance member Sam Chapa stands underneath a chandelier in the Star Palace Ballroom, another part of Warnors. The Star Palace is a ballroom that is used to entertain and host after parties.

getinvolved@csufresno.edu

www.fresnostate.edu/fstalks

.

PAGE 6

THE COLLEGIAN NEWS

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

FUN & GAMES

SUDOKU: Fill the 9×9 grid with digits so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3×3 sub-grids that compose the grid contain all of the digits from 1 to 9.

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis / McClatchy-Tribune

Across

1 __-de-sac 4 Consumes 11 Privately keep in the email loop, briefly 14 New START signatory 15 Unexpected result 16 Bit of cybermirth 17 Upper-bod muscle 18 With great energy, in music 19 Gp. that declared obesity a disease 20 Natives who met Lewis and Clark near modern-day Council Bluffs 22 Scent 23 Puts one’s feet up 25 Go the distance

26 Desire 27 Stopper, with “the” 28 Pretended to be 30 Bow tie preference 31 Likely to tax one’s budget 32 Corrida cry 33 Greenskeeper’s supply 34 Topographic feature represented in this puzzle’s circles 39 Inflate 42 Hyde’s birthplace?

43 Less furnished 47 Not good for a pro, usually 50 Traditional process for hammock making 52 “The Canterbury Tales” inn 53 Geometric fig.

54 Moderate pace 55 Dimwit

EARLY: Morning classes prep nursing students CONTINUED from page 1 ends and not staying up with friends all night.

For cadets like Williams, the physical training course is a mandatory course taken

56 Small opening 57 Exobiologist’s org.

58 Voice actor Castellaneta of “The Simpsons” 59 Foolishness 62 Cotton __ 63 Storied vessel 64 Cheyenne allies 65 “Middle of Nowhere” director DuVernay 66 Ed.’s pile 67 First, second or third person?

68 Pinch for Pépin

Down

1 Domelike structures 2 Be diplomatic 3 1920s tennis great René

until graduation, said Capt. Darrin Eckles, an operations flight commander and associate professor in the department of aerospace studies.

Eckles said the course prepares cadets for the Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA), a test where cadets are scored on running, pushups, situps and their waist measurements.

Cadets must meet the minimum scores for the PFA before they qualify for the Air Force ROTC scholarship.

To help cadets meet those goals, the program added an additional day of physical training last semester.

“A lot of people said it wouldn’t work,

Now accepting applications

Japan/Spring 2014 2-Week Summer Session May 27 - June 12, 2014

Ling 120 (36877) or Ling 190 (TBD) Feb 13 deadline to enroll in course w/ permission #.

For more information, contact Tomoko Kozasa tkozasa@csufresno.edu or call (559) 278-2441.

4 “__ tree falls ...”

5 Noritake headquarters city 6 Moves smoothly 7 John of pop 8 Hang-glide, say 9 Word of disdain 10 Impassive 11 Displays publicly 12 Opens one’s eyes 13 Butted heads 21 Direct 24 First Japanese prime minister born after WWII 27 “The Goldfish” painter 29 Print resolution letters 30 Clerical wear 32 Moon, e.g.

35 “The Impaler” who inspired Dracula

and it turned out that it really did work,” Eckles said. “So last semester, we did Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. This semester, we switched to Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.”

Williams’ morning routine may help her with her other classes in nursing.

Dr. Mary D. Barakzai, professor and chair of the Fresno State nursing department, said 7 a.m. classes are a way to “indoctrinate” students.

“The first semester is very hard for people,” Barakzai said, “They have to really prioritize, and if they don’t, they don’t make it.

So if they have to get up at 7 a.m., 6 a.m. in the morning to get into class, they just do

36 “Who hath a story ready for your __”: Shak.

37 2014 Olympics airer 38 Moves quickly 39 1945 Big Three city 40 Online game icons 41 Proves fallacious 44 Xenon, for one 45 Soul-stirring 46 __ scan: ID method 48 Knock 49 Assembly-ready 50 Sister of Moses and Aaron 51 Big name in soul 53 Two-door vehicle 56 School gps.

60 __ Pacis: altar of Peace 61 Thither

it.”

Barakzai said that waking up early is a way of life for nurses because they need to get patients’ reports and look at the charts before they go out and see the patient.

Williams said she would rather have morning classes than night classes because she likes to have her nights free.

“It kind of sucks at first, but I prefer it rather than night classes because I would rather be done with school by midday and have the rest of the night for myself,” Williams said.

When asked if she had any tips for waking up early, Williams said that it is all about discipline.

ASI: Bertoni ‘invested in the school’ CONTINUED from page 1 diversified candidate for the job.

I understand students on a lot of different levels. I’m not just a student that goes to school and goes home. I’m involved in the school.

I’m invested in the school.

What is your platform for campaigning?

From what I’ve seen with past presidents, there’s a hard balance to keep with tying how ASI and the administration relationship goes. I think sometimes you can lose sight of the ASI-student relationship.

The whole reason the student government is here is to serve students. That’s my biggest thing. I want to be a resource for students.

I want to be in meetings with students.

I know it’s really important to have relationships with the administration, to be in the loop with that and see what’s going on there, but I want to be there for students.

What are some things you hope to tackle if elected president?

A couple of things: With the tablet initiative coming up, I’d like to be involved in that initiative. I don’t think that a lot of students were really aware of what was going on. I don’t think that was really fair and transparent. I want to make sure that as it develops and carries on that the affordability and that the student voice is really shed.

Also, allocating funds to the readership program and mak-

ing sure USA Today and the Wall Street Journal is available to students.

Things like signage and parking are big things. I want to make sure that signs are really distinct in what they’re saying, making sure that students aren’t getting parking violations or that there’s more than enough parking.

What do you think the biggest challenge will be?

I think the biggest challenge initially, if I was elected, is just that there’s so much coming on your plate. There’s so much to get used to and learn. I think that that transition will be kind of tough at first.

I think nothing can quite prepare you for that initial shock of getting [elected].

.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

PAGE 7

THE COLLEGIAN SPORTS

CLASS BULLDOGS: Fresno State fills pressing OF needs on defense 2014 CONTINUED from page 8 Homegrown talent

OFFENSE Offensive Lineman

Art Gomez (6-5, 280) Compton, Calif.

(Downey HS) Jacob Hicks (6-5, 310) Sebastopol, Calif. (Analy HS) Bobby Johnson (6-5, 300) Carson, Calif. (Carson Senior HS) Aaron Mitchell (6-2 285) San Diego, Calif. (Cathedral Catholic HS) Ben Simonds (6-4 260) La Quinta, Calif.

(La Quinta HS)

Quarterback Kilton Anderson (6-3, 205) Naples, Fla. (Skyline [Wash.]

HS)

Wide Receiver

KeeSean Johnson (6-1, 170) Palo Alto, Calif. (Palo Alto HS) Jamire Jordan (5-11, 170) Palmdale, Calif. (Highland HS) Keyan Williams (5-10, 175) New Orleans, La. (Lusher Charter HS)

Tight End

Chad Olsen (6-5, 225) Chico, Calif.

(Pleasant Valley HS) Kyle Riddering (6-6, 250) Fresno, Calif.

(Clovis North HS)

Sixteen out of the 22 recruits come from California, slightly above last season’s 17 of 24.

However, only one – tight end Kyle Riddering of Clovis North High School – comes from the Central Valley. That is the lowest number in DeRuyter’s three seasons as head coach.

Last year, the Bulldogs had three signees from the Valley.

“We always start right here,” DeRuyter said. “We start in the city of Fresno and work out from the Valley. The majority of our young men are going to come from California.”

The state of Texas had the second-most signees with three. One recruit is from Louisiana: Keyan Williams, whose father Keith was a Fresno State receivers coach under Pat Hill.

“I do think it’s good to have a national look at things,” DeRuyter said. “With the Internet now, you don’t have to necessarily get in a plane to identify prospects.”

Fresno State offered scholarships to a total of 16 Central Valley student-athletes. Five of them came from either Fresno or Clovis, with one (Riddering) signing. The other four went to Pac-12 schools.

Cornerback Isaac Brutton of Visalia has expressed interest in signing, but has not officially

committed.

“Young men decide to go to schools for a number of reasons,” DeRuyter said. “We offered and recruited hard in the entire city.

[Offensive coordinator] Pete Germano knows that this is a very important area for us. Sometimes kids just want to go out of town.”

The recruits will have a chance to vie for starting spots during the spring and offseason.

“We’re hoping people jump on board with season tickets,” DeRuyter said. “We’re looking to three-peat next year. With this year’s recruiting class, we think we have a great shot at putting together another team that’s going to make a championship run.”

NUMBERS: Valley presence lacking in latest class CONTINUED from page 8 for Oregon State, then suffered a career-ending concussion, while Edwards is still on the team.

So why doesn’t Fresno State have more Central Valley recruits in 2014?

Well, 16 student-athletes from the entire Valley received offers.

Nine of them accepted offers from Pac-12 schools (Washington State, Arizona (two), UCLA (two), Colorado (two), Arizona State and Oregon State). One other signed with conference rival Nevada.

So, the Bulldogs are attempting to sign locally. That’s 15 percent of total offers going to the San Joaquin Valley.

As DeRuyter said during the conference, the Bulldogs focus “80 percent” of their attention to California. With 87 offers extend-

ed to California student-athletes, that is 84 percent. And 73 percent of the total signees are from the state.

That’s sticking close to their ideal.

There is a plethora of football talent in the Central Valley that could be useful to the Bulldogs.

But DeRuyter expressed that with the ability to pay attention to student-athletes around the country, more chances of picking up recruits from other states surface.

And if not California, then Texas was the other state that had Fresno State’s focus. Twelve offers went to student-athletes from the state, and three signed on – about 14 percent of the recruitment class.

Fresno State is trying to win a third-consecutive conference

championship, and with its time as a top-25 team, the program became known nationally. More student-athletes began to recognize Fresno State’s program and wanted to become a part of it.

While that can affect Fresno State’s chances of having more Central Valley recruits, its ability to find star student-athletes in other areas – especially when the Central Valley recruits are choosing to leave town – is beneficial.

Remember, the Bulldogs are not the only football team that is looking to sign people from the Central Valley. The better the player, the higher the chance of a top-rated team sending him an offer.

Fresno State did its job in finding more homegrown recruits, now it’s time to see which ones stand out from the rest.

BASKETBALL: Bulldogs grab season sweep against Air Force CONTINUED from page 8 points after a Hayden Graham 3-pointer. However, the ‘Dogs crushed the Falcons’ hopes of a comeback by responding with a 10-0 run.

Fresno State also held Air Force scoreless in the last two minutes of the game.

Forward Marek Olesinski was the only Falcon in double figures as he compiled 17 points to go along with his eight boards.

Sophomores Cezar Guerrero and Marvelle Harris were the other Bulldogs in double figures.

Guerrero recorded 18 points and four assists, while Harris posted four steals to go along with 12 points and eight rebounds.

“We’ve said that we have to play for 40 minutes and I think our guys are kind of figuring that out right now,” Terry said. “It doesn’t matter if we get out to a good start, bad start ... we have to play for 40 minutes in this

league.”

The ‘Dogs (10-13, 3-7 MW) return home on Saturday to take on the San Jose State Spartans (6-16, 0-10 MW), tipoff is set for 4 p.m.

For Saturday’s conference matchup, fans are encouraged to wear white as part of a special “whiteout” promotion. Hundreds of white “Dog Terry-tory” T-shirts will be handed out during the game.

CLASS OF 2014 DEFENSE Defensive Lineman

Sam Akoteu (6-2, 290) Gardena, Calif.

(Junipero Serra HS) Kyle Hendrickson (6-4, 250) Escondido, Calif.

(San Pasqual HS)

Linebacker

Justin Green (6-4, 200) Oak Park, Calif.

(Oak Park HS) Michael Lazarus (6-2, 225) Berkeley, Calif. (Berkeley HS) Tobenna Okeke (6-2, 200) Missouri City, Texas (Elkins HS) Xavier Ulutu (6-1, 240) San Diego, Calif. (Cathedral Catholic HS)

Secondary

Corey Ferguson (5-10, 190) Orlando, Fla. (Fullerton College) Anthoula “Tank” Kelly (5-11, 180) Galena Park, Texas (Galena Park HS)

WIN: Women’s hoops team’s win after Wyoming loss a ‘collective effort,’ Pebley says

DeShawn Potts (5-11, 170) Duarte, Calif. (Monrovia HS)

CONTINUED from page 8

(6-2, 170) Houston, Texas (Alief Elsik HS)

posted a career-high 10 points off the bench.

The ‘Dogs kept trying to pull away in the first half. Every time they started going on a run, the Falcons answered back with a big play to stay in the game. After about 12 minutes of play, the game was tied at 18 apiece after two Jimi Blagowsky free throws.

However Fresno State was able to take advantage of its eight steals in the first half and went into the

locker room with a 38-31 lead.

In the second half, the ‘Dogs were able to get into more of a rhythm as they pulled away by outscoring the Falcons 38-18 in that span.

The loss of standout forward Alex Sheedy (leg injury) has forced Fresno State head coach Raegan Pebley to use more of her post players. Saint-Felix and fellow underclassman Toni Smith combined for 20 minutes and 15 points.

“That was a great way for us to respond after the loss at Wyoming and I’m really, really proud of the collective effort that it took to get this win,” Pebley said. “A lot of people contributed for us.”

With this win, the Bulldogs have improved to 7-3 in conference play and 13-8 on the season. The ‘Dogs are also now 6-0 all time against the Falcons. Air Force has yet to win a league game as it falls to 0-10 in Mountain West play.

Malcolm Washington

Athlete

Chris Moliga (5-11, 205) San Diego, Calif. (Cathedral Catholic HS)

SPORTS

PAGE 8

COLLEGIAN.CSUFRESNO.EDU

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

DERUYTER INKS 22 TO CLASS OF ‘14 O-linemen, linebackers, secondary positions bulk of incoming class

By Christopher Livingston The Collegian

The offensive line, linebackers and secondary received a boost Wednesday when the Fresno State football team signed 22 studentathletes to National Letters of Intent.

Scout.com ranked the Bulldogs’ recruiting class 81st nationwide and sixth in the Mountain West. Rivals.com had it 76th in the nation and tied for third in the conference. Five signees also received offers from major-conference schools, and four are 3-star recruits.

“It’s a really exciting day for our football program,” said Fresno State head coach Tim DeRuyter. “I really like the direction our program is going with this class. I think it’s going to be a backbone for our program going forward.”

The new signees address needs that the Bulldogs had, DeRuyter said. With six seniors departing from the offensive line, the Bulldogs focused their attention on replenishing the position.

“In signing 22 young men, you have to balance it between offense and defense,” DeRuyter said. “We definitely wanted to strengthen our offensive line numbers-wise, and we signed five young men who I think have done that.”

Among the signees is 3-star inside linebacker Michael Lazarus from Berkeley, Calif. Lazarus tallied 18 sacks during his senior season at Berkeley High School. He received offers from Arizona State, California, Washington State and Wisconsin, but decided on Fresno

State.

“I really have been impressed with Michael’s character,” DeRuyter said. “He’s a young man who gave us his word that he was going to be a Bulldog a while ago. He had a lot of BCS schools make runs at him trying to convince him to go to other places and he held strong.

We’re excited to have him as part of our family.”

Offensively, two tight ends and three wide receivers were signed to replace the departing Davante Adams and Isaiah Burse. The new receiving class also brings versatility to the team, as all three have experience as punt and kick returners.

“I think our special teams is going to be affected by having those types of bodies – the long guys who can run – to help us out,” DeRuyter said.

The Bulldogs signed one quarterback, Kilton Anderson of Naples, Fla. Anderson had originally verbally committed with the University of South Alabama, but decommitted after the school’s quarterbacks coach became offensive coordinator at the University of AlabamaBirmingham, according to Rivals.com.

With a total of 25 scholarships available, Fresno State left three scholarship spots open for transfers or walk-ons.

“We are going to keep a couple of scholarships open this spring,” DeRuyter said, “as we go through spring ball and identify potential new needs as well as possibly having one open for transfers.”

See BULLDOGS, Page 7

WOMEN’S HOOPS

By the Numbers Congratulations Clovis North High School, you have the honor of being the only Central Valley school that has an alumnus play for Fresno State: offensive tackle Kyle Riddering.

And with only one out of 22 signees coming from the Valley, the question is whether or not Fresno State focused on local tal- Christopher ent in 2014.

Livingston Well, it did.

Last year, three players from the Central Valley (safety Justin Holmes from Edison High, defensive lineman Jaylen Ruiz from San Joaquin Memorial and nose guard Ryan Steele of Kingsburg High) committed to Fresno State. Only Holmes and Steele are still on the team.

And in 2012, only two players (defensive back Shannon Edwards from Ridgeview High School in Bakersfield and David Keller from San Joaquin Memorial High) signed on. Keller left Fresno State See NUMBERS, Page 7

MEN’S HOOPS

‘Dogs sweep Falcons for 2nd straight win

By Daniel Leon The Collegian

TAKING FLIGHT 12 points, she has scored in double figures in two consecutive games.

She also provided a physical presence with nine rebounds, one shy of her second double-double of the season.

Two other Bulldogs has double-digit points. Senior Taylor Thompson’s 12 points marked her 18th game this season in double figures, while freshman Jessy Saint-Felix

The Fresno State men’s basketball team captured its second consecutive win Wednesday night at Clune Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo. With the 68-51 victory, the Bulldogs have now swept the Air Force Falcons this season.

Fresno State senior guard Tyler Johnson led the way with 8 of 17 shooting for a game-high 20 points and eight rebounds.

Johnson has put up 20 points or more in seven out of the last nine contests. A majority of Johnson’s points came from behind the arc as he shot 4 of 8 from 3-point range.

“Tyler puts his heart and soul into every game,” Fresno State head coach Rodney Terry said. “He plays extremely hard and he’s a highly competitive kid. He’s been a great leader for us and we look for him to finish out the season leading the way he has all year.”

The ‘Dogs went on an 8-0 run to lead 29-19 at intermission. In the second half, Air Force (9-12, 3-7 Mountain West) got within six

See WIN, Page 7

See BASKETBALL, Page 7

GOT THE SWEEP: The Fresno State women’s basketball team routed Air Force 76-49 Wednesday night at the Save Mart Center.

Katie Eleneke / The Collegian

Bulldogs’ explode in second half to pull away from Falcons

By Daniel Leon The Collegian The Fresno State women’s basketball team swept conference foe Air Force on Wednesday night at the Save Mart Center.

The win also elevated the Bulldogs to second place in the conference.

Led by junior guard Alex Furr, the ‘Dogs shot a season-high 52.6 percent en route to a 76-49 Mountain West victory. Furr shot 5 of

6 from the field and was perfect from 3-point range on her way to a game-high 14 points. “[The shots] just fell tonight, and it was just fun being out there,” Furr said. “Some nights you shoot the best, some nights you might not, so I was happy it went my way tonight.”

Fresno State’s post players were key as their presence was felt throughout the game. Lately, center Jacinta Vandenberg has played a big role in the ‘Dogs’ lineup. With