ACUOPTIMIST.COM | Monday, August 23, 2021 | 1
A student publication of Abilene Christian University since 1912
BY SYDNEY VARNER | EDITOR IN CHIEF
Wildcat Week volunteers move freshmen into Bullock Hall on move-in day.
Bullock Hall opens its doors to freshman class of 2025 BY SYDNEY VARNER EDITOR IN CHIEF
Bullock Hall opened its doors to Residence Life staff and incoming freshmen this week after being under construction since September of last year. The hall is a co-ed residence hall housing freshmen with a total of 178 women and 54 men. The building was set to be complete in the beginning of August according to original construction timelines, but due to a rainy spring causing construction delays, ResLife staff
living in Bullock were temporarily placed in Smith Adams until three days before freshmen move-in. “Because of how rainy the start of our spring was, they experienced some delays where they weren’t able to work on the hardscape like concrete work and other things that really pushed back their timeline a little bit,” Director of Residence Life Shannon Kaczmarek said. “We had a couple of meetings about 5 or 6 weeks ago where we really had to hash out ‘hey we know your timeline is
tight and we know that things have been delayed’ because they had full days where no one could work outside because the ground was just too wet to get anything done. We knew we might have to use the week leading up to freshmen move-in to be able to get that building finished.” Bullock Hall is the first building in the new push to create a Freshmen Village in place of the current freshman dorms on EN 16th. Kaczmarek said ResLife is excited to start this
project and provide new, high quality living spaces for students. “We really like the idea of building out a neighborhood, a space where our freshmen know that they’re arriving to and belonging to a space where they have cohesive experiences with other first year students,” Kaczmarek said. “That first year experience is so pivotal to our students coming out of their parents home and coming into college for the first time that that’s really where our focus is right now.”
Bullock Hall is not just symbolic of the university wanting better housing for students; Kaczmarek said it’s symbolic of a focus on building community. “[Bullock Hall] allows for them to have a co-ed community which is something our students have really been wanting and asking for for a long time,” Kaczmarek said. The building itself, which has four floors each with co-ed lobbies for students as well as swipe access in halls and rooms, has excited students and ResLife staff alike about
Opening Chapel returning to Teague after full year BY HANNAH MANISCALO ASSITANT MANAGING EDITOR
Chapel will return in the Teague Special Events Center after a year off due to COVID-19 despite no Opening Ceremonies taking place on the first day of class. Before the 2020-21 school year, Chapel was traditionally has taken place in Moody Colosseum. However, due to the construction on campus chapel will moved into Teague for the start of the semester. “Moody Colosseum and
Cullen Auditorium are both off the grid because of renovations that are happening,” Spencer Kasselman a junior biblical texts major from Abilene and a student worker in the Office of Spiritual Formation said. “So Teague is the only spot available.” Chapel, an ACU tradition, will start at 11 a.m. Monday. Chapels for the rest of the year will take place at 11 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. However, on the first day of classes, Opening Ceremonies such
as the parade of flags will not be taking place. “We don’t have a space to seat everyone for opening ceremonies,” university chaplain Cyrus Eaton said. “We have shifted our focus to getting students started on the right foot with spiritual formation.” Faculty and students will still get to start the school year off more normally than last year, but without the intricate ceremony that usually takes place. “We will not be able to have opening ceremonies and Opening Chapel to-
gether in their full grandeur,” said Kasselman. Although opening ceremonies will not make its return yet due to lack of space, those in the Office of Spiritual Formation say they are excited for some of the normal spiritual formation events, such as Opening Chapel, to return. “Opening Chapel is a good way to open up the semester as a community,” Kasselman said. “To have a rhythm of spiritual life together is important for building community. It is a good
entrance to the semester.” Opening Chapel will feature a talk from Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, and a guest speaker. Requirements for COV ID-19 during Chapel will follow university requirements. Those requirements do not include masks or social distancing, but do require unvaccinated students quarantine if exposed to the virus before classes begin. Masks are still optional for those who wish to wear one.
Editor’s Note As a student publication, the Optimist is committed to fair and equal coverage of all aspects of the university and Abilene community as a whole. In the past, individuals may have expressed concern or disdain over the Optimist’s coverage not being widespread enough, leaving out groups and student organizations across campus. This year, our goals can be summarized as follows: outreach, representation, and consistency. We hope to create new and build on already existing relationships within our community, ensure that every corner of campus feels represented in our reporting, and
moving in. “The community spaces are so nice and it’s for both genders, so they can meet up in any of the lobbies on each floor which we haven’t seen in any of the dorms before,” Alexis Gray, senior kinesiology major from the Bahamas said. “I’m still unpacking like everyone else will and it’s kind of stressful because we have to get them situated and ourselves at the same time before school starts, but we’re making it work. We have great energy around us, and it’s worth it.”
NEWS
Meet the new ACUPD chief PAGE 3
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Big season leads to extended contract
PAGE 8
2 | Monday, August 23, 2021 | NEWS
‘Gardner Girls’ across generations heartbroken over demolition Residence hall removal is making way for continuation of the Freshman Village.
BY MCKENNA HOLMAN AND SHERIDAN WOOD STAFF REPORTER AND COPY EDITOR
For 60 years, Gardner Hall has been a beloved and sentimental place to the many women who have called it home. Former “Gardner Girls” lament the demolition of the place where they made their first ACU memories. Past residents recall memories of ghost stories, late night adventures of sneaking out past curfew, blossoming freshman year romances, the beginnings of lifelong friendships and countless other tales hidden within the dorm’s mildewed walls. “This is heartbreaking,” commented alumna Kayla Freede-Agan on the Optimist Facebook post. “My mom lived there, then I did, and I was hoping my kids would too!” After the initial Optimist story published last spring about the university’s plans for Gardner, the Facebook post received over 75 comments from alumni and current students who were once residents of this beloved dorm. “It was so ugly, but this is still sad. The end of an era,” commented alumna Sommerly Simser. Indeed, though it is beloved, none can deny the fact that Gardner does not match the aesthetics of the rest of the buildings on campus. Although the
BY RILEY FISHER | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER South face of the freshman girls’ dorm, Gardner Hall.
brown exterior might be an upgrade from the blue and green multicolored paint that adorned the hall in previous years, not much can be done to resolve the peeling film over the giant windows or the early 1960s layout showcased as a capital “H” from an arial view. Alumna Sharla Smalling (‘90) says although it is sad to see the hall where
she holds fond memories be torn down, it is nice to see the university’s able to update its facilities and move onto bigger and better things for its students. Emma Stringer, senior graphic design major from Richardson said it will be a different campus without the dorm. “But I guess we have to modernize eventually,” Stringer said.
Abby Jameson, sophomore education major from Mansfield, said she and her friends also hold conflicted feelings regarding the destruction. She said although Gardner was a fun place to live, it is special to be among the last people who got to live there. Elaine (Mickey) Prothro (‘62) recalls being one of the first residents to ever live in Gardner, right when
it was being built in 1961. “When we got there the dorm wasn’t quite finished. There were still workers working during the day, and there were very few of us there,” said Prothro. “We just loved being there because everything was new.” Just this week, Prothro’s granddaughter, Megan Denton, a freshman music education major from Ft. Worth, moved into the
brand new Bullock Hall, continuing her family’s legacy of being among the first residents in ACU’s newest dorms. Shannon Kaczmarek, director of ResLife and student advocacy, lived in Gardner as a freshman and has served both as an RA and the RD of the dorm over the years. She recalls memories of women holding late night “Lunge Club,” gathering residents to do lunges down the halls at 11 p.m. to combat the notorious “Freshman 15,” women trying to find ways up to the roof, throwing hilarious themed parties in their room that are “completely innocent and just ridiculous,” creating knitting clubs, and many other similar stories. “Gardner just takes on the life of the residents,” said Kaczmarek. “Because it’s a large community and has a large staff, it just feels like you are a part of something big, bigger than yourself.” Some students, such as Bonnie Wilkinson, junior speech pathology major from Sweetwater, have jokingly commented their want to protest the demolition by chaining themselves to Gardner in hopes of keeping the residence hall on campus. “I will physically chain myself to that building,” said Wilkinson, “They can’t tear it down. I won’t let them!”
Gloomy weather welcomes incoming class during fall move-in crew was such a good idea, and all of them had such a good attitude about helping Drizzly weather greet- in the rain. It was amazing.” ed Wildcat Week volunteers Bullock, Sikes, Nelson and new students as they and Mabee are all first-year made their way to campus dorms offered to incomfor move-in day on Tuesday. ing freshmen and transfer Residence halls opened to students. Bullock Hall is students, parents, Wildcat the newest and only co-ed Week leaders and friends dorm offered for freshmen from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to students. The four-story, move incoming freshmen 72,000-square-foot hall and transfer students into features 128 double rooms, their first-year living spaces. eight single rooms, two Macy Frost, freshman apartments, nine study biology major from Keller, spaces, and a lobby on each moved into Bullock Hall, floor. Its bigger size meant the newest residence facility. more work for volunteers “My move-in experience on move-in day. was very different from what Hannah Holst, senior I thought it would be be- psychology major from San cause I wasn’t expecting the Antonio, is a first-year RA move-in crew to get all of for Dillard Hall and helped my stuff and bring it up to incoming freshmen and my room for me, but made transfer students on movemoving in so much easier,” in day. Frost said. “The move-in “When you are moving BY ALYSSIA ANUAT STAFF REPORTER
in freshmen as an RA, you find yourself reminiscing on what it was like when you were a freshman and you have more responsibility such as checking people in and making sure they get to the correct room,” Holst said. “Move-in day in the rain, in a funny way, made it a bit more special because we were listening to music and keeping our spirits high trying to make sure that the freshman felt welcomed.” Grace Ornelas, freshman animal science major from Weatherford, also moved into Bullock Hall. “I think everyone in the dorms are looking forward to living on their own and away from their parents,” Ornelas said. “We are all definitely looking forward to a great year making many memories and lifelong friends.”
BY SYDNEY VARNER | EDITOR IN CHIEF Cars line-up outside of Bullock Hall during move-in day.
BY SYDNEY VARNER | EDITOR IN CHIEF Wildcat Week leaders move boxes, drawers and shelves into residence halls.
BY SYDNEY VARNER | EDITOR IN CHIEF Wildcat Week volunteers unload truck on a cloudy, rainy move-in day.
WHAT’S HAPPENING? MON., AUGUST 23
TUES., AUGUST 24
FIRST DAY OF CLASSES
Accelerated Sessions 1 - Last Day to Add or Drop
WED., AUGUST 25 5 p.m. - Follies Leadership Team Interviews
THURS., AUGUST 26
FRI., AUGUST 27
11:30 a.m. - Creative Learning Community
New Students- Last day to register
Online Programs in Fall 1 Session Begins
12 p.m. - Canvas Updates: Zoom Only
Block Students - Last Day to add/drop within the block
5:00 p.m. - Follies Leadership Team Interviews
7 p.m. - ISA Culture Mix
Non-Block Students - Last Day to add/drop for 100% refund
8:30 p.m. - Follies Launch Party
12:30 p.m. - Faculty Popsicle Celebration
SAT., AUGUST 28 9 p.m. - INTL 101 New International Student Orientation
FEATURES | Monday, August 23, 2021 | 3
To new ACUPD Chief Ellis, return to Abilene was an easy choice BY SYDNEY VARNER EDITOR IN CHIEF
ACU recently named Jason Ellis the new ACUPD Police Chief after the previous Chief, Jimmy Ellison, retired last year. Ellis graduated with a bachelor’s in criminal science and said he immediately knew he wanted to serve in the police force. Since then, Ellis has served as an officer, detective and watch commander in Frisco for 23 years with a few years spent in Houston. Ellis left ACU and Abilene in 1998 and said coming back after all of those years was an extremely easy decision. “I was raised in Dallas proper, so at first when I came here, I hated Abilene, but by the time I left here I was like, ‘This is it,’” Ellis said. “Everybody was asking, ‘Why would you leave Frisco to come to Abilene?’ and I don’t feel like unless you’ve been to Abilene or been to ACU you just wake up and say, ‘I want to move to Abilene,’ but Abilene is awesome. It was a no-brainer.” Ellis, a dedicated officer, is also a dedicated husband and father to his three children and is no stranger to the challenges being part of the police force brings. Frisco is a city with a lot of activity, and Ellis said transitioning onto ACU’s police department will be a welcome shift in the dayto-day. “Frisco has a ton of people, it’s double Abilene’s size ... it’s busy all the time. With the kids it was hard working nights or shift work. “I’d miss birthdays,
BY SYDNEY VARNER | EDITOR IN CHIEF
ACU alum and former Frisco watch commader Jason Ellis comes back to ACU as the new police chief on campus. Christmases, Thanksgivings and holidays, so it was hard,” Ellis said. “Everyone was worried when I left the city, asking, ‘Are you going to miss the activity?’ because I looked at the stats for ACU for three years, and that’s a just bad week in Frisco. “Why I decided to leave the city work is we actually get to make a difference in the students’ lives.” Yet another reason Ellis is excited to take on this position is his daughter, who will be an incoming
freshman this year. “In October, my daughter said ‘I’m going to ACU,’ and we were really happy. Obviously, I went here, my wife went here, my wife’s dad went here, siblings went here, her grandmother went here,” Ellis said. “And then it wasn’t timing at all or my plans but in January this job came open so I put in for it, and now I’m sitting here.” Ellis’ goals are relational; He hopes to connect with students and show that
ACUPD is there to help the community at all times. “I’m relational. I want to sit down with people, talk and get to know them,” Ellis said. “If you put anything in this paper please let them know that I am completely transparent, honest, and I have an open door.” During his time at ACU, Ellis was also a member of the Men of Knights social club, where he met longtime friend and now co-worker Steve Eller. Eller, who graduated in
1996 and later returned for a master’s in marriage and family therapy, is a licensed professional counselor working at the counseling center on campus. Eller said after pledging, the two crossed paths again and have stayed connected. “I met Jason Ellis at ACU in 1994 when he decided to pledge the Men of Knights social club, of which I was already a member,” Eller said. “After ACU, our families crossed paths again when we both attend-
ed First Colony Church of Christ in Sugar Land, Texas. We were in smallgroup together, meeting weekly at times, as our families began to experience the transition from young marrieds to parents of small children.” Eller said this time of getting to know Ellis proves to him that he is qualified to be entering in as the new police chief. “It’s this sort of quality character I believe Jason Ellis brings with him to the role as chief of police,” Eller said. “Jason carries a humble, gentle approach as he meets new people everywhere, learns their name, and desires to continue that relationship beyond a chance encounter.” Jama Cadle, assistant director of alumni and university relations, also knew Ellis in her time at ACU. “It’s really cool to be in this season of life and both be back on campus,” Cadle said. “I knew Jason in college not well, but he was a friendly, likable guy which makes sense he would go into public service. I just remember him being really kind and someone that others were drawn to.” Cadle, like Eller, agrees that Ellis is fit for the role of police chief and will be a welcome addition to the ACU community. “I think they’ll be a great asset for a myriad of reasons.He’s very approachable, very relatable, he has a different layer of being a parent,” Cadle said. “He gets our culture. With the kind of heart he has, I think he will be beneficial for the whole ACU community.”
Under Roof-ACU Wildcats Back Row: Caleb Robinson, Kyle McVey, Dayton Borger, Will Christoferson, Clay Trumble, Brad Magers, Bret Pinson Front Row: Amy Lane, Hannah Rimmer, Dillon Cobb, Sarah Bacon, Pam Brown Not Pictured: Shelley Allen, Brittany Balcomb, Ella Burgess, Brian Burton, Clint Davidson, John Ferguson, Abby Fortson, Geo Goodwin, Lauren Harp, Yancey House, Sheri Kendrick, Tim Laws, Jeff Leving, Austin Mayes, Tyler Mayes, Marcus Morris, Tim Pittman, Joe Rocco, Kirk Thaxton, Kyle Whisenhunt
YOU FIRST | FFIN.com
4 | Monday, August 23, 2021 | MEDIA GALLERY
WEEK OF WILDCAT WELCOMES
BY SYDNEY VARNER | EDITOR IN CHIEF
Families and students walk out of Wildcat Stadium to share dinner together after Goodbye Blessing.
BY SYDNEY VARNER | EDITOR IN CHIEF
Wildcat Week leaders move boxes, drawers and shelves into residence halls.
BY SYDNEY VARNER | EDITOR IN CHIEF
Former faculty member Randy Harris spoke to students at Sunrise Devo.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
A student prepares to throw an axe.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Wildcat Week staff members have a conversation in front of the Paramount Theater.Hall.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Students hold their candles during the last song of the devotional.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Two students attempt to balance on the slip ‘n slide.
BY SYDNEY VARNER | EDITOR IN CHIEF
Student’s make memories together during Wildcat Week and take picture together with the sunrise.
MEDIA GALLERY | Monday, August 23, 2021 | 5
BY SYDNEY VARNER | EDITOR IN CHIEF
Students dance to music outside Sikes Hall as they wait for cars to pull forward.
BY SYDNEY VARNER | EDITOR IN CHIEF
Wildcat Week director Caddie Coupe, assistant director Lauren Gumm and student directors sing ‘The Lord Bless You and Keep You.’
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
A student rents a golf club.
BY SYDNEY VARNER | EDITOR IN CHIEF
Students sit and listen intently enjoying the early morning devotional.
BY SYDNEY VARNER | EDITOR IN CHIEF
Families hug their students after the Goodbye Blessing.
BY SYDNEY VARNER | EDITOR IN CHIEF
Incoming freshmen and their families gather in Wildcat Stadium for Goodbye Blessing.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Aubree Herrold, senior graphic design major from Keller distribute face masks to attendees.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Members of the ACU community line the walkway between the Money Student Recreation and Wellness Center and the Beauchamp Amphitheater.
6 | Monday, August 23, 2021 | NEWS
Peer support and educational group Voice present at ACUFest BY SHERIDAN WOOD COPY EDITOR
Voice hosted a booth at ACUFest on Friday being recognized as a peer support and educational group on campus. Voice, the LGBTQ+ organization on campus, got its start as an underground support group on campus over 10 years ago. Voice became recognized as an official peer support and educational group 2016, but was previously overlooked by student campus leadership until this year. Now the group is entitled to everything other on campus organizations are allowed, such as SGA funding and a spot at ACUFest. “I want people to understand how big of a deal this is for us,” said Lauren Ramsey, senior early education major from Frisco.
Ramsey serves as the organization’s chaplain and said Voice has given her a home to be herself in a safe and loving environment. Her hope is that Voice can do the same for other students in the LGBTQ+ community, as well as others who want to learn about the community and show their support for it. “Our mission statement is: ‘Voice exists to support, educate, and inspire people through kindness, clarity, and respect. We give a place that gives voice to the voiceless.’ That’s really what we strive to do,” said Rylee Dawson, junior education major from Victorville, California. Camii Jolley, senior communications major from Ft. Worth, said Voice wants freshman and any incoming students to
know there is a space for anyone to learn and to interact with people, whether they are apart of the community or not. “It is basically like any other organization on campus where they strive to connect with one another,” Jolley said. “Ours just happens to be involving the LGBTQ+ community, but that’s not our primary focus.” Dr. Kelly Elliott, associate professor of history and global studies, is one of three faculty sponsors for Voice. She said that although Voice is designed for students who identify as LGBTQ+, there are many people who come who do not identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. “It’s very much this inclusive, hospitable, welcoming, affirming space,” said Elliott. “I think there is a
recognition there that a lot of the folks who come to Voice don’t feel that affirmation and welcome and security and freedom to be who they are in every space on campus, and so Voice really wants to be that space for those students.” ACUFest is just the first step in what Voice hopes to be continued growth and further university inclusivity of the group. “I really hope Voice can grow as big as some of these other organizations,” said Ramsey. “I hope it can grow to this organization where it has hundreds or thousands of followers on Instagram, and everyone wants to know what is Voice up to next. “I think if we get that same momentum going, it could be this amazing thing where we are educating so many people.”
BY CLAIRE SHIPLEY | GUEST PHOTOGRAPHER
Wildcat Week staff and students crowd the street at the intersection of North 3rd and Cypress as they await their food.
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SPORTS | Monday, August 23, 2021 | 7
Optimist sports staff predicts 2021 football season
Defense will be crucial for the team’s sucess... BY CARRIE JOHNSTON SPORTS DIRECTOR
Wildcat football is back after 10 months of waiting, after a season that some fans might describe as disappointing. In the 2020 season, ACU finished the season 1-5, with their only win being on the road against Mercer. But with that season in the past, the Wildcats are looking ahead to this new season, which features a new conference, new coaches and
a relatively younger roster. With all these new variables, Adam Dorrel’s hands will be full leading up to ACU’s season debut on Sept. 4 at SMU. One major key to watch is ACU’s defense. The team faced many struggles with their defense in the 2020 season, allowing an average of 35.5 points per game. If the Wildcats aim to improve their defense, that should help bolster their odds to win games. Some telling games for the
Wildcats this season will be their game against conference rivals like Lamar and Stephen F. Austin, as well as their games against ASUN Conference teams. If the Wildcats are able to elevate their defense, maintain their offense and use their promising young talent to their advantage, they should hopefully be able to improve on their record and start closing in on a winning record. 2021 record: 4-7
There are too many unanswered questions... BY CONNER MULLINS ASSISTANT SPORTS DIRECTOR
Dorrel and the Wildcats head to a new conference after a discouraging 1-5 2020 season. The Wildcats lost key pieces on offense and defense, with team captain linebacker Jack Gibbens and offensive lineman Kade Parmelly transferring after last season. Gibbens led the team with 49 tackles last season and Parmelly has been imperative to the Wildcats for years. Dorrel heads into his fifth year as ACU head coach with a 13-26 overall record. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Peyton Mansell returns for
a battle with redshirt freshman quarterback Stone Earle. The biggest question for me about this team is will they fight for Dorrel? We didn’t see this team fight for Dorrel very much last season, and I’m not filled with much optimism about the upcoming season. Starting with a buzzsaw in SMU, you then face opponents in NAIA program Louisiana College, who added several Power Five transfers, and a division three program in UT-Permian Basin who went undefeated last season. These two home games in September don’t fill you with confidence if you’re an ACU fan after last year’s loss to An-
gelo State. However, there are no winnable games for ACU after Louisiana College and UTPB because they then face eight straight Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and ASUN Conference. Who’s going to step up on defense after they allowed 224 rushing yards per game last season? How do you replace nearly four starters on the offensive line, including Parmelly? There are lots of questions surround the 100th season of ACU football and that’s why I don’t see a winning season ahead for Dorrel and the Wildcats. 2021 record: 3-8
There is familarlity, but wins are not guaranteed... BY KAUY OSTLIEN SPORTS WRITER
With the conference change for Wildcat football this year, there looms an odd familiarity. This lies with the three former Southland Conference foes that have moved to the WAC. Along with former Division II rival Tarleton State poses the question of if this could be beneficial to the Wildcats
this season. Though familiarity could be a factor, the gap of competitiveness in the conference combined with the addition of ASUN opponents does not appear to favor the Wildcats this season. The difficulty of the schedule is flanked by the season opener versus SMU in Dallas and a home closer versus reigning FCS national champion Sam Houston State. The numbers also
do not favor the Wildcats, during their short 2020 campaign the team went 1-5 while being outscored by an average of 14.83 points per game. This included a 13 point loss to Division II school Angelo State. The future of Wildcat football is an interesting one and only time will tell how this season will play out.
ton throughout the season. Although other teams include smaller schools such as UT Permian Basin and Louisiana College, don’t expect them to be easy games. UTPB is coming off an undefeated 2020 season and Louisiana College added major transfers from Texas A&M, TCU, and Nebraska to their lineup. Peyton Mansell returns to ACU for his first full college football
season with the Wildcats. ACU struggled defensively these past few seasons allowing teams to run up points putting most of the pressure on a lackluster Wildcat offense to keep up. With Mansell having a fresh start, full season, and good talent surrounding him offensively the Wildcats could pull off a few upsets.
2021 record: 3-8
Some upsets might happen, but it’s not likely... BY AVERY JACKSON SPORTS DIRECTOR
The Wildcats return to Anthony Field after a disappointing 1-5 2020 season. ACU opens the season away against SMU after recently joining the WAC. Even in the new conference, ACU sees old Southland Conference foes. The Wildcats are lined up to play Lamar, SFA, Tarleton and Sam Hous-
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
Senior quarterback Peyton Mansell throws touchdown pass.
2021 record: 3-8
Soccer eager for season with no COVID-19 Restrictions BY KAYLEE KAHN SPORTS REPORTER
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
Junior forward Caylen Wright throws the ball back into play.
As the fall season approaches, soccer is hopeful for a normal season without the hindering of the COVID-19 pandemic. ACU had an interesting 2020-21 season where they played in the fall and spring semesters, ending with a 12-6-2 record. Due to all of the changes, this had the Wildcats hopeful for a normal fall 2021 season. “I’m feeling good about this upcoming season,” said head coach Casey Wilson. “Starting with all but two of our starting line-up from last year is not a bad new start.” ACU started off the season with an exhibition match against The University of Texas, where they fell 0-3. This gave the
Wildcats fierce competition to be prepared for season matches. Soccer also recruited eight freshmen and three transfers for the upcoming season to contribute to the strength and endurance of the team. “I think they are learning fast and they are picking up what we’re trying to do quickly,” said Wilson. “I expect them to jump in quickly and be ready in the next month or so prior to conference play starting.” There is excitement coming with the new season. ACU will now compete in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) after recently participating in the Southland Conference. “I think it’s a great opportunity,” said senior forward from Pflugerville, Christina Arteaga. “Going into my 6th year, I have
been able to be the last to play in the Southland Conference and the first in the WAC from ACU. I am excited to see what this year exhibits with new competitions.” The Wildcats will play six different teams to prepare for conference play including New Mexico State, UTEP, Texas Tech, Texas State, North Texas and Grambling. Along with conference teams including Lamar, UTRGV, Chicago State, Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston. “Even though we lost last season, we took a lot of positives away which helps us build confidence as a team for this season,” said Arteaga. “The team is just really excited this season.”. The Wildcats start their season against New Mexico State on August 19 at 8 p.m. in New Mexico.
Cross Country prepares for WAC for the upcoming fall BY SARAH NADING SPORTS WRITER
The fate of ACU’s cross country team was left in limbo Aug. 13 after the Southland conference made the decision to postpone fall sports. “The team is thankful for our administration allowing us to host meets and potentially even travel to a meet,” head cross country coach
Jarvis Jelen said. When the Southland postponed fall sports each college was given the opportunity to hold its own competitions in the fall at the university’s discretion. ACU made an announcement following the postponement that it plans to look into opportunities to play against other universities. The original cross country
schedule included meets at Texas Tech and Texas A&M prior to the Southland championships. The team was originally looking forward to this schedule considering the travel time and quality of meets. “The NCAA championships were already canceled along with most of the conference meets already,” Jelen said. “It’s disappointing since
we were going to compete against good teams and we were ready to go. At the same time it was for the best considering all the uncertainty around finishing the season.” Having more cross country meets held at ACU has allowed the team to invite better teams to compete and set up bigger competitions than in the past seasons. “We are still training as
hard as normal, and we will continue acting like we still have races upcoming,” junior runner Colton Gates said. “We will continue working hard training and preparing some fast times and work together as a team.” Cross country is coming off a strong last year placing third in the men’s conference. The men didn’t lose a single runner and have mul-
tiple freshman joining the team to help build depth and strengthen the team. The women are also working on increasing their depth to strengthen the roster. “We are just really excited for the future to have both men’s and women’s teams competing as one of the top cross country teams in the Southland conference each year,” Jelen said.
8 | Monday, August 23, 2021 | SPORTS
BY RYLAND MALLETT | PHOTOGRAPHER
Avoiding the defenders, junior wide receiver Lionell McConnell runs with the football.
New era arrives for Wildcats in debut season in the WAC BY CONNOR MULLINS ASSISTANT SPORTS DIRECTOR
The Wildcats have embarked on a new adventure by joining the Westen Athletic Conference on July 1. Athletic director Allen Ward expects a major transition, but it’s nothing he and his staff can’t handle. “We’ve been working tirelessly over the last few months to make sure we’re fully prepared for everything and I feel like we’re in great shape,” Ward said. “It happened a year earlier than we thought it would, but we’re excited to be in the WAC. It’s a really big challenge for us but it’s one we’re prepared for and we’re ready to face it head-on and
see how we come out.” Lamar, Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin are also leaving the Southland Conference and following ACU to the WAC. “It’s another step in the right direction for our program,” said Ward. “As we continue to evolve and grow as a division one program, I believe it gives us greater visibility with the WAC and its brand. It places us with a group of schools, especially the ones in Texas, that are like-minded institutions. It’s a good step in the right direction for ACU at this time.” Football heads into its 100th season in a brand new conference. After a
disappointing 1-5 2020 season, head coach Adam Dorrel has liked the progression his team is showing. “We’re very excited about the season, and I’m really proud with where our team is and how we’re progressing,” Dorrel said. “I’ve been really pleased with the old guys and their intentionality with the young guys. It makes me feel good to see older guys recognizing they can’t accomplish what they want without the younger guys.” Dorrel heads into his fifth season as Wildcat head coach with a 13-26 record. The challenge for this season is the schedule with eight straight WAC and
Atlantic Sun opponents. “I think one of the biggest challenges is the schedule,” Dorrel said. “You have Eastern Kentucky, a very good program, and Jacksonville State, UCA, and Sam Houston who have been a perennial power for a long time in the FCS. I think the diversity of the league as far as offenses and defenses are going to be really challenging not just for us but for everybody. I think that’s the biggest challenge, but I also think that it’ll bring the most fun of the year with the newness and experience for our coaching staff and student-athletes.” Men’s basketball brings the most attention in the
move to the WAC considering the success it had in the NCAA tournament last season. Last season, head coach Joe Golding led the 14 seed Wildcats to a 5352 win over three-seed Texas Longhorns. With Golding now at UTEP, new head coach Brette Tanner prepares for his first season. “We’ve got an opportunity to go to new places, new challenges, new gyms, new towns and face a higher talent level,” Tanner said. “For me personally, I’ve been in the Southland for 16 years, I knew all the back doors, all the places to get a burger and now it’s all new. We’ve kinda peaked, I guess you could say, in the Southland.”
Tanner’s expectations for his first season as the head basketball coach haven’t changed from his eight years under Joe Golding. “We’re gonna do the same thing we always do and trust the process,” Tanner said. “Nobody knows where to pick us because it’s a new coach, we lost two all-conference players, three very good inside players, but we also return every single one of our guards. We expect to compete for a conference title. What everyone else decides, who cares.” This new chapter in ACU athletics evolves their brand and allows for growth as a division one program.
Volleyball ready to begin a new season in a new conference BY KAUY OSTLIEN SPORTS REPORTER
After a short turnaround from the 2020-21 season, the volleyball team welcomes a new season at the Teague Special Events Center this fall. This coming season will serve as a return to normalcy as last season was shortened and moved to the spring due to COVID-19 restrictions. Though this will be a relatively normal season, this season will
also be the Wildcats first season in the Western Athletic Conference. While being in the new conference, the WAC will feature a mixture of new and old opponents, as three other universities have also joined the WAC from the Southland Conference. “I think it will be nice because we’ll know what to expect, but then we’ll get the excitement of playing people we have never played before,” said senior
outside and right-side hitter from New Braunfels, Lindsey Toney. This season’s schedule will also feature matches against schools such as Texas Tech on Aug. 31 and Oklahoma on Sept. 5. These schools will add to a competitive and diverse schedule of both conference and non-conference opponents. Last season, the Wildcats went 7-8 and were able to clinch a conference tournament but fell
to Central Arkansas in the first round. With a mixture of returning and incoming players, the team hopes to build on the foundations built last season for the near future. “You could see that stepping into the gym on day one that there was already a lot of flow that was really smooth, and they were playing next to each other whether it was a newcomer or a returning player,” said head coach Angela
Mooney. “There was just a lot of trust already built and just a lot of people already knowing what systems we wanted to run.” This year the team will feature six returning upperclassmen along with 12 underclassmen and transfer players. The returning underclassmen include players such as sophomore middle blocker Braden Bossier, who led the team in total blocks last season. “I think our upperclass-
men did a great job during the summer of teaching our underclassmen and transfers our systems in the gym,” said Mooney. “So, it was really easy to step in and add as coaches and divide and explain things a little bit in more detail, but everyone had a good understanding of what our program looks like in the gym.” The Wildcats will begin the season at home, Aug. 27 at 6 p.m. versus the UT-Arlington Mavericks.
Baseball’s historic season leads to contract extension for head coach McCarthy BY AVERY JACKSON SPORTS REPORTER
ACU ranked 10th when preseason Southland baseball rankings came out last season. However, ACU exceeded the preseason expectations by ending the season as the first seed coming into the Southland Conference Tournament. The Wildcats ended the regular season 34-19 with a conference record of 23-11. The Wildcats 36-win season in conference play is the most-ever wins in a season in school history. It was also the first time in school history that ACU finished as the number one seed. “It’s so difficult to put this season into words,” head coach Rick McCarty said. “We had a really good group, and I am very proud of them. We set out with some lofty goals and expectations in our third year as a coaching staff and a lot of their second or third year on campus. We got to fulfill those goals at the end of the year.” ACU bested eighth-seed-
ed Lamar on the first day of the tournament 7-1. Moving onto the second round, ACU faced fourth-seeded Texas A&M Corpus Christi 4-3 after coming from behind and scoring three runs in the eighth inning. ACU then faced the fifth-seeded Sam Houston in the semifinals on day three of the tournament. ACU lost the match of the semifinals 12-14, sending it into an elimination game. The winner of the second game against Sam Houston would continue to the finals to play McNeese state. After a hard fought battle against the Bearkats, the Wildcats fell to Sam Houston, 15-13, closing out the Wildcats’ historic season and their time as a competitor in the Southland Conference. “Success breeds success; this group raised the bar for ACU baseball,” McCarty said. “The expectation, as we have discussed, is not .500, is not to make the tournament, but it’s to win championships.” Following the historic season, McCarty received a contract extension
through the 2026 season, just after his third season as head coach. This has led to excitement across the board for both players and the coaching staff. “This extension shows the commitment to the program from the university,” said assistant coach Craig Parry. “From a recruiting standpoint, the commitment from the university is big and is a great thing to be able to share with recruits. It shows that McCarty and the university are in it to see this organization grow.” As of the end of this past season, McCarty stood at a record of 69-55 in his first three seasons. His 2021 season with his team led to McCarty being awarded the Coach of the Year honor by the league. “To keep our leader intact and make a multi-year commitment to him is not a normal thing across college baseball,” said Parry. “For the university and administration to commit to the program and buy in to what is going on here is a big deal.”
BY DAVID MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHER
Junior infielder Tommy Cruz points upward after a base hit.