ACUOPTIMIST.COM | Friday, October 15, 2021 | 1
A student publication of Abilene Christian University since 1912
BY TELVEE MARIE | PHOTOGRAPHER
Sophomore Gracie Alvarez conversates outside of the Tri Kappa Gamma tent.
In-person Homecoming returns Ten women named Court nominees BY HANNAH MANISCALO ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR
Ten senior women ten senior have been named to this year’s Homecoming Court, and one will be crowned Homecoming Queen during the Saturday football game. Nominations started about four weeks before Homecoming, during which the Office of Alumni Relations gave the student body the option to nominate five of their senior peers for the court. The alumni office
typically selects the top 10 to 14 nominees for the court. Just to be on the Homecoming Court is a tremendous honor, and every person included deserves recognition, said April Young, alumni and university relations officer “I believe that it means you are a leader on our campus, it means that students on our campus see you as a strong woman of faith,” Young said. “I hope to celebrate them in a way that helps them feel that they are
loved at ACU in hopes that they want to stay connected with the university in the future.” The festivities for the women of the Homecoming Court will begin Friday with an afternoon tea. The nominees are encouraged to invite important women in their lives to the tea. They also will be celebrated in the Homecoming Parade, where they will ride in convertibles, along with the ‘Coming Home Court,’ which is compromised of the 2011
Homecoming Court. The nominees will finally be honored during half time of the Homecoming football game, where they will walk the field with an escort. The nominees include women of all different backgrounds, skills and majors from engineering to nursing. “I thought that there was no way I would be nominated for the court because there are just so many girls here,” said Maddy Kean, senior speech pathology major
• • • • • • • • • • •
Marti Bowen Maddy Crockett Allison Cross Camryn Eason Ellie Kate Gorman Lauren Gumm Aubree Herrold Maggie Hess Hannah Holst Maddy Kean Madison Morel
NEWS
Homecoming Parade makes return
PAGE 2
COURT NOMINEES
from McKinney. “It is really exciting and makes me feel very loved and cherished at ACU. It makes me feel really special.”
FEATURE
Events Scheduled • Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Homecoming Musical at Abilene Convention Center Friday Oct. 15, 8 p.m.; Saturday Oct. 16, 8 p.m.; Sunday Oct. 17, 2 p.m. • Homecoming Parade Saturday Oct. 16, 10 a.m.
• Homecoming Chapel Saturday Oct. 16, 11 a.m. at Hardin Adminstration Steps
Meet your Joseph: Caleb Evans
PAGE 4
• Football tailgating Saturday Oct. 16 , 1-3 p.m. at South End Zone at Wildcat Stadium • Homecoming Football Game versus Lamar Saturday, Oct. 16, 3 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium
SPORTS
Galaxy face hazing violation after investigation BY SYDNEY VARNER EDITOR IN CHIEF
The ACU Police Department on Tuesday concluded a criminal investigation of an incident that took place last month at a Galaxy fraternity rush and have confirmed what police say is a violation of Texas hazing law, referring the case to the university. At the same time, ACUPD reported it found no evidence of a racially motivated criminal act, according to an email sent Tuesday evening by Dr. Phil Schubert, president of
the university. Schubert’s email said ACUPD interviewed multiple individuals about the incident after the video made its way to university administration. According to the official statement released by ACUPD, the rush during which the event occurred included an approved paintball event between members and prospective members of Galaxy. Current members invited prospective members to shoot them with paintball guns
while standing in a line. An additional fraternity member came late to the event and opted in to allow prospective members to shoot him with paintballs, which is when a widely distributed video was taken. “No individual interviewed, including those struck repeatedly with paintballs, suggested any element of racial violence,” the ACUPD report said. “All individuals interviewed who were struck by paintballs repeatedly confirmed they chose to do so
voluntarily.” Galaxy president Josh Brown and member Brantley Brumley, who is coordinating the club’s new member orientation, declined to comment for this story. The university will proceed with an administrative investigation into the incident as per the policies in place, specifically the Student Handbook, according to Schubert’s email. Schubert continued in the email to express thanks to the ACU community for the outpour of love, support,
concern and anger at what appeared to be a disturbing act of racism. “We must continue our unwavering commitment to address racism wherever it exists, promote justice continuously and seek reconciliation wherever division exists,” Schubert said. “Over the coming weeks, we will provide additional information about current efforts and new initiatives designed to support the university’s steadfast commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Div. I brings staff challenges PAGE 7
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2 | Monday, October 15, 2021 | NEWS
New Member Orientation opens doors to prospective members BY MACI WEATHERS MANAGING EDITOR
The first round of new member orientation for this school year is coming to a close and Sororities and Fraternities are reflecting on the season after the year of set backs due to COVID-19. With some clubs like, Ko Jo Kai pulling in 60 new members and GATA pulling in 23 new members, all of the Greek Life on campus are returning to a normal NMO season. Despite the student life changes and the set back of COVID, presidents of all of the sororities and fraternities look forward to a new beginning. The numbers for the 2021 NMO season are as follows: Sororities: Alpha Kai Omega: 0 Ko Jo Kai: 60 Delta Theta: 45 Sigma Theta Chi: 60 GATA: 23 Tri Kappa Gamma: 43 Fraternities: Pi Kappa: 2 Galaxy: 32 Frater Sodalis: 9 SubT-16 did not disclose
how many new members they received. We were unable to contact Trojans to request information about how many new members they received. “Due to the COVID restrictions of last year forcing us to think creatively and alter tradition, NMO is stronger than ever before,” said Sarina Smith, president of Tri Kappa Gamma. NMO for greek life was forced to change the traditions and format due to COVID in the spring semester. With COVID fading out, all of the Greek Life on campus are still making the transition to back to normal. “Despite COVID-19, NMO this semester has been one of our most successful semesters,” said Smith, senior management major from Melissa. “Our officer team has learned to think quickly on our feet from COVID which transferred over into this semester. Before NMO started, we took a hard look at out past NMO’s and spent hours altering and making improvements to years of similarity” This transition was also
BY CARRIE JOHNSTON | SPORTS DIRECTOR Sarah Garza, a sophomore elementary special education major from Amarillo, participates in GATA and Frater Sodalis tradition with her bRat brother, Ethan Strand, a sophomore nursing major from Round Rock.
on par with the fraternity’s on campus. Greek life made the transition from pleading to calling it NMO. As well as the transition from clubs
to calling greek life as sororities and fraternities instead of clubs. Jack Marcelin, president of Frater Sodalis and grad-
uate student of social work from Abilene said, “Due to this [COVID], many members don’t know the regular norm of club, but it’s been
exciting and a privilege to teach current members the norms and show them what a regular year of club looks like.”
Purple Processional parade floats return after year due to COVID-19
BY RAUL RAMERO | STAFF REPORTER Enginerring students work together to build their float for the homecoming parade. BY RAUL ROMERO STAFF REPORTER
This year’s Purple Processional, organized by the Homecoming Student Committee, will occur this Saturday as a part of the
many festivities in celebration of Homecoming. The parade will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday on the corner of ACU Drive South and East North 16th St. near Sikes Hall. From that point on,
the parade will continue westward, continuing to Campus Court. The parade will then take a right onto Campus Court and the procession will end near Edwards Hall. Viewers can expect to
see floats designed by ACU departments and student organizations, walking groups and other decorated vehicles. The Abilene Fire Department’s Station 5 will also make an appearance, along with group floats who
will be throwing candy to the crowd. So, be sure to bring a bag to catch it all. “You don’t want to miss it, there will be surprises,” said April Young, senior alumni and university relations officer. Although she couldn’t specify the nature of these surprises, she did mention that a few VIP guests would also be a part of the parade. However, the Homecoming Student Committee made it abundantly clear that the parade is about more than just the theatrics. Instead, the Homecoming Parade is meant to be a celebration of our school spirit and the community that has been cultivated on campus. One such example of this is the International Student’s Association’s “Parade of Flags.” The Parade of Flags displays nearly thirty flags from the various states and nations represented by students here at ACU. Representatives of that flag’s state or nation carry
the flag and lead the procession onwards as part of the Opening Assembly. “I was so proud to hold my flag,” said Jael Morel, senior digital entertainment technology major from Tegucigalpa, Honduras and a member of the Homecoming Student Committee. “Watch out for the Parade of Flags because it’s an opportunity to represent your country and represent ACU at the same time.” Overall, the parade will be fairly similar to those of years prior. Students, staff and alumni looking to enjoy an ACU tradition may rest assured that this slice of normalcy is back after being shut down last year. Homecoming Student Committee member, Julia Bruce, graduate student in accounting, left us with one last piece of advice: “Be sure to get there early to secure a spot on the parade route so you don’t miss any of the action.”
Annual homecoming carnival comes back after last year’s cancellation BY ALYSSIA ANUAT STAFF REPORTER
The Homecoming Carnival is back and will take place Friday, Oct. 15 from 5-8 p.m. on the Hardin Administration Building lawn and part of Campus Court. The event will be open to the ACU community and admission is free, however, inflatables will require
wristbands, which will be $5 and can be purchased at the event. The annual event is a crowd favorite and popular within the community. Last year’s carnival was postponed last year due to COVID and was the first time in years that the homecoming committee has had to cancel the event.
Jama Cadle, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations and University Relations, says the homecoming carnival is a great opportunity for the ACU community to come together and have fun. “This year we will have food for purchase from Black Cat BBQ, Toasted Traveler, Southern Sno and Chartwells,” Cadle said.
“There will be a petting zoo, face painting, Abilene Axe and inflatables.” Ivan Martinez, a senior graphic design major from Abilene, is a student director for homecoming and is helping coordinate the steering committee made up of about 23 people and about 60 volunteers that are helping make this
event happen. “I am most excited to be opening up our campus to our alumni and other visitors this year and to see all of the smiling faces at this event,” Martinez said. “After having little to no events happening on campus, I am ready to welcome back visitors to show off what ACU has to offer.”
POLICE LOG
SELECTED ACUPD CALLS FOR THE WEEK: •
10/05/2021 8:45 am BURGLARY (MOTOR VEHICLE) A student reported unknown suspect(s) burglarized her vehicle.
•
10/05/2021 6:15 pm BURGLARY (MOTOR VEHICLE) ACU PARKING LOT: NELSON HALL LOT A student reported unknown suspect(s) burglarized her vehicle stealing cash and damaging the dashboard area.
•
10/07/2021 11:55 am UNATHORIZED USE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE ACU PARKING LOT: STADIUM LOT A citizen reported unknown suspect(s) entered his vehicle and stole the vehicle and stole the vehicle key fob from the center console. The suspect(s) attempted to take the vehicle but for unknown reason left the vehicle.
911 Call Administrative activity Alarm Animal call Assist Barricades Boot/Unboot vehicle Building lock/unlock Cart patrol Burglary (Motor Vehicle) Burglary (Residence) CCTV Review Check building Clery Criminal trespass warning Direct traffic
1 49 5 2 1 2 0 11 1 10 1 1 167 4 2 3
Disturbance Escort Event support Foot patrol Found property Harassment Information report Investigation follow-up Lost Property Medical emergency Monitor facility/lot Motorist assist: jump start Motorist assist: other Other Parking lot patrol Parking violation
MESSAGE FROM POLICE CHIEF ELLISON:
4 1 3 12 5 1 3 17 2 5 15 6 12 12 32 5
ACU PAKING LOT: SIKES HALL LOT
Patrol vehicle: maintenance 8 Patrol vehicle: refuel 5 Public service 1 Random patrol 50 Report writing 19 Report writing (case report) 8 Report writing (follow up) 3 Special Assinment 2 Suspicious activity 4 Suspicious person 1 Suspicious vehicle 1 Theft 2 Unauthorized use of motor vehicle 1 Vehicle collision 3 Welfare check 2
Total 499 *List of selected statistics of this week’s ACUPD activity report.
“Please remember to lock your vehicles and call ACUPD if you see any suspicious activity or person. Stay safe and have a great ACU Homecoming week.”
Despite the location of the homecoming carnival changing compared to previous years due to construction on Moody Coliseum, Martinez is hoping for a great turnout for this traditional event. “As soon as this weekend is over, we will immediately begin plans for 2022,” Cadle said.
NEWS | Friday, October 15, 2021 | 3
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
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4 | Monday, October 15, 2021 | FEATURES
A TECHNICOLOR
DREAM
Evans debuts as Joseph in redemption story for ACU Theatre BY SYDNEY VARNER EDITOR IN CHIEF
Caleb Evans is used to giving his all in everything he does; Playing the lead in this year’s Homecoming musical is no exception to the rule. Evans, a senior computer science and theater major from Irving, will be debuting in the role of Joseph in ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ on Friday night at the Abilene Civic Center in the comeback of the annual Homecoming musical. Evans, cast as Prince Charming in Roger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella during the 2020 season, said he almost felt lost in musical theater after setbacks and cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic but felt as if this role was a revival for himself and motivation. “Being given this role I found fresh motivation and joy,” Evans said. “Last year in the spring… a couple of my friends in the theater department told me ‘Caleb I think you would play a really good Joseph’ and that’s how I am driven. So once they suggested that and told me that a role that I should go hard for, that’s what I did. I hit the ground running and I was blessed with the opportunity to perform that role.” Coming back from an unprecedented year has been challenging. As someone who is heavily involved on campus sporting roles at ACUTV and leading worship on occasion in chapel, he has been reminded this by musical what it takes to be able to produce a show to this scale. Evans has spent a lot of time saying ‘no’ to things and prioritizing his energy during the two and half, almost three, month process of working on this show. Despite the work, he is nothing short of grateful for those three months. “It’s so easy to forget how involved you have to be in regards to putting
MEGHAN LONG I PHOTOGRAPHER
Senior Caleb Evans debuts in role as Joseph. on a fully fledged musical, especially one that’s on the Civic Center stage but, basically, the transition has been on in regards to energy and motivation,” Evans said. “What it looks like
is saying ‘no’ to a lot of things. It looked like a lot of being intentional in being confident and happy with the yeses I’m blessed with.” There’s often a stigma that comes with lead roles,
one that can paint those actors as divas or self-centered, but Evans made sure that when he was awarded this role, he wanted to use it to create a warm, welcoming space for students in the Theatre De-
partment. He emphasized that as well as including everyone, setting an example by being on time and responsible, he also wanted to have fun. Nora Vellis, Senior theatre major from Abilene ,
she has seen that determination on and off the stage. Vellis mentions a specific instance in which after a rehearsal, Evans took the extra to set an example and clean up the green room at request of the stage manager. “He did that out of the kindness of his heart and I saw that and thought ‘that is the sweetest, most humble, selfless thing,’” Vellis said. “I don’t think anyone expected him to clean everything, but he did, and I was really glad I was here to witness that.” For Evan’s fellow actors, actresses and production team, one of the biggest impacts he has left on the department is his character. “ He’s got charisma, he’s got charm and he’s got a servant heart which is rare in good actors,” Vellis said. “I feel like Caleb has potential to make it big and it would be incredible to see someone like him with such a servant heart do that because I feel like Hollywood and Broadway, they need that; I think Caleb could be that person.” For Gary Varner, longtime partner of ACU theatre, former faculty member and show director, these descriptions continue to ring true about Evans’ hardwork. “Without Caleb and his energy and his excitement about playing the pair of the part it would’ve been way more difficult to put the show together that we have,” Varner said. “Caleb perfect Joseph he represents the power and the love of the story.” The musical has performances all weekend beginning with opening night Friday at 8 p.m. ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ is a redemption story for not only the characters but also for the actors coming out of an unprecedented year. “It’s nothing short of a blessing,” Evans said. “My motto in any show is take it one step at a time and whether that be one day at a time one performance at a time so Im so nervous because of the amount of effort I’ve put into a show but so elated to see the ACU community and the abilene community as a whole get to see this show.”
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Senior Caleb Evans performs as Joseph.
Showtimes are on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. as well as Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at acu.edu/theatre or by calling 325-674-ARTS (2782) All tickets are general admission Floor ticket: $45 Balcony ticket: $30 Student ticket: $25
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Junior Jack Bledsoe and Senior Caleb Evans play out a scene between Joseph and his father.
MEDIA GALLERY | Friday, October 15, 2021 | 5
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Seniors Nora Vellis and Rose Lee Alliston joins in singing with the ensemble
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Senior Caleb Evans holds a note while being carried by other cast members.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Senior Caleb Evans spins and dances around in his techicolor coat given by his father, while the emsemble stands behind him and joins in his glee.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Junior Jack Bledsoe holds coat while surronded by ensemble.
BY MEGHAN LONG| PHOTOGRAPHER
Senior Corban Gililland and sophomore Zeke Merchant play two of Joseph’s brothers in the production.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Joseph’s brothers beg for sympathy after dealing with their youngest brother.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Senior Hayden Casey, playing one of Joseph’s 11 brothers, smiles and holds his hands out at the audience during a musical number.
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Dressed as Elvis, junior Dillon Gutierrez sings and poses towards the audience.
6 | Friday, October 15, 2021 | NEWS
Debate Team places at Tournament of Champions finals BY RAUL ROMERO STAFF REPORTER
“For all tournaments, that’s pretty hard because a semi-finals round is the top four debaters. So it’s the top four debaters in that division.” The tournament introduced a new style of debate called Long Table. The new style calls for debaters to only deliver one speech on their topic. Additionally, competitors from rival schools are placed on the same team, meaning no two members from the same school could be on the same team. This new approach to debating and team composition was vastly different from what the team was accustomed to. “In Long Table, you only had one speech,” said Emma Jaax, sophomore finance major from San Antonio and one of
Coming off of last year’s national fourth place ranking, the Debate Team is starting the 2021-22 season off strong with four members of the ACU Debate Team competing at the first annual Noel Memorial Tournament of Champions at LSU Shreveport. The Tournament of Champions maintains a pool of distinguished debaters, requiring all participants must first place in a semi-finals round or higher during the 20202021 debate season to compete. “The Tournament of Champions could only be people that had gotten to a semi-finals round at a tournament,” said Sheila Ritchie, director of forensics and debate.
the four ACU debaters. “So you were competing not only against the other team but also against your teammates. So in that moment, you had to find a way to both support your argument but also stand out individually.” Despite the surprise switch in approach and already tense competition, three of our four debaters advanced to the semifinals. Those three would then progress even further to the final table. Among the final six challengers was a representative from Morehouse, LSU-Shreveport, Park University, and three ACU students, Ethan Arbuckle, graduate student in communication from Shreveport, Louisiana, Elijah Biendinger, senior management major from
San Antonio and Jaax. With three students advancing to the finals, ACU occupied half of the spaces available at the final table. “It was a really strong team-building moment,” Jaax said. “ You know we were the only team to do that, and when you look across the other side of the table and it’s all scattered teams and you look to your right and it’s your entire team next to you, you felt much more confident. It felt like a huge win for the debate team overall.” The tournament concluded with our students taking third, fifth and sixth place. The three also claimed over a quarter of the prize money in scholarships and awards for the ACU debate program.
BY SHEILA RITCHIE | GUEST PHOTOGRAPHER
Elijah Biedinger, Ethan Arbuckle and Emma Jaax participated in the Noel Memorial Tournament of Champions at LSU Shreveport.
ACU joins 80 other institutions in the Universities Studying Slavery BY CONNOR MULLINS ASSISTANT SPORTS DIRECTOR
ACU has become the fourth Texas member of Universities Studying Slavery. USS comes out of the President’s office of the University of Virginia and provides resources and conferences for universities to take part in. The USS allows universities to discuss how to handle the issue of race and racism deeply rooted within their universities’ histories. Over 80 universities are a part of USS.
“I contacted the logistical person in charge of the project and asked what it would take for us to be a part of that,” said Dr. Douglas Foster, scholar in residence. “She then responded and said we’d love to have ACU as a part of that.” Foster said he was starting to work with other Church of Christ-affiliated scholars before COVID-19 hit. He said they were also going to have a conference to discuss how slavery and segregation impacted
their universities, but COVID-19 sidelined the conference. “My graduate assistant was doing research while I began researching Texas’ segregation laws and Abilene city ordinances for the years it took place in ACU’s existence up to that point,” Foster said. “We discovered the USS project found while doing research.” Foster and his team worked with university leadership to become included in this project. Foster said he
wanted to receive the resources from the USS to better understand ACU’s history. Foster worked with Dr. Robert Rhodes, provost, Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, and others to make this inclusion possible. “The ACU officials approved,” Foster said. “They then accepted us and we were included in a list of high profile schools such as Columbia, Harvard and Yale in this project.” Other Texas Universities involved in USS include Rice University,
Texas Christian University and Trinity University. TCU said it’s been beneficial to have colleagues to lean on for ideas and resources. “We felt it would be appropriate to align ourselves with other universities who have been discussing how to go about telling the full story of race and racism on their campuses before we started in earnest,” said Dr. Frederick W. Gooding, chair of TCU’s Race & Reconciliation Initiative. “There’s a lot of good work that
still needs to be done.” Rice said they are hopeful the work only continues to build and grow within the USS. “I think it’s very important that Rice is a member,” Dr. Daniel Domingues, Rice’s Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Center in African American Studies said. “It’s important for Texas to recognize its history and involvement in slavery and segregation.” Rev. Andrew Penns is the Curator of the Curtis House Cultural Center in Abilene. He
was the former president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chapter in Abilene for 12 years. He said his goal has always been to make Abilene a better place for all people. “I’m excited to hear and to know that ACU has been chosen to be a part of this,” Penns said. “I think it’s long overdue. With the Carl Spain Center there on campus that’s an extra added incentive to announcing that ACU is very inclusive.”
THE OPTIMIST STAFF SYDNEY VARNER
SHERIDAN WOOD
LYDIA COPELAND
EDITOR IN CHIEF
COPY EDITOR
STAFF REPORTER
MACI WEATHERS
SARAH BLANKENSHIP
RAUL ROMERO
COPY EDITOR
STAFF REPORTER
MANAGING EDITOR
HANNAH MANISCALO ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR
CARRIE JOHNSTON SPORTS DIRECTOR
CONNOR MULLINS ASSISTANT SPORTS DIRECTOR
RILEY FISHER CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
ALLIE JONES VIDEO DIRECTOR
NATHANIEL CHISHOLM EXECUTIVE NEWSCAST PRODUCER
PAIGE TAYLOR VIDEOGRAPHER/ NEWS PRODUCER
AVERY JACKSON SPORTS REPORTER, SPORTS PRODUCER
JOSEPH CHAPA
DESIGN DESK
MEGHAN LONG
SPORTS REPORTER
PHOTOGRAPHER
KRYSTAL MEAZELL
SARAH NADING
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KAYLEE KAHN SPORTS REPORTER
KAUY OSTLIEN SPORTS REPORTER
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SHELLY WOMACK PHOTOGRAPHER
SAMMANTHA GUTIERREZ
ZOLA FEASEL
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KATIE SHAW
PHOTOGRAPHER
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ALYSSIA ANUAT STAFF REPORTER
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SPORTS | Friday, October 15, 2021 | 7
BY TELVEE MARIE | PHOTOGRAPHER
Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Wyatt Tate yells in joy about his team win.
Meteoric rise for athletics leading to burnout worries BY CONNOR MULLINS AND CARRIE JOHNSTON ASSISTANT SPORTS DIRECTOR AND SPORTS DIRECTOR
On a typical day, Jordan Herrod will work 12-14 hours. The new assistant athletic director of communications includes talking to coaches, responding to media requests, coordinating interview times, managing athletes’ media schedules and writing his own copy for the Department of Athletics website. Herrod is the third communications director in athletics in three years. This summer, he succeeded Chris Macaluso, who took over for Lance Fleming in 2019. “The time demands, being a perfectionist, I want to make sure we’re doing things the right way at a high level,” Herrod said. “Just being able to manage my time and finding time to do the super important things that matter has been a big challenge.” When ACU joined NCAA Div. I in 2013, everyone noticed. Eight years later, the move continues to require more bandwidth and work hours from university employees – especially in athletics. The move has put staff in jeopardy of burnout.
Over the summer, the Department of Athletics lost Drew Long, its deputy director of athletics for internal operations and Susan Hardcastle, administrative coordinator. Long is now at McMurry as its interimwomen’s basketball head coach, while Hardcastle retired. Last month, athletic director Allen Ward said he plans to step down at the end of the semester. Steve Harrell, deputy athletic director for external operations, said he is working 14-16 hours each Saturday for football and 10-12 hours daily. He said the main things he focuses on are relationship-building, fundraising, marketing, ticketing and communications. He followed Ward three years ago to ACU from Murray State. “You know, we’re smallstaffed, and we have really high expectations, and we have really high goals,” Harrell said. “We’re trying to do things at an excellent level. So it means that everybody is strapped really thin and everybody puts in a lot of hours.” Harrell said he’s working on counting his blessings and not letting the workload get the best of him. “Obviously more staff always helps to spread
out the workload,” Harrell said. “Keeping people from getting burned out is always beneficial. I think you could always complain about what you don’t have and we work really hard
“We’re trying to do things at an excellent level. So it means that everybody is strapped really thin and everybody puts in a lot of hours.” STEVE HARRELL DEPUTY ATHLETIC DIRECTOR FOR EXTERNAL OPERATIONS
not to do that. We try to focus on the blessings that we do have.” Ward said he hopes to recharge after a long career in collegiate athletics. “Heading into 31 years in this profession and in my 17th as (athletic director), I just simply need to step away and re-energize,” Ward said. “I think there’s a lot that’s going to be happening over the next year, and if the university was needing to go through a transition, I thought it was better to do it now than six to eight months from now. I just felt that now was the time to step away and explore new challenges and
see where God leads.” Ward said he expects ACU to continue to rise as a legitimate Div. I program and appreciates the support he’s received from Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university. “They let it play an important role in the mission of the institution and help tell that story,” Ward said. “If you have that, then you can do anything because you’ve got to start with that.” Ward said he looks forward to how his successor works at ACU after spending three years in Abilene. His successor will be the third athletic director since Jared Mosley left in 2014. “They have to be themselves, first of all, I know that whoever it is is not going to be me,” Ward said. “I’m very confident in our staff members and what they bring to the table. They do excellent work and I hope that whoever comes in will immediately see that. I hope they will see the same thing with our coaches.” Senior graphic designer Todd Mullins works in the Division of Marketing and Strategic Communications. He said he’s worked 70 plus hours a week for the past three weeks due to the start of football season.
He said his office works closely with athletics but the university as a whole as well. He said he does 400500 projects for athletics each year. Mullins said he’s seen firsthand the rapid rise of ACU athletics, and he used to be the only graphic designer for athletics until this past spring. Mullins said he used to make graphics for all 17 sports but now the workload is significantly lighter with the new staff addition of Jonathan Bentley. “Leadership recognized that needed to happen,” Mullins said. “We were asking for it and I was raising my hand screaming and saying, ‘Hey I need some help because we’re literally drowning in work.’ It’s
“I was raising my hand screaming and saying, ‘Hey I need some help because we’re literally drowning in work.’ It’s just going to continue to grow.” TODD MULLINS SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER
just going to continue to grow. It’s the nature of it because it’s a competition
with other Div. I schools.” Mullins said ACU’s starting to recognize the burnout taking place in athletics. “Are we getting burned out?” Mullins said. “Sure. Are resources coming? Yes, I think so based on what I hear. It’s going to take some people to step up but people know we’re working hard to get things done. We have to work to find that balance but also not put our identities solely in our jobs.” Mullins said he still struggles to find that work-life balance but is working to find it. “When you realize first you’re not going to get everything done on time, that’s a huge thing,” Mullins said. “We still struggle with that so you gotta pick. This person may get mad if stuff’s not getting done on time, but you gotta have good mental health. You also have to realize you can’t do it all on your own.” Herrod took the assistant athletic director of communications role over the summer, but the university is contining to look for new positions in the department like, athletic director and an associate athletic director for fan engagement and game presentation.
Wildcats hope to bounce back in Homecoming game BY CONNOR MULLINS ASSISTANT SPORTS DIRECTOR
BY RILEY FISHER | PHOTOGRAPHER
Redshirt junior linebacker Tory Hargrove celebrates after a successful play with redshirt junior linebacker Greg Green.
The Wildcats (3-3, 0-2 in conference) take on the Lamar Cardinals (2-3, 0-1 in conference) for the second time of the season but this time at home for homecoming. Back to back losses for the Wildcats sets their record at 3-3 on the season most recently with a 30-15 loss at Eastern Kentucky. “I’ll be honest, that loss was the most disappointed I’ve been in our team this year and the most disappointed they’ve felt all year,” Wildcats head coach Adam Dorrel said. “You go back and watch the film and the execution was just horrific. Guys were making mistakes that they haven’t made all year on the same plays and same coverages. We looked tired and seemed sluggish.” The Wildcats received a 15 yard penalty at the start of both halves because they didn’t communicate with Eastern Kentucky about wearing gray jerseys which contrasted with the Colonels. Dorrel said he was disappointed with how that played out. “I think obviously they
were very upset which is good because that’s how you want them to be,” Dorrel said. “I told them before the game that we’re not going to let 30 yards of penalties and four timeouts define who we are today. I personally don’t think that’s why we lost. We just had poor execution and we didn’t play with a lot of energy like we have this year. ” Back on Sept. 25, the Wildcats defeated the Cardinals 56-0 on the road. That matchup was the Wildcats final non-conference game of the season. However, this Saturday counts toward conference play. “Our guys are very locked into the week and what it means,” Dorrel said. “Obviously homecoming is very important to our university and to our football program and I’ve tried to highlight that since I’ve been here. There’s two things we need to do this week, stay out of the shenanigans involved with homecoming and win the game. Our guys want to get that bad taste out of their mouths after last week.” The Cardinals are ranked 120 out of 123 teams in the nation in total offense. The
Wildcats are ranked 40 in the nation in total offense. In terms of total defense, the Wildcats are ranked 39 and the Cardinals 68 in the nation. “Regardless of their record and how we played them the first time I’ve tried to get it into our guys that it has no bearing on this game,” Dorrel said. “One of the difficult things about playing teams twice is the fine line of what you use from the game plan the first time compared to what you try to change and tweak the second time.” Backup quarterback redshirt sophomore Peyton Mansell carried the ball six times for 107 yards and a touchdown last time against the Cardinals. “I’m very appreciative of him and his approach and leadership on how he’s doing things right now,” Dorrel said. “He’s preparing like he’s the starter and that’s not always the case for the backup. We’re going to continue to try and build his package.” The homecoming game starts at 3 p.m. Saturday at Wildcat Stadium streaming live on ESPN+.
8 | Friday, October 15, 2021 | SPORTS
BY MEGHAN LONG | PHOTOGRAPHER
Natalie Wodka, senior defender and midfielder, passes a ball to a teammate during matchup versus Lamar.
ACU loses two straight games during weekend road trip BY KAYLEE KAHN SPORTS REPORTER
The Wildcats fell in two games on the road this weekend falling to Stephen F. Austin, 0-3, and Sam Houston, 1-2. ACU headed to Nacogdoches Friday night to play Stephen F. Austin. Right as the whistle blew, SFA took the ball and started attacking. Only four minutes into the game, the Lumberjacks Colleen Feagins, stepped up and put the ball right past ACU goalkeeper,
Lily Foster, from Coeur d Alene, Idaho. “We were feeling really strong within the first 10 minutes,” said Wildcats’ head coach Casey Wilson. “We just gave away some missed coverage for the first goal.” Although SFA started off strong, the Wildcats did not stop putting pressure on them. ACU secured two shot attempts, causing the Lumberjacks to second guess their game plan. Wilson said he does not look at the numbers, because the numbers do not replicate
the playing on the field. “We came in very strong in the second half,” Wilson said. “We had a lot of opportunities. Even though it was a 0-3 game, it was a lot closer than what the score showed.” The Wildcats started to pick up the pace in the second period. Jordan Michie, a junior forward from Arlington, and Nicole Barham, a junior forward from Long Beach, California, both tallied two shot attempts, while Christina Arteaga, a senior forward from Pflugerville,
and Ellen Joss, a senior defender from Louisville, Kentucky, tallied one shot on goal. Later in the game, SFA took control once again, scoring two goals in the second period, making the final score, 0-3. Sunday afternoon, ACU headed to Huntsville to meet Sam Houston. After coming off of a loss two days prior, the Wildcats knew they had to pick up the pace. With another early start, Sam Houston sunk the ball into the net within
the first 10 minutes. Not too long after, Sam Houston received the open ball leading them to a score, putting the score at, 0-2. “I felt like we played really well throughout the game,” Wilson said. “Especially in the second half. It doesn’t matter how many shots we have, it matters how many we can put in the net.” ACU had the advantage in shot attempts with 26 over Sam Houstons 9, but could not put enough in the back of the net. The Wildcats fought
for a goal for the majority of the game, until the 84 minute, where Chayse Thorne, a freshman defender from Rowlett, drove the ball downfield, scoring to put ACU on the board. This brought the final of, 1-2. ACU finished the weekend with an overall record of 4-6-1 and a conference record of 2-2-1. The Wildcats will hope to get back on winning track this weekend as they head to Chicago, Illinois, to face Chicago State Saturday at 1 p.m.
100 years of 100 yards: University marks a century of football BY KAUY OSTLIEN SPORTS REPORTER
It’s hard to do anything for 100 years companies like Pan Am that once dominated their industry have fallen without even getting close to 100 years. This year Wildcat football has found itself in its 100th season. This is an anniversary worth celebrating, they join a growing list of college football programs that have competed in one hundred seasons. With this many seasons, the Wildcats have a rich history full of key moments. Now that the Wildcats centennial season is here, I feel it’s important to look at some of the key points in Wildcat football history. First, a quick note
though beginning play in 1919, the Wildcats didn’t field a team for three seasons during theWorld war II. This results in 2021 being the Wildcats’ 100th. The first major wave in ACU football history was the Wildcats’ 1973 NAIA National championship. After an 11-1 regular season with one loss to season opener Arkansas State, the Wildcats faced off against the then Elon University Fighting Christians in the Championship bowl. They would win the national championship game 42-14. This would be the Wildcat’s first national championship. This would spark the future of Wildcats football and be a highlight of longtime coach Wally Bullington’s career. The Wildcats would
win another NAIA national championship in 1977 versus Southwestern Oklahoma State. But first, the Wildcats would have to break history in 1976. To set the scene its October 16, 1976, the Wildcats are playing conference rival East Texas State, now Texas A&M Commerce Lions, in a Homecoming matchup. The Wildcats’ Swedish-born kicker and former soccer player Ove Johansson comes out to attempt a world-record 69yard field goal. As the story goes, Johansson hits the field goal while making it look almost effortless in the process. Johansson would go on to be drafted in the 12th round of the 1977 NFL draft by the Houston Oilers, though he would
only play in two games for the Philadelphia Eagles. In the fall of 1982, the Wildcats would make the move to NCAA Division II, for several seasons following the Wildcats would struggle to find footing in their new home. But in 1996, the great teams of the 1970s found themselves at the forefront again. Wildcat great Wilbert Montgomery would be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. This would be a fitting honor as Montgomery was an All-American and national champion for the Wildcats. Montgomery would be drafted in the 6th round of the 1977 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He would go on to play nine seasons in the NFL, being selected twice for the pro
bowl and would play in Super Bowl XV. The early 2000s would be a return to glory for the Wildcats, having multiple winning seasons and Div. II playoff runs. But ACU would find itself in the spotlight again on Nov. 22, 2008, in a matchup versus rival West Texas A&M. The Wildcats won the game 93-68, this was accompanied by a record seven touchdowns from running back Bernard Scott. This game broke six NCAA Div. II playoff records and stands out as a fixture of the Wildcats high scoring offenses in their late days in Div. II. On Aug. 25, 2012, the biggest moment in ACU sports history happened as the university announced
its move to NCAA Division I. While the adjustment has been hard for the team, this move sparked the greatest advancement in university history. Sept. 16, 2017, would be another historical mark in the Wildcat’s early Div. I life. On this day the Wildcats would play their first game at Wildcat Stadium, beating Houston Baptist 24-3. The stadium which seats 12,000 people would be a landmark for ACU athletics and grow a connection between the student population and team. Though the record may not show it at this point of time, the future for Wildcat football is bright, and maybe 100 years from now, people will look back on these days.
Volleyball wins first conference game at home versus Lamar BY KAUY OSTLIEN SPORTS REPORTER
The Wildcats won their first Western Athletic Conference game of the season on Saturday versus the Lamar Cardinals. ACU dominated in a 3-1 sweep of the Cardinals that included quality offensive performances from multiple Wildcats. Entering the match both teams were yet to win a game in conference play. Both teams were also voted in the bottom three of the WAC eastern preseason poll. The first set was a show of absolute dominance where after a close back and forth the Wildcats opened their sails for a 25-13 win. The Wildcats managed a .625 hitting percentage in the set along with 15 kills and no errors. A similar story was found in the second set where after a close battle the Wildcats pulled away to a dominant win 25-17. This would be the second
time the Wildcats would hold Lamar to less than 20 points while only allowing ten or fewer kills. The third set would prove to be the only stain on the Wildcats’ resume Saturday. The set was a very well-rounded offensive and defensive showing from the Cardinals. During this set, the Wildcats could only manage a zero hitting percentage, while creating a match-high nine errors. This offensive slump resulted in a 25-20 set win for the Cardinals making the match 2-1 in favor of the Wildcats. In the final set, the Cardinals looked to have the Wildcats number until the Wildcats 10-2 scoring run to pull away. From there it was easy work as the Wildcats ended the set 25-15 winning the match 3-1. “It was a lot of oneon-one opportunities for our attackers because we were able to be in system and set a good tempo of ball,” head coach Ange-
la Mooney said. “That’s just the stuff that we’ve been working on this week about being aggressive when we have the opportunities, and we were able to capitalize on that.” One player that stood out was redshirt freshman middle blocker Braden Bossier of Fairfield. Bossier had a standout performance both offensively and defensively leading the team in both block assists and hitting percentage. “I think just the control we had, they were playing obviously really well in the back row defense and that enabled us to transition and put us in a position to get kills,” Bossier said. “Also just having the aggressive mindset you know don’t be scared to just attack and make mistakes as long as they’re aggressive.” The Wildcats will play Lamar again on Nov. 11 in Beaumont. The Wildcat’s next game will be against conference rival Tarleton State Texans on Oct. 16 at 1 p.m. in Stephenville.
BY TELVEE MARTIN | PHOTOGRAPHER
The Wildcats celebrate scoring a point against the Lamar Cardinals.