The Optimist - 02.12.14

Features Page 4

Alumnus of the year Rick Atchley receives the annual award vol. 102, no. 36

wednesday, february 12, 2014

1 SECTION, 6 PAGES

Congress solidifies spring budget

INSIDE

jc peeples

SPORTS

staff reporter

ACU softball team goes 1-1 in the first two games of the season at Wells Field

The Students’ Association passed a budget of about $46,500 on Feb. 5.

SA treasurer JP Ralston and financial officer Victoria Garza worked to create a new format to propose the budget in front of Congress.

“Victoria and I worked 50 hours on this new bud-

get,” Ralston said.

SA based the new budget off of how much organizations spent last semester. Those that used more of last semester’s budget were more likely to be funded than organizations that didn’t.

“We hope that with the way we worked the new budget, the meeting will go smoother,” said Ralston on Tuesday before the meeting.

However, the meeting on Thursday went two hours over the expected time.

After the budget was proposed in front of Congress, students from various organizations were allowed to ask Congress to consider making amendments to the budget.

About $250 was left to be allocated.

The first amendment was made to take $50 from

the remaining budget and give it to the tennis team.

Congress approved the amendment.

The next amendment was to take $240 from the Venture Crew and give it to Wildcat Reign. Congress passed the amendment with a 26-member approval.

An amendment was made to place $30 from the remaining budget into the kinesiology funds. The

amendment was passed unanimously.

Congress then made an amendment to take about $170 from the remaining budget and place it in the appropriations fund. The amendment passed with 30-member approval.

For a while, there was silence in the budget meeting. An amendment was made to pass the budget as see budget page 3

Page 6

A RACE WORTH

NEWS

RUNNING

The Career Center rescheduled mock interviews for students due to snow days Page 3

OPINION The Editorial Board explains why J.K. Rowling was irresponsible in a recent interview about Harry Potter

Page 5

SPORTS A late surge by Texas A&M Corpus Christi caused a Wildcats loss Page 6

NEWS The Student Social Work Association is hosting the second annual charity dance Page 3

Austin Kilcullen Staff Photographer

ACU alum Earl Young, 1960 Rome Olympic gold medal winner, inspired ACU students, faculty and staff in Monday Chapel. ACU alum and artist Rolando Diaz painted behind Young while he spoke.

SPORTS Women’s basketball was unable to claim a victory against the HBU Huskies in Moody Coliseum over the weekend Page 6

NEWS Hendrick hospital is running low on blood donations because of the inclement weather Page 3

Dorm thefts increase from last year Shera niemirowski sports reporter Thefts have become a more frequent occurrence throughout the ACU dorms this year.

Reports of theft on campus have risen from nine between the time period of August 15, 2012 - Feb. 10, 2013 to 18 thefts reported for the time period between August 15, 2013 - Feb. 10, 2014.

“I know when something does happen, you hear it

from other people and it spreads around,” said Hannah Knight, sophomore psychology major from Midlothian.

The ACU Police Department encourages students to file a report when an incident happens.

“When you file reports, we know what is occurring and when and where it’s occurring so we can start developing strategies to address that,” said Jimmy Ellison, chief of police.

Of the 18 reports this

year, 15 were actual thefts.

The remaining three were misplaced items.

“All in all, that’s a very low crime rate,” Ellison said, “ACU is a safe place and not a lot of crime occurs here.

Most universities of our size with public campus access like we have here at ACU have a lot more crime than we deal with.”

Many of the thefts that do occur inside dorms can be prevented.

Of the 15 remaining theft reports, three were laun-

“

Most universities our size... have a lot more crime than we deal with.”

“Students should always lock their bikes to a bike rack and always use a high-quality lock,” Ellison said.

“Just use common sense and don’t leave valuable Jimmy ellison items laying around unatChief of ACUPD tended,” he said.

Students can also help by taking care of their personal dry room thefts, which can belongings and not leaving be prevented by removing anything in plain sight. clothes in a timely manner.

“People leave backpacks Seven of the theft reports unattended in the campus were bicycle thefts, which center or in the library; they students can also take presee thefts page 3 cautions against.

Navigating the art of boat-building ONLINE VIDEO Watch the JMC Network’s newscast to see a recap of this news

Art professor Ronnie Rama spent his summer building a Nina style skiff by hand nathan lundeen student reporter

Read more at acuoptimist.com

Ronnie Rama spends most of his time studying architecture, but his latest venture has him testing the waters.

Rama, associate professor in the Department of Art and Design, spent last summer crafting a boat by hand that is now on display in the Brown Library.

Rama’s hand-crafted boat is a small Nina skiff – a boat with a flat bottom, a mast and a single sail. The hull of the vessel is painted white while the area below the waterline is painted red.

The sail is white with the number “23” on each side.

Rama picked the name Wish I for personal reasons, inspired by the song “Wish I” by Jem. Rama chose the number 23 because he sees it everywhere, from his

birthday to half the number of human chromosomes.

Throughout his life, Rama has always seen connection between his field of architecture and other disciplines. He was encouraged by his wife to go to Rockland, Maine, and enroll in the Apprenticeshop, a school that teaches how to build and sail boats.

With funding from the Adams Center For Teaching and Learning to help pay for the $6,000 cost of tuition, Rama traveled north in 2013 during the months of June and July.

At the Apprenticeshop,

Abilene Christian University

Ashlyn anthony Staff Photographer

Ronnie Rama’s handcrafted boat is displayed in the see boat page 3 Brown Library. Rama constructed the boat last summer.

Wednesday 02.12.14

12

Wednesday 2 p.m. Women’s

13 Thursday

Softball vs. Prairie View A&M University

14

5:30 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. University of the Incarnate Word

Friday

15

6 p.m. Women’s Softball vs. Oklahoma Christian University

Saturday

8 p.m. Sing Song

To date:

2 p.m. Sing Song 3 p.m. Men’s Basketball vs. Dallas Christian University

8 p.m. Men’s Basketball vs.

University of the Incarnate Word

Chapel checkup

2

8 p.m. Sing Song

Around Abilene

Remaining:

30 70

Feb. 12

Feb. 13

Feb. 14

Feb. 15

6:33 p.m. Beltway College Park at the Paramount Theatre.

5 p.m. Art Walk in Historic Dowtown.

7:30 p.m. ACU Theatre is performing Is He Dead at Fulks Theatre.

10 a.m. University Park Apartments will host its annual Sing Song Open House from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

7:30 p.m. HSU Theatre will perform Vox Paradox in the Van Ellis Theatre. Tickets cost $8.

@acuoptimist

7: 30 p.m. The Historic Paramount Theatre will show Les Miserables. Cost is $5.

The Optimist optimist@acu.edu Police Log Announcements The Sing Song Preview Show is Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. in Moody Coliseum. Student tickets cost $5 with student ID and $10 for non-students.

The ACU Ministry Events Office has opened the annual Student Art Contest for Summit. Students are encouraged to submit original artwork, photography, drawings or other artwork to communicate the Summit 2014 theme. The selected work will be rewarded a $100 prize and will advertise the 2014 Summit. All submissions should be emailed to summit@acu.edu by Feb. 21.

Pre-production for ACU Filmfest has begun and filming will begin Feb. 17.

The theme is “Shift.” For more information, like the ACU Filmfest Facebook page.

ACU Theatre is performing 100 Saints You Should Know Feb. 27-28 at 7:30 p.m in Culp Theatre. Tickets cost $12. Call 325674-2787 or visit www.acu.edu/theatre to order tickets.

Springboard Ideas Challenge registration is open. Teams must submit an application along with a mini-business plan online. Registration costs $10 and all submissions must be turned in by 5 p.m. on March 7. For more information, email griggscenter@acu.edu.

Project Merge will be hosting the Notes & Joes Coffee Shop as a fundraiser for Project Merge in the Shore Art Gallery on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. Tickets will be on sale Feb. 12-21 in the Campus Center. Tickets cost $7.

ACU Swing Cats will be hosting swing dance lessons in Studio B of the Student Recreation and Wellness Center every Tuesday. Intermediate lessons begin at 8 p.m. and beginner lessons will begin at 9 p.m.

Registration for the Kirk Goodwin Run is open. Applicants can register for the Run the West half marathon for $80 or the classic 5k for $20. The race will be on April 26. To register, visit www.kirkACU Theatre is perfoming Mark Twain’s “Is goodwinrun.com.

He Dead” at 7:30 p.m. at Fulks Theatre on Feb. 7-8, 14-15, 21-22.

Volunteer Opp0rtunities New Life Alliance is searching for tutors, Khan Academy coaches, junior acheivement teachers and volunteers for their upcoming Easter program. For more information, contact Ashley Parker at 325-672-1636 or aparker@ newlife-alliance.org.

The International Rescue Committee in Abilene needs your help in welcoming refugees to our community. We are seeking the following donations: hygiene and cleaning supplies, bed linen, towels and kitchen items (dishware, silverware, pots/pans etc). Donations are accepted Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2-4pm or by appointment.

Theirr office is located at 3303 North Third Street Suite D in Abilene, Texas. For more information contact MariePascale Manishimwe at 325-675-5643.

Treadaway Kids is looking for more students and volunteers to join the group. For more information, contact Carly Henderson at cah10a@acu.edu.

JUMP @ Abilene North Apartments is seeking students to asssist in teaching the Gospel to at-risk low-income children. Students must be avaliable to volunteer from 4 - 5:30 p.m. on Mondays. Service opportunity begins Jan. 27 and lasts until April. 28. For more information, contact Caroline Thompson at 281-782-2956 or crt12a@acu.edu.

Friends for Life is seeking volunteers to help with both elderly residents and independent living elderly. Nursing home service opportunities include visiting, playing games, reading to the blind and assisting in arts and crafts. Independent living service opportunities include mowing lawns, grocery shopping and changing light bulbs. To volunteer contact Cecilia Barahona at 325672-2635 or cecilia@friendsforlife.org.

The Noah Project is seeking volunteers to help with tasks such as answering phone calls, providing child care and doing maintenance and housekeeping. To volunteer call 325-676-7107.

Love and Care Ministries is looking for volunteers to help with sorting clothing, stocking their food pantry, assisting in prayers in their prayer room and serving food to the homeless. For more information call 325670-0246.

Volunteers are needed at the BCFS Abilene Transition Center for event planning and setup, assisting in teaching life skills classes, accompanying transport, visiting homes and/or assisting in construction of facilities for assisting in the betterment of male and female youth ages 15 - 25. This opportunity is open each morning Mondays through Fridays. Students interested must contact Johnny Nguyen at 325-6920033 or jnguyen@bcfs.net.

Meals on Wheels Plus needs volunteer drivers to deliver afternoon meals to seniors and adults with disabilities Monday - Friday between 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Drivers must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license. Training is provided. For more information contact Samantha Barker at 352-672-5050 or visit http://mealsonwheelsplus.com.

University Place is seeking volunteers to help with resident birthday parties for residents on the third Wednesday of each month at 2:30 p.m. For more information contact Linda Tijerina at 325-676-9946.

House of Faith is an organization that seeks to take Jesus to neighborhood children. Volunteers are needed to help with the various programs they do throughout the week. Backyard Bible studies are hosted Mondays and Wednesdays and a youth program takes place on Thursday evenings. The organization is seeking volunteers who can commit to a specific day a week.

House of Faith lasts from 3 - 5:30 p.m. To volunteer or gain more information contact Amy Jeffers at abj09a@ acu.edu or call 832-331-5324.

Rescue the Animals is seeking volunteers to work at the adoption center performing a variety of tasks, from playing with the animals to working in the office. For more information visit their website at http://www. rescuetheanimals.org/volunteer.

The Abilene Zoo is looking for volunteers to help with general labor such as grounds cleanup and painting any weekday at any time between 12 - 4 p.m. The Zoo is located at 2070 Zoo Ln. Contact Joy Harsh at 325-676-6487 for more information.

Breakfast on Beech Street is seeking volunteers to help set up, prepare and serve breakfast to homeless/lower income folks any Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday at 5:30 a.m. or Tuesdays at 5 a.m. B.O.B.S. is located at First Christian Church on 3rd St. and Beech St. Service times must be scheduled in advance. To serve on Mondays contact Jody Depriest at 325-669-3312 or jody.depriest@ gmail.com. To serve on Tuesdays contact Allen Daugherty at 325-660-6949 or ale.al@suddenlink. net. To serve on Wednesdays contact Jane Harvey at 325-695-0092 or jharvread@aol.com. To serve on Thursdays contact Margaret Beasley at 325-692-4149 or mbeasley5@suddenlink.net. To serve on Fridays contact Rachel Brown at rdb08a@acu.edu.

The Christian Service Center is seeking volunteers to help with filling requests for items such as clothing and bedding from the donation center, sort and organize donations and occasionally pick up donated items. Volunteers are needed every weekday and the first Saturday of each month between 9 - 12 p.m. and 1 - 4 p.m. For more information contact Roberta Brown at 325-673-7561 orrobertabrown51@hotmail. com. Visit http://www.uccabilene.org/ministries/csc. htm.

The National Center For Children’s Illustrated Literature is looking for volunteers to greet patrons, assist with art activities, sell books and make visitors feel welcome. Help is also needed for special events like Artwalk and exhibit openings. The NCCIL is located at 102 Cedar St. For more information on times and dates contact Debby Lillick at 325-673-4586 or visit http://www.nccil.org/index.htm.

Christian Homes & Family Services is seeking volunteers to do minor landscaping such as raking, trimming bushes, minor apartment repairs and general upkeep Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information contact Shaylee Honey at 325677-2205 or Shoney@ChristianHomes.com.

The International Rescue Committee is asking for Digital TV Converter Boxes to accompany several older televisions for refugees within Abilene. Drop offs are requested at the office located on 3303 N. 3rd Street, Suite D from 2 - 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesday. This is a helpful way to make a difference in the lives of refugees who recently resettled into the local community. For more information, contact Marie-Pascale Manishimwe at 325-675-5643.

The Food Bank of West Central Texas needs volunteers to help sort and stock food and other items any weekday Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

The Food Bank is located at 5505 N. 1st St. For more information contact Janice Serrault at 325-695-6311 or abfoodbk@camalott.com.

The Salvation Army is looking for volunteers for a variety of needs such as sorting and pricing items in the thrift store, helping in the kitchen and/or doing yard work. Times are flexible and volunteers are needed Monday - Saturday. The Salvation Army is located at 1726 Butternut St. For more information contact J.D. Alonzo at 325-677-1408 or visit www. satruck.com.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters offers two volunteer programs. Lunch Buddies pairs volunteers with a little brother or sister to have lunch with once a week for 30 minutes. Lunch Buddies has a preferred time of 10:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. The Community Based program pairs volunteers with a little brother or sister that they will hang out with two to four times a month. Both programs require committment to the program for 12 - 18 months. To sign up stop by the Big Brothers/Big Sisters office at 547 Chestnut St. or contact Randy Woods at 325-674-3102.

Christian Ministries Food Pantry needs volunteers to help with tasks such as cleaning up, stocking shelves and bagging flour. It is looking for students who can make a commitment of 1 - 3 hours a week. For more information contact Becky Almanza at 325-673-5295 or balmanza7@sbcglobal.net.

The Center for Contemporary Arts needs a gallery assistant to greet partons, answer phones and answer basic questions about the Center and its programs.

Volunteer opportunities are 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Tuesdays - Fridays. For more information contact Jennifer Parks at 325-677-8389 or jennifer@center-arts.com.

For additional volunteer opportunities visit: www. acu.edu/campusoffices/ccsl/ministry-service/volunteer-opportunities/

3

news

Wednesday 02.12.14

Mock interviews rescheduled to later date Micah Hermsdorf student reporter The Career Center was forced to reschedule its professional mock interviews last week because of the unexpected snow days.

These professional interviews have been moved to Feb. 21 for students who were signed up to participate in the event.

The ACU Career Center offers students mock interviews with professionals from the Abilene community at the beginning of every semester.

Jill Fortson, president of the Big Country Society of Human Resource Management, organized the event.

“It’s a really good way for us to partner with the

community and that’s why I’ve reached out to the professionals,” Fortson said.

Caley Johnson, a senior accounting major from Omaha, Neb., participated in the interview process last year.

“The interview was professional,” Johnson said. “It was conducted by a local HR manager at Hendrick, so I got asked real questions she used in interviews.”

The recruiters brought in are informed ahead of time of what industry the students are studying, said Fortson. This allows them to gear their questions towards that specific industry, creating a more authentic interviewing experience.

“I felt much more prepared. I think getting to

do a practice round of interviewing gave me confidence and a sense of ease when I interviewed for real later,” Johnson said.

“

tions I hadn’t considered before which helped me think of myself in different ways,” Johnson said.

“She gave me feedback on

I was more confident going into the real thing because I knew what to expect and how to respond to certain questions.”

Students are given a 30-minute time slot in which the professionals ask them questions. After the interview is conducted, students receive feedback from the interviewer on their attire, strengths and weaknesses, eye contact, first impression and how to improve.

“She asked a few ques-

daniel Weido senior biology pre-med major from sspring

strengths and weaknesses she noticed so I could keep up the strengths and improve on the weaknesses when I interviewed for real.”

Daniel Weido, a senior biology pre-med major from Spring, has also been through the process and said his experience gave him confidence in his real

job interview because of the feedback he received.

“I was more confident going into the real thing because I knew what to expect and how to respond to certain questions,” Weido said. “These tips and the process helped me have a successful interview and get the job.”

Some students who have gone through the process have not only gained interview experience, but have also been offered an actual job.

It’s great practice, but also a good way to network with human resource professionals in the area, Fortson said.

“By doing the mock interview with a potential employer, you may get an opportunity as well,” she said.

While the Career Center offers mock interviews year-round, the interviews with professionals in the community are only offered at one time during the semester. However, because of the snow days, students have had their interviews postponed.

The original event was completely booked, but now the Career Center has opened up more time slots Feb. 21 for those on the waiting list and any others who are interested in signing up.

Fortson encourages students to take advantage of this opportunity.

“It’s a simple way to get experience,” she said.

contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Hendrick hospital runs low on O- blood Matthew Sloan sports director The Hendrick Medical Center is running low on O-negative blood.

“Right now we are trying to get caught up with our O-negative blood,” donor recruiter Frances Baker said. “Because of the weather, we have had to cancel several blood donations. Right now, I would say all of our blood

supplies are marginal.”

With the weather set to get better as the week goes on, Hendrick and other hospitals in the area are counting on the recent blood drive to help them restock their blood supplies.

“We have blood drives scheduled already, all the way through March,” Baker said. “We are always in need of blood, so [today’s] blood drive will be important for us. We are always

looking for more donors and more people willing to give blood. We are hoping to get one hundred more units [today], which could save two hundred lives. Each blood donation is separated into white blood cells and plasma, so each donation can save two lives.”

Being low on blood creates several problems within the hospital that can be difficult to solve.

“O-negative blood is

the universal donor so being short on that type of blood can impact lots of people needing blood,” Hendrick nurse Megan Gwin said.

The need for blood is constant in the Abilene area, so it is difficult to get ahead and have enough blood to stop pushing donations.

“We try and make sure we always have a bloodmobile running,” Baker said. “We are also very de-

pendent on colleges and universities in our area in order to get the blood we need.”

Baker is the donor recruiter for Hendrick hospital and 16 other hospitals in the area.

With several colleges in the Abilene area, colleges hope that students will step up and help them handle the shortage by giving their time and blood.

“A lot of college stu-

dents are not in a position to help with charities because they are not financially able,” Baker said. “But donating blood does not cost anything and it only takes 45 minutes. Students can donate blood six times a year, and by taking their time to give blood, they are giving someone else more time.” contact sloan at mes10b@acu.edu

Second Chance Dance to establish tradition Emily Seidel student reporter The Student Social Work Association will begin building a tradition this month by conducting its second annual Second Chance Dance at 7 p.m. on Feb. 28 in Bennett Gym. The SSWA is a group of social work majors whose goal is to spread awareness of social justice issues like domestic violence and child welfare. While the group has several small fundraisers throughout the year, the Second Chance Dance is the only big event it organizes to raise money and awareness.

The upcoming charity dance will benefit members of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklah. Most members of the nation are on government assistance, meaning they are provided with food and appliances. However, there is a gap in funding for hygienic products. The admission price to attend the dance is one toiletry item, such as soap, toothpaste or deodorant that is difficult to buy on a small budget.

All toiletry items donated at the dance go to those in poverty within the nation as well as victims of domestic violence.

This will be the second Second Chance Dance.

It is becoming an annual

event at ACU, welcoming students, faculty and staff into Bennett in the name of charity.

The event’s Facebook page says “second chances” is the idea that came to the SSWA when they realized that members of the Chickasaw Nation needed help getting a second chance themselves. To incorporate it in a fun way, they decided to make the dance a spin-off of prom night. Students are encouraged to wear their old clothes or purchase cheesy, old-fashioned prom outfits from thrift shops.

Most of the dance’s decorations were purchased from thrift shops as well.

The SSWA will partner

with Hill Resources, an Abilene-based agency that serves the developmentally challenged population. The organization will send a few buses full of its patients to enjoy the dance.

More than 130 students attended last year’s dance along with 40 clients of Hill Resources. More than 300 toiletry items were collected to donate to the Chickasaw Nation’s family resource center.

SSWA member Natalie Giroir said this year’s attendance, and hopefully donations, are expected to be higher. Giroir, who is in charge of the music for the event, also said the SSWA hopes to partner with the

Boat: Art professor builds skiff from page 1 Rama was taught how to build every part of the boat by hand using only traditional methods.

Boards were cut by saw and bent into the proper shape using clamps and physical strength. They were not allowed to use steam to bend the wood.

He used a plane to carve a round mast from a square part of wood.

Rama’s construction was not all smooth sail-

ing. He recalls that at least two boards snapped while he was bending them, and he had to carve a second mast because the first one was crooked.

Rama said after two weeks of working on the boat, his instructor told him no one had completed a boat within the amount of time Rama wanted to: three months.

“I am not leaving Maine without sailing this boat,” he said.

Rama said this obstacle gave him more motivation. Building the boat had gone from learning the process to becoming a personal challenge to complete his boat.

Rama said it was “me against the boat” and admits his unwillingness to give up was partly stubbornness and partly a challenge.

He completed the boat in 52 days – a record for the school. Rama sailed

Budget: Congress mandates groups money from page 1 several Congress members debated that not all clubs had a chance to argue for more funds.

The organization that fought most for more funding was the ACU cycling team. Congress tried three times to pass an amendment to allow the team a chance to invest in jerseys with the new Wildcat logo.

On the third attempt, $150 was taken from the soc-

cer club team’s budget and given to the cycling team for new jerseys. The amendment was passed unanimously.

Other organizations that tried to receive more funding failed. SHADES Step Squad captain Diamond Cobb, sophomore management major from Los Angeles, made several attempts to ask Congress for funding to invest in new shoes.

“In SHADES we step,

and if we don’t have proper shoes we can get injured,” Cobb said. “Shin Splits are not fun.”

Each amendment that was made for the dance squad failed. International student association decided to give SHADES $65 to go toward new shoes.

contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Thefts: University sees increase in reports from page 1 walk off and leave their laptop sitting on the table,” Ellison said.

Another factor to consider in the rise in thefts is the hopeful increase in students taking initiative to report to ACUPD when something is amiss.

“Maybe we had under-

reporting last year and this year people are stepping up and making reports. Maybe people are more confident in the police so they’re more apt to file a report,” Ellison said.

Residence assistants and dorm residents should watch out for anything suspicious and file a report immediately if necessary.

“Report suspicious activity, if you see unusual people you don’t think belong in the hall, report that to ACU police immediately,” Ellison said.

contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Wish I twice in Maine before returning to Abilene with the boat.

When asked what he planned to do with his boat, Rama said: “I plan to sail Wish I as much as possible.”

contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Swing Cats again this year, an ACU dance group that helped co-sponsor the inaugural event in 2013.

The partnership between SSWA and the Chickasaw Nation continues over spring break in March. Ten students will visit the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma and stay with host families.

This trip will allow students a hands-on experience in the field of social work.

They will work directly with Chickasaw Nation staff to learn about its culture and the responsibilities of being a social worker.

Giroir said the SSWA would be grateful for any volunteers to help with decorating or other organi-

zational tasks for the dance.

She also said they will take monetary donations as well as toiletry items, but the best way to contribute would be to come to the dance.

“It’s unlike any other dance you’ve ever been to,” Giroir said. “Especially with the Hill Resources patients there, who come and have a really good time. You’ll have the chance to interact with some really special people.”

contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

features

Friday 02.12.14

4

ATCHLEY photo by mandy lambright

2014 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year

Gabi Powell

|

features editor

R

@RickAtchley

1975 1978

Top left: Terry Scruggs and Rick Atchley, ‘78 Sherrod Scholars Top right: ‘76 Moonie Homecoming float, Atchley third row, third from right.

Middle right:’78 Student Association Senate, Atchley second right.

Bottom left: Suzy Hooten and Rick Atchley, ‘78 Honor Boy and Girl.

Bottom right: Rick Atchley’s ‘76 yearbook portrait.

ick Atchley (’78) should be a difficult man to get a hold of.

With 25 years under his minister belt at The Hills Church of Christ in North Richland Hills, two books written and guestspeaking appointments across the country, his schedule leaves little time for chit-chat.

But despite this prominence in the ministry realm, Atchley responds to emails within an hour of their sending, promptly returns missed phone calls and is a tweeting fiend, daily sharing his wise words and favorite foods (pizza, for the record) to chew on.

This sort of accessibility is an Atchley-classic, contributing to how a single congregation has expanded to three campuses totaling 6,000 members, plus as many as 10,000 tuning in to the internet-streamed sermons and podcasts. It is the same casual, yet captivating character that has earned him the honor as ACU’s 2014 Outstanding Alumnus of The Year.

Rick is married to ACU alum Jaimie (’81), and together they have three children, James, Morgan (‘12) and Matt, a sophomore accounting major at ACU. “My dad has been doing amazing things for the Kingdom of God for a very long time,” Matt said.

“He is truly outstanding at everything he does in the workplace and especially as a dad. I would say it is very evident that God has had His hand on my dad for a very long time.”

For Matt, who was used to a father Sunday duty, coming to college and swapping churches took some getting used to.

“It was actually really weird for me to go to a church where my dad wasn’t the preacher,” Matt said. “I grew up always talking about the church and what the sermon was going to be the next week with my dad, so it was definitely an odd change.”

With Atchley as preacher, churchgoers forget all about Sunday night football when he reaches the pulpit.

“Rick stands out to me as a preacher in the way that he engages his audience,” said Brock New, senior communications major from Fort Worth. “He reveals his personal struggles within the context of his lessons.”

But also, “he has great preacher jokes,” New said.

The minister is notorious for his intentional choice of words.

“Every sermon is full of alliterations, chiasmus and puns,” said Madeline Orr, junior convergence journalism major from North Richland Hills.

“When I was little, I thought that all sermons required a certain of amount of cleverness like his.”

Atchley is attention-grabbing, but equally unapologetic when it comes to tackling challenging topics.

“Rick is never sugar-coating Christianity,” said Riley Thannum, junior elementary education major from North Richland Hills. “He doesn’t hold back on the hard stuff. He is very straightforward on how he believes Christians are called to live, and being that way challenges the people of the church.”

Thannum, New and Orr are only a few of many ACU students who call The Hills their “home church,” growing up with Atchley as a minister, as well as a mentor.

“When I was younger, I think I took Rick’s talent for granted,” Orr said. “When I visited other churches, I was always taken aback by how fortunate I was to get to listen to him every Sunday.”

But Atchley goes beyond once-a-week sermons, focusing on the bigger-ticket target: expanding the Kingdom.

“He constantly reminds the church of our vision and our purpose and I think that has been important in a growth speak process that can be difficult for many churches,” Orr said.

This is perhaps why Atchley was invited to address students during ACU’s opening Chapel last fall and then spoke to faculty afterward. He was brought in as outside council in how the university should approach the issue of its faculty-hiring policy.

“It is here I learned the mission of God was bigger than our traditions,” Atchley told faculty.

“It is here I learned the Kingdom of God was big-

ger than our tribe. This school taught me to read the Bible and to preach the Gospel in a way that destroys sectarian loyalty. We are reaping what we, I think, rightly have sown for decades: a more robust, a more biblical, a more gracious, a more Christ-exalting way to understand scripture.”

His progressive view has changed the game of ministry, paving the way for the next crop of preachers, such as Highland Church of Christ’s Jonathan Storment.

In a blog post thanking Atchley for his example and personal involvment, Storment wrote he was first wowed by Atchley’s gift.

“I heard you preach for the first time and thought, ‘This guy’s got some game,’” Storment said.

Storment credits Atchley for teaching him how to pastor, having worked down the hall from Atchley for eight years at The Hills before coming to Abilene.

“Rick taught me how to love a church, not just to preach to one,” Storment said in an interview.

“I got a first-hand view of how he made time for people who needed it the most, whether it’s at the foot of a hospital bed or at his desk for counseling.”

When Rick preaches, Storment said, he’s not just preaching to the ambiguous masses, but rather, for the people he knows and loves.

“I’d be honored if my life and ministry was half that of yours,” his post closed.

Atchley’s ability to relate to the next generation has made his influence widespread, geographically and generationally.

It is that same accessible nature that makes it easy for others to imagine just who Rick Atchley was during his own student days.

“I have thought about this before,” New said.

“It’s obvious that he was a studious type. But I imagine Rick with a sidekick like Max Lucado.

They had to have gotten into some type of trouble.

I also see him as that guy in the Gardner lobby playing guitar, trying to woo the women. Think John Denver minus the drugs and plane crash.”

Many found his social club membership in Galaxy the most striking element on his ACU resume.

“I find it very amusing that he was a Moonie. I wouldn’t have guessed that,” Thannum said.

“He probably was constantly in the library,” said Karlie Hatchett, a senior communications major from Fort Worth. ”But, he was enough of a ladies’ man to land his precious wife, so that Moonie smile must be good for something.”

“As a college student, I assume that Rick was 100 percent, stereotypical Moonie,” Orr said. “As a member of Galaxy, I would like to think he gave some of the best inspiration Sing Song or intramural speeches their club has ever had.”

“My best bet is that he ate a lot of pizza, and prayed very hard that he could convince Jaimie Lyda to marry him,” Storment said.

On Sunday, Atchley will be presented with the acclaimed award at the Alumni Day Luncheon.

Ballots are open for anyone to submit a nomination, garnering a sea of nominees each year. Atchley was selected from the score of candidates submitted to the ACU Alumni Advisory Board.

“A variety of discussion, meetings and prayer go into narrowing down the large number of candidates every year,” said Craig Fisher, director of Alumni Relations.

“I’ve seen Rick up-close, as a personal friend and on a national, global level,” he said. “The impact he has made uniting churches and on Christians around the world is phenomenal. He is such a deserving recipient of this award.”

But Atchley would disagree.

“I don’t feel deserving,” he said. “I love what I do, and I feel called to do what I do, and I feel it’s important – but I don’t feel I do what I do any more faithfully than hundreds of graduates from ACU. I’m thankful my alma mater feels that what people like me do is successful, too.”

But even with a flood of success and influence, Atchley’s character makes it clear his career is his calling, and being named “outstanding” won’t make him any less Kingdom-pursuing or any less Twitter-present.

contact powell gmp10b@acu.edu

5

Opinion

Wednesday 02.12.14

editorial

Rowling says ‘J.K.’ about ‘Harry Potter’ the issue J.K. Rowling shocked Harry Potter fans by admitting she made a mistake when pairing the characters.

our take When an author creates a story that has meaning to so many people, admitting the ending is wrong is irresponsible.

With seven novels written in 10 years and nearly 50 million copies sold, J.K. Rowling has acquired quite the following. Rarely has a book series inspired such devotion, nerdiness and obsession as Harry Potter.

However, in a recent interview, Rowling confessed she made a mistake in her best-selling

books: She should have paired Hermione Granger with Harry, not Ron Weasley. Rowling said it wasn’t a “credible” relationship.

Some fans, who have probably written Harry and Hermione fan fiction for the past five years, felt vindicated. They always knew this was true, but it felt nice for Rowling to

admit it in public.

Other fans had never felt so completely betrayed in their entire lives. Ron had always lived in Harry’s shadow, why take away the love of his life, too?

Whether elated or betrayed, fans should agree on one thing – it was irresponsible for Rowling to make this confession.

Yes, Rowling created the story. Yes, she owns full creative rights to it.

But she also has a responsibility to her readers that she disregarded when she announced the story was incorrect.

A book doesn’t end once

the author publishes it. It’s given to the readers who make the story their own.

They apply their individual lives to the story. They imagine lives for the characters outside of the book. It belongs in part to them, now.

What would happen if we found a letter from William Shakespeare confessing it made more sense for Romeo and Juliet to live happily ever after? We would reject the revelation because of how assimilated this story has become in our lives. We feel as though we have become owners of it.

If most authors made a

DAILY doodle dosage

confession such as Rowling’s, no one would care.

What J.K. Rowling said is newsworthy because the cultural phenomenon she created has become so large that people actually care about what comes out of her mouth, even after the fact. But, arguably, this means she has a larger responsibility to her fans to respect what the story means to them.

In all honesty, what author or painter or musician wouldn’t go back and change something about her work? But an important part of being successful is learning when to let go.

Ben Todd

Yes, the Harry Potter series is Rowling’s baby, but there’s a reason overbearing mothers make us feel very uncomfortable, especially when the children grows up and enter the real world, like college. There’s something admirable and courageous about letting a work stand as it is, allowing it to have a life of it’s own.

So, to J.K. Rowling, enough is enough. It’s time to let go and let the readers have Harry Potter. contact The Optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Column

CVS is close, but no cigar THE ORRACLE MADELINE ORR MANAGING EDITOR

Last week, CVS Caremark announced it will stop selling cigarettes and tobacco products in its stores by October. The chain estimates it will lose more than $2 billion in revenue from tobacco users annually.

That’s a huge loss for the sake of keeping people healthy.

But according to CVS CEO Larry Merlo, the monetary loss does not mean it wasn’t the right decision.

“Put simply, the sale of tobacco products is inconsistent with our purpose,” he said in a statement.

Taking a drastic action in the name of what you believe in is an honorable move (if not brilliant PR strategy). But does being a healthier company mean it should also stop selling alcohol? Sugar? Saturated fats? Or any of the numerous vices that people will buy regardless of the consequences to their health?

Making a product unavailable doesn’t stop consumers from buying it. When the U.S. ratified the 18th amendment in 1920, it prohibited the manufacturing, transportation and sale of alcohol.

But it didn’t successfully stop people from drinking alcohol. It actually just increased the number of closet drinkers and average citizens who were breaking the law.

Granted, the 1920 U.S. government wasn’t a pharmacy chain that wanted to promote good health. And CVS’s deci-

Column

‘The Lego Movie’ is worth the hype DAILY DOODLE DOSAGE BEN TODD CARTOONIST

I was already giddy to see The Lego Movie, but even I didn’t expect it to get a 95 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. I had to see it right away, and found that it was a well-deserved score.

With witty humor and colorful visuals, it will entertain, and will not disappoint, especially if you played with Legos when you were younger (then again, who has never played with Legos as a kid?). Seriously, I don’t care how old you are, or who you’re with, or what reputation you’re trying to uphold.

This movie is awesome and deserves your attention.

The story follows a generic, normal, yellow minifigure named Emmet. After being told he is the chosen one, he gets thrown into a crazy adventure and meets all sorts of characters (personally, I love Batman, but even he wasn’t even the best part). Honestly, the less you know about it, the more fun this is going to be.

You should be buying your ticket right now.

Visually, The Lego Movie is extremely colorful, com-

plete with a busy metropolis, vast oceans, the Wild West and so many other locations.

And here’s the kicker, literally everything is made of bricks: explosions, water, smoke, vehicles, buildings, everything in that movie looks like it can be recreated with actual Legos. The animators must have had a crazy-load of fun designing the Lego universe. Who knew simple bricks could show so much?

The story is simple but it’s paced so well that I wasn’t bothered at all. I saw some deeper meanings and social commentaries that are sure to entertain the older generation, but even the older generation will laugh out loud at the witty jokes, the slapsticks and the hilarious details in the background. This movie can be

watched multiple times and you will see something new.

Did I also mention that you are going to want to quote this movie just as much as you did Frozen?

A small side-confession: I might have cried at the end…*sniff*. Why did I care so much about a generic Lego figure?

The Lego Movie is worth your time and money and I would gladly see it again.

I sincerely hope that by now you are sitting in the theatre watching the ads, eating popcorn, ready to watch this incredible movie. I’ll leave you to do that.

Just remember: “SPACESHIP!” contact Todd at bat12A@acu.edu

“

Making a product unavailable doesn’t stop consumers from buying it.”

sion wasn’t necessarily intended to stop smoking everywhere. But when it comes to addictive substances, whether it’s nicotine or Diet Coke, healthy choices have to be made out of one’s sheer will and self-discipline. An inconvenient unavailability isn’t enough to hold off a serious addiction for long.

Whatever it is we need to cut back on, the government can’t do it for us.

Neither can CVS or any pharmacy that follows in its footsteps. They will try. They’ve made plenty of substances illegal, and some states have even tried to regulate our soda cup sizes. But that’s why drug cartels and McDonald’s alike are profiting from our cravings. Because when it’s truly an addiction, we will always find a way to feed it.

And for all you cancer stick lovers out there, thankfully they opened that new Walgreen’s on Judge Ely last year. contact ORR at MCO10B@acu.edu

hashtagACU Feb. 10 8:50 a.m.

Feb. 10 8:55 a.m.

Feb. 10 10:05 a.m.

*sees guy slip and fall on the ice* *laughs* *slips and falls on the ice* *cries* #monday

@MVPatty10

Feb. 10 8:45 a.m.

I feel like Bambi on all this ice today. Except not nearly as cute... #morelikepathetic

@adrianpatnod

Feb. 10 9:02 a.m.

This weather is not made for people such as myself. #clumsy #tryingnottobustmyface

@Alainaw1992

Feb. 10 8:41 a.m.

I use the same caution walking on the ice as I did with the crickets. #acuprobs

@amy_wallenborn

Feb. 10 8:55 a.m.

This ice is like Satan. #deceiving

@kirby_nicole

Feb. 10 7:59 a.m.

Feb. 10 11:30 a.m.

@sydneycherie

editorial and Letter Policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist and may not necessarily reflect the views of the university or its administration.

Signed columns, cartoons and letters are the opinions of their creators and may not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Optimist or the university.

The Optimist encourages reader response through letters to the editor but reserves the right to limit frequent contributors or to refuse to print letters containing

personal attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous information or invasion of privacy. Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer. A name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Phone numbers will not be published.

published by the department of journalism and mass communication editorial and management board

@ninjagirl52

Feb. 10 8:50 a.m.

Feels like I’m in the Hunger Games or something with this deadly stuff that looks like water but is acutally ice.

@SamanthaSharp12 Feb. 10 10:47 a.m.

Feb. 10 11:18 a.m.

So I slipped and fell down the front stairs in front of Mckenzie dorm this morning. Don’t worry my MacBook braced my fall. #ice #monday

Slips on ice. Only one person around. Makes comment about ice to make it less embaressing.

Person says nothing.

@EmilyJDixon

@Tannerson24

So me & another guy are walking out of Zellner, we both step at the exact same time & slip on the ice perfectly synchronized #mostepicfail

@ryne_parrish

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Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79609 E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu

Was so close to eating concrete this morning for breakfast because of hidden ice spots on campus.

Oh hey Monday.

@amyyynicole

There are few things as humiliating as slipping on the ice while walking to class... At least my coffee made it through the ordeal.

TxDOT says avoid driving until conditions improve.

ACU says nah we’re having class. #iceyroads #driving #idontlikethis @overheardACU

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sports

wednesday 02.12.14

Grand Slam spoils chance of sweep collin wieder assistant sports editor The ACU softball team went 1-1 in a frigid doubleheader this past Sunday against the Texas Lutheran University Bulldogs.

The first game showcased an offensive frenzy by both teams with the wildcats coming out on top late with a 10-7 win. The second game featured a pitching duel with a wild finish and a bulldog win 4-3.

Seniors Lyndi Smith and Madison Buckley led the way for the Wildcats offensively.

Smith went 3-or-4 with four RBIs and Buckley added two more runs for the ‘Cats in the first game.

Pitcher Emily Seidel came away with the win with 1.1 innings of work. Peyton Mosley put in the most work with 3.0 innings pitched allowing three earned runs.

Head Coach Bobby Reeves was happy with the work his pitchers put in after two cold, tough performances.

“Peyton threw well the first game, we struggled a little bit

have the game in hand early taking an 8-1 lead after two innings. The Bulldogs would come back with six unanswered runs over the next four innings to make it an 8-7 wildcat lead.

The bottom of the sixth inning would decide the game as Lyndi Smith singled to bring in two runs. The Wildcat pitching would shutout the Bulldogs in the top of the seventh to win the first game.

A pitching duel occurred in the second game with a wild finish ending in the bulldogs’ hitting a grand slam in the sixth. It proved to be the deciding score of the second game leading to a bulldog win.

True freshman Hannah Null pitched a two-hit shutout for five innings and seemed to win the game for the wildcats. Peyton Mosley came in to relieve Null but allowed a bases loaded situafile photo tion, causing Coach Reeves to bring Null back to the mound.

Senior outfielder Madison Buckley warms up before the Null would proceed to give up game on Sunday. the grand slam to Ashley Jabut that’s ok,” Coach Reeves - no it’s cold and it’s the first cobsen in the sixth to seal the said. “Did I expect three aces game of the year.” win for the Bulldogs. to come out and throw today The Wildcats seemed to Hannah Null’s first ap-

pearance started well but ended on a tough note allowing a grand slam.

“I think I started out pretty well and maybe towards the end I kind of put it out,” Null said. “I think I did better than I expected with the nerves.”

Madison Buckley led the Wildcats offensively. She led the team in runs with three and went 3-for-7 at the plate.

“As a leadoff hitter the best way to get on base is anyway possible,” Buckley said. “It means being aggressive in the pitch count and looking for strikes ahead of time.”

A season opening sweep was spoiled, but Coach Reeves thought the two games went well.

“I thought they played well, we out hit them,” Reeves said. “I take my hat off to Texas Lutheran they hung around and did what they needed to do to win the second game.”

ACU softball will return to the diamond this Friday Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. against Oklahoma Christian University. contact wieder at cpw11a@acu.edu

Late three sinks Wildcats Daniel Zepeda Sports editor The Wildcats battled in the second half to reclaim the lead, only to have it taken away by a Texas A&M Corpus Christi three-point field goal with less than five seconds left to steal the victory in Moody Coliseum on Saturday.

ACU inbounded the ball with 4.89 seconds left to junior guard Julian Edmonson who then drove the ball down the court to attempt a layup, only to be called for a charge with less than a second to play, finalizing the Wildcats’ loss, 71-69.

The loss leaves ACU at 8-16 and 2-8 in conference.

TAM-CC is now 11-14 and 8-4 in the Southland Conference.

“You have to trust the official to make the call and we just didn’t get the call to go our way this time,” head coach Joe Golding said. “We got the call against Central Arkansas on Parker’s (Wentz) goaltending call, but we just didn’t get it today.”

The Wildcats spent the majority of the second half playing catch up, as TAM-CC opened up the half on a 12-3 run and would later lead by double digits with less than 13 minutes to play.

ACU fought back with tough perimeter defense and timely three-point makes, as they cut the score to a onepossession game with five minutes left.

Edmonson converted back-to-back three-point field goals to put the home squad up by one. With one minute left on the clock, Edmonson was fouled driving to the basket, only to miss both free-throw attempts, leaving the game tied 68-68. Sophomore forward Riley Payne was later fouled, and converted one of two free throws to give ACU a 69-68 lead with 35 seconds left to play.

The Islanders would take the ball and convert on a corner three to take the lead for good.

“These guys are out there fighting,” Golding said.

“They’re playing hard, they’re playing tough, they’re bought in and everyone is show-

6

standings Men’s basketball

Team

Div.

Ovrl

SFA SHSU TAMU-CC Nicholls St. NSU UIW ORU NO MSU SELU UCA ACU Lamar HBU

11-0 9-2 8-4 7-4 7-4 6-4 6-5 6-5 5-6 4-7 3-8 2-8 2-9 1-11

22-2 17-6 11-14 10-10 11-11 18-5 7-14 12-12 9-10 7-16 9-13 8-16 3-20 4-20

woMen’s basketball

Team

Div.

Ovrl

UCA Lamar SFA Nicholls St. MSU NSU ORU HBU SELU SHSU ACU TAMU-CC UIW NO

9-2 8-3 7-4 7-4 6-5 6-5 6-5 6-6 5-5 5-6 4-5 5-7 2-8 0-11

15-7 13-9 13-10 12-10 13-9 13-10 7-14 10-13 6-16 10-12 13-11 12-11 8-14 0-22

Who’s Hot Senior catcher Lyndi Smith had a good start to the season against Texas Lutheran. During their double header, she went 4-8 with a double, home run, scored twice and drove in five runs.

briefings Becuase of weather conditions, softball’s game against Texas A&M Prairie View will be played in Prairie View, instead of Abilene as originally scheduled.

The Harlem Globetrotters 2014 World Tour is scheduled to come to ACU on Feb. 19. Tickets are still available and start at $22. Visit ACU sports website for more information.

Football head coach Ken Collums announced Wednesday the addition of 29 new players on National Signing Day for the 2014 season.

Sophomore guard Parker Wentz was named to the Capital One Academic AllDistrict 7 men’s basketball team on Thursday, Jan. 30.

paige otway Staff Photographer

Sophomore forward Austin Cooke attempts a three-point field goal in the first half against Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Saturday. Cooke was 4-7 from beyond the arc in the first half. ing up. That’s a darn good team in Corpus and our guys wouldn’t quit.”

ACU led at halftime 35-29, after TAM-CC junior guard John Jordan sank a three at the buzzer to cut the lead to six. The Wildcats shot the ball with great efficiency out of the gate, leading the Islanders 20-4 with 12 minutes left in the first half, securing their largest lead of the game.

“The ball was moving, we were hitting the open shots, and I think we played great defense,” Edmonson said.

“We fought back as they took the lead and one thing that our coach always tells us is we have to have toughness.”

The Islanders struggled early on, while the Wildcats shot over 50 percent for the first half and converted four of their first five three-point attempts. Sophomore forward Austin Cooke had 12 points in the first half, all coming off three-point field goals.

Edmonson led ACU scorers with 18 points, all coming in the second half. Cooke

and sophomore guard Parker Wentz each finished the game with 14 points a piece.

ACU shot 55 percent on the afternoon, and were an even 7-14 from beyond the arc.

“I had kind of a bad first half and my coaches told me I had to wake up, so I just tried to come out in the second half aggressive and help my team in any way I could,” Edmonson said.

TAM-CC was led by Jordan, who recorded a near triple-double with 20 points, nine assists and eight re-

bounds.

Freshman forward Rashawn Thomas also had 20 points on a perfect 7-7 shooting night with six rebounds.

As a team, the Islanders shot 58 percent but were only 2-13 from three-point attempts.

The Wildcats will travel to San Antonio to take on Incarnate Word on Thursday. The game will be aired on ESPN3.

Follow @OptimistSports on Twitter for the latest ACU sports news.

Upcoming Women’s basketball hits the road to play Incarnate Word at 5:30 p.m. in San Antonio on Thursday. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN3 and can be heard locally on 98.1 FM.

Men’s basektball will play Incarnate Word contact zepeda at after the conclusion djz11a@acu.edu of the women’s game. Their game is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. and will also be aired through ESPN3 and can be heard on and still almost claimed a vic- games. We are really compet- margin of defeat is frustrat- Dimba and Sydney Shelstead 98.1 FM.

ACU outlasted by the HBU Huskies reese gwin sports reporter The ACU women’s basketball team suffered another close loss on Saturday to the Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders.

The Wildcats were coming off an 82-70 victory over Houston Baptist two days earlier but could not maintain the winning momentum.

ACU had a strong first half in front of the “pinked out” crowd. They entered the locker room only trailing by one at halftime, but the Islanders opened the second half with a 7-0 run.

The ’Cats had to play catch-up the rest of the way

tory. With the Wildcats only trailing by two, freshman forward Lizzy Dimba grabbed an offensive rebound with five seconds left and was immediately fouled.

She hit her first free throw to make it a one-point game but missed the second one for a tie. The Islanders secured the rebounded and then iced the game with two free throws on the other end.

“It’s a good learning opportunity for our young team to understand that every possession is important,” head coach Julie Goodenough said. “We just can’t take possessions off because we have proven to be in all of these Southland Conference

ing even for our first year.”

The 74-71 loss marks ACU’s fifth defeat in seven games. It is also their fifth loss decided by only two possessions.

“There are no moral victories for us,” Goodenough said.

The coaching staff have continued to preach and the players have showed nothing but hard work and intense effort.

“I think after a game like that we just have to keep working hard,” Senior Renata Marquez said.

In their first season in Div. I, ups and downs were expected for the Wildcat team, but the consistently slim

ing. Entire games boil down to minute fundamentals such as rebounds and free throws.

ACU shot only 60.7 percent from behind charity stripe on Saturday – a stat that could have easily changed the game.

The Islanders, on the other hand, capitalized on such details shooting 64 percent from the free throw line and 53 percent from behind the arc. Senior Jasmine Shaw stole the show, however, scoring a game-high of 26 points.

The feat earned her Southland Conference women’s basketball player of the week.

The ’Cats were led in the scoring column by Marquez with 17 points. Freshman Suzzy

both added ten points.

ACU will get a chance to redeem themselves on national television on Thursday in San Antonio against University of the Incarnate Word.

The ESPN3 match-up features two Lone Star Conference teams that have made the jump to Div. I. The teams split the two game series last season with each taking a win on their home court.

The ’Cats will look to add to their perfect ESPN track record following their Jan. 25 victory over Sam Houston State. contact gwin at erg13b@acu.edu

Baseball starts its 2014 campaign against Arlington Baptist College at 4 p.m. at Crutcher Scott Field on Friday. The game can be heard on 102.7 FM. Softball will host Oklahoma Christian University at 6 p.m. on Friday.

Track and Field will compete in the Husky Classic in Seattle, Wash. and the Red Raider Open in Lubbock this Friday.