The Optimist Print Edition 10.25.17

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Why we think most students and alumni leave during the third quarter of the Homecoming game Page 5

SPORTS

Wednesday, October 25, 2017 Vol. 106, Issue 10

A student publication of Abilene Christian University since 1912

WILDCATS FALL IN HOMECOMING GAME Page 6

FALL BREAK?

HALEY REMENAR EDITOR IN CHIEF Matthew Williams, junior computer science major from Oak Park, California, watches the Wildcats play at the Homecoming game.

CALENDAR 10/25 •

Senior registration

10/26 •

ACU Feminists Wonder Woman watch party at 5:45 p.m.

10/27 •

Fall Break

•

Junior registration

•

Halloween

•

Frankenstein Cover2Cover reading at 10 a.m.

SALT Trick or Feed with Meals on Wheels at 5:30 p.m.

Civic Orchestra Halloween concert at 7:30 p.m.

10/30

10/31

• •

BOX OFFICE OCTOBER 20-22 1. Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! A Madea Halloween $21,226,953 2. Geostorm

$13,707,376

3. Happy Death Day

$9,363,415 4. Blade Runner 2049 $7,353,151 5. Only the Brave

$6,002,665

6

DAYS UNTIL

HALLOWEEN FEATURE

Coffee duo to pour final cups at craft fair

BY HALEY REMENAR EDITOR IN CHIEF

The owners of Pour Man’s Coffee will serve at one last event before shutting down their year-and-a-half-old business.

Recent graduates Daniel Sotelo and David Neill had planned to open a brickand-mortar coffee shop on Campus Court by September at the location of former Bitsy’s Flower Shop.

However, life circumstances changed for both men during the summer and they encountered aspects of business they had not expected, Neill said.

“We had learned a lot of great things, and we had a lot of fun doing it,” Neill said. “But here in Abilene it was never going to be

something that was gonna go full time.”

The two men decided to end the business and will serve pour-over coffee at one last event on Dec. 9 at the People Party Productions Craft Fair. Neill said the event will be a good way to close the business because they started the stand at the same event in May 2016.

“Setting out, we just wanted to do something different and maybe bring a different coffee philosophy,” Neill said. “We think that we’ve done that.”

Pour Man’s Coffee was known for serving black coffee brewed by micro-roasters with no cream, sugar or syrup. Neill said Beltway Coffee Co. and

Nicki’s Swirl Shoppe started selling coffee brewed by micro-roasters in the same ways Pour Mans had, so he thinks Abilene still has other places to find the kind of coffee philosophy Pour Man’s promoted.

In the spring, Neill and Sotelo worked out a deal to open a shop on Campus Court. Building owners Harley Burnett and real estate agent Alex Whitten would allow them to rent the space and would partner in renovations and other aspects of the business. Neill did not disclose what will happen to the 4,000-square-foot building – the only property on Campus Court not owned by the university.

Neill said the university

LAUREN FRANCO CONTENT MANAGING EDITOR

Daniel Sotelo and David Neill serve coffee at CEO Chapel in January. provided support for the business and they were mentored by Dr. Gary McCaleb, vice president of the university, Mayor Anthony Williams, advancement and executive community relations offi-

cer, and Craig Fisher, assistant vice president for alumni relations and university relations.

HRR13B@ACU.EDU

Dozens join Leipzig mayor for villa opening

BY EVAN RODRIGUEZ WEB EDITOR

The university officially opened its newly purchased Study Abroad location in Leipzig on Tuesday evening.

The Leipzig villa is the first international property the university has purchased for Study Abroad purposes.

The grand opening was attended by Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, Dr. Robert Rhodes, provost, and Stephen Shewmaker, executive director of the Center for International Education.

All three addressed Study Abroad students visiting from ACU Oxford as well as visiting faculty and board

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ACU WEBSITE

Villa in Leipzig to host future study abroad students. members. In addition, attendees also got to hear from the mayor of Leipzig, Burkhard Jung, and U.S. consul general Timothy Eydelnant.

Hannah Bowling, sophomore ministry and vocation and English major from Missouri City, attended the event with the rest of her

Study Abroad group.

“It was a lovely time of visiting with familiar faces of faculty and staff on campus, as well as interacting with members of the board,” she said.

The villa is located in Leipzig’s Music District and is easily able to accommo-

date housing for 35 students.

Built in 1872, it is notable for its 10-foot ceilings, original crown moldings and decorative woodwork. Furthermore, the villa has been renovated and modernized in recent years.

Bowling said she was impressed with the 15,000-square-foot villa, which was purchased in November 2016.

“The villa is absolutely breathtaking,” Bowling said.

“I was particularly taken with the grand pianos that the campus has, but it’s also in a prime location close to transit into downtown and perfectly fits large groups of Study Abroad students.

Anyone who says it’s less than stunning both inside and out, sells the property short.”

Semester-long Study Abroad programs to the Leipzig campus will begin in Spring 2018.

“Leipzig is a charming and thriving city,” Bowling said, “and with its history of being a spiritual hub in East Germany. It’s exactly the type of environment that allows ACU students to discover not only more about the world but also about themselves and God.” EMR14C@ACU.EDU

OFFICE OF MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS: PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST Students participate in the first Office of Multicultural Affairs pumpkin carving contest Monday night.

Winners won Amazon gift cards. (Photos by Matthew Baker).

HOMECOMING IN PHOTOS Page 4

W W W. A C U O P T I M I S T. C O M

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NE W S

WEDNESDAY | OCTOBER 25, 2017

Library hosts Gutenberg honors alumni in 25th anniversary Adobe creative contest

BY LAUREN FRANCO CONTENT MANAGING EDITOR

BY ZEKE TRIPP STAFF REPORTER

The Brown Library is hosting the third annual Creative U event to advertise and celebrate the use of creative projects on Nov. 7.

This event is designed to celebrate the creativity shown at ACU and to raise awareness of the creative resources available to all students, faculty and staff. During Creative U, there will be a variety of activities including workshops on some of the creative tools available to the ACU community, displays of creative works and the announcement of contest winners.

The theme of Creative U this year will be “Creativity is contagious.”

Both the T-shirt and bookmark winners will be printed as part of Creative U. Also, the winners from each of the two creative activity contests will receive a free iPad. Contests and display submissions are open until October 30.

For more information on how to submit, students can speak with the Educational Technology department.

Before Creative U, the workshop was entitled “Adobe Day.” The Adobe creative tools cloud is the center of attention during the Creative U day which is why it was titled “Adobe Day” in the past.

“This year, we wanted to emphasize the work that’s created rather than just the creative tools,” said Dr. Marisa Beard, director of educational technology.

Students and faculty can come create their own cookies and experience art, design and a creative writing exhibition from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Campus Center. A faculty-only panel will take place at noon in the Adams Center.

Drake Green, senior kinesiology major from Houston, said he recently downloaded the Adobe Creative Cloud apps for his computer.

“I want to create content for my future business, and I am definitely excited about the Creative U day so I can learn more about tools like Adobe Photoshop and Premiere,” he said.

OPTIMIST@ACU.EDU

The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication honored three distinguished alumni Thursday at its 25th annual Gutenberg Event. Honorees are chosen by JMC faculty each year.

Those who received the award were: Scott Parker, founder and president of Hearts Bluff Music in Nashville, Jan Taylor, director of corporate communications at UK HealthCare, and Blake Farmer, news director at Nashville Public

Radio.

Parker earned a master of arts in 1983. His company purchases music rights from some of the world’s most successful songwriters and publishers.

“Its an incredible honor,” Parker said via email.

“It feels like a ‘full-circle’ moment where I’m able to look back at the relational and academic seeds that were planted decades ago at ACU and see the fruit of that today.”

Taylor, a 1979 graduate, spent 10 years as director of communications and advertising at the University of Kentucky healthcare

system in Lexington before moving to her current position.

“Cheryl Mann was my advisor when I was the editor of the ACU yearbook, The Prickly Pear,” Taylor said via email. “We’ve kept in touch through the years, so I was not all that surprised when she called, but I was not expecting the award for sure. It is quite an honor, and I’m pretty humbled by the company of the other award winners. I’ve loved my career and it feels very good to have it recognized.”

Farmer has worked fulltime at Nashville’s WPLN

since 2007. Although he is about to transition to a new role as senior healthcare reporter for NPR, his current job entails leading the newsroom, making daily story assignments and guiding special projects.

“Journalism is full of awards — some of which I find meaningful, many I do not,” Farmer said via email. “But the Gutenberg is special. It validates the work I’ve been doing since graduation. Many days are a grind. And you always know what could have done better. So it has me thinking back on my 12 years of reporting and seeing some

stuff that I am pretty proud of.”

JMC’s student-run advertising and public relations agency, Morris+Mitchell, coordinated the event. Account director Vanessa Ellis said while she enjoyed celebrating the tiny family of the JMC department, the hardest part of putting on the event was to overcome the logistical mishaps. But with the help of her team, Ellis said the overwhelming amount of affirmation her team was given, made the hard work worth it.

be a Siggie, who participated in the parade, said Allison Dennis, Siggie keeper of the key.

“Our float was colorful and bright as well as impressive in sheer size and structure,” said Dennis, junior communication disorders major from Garland.

“There was also a lot of not only Siggie pride, but ACU pride shown throughout the float. The victory is so sweet solely because of the way the Squigs bonded through working so hard to make the best float they possibly could.”

Erika Wong, junior interior design major from Georgetown, and Madison Hancock, senior management major from Lucas, were in charge of the Kojie’s “Egyptian catthemed” float.

Wong, the junior representative, along with Jaden Dement, senior interior design major from Baird, designed and constructed the golden sphinx that was the centerpiece on the float. Other women of KJK helped paint the different

pieces and put the rest of the float together.

Wong said a major contributing factor to the second-place victory was the unity and bond of this year’s KJK pledge class.

The NuNus “built each other up, opened their hearts to one another, and worked so hard to not only succeed but to make this weekend a fun and sweet experience,” Wong said.

“While placing in this competition was a great victory for club, nothing can beat seeing our pledge class come together and accomplish what they did.”

The last time the Kojies had a victory in the parade was in 2013 with Victoria Garza (’13) and Jessi Andersen (’14).

Fater Sodalis second place position was particularly sweet to pledge dad Allen Martin because this year marks Frats 75th year on campus.

“We took a different spin on ‘Cats are Back’ and were basically saying, ‘Of course we’re back; we’ve never left,’” said Martin,

junior English and political science major from Abilene.

Frat pledge Matt Williams, senior computer science major from Oak Park, California, was in charge of the float. Justin Ford, sophomore nursing major from Boerne, did most of the painting for the ‘75th’ logo on each side. The Frats also recruited Laurel Drain, junior multimedia major from Fort Worth and member of Tri Kappa Gamma, to assist in writing the songs and chants, said Martin.

“The reason the float was so excellent is because they worked together seamlessly, respected each other and poured themselves into producing something great, something that they should be proud of,” Martin said.

Winning in the non-social club category, the AES Club float designed the float to represent a football field, complete with goalposts.

The members, dressed in paunchy cowboy gear, put jerseys and cat ears on goats, inspired by the Homecom-

ing theme.

“Who doesn’t love goats?” said Marissa Ballard, president of the AES club and senior animal science major from San Jose, California.

“Having them dressed up just makes it all the more fun and the kids especially really enjoy it. We might be one of the smaller clubs on campus but we really show up at events such as this to make our name known.”

Geoffrey Jasper, junior animal science major from Dripping Springs, Audrey Olvera, senior animal science major from Austin, Tyler Henderson, junior environmental science major from Waco, and Hannah Dockal, undeclared major from Windcrest, were at every workday and helped get the work done on the float, Ballard said. They each appeared during the parade holding a goat at some point.

The AES Club has won first place at the parade in the non-social club category for the past three years.

LMF14A@ACU.EDU

Siggies, Siblings and AES Club win float contest

BY CHELSEA TWOHY COPY EDITOR

The “cats returned” for this year’s Homecoming, but two first-place float winners in the parade were also back for consecutive wins.

Women’s social club Sigma Theta Chi and the Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Club took home first-place victories in their respective categories. In addition, men’s social club Gamma Sigma Phi took first place in the men’s category.

Men’s social club Frater Sodalis, women’s social club Ko Jo Kai and Team 55 were the second-place winners.

The theme “Siggie Diner Girls” took Sigma Theta Chi another victory.

Brad Mitchell, senior engineering major from Abilene, and Mark Pearson, junior kinesiology major from Abilene, designed and constructed the big pieces on the float. Other contributors were the 68 Squigs, women pledging to

CLT15A@ACU.EDU

A LOOK AT THE NOV. 7 ELECTION BALLOT

Texas voters will have a chance to vote on seven amendments to the Texas Constitution on Nov. 7. Voting centers include Abilene City Hall, the Taylor County Plaza and Hillcrest Church of Christ. waiting period before the homestead of the surProposition 1 Proposition 2 Proposition 3 court may enter a judgviving spouse of a first “The constitutional “The constitutional “The constitutional ment holding the statute responder who is killed or amendment authorizing amendment to establish a amendment limiting the unconstitutional.” fatally injured in the line the Legislature to provide lower amount for expensservice of certain officeof duty.” for an exemption from ad es that can be charged to holders appointed by the Proposition 5 valorem taxation of part a borrower and removing governor and confirmed “The constitutional Proposition 7 of the market value of the certain financing expense by the Senate after the amendment on profession- “The constitutional residence homestead of a limitations for a home expiration of the person’s al sports teams’ charitable amendment relating to partially disabled veteran equity loan, establishing term of office.” foundations conducting legislative authority to or the surviving spouse certain authorized lenders charitable raffles.” permit credit unions and of a partially disabled to make a home equity Proposition 4 other financial institutions veteran if the residence loan, changing certain “The constitutional to award prizes by lot to homestead was donated to options for the refinancamendment authorizing Proposition 6 promote savings.” the disabled veteran by a ing for home equity loans, the Legislature to require “The constitutional charitable organization for changing the threshold a court to provide notice amendment authorizing less than the market value for an advance of a home to the attorney general of the Legislature to provide of the residence homestead equity line of credit, and a challenge to the constifor an exemption from ad and harmonizing certain allowing home equity tutionality of a state statvalorem taxation of all related provisions of the loans on agricultural ute and authorizing the or part of the residence Texas Constitution.” homesteads.”

Legislature to prescribe a

POLICE LOG SELECTED ACUPD CALLS FOR THE WEEK 10/18/2017 10:10 a.m.

Officers responded to Rainbow Bible School in reference to an unaffiliated person who was disrupting their Fire Safety training classes. Officers had the person leave the premises.

10/19/2017 12:35 p.m.

A student reported that one of her car windows had been broken while parked in the Nelson Lot. Investigation revealed the possibility of damage resulting from grounds workers’ activities in that area.

10/20/2017 10:00p.m.

A student reported that an unknown driver had crashed into the student’s car in the Business Lot and then fled the scene.

10/21/2017 1:15 am.

Officers responded to a suspicious person call at University Church of Christ parking lot. The driver attempted to flee from officers but was subsequently apprehended, with charges pending for Felony Evading Arrest-Vehicle.

911 CALL 3 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITY 17 ADVICE 3 ALARM 3 ALCOHOL INCIDENT 21 ANIMAL CALL 1 ASSIST 1 BARRICADES 10 BUILDING LOCK/UNLOCK 21 BURGLARY (STORAGE SHED) 2 CHECK BUILDING 260 CITATION ISSUANCE 1 CREDIT/DEBIT CARD

ABUSE CRIMINAL MISCHIEF CRIMINAL TRESPASS DIRECT TRAFFIC DISCHARGE OF AIR GUN DISTURBANCE DRUG ACTIVITY/OFFENSE ELEVATOR RESCUE ESCORT FOOT PATROL FOUND PROPERTY HIT & RUN INFORMATION REPORT INVESTIGATION FOLLOW UP

2 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 8 33 6 1 3 7

LOST PROPERTY MAINTENANCE: UNIV ASSETS MEDICAL EMERGENCY MISSING PERSON MONITOR FACILITY/LOT MOTORIST ASSIST: INFLATE TIRE MOTORIST ASSIST: JUMPSTART MOTORIST ASSIST: OTHER MOTORIST ASSIST: UNLOCK NOISE VIOLATION OTHER

2 3 3 1 7 3 5 3 2 7 7

PARKING LOT PATROL PARKING VIOLATION PATROL VEHICLE: MAINTENANCE PATROL VEHICLE: REFUEL PUBLIC SERVICE PURSUIT: VEHICLE RANDOM PATROL RECKLESS DAMAGE/ DESTRUCTION REPORT WRITING SEX OFFENSE SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY SUSPICIOUS PERSON

21 9 7 12 1 2 16 2 16 2 1 5 5

SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE THEFT TRAFFIC HAZARD TRAFFIC STOP WELFARE CHECK TOTAL

3 2 1 3 1 554

POLICE CHIEF TIP OF THE WEEK: Enjoy Fall Break. Make good decisions and drive safely.

N E WS

WEDNESDAY | OCTOBER 25, 2017

3

Members prepare for pledging. (Photo courtesy of Frater Sodalis)

Frater Sodalis celebrates 75th anniversary

BY ASHLAN SMITH STAFF REPORTER

Frater Sodalis is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year with a $75,000 scholarship fund in honor of a club sponsor.

The club was founded in 1943 and is the longest continuously standing men’s social club on campus that has never been banned nor suspended.

This year’s theme is ‘75th’ in honor of the 75th anniversary. Frats

welcomed 35 sophomores and juniors to their brotherhood this year.

“This is a really exciting time for Frats in general,” said vice president Garret Mayes, a junior accounting major from Willis. “We have such a huge class, and it is the seventy-fifth year, and I’m so glad that I am a part of it.”

Tim Yandell has been the Frater Sodalis sponsor for the past 25 years. Yandell pledged Frater Sodalis in the spring of 1983 and

later served as Brat dad.

Some alumni from Frater Sodalis started a scholarship fund in honor of Yandell and his service to the Frats.

“I pledged in 1992, and I have been friends with Tim for over 20 years,” said Tyler Sparks (‘96), Frater Sodalis alumnus. “Several guys look up to him as a mentor and a friend.”

Yandell has made his mark on campus, whether it came to raising funds for the renovation of

the Larry “Satch” Sanders Intramural Fields in 2004, to being an inspiring mentor to Frats.

“Tim came back and has given 25 years of his time to meet these gentlemen – to be a mentor to them, and a friend,” said Ken Smalling (‘89), Frater Sodalis alumnus. “Tim’s involvement in these men’s lives are incredible. Tim has a heart of servant leadership that you don’t see in a lot of people.”

At the annual Homecoming breakfast Saturday,

the club celebrated raising $75,000 in honor of its 75th anniversary on campus. The scholarship fund is available for one member that must be an active club member who is a junior or senior with a certain GPA. “We are extremely excited for the opportunity to honor Tim for his many years of leadership and service to Frater Sodalis,” said Steve Reynolds (‘98). “Tim has been a great friend and mentor to so many of us and

I can’t think of a better way to show our appreciation. The Tim Yandell, Frater Sodalis Endowed Scholarship is the first of its kind for an ACU social club and just like Tim, it will support Frater Sodalis for years to come. We are grateful to all of the Frater Sodalis alumni who contributed to make it a reality.”

School of Theology.

There are currently 75 graduate students in the Abilene residential program and 15 prospective students.

Faculty, staff and current students will attend so prospective students can get a feel for the GST community. For students who attend, the application fee will be waived, Childers said.

“We want students to

know that if the financial aspect is what is holding you back from applying, we can help,” Childers said.

Dr. Tim Sensing, associate dean for the Graduate School of Theology, said the open house provides prospective students opportunities to visit with faculty and students in a less formal setting.

At the event, Dr. John

Siburt, president and chief operating officer of CitySquare in Dallas, will speak about his expereince in ministry and nonprofits at the open house. There will also be a general information session and Q&A time with current students, a time to meet with faculty advisors and an optional financial aid session.

“Much of what a student

will do in graduate school is connected to how well students and faculty relate to one another,” Sensing said. “Our hope is through meetings like the open house, we will enhance a student’s ability to discern which program is best for their vocational future.”

The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Onstead-Pack-

er Biblical Studies building in Room 219. Students of all majors are encouraged to attend. Lunch will be provided.

Applications for the spring of 2018 are due Dec. 8.

rooted in fact of things that have happened here and other is folklore from the area.”

Mark Young, a six-year member of the Mesquite Storytellers, said Heather contacted their group after she needed a group who was comfortable telling stories.

“We were called by Heather at the BGHV (Buffalo Gap Historic Village) and asked if we would tell,” Young said.

“Previously they just used volunteers and wanted to find a group who was comfortable telling stories and here we are, happy and haunted.”

Young said that sometimes it’s hard to keep people coming from one year to the next so they have to “freshen” up the stories.

“Here is the problem,” Young said, “you only have so many local stories, and if just retold them year after year, people would lose interest. So we take regional stories and adapt them to our area.”

Young said this is one of his favorite activities that his group does all year.

“It gives you multiple

opportunities to tell stories and to entertain those folks who come out,” Young said. “A couple of years I’ve actually told it in character, which makes it even more fun and possibly my favorite years to tell.”

Graduate School of Theology open house

BY CYNTHIA RANGEL STAFF REPORTER

The Graduate School of Theology is conducting an open house for perspective students on Nov. 9.

“We truly believe you can use a deep theological understanding in any field,” said Emily Childers, director of recruiting and marketing for the Graduate

OPTIMIST@ACU.EDU

OPTIMIST@ACU.EDU

People are in for a “ghoul” time at Ghost Tours

BY BRIAN SWEET STAFF REPORTER

Ghost Tours returned to the “haunted” Taylor County History Center this year.

On Oct. 14 and 21, the Mesquite Storytellers of Abilene told haunted stories to those who dared listened.

The historic village at the museum is considered to be haunted by many residents living in the surrounding community.

According to one of those long told tales, the Hill House is believed to be haunted by Belle Hill, the daughter of the original owner of the house. People that have visited the village have reportedly seen a female entity walk-

The Barber Shop at Taylor County History Museum and Historic Village. ing the grounds.

Heather Reed, executive director of the museum, described how the Ghost Tours are operated.

“The Ghost Tours are a partnership between the Tay-

lor County History Center and the Mesquite Story Tellers of Abilene,” Reed said.

“People go on a 45-minute tour of the village at night and the Story Tellers tell haunted stories. Some of them are

OPTIMIST@ACU.EDU

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FE ATU RE

WEDNESDAY | OCTOBER 25, 2017

UNTIL NEXT YEAR Old and new Wildcats returned in celebration of Homecoming festivities

PHOTOS BY HALEY REMENAR, HOLLY DORN, LAURA CORRAL

WRITTEN BY ALLISON CRIST AND EMILY GUAJARDO STAFF REPORTER / ARTS AND FEATURES EDITOR

F

ireworks, chants and welcoming hugs flooded this past Homecoming weekend as thousands returned to campus. With over 50 events spread out across the weekend, students, families and alumni rejoiced as many monemental ceremonies took place.

And in the midst of silence, one bell is rung.

As part of the lasting tradition, freshmen ring the bell with both pride and joy of contributing to the Wildcat pride. The sun begins to set as children and families enjoyed the breezy Friday evening with carnival games, a Sports Hall of Fame celebration, a mind-blowing chemistry circus and a spirtual candlelight devotional.

Suddenly, cheers and banging drums begin to play as the break of dawn rises. It's Saturday morning.

Pledges prepare their costumes and chants for the parade (and fierce competition). Diner girls, rockstars and sailors marched along Campus Court in hopes of winning the firstplace title. The parade dies down and families congregate for photos of their sleep-deprived children, but the day is not over.

Vans and trucks pile onto the mall area as tents are propped up and food sizzles on the grill. Like many

Homecoming traditions, it was time to tailgate. Danny Burke, a senior marketing major from Seymour, Indiana, said Students Association's efforts to have constant tailgates has been recieved by the students very well. However, it's not just about the food – there's still a competition.

Every tent strives to be the best.

“For the club tailgating competition, we judge every week but the overall winner will not be announced until after the last home game,” said Burke. “For this week specifically, GATA won among the girl clubs and Galaxy won among the guy clubs.”

Football fans walk across the parking lot in their royal purple and white in hopes of seeing the outstanding stadium set before them.

P

laying the first Homecoming game on Anthony Field, fans cheered for the Wildcats as they competed against Southeastern Louisiana ending in a final score of 21-56.

Craig Fisher, director of alumni relations and annual projects, said the presence of our first Homecoming game on campus really suprised alumni.

“Our alumni were blown by the tailgating and game day experience,” said Fisher. “To see so many students

and alumni gathering in the middle of campus for hours prior to the game makes our alumni proud of their university.”

C

heers died down and the winners of the weekend were about to be announced.

Screams were belted as the women of Sigma Theta Chi and men of Gamma Sigma Phi won for best overall float.

Finally, in a wave of hushes the Homecoming Queen was about to be announced – the winner was GATA president Kristen Brehm, a senior biochemistry major from Flower Mound.

Screaming Flames jumped up and down as the blond, blue-eyed girl walked across the 50-yard line to accept her coronation.

The scoreboard struck and the crowd dispersed. Another Homecoming had come and gone as family and friends kissed goodbye with the intent to return to the hill next year.

EAG13A@ACU.EDU ALC16D@ACU.EDU

WEDNESDAY | OCTOBER 25, 2017

OP IN ION

5

If the team’s there, we’re there. Win or lose

THE ISSUE

Students and alumni aren’t staying to the end of football games when the team loses.

OUR TAKE

The student body needs to stay until the fourth quarter and give athletic support a little “ACU Difference.”

Remember the Titans.

Rocky. Rudy.

The greatest sports movies always have that epic comeback. You know the moment when it’s the fourth quarter and the team is losing by just a couple of points and then the coach puts the underdog player in the game and his girlfriend is on the edge of her seat and he meets her eyes from way down on the field and it starts raining and then ... they score! It’s a touchdown! It puts the team in the lead and in the last 10 seconds of the game they realize it’s a win and everyone starts crying and cheering.

Maybe that could’ve happened to us at the Homecoming game. We could have even had some rain if the Abilene weather showed up like it usually does. But everyone left

before the fourth quarter even started.

Our editorial board members stayed until the end of the game and watched the band lead the team in the alma mater song in front of empty bleachers. The stadium that had been completely sold out was bare –except for a few alumni here and there and a small clump of Wildcat Reign members in the student section.

Did people leave because the team was losing?

Yes. Some people left because it was hot –and the team was losing. Some people left because the Homecoming Queen and the parade float winners had been announced –and the team was losing. Some alumni had crying children to take care of –and the team was losing.

People left because that’s part of the culture at this university. We barely come out to support our team when we’re winning so why would we come when we’re losing?

For the opening game, people came because they knew we were making history with the grand opening of a $30 million stadium. They stayed until the end because there were fireworks afterward and the team made a solid win against Houston Baptist University.

But then Parent’s Weekend rolled around and the stadium was noticeably less full than the first game.

So yes, in general Wildcat Football faces a consistent lack of attendance and support from students and alumni. (Or maybe the 12,000-seat stadium is too big for our 5,000-person student population). Either way, that doesn’t explain why so many people left at Homecoming. Logically, we can assume that people left because we were losing.

The student body may think we are under no

PHOTO BY LAURA CORRAL Football players wave the Wildcat sign during the alma mater song at the end of the Homecoming game.

obligation to stay if the team stinks. But what if we chose to stand by our team and support them even in failure?

That’s something we certainly expect from our professors and our friends.

Clubs stick together when they lose Sing Song. Professors are kind to us when we fail to turn in homework. ACU makes a big deal about relationships as the “ACU difference,” yet we can’t seem to offer the same thing for our football team.

I’M JESS SAYIN’

JESSICA CLARK VIDEO DIRECTOR

@JOSH_HARGETT 10/24/17 10:58 P.M. My biggest fear is that people will only know me as the guy from Chilis @EMILY_COUNTS 10/20/17 10:16 P.M. There are 14 year olds dancing in Monks. Apparently it’s “chill dancing” so it’s okay. I can smell the hormones. @HANNA_NO_H 9/18/17 5:28 A.M. Dr Pepper doesn’t just travel through your GI tract, it touches your soul. @LAINA_JAY 10/23/17 2:41 P.M. “As a professor here at ACU, my job is to get you married.” -Neal Coates @ATOWNBMAN 10/17/17 12:40 P.M.

@OLIVIADAHL4 10/19/17 10:56 P.M. I’ve been greeted by more bRats today than Flames...but I’ve seen more Flames @KELLUMCREED 10/18/17 2:25 P.M. If you don’t go to ACU, the phrase “bean cookies” might gross you out @_KYSTHELIMIT_ 10/19/17 9:45 A.M. “All men are impulsive & stupid. It’s a proven fact.” - football player in my Social Deviance class. The males have reached self-awareness.

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October 31st is a day worth celebrating for reasons that have nothing to do with candy, costumes, ghosts or things that are spooky (unless you grew up believing John Calvin is the bogeyman).

Oct. 31, 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of when Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, beginning the Protestant Reformation.

In today’s culture of “open-mindedness” (I took issue with our definition of tolerance a couple of weeks ago) the Reformation may not seem significant. Everyone’s beliefs are equally valid, they don’t really matter, or, even if you think the Reformation was necessary in its time, there’s the big push that it’s over now, right? How far our assumptions have fallen, we are oh so wrong.

One battle cry of the Reformation was “Semper Reformanda,” or “always reforming.” In its original intent, the Reformation was about aligning the Church to the Word of God, a task which the Reformers knew would never be finished and must always be guarded. We would be foolish to think differently.

Sadly, not only do the heresies that ran rampant in the Catholic Church persist within that system today, there are also major parallels between the climate of the 16th century Church and the 21st century Protestant Church that necessitate this Semper Reformanda attitude.

The primary issue of the Reformation was justification. Martin Luther was at the same time immersed in the Roman Catholic doc-

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trines of earning grace and fully aware of the fact that a sinner could never do anything to work his way into favor with a holy God. Luther’s awareness of this fact stirred his soul deeply to anguish and despair, a struggle he called “anfechtungen” – to which there is no English translation.

One day while climbing the Holy Steps in Rome, a Catholic tradition that would guarantee one that his mother would be exempt from purgatory, Luther had his final doubts on the works based system. After spending years trying to work his way to God, Luther opened the Bible and discovered the core doctrine the Catholic Church had been keeping from the people, justification by faith alone.

From that moment, Luther sought to spread to the people who had fallen prey to the Catholic Church that works could never save. The only way one could be considered righteous before God was through trusting in Jesus Christ in his perfect life, death and resurrection to pay the penalty for sin and impute His righteousness on the one who believes.

The core doctrines of the Reformation are summed up into the Five Solas.

“Sola” is Latin for “only.”

Justification is summed up in three of those Solas: Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Solus Christus. We are saved by faith alone through grace alone in Christ alone.

The doctrine of justification by faith alone is no less questioned in the church today. Faith and works or the idea of a “good person” complex run rampant in the church. When is

T H E

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as a leader on this team, but the student body will be too busy leaving in the third quarter to notice.

So maybe it’s time for the student body to show some support. Our team may be losing, but lose or win, we can start a culture of support simply by sitting on a bleacher a little longer. And for Pete’s sake, we live in Abilene –it’s not like we have better things to do on a Saturday night.

the last time you heard in church, chapel or a Bible class or study more about what Christ has done than about what it is you need to do?

Works are important, they are a litmus test of sorts for a truly changed life, but they are not what saves. Faith and repentance save, and learning more about the God who grants that faith spurs us on to good works. This is the primary doctrine on which the church must have a Semper Reformanda attitude, those who have strayed from it must turn back, and those who hold to it must cling until the end.

The second issue within the Roman Catholic Church of the 16th century was that they fought to keep the Word of God from the people. Only priests were properly equipped to handle the Scriptures, and as that attitude persisted, they were more and more able to abuse that power, hence the doctrines of justification by works, the taps of grace and a host of other hopeless heresies.

The issue was that the Bible was not written in the language of the people, it was only in Latin. One of Luther’s primary aims in life was to change this.

After being condemned as a heretic at the Diet of Worms in 1521, Luther hid out in Wartburg Castle where he translated the New Testament into the people’s German in just twelve weeks.

Why was this aim so important to Luther? The fourth Sola, the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. The abuses of the Catholic Church came because the popes and priests exercised their authority over the Word of God as the final authority in the Church. Luther dogmatically disagreed.

The more he opened the Scriptures, the more he saw the truth in them, and

the more he realized they are in fact the final authority for the Church and the individual Christian.

There is perhaps no more of a debated doctrine within the Church today than the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. The Pope still speaks Ex Cathedra, “Jesus Calling” is the number one seller on the Christian bookstore shelves, personal testimony is as equally important as the gospel in evangelism. All of these have one thing in common - they undermine Scripture for human opinion.

The doctrines of justification by faith alone and Sola Scriptura are those on which the battle cry of “Semper Reformanda” hinge. It is in these doctrines that the light of the gospel shone through the dark pit the Catholic Church had enslaved the people to.

Why does the Reformation matter? On what basis are we supposed to hold to the Semper Reformanda motto? These things only matter in as far as they look to the Word to shed light on the gospel. Martin Luther said it himself, “I opposed indulgences and all papists, but never by force. I simply taught, preached, wrote God’s Word: otherwise I did nothing. I did nothing: the Word did it all. Had I wanted to start trouble.... I could have started such a little game at Worms that even the emperor wouldn’t have been safe. But what would it have been? A mug’s game. I did nothing: I left it to the Word.”

Celebrate the Reformation and cling deeply to the truth that God has saved us in Christ alone. Discover these truths in the Scriptures. Do this all Soli Deo Gloria, to the glory of God alone.

EDITOR@JMCNETWORK.COM

Why we still need the Reformation

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We can show up at 10 p.m. for club intramural games and yell and cheer in tutus in 50 degree weather, but we can’t stand in the bleachers on a Saturday afternoon to support our team.

Also, who says we can’t have an epic underdog comeback? At both the stadium opening game and the Homecoming game, freshman quarterback Luke Anthony scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Anthony is going to come up from behind

JMC13F@ACU.EDU

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6

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY | OCTOBER 25, 2017

Soccer clinches postseason berth with win

BY MAX PRESTON ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Despite a 2-1 loss to Sam Houston State Friday, the soccer team bounced back Sunday with a 2-0 shutout over third place Stephen F. Austin to secure a spot in the Southland Conference tournament.

Head coach Casey Wilson said his team rose to the occasion in a crucial situation against the Lumberjacks.

“SFA is always a good team, it was the first time

in five years that we beat them,” Wilson said. “It was great to get over that hump, but all we can ask for is to head in the right direction going forward into our next game and the conference tournament.”

In the game against Sam Houston, junior defender Carly English netted the first goal of the game for the Bearkats in the first half. However, freshman midfielder Christina Arteaga tied the game up with a quick goal at the beginning

of the second half.

Sophomore forward Carlota Suarez Crespo got the last laugh for Sam Houston though, converting a goal at the 62nd minute mark and securing the 2-1 victory.

Against SFA, the game remained scoreless until the 60th minute when junior midfielder Dylan Owens scored the first goal of the game to break the deadlock.

Senior midfielder Chloe Fifer then added an insurance goal from just outside the box, with 20 minutes left

in the game, catapulting the Wildcats to a 2-0 win.

Fifer, who also celebrated senior day against SFA, said this was one of her favorite wins in her career.

“We haven’t beat SFA since I’ve been at ACU,” Fifer said. “Having it been on senior day, it was just an incredible team win.”

With the win, the Wildcats moved to 5-5 in Southland play, putting them at sixth in the conference. In the case of a win in its final game against Incarnate

Word, the Wildcats would clinch sixth place, however, with a loss Sam Houston State has a chance to move up with a win in its final game.

Should the tournament start today, ACU would play Stephen F. Austin again in the first round. The Wildcats will face Incarnate Word in San Antonio Friday at 7 p.m. for its final regular season game.

MJP14B@ACU.EDU

STANDINGS Team

Football Ovrl. SLC.

UCA SELU McNeese SHSU Nicholls SFA ACU NWSU UIW HBU Lamar

6–1 5–3 6–1 6–1 5–2 3­–5 2–6 1–6 1–6 1–6 1–6

Volleyball

Team

Ovrl. SLC.

SHSU SFA UCA HBU NWSU McNeese TAMU-CC ACU NOU UIW Nicholls Lamar SELU

13–9 21–5 19–3 17–6 12–13 15–11 9–13 8–13 9–13 4–14 4–20 3–17 2–22

Team

Lions spoil Homecoming, 56-21

BY MAX PRESTON ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Southeastern Louisiana combined for a total of 443 rushing yards to run its way to a lopsided 56-21 victory over the Wildcats and add to their dominant season on the ground.

This was the Wildcats largest score margin in a loss this season, passing their 38-10 loss against Colorado State earlier in the season.

Head coach Adam Dorrel said he thinks the team was too focused on winning Homecoming and SLU came out of the gates fast.

“I don’t think it was a lack of intensity,” Dorrel said. “Guys were so cued in on winning Homecoming, then that happens and everyone is sitting there asking, “What happened?’”

The Wildcats combined for a total of 293 yards of-

fensively. Sophomore running back Tracy James was strong out of the backfield for ACU running for 99 yards and a touchdown.

Junior quarterback Dallas Sealey passed for only 105 yards, however, redshirt freshman quarterback Luke Anthony came in late in the fourth quarter and threw a three-yard touchdown to senior wide receiver Troy Grant.

Sophomore safety Bolu Onifade and senior linebacker Royce Moore led the team defensively with 11 tackles each. Moore also had 1.5 tackles for a loss and half a sack.

For the Lions, sophomore quarter back Lorenzo Nunez impressed with legs as he ran for 70 yards and three touchdowns.

Senior running back Eugene Bethea and redshirt junior Darren Johnson also ran well, both running

for over 100 yards. Bethea gained most of his yards on

one play when he ran for a 65-yard touchdown.

MJP14B@ACU.EDU

time,” Mooney said. “We’re at a position where we just have to keep climbing that ladder.”

The Wildcats started the weekend with a strong performance against the Islanders that required five closely-contested sets before ACU came out on top. After dropping the first game 2523, the Islanders responded with a 25-18 victory to even the score. ACU then took a 2-1 set lead with another 2523 win, before TAMUCC once again evened the score, outlasting the Wildcats 2624. But it was the home crowd carrying the team to a 15-11 victory in the final set and the match.

On Saturday night, the Wildcats struggled to find

any momentum or rhythm left over from Thursday’s win, dropping the first set to the Cardinals, 25-21. But the team adjusted and found a spark in the second set.

“In between one and two, we just regrouped and said you know what we don’t want to play like this, let’s let this set go, let’s be done with it,” Mooney said. “We wanted to control that next set and that’s exactly what we did.”

In fact, the women converted 14 kills and committed just five errors as the middle blockers began to control the game.

But out of the break the Wildcats were lethargic, spotting UIW a 14-8 lead early in set three. This time

it was junior setter Kendall Bosse, who rallied the troops during an ACU timeout.

“Kendall Bosse was actually the one who took control of that timeout and said ‘you guys we’re not doing this, we’re going to take control and we’re going to push them,” Mooney said. “And that’s the first time I think on our bench that we’ve really had that this year.”

From that point on it was all ACU. The Wildcats outscored the Cardinals 17-6 the rest of the way and shut the door in the fourth set with an astounding .452 hitting percentage and 25-17 win.

Bosse, who was moved to setter during last season after starting her career as

an outside hitter and middle blocker, proved she was more than comfortable at the position. Aside from rallying the team on the bench, Bosse aided the offensive attack with 43 assists.

At 8-13 overall and now 4-5 in Southland Conference, ACU has seven games left, five of which are on the road and five of which are against teams ahead of them in the standings.

While this will give the team a great opportunity to continue to climb the ladder, the Wildcats will still have some work left to do if they want to clinch a postseason tournament berth.

LAURA CORRAL STAFF CONTRIBUTOR Senior Troy Grant snags the ball out of thin air for the touchdownback

Senior defensive back Max Lyons was the defensive leader for the Lions with eight tackles, a tackle for a loss and a sack.

Dorrel said the running back by committee and the ability to have rested and effective legs each down, hurt his defense.

“They had fresh legs and we were pretty depleted on defense,” Dorrel said.

“They kept rolling guys in there and it certainly makes a difference.”

With the loss, the Wildcats slip to 2-6 overall and 2-4 in Southland play, while the Lions improved to 5-3 overall and 5-1 in conference.

The Wildcats will have this weekend off, but will play Northwestern State in Louisiana Nov. 4.

Volleyball moves up Southland postseason ladder

BY JONATHAN RAITZ SPORTS DIRECTOR

With wins over the 2016 regular-season conference champion in Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Incarnate Word on Sunday, volleyball has found its way back into the top-eight of the conference standings.

In eighth place, the Wildcats sit right at the edge of qualifying for the postseason tournament, with the topeight teams earning a postseason berth at the season’s conclusion. Having little wiggle room, head coach Angela Mooney said her team has to narrow its focus.

“Our goal right now is just to take one match at a

JMR13B@ACU.EDU

Abilene welcomes Southland conference competition

BY TREVOR WYATT SPORTS REPORTER

The Southland Conference Championship takes place this Friday, and will be the first conference championship meet held at ACU since the 2010 , when were still part of the Lone Star Conference.

On the men’s side, McNeese is ranked the highest in the region at fourth, followed by Lamar in 11th and Incarnate Word in 15th. On the women’s side

ACU takes the top spot in the conference placing third in the South-Central region, followed by Lamar in seventh, McNeese in 11th and Stephen F. Austin in 14th.

Last year Lamar won the men’s side thanks to the top returning runner from last year, Freddie Gasbarri, who finished second overall last year. On the women’s side SFA looks to repeat after winning their league-best eighth title.

Both Wildcat teams fin-

ished 9th last year at the Southland Conference Championships, but have returned strong runners.

The men returned their two top finishers in Travis Nichols and Drew Cummings, who finished 36th and 37th last year. On the women’s side, they return the obvious duo of Alexandria and Michaela Hackett and Diana Garcia Munoz, their three top runners from when ACU won their 2015 Southland Conference title.

All three women redshirted

last year.

The last race for both the men and women was the NCAA DI Pre-Nationals. The Wildcat were the only Southland Conference team to compete in the meet that featured the nation’s top teams. The women had a strong showing finishing 18th out of 43 teams, led by the Hackett sisters, with Michaela finishing 32nd and Allie finishing 35th. On the men’s side, there was only one top-100 runner in Ryan Cleary, who finished 84th in

the Wildcat’s 21st place finish out of 24 teams.

The races will be held at ACU’s new cross country course, which was broken in when the teams hosted the Naimudu Classic. The Women’s 6K will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the Men’s 8K will follow at 9:30 a.m. Runners who place well could qualify for the NCAA South-Central Regional Qualifying Race.

TMW13A@ACU.EDU

9–0 9–1 8–2 7–3 7–3 6–5 6–5 4–5 3–7 3–8 2–9 1–9 0–10

Ovrl. SLC.

Soccer

Lamar 14–3–1 McNeese 12–4–1 SFA 10–7 UCA 10–8 HBU 7–6–2 ACU 7–10 SHSU 7–7–2 TAMU-CC 6–8–2 Nicholls 6–10–1 SELU 4–10–3 UIW 2–12–1 NWSU 5–12

LAURA CORRAL STAFF CONTRIBUTOR

5–0 5–1 4–1 4–1 4–1 3–3 2–4 1–4 1–4 0–5 0–5

9–1 8–2 7–3 7–3 6–3–1 5–5 4–4–2 3–6–1 3–6–1 2–6–2 1–8–1 1–9

2017 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES Lindsey Martin Volleyball Donny Darville Golf Kenny Davidson Football Kirby Jones Football Albert Lawrence Track Katie Thomas Softball James Wright Men’s Basketball Lance Barrow Lifetime Achievement Award

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK Volleyball Freshman Lorin McNeil is coming into her own.

She has provided a great burst of the McNeil bench to help junior Lauren Walker anchor the middle. McNeil also had four kills in the final set against Incarnate Word on Saturday.

Football

Tracy James became the first running back this season to eclipse 100 yards rushJames ing. James carried the ball 16 times for 103 yards and a touchdown to help balance the Wildcats’ offensive attack.

Soccer

Senior captain Chloe Fifer propelled ACU to its first win over Stephen F. Fifer Austin since becoming Div. 1. Fifer’s late goal from outside the box gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead and helped capped off the shutout.

For more, check out ACUOptimist.com Or follow us on social media @OptimistSports