The Optimist Print Edition 2.15.15

Countdown Captured Sing Song photo spread

vol. 103, no. 36

Sunday, February, 15 2015

1 SECTION, 8 PAGES

Feature Page 5

what’s INSIDE NEWS University inks decision to bring Ben Rector to Abilene Page 3

SPORTS Tennis star achieves conference honor

Page 8

DOWN FOR

THE COUNT

NEWS ASA fashion show searched for student models Page 3

SPORTS Baseball falls in first two games of the season against Nevada Page 8

OPINION We did some simple Sing Song math that doesn’t quite add up

Austin Kilcullen staff photographer

Page 4

SPORTS Golf team prepares for UTPA Classic

Top:The women of Sigma Theta Chi celebrate on the stage of Moody. Left: Senior class act director, Sarah Hendrix, holds up the Sing Song cup. Right: Phillip Jackson, director of the Gamma Sigma Phi act, celebrates with the trophy on Saturday night.

GSP, Siggies and seniors clench Sing Song victories madeline orr editor in chief

Page 8

NEWS FilmFest choses this year’s hosts and hostesses

Page 3

what’s online

The men of GSP won their first Sing Song act since the end of their four-year streak in 2012. The class of 2015 will now graduate in May with its first Sing Song victory under its belt, and the women of Sigma Theta Chi won their 14th Sing Song title.

GSP director Phillip Jackson said he was glad because no one in their act had won a GSP Sing Song before, so it was good to see what it

finally felt like.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Jackson, senior vocal performance major from League City. “It feels like a dream.”

The senior class act showed that having fun and winning can be one and the same.

“Our act is proof that you can have fun and goof around and still produce a really great show,” said Leslie Lewis, one of two senior class directors and senior psychology major from Spring. “Our intention was never to win; it was just to have fun and get a lot of people to come and just make

some really great memories our senior year.”

The senior class won first place in three out of the four categories for the mixed voices division.

Sigma Theta Chi also won first in three out of the four categories for the women’s division. Chelsea Emberlin, director of the Siggie act, said the competition between women’s acts was extremely close this year.

“Every act really brought it this year,” said Emberlin, senior elementary education major from Forney. “It could have been anybody’s win tonight, honestly. We did our best, and I guess our best was good enough this year.”

The men of Trojans came

“

It could have been anybody’s win tonight honestly.”

I think the audience really liked it, so I’m proud of it.”

With their first appearance in an ACU Sing Song, the freshman doughnuts came in second place overchelsea emberlin all. Madison Losher, direcSing Song Director of Sigma Theta chi tor of the doughnuts’ act, said her act worked really hard and blew it out of the in second after winning water tonight. their first two wins in Sing “It was so worth it,” said Song history in 2012 and Losher, freshman kinesiol2013. Jesse McGaha, direc- ogy major from Garland. “I tor of the Trojan act, said de- can’t imagine putting my spite coming in second, he time or devoting as much thinks all of their hard work time as I did to anything else was rewarded. or a better group of people. I “I’m so proud of the guys will forever be a doughnut.” and the job they did,” said McGaha, junior history major from Abilene. “We contact orr at put a lot of time into it, and mco10b@acu.edu I’m happy that it showed.

SING SONG 2015 WINNERS

VIDEO The Department of Agriculture and Enviromental Science faces closure

Read more at

Overall Winners

Originality/Theme (20%)

Appearance (20%)

Entertainment (25%)

Vocals (35%)

Men’s Division: 1st: Gamma Sigma Phi 2nd: Trojans 3rd: Pi Kappa

Men’s Division: 1st: Trojans 2nd: Gamma Sigma Phi 3rd: Pi Kappa

Men’s Division: 1st: Gamma Sigma Phi 2nd: Trojan 3rd: Pi Kappa

Men’s Division: 1st: Gamma Sigma Phi 2nd: Trojans 3rd: Pi Kappa

Men’s Division: 1st: Gamma Sigma Phi 2nd: Trojan 3rd: Pi Kappa

Women’s Division 1st: Sigma Theta Chi 2nd: Ko Jo Kai 3rd: GATA

Women’s Division 1st: Sigma Theta Chi 2nd: Alpha Kai Omega 3rd: GATA

Women’s Division Tie for 1st: Alpha Kai Omega and Ko Jo Kai 3rd: Sigma Theta Chi

Women’s Division 1st: Sigma Theta Chi 2nd: Ko Jo Kai 3rd: GATA

Women’s Division 1st: Sigma Theta Chi 2nd: 3rd:

Mixed Division 1st: Senior class 2nd: Freshman Donuts 3rd: Junior class

Mixed Division 1st: Senior class 2nd: Freshman Donuts 3rd:Freshman Bunnies

Mixed Division 1st: Junior class 2nd: Sophomore class 3rd: Freshman Donuts

Mixed Division 1st: Senior class 2nd: Freshman Donuts 3rd: Junior class

Mixed Division 1st: Senior class 2nd: Freshman Donuts 3rd: Feshman Rabbits

ag.acuoptimist.com

Abilene Christian University

sunday 2.15.15

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sunday

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Monday 1 p.m. Baseball game versus University of Nevada

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tuesday Golf at University of Texas Pan-American Classic

Alumni Day luncheon

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wednesday

6:30 p.m. Baseball game versus Texas Tech University

7 p.m. Women’s basketball game versus Texas A&M Corpus Christi

Track at Southland Conference Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama 6:30 p.m. Men’s basketball at Sam Houston State University

Chapel checkup To date:

Remaining:

24 49 @acuoptimist The Optimist

Around Abilene Feb. 19

Feb. 21

Feb. 26

Feb. 28

7:30 p.m. McMurry University presents Adam Block’s The Receptionist. At the start of a typical day in the office, Beverly deals with ringing phones and her colleagues’ romantic troubles. But the appearance of a charming rep from the central office disrupts the routine, and the true nature of the company’s business becomes apparent. General admission price is $10.

7:30 p.m. Final performance of The Marvelous Wonderettes. Tickets are $15. Visit acu.edu/theatre for more.

6:30 p.m. As part of a great Black History Month event, we invite you to come out for a free screening of the PBS documentary Flyers in Search of a Dream: A Celebration of AfricanAmerican Achievements in Flight. For more information, contact Anne Ellis at 325-437-7323.

7 p.m. Tim Hawkins with Bob Smiley in concert in Moody Coliseum. For more information, visit timhawkins.net.

optimist@acu.edu Announcements The Shinnery Review is now accepting submissions of original works through March 1. Email all submissions to shinnery@acu.edu.

The ACU Theatre winter musical is The Marvelous Wonderettes, a show about four girls in high school in 1958. Shows will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Fulks Theatre. Tickets are $15.

Samaritan’s Purse is hiring for numerous paid internships. Apply by Feb. 28 at intern.samaritanspurse.org.

V is for Violin will run Feb. 26-28 in Culp Theatre. Written by Brittany Taylor, an ACU alumna, the play captures a closeup view of a couple struggling to make sense of love, choice and personal responsibility as citizens of the world. Go Are you free this summer and in need to acu.edu/theatre for ticket prices and of a job? Are you energetic, love being show times. around children, and have a passion for Jesus? Then ACU Leadership Camps Need to practice interviews? ACU Career may be for you. If you have any ques- Center is offering mock interviews Feb. tions, we are located downstairs in the 23-27. Meet with ACU alumni and huCampus Center, Room 29. Apply online man resources professionals to network at acucamps.com/apply. and receive feedback on your interviewing skills. Visit acu.edu/careercenter for

A limited number of $20 student tickets to TEDxACU will be awarded in early March. Applications are due March 1.

You can apply today at acu.edu/tedxacu/ studentapp.

more information and to select a time.

The ACU Undergraduate Research Festival is almost here! Come to Hunter Welcome Center March 31, to support undergraduate researchers during our seventh annual festival.

Spoken Word Chapel will meet Tuesdays in the Onstead Packer Biblical Studies Building, Room 250. If you enjoy poetry, come listen, share and be ministered to

by Christ-centered poetry.

Volunteer Opp0rtunities Big Brothers Big Sisters “Lunch Buddy” program is looking for volunteers. Each volunteer is matched with an elementary-age child. Volunteers spend just 30 minutes per week eating lunch with their “little brother” or “little sister” at local elementary schools, while mentoring through the simple act of friendship. Participants can enjoy playing card games, reading books and visiting during lunch. Each volunteer can choose their own “lunch buddy day” that fits best with their schedule. 138 children are on the waiting list. Contact Jamie Bearden at 325-674-3113 or jbearden@bbbstx.org for more information.

and developing apartment ministry. The program takes place Mondays from 4:30 p.m.-6 p.m. Contact Caroline Thompson at 281-782-2956 or crt12a@acu.edu for more details.

Communities in Schools needs 10-20 reading and lunch buddies at Ortiz Elementary. Volunteers are needed anytime between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. weekdays. Contact Sheila Ashford at 325-671-4945 ext.5351 or sheila.ashford@abileneisd.org for more information.

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 2-4 p.m. or by appointment. Their office is located at 3303 N. 3rd St. Suite D. For more information contact Marie-Pascale Manishimwe at 325-675-5643.

Friends for Life needs volunteers to work with the elderly and people with disabilities, focusing on those that don’t have family or friends to care for them. Some live in nursing homes and some live independently.

For nursing home clients, we have friendly visitation, reading to the blind, entertainment, playing games, help writing letters, special holiday recognition, adopt a grandparent and Gifts for Grannies and Grandpas at Christmas. For those living independently, we have minor household repairs, transportation to the grocery store or doctor appointments, running errands, reassurance calls, change light bulbs and mow lawns. Dates and times are flexible and able to work around students’ schedules. Contact Cecilia Barahona at 325-672-2635 or cecilia@friendsforlife.org for more information.

Girl Scouts is seeking volunteers to help make a difference in the life of young girls. Girl Scouts offers several flexible ways to volunteer. You choose how: a one-day event, six-week series or year-round troop! Volunteer positions are ongoing and varied. Contact the Michelle Lawson in the Girl Scout Office for current opportunities at 325-670-0432 and mlawson@gs-top.org.

Keep Abilene Beautiful is looking for volunteers to help with litter clean-ups. Small and large groups are both needed. Contact Nicole Eaves at 325-734-3301 and nicole.eaves@abilenetx.com for more information.

Kingdom Kids (Beltway Park Baptist Church) is looking for assistance with Sunday morning activities for Kingdom Kids (physically and emotionally challenged children). 5-6 volunteers are needed. Contact: Sharla Sanders at beltwaykids@beltway.org for more information.

The Alliance for Women and Children is seeking volunteers for after-school child care for Pre-K-5th grade children, 6th-8th grade children and A-Teens Middle School Girls Program. For more information about times and location, contact Toni Brown at 325-677-5321 or info@afwconline.org.

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 325-6700246.

Volunteers are needed to help with daily activities organized by the staff at Chisholm House. This could involve playing board games, helping with arts and crafts and helping with a walking club. For some of these tasks volunteers may be asked to lead a group or work alongside a staff coordinator. Volunteer opportunities are from 2-4 p.m. or 6-8 p.m. daily. Contact Larissa Blankenship at 817-578-9296.

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.

The Betty Hardwick Center is seeking volunteers for the Human Resources Center to help with filing and organizing. This job requires someone with attention to detail who wishes to learn more about Human Resources. The job is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. To volunteer, please contact Martin Walker at 325-690-5235 or mwalker@bhcmhmr.org.

day at 5:30 a.m. or Tuesdays at 5 a.m. B.O.B.S. is located at First Christian Church on 3rd Street and Beech Street 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 Terry Stremmel at terry.stremmel@acu.edu.

The Food Bank of West Central Texas needs volunteers to help sort and stock food and other items MondayFriday 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 Christian Service Center is seeking volunteers to help with filing 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 a.m. and 12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m. For more information, contact Roberta Brown at 325-673-7561 orrobertabrown51@hotmail.com.

For more information on the program visit http://www. uccabilene.org/ministries/csc.htm.

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.

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.

Christian Ministries Food Pantry needs volunteers to help with tasks such as cleaning up, stocking shelves and bagging flour. They are seeking 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.

Meals on Wheels Plus, Inc. is looking for volunteers to help deliver meals to the elderly and home-bound in Abilene, and to volunteer in their kitchen or pantry.

Contact: Jessica Stewart at 325-672-5050 or volunteer@mealsonwheelsplus.com for additional information.

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 for more information contact Amy Jeffers at abj09a@acu.edu or call 832-331-5324.

The Center for International Education is looking for one male and one female volunteer to serve as conversation partners with ACU scholars who are looking to improve their English language skills. Volunteers will be required to spend one hour a week practicing conversation. The day, time, and location are up to the students to decide. For more information or to volunteer, contact Leanne Moore at 325-674-2821 or lmm10b@acu.edu.

REACH @ Abilene North Apartments is seeking volunteers. Volunteers will be a part of building relationships with at-risk kids and their families through a unique

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 Fri-

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

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news

Sunday 2.15.15

SA, University bring Ben Rector to campus catherine blakemore arts editor As part of a Students’ Association initiative to bring more concerts to campus, Ben Rector will perform in mid-April at the Paramount Theatre.

Amanda Pittman, online marketing manager, and SA President Rodney Johnson have worked together to bring the band to Abilene, they said.

“It’s been rather simple,”said Johnson, senior marketing major from Odessa. “It’s just reviewing contracts. That is the tricky thing, going back and maybe finding things we looked over or didn’t see. It’s part of the learning curve that comes with concert planning.”

The show comes in response to a survey sent to the students last summer that asked about artists students would like to see play

in Abilene. With that, negotiations with Ben Rector’s agent began in October, Pittman said.

“We really want to make the whole night a cool experience,” said Pittman.

“We’ve invited local food trucks to come and park outside the Paramount and start offering dinner for purchase around 6 p.m. We hope the ACU community will join us for a night of great music and good food.”

A push for more con-

certs on campus was part of Johnson’s campaign for SA president. Now that the show is set, Johnson said he hopes it will be successful so it can lead to similar concerts after he graduates.

“I just to encourage students to go and be a part of this because this is something I know that we want and something I’ve heard year after year,” said Johnson. “But if we do something like this and it’s unsuccessful, that’s going to discour-

age the university’s effort to do this more often.”

Though word of negotiations spread early this semester, the university and Ben Rector’s agency have been working the contracts for months.

“We were thrilled when a date worked out for him and the Paramount and the price per ticket was exactly what students said they’d be willing to pay,” said Pittman.

Ben Rector and his full

band will play at the Paramount Theatre on Monday, April 27. Tickets will go on sale soon at $26 for general admission and $42 for VIP seating.

VIP ticket holders will be allowed to enter the venue before general admission ticket holders and will have reserved seating, front and center of the stage. contact blakemore at crb13a@acu.edu

ASA searches for fashion show models mercedez hernandez student reporter The African Students’ Association is looking for models to help showcase the diverse culture of ACU’s students for its Project Reach fashion show.

A model call will take place from 5-6 p.m.

Wednesday at Chapel on the Hill to select students to appear in the fashion show.

The ASA, in association with the Office of Multi-

cultural Enrichment, will present the show at 7 p.m.

March 27 at Chapel on the Hill. Admission will be $5 or two cans of non-perishable food items.

Janice Nkrumah, junior kinesiology major from Houston, came up with the idea for Project Reach when she first arrived at ACU. She said she noticed the separation of cultures on campus and wanted to highlight the differences instead of letting them go unseen.

“Coming from a city, I’m

used to different groups coming together,” Nkrumah said. “So I wanted to host an experience where we can all come together, all have fun and embrace our differences.”

Soo Hun Yoo, junior biochemistry major from Sierra Leone, is president of ASA and said they are focusing on raising awareness of other cultures using fashion.

“This is one of our longest-running events for our group, and we can just be creative with it,” he said.

“I’m just excited to see the spreading of our mission.”

In the past, the fashion show has featured looks from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Mexico, Columbia, Korea, Vietnam, China, Thailand and India.

“People who grew up there often donate their clothes for the event, and we take good care of them and return them after the show,” Nkrumah said.

Another goal of Project Reach is to showcase the students’ different cultures in a fun and exciting way.

“It’s not a serious fashion show,” Nkrumah said.

“It’s not Vogue. You should dance like you want to because I want the audience to get a glimpse of the culture that is being showcased at that time.”

Project Reach does not stop at raising awareness for different cultures – it also gives back to the community.

Admission fees will go toward ASA and its investments in the non-profit microfinance company Kiva, which helps small busi-

nesses around the world.

Cans collected at the event will be donated to the West Texas Food Bank in Abilene.

“I feel like culture can enrich a community, so why not give back?” Nkrumah said.

For more information or to volunteer for the show, email shy12a@acu.edu or jmn12a@acu.edu.

contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Buenz, Alexander chosen as FilmFest host, hostess school, and I’ve always thought it was cool. I always watch award shows for the hosts.”

Cara Buenz and Joshua FilmFest will be March Alexander have been 20 at the Paramount Thechosen to host this year’s atre. The event is open FilmFest. to the public for $5, with “When I heard that tickets available at the FilmFest had host posi- door. tions, I was really interAt the auditions on ested in auditioning,” Jan. 20, the students who said Alexander, sopho- tried out were asked a more theatre major from few questions about their Keller. “I had done some- passion for film and what thing similar in high they could bring to the ta-

johanna fleming student reporter

ble if chosen as this year’s FilmFest hosts.

Buenz, senior social work major from Woodridge, Illinois, was not sure what to expect throughout the process.

“I don’t have any experience doing this stuff, so it was a little weird,” she said. “I just make a lot of really dumb jokes a lot of the time, so that seemed to work for this. I think my inspiration is going to be Tina Fey and Amy Poehler

Frontier Texas! shoots documentary hannah null staff reporter Frontier Texas! is out to show it is a high-caliber attraction.

The local museum, which has made a name for itself with its Miss Frontier Texas! contest, its Big Country Pet Parades and its Belt Sander Races, will unveil a new documentary to highlight the importance firearms have played in the taming of Texas and the West.

In March 2013, the museum installed an exhibit called Guns of the West that features more than 70 historic firearms. The exhibit included a five-minute introduction film with some historical content for the gun collection. Now, Frontier Texas! is creating a longer film it is calling “Guns on the Texas Frontier.”

Jeff Salmon, executive director of Frontier Texas!, said the goal of the film is to show that firearms played a significant role in frontier history.

“We want to showcase it for people today and document it for future generations,” Salmon said.

This documentary tells the history of which guns were used in Texas, the technological advances that affected their use and the impact they had on civilization and the community. According to its website, Frontier Texas! expects to thrill audiences with an experience “like they’ve never seen before” with the documentary.

Salmon said he is eager to discuss the process of the film and can’t wait until it appears in the museum in March.

“The footage is amazing and very informative to see the details of what happens in a split second,” Salmon said.

Alan Huffines, local author and military historian, is writing the script to bring the movie to life.

Salmon is also working with the museum’s operations manager, Chris Allen, an ACU graduate, who oversaw the filming of the

guns at Fort Phantom Hill historic site.

Allen arranged for the rental of a special highspeed camera to show the guns being fired in slowmotion.

Kaleigh Singleton, sophomore communications major from Round Rock, said she likes to attend the museum to learn more about Abilene’s history and is interested in the new exhibit.

“I went to the First Annual Belt Sander Races at Frontier Texas this year,” she said. “I typically only go when they are having big events, but interesting background information and cool pictures of guns definitely makes it worth the visit.”

The film will debut at the museum during the Taylor County Historical Commission Perini Awards dinner March 5.

Tickets are $20.

contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

at the Golden Globes… that’s one of my really terrible jokes.”

On the other hand, Alexander, who just transferred to ACU this year, has a lot of experience with theater and will also be in one of the films featured in this year’s lineup.

“I watched all the films from last year online and got to see a lot of cool pictures from it and stuff like that,” he said. “Ever since

coming here, it’s been a huge priority for me to get involved in FilmFest because I just love film.”

The duties of the newly-chosen hosts involve making promotional videos for the event and hosting the actual show.

The two are both enjoying the process of putting the show together over the next month, Buenz said.

Alexander said he hopes it will be a memo-

rable event.

“What is most important is the films themselves, but I also just want everyone to have fun,” he said. “You know if you’re going to be sitting in a chair for however long, I want people to laugh and feel like they had a good night when they leave.”

contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

news

sunday 2.15.15

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ArtRap instigates dialogue on social issues catherine blakemore arts editor ArtRap created a venue for the public and local artists to discuss social issues in contemporary art at the Center for Contemporary Arts Feb. 12.

Debbie Manns, gallery manager and marketing director, and Burgess Thomas, curator of fun learning experiences, led the conversation about social issues in the presence of two of the artists whose exhibits are currently on display.

According to the Center’s website, ArtRap is “a dialogue about consumerism, environmentalism, sexuality, racism, drug abuse and depression and how artists from current exhibits have confronted those issues and dealt with them through their art.”

“Very seldom is the art-

ist there to explain meaning to you,” Manns said.

“So we thought we would open up some conversations to try to talk about what contemporary art means, how to interpret it, how to enjoy it and how to, hopefully, help people appreciate what it’s all about.”

The topic was purposefully driven to address why certain art makes viewers uncomfortable and what an art consumer can then do about it, Manns said.

“We trivialize problems that still exist by trying to pretend that they don’t exist,” Manns said.

Russell Ellison, one of the artists behind the exhibit Studio 1 & Studio 2 and Chase Turk, the artist behind the exhibit Plastic were two among the artists who attended the ArtRap. “Probably one of the most difficult issues is trying to make people under-

stand just what is contemporary art,” Ellison said.

“In dealing with social issues, many times racial issues particularly, a lot of people think we still don’t have any. But it’s obvious we still do.”

Turk’s exhibit, Plastic, is a series of collage pieces with prose attached to them that further the meaning behind each piece of art. His work, displayed in Gallery 4, is placed in a chronological narrative.

“Contemporary art is more about pushing the envelope, pushing boundaries, breaking down walls,” he said. “I don’t see a lot of that.”

The exhibit was based almost entirely on personal experience with a strong emphasis on his love for idioms and playing with words, Turk said.

“Being uncomfortable isn’t fatal, it’s just one of those signs we have about,

catherine blakemore arts editorr

Debbie Manns, gallery manager and marketing director, talks to guests visiting ArtRap at the Center for Contemporary Art. ‘Maybe I should give this more thought?’” Thomas said. “That’s what contemporary art does to people.

It causes you to think, and that in itself can make many people uncomfortable.”

contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Childers shares exclusive expertise at conference daniel block intramurals editor Graduate School of Theology professor Dr. Jeff Childers traveled to Princeton University at the end of January to participate in an exclusive conference regarding the works of a historic church father.

Childers, CarmichaelWalling chair of New Testament and early Christianity, is one of only a handful of experts worldwide when it comes to studying Jacob of Sarug, a sixth century theologian from modern-day Turkey. Childers, along with seven other internationally known scholars, attended the Princeton

conference from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2 to establish a firmer footing of who Jacob was.

“He’s sort of the next big thing in church fathers because he’s left hundreds and hundreds of works and not many of them have been studied or translated or edited,” Childers said.

The weekend forum included experts from the U.S., Israel, Germany and Holland. The eight attendees presented material unique to their fields of study, answered questions and led discussions.

Childers’ primary research area is the Syriac language. Many of Jacob’s works were written in Syriac manuscripts.

“

After working on this kind of material, it really is spiritually enriching. I like to find things that connect with what we teach here but also connect with the kinds of careers and ministries that students are going to have.”

At the Princeton conference, Childers presented his research on Jacob’s use of the New Testament in these ancient writings and sermons.

Childers and other experts around the world are working to translate all of Jacob’s writings into English. Hundreds of works exist, and the GST professor is working on several of them.

Dr. Ken Cukrowski,

jeff childers graduate school of theology professor

dean of the College of Biblical Studies, said conferences such as this are vital to church growth and understanding.

“His surviving works number into the hundreds and his legacy left a deep impact on Christianity in the region,” Cukrowski said. “Our knowledge of Jacob is still at an early stage.”

Childers said Jacob of Sarug’s impact on the

modern church could compare to that of St. Augustine of Hippo or St. Basil the Great.

“Jacob is a preacher; Jacob is a poet and a theologian,” Childers said.

“Every time something of his gets translated into a language that more people can read, like English, people get excited about him because he does theology a little differently.”

Childers said this means Jacob presents his ideas differently than many early theologians.

“When they want to talk about their belief systems, they paint pictures,” Childers said. “In this 21st century era, that resonates with a lot of people. They want to see imagery and drama rath-

er than definition and formulas.”

Childers said he believes knowledge of Jacob of Sarug holds benefit for all Christians, not just those studying Church history. He hopes the outcome of this research will be relevant to everyone.

“After working on this kind of material, it really is spiritually enriching,” Childers said. “I like to find things that connect with what we teach here but also connect with the kinds of careers and ministries that students are going to have.”

contact block at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Office of retention targets freshmen rachel fritz copy editor The Office of Retention has set a goal to reach out to the entire freshman class.

Bart Herridge, dean of student services and retention, works each year to increase the amount of students who return to the university by plugging them into a program on campus.

“We’ve got several programs that are designed to help in the retention process,” he said. “Retention means the data and the statistics, and that’s not how we’re approaching it.

We’re approaching from the student, ‘What can we do to be successful?’ kind of way.”

Over the years, Herridge and his staff have implemented ideas and programs to target students, particularly freshmen. Now, they are tackling an even bigger goal.

“Ultimately, we would love to have every single freshman assigned to a faculty member or an upperclassman student on our campus to provide them someone they can turn to and ask questions,” Herridge said. “If we really were truthful about it, it’s not just freshmen. We want to try to do that with as many people as you could, at least freshmen and sophomores.”

And it all hinges on one fact.

“The one thing we know from 40 years of research is that students are more successful in an environment where they are connected to a faculty or staff member at that institution,” Herridge said.

The retention office, though its own entity, depends on other university programs to help students’ transitions into college a little easier and make ACU feel like home.

Programs such as those offered through the Center for Christian Leadership and Services and the Office of Residential Life

Education and Housing have aided in creating community on campus.

“They’ve had programs over there historically that do some of the same things,” Herridge said.

“We do have a lot of programs right now, but not all of them are retention programs. They’re trying to help build community among students.”

One successful program, Lynay, was created

by Dr. Gary McCaleb, vice president of the university. McCaleb created the program within the Center for Building Community which is housed in the Hunter Welcome Center.

“We are building bridges with people, not walls,” McCaleb said. “Students come in as a complete stranger and leave with 100 friends.”

McCaleb also created Pulse, a communitybuilding mentor program that is now in the Office of Student Life.

“We started the program in order to give students the opportunity to build community out of diversity,” he said. “We wanted students to be able to participate in a personal human experience.”

With the help of these programs, retention rates have steadily increased.

“If you look at it in an oversimplified way, that’s what student activities are for,” Herridge said. “When you get into student organizations here, it’s an organization that you feel strongly about or feel passionate about, whether it’s a social club or intramurals or a service organization or something like that, it’s something you’re passionate about and, you’re putting yourself in with more people who also share those things in common. That’s really the goal for all of these things.”

But that’s only where his job begins.

“Part of my job is trying to use the programs I have to try and fill in the gaps,” Herridge said. “The reality

about retention on a college campus is everybody has a hand in it. Everybody.”

Achieving his goal of pairing up students with faculty, staff and upperclassmen is merely an idea for now, as there are not enough mentors to go around. But for now, his focus is on getting students the help they need with programs already in place.

“We have a lot of resources on campus that students don’t know about,” Herridge said.

“We try to plug the student into the resources that they need. We can’t always help, but where we can, we’re at least trying to get them connected to something where they can take the first step and be successful. And that’s not just freshmen, that’s everybody. Undergraduates, grads, everybody on campus.”

In the meantime, Herridge communicates with neighboring universities to get ideas of what steps to take to apply programs that fit the culture of ACU. “We’ve done a really good job of benchmarking against other institutions to see what they’re doing,” he said. “It’s a lot easier to go and find something that somebody else has already done successfully and figure out how to do that here.”

The goal of providing freshmen with a mentor is still in its early stage, but Herridge said he thinks it’s something that will make everyone more successful.

“People just do better when they’re in relationship with other people,” he said. “That’s an important aspect of what we’re trying to do. Not just in classrooms – that’s a big deal, obviously – but it’s a lot bigger than that in terms of our goals for trying to create well-rounded people.” contact fritz at ref11a@acu.edu

5

sunday 2.15.15

sing song

COUNTDOWN

CAPTURED

Top:The senior class celebrates its victory winning overall in the mixed voices division. Top Left: The men of Pi Kappa placed third overall in the men’s division. Top Right: The six cochairs sing the traditional Lord Bless and Keep You. Above left: Kendra Mueck paints Sing Song faces before the Kojie act. Above right: GSP Director Phillip Jackson raises the Sing Song cup as Gammas sing their club song on the Sing Song stage. Bottom: Sub T-16 sways to the final song during the Saturday night finale.

Jarred schuetze Austin kilcullen and paide otway sTAFf Photographer

Opinion

Sunday 2.15.15

6

editorial

Coverage of the Ag Deparment closure is different the issue Some have wondered why there has been so much more “talk” or attention given to the closing of the AES department.

our take The ag department has a history and a hand in our university’s identity and they deserve the coverage we’ve issued them.

On Friday, the Optimist featured a tabloid insert documenting the past, present and future of the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Science.

Some questions may have been raised, like ‘Why did we spend the time and money on an

extra eight-page tabloid on one department?’ or ‘Why haven’t other departments that have been closed seen a similar amount of coverage?’

As journalists, we spend a lot of time on what’s happening right this very second. But another part of our job that

often gets pushed aside when deadlines approach is historical documentation.

Reading newspapers or stories from specific dates and times can give us the best snapshot of specific moments of time.

From the quotes that people say on any given day to the way stories unfold over a series of weeks provide insight of a year or an era that history textbooks can’t.

Not only were similar newspaper clippings essential in the creation of our ag feature, but we hope that someday, when a student or prospective

searches for a school with a Christian agriculture program, they can read our story and see why ACU no longer has one, as well as what the closed program once meant to our university.

Well, quite frankly, it has meant a lot. For decades, it was the identitysignificant portion of the student body. Being located in rural West Texs and bringing in students from even more remote areas guaranteed a population of students who identified with agriculture and in turn, made ACU do the same.

We couldn’t have writ-

DAILY doodle dosage

Ben Todd

“

For decades the AES department was part of the identity for many ACU students.”

ten a similar piece when the home economics department was closed years ago, or when the computer science department was closed in the ‘80s. Not because they weren’t an important part of ACU, but because they didn’t have the stories and the history that the ag department did.

The ag department

was instrumental in the growth and formation of our university, and for that we commemorated its history on Friday.

If you missed the feature in Friday’s paper, be sure to check out www. ag.acuoptimist.com. contact The Optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

hashtagACU Feb. 12 7:23 p.m.

To whoever yelled my name during my Sing Song cameo, I heart it and if you aren’t doing anything for Valentine’s Day...

Feb. 12 9:22 a.m.

The summation of ACUPD’s email about parking this weekend: “Ride your bike.”

@BrainOfJake

@Lincoln_Woods

Feb. 11 2:13 a.m.

Feb. 11 2:15 p.m.

There’s no I in team but there is one in sing song and only one so fight to the death because there can only be one winner of this pony show

46 Bobby Pins in my hair.

All in the name of sing song

@audreymarie93 Feb. 14 1:46 p.m.

I’ve literally been late to everything for sing song buuuut it’s like the theme so it’s ok right ¿

@hannzzle Feb. 13 12:16 p.m.

The ACU Optimist got the sing song rankings correct lol Pi Kappa for the win.

Column

Feb. 14 6:05 p.m.

Sing Song math was done too late VAGABONDAGE THE ORRACLE

SAMANTHAMADELINE SUTHERLAND ORR

Three years ago, to this very day, I was running to Bennett Gymnasium (when it was still an actual gym) from Gardner Hall with a gaggle of giggly freshman girls, proudly singing our freshman Sing Song act.

I loved Sing Song. I loved all the new faces that hadn’t seemed to exist my first semester at ACU. I loved singing about being a bear. I even loved taking orders from our bossy director, Andrew Tate.

Now, things are different. I’m not as enthusiastic about Sing Song

as I was three years ago, yet I’m in not just one, but two acts. I actually dread going to practice, but now I find myself going to practice five nights a week, not just two or three.

Now that I think about it, there’s actually quite a bit of Sing Song math that doesn’t seem to add up.

For starters, the bass section is always the loudest, yet it always has the fewest singers. And the director is always begging the crowded soprano section to speak up.

Then there is the song

length.

They tell us that our act can’t be longer than three and a half minutes, yet every practice is three hours. So three practices a week for five weeks is… 45 hours worth of rehearsal. For a threeand-a-half minute song.

And then when we actually perform it during the show, it feels like we are only on the stage for about 15 seconds.

Sing Song weekend, I’ll be ambushed by someone with a red circle sponge when I least expect it. Only God knows the number of eyelashes he gave me, but I can tell you exactly how many I’ll have for about a week: 12. Six black lashes the height of my forehead and six below, threatening to bleed into my wet cheeks.

And since we’re talking

@lexie_lexiee *out eating dinner*

about numbers, the only @Dustin56Worthen numbers that everyone will be thinking about Feb. 13 12:03 p.m.

Sing Song weekend are Lolz at the @acuoptifirst, second and third. mist predictions for sing I can only imagine the song. Our vocals were amount of math done on running a little late. But the judges’ score sheets we’re just gonna shake Saturday night. it off If there are three places awarded for three divisions competing in three categories to determine three overall winners, @jacibonneau that’s 30 times we can expect to hear loud shrieks Thanks to sing song, of celebration reverberatI’ve mastered the 30 ing around Moody. second sock bun.

I know I shouldn’t mock or complain about something I voluntarily joined, but no one told YikYak me I was doing my math wrong.

Spending the morning with my one true love, Chick-fil-A.

dad- “why is that girls face painted like yours?” dads new to sing song.

@marley_berry Sub-T can do whatever they want and it’s hilarious...

YikYak It’s the final countdown till sing song is over.

YikYak

contact orr at MCO11B@acu.edu

YikYak

Column

Crowdfunding: an invention right on the money I’M SORRY VAGABONDAGE MISS JACKSON SAMANTHA SUTHERLAND BRITTANY JACKSON

Sing Song has ended.

Three different acts now have $1,000 to give to their chosen charity.

Let’s review the options, shall we?

In true countdown fashion, my first thought was to go to a crowdfunding platform. Why not give back to the community in that way?

Crowdfunding platforms, which date back before 2012 but only recently attracted media attention, appear to have the best aggregation of charities available.

Sites like Indiegogo, Kickstarter, Crowdrise, Quirky, Tilt and Invested.in allow those with spare change to throw it

at whomever they please, oftentimes including donating to charitable cause on a rewardsbased project.

I thought it would be helpful to advertise these platforms for their stellar use and to perhaps encourage Saturday night’s winners to give to a worthy cause.

Here we go, brace yourselves: First, we’ve got the crystal bacon, which just needs a little over $1,000.

But you can all pool together, right? Because if there’s anything the

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

the way.

Fourth, the midlife crisis squirrel tattoo, asking for $2,000. Because if you’re going to get something tattooed on your body, it’d better be a squirrel.

Fifth, meat soap, which has already raised $1,905 . Now, instead having to bathe in the still-bubbling bacon grease from Sunday breakfast, you already have that aroma packed into a nice soap bar.

Sixth, and possibly the most important, a Doctor Who rap album.

But in all seriousness, if I wasn’t a struggling college student, I would throw a few bucks to that fundraiser.

Y’all have options, so I’d say go out and explore. After all, the Internet is a wonderful place, where only intelligent and worthy causes congregate.

contact Jackson at BKJ12A@acu.edu

Madeline Orr

catherine blakemore

jamie swallows

James Eldred

Kenneth Pybus

editor in chief opinion page editor

arts Editor

chief Videographer

Staff Writer

faculty adviser

paige otway

Ben Todd

cade white

brittany jackson

emily seidel Copy editor

Staff Photographer

Cartoonist

rachel fritz

abby runnels

copy editor

Page 2 Editor

Daniel Zepeda

Laura Benson

Sports director

newscast producer

managing editor

elijah evans online managing editor

jarred schuetze chief photogrpaher

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Visuals adviser

cara lee cranford advertising

collin wieder Sports Editor

Shera Niemirowski Sports multimedia director

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

world needs, it’s inedible bacon.

Second, the world’s most super-amazing10 0 - p e r c e n t- a w e s o m e cat calendar (yes, that’s a thing). It’s already exceeded the goal amount, now at about $25,000, but it’s still important, and you should think about all the cats you can have on calendars.

Third, I just have two words for you: grilled cheezus. Who doesn’t want the toasted face of Jesus on their morning meal? Just mull it over.

The answer is no one, by

hannah little sports broadcast producer newsroom (325) 674-2439

sports desk (325) 674-2684

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7

sports

sunday 2.15.15

‘Cats prepare for Indoor Championships Hannah Null sports reporter The Wildcats will face the ultimate test of their talent Monday as they begin the Southland Conference Indoor Championships.

The Championship will take place in Alabama at the Birmingham CrossPlex where the ‘Cats will compete against all 12 of their conference foes – Central Arkansas, Houston Baptist, Incarnate Word, Lamar, McNeese, New Orleans, Nicholls, Northwestern, Sam Houston, Southeastern Louisiana, SFA and Texas A&MCorpus Christi.

Southeastern Louisiana stole the indoor title at the men’s conference champion last year at the CrossPlex.

This year, the ACU men’s team started off the 2015 season with an eighth place finish at the Texas A&M Team Invitational.

The highest Wildcat finish was claimed by Daniel Block, senior from Saskatchewan, Canada, in the 800-meter race with a time of 1:53.22.

Block, a consistent top competitor on the men’s team, improved his time by more than two seconds and was named the winner of the lone race at the Masked Rider Open.

The third, and final, meet of the season so far featured a new star on the men’s team. Newcomer Rosen Daniel, freshman from Castries, St. Lucia, had a third-place finish in the 400-meter dash, fourth-place mark in the 200-meter race and a fifth-place rank in the 4x400-meter relay in the New Mexico Track and Field Open.

Johnathan Farquharson, junior from Freeport, Bahamas, also stood out during this meet with a 6.80 finish in the 60-meter race – the fastest time

in the Southland Conference this season.

Daniel is the leader of the Southland Conference in the 200- and 400-meter race, while Block has the first-place mark in the 800-meter race.

Conference foes SFA and Sam Houston State are closely trailing these marks, but the men’s team, statistically, appears to be capable of beating out the competition.

“The practice we’ve put in and the experience we’ve gained from this season has us prepared and ready to go for this conference meet,” said Ryan Cleary, freshman runner from Prosper.

While the Sam Houston State Bearkats won their fourth women’s title as champions last year at the conference meet, the ACU women’s team is ready to take them on after vastly improving their game as this season has progressed.

The season opener

at the Texas A&M Invitational welcomed the ‘Cats with an unpleasant last-place finish at ninth.

Diana Garcia Muñoz, sophomore from Phoenix, claimed a second-place finish in the 3,000-meter race with a time of 10:04.05, but her success was not enough for the Wildcats to impress their opponents.

The second meet, the Masked Rider Open, left the women’s team with a better finishing mark with the help of four firstplace finishes.

Jessica James, junior from Couva, Trinidad and Tobago, won the 600-yard race and the women’s 4x800-meter race.

Alexandria Hackett, sophomore from Cranston, Rhode Island, won the 3,000-meter race with a personal record of 10:00.86 and was a runner in the 4x800-meter relay where the ACU group won with a time of 9:28.42.

“I’m pretty nervous for the championships,” Hackett said. “I have to run against some really tough competition in our conference that we haven’t raced against yet this season.”

Albuquerque, New Mexico, opened the gate for the impressive ranking of Lexus Williams, senior hurdler from Mesquite.

Williams broke her previous record of 8.71 when she finished with 8.60 in the 60-meter hurdles.

James and Kimone Green, freshman from St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, claimed ninth and 10thplace finishes in the 400-meter race with times of 55.83 and 55.69 (a personal best for Green).

Green claims the firstplace mark in the Southland Conference in the 400-meter race, nine seconds in front of James – who holds the second spot.

Kenzie Walker, sophomore pole vaulter from

Abilene, claimed fourth place in the conference with a height, and personal record, of 3.90 meters.

Hackett holds the fourth-place time of 4:58.30 in the mile and ranks third in the 3,000-meter race with a time of 9:50.31.

“The expectations are high, and I know we can pull off a top-place finish as a team,” Hackett said.

“We just all have to give it our best and go in ready to fight.”

The men’s and women’s team will have a lot to prove to their fellow Div. I competitors, but based on their previous results, the ‘Cats can leave an impressive mark.

contact null at hln12a@acu.edu

Men look for winning formula in Huntsville daniel zepeda sports director The Wildcats will head to Huntsville to face one of the top teams in the Southland, Sam Houston State, Monday night.

ACU will go into the game with a 9-15 overall record and 3-8 in Southland Conference play.

SHSU is second in the conference at 10-1 and 19-5 overall.

The Wildcats are still in search of a win that would snap their eightgame losing streak. The streak began in Moody Coliseum Jan. 17 with a defeat at the hands of conference power Stephen F. Austin. ACU would then lose a winnable game against McNeese State, 56-63, in which the Wildcats shot 32 percent for the game.

ACU next lost a pair at home to Incarnate Word and Sam Houston, each by double digits, and then two more on the road to Lamar University (7484) and Houston Baptist (61-77). The team would return home to take on one of the lower-ranked teams in the conference, Southeastern Louisiana, but couldn’t get the job done, falling 52-65. The Lions would shoot more than 50 percent in the second half en route to the win.

Their last loss would come at the hands of Lamar in a 61-80 defeat on a neutral court in Garland as Sing Song took over the coliseum. A 35-point outburst from Cardinal Kevin Booze, along with 19 team free throw attempts in the second half, sank the Wildcats’ chances of breaking the streak.

In their last meeting with Sam Houston, the Bearkats took care of business in Moody, dealing ACU a 63-80 loss. The Bearkats won on an overall team effort that saw five players end the game with double-digit scor-

ing, including all but one of their starters.

ACU was led by junior forward Austin Cooke, who finished the game with a team-high 15 points on 6-12 shooting from the field and 3-6 from beyond the arc.

Senior guard Harrison Hawkins added 13 points, all in the second half, on 4-6 shooting and was 3-4 from the three.

Unlike most ACU men’s basketball games this season, the Wildcats were able to keep up with their opponent in the second half. ACU outscored SHSU 38-35 in the second, but it wasn’t enough to overcome their 45-25 halftime deficit.

The Wildcats shot 38 percent in the first half and converted three of 11 3-point attempts. In the second half, ACU bumped its shooting to 74 percent (14-19), but couldn’t execute when it came to the free throw line. The Wildcats were 5-13 from the line in the second half and 9-21 in the game for the team who was, at the time, the best-shooting free throw team in the conference.

Hawkins leads ACU in scoring this season at 13.9 points per game. Junior guard Parker Wentz has averaged 12.1 points on 43 percent 3-point shooting. Senior guard LaDarrien Williams averages 10.5 points per game and is one of the better rebounding guards in the conference at 4.1 boards per game. Cooke leads the Wildcats in rebounding at 5.8 a game and is averaging 10.3 points per game, 47 percent shooting and 45 percent threepoint shooting.

Tip off is set for 6:30 p.m. Monday night.

austin kilcullen Staff Photographer

contact Zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu

Junior guard Parker Wentz steps up for a 3-point attempt against Southeastern Louisiana last week in Moody Coliseum. Wentz is second on the team in points per game (12.1) and is tied for first in 3-point makes (51). The Wildcats will try to end their eight-game losing streak when they play Sam Houston State Monday night in Huntsville.

Beast Mode makes silent noise with media GWIN AND BEAR IT

REESE GWIN SPORTS REPORTER

He is a three-time professional bowler with a Super Bowl ring and his own charity foundation. He has his own endorsement deal and clothing line, but remains quiet and reserved. And the media hates him for it.

Marshawn Lynch does not fit inside the box the media wants to place him in. For one, running backs are not supposed to get better with age, but Lynch has.

In his eighth NFL season, he ran for more touchdowns than ever before.

For a while, it looked like Lynch’s career would never

even last eight years.

In 2009 he was arrested, suspended and benched with the Buffalo Bills. Once again, Lynch proved an to be anomaly. In his first full season in Seattle, he rushed for a career high in yardage.

Lynch’s stereotypeshattering persona extends beyond the playing field.

While his peers receive sponsorship deals from Gatorade and Nike, he signed an endorsement contract with Skittles. Lynch then had it written into his Skittles contract that money would be paid to his foun-

dation for each touchdown he scored.

NFL superstars aren’t supposed to be endorsed by candy. They aren’t supposed to have criminal records in addition to their own charity. However, the media doesn’t dislike Lynch for the things he does; it’s the things he doesn’t do that infuriates them.

Lynch does not talk to the media. It started in 2013 with Lynch quietly and politely declining interviews and post-game appearances. The NFL took notice and hit him with fines. At the end of 2013, Lynch had acquired a $50,000 tab from refusing to speak to media personnel.

Lynch took it to the next level in 2014, earning $100,000 in fines for avoiding the media. And when

“

NFL superstars aren’t supposed to be endorsed by candy. They aren’t supposed to have criminal records in addition to their own charity. However, the media doesn’t dislike Lynch for the things he does; it’s the things he doesn’t do that infuriates them.”

he did talk, he would answer all questions the same.

Sometimes he would respond to all questions with a simple, “Yeah.” At the Super Bowl media day, he only responded to questions with “I’m just here so I won’t get fined.”

Media personnel took offense and only pushed harder for real answers from him. Some labeled him “classless,” and others went as far as to call him a “thug.”

It surpassed “deflate-gate” as the primary headline leading into the Super Bowl.

But what’s the big deal? If Lynch doesn’t want to talk, then don’t ask him questions. Maybe he is shy, maybe he is humble, or maybe he just wants to play football and go home. Whatever the reason for his silence, it doesn’t matter. The media is wrong for feeling entitled to answers.

It’s refreshing to see an

athlete not craving the spotlight for once. Still, the media would rather paint him as the rule-breaker rather than the humble hero. His gold teeth and dreadlocks make him an easy target for the bad-boy image.

It’s unsettling to think a similar act of silence by a Manning or a Brady would be praised by the majority.

They would be regarded as true professionals, solely focused on their craft, yet Lynch is seen as a thug.

Maybe it’s a good thing for the media to be stood up for once. It shows their value is dependent on the athletes, and not everyone is waiting to be graced by their spotlight. contact gwin at erg12a@acu.edu

sports Baseball falls in first two vs. Nevada Collin wieder sports editor ACU’s baseball team has had a tough opening weekend so far, dropping the first two games against the University of Nevada.

“We’ve learned a lot through just our first two games, and it’s great experience for all the guys on the team,” said Britt Bonneau, head coach. “It’s not easy getting beat like this coming out of the gate, but it’s going to help us down the stretch against others.”

The Wildcats struggled in their first game Friday as they lost decidedly 12-3. Starting pitcher Thomas Altimont’s first game ended after just five innings as he gave up five earned runs on 10 hits.

ACU’s bats came up with seven hits, leaving seven on base, but did not score until the fourth inning. Brayden Gomez, freshman infielder from Fair Oaks, California, led the offense as he went 3-for4 at the plate. Alex Copeland, junior catcher from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, added an RBI in the fourth inning to get

jarred shuetze cheif Photographer

ACU baseball opened the season with a game against University of Nevada.

ACU on the board, making it 6-1 Nevada.

Saturday’s game started off in a similar fashion, as the offense did not score until the sixth inning and the pitching faltered early. The Wildcats did make it interesting, however, in the late going, as ACU

put together a last effort rally in the bottom of the ninth.

ACU came up with four runs on six hits in the inning, but ultimately fell 9-6 to the Wolf Pack.

“I feel like by making it close at the end, it changed the momentum going into

the final game of the series,” Bonneau said. “What you do when a team comes out and punches you in the mouth says a lot about your team and can change how the next game is played.”

ACU’s offense put together a great offensive game with

12 hits, but it turned into only six runs as the ‘Cats stranded seven again. Copeland went 3-for-3 in his second game as a Wildcat with two doubles and a run batted in. Tyler Eager, senior from Fort Worth, and Heath Beasley, junior from McKinney, hit 2-5 each on the day, combining for two RBIs and a double.

Aaron Mason, transfer junior starting pitcher from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, had a rough 1.1 innings pitched as he gave up 10 hits and nine earned runs. Bonneau turned to three other relief pitchers, and they only gave up one earned run in the remaining 7.2 innings.

“We have to teach these kids that it’s a war every inning of every game,” Bonneau said. “You have to crave it, you have to want to get out in front every inning and never let up.”

The Wildcats return to the mound at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Crutch to finish up their series against the Nevada Wolf Pack. contact wieder at cpw11a@acu.edu

SINGULAR SUCCESS

Tournament wins propel Reed to conference honor hannah little sports broadcast producer Brittney Reed, the lone and leading senior for the women’s tennis team, was selected as the Southland Conference’s Women’s Tennis Player of the Week.

Reed is the second Wildcat to win the award in three weeks after her total 4-0 victories in singles and doubles after matches against Prairie View A&M University and Trinity University. This is not the first time she has received this award, though. (when else has she won it?)

“I was happy to receive this award again, because it shows that my hard work on and off the court is paying off,” Reed said.

Her wide success in her career at ACU have proven to be nothing short of her hard work and dedication to the team.

Anyone who knows Brittney, knows she is dedicated and will do whatever it takes to be a leader. She shows true leadership skills on and off of the court.

“I have had the best time here at ACU,” Reed said.

“One of my most major successes was becoming and All-American my sophomore year. I work very hard during the year, and that was an awesome way of being recognized for my efforts.”

Reed also likes to strengthen and improve her overall health as an athlete aside from focusing on her skills.

These interests and hobbies fall into a goal that she will pursue and work toward for the rest of her life.

“My health is very important to me,” she said. “I strive to eat healthy and stay active throughout the week. Tennis keeps me quite busy, but living healthy is a lifestyle that I have chosen, and when I graduate I will continually pursue that.”

Her passion for tennis started at the age of 8 by the influence of her father who has a love for the game of tennis. Reed’s father signed her

8

sunday 2.15.15

standings men’s basketball Standings

Team

Div.

SFA 10-1 SHSU 10-1 TAMU-CC 8-4 NSU 7-4 UIW 6-4 HBU 6-5 Lamar 6-6 SELU 4-6 Nicholls St.4-7 MSU 3-8 ACU 3-8 NO 3-8 UCA 1-9

Ovrl 20-4 19-5 13-11 12-10 14-6 11-10 12-12 7-16 7-14 9-13 9-15 7-13 1-20

women’s basketball Standings

Team

Div.

Lamar 10-2 SFA 8-2 Nicholls St.8-3 NSU 7-4 TAMU-CC 7-4 UCA 6-4 MSU 6-5 ACU 5-7 SHSU 5-7 SELU 3-7 HBU 3-8 UIW 2-8 NO 1-10

Ovrl 13-10 15-6 12-10 12-10 11-11 13-9 12-10 13-10 4-16 7-14 9-13 5-16 3-17

Who’s Hot Junior catcher Alex Copeland had an impressive homestand in the copeland Wildcats’ first two games against Nevada.

Copeland went a combined 4-7 with two runs batted in and two doubles. Copeland was a key part in the Wildcats’ near comeback in game two, as he hit a double to score a run and keep the rally alive for ACU.

briefings Softball went 2-0 in its games over Prairie View A&M this weekend. The Wildcats took game one, 8-0, and then game two, 6-2. The women now stand at 3-4 in the young season.

Athletic Director Lee De Leon released his first installment of the De León Point. He addresses the new associate director of athletics, the ACU athletics mission, vision and slogan and updates on ACU’s vision in action. For more, go to ACUsports.com.

The women’s basketball team leads the conference in scoring margin (+6.4) coming into its game against Sam Houston State. It’s also the third highest-scoring team in the Southland at 69.9 points per game.

Be sure to follow @OptimistSports on Twitter and like the Optimist Sports Facebook jarred schuetze chief Photographer page for more ACU sports Senior Brittney Reed, from Richland, Washington, has used her experience to lead ACU tennis into Div. I competition. news and updates. up for her first tennis camp, and from there, she was able to fall in love with the game as she kept pursuing her passion.

Growing up, Reed joined the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and played multiple tournaments with the organization.

“My school didn’t offer tennis, so I played at one of the local public high schools,” Reed said. “I played on the high school team for one year, winning state as a freshman.

I decided to focus more on USTA tournaments and to get my ranking up before deciding which college to attend.”

As Reed enters her last season at ACU, she said she hopes to leave a legacy that will inspire her teammates and viewers who have followed her throughout her journey.

“I hope to show them how to lead a team on and off the court, just as those have who

were older than me,” she said.

“I want to be an example of someone who is a fighter and one who lives and plays with the spirit of God inside.”

contact little at hll12a@acu.edu

Upcoming Baseball plays the final game of its seasonopening series against Nevada at 1 p.m. Sunday at The Crutch.

Golf team prepares for UTPA Classic reese gwin student reporter The golf team will begin its spring season Monday at the UTPA Classic in Edinburg.

Arkansas State, Prairie View A&M and Loyola Chicago will join them along with the host school, TexasPan American.

For ACU, it will be the first tournament of 2015.

The Wildcats begin their season against top competition, including North Carolina, Arkansas and South Carolina.

“We have a good nationwide schedule that the guys

on the team are really excited about,” said Tom Shaw, head coach. “We’re going to take ACU and the brand eastward and try to get some more tournament wins.”

The ‘Cats are scheduled to play 36 holes Monday and finish Tuesday with 18 more.

This is the first spring season for Shaw. In his first fall season, the Wildcats won a tournament and claimed one other top-three finish.

“As any coach will tell you, you play the way you practice,” Shaw said. “I want to teach these guys that you can’t just turn on a switch. It takes behind-the-scenes effort day-in and out to get to

the highest level you can.”

The team was led by Corbin Renner, senior from Little Rock, Arkansas. He never finished a tournament lower than 12th in the first half of his final year.

“I’ve tried to learn as much as I can from the leaders before me about being the best leader I can be with the team we have now,” Renner said. “One of the biggest things I’ve learned is to just live in the moment.

Don’t get too caught up in the future; just set goals for the semester, and do whatever we need to to reach those goals.”

Shaw believes there is no

question that Renner can lead the Wildcats to where they need to be.

“Corbin has set the bar very high for this group and at a place where other ACU Wildcats can look at him and think ‘I want to be like that guy,’” Shaw said.

Renner has a unique style of play, especially when he plays well.

“When I’m playing my best, I’m not thinking about golf at all,” Renner said. “I try to distract myself as much as I can in between shots. But when it comes to my shot, I focus 100 percent on it. But then after that, I try not to think about it.”

Men’s basketball travels to Huntsville Monday to take on Sam Houston State University at 6:30 Dillon Vaughn, junior p.m.

transfer from Joshua, added strong support in the second spot.

The last three spots on the team fluctuated from tournament to tournament, but Clarke Hudgins, freshman from Amarillo, always found himself in the mix.

Still, the Wildcats will need team members to step up to make a push during conference play.

Tee-off is at 8 a.m.

Monday.

contact gwin at erg12a@acu.edu

Golf tees off in Edinburg with a tournament against the University of Texas-Pan American Monday morning.

Track begins day one of the Southland Conference Indoor Championships Monday in Birmingham, Alabama.

Women’s basketball returns with a home game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Wednesday at 7 p.m.