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Thursday, February 6, 2020

Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Study abroad programs in China face cancellation

Spread of Coronavirus impacts students enrolled in school trips HANNAH MACKAY Daily Staff Reporter

ALEC COHEN/Daily Solomon Rajput, candidate for Michigan’s 12th Congressional District, canvases at houses in Ann Arbor in January.

Riding the socialist wave

Medical student Solomon Rajput puts studies on hold to primary incumbent US Rep. Debbie Dingell, channels leftist discontent in appeal to voters JULIA FANZERES Daily Staff Reporter

In the middle of the Michigan League’s Maizie’s Kitchen & Market, a dozen undergraduate students huddled around a laptop to sign in for their canvassing shifts. The small group decided to brave the January blizzard and knock doors for Solomon Rajput, a 27-yearold Ann Arbor native who put his medical studies on hold for a year to challenge Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., for Michigan’s 12th congressional

seat. Dingell has represented the district for the last four years. Previously, it was held by the late John Dingell for 59 years and before that, by his father John Dingell Sr. for 22 years. Rajput hopes to disrupt this 85-year-old political dynasty. He said he was interested in politics as a teenager but was disenchanted with how candidates seemed to be controlled by big corporations. Still looking to make a difference, Rajput decided to enter the medical field. “I ended up in medicine because it is a way to help

people in a very vulnerable moment, heal people,” Rajput said. “I was thinking maybe we can change our health care system from the inside out.” After Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 presidential election, Rajput’s political ambitions were reignited, leading him to found the activist organization Michigan Resistance. The goal of the group was to advocate for local progressive bills in the county and state legislature. Noting the success of progressive campaigns such as those run by U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York,

and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., in 2018, Rajput said he became hopeful that he, too, would be able to make a difference through politics. In September 2019, he decided to put his medical studies on the back burner and run for Dingell’s seat. “I feel like times are changing, and it’s actually really exciting because we have a new generation of leaders who are running for office. We’re saying we’re not going to be beholden to corporate interest any longer,” Rajput said. See RAJPUT, Page 3

LSA sophomore Katyanne Calleja planned on studying abroad for two semesters this summer in China when the program she had applied to was canceled due to the recent coronavirus outbreak and a lack of interest in the program. Calleja said not all of the abroad programs in China have been canceled, though there has been a lot of confusion among students hoping to still travel there over the summer. “I know so far that the Beijing one is not canceled and they say that they are just waiting to see what’s going to happen,” Calleja said. “I feel like the whole situation is kind of confusing because sometimes you hear things are canceled, but then sometimes it’s not.” Since the University of Michigan issued a travel restriction on Jan. 27 for the entire country of China due to the recent coronavirus outbreak, all undergraduate and most graduate student travel to China has been

ANN ARBOR

Saline HS Candelight vigil draws community racist acts to share experiences of sexual assault of concern Michigan students gather on Diag Wednesday evening to demonstrate support to parents PETER HUMMER

In discussing children’s encounters with racism, Chela’s owner Iraola expresses frustration JULIA RUBIN, BRAYDEN HIRSCH & EMMA RUBERG Daily Staff Reporters

During a community meeting on diversity, equity and inclusion in Saline Area schools on Monday night, one man asked a Latinx parent why he had come to the United States, rather than “stay(ing) in Mexico.” The meeting was held following an incident last week at Saline High School when students were found posting racial slurs in a Snapchat group chat. The altercation occurred after Adrian Iraola, the father of three Saline school district alumni, shared his children’s experiences with racism during their years in Saline. In a video recorded by MLive, Iraola said other students called his children “taco, nacho and enchilada.” While Iraola was sharing his story, parent Tom Burtell interrupted and said, “Then why didn’t you stay in Mexico?” The remark was followed by gasps from the audience and various calls for Burtell to leave. See SALINE, Page 3

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Daily Staff Reporter

Freezing temperatures, wind and swirling f lurries of snow did not stop about 25 students and Ann Arbor community members from gathering in the Diag for a candlelight vigil in support of sexual assault victims Wednesday night. The event was organized by the Sexual Assault Victims Alliance (SAVA), in conjunction with The Michigan Democracy Institute for Civic

Engagement and Roe v. Rape. In order to protect the privacy of the speakers, they will be referred to only by their first names. In an interview with The Daily, Candice, Eastern Michigan University student and an organizer of the event, spoke about the construction of the vigil. “We wanted to have some kind of display that would show how many victims there are at U of M and how common it is here,” Candice said. “We thought that the

candlelight vigil would be really awesome.” Candice said events raising awareness of sexual assault are valuable for decreasing stigma. “I think that events like this are super important, especially with taboo issues like sexual assault,” Candice explained. “When no one’s talking about the issue … you don’t really know that it exists — that people are struggling with it. Because no one is really open about it, so these events do a lot to educate people who maybe

would be and will be our allies, but they don’t know what the problem is.” She also expressed her surprise at the amount of enthusiasm she encountered while organizing the event. “Almost every person I reached out to was really excited about it. I had really good engagement,” Candice said. “People were really excited and were really willing to contribute to the event, which I wasn’t really expecting.” See VIGIL, Page 3

prohibited and many study abroad programs have been canceled. The University’s travel ban specifically discourages any “nonessential” travel to China for students, faculty and staff and has affected all spring and summer study abroad programs affiliated with the Center for Global and Intercultural Study. When contacted by The Daily, University spokeswoman Dana Elger referred all students, faculty and staff interested in learning more about the virus to the Key Issues section of the Office of Public Affairs’s website. On Friday, the page addressed the travel ban and the international and national threat from the coronavirus. “The U.S. State Department classifies China as a level 4 travel advisory, recommending that individuals avoid all travel to the country,” the post reads. “The entire country remains under a U-M travel restriction. All U-M Related Travel to China, including for faculty and staff, is discouraged. See CORONAVIRUS, Page 3

ADMINISTRATION

Statement authored by A/PIA targets ‘U’ Undergraduates send letter in response to jury’s verdict in trial over discrimination JENNA SITEMAN Daily Staff Reporter

After a jury found the University of Michigan did not discriminate against a couple who accused the school of violating the state’s civil rights statute, a group of students minoring in Asian/ Pacific Islander American Studies authored an open letter to the University and public. The students outlined requirements they would like to be met to make them feel more supported. On Dec. 20, 2019, a jury determined that the University did not discriminate against Emily Lawsin and Scott Kurashige, who filed a discrimination lawsuit in 2016 against the University under the ElliottLarsen Civil Rights Act, with claims of disparate treatment, discriminatory hiring practices and sex discrimination, among others. In the letter, the group of students introduced a path of action they would like to see the University embark on to improve their working relationship.

HANNAH YOO/Daily Michigan student Jenny Lavin speaks during the Sexual Assault Survival Candlelight Vigil on the Diag Wednesday evening.

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INDEX

NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 CLASSIFIEDS..............6

See LETTER, Page 2

SUDOKU...............6 SPORTS...................7 ARTS...............5

News

2 — Thursday, February 6, 2020

MONDAY: Looking at the Numbers

TUESDAY: By Design

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WEDNESDAY: This Week in History

John @notbrokenow

THURSDAY: Twitter Talk

FRIDAY: Behind the Story

genta @gentanishku just reminiscing, but one of the wildest things about living in ann arbor for three years was getting emails boasting about the town & university’s “values” while watching the number of people on the streets grow before our eyes from year to year

Protesting @Umich’s investment in Fossil Fuels by stealing food from North Campus

Best Michigan Dining @UmichBroccoli The combo of a “Saturdays are for the Boys” flag and a whole bunch of pride flags on the same house might be the best way to sum up Ann Arbor

LAV @_Lavar_ Nobody: People at umich: oh it’s not that far, just a 30 minute walk!

BRAPRIPPER @ElectricJizzard Walking across ann arbor with two eggs in my pocket please DO NOT bump into me

F E AT U R E

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NYU prof. talks intersection of LGBTQ rights and religion

Krutzsch lectures on queer martyrs and media attention paid to movement as part of Spectrum Center’s health and wellness week SARAH PAYNE For the Daily

As a part of its LGBTQ Health and Wellness Week, the Spectrum Center hosted a talk titled Queer Martyrdom: The Religious and Sexual Politics of LGBTQ Inclusion. This event featured guest speaker Brett Krutzsch, a scholar from New York University and author of the book “Dying to Be Normal: Gay Martyrs and the Transformation of American Sexual Politics.” Krutzsch spoke to an audience of about 20 students, staff and community members. Krutzsch discussed both

LETTER From Page 1 “We have witnessed a national student movement for the growth of A/PIA Studies, but at the same time, we have watched a national struggle for A/PIA Studies to be institutionally supported by universities,” the letter said. “This University is no exception.” The requirements outlined by the students include the creation of an A/PIA Studies major, more recognition and support for the faculty of ethnic studies programs, more spaces to hold lectures, additional faculty specifically dedicated to the ethnic studies program and meetings with LSA Dean Anne Curzan. “The students of A/PIA

historical and modern issues pertaining to the intersection of religion and the LGBTQ+ community. He referenced two anecdotal stories about LGBTQ youth Matthew Shepard and Fred F.C. Martinez, whose murders sparked controversy in contrasting ways. Shepard was an openly gay college student in Wyoming who was kidnapped, robbed and beaten in 1998. He was tied to a fence and left to die in near-freezing temperatures. He succumbed to his injuries several days after the attack and quickly became a symbol in LGBTQ+ activists’ fight for acceptance and equality. “Parents throughout the

country felt that Matthew could have been their son, an idea many had never contemplated before of a gay person,” Krutzsch said. “Instead of describing him as an adult man who had boyfriends or lovers, he becomes a kid within the American nuclear family.” Krutzsch said the public connected to Shepard’s story, citing several journalists who wrote about the murder and how it sparked national response. “We have this Christian rhetoric that he is continuing to lead and teach others after he dies and in doing that, Shepard transforms into an image of gay men completely

disassociated from public sex,” Krutzsch said. Martinez, who was murdered in Colorado in 2001, was “nádleehí,” a Navajo word used for a man with feminine attributes. 18-year-old Shaun Murphy beat 16-year-old Martinez to death with a rock, and received a 40-year sentence for the crime. Murphy was paroled in 2019 after serving 17 years in prison. Krutzsch said because Martinez was a person of color, his murder carried a significantly different narrative than Shepard’s.

Studies have witnessed a litigation in which the University that we chose to attend has excluded our role models, directly discredited our presence, and denied the existence of our lived realities,” the letter said. “We now need a period to heal and move forward from such an alienating process.” As of Wednesday night, the letter had more than 100 signatures from the A/PIA Studies community as well as other University students. In an interview with The Daily last week, University President Mark Schlissel said he was glad the University won the trial. “We’re gratified they agreed with us,” Schlissel said. “As always with juries, it was a relatively lengthy and complicated trial. …

We’re always trying to hear constructive criticism, even if we disagree with its conclusions.” Schlissel said he’s spent time with A/PIA leadership to continue the ongoing conversation on how to improve the situation for the programs. “I would find it disappointing if any student felt as if they weren’t supported for any reason, any mode of identity,” Shlissel said. “Our student affairs staff and the folks that work on our multiculturalism programs are in contact with A/PIA and other groups. I’ve had A/PIA leadership to the house for breakfast, probably once a semester the last several years, and it’s an ongoing dialogue.” In response to this statement, James Lee, LSA senior and A/ PIA Studies minor, said he felt

offended by Schlissel’s mention of the entire A/PIA community being represented by a small group of leadership. “When Schlissel says ‘A/PIA’ generally, that is completely antithetical to diversity,” Lee said. “Because if you’re going to say, ‘I listened to A/PIA,’ that’s 15 percent of the student body. Who are you listening to? If you want to say something about diversity but then at the same time say the entirety of A/PIA is just a monolith and that you listen to everybody out there, when we’ve had experiences when we know you don’t (listen to us). You can have all this discourse about diversity, but that doesn’t matter when you’re doing nothing (to make improvements).”

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Opinion

4 — Thursday, February 6, 2020

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EMILY ULRICH | COLUMN

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SHAD JEFFREY II | COLUMN

What music will define the 2010s?

hen I was younger, I used to listen to music from different decades with family members based on what they grew up listening to. The 1950s and ’60s with my grandparents, the 1970s and ’80s with my parents, the 1990s and 2000s with my older sister. It was easy for me to separate music chronologically, based on the sounds I heard alone — my ear had been trained to differentiate the hard feedback of the Rolling Stones’ recordings from the soft vocals of The Eagles, and the upbeat rhythm of ’80s pop from ’90s grunge. With a few more years behind me, I’ve given more focus toward genres of music rather than simply categorizing music chronologically. In today’s generation of young people, with wide access to music streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud and YouTube, how do we put a label, a sound or a rhythm to the music of the 2010s? Wide and instant access to music has deeply specialized the tastes of the generation who defined the culture of the 2010s, who I will say range between the ages of 16 and 30 presently, as they came of age during this decade and had the most influence on popular culture. We don’t have to choose between a handful of radio stations to define our personalities and tastes, we can explore and delve into any niche we can find. We’re no longer dependent on the radio diskjockey, American BandStand or Billboard for discovery. Ultimately, our music taste feels less united than in past generations. Taking a sampling of the most popular songs from the last decade is interesting because the sound doesn’t feel quite as homogenous as it does when you look back at a decade

like the 1960s or ’70s. While different genres were consumed by different people then as they are now, it seems the effects of technology on culture and music have led us to extreme specification, and — in some ways — polarization. The range of songs that defined this period are as diverse as they come, from “Levels” to “Despacito” to “Uptown Funk.” Reviewing the list of songs that Billboard published that “defined the decade” is fascinating, with so many genres and different sounds represented, a future and hypothetical “Best of the 2010s” radio station could never exist. An “oldies” station for my generation would have to be so widely encompassing that, in an attempt to appeal to everyone, it might fail to attract anyone. The diversity of this generation’s tastes could never be bottled into a radio station, and in fact, most of us don’t listen to the radio anymore at all.

Each song and each rhythm is in the power of the listener. The increased use of the auxiliary cord and Bluetooth technology, coupled with the rise of smartphones and streaming services, has allowed people to control their own vibes in a way that radio or mix-CDs never could. Each song and each rhythm is in the power of the listener and that has fundamentally changed how we enjoy music collectively. With so much more to choose

from, we aren’t categorized by one genre or sound from the past 10 years, there isn’t one popular or mainstream sound to base counterculture and “countermusic” off of anymore. There are many arguments as to how streaming services negatively impact artists and put less money in their pockets. On the opposite side of the spectrum, it has become significantly easier and cheaper for artists, especially new artists, to release music, market themselves and reach a niche with the current music streaming and consumption infrastructure. Spotify and SoundCloud allow you to upload your music for free and receive money based on listens, which represents a sort of “bottom-up” approach to the music industry where new and relatively unknown artists aren’t dependent on major labels or high-budget studio albums to see a payday. It seems we are less united by a common music taste than in generations past — but this shared experience of growing up with and embracing technology has separated our human experience from those that came before us, and has created a new shared identity of experiencing life and culture in a way that it never has been before. Our generation has pioneered the full integration of life and tech, and it will be extremely interesting to see how we are observed and studied by future generations. The variety of music that has defined the 2010s won’t be able to be encompassed by a “Best of the 19-XXs” radio station, but that doesn’t mean we won’t remember the meaningful tracks that defined our generation. Shad Jeffrey II can be reached at shadj@umich.edu.

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A sweet tooth’s worst nightmare

an sugar make you dumb? I wish I would have thought about this question before studying for my last chemistry exam. It was around 9 p.m., and I was in the newly-remodeled LSA building on campus. It was getting to that point in the night when you keep re-reading the same problem over and over again and seem to retain nothing. I needed something to wake me up. I decided to check out the selfservice cafe in the lobby for a study snack to get me through the next practice exam. I was torn between Sour Patch Kids and dried apple chips. Faithfully, I chose the Sour Patch Kids since they had succeeded in giving me that late-night sugar boost in the past. The brain uses sugar in the form of glucose as its main food source. When you have low blood sugar, your brain loses its energ y to function. I knew my brain needed some food, but was I overdosing on sugar by choosing the Sour Patch Kids? According to the American Heart Association, the maximum daily sugar intake for men is 36 grams and for women is 25 grams. We are all overdosing on sugar. The 2 tablespoons of Nutella that you spread on your toast this morning contained 21 grams of sugar in it; for females, that is 84 percent of your daily sugar intake already wasted on one piece of toast. According to research performed by Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a professor of neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, a long-term highfructose diet affects the brain’s ability to learn and remember information.

Gomez-Pinilla studied how a variety of genes in the brain can be damaged by fructose. In Gomez-Pinilla’s study, rats were trained to escape from a maze and then divided into three groups. The first group drank fructose and had no Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in their diet. DHA is a type of omega-3 fatty acid that is essential in the brain. The second group drank fructose water and was fed a DHA-rich diet. The third group drank non-fructose water and had no DHA-rich diet.

The sugar craving becomes more like an addiction, making it hard to replace that late night snack with something nutritious. When the rats were put through the maze again, the rats that drank fructose water with no DHA-rich diet took twice as long to complete the maze compared to the rats from the other two groups. The memory of these rats was clearly impaired by the fructose in their diet and lack of DHA; it seems that fructose could lessen the effects of DHA. Another research study on sugar performed at Aarhus University in Denmark found that sugar intake can alter the reward-processing circuitry of the brain in a way similar to addictive drugs. After just 12 days of sugar intake, the dopamine and opioid systems

in the brain change. The sugar craving becomes more like an addiction, making it hard to replace that late-night sugary snack with something nutritious. We are directed by our brains to seek pleasure and avoid pain, whether that be the pain of withdrawal or the aftertaste of collard greens. It can be difficult to resist sugar especially when it is all around you — from donut sales in Mason Hall to jungle juice at parties to chocolate chip cookies at Mosher-Jordan Residence Hall’s dining hall. So where do we go from here? The first option is substitution. We all get that sweet tooth every once in a while, but how we choose to satisf y the sugar craving makes all the difference. Instead of grabbing candy, try a piece of fruit. This way you can still get your sugar fix, but without overdosing on added sugars. Another option is incorporating more DHA-rich foods into your diet. These include walnuts, salmon, edamame and kidney beans. A diet rich in DHA can counteract the sugar, increasing learning and memory by streng thening the synapses within the brain. For the risk-takers, another option is to challenge yourself to a sugar detox. Sure, sugar overdosing probably does not fully account for failing an exam, but I do think there is enough evidence to convince me to put down the Sour Patch Kids and reach for a healthier alternative next time I’m struggling to keep my brain working through a practice exam late at night. Emily Ulrich can be reached at emulrich@umich.edu.

SUNGMIN CHO | COLUMN

The American experience is not universal

ominated for six Oscars last week, “Parasite” became the first Korean movie to be nominated for Best International Film. This reminded the public of an interview the director Bong Joon-ho had last October, in which he said he was not expecting much from the Oscars. It may have just been his humility, but it’s likely his pessimism was based on the fact that a Korean film has never been nominated for the award. However, it was his next comment that surprised many American critics. “It’s a little strange, but it’s not a big deal. The Oscars are not an international film festival. They’re very local,” Joonho said. He shocked many Americans by categorizing the Oscars, long perceived as one of the most prestigious film gatherings in the world, as a local event. It is, in fact, a local event. The Oscars only recognize movies “for paid admission in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County.” I’m not a film expert, but the reason I’m introducing this news byte is to point out that some Americans often forget that “American” does not mean “universal.” As an international student born and raised in South Korea, it’s often shocking to see how some American people perceive the world. In courses that address United States government and politics, instructors will sometimes refer to background knowledge by asking students to think about what they learned about the

Civil War in high school or the American values they were taught growing up. They were not cognizant of the fact that there were international students in the class, people who were unfamiliar with these common American teachings. These instances ref lect how some Americans, even those who are welleducated, are indifferent to or even unaware of the rest of the world. While American universities may claim to be global centers of knowledge, Joon-ho describes them as “insulated worlds” detached from other cultures.

Americans are indifferent to the or even unaware of the rest of the world. Although, it is natural for anyone to feel attached to their country, I find America’s indifference toward foreign cultures extraordinary because it starkly contrasts what I was taught about the world. The Korean mandatory education system teaches every student Korean, English and a choice of a second foreign lang uage. Under the equivalent of K-12, each student is required to learn English from third grade and an additional foreign lang uage from eighth grade, and the Korean SAT tests all three lang uages. This is not

about excessive education, but rather about recognizing that not everyone speaks one lang uage, and it is important to learn how to communicate with people from different countries. Meanwhile, minorities in the U.S. are still mocked for speaking languages other than English in public. An online critic responded to this with a burning satire, saying, “ ‘It’s rude not speaking English in public places.’ Aw, does it remind you that you can only speak one language?” Observing, or even experiencing, such incidents makes one realize how provincial perspectives are responsible for exclusive society. Compared to “international student,” imagine how awkward “domestic student” sounds. American students in an American institution are domestic students, but to an American listener, that way of categorizing might sound strange because “American” has always been the default. Every time I walk on the Diag and see the American flag, I feel ambivalent. On one hand, it reminds me of the rich democratic history I learn about every day, and I understand why so many people are patriotic to this country. On the other hand, I wish that someday studying in the U.S., I no longer need to come up with a random Hollywood movie as a substitute for my actual favorite movie for an icebreaker, which is not American. Sungmin Cho can be reached at csungmin@umich.edu.

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Arts

Thursday, February 6, 2020 — 5

MUSIC NOTEBOOK

Frances Quinlan tackles the unpleasant on ‘Likewise’ JIM WILSON

Daily Arts Writer

I don’t usually listen to indie rock, but when I do, it’s for a good reason. This time around, the reason is Frances Quinlan. The Hop Along frontwoman has decided to grace the world with her debut solo album Likewise. I don’t know much about indie rock, I admit. However, I do know what makes an outstanding album, and this is an outstanding album. Sonically, Likewise is a gorgeous nine-song romp through a glistening and glittering indie rock wonderland. Album opener “Pilitdown Man” takes a stroll down a piano-driven lane as Quinlan sings softly in a pleasingly off-kilter manner. “Rare Thing” is a hypnotic spiral staircase up to synth-pop heaven. “Went to LA” is a twinkling acoustic gaze up toward the stars

marked by Quinlan’s ever-present ruminations on anything and everything. As a whole, Likewise is a sonic tour of Quinlan’s world, a world for everyone, filled with pleasant little quirks and easter eggs. Lyrically, however, Likewise is something of an oasis. Quinlan is floating by herself, accompanied only by her own thoughts and musings. She covers themes ranging from climate change, human compassion, solitude and even cannibalism. Despite this range, Quinlan is always laserfocused, dissecting each topic with the precision and ease of a surgeon. This description makes it seem like Likewise is a sterile operating room, but it certainly is not. Rather, it is a messy, scattered album similar to the natural world, which Quinlan wrangles with grace and poise, deftly handling everything that crosses

her mind. “Detroit Lake” finds Quinlan striking the perfect balance between sonic beauty and lyrical dismay. She takes listeners to a conversation between the narrator and another person, far away from the namesake lake. In the song’s chorus, she sings, “Miles from all that’s between us at stake / Algae blooms up in Detroit Lake / Listening for my turn to come next / Leave, the same as I came in, more or less.” Quinlan describes a conversation running dry, perhaps the sign of a dying relationship, which, at the time, seems more important than the algal bloom in the distant Detroit Lake. “Detroit Lake” serves as a reminder that our actions can have grave consequences, yet we still are more concerned about ourselves, a message that rings true across the album.

Likewise is a thoughtful album that is chock-full of compelling lyrics and ideas, but for some reason, Quinlan decides to end it with words that are not her own. Album closer “Carry the Zero” is a cover of the Built to Spill song of the same name, and despite its status as a cover, it’s so much more. In a personal album filled with her thoughts and feelings, it makes sense that Quinlan chose to include a cover of one of her favorite songs. She stays true to the essence of the song, but she makes it wholly her own. She makes it more subdued than the original, driven by an echoing synth line that, in true Quinlan fashion, eventually explodes into a full band, including blazing guitar licks and a pulsating bass line. All the focus is on her as she perfectly and thoughtfully delivers each line, closing her album beautifully.

Saddle Creek

Likewise finds Frances Quinlan tackling some pretty complex themes, but she delivers them in a relatable, down-to-earth manner, thanks to her charming persona

BOOKS NOTEBOOK

and gorgeous instrumentals. Quinlan is sure to make a fan out of anyone with Likewise. She certainly just made one out of me.

COMMUNITY CULTURE PREVIEW

On love triangles in fiction Convos at Color Caberet SARAH SALMAN Daily Arts Writer

Last week I was reminded of the horrific love-triangle trope in young-adult novels when my friend brought up the “Shatter Me” series in our book club. She was a touch too excited (morbidly so) to share the gory details: “...and here’s the kicker, Adam and Warner are the only people that are able to touch her. Like, of course, it’s the love interests that are the kryptonite to her ‘super-power.’” Tahereh Mafi’s “Shatter Me” follows Juliette, a teenage girl who has a “fatal touch.” That is, after Juliette touches someone, they die. At the start of the novel, she’s locked up in a cell and hasn’t experienced human touch in years… until Adam. “Shatter Me” screams “youngadult dystopia” with the two male leads following the lovetriangle trope to a T. Adam, the nice one and Warner, the bad boy/villain/anti-hero. After six sequels, guess which one Juliette ends up with (cue the eye-roll and yawn). Even though I’ve never read “Shatter Me,” it feels like I have. The thought of love triangles triggers the sensation of cockroaches crawling under my skin. With a physical revolution, I’m yanked back in time to 5th grade, where I read about my first love triangle ever: “Twilight.” It’s true. I ate up the “Twilight” series like a vampire

after a weekend-long fast from blood. I was unabashedly Team Edward, and I felt betrayed when Bella swayed to Jacob in “New Moon.” I wanted to wallow in a ball and shake Bella out of her werewolf induced spell, “Edward is the love of your life!” Take my aforementioned turbulent emotions and apply them to any of the following series: “The Mortal Instruments,” “The Infernal Devices” (Side note — this series has unequivocally deterred me from love triangles forever. Tessa, you can’t have your cake and eat it too!), “The Hunger Games,” “Vampire Academy,” “The Selection.” It’s always the mean playboy with the traumatic past versus the nice, bland guy, typically best friends with our protagonist. With few exceptions (cough, “The Hunger Games”), the nice guys finish last. Now we return to the ageold question: If love triangles are so annoying, then why are they so popular? Certainly, my relationship with literature would be so much more stressfree if not for the dreaded love-triangle. It’s an idea I’ve ruminated on quite extensively in my brief foray back into the young-adult literature world. Why introduce a new potential love interest when it’s (mostly) clear who the protagonist will end up with? Then it hit me — I wouldn’t be reading these

stories in the first place if it weren’t for their love triangles (my masochist tendencies notwithstanding of course). Hear me out, these books can’t stand on their own without the love-triangle. The love-triangle serves to hide the nonexistent plot and onedimensional characters by upping the tension. If youngadult novels were mysteries, the love triangles would be the equivalent of whodunit plotlines. The thing that’s driving the readers to finish X amount of sequels to these novels is the love-triangle. Imagine novels like “Shatter Me,” “The Selection” or “Twilight” without the love-triangle. It’s a stagnant, mushy book — the literary version of a pint of Ben & Jerry’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Where’s the flavor? It’s that elusive uncertainty of “will they or won’t they?” that motivates me to pick up the 1000 page hardcover of “Breaking Dawn,” fully aware that I’m not cracking that mammoth of a book to resolve the conflict with the Volturi. Despite the irritation, I sometimes need the spice of a love triangle in my life. With my (let’s be honest) absent love life, the drama of two men and one girl is alluring. Even without a plot, I’m flooded with a whirlwind of emotions: anger, angst, butterflies and relief. Let’s face it, love triangles sell for a reason.

ZOE PHILLIPS Senior Arts Editor

Musical theatre tends to be dominated by whiteness. White characters breed white casting and white schooling in a positive feedback loop that has excluded artists of color for as long as the industry is old. The University’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance students know this — they live it. On a recent rainy evening, SMTD Junior Erica Ito put it this way: “[it’s] a predominantly white department in a predominantly white institution in a predominantly white field that we are entering that has a complicated history with people of color.” “The Color Cabaret” deals with all of this. Divided into two parts over roughly 90 minutes, the student-run show gives artists of color opportunities to sing and perform in roles rarely offered to them. In the first half, students take on famous color-consciously casted songs that make a difference to them as artists. Disney princesses and “Hadestown” are both set to make an appearance. The second half takes on iconic roles in musical theatre that have not been traditionally performed by people of color — “Don’t Rain on My Parade” from “Funny Girl” and “Music in the Mirror” from “A Chorus Line” topped Ito’s list of what to look forward to. The last few numbers will also tackle issues of intersectionality.

Ito, who is co-producing the show alongside SMTD junior Thani Brant, started work on the cabaret with a few other MT upperclassmen back in November. The show has been an on-andoff biennial tradition for the past decade, but Ito and her team have revamped it into something extra special for 2020. The concept started in conversation — specifically, intergroup dialogues facilitated by director and SMTD senior Maya Imani. There, everyone involved had the chance to voice their experiences as performers of color. “These are conversations that we have with our roommates at 2 a.m. or coming home from rehearsal,” Imani said. She added that bringing such topics into a formalized space made people feel “like their thoughts and opinions about these things actually do have worth.” Imani and Ito both noted how special these dialogues quickly became, especially in their accentuation of every individual’s experience. Both women were pleasantly surprised by how much they could still learn from each other. Therein lies the theme of the show, too. It’s “sharing our experiences with each other,” Ito said, “and then pushing that into the audience.” Later that evening, Imani echoed this exact sentiment. “The cabaret is not about making a political statement,” she said. The performers are there to listen,

support, validate and celebrate one another — the audience just gets to watch. And while the show has been an undertaking for its upperclassmen leadership, the impact is not lost on MT underclassmen of color, either. In fact, these dialogues were the first time the freshmen had ever been in a room with only people of color. “That sheer fact,” Imani said, reminded her of “how much the space, and who’s present in the space, can dictate what you allow yourself to bring out … How does being in a predominantly white space affect your artistry?” The show might not offer an answer, but it celebrates the opportunity to ask the question. The weight of such an opportunity doesn’t go unnoticed by Ito or Imani. While they both spoke highly of their supportive department that works alongside “The Color Cabaret” rehearsals and schedule requirements, they made an important distinction: the faculty prepares their students for the musical theatre industry as it exists today. Ito and Imani are creating a show for the industry they’d like to remake for tomorrow. “The Color Cabaret” plays this weekend on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. in The Newman Studio of the Walgreen Drama Center. Admission is free. Following the show, the actors will facilitate a round-table discussion to continue the conversations on being an artist of color in musical theatre.

TV REVIEW

Ted Bundy doc empowers ANYA SOLLER Daily Arts Writer

Have you heard the name Karen Sparks? Nancy Wilcox? Kimberly Leach? You probably haven’t. But I can guarantee you’ve heard the name Ted Bundy. You know who he is and who he pretended to be. Chances are, you know as much about what he did as you can stomach but very little about who he did it to. You may know it’s a much, much longer list of names than the ones aforementioned, but you don’t know all the names. Amazon Prime’s new documentary series “Ted Bundy: Falling for a Killer” wants to change that. Anchored by interviews with Bundy’s longtime girlfriend Elizabeth Kendall, “Falling for a Killer” emphasizes the importance of a woman’s perspective on his crimes. The series begins with Kendall describing the blissful years leading up to Bundy’s infamous murder spree. Soon, the domestic tranquility of her family’s life is juxtaposed with the savage violence that came to define her seemingly perfect partner. Joined by feminist scholars, relatives of Bundy’s victims, female law enforcement officers and a few survivors of his crimes, Kendall attempts

to explain how Bundy was able to attack potentially over 100 women within the span of four years. The series details how cultural and political movements inf luenced Bundy’s crimes and how the public understood them at the time. In the mid-1970s, the women’s liberation movement was in full swing, Roe v. Wade had recently secured women’s right to choose, and Republicans were scrambling to maintain control amidst Nixon’s disintegrating administration. Bundy, who previously aspired to study law and become a conservative politician, committed his murders at the height of the university protests and demonstrations calling for radical social change. While the connection between cultural movements and a psychopathic murderer’s motives may be tenuous, the link between a systemically oppressive society and male violence against women is undeniable. Kendall and her daughter, whom Bundy helped raise, recount anecdotes of his constant need to control their wardrobe and social lives. His reputation in the media as a criminal mastermind leading a perfect double life falls apart when his colleagues and relatives are able to tell their own stories.

Capitalizing on tragedy and victims’ pain has become a characteristic of the truecrime genre, particularly regarding the crimes of Ted Bundy. After countless documentaries and 2019’s controversial film “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” starring Zac Efron (“Baywatch”) as the infamous killer, the story of Bundy’s crimes has been repeatedly rehashed with little new interpretation. “Ted Bundy: Falling for a Killer” provides a response to his version of events. One woman interviewed in “Falling for a Killer” has never spoken out before. Known to the public by the pseudonym Joni Letz, Karen Sparks is Bundy’s first known victim and one of his few survivors. In showing her face and telling her story, this series seeks to show its audience what the point is in revisiting these events. Rather than immortalize a manipulative rapist and murderer, “Falling for a Killer” opts to shift the public’s perspective on the topic and refocus the true-crime genre’s values. The show presents a group of women too often discounted as a list of names, rather than victims and survivors. You know his story. It’s time to learn theirs.

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Arts

6 — Thursday, February 6, 2020

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

FILM REVIEWS: SUNDANCE

COMMUNITY CULTURE COLUMN

Activism hinders ‘The Dissident’ Movies, musicals and ‘Mean Girls’ DYLAN YONO Daily Arts Writer

Who was Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post journalist whose Oct. 2, 2018 disappearance at the Saudi Consulate in Turkey dominated headlines for weeks on end? “The Dissident,” a documentary premiere at Sundance 2020, shows that Khashoggi was more than just a writer. He was a reformer, activist, friend, future husband and in the months leading to his death, a Saudi dissident. Interviews with several sources make for an engaging and all-encompassing image of Khashoggi from all angles. His fiancé Hatice Cengiz introduces Khashoggi the kindhearted man. His co-activist Omar Abdulaziz introduces Khashoggi the dissident. Cengiz, Abdulaziz and others close to Khashoggi reveal his loving, devoted nature and dedication to the human rights of the people of Saudi Arabia. Following Khashoggi’s story from his time as a journalist in Saudi Arabia to his short-lived self-exile to the United States, it’s amazing that he lived as long as he did. For decades, Khashoggi thrived in a grey area in which he criticized the government yet remained a close friend of the royal family. He knew what red lines not to cross, but he pushed his journalism to the very edge of those lines. When the government began to crack down on the voice of any Saudi figure with an audience,

the character of Donald Trump, who refuses Khashoggi fled to the United States. The film demonstrates how Khashoggi to believe MBS was involved. came to be targeted by the Saudi government. While compelling in its portrait of He continued to criticize Saudi Arabia from Khashoggi, “The Dissident” feels amateurish the safety of the United States while writing for in its artistry. Its filmmaking is full of The Washington Post, fighting for free speech questionable choices. Imposing “glitchy” filters through the power of his words. Abdulaziz over all footage associated with Khashoggi’s reveals the depth to which murder. Overused footage of Omar Abdulaziz walking Khashoggi became involved in the streets of Montreal in a Saudi insurgency, even wiring thousands of dollars to fund topcoat, looking like a loner. An Abdulaziz’s Twitter warfare “The Dissident” obnoxious computer-generated battle between robotic bees and against the Saudi government. Dir. Bryan Fogel flies, meant to depict the cyber It is through affiliation with his activism that Abdulaziz warfare between Saudi Arabia’s January 24, 2020 believes Khashoggi sealed his Twitter army and Omar Sundance 2020 fate. Abdulaziz’s organized activists. It’s disappointing, especially Khashoggi is not the only considering the seriousness of person whose portrait is painted in “The Dissident.” The the subject matter. filmmakers’ access to Turkish The narrative is overly reliant on Abdulaziz’s own activism, evidence and interviews with Turkish officials reveal the character of Saudi which is interesting, but given far too much Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also screen time. If it had been traded for more known as MBS. Turkish officials in charge discussion of the consequences of Khashoggi’s of the case reveal the heartbreaking manner assassination on journalism, Saudi Arabia or in which Khashoggi was murdered, and his the world at large, there would be much more corpse was disposed of. Incriminating evidence to glean from the whole documentary. shows how strongly MBS is implicated in the murder. The documentary highlights the unity Read more online at of American intelligence in the belief that MBS michigandaily.com ordered the killing, something that speaks to

SAMMY SUSSMAN

Community Culture Columnist

“What could Tina Fey possibly hope to achieve in this next version of ‘Mean Girls?,’ I asked myself. I had just read the news of Fey’s newest venture: a movie, based on her musical, based on her earlier movie. Fey’s original “Mean Girls,” from 2004, is a classic. Her quick, snappy dialogue and archetypical high school plotline is both easily relatable and surprisingly unmatched when it comes to high school based movies. It easily captured a generation of teenage popular culture. With respect to cinematography, too, Fey traverses wide spans of chronology without losing focus. The movie begins with the main character Cady’s first day of school and ends with her last. It allows the viewer very little time to simply absorb a scene, to simply take stock. I remember spending one of my summers at sleepaway camp obsessed with the film. We watched it on the bus and on movie nights. I remember a few of my friends repeating the dialogue from a few of the scenes over and over again, eventually learning it by heart. We were in middle school at the time, and this exemplified what high Congo Mirador is strong and resilient up with her after the screening. “If we artists school life would be like. It perfectly in the face of constant neglect by the don’t tell the story, it’s as if we (Venezuelans) encapsulated the clique-based social Venezuelan government on a local and don’t exist. It comes to a point where one has groupings of high school, those national level. Residents are constantly to tell it or die.” based on (perceived) popularity and being displaced because of Ríos is determined to those on shared interest. tell Congo Mirador’s story increased sedimentation When Fey announced that she authentically. She spent years spurred by climate change. “Once Upon would be turning the movie into a convincing the village to let her Many live without basic needs a Time in musical, I was thus eager to see this film, waiting as long as three and sanitation, and some new iteration of “Mean Girls.” I was years to shoot Tamara, the local are turning to the tourist Venezuela” able to get tickets to a show in June, representative of the village. market to sell goods. While Dir. Anabel 2018, shortly after the show had the film was still in the works, Camera shots are rarely rapid, Rodriguez Rios opened in April of that year. instead lingering on the faces representatives of Congo Before seeing the show, I decided Mirador were determined of citizens, capturing their January 27, 2020 to watch the movie again. And in concern for their families and to make a change. Today, Sundance 2020 doing so, I was surprised to learn that hope seems to have community. how quickly much of the magic of “They wanted to disappeared: Congo Mirador it had aged. While some of the jokes communicate that it was an has fallen into the same cycle were still incredibly funny, many existential, desperate situation. of neglect as other Venezuelan were clearly past their prime. They saw the film as a tool,” Ríos said. communities. The pace of the movie, too, “[This film] comes from this feeling of Read more online at Sudokuhad Syndication lost much of its appeal. We de-rooting that we have had as a whole michigandaily.com as viewers, after all, have become society, as Venezuelans,” said Ríos as I caught

‘Venezuela’ is resiliant storytelling TRINA PAL

Daily Arts Writer

Anabel Rodriguez Ríos — director of “Once Upon a Time in Venezuela,” the first Venezuelan documentary to ever premiere at Sundance — is fairly certain her film will be censored by the Venezuelan government. But she’s willing to climb through hoops to get it the attention it deserves. “Once Upon a Time in Venezuela” is the story of Congo Mirador, a once-thriving fishing village nestled on a tributary of lake Maracaibo. Lake Maracaibo is the largest lake in Venezuela and home to one of the largest oil reserves in the world. Ríos spent five years following families in Congo Mirador and documenting their struggles to save the sinking village they’ve inhabited for generations. When Ríos started filming, about 400 people were proud to call Congo Mirador home. Today, only six remain.

conditioned to jump cuts that relieve our attention. Few of us watch movies without glancing at our phones and then back at the screen. A plot that relies on this sort of chronological and geographical jumping is nowhere near as novel as it might have been in the presmartphone era. I also began to wonder if popular culture might have become oversaturated with “Mean Girls” references. The movie’s influence on popular culture had begun to overshadow its own content. Or perhaps popular culture had iconicized the movie as the height of early-2000’s teenage culture. Perhaps our ever-evolving, collective sense of humor had moved past the movie, idealizing it even as we continued to perfect upon it. With all these things in mind, I was excited to see how Fey might have updated the story. She would be forced to change certain lines to fit the medium of a multi-act stage musical, I knew. But perhaps she could also take this opportunity to inject the story with new life and new humor. At the show that I attended, the group of friends sitting beside me knew every movie-based joke by heart. Much to my initial annoyance, they repeated every line from the movie with the actors on stage — by the end of the show, I began to realize what a good barometer of new vs. old material this was. A few of the new jokes were unexpected and timely. A reference to President Trump and his (then recently-discovered) dealings with Russians, for example, was a new moment of comic relief. So were the references to hypocritical, post-Trumpian “feminist” culture. (“This is modern feminism talking. I expect to run the world in shoes I cannot walk in,” one character sings.) Most of the show, however, felt predictable.

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32 Dr Pepper Museum city 36 Postgame postmortem 37 Skin pics 38 Yukon gold rush region 40 Au pairs 41 Burlesque bit 43 “’__ the Jabberwock, my son!’”: Carroll 44 Have great plans

45 Pure 48 Mike’s “Wayne’s World” co-star 49 Obligation 50 Gets in the crosshairs, with “at” 51 Disneyland transport 52 Norse god 53 Make (one’s way) 54 Old horses 55 Put a match to

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Sports

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Thursday, February 6, 2020 — 7

Pitching depth provides opportunity Wolverines dominate Gators, 4-0 LANE KIZZIAH

JOSH TAUBMAN

Over the past two seasons, the Michigan softball team’s success in the circle has largely fallen on the shoulders of one athlete: junior left-hander Meghan Beaubien. But this season, as sophomore right-hander Alex Storako comes into her own and the Wolverines welcome two more pitchers onto their roster, Beaubien may be able to give her arm a rest from time to time. For the first time in 20 years, the Wolverines’ pitching staff now boasts five pitchers: Beaubien, Storako, freshman left-hander Lauren Esman, freshman righthander Chandler Dennis and junior right-hander Sarah Schaefer. But with so many of Michigan’s options untested and unseasoned, it’s too early to tell what impact the added depth will have. Esman was ranked the No. 65 recruit nationally by FloSoftball in the 2019 class. As a senior in high school, she posted an ERA of 0.42 and racked up 341 strikeouts in 148.2 innings. But collegiate play is a whole different ballgame. Pitchers face a different caliber of batter and a new level of pressure. For Storako, it took a full year until she felt like she’d found her personality in the circle. Esman may be a similar case. “We haven’t utilized Esman as much going into this part of the year,” Michigan coach Carol Hutchins said. “We’ve been kind of working her slow. We’re picking that up a little bit. She’s not as far along as we might need her to be, so she might have to get on the fast-track.” For Dennis — the No. 29-ranked recruit by FloSoftball — that transition may be happening a bit faster. She registered a 1.04 ERA in high school and was a three-year All-State honoree in Georgia. Hutchins has made it clear that

Guilia Pairone smashed a ball to the right side and let out a scream. Her opponent never even moved. The senior finished off her singles match with the confidence that the entire No. 10 Michigan women’s tennis team (2-1) exemplified in a 4-0 win over No. 24 Florida (1-2) on Tuesday. The Wolverines set the tone in the doubles. Sophomore Anca Craciun and junior Alyvia Jones quickly jumped out to a 4-0 lead and had a bounce in their step as they dominated the Gators. In the fifth set, Jones blasted two aces to put the duo on the brink of victory. After dropping the next set, it was Craciun’s turn to serve. She launched one down the middle that Florida’s Marlee Zein mishit and it gave them a 6-1 win in their first ever match together. “I think both of us were serving really well,” Craciun said. “Once we started getting those easy free points we just kind of loosened up.” They then turned their attention to the next court over, where Pairone and senior Chiara Lommer looked to secure the doubles point for Michigan. Leading 5-3, Lommer took a deep breath and served the potential match point. She laid it down the left side and

For The Daily

Daily Sports Writer

ALEC COHEN/Daily

Junior right-hander Sarah Schaefer posted a 3.17 ERA in 2019.

both of the new additions will get the opportunity to prove themselves this season. “(Dennis) is definitely better this semester than she was last semester,” Hutchins said. “I think (Dennis) is really capable of some great things, and I think she needs to see herself as great. She needs to have some determination everyday and every pitch — like all of them. They’re always a work in progress.” Schaefer rounds out the Wolverines’ bullpen as the third returning pitcher, though she’ll be out with an injury for at least a month. Even when she returns, it’s unclear how much time she’ll spend in the circle. Her freshman season, Schaefer posted a stellar ERA of 1.57 — although only pitched 62.1 innings — but she was largely absent from last season’s rotation, finishing with only 17.2 innings pitched and an ERA of 3.17. In practice, the added depth on this year’s roster may not make a huge difference. Hutchins and the rest of her assistant coaches may choose to stick with last season’s rotation of Beaubien and Storako — the tried and true pairing that carried the team to a Big Ten Tournament win. But their goal is to use the entire staff. If even one of the other pitchers becomes a reliable option, it would be a game-changer for

the Wolverines. While Michigan is always a force in the Big Ten, it has struggled in recent years to compete with west-coast powerhouses in the postseason. The Wolverines haven’t made it out of Super Regionals since 2016 when they lost in the second round of the World Series. But a third pitcher in the rotation could be what takes Michigan to the next level. Most top-ranked programs — including Florida and Florida State who the Wolverines will face at next weekend’s WilsonDemarini tournament — have more than two consistent pitchers. But the last time Michigan was able to use three pitchers in relatively even amounts was 2014. Pitching upwards of 10 innings a weekend, it’s easy for a pitcher to get worn out by the end of the season. But more than that, it’s about having someone to pick up the slack. “The beauty of (having five pitchers) is if somebody isn’t on and somebody else isn’t on, hopefully the next person will be and we really use the staff,” Hutchins said. “We certainly need to have high level performance from each of them. That’s going to be the key.” There’s no question the Wolverines’ pitching staff has the talent to make that happen. The issue will lie in how soon they find their rhythm.

the return sailed long, giving the duo the 6-3 win. Lommer let out an emphatic scream and confidently walked forward to shake hands with her opponents, knowing she had put her team in prime position to win. “I thought we played a really good match,” Pairone said. “I was setting (Lommer) up really well and she was closing off all of the points.” After grabbing the doubles point, the Wolverines moved to the singles matches and continued to make short work of the Gators. Freshman Nicole Hammond powered her way to a win in straight sets over Florida’s Ida Jarlskog and quickly gave Michigan a second point. “She strikes the ball so well, so it’s hard to hang with her,” Michigan coach Ronni Bernstein said. “She made very few unforced errors.” On the other side of the arena, Pairone and Craciun carried the momentum from their doubles performance. Pairone came out firing against the Gators’ McCartney Kessler and raced out to a 4-1 lead. After trading games, Kessler sent a shot long and Pairone pumped her fist as she took the first set, 6-2. “I knew how to play with her,” Pairone said. “I was very positive and I knew what to do.”

On the next court over, Craciun was performing with equal confidence against Florida’s Tsveta Dimitrova. She took the first set, 6-1, after Dimotrova sent her return into the net. Craciun calmy walked to her bench to prepare for the next set. Pairone, though, was anything but calm. She let out fiery screams after every game and was extremely animated. “I always have a lot of energy,” Pairone said. “I’m very loud so that’s just who I am.” She took a 5-1 lead before dropping the next set. It was clear that would be the last time she lost. She laid down some sizzling shots to win the match 6-1, 6-2. After securing the victory, she ran to the bench, dropped her racket and turned to watch her teammate finish off the Gators. Craciun won two key deuce points to go up, 5-1, but then dropped the next set. The entire team looked on as Craciun geared up for the final serve of the match. Craciun watched the return sail wide and the match was over. “I was just looking around at my team,” Craciun said. “I knew they were there for me.” And after securing the win, Pairone was the first one there to leap into Craciun’s arms.

ALEC COHEN/Daily

Senior Guilia Pairone secured Michigan’s victory over Florida with a win in her singles match on Tuesday.

With healthy legs and new faces, Michigan looks to build on success in 2020 DREW COX

Daily Sports Writer

After a season riddled with injuries, faceoff struggles and deflating, tightly-contested losses, many teams would simply throw in the towel toward the end of the season, deeming their final games meaningless. The Michigan men’s lacrosse team could’ve been one of those teams. But the Wolverines still needed to play Ohio State to end their 2019 campaign. Despite its 3-9 record at the time, Michigan wasn’t going to hand the Buckeyes a win. Eager to send departing seniors like Brent Noseworthy, Decker Curran and Nick DeCaprio out on a high note, Michigan came out hot. At halftime, the Wolverines found themselves up 8-4 against Ohio State, 30 minutes away from knocking the Buckeyes out of contention for the Big Ten Tournament and ruining their postseason hopes. Thirty minutes away from the program’s first win over their rival in history. “We knew we were close to turning the corner,” Michigan coach Kevin Conry said. “The season as a whole was a season of reinventing ourselves based on our situation ... We had to consistently change who we needed to be. And by the end of the year, we had finally found that identity.” So Michigan kept its foot on the gas pedal. For his final time, Noseworthy led the Wolverines on an offensive charge, notching three goals throughout the second half to keep the lead out of Ohio State’s reach. As the final seconds ticked down on the clock, Michigan stood tall to defeat the Buckeyes, 13-10. The locker room celebration ensued. Director of Operations Joe Hennessey made his way down to Conry and congratulated him. The pair shared a sigh of relief and embraced what was a hardfought, deserved win to end a season that tested the bounds

of the program’s resilience and patience. Beyond the satisfaction of playing spoiler to the Buckeyes, Michigan’s victory over Ohio State was monumental for the program. While the Wolverines’ eighth season as a Division I lacrosse program was not all they hoped it would be, their finale demonstrated the team’s true potential and gave the program a wave of confidence going into the upcoming season. “It really sprung us forward,” Conry said. “That was a great taste of what we could be, but (now) we know how to get there to be what we should be. … It starts to develop your championship mentality.” It is undeniable that the departure of key players like Noseworthy — a team captain and USILA Academic AllAmerican who holds the program’s all-time goal-scoring record with 102 — leaves a void both on and off the field for ALLISON ENGKVIST/Daily Michigan. But Conry expects a new The Michigan men’s lacrosse team brings back a majority of its production from 2019, despite losing Brent Noseworthy and Decker Curran, among others. quality defensemen,” Dellacroce and sophomore class of leaders — including the slack … We still have a lot of assists. Under the guidance of a high captains senior midfielder goals and a lot of playing time veteran midfield core, freshmen Conry said. “We have extra Nick Rowlett now healthy, the like Jake Bonomi, Jacob depth at the defensive position Wolverines expect to benefit Avery Myers, graduate student back on the field.” Most importantly, the Jackson and Josh Zawada will that we don’t need one guy to do from greater security at the midfielder Peter Hollen return their be integrated into the mix and it all … We’re piecing it together. position. and senior goalkeeper Matt Wolverines “It’ll be really exciting once Trowbridge — to step up, build entire attack line: sophomore are expected to see significant We got a group of guys who we off the momentum of their Bryce Clay and juniors Alex playing time early on in their are really comfortable with and we win a couple (faceoffs),” can make the transition. And Conry said. “Adding them really predecessors and guide a roster Buckanavage and Kevin Mack. careers. just gives a spark in the ball. We featuring 16 freshmen and 10 Clay, who burst onto the scene On the defensive side of the that’s really positive for us.” After rotating between now- have a pretty efficient, highas a freshman last year with field, Michigan must move on sophomores. “Although we changed our 22 goals, was named a Big Ten from its former swiss-army graduated goalkeepers Tommy powered offense that we feel roster over significantly, the Player to Watch alongside knife, Nick DeCaprio, who Heidt and Gunner Garn last comfortable once the ball gets mindset is still the same from Buckanavage and sophomore anchored down its defense season, a battle for the starting down there we can create some our leadership,” Conry said. defenseman Andrew Darby. last season and led the team job persists this year between quality opportunities.” Overall, Michigan’s schedule “Our guys came away with (the After finishing first and second in ground balls (34) and Trowbridge and sophomore Ohio State) game saying ‘Okay, on the team in total points last caused turnovers (27). After John Kiracofe. Although neither is fierce, featuring matchups I know what I need to do now season, Buckanavage and Mack an impressive freshman year has racked up significant against six teams currently to get ugly and dirty and do it are expected to continue their alongside DeCaprio and senior minutes at the college level ranked in the Inside Lacrosse when no one else is watching, so offensive dominance in their Michael Borda at close defense, thus far, the Wolverines hope Top 25 rankings—including Darby is expected to lead a that either player will be able titans like Penn State and Yale, that we can be great later on in third year as starters. the year. But I’m going to focus At midfield, the Wolverines young Michigan defense that stabilize their defensive unit who both reached the 2019 Final Four and return the bulk look to Myers, who finished will feature freshmen like Dylan between the pipes. on right now.’ ” Last season, Michigan’s of their key players from last Despite the losses of second on the team in goals Gardner and Ryan Schriber. In addition to Darby, the biggest team struggles stemmed season. Noseworthy and Curran, who with 24 last season, and Hollen, While no easy task, Conry, rank second and fourth for a solid, tenured defensive Wolverines bring back junior from problems at the faceoff X, total points in program history, midfielder, for leadership and defenseman JD Carroll, who where it only won 32 percent of now in his third season as Michigan’s offense retains a experience. After missing all missed all of last season due faceoffs. After losing all three the Wolverines’ head coach, firm majority of last year’s of 2019 due to injury, fifth- to injury, and senior long-stick of his true faceoff-men to a believes that his team can year senior midfielder Rocco midfielder Finn Goonan to myriad of injuries, Conry was compete with the best teams productivity. “We don’t replace guys like Sutherland hopes to return add some age to Michigan’s forced to insert a mix of players, in college lacrosse. And after including Noseworthy, Goonan beating Ohio State, the players Noseworthy and Curran,” to the level of productivity defensive lineup. “(We had) one Nick DeCaprio. and DeCaprio, to try and tie up have begun to believe that they Conry said. “We look for a lot he showed as a junior when of guys to go ahead and pick up he notched nine goals and 13 Now we have four or five really opponents. With senior Matt can too.

Sports

8 — Thursday, February 6, 2020

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Austin Davis a bright spot in loss Two weeks that changed the season JACK KINGSLEY Daily Sports Writer

MILES MACKLIN/Daily

Senior center Austin Davis scored 11 points with three rebounds against Ohio State on Tuesday night in a 61-58 loss.

ABBY SNYDER

Daily Sports Writer

It’s been just over three weeks since Austin Davis first started showing poise as a reliable backup big man. And now poise, as it turns out, may have been a bit of an understatement. This may be the Austin Davis breakout season, or at least as close to it as could have been reasonably expected. It’s not as if he’s going to replace his fellow senior center, Jon Teske, in the starting lineup (at least barring any injuries). But Davis is continuing to get significant playing time, and has surpassed sophomore forward Colin Castleton in the rotation. As he’s continued to get those significant minutes, he’s continued to do significant things with them. A surprising twist this season, to be sure. Davis has given Michigan a reliable presence in the low post and a few buckets when it needed them most. But when you get down to it, it’s not hard to see from where

this sudden production has emerged. “He’s a tough-nosed competitor,” Michigan coach Juwan Howard said Tuesday night. “He does a really good job of using his body. He’s not afraid of contact. He loves the contact. He welcomes the contact. And not just tonight, but a lot of the other games we played throughout the year. He’s always accepted the challenge.” In a 61-58 loss to Ohio State, Davis finished with 11 points, on 4-for-4 shooting from the field and 3-for-3 from the free throw line. He pulled down three rebounds, two on offense and one on defense. Not bad for 14 minutes. In fact, it’s not that hard to compare Davis’ stat line from last night — a career high for him — to some put up by Teske, the starter at the position. “I’m just trying to be aggressive, play within our offense, play within myself,” Davis said. “I’ll take open looks when they’re there, and just put our team in the best position to win.

“I think it’s just confidence. Confidence in my teammates, confidence in myself. That’s the biggest thing.” Perhaps this takeoff from Davis — who, it’s worth mentioning, was recruited and oft-praised by former Michigan coach John Beilein — is a reflection on, or maybe a result of, Howard’s new tenure at the helm of the program. Howard has worked intensively with all four bigs on the roster throughout the course of the season, watching film and teaching them post play. The fruits of that labor are probably clearest when looking at Teske. But they’re becoming more and more evident in Davis, too. For both Davis and Howard, the hard work is paying off. “It started back in the summer, when we had some player development time,” Howard said. “I work with all our bigs. Austin, just like all the bigs, has been working extremely hard leading up to this point in practice, spending time learning post play. “Austin has always had it.”

HOCKEY

Michigan’s defense gives leadership MOLLY SHEA

Daily Sports Writer

When Mel Pearson looked at the roster at the beginning of the season, he viewed it through two lenses. The first was strengths. In Pearson’s eyes, Michigan was stacked with offensive weapons. It would be a goal-scoring team. An offensive powerhouse. But the defense and goaltending were potential weaknesses, or at least question marks. Sophomore goaltender Strauss Mann hadn’t yet emerged as the Wolverines’ starter. On the blueline, they’d have to replace three skaters — last season’s point leader Quinn Hughes, Joseph Cecconi and Nick Boka. The only upperclassmen returning were seniors Griffin Luce and Luke Martin. Sophomores Nick Blankenburg and Jack Summers accounted for another third of the blueline. Michigan’s final two pieces were incoming freshmen Cam York and Keaton Pehrson. Someone would have to show them the ropes, and that responsibility fell on the shoulders of Martin and Luce. It was their job to pave the way for the younger players. To lead by example. And they’ve done exactly that. As the season’s progressed, Pearson’s concerns about the Wolverines’ defense vanished. It emerged as the strongest part of an otherwise struggling team. “They’ve done great,” Pearson said. “Real pleasant surprise. We’re committed more as a team to playing better team defense overall. That’s helped us immensely. … We haven’t been giving up as many outnumbered rushes like we did last year or turnovers. We’ve done a much better job of managing the puck this year.” Until recently, Michigan’s record didn’t reflect the defense’s success. Earlier in the season, it went winless through a period of seven games. When the Wolverines couldn’t rely on their offense to produce, they relied on the defense to keep the games within reach. And they did just

that, losing four of the games by only one goal. After that string of games, Michigan started collecting wins. It split series with Wisconsin and Penn State, largely because of its defense. The Wolverines almost posted a shutout against the sixthranked offense in the nation, beating the Nittany Lions, 4-1. While the team wasn’t climbing in the rankings, its defense — currently ranked seventh in scoring — was. Allowing just 2.14 goals per game, Michigan owes a large part of its sustained success to its six defensemen and Mann. “Up until after Christmas, we didn’t really score much,” Pearson said. “We needed to be good defensively to sort of hang around until we got our legs underneath us and started running instead of crawling.” Much of the Wolverines’ defensive success is attributed to its anchor, Mann. Rightfully so, as there’s a handful of games where he was the reason Michigan won. But the skaters in front of him have played a pivotal role too. York and Pehrson have found their roles on the team. They’ve settled in and managed the pressure well. They’ve avoided getting overwhelmed — something that’s often a challenge for younger players to do when their team’s struggling. Summers and Blankenburg have made strides, too. Both of them add offense from the blueline. And then there’s Martin and Luce. Through the loss of three key defenders and all the Wolverines’ struggles, their roles increased exponentially. With the team relying on them and the spotlight pointed their way, they’ve shown nothing but confidence and focus. “I’ve gotten a lot more confident with the puck and with my feet,” Martin said. “And just working on my mental game. (Director of Athletic Counseling) Greg Harden has been unbelievable for me. He’s

just helped me in so many areas. Just growing mentally and taking strides there. It’s done wonders for my game on the ice.” All these factors — Mann, Martin, Luce’s confidence and the underclassmen’s efforts — are the reason why Michigan’s defense has found so much success in its last three weekend series. On the road against then-No. 14 Notre Dame on Jan. 10-11, the Wolverines allowed only one goal on the weekend. After giving up a goal in the first few minutes of the Saturday game, the defense settled down and paved the way for Michigan to make its comeback. This trend continued the next weekend at then-No. 6 Penn State. In the Friday night game, the Wolverines kept the Nittany Lions off the scoresheet. The following night, the defense lagged a bit, allowing four goals, but Michigan managed to steal the extra point in double overtime. “It’s nice to score six goals like we did at Penn State,” Pearson said. “But it’s the zero that’s important. If you do that, you’re going to win some games. Defense has to be paramount to this team.” Last weekend, the Wolverines split with then-No. 11 Ohio State. They surrendered four goals to the Buckeyes on Saturday night, after giving up only one the night before. Even so, Michigan significantly limited Ohio State’s scoring chances. Four goals is uncharacteristic for Michigan’s blueline, but a bad game hasn’t ever rattled the defense. It’s always been able to bounce back and come out strong the next night. “You can’t put enough emphasis on it,” Pearson said. “You’re going to go through stretches like that where you don’t score and you’re pressing. But if you don’t give anything up then you don’t need as much. It’s critical. It’s vital to having success and for us to turn it (the season) around.”

We’ve done a much better job of managing the puck.

The Michigan women’s basketball team had one week without a game, its season on the brink of disaster. One week to right the ship. First came the Jan. 9 road loss to Ohio State, where the Wolverines led for 27 minutes total, even up to halfway through the fourth quarter. Then it was the 28-point home loss to No. 17 Maryland on Jan. 12, just two weeks after Michigan played a tight game through three quarters on the road against the Terrapins. But what looked like the dagger came a week later against Nebraska. Senior forward Kayla Robbins — the Wolverines’secondleading scorer — went down in the first minute with a season-ending ACL tear, and Michigan lost after blowing a 13-point third-quarter lead. The loss dropped the Wolverines to 3-4 in the Big Ten and out of ESPN’s NCAA tournament prediction, and the loss of Robbins just prior to a three-game stretch against three of the Big Ten’s top five teams looked like it would be difficult to overcome. Michigan knew the challenge it would face in overcoming Robbins’ absence, but it stayed optimistic. “Don’t let today knock you out of the water,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said after the loss to Maryland. “All our games this year have been really competitive. It’s been a tough stretch, but we’ve got to grow from it, we’ve got to learn from it.” Lucky for the Wolverines, though, they had a week off between the Nebraska loss and their next game against Rutgers — a rare occurrence in Big Ten play. And for Michigan it was no ordinary week of practice. The bench players had to adjust to the new roles they would play. Senior guard Akienreh Johnson had to prepare to guard opponents’

EMMA MATI/Daily

The Michigan women’s basketball team turned its season around.

top offensive threat — typically Robbins’ job. The Wolverines had to adapt to life without Kayla Robbins. “We just talked about onethrough-10 has to step up on the court, off the court, in practice,” sophomore forward Naz Hillmon said. “Somebody needs to take on the little things she did. Anything they can do to be a part of what Kayla was to this team because she was just such a huge part, whether she was talking, or scoring or rebounding.” From the opening tip-off against the Scarlet Knights, it was clear Michigan took the message to heart. It shot 50 percent from the floor and excelled on the defensive end, forcing 15 first-half turnovers. Johnson held Rutgers’ leading scorer, guard Arella Guirantes, below her season average. Johnson didn’t shut her down — she still finished with 16 points — but she filled in well in place of Robbins. While beating the Scarlet Knights at home was a good start for the Wolverines without Robbins, they still had two tough games against the Big Ten’s best, No. 23 Northwestern and No. 18 Iowa. Winning either would be huge for Michigan’s NCAA Tournament chances. Against the Wildcats, the Wolverines came out flat and couldn’t overcome an early deficit, but a strong final three quarters in an eight-point loss gave them optimism entering Sunday’s game

against the Hawkeyes. It would be one of their last chances to pick up the signature win that Barnes Arico has talked about needing so much of late. Sunday, Michigan came out strong and for much of the game looked as good as it had all season. The loss of Robbins was barely even noticeable. A combination of Johnson, Hillmon and sophomore guard Amy Dilk held Iowa’s leading scorer Kathleen Doyle below her season average, and the Wolverines’ bench and sophomore guard Danielle Rauch — who replaced Robbins in the starting lineup — combined for 17 points, as Michigan won by 15. “We’ve had a little bit of a rocky start to the Big Ten season,” Hillmon said. “So just getting these wins, it’s very important to us and our confidence. The Big Ten is a tough league and to get this one is huge, and it’ll definitely help us later on.” Even though the Wolverines have played three good games without Robbins, her absence could still play a factor going forward. Teams may find holes in the way Michigan plays without Robbins and expose them. But after an injury that could have sunk the team just over two weeks ago, the Wolverines look rejuvenated and motivated. And looking back, the most important week of Michigan’s season might have been the week in which it didn’t play a single game.

‘M’ looking to follow success of 2019

KATELYN MULCAHY/Daily

Michigan coach Hannah Nielsen says making the Big Ten Championship game is her team’s goal this season.

SPENCER RAINES Daily Sports Writer

Sometimes having the best season in program history may lead to a feeling of complacency — satisfaction in a day’s work. Not for the Michigan women’s lacrosse team. After a 2019 campaign that saw a shattered record in the win column and first NCAA Tournament bid, the team is approaching 2020 with the ambition to build on what it did last year. “I think the team has returned with even more hunger than we had last year,” Michigan coach Hannah Nielsen said. “And they know and have that belief from last year of what we can accomplish.” It’s pretty easy to transition to a new season when there aren’t a lot of questions surrounding the team. And when you return eight starters who contributed to 77 percent of your team’s points, there really aren’t a lot of questions to be asked. One of those starters, junior attacker Caitlin Muir, broke both the program single-season goals and assists records last year with 59 and 21, respectively. This returning offense means the team can spend less time adjusting to new additions and simply carry the momentum from last year.

The list of returning starters also includes all three of the Wolverines’ captains — senior defenseman Maggie Handlan, senior goalie Alli Kothari and senior midfielder Molly Garrett. “Being a captain last year was a very big honor just as it is this year, too,” Garrett said. “And I think having that experience and a year under my belt especially with Allie and Maggie, who are also returning captains makes us stronger, more experienced and have that knowledge of how we should handle things.” This knowledge will help a lot with the transition for the younger players — either from high school to college games or from a less prominent role to carrying more of the load. Nielsen also thought there were a lot of younger players who were ready to step into more prominent roles this season. “(Sophomore midfielder) Kaitlyn Mead is one that I think,” Nielsen said. “Just her body size and her strength and her athletic ability alone, she’s capable of so much and is improving with the game-sense side as well.” Nielsen seemed optimistic about many of the other young players as well, and thinks by the end of the season a lot of them should be able to contribute even more.

These players, in combination with all of the returning starters, have the chance to shoot even higher than they did last year. Though, there is still one thing that stands in their way. The Big Ten has been ruled lately by two national powers: Northwestern and defending national champion Maryland. All three of the Wolverines’ conference losses last season were to these teams. “We certainly want to be competing with Maryland and Northwestern, who have been the top dogs in the conference for the last five years,” Nielsen said. “It seems so with how we’ve been performing, I think it’s a possibility.” Last season, the Wildcats ended Michigan’s conference title hopes with a 19-9 victory in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal. This is the type of game that the Wolverines hope to not only compete in this year, but win. The Terrapins, though, are a whole different animal. The defending national champions dominated Michigan, 14-3, in College Park last season. “Obviously, we want to be competing at the top,” Nielsen said. “We got our minds set on going one further and making that Big Ten Championship game.”