Muleskinner Vol. 116 Issue 8

Increase in Fall Enrollment

Projected Headcount up to 10% increase

RACHEL BECKER Editor-in-Chief

Enrollment for both undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Central Missouri for fall 2023 is trending about 10% higher than fall 2022, according to Chris Lang, assistant vice provost for admissions and analytics.

“As we stand now, looking at incoming students, we are trending up for fall from 2022,” Lang said. Lang added the estimations for the fall take into account new students who have registered for orientation, as well as the enrollment of international and graduate students.

He also said, the number of applications and acceptance rates for both international and graduate students are higher than past years.

As for the incoming freshman and transfer students, Lang said their application numbers were a little lower than in the past but the university is seeing a higher yield rate in that population.

Yield refers to the number of admitted students that enroll in the university, and Lang said the University of Central Missouri’s yield rate is getting better than what it has been in the past.

“Our enrollment has been strong the past couple of years, since the fall of 2020 our headcount has grown about 16%,” Lang said. “Nationwide, it has dropped about 2% and in Missouri in general it has dropped about 5.8% in that timeframe.”

“So, while the overall trend in higher ed is decreasing enrollment, we have been growing in those times, since fall of 2020,” Lang said.

UCM’s headcount for fall 2022 was 11,637 students, which puts it back to pre-pandemic enrollment numbers.

“We had about a 10% increase in headcount in fall of 2022, and that was the highest out of most public schools in the states of Missouri and Kansas,” Lang said.

Lang said that higher education in general has not gotten back to pre-pandemic enrollment yet.

These increases can be attributed to an increase in marketing, aligning programs to meet the needs of students, faculty outreach and scholarship changes.

Lang said faculty are very involved in recruitment events, from campus-wide visit days to one-on-one meetings with potential students.

“When students are thinking about choosing a university, it is the faculty they want to talk to, since they are going to be spending four years of their college career with,” Lang said.

“We work really hard to make sure that the experience they get when they come here is above and beyond what they expected,” Britni Hume, assistant director for New Student Programs, said.

Unlike other institutions, UCM allows potential students to sign up to meet with faculty in their areas of interest during daily visit days.

“A lot of other institutions cannot do that, whether it is because of how large they are or how small they are, and we are right in the

middle as a mid-sized institution,” Hume said. “We are the perfect balance, and our faculty cares about meeting with potential students, and that is something unique to UCM.”

“The entire campus is getting involved in recruitment,” Lang said. “Recruitment is extremely important in higher education now with how competitive things are, with how high school graduation rates are going to be dropping over the next few years, making it harder to get more traditional-aged students.”

Hume said admissions is focused on meeting potential students where they are at.

“It used to be you went to a college fair, the students came to you and the parents came to you to ask all the questions,” Hume said. “Now you have to get students to recognize your brand on social media, they have to be hearing about UCM on Pandora and Spotify and then taking action.”

“It is on all platforms, doing all types of things, to meet students where they are at,” Hume said.

Criminal Justice Course Makes Social Change Students Shine a Light on Sexual Assault

RACHEL BECKER

Editor-in-Chief

April was Sexual Assault Awareness Month and in order to spread the word students have been holding public events on campus.

Criminal justice students held an exhibition April 4 through 7 at the Multicultural Center in the Union entitled “What Were You Wearing”. The exhibition’s purpose was to dispel the myth that clothing choice invites sexual assault. Another group of students went to local bars encouraging support of the owners and employees to raise awareness

of the angel shot. The angel shot is a way for bar-goers to discreetly ask for help, or communicate that they are in an unsafe situation, without raising suspension. They talked to staff about the shot and hung up posters in women’s bathrooms explaining the meanings.

A third group of students interviewed multiple law enforcement agencies to learn more about the process of investigation of sex crimes.

These projects were part of the criminal justice course, Sexual Assault and the Criminal Justice System, taught by Betsy Kreisel, a criminal justice faculty member and associate dean for the Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies.

Kreisel said she had the students of this upper-level course create a social impact project relating to sexual assault prevention and awareness.

“It all fell together perfectly in terms of allowing students as part of their class assignments to develop projects that have objectives and criteria,” Kreisel said. “These students wanted to do a public service campaign to debunk myths of sexual assault and make statements of awareness to advocate for survivors.”

On April 12, five students from the class held an event entitled “Shine a Light on Sexual Assault” where they debunked myths about sexual assault and harassment, as well as gave survivors a space to speak.

Lovie Smith, a student in the Sexual Assault and the Criminal Justice Sysytem class who helped organize the event, read out quotes from anonymous students who

had been sexually assaulted but did not report it.

“These are real reasons as to why a lot of the time sexual assault cases are not spoken on or reported,” Smith said. “Especially rape cases, there are so many rape cases that do not go reported because of these reasons.”

The theme for this year’s awareness month is “Drawing Connections: Prevention Demands Equity” according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. The facts presented at the event presented both men and women

as victims and survivors of assault and harassment.

Smith said commonly it is only the women who are shown to be abused and assaulted in the media.

“This can happen to men too,” Smith said. “This could happen to anybody of any gender and we don’t speak on this enough, and that’s a sad thing.”

“The most important thing is to speak up, keep your support system around and try to get your justice,” UCM freshman Natalie Morris said.

Students Rhyan Haynes and Lovie Smith spoke at the event on April 12, meant to give voice to victims and to address myths about sexual assault. Kristen Lowe, Andrea Trudell and Michaela Hines also helped organize the “Shine A Light” event. Photos by Ellie Whitesell

Betsy Kreisel, a criminal justice faculty member and associate dean for the Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies, takes a moment of silence at the “Shine A Light” event. The crowd stood silent for one minute to honor those who are survivors of sexual assault.

Graduating SGA President Reflects on His Two Terms

ANNELIA NIXON

Copy Chief

Student Government Association president, Cade Tremain, is graduating this semester. He said he would sum up his two terms as SGA president into one word— growth. Tremain said he has evolved into a more mindful and detail-oriented person.

“I’ve grown in those main aspects of being much more aware of what’s around me, being more considerate of others but also myself at the same time,” Tremain said. “Whenever I say that, I mean trying my best to put myself in someone else’s shoes but also at the same time understanding that you do need to think for yourself. You should never let someone think for you.”

Tremain said he first got involved in politics while in high school. He said his peers lacked interest in student government and his school’s district placed more of a focus on sports than it did on leadership. Tremain said those were the driving forces that led him to take on the role of student body president. He said he loved being president so much that he knew he wanted his college career to center around politics in some way.

When Tremain joined SGA, he started as a senator, then he became chairman of the public relations committee, next he took on the secretary position and finally served as president for two terms. He said working as former SGA president, Justin Cobb’s secretary is when he began envisioning himself as SGA president.

“I was on his [executive] board as his secretary and when you’re the secretary you’re working very close with the president so there is some overlap there,” Tremain said. “You know a lot of what they do but you don’t know it all by any means. I was thinking that this is something that I might be able to do.”

Tremain said he mentioned possibly running for SGA president to a few others in student government and they responded with an abundance of support.

He said one of the biggest challenges he has faced as president was breaking down the belief that only those who major in political science can be or should be involved with SGA.

“That would be the biggest uphill battle probably is finding people who are really interested in student government that typically wouldn’t be exposed to it otherwise and making sure that they’re in it for the right reasons too,” Tremain said. “A lot of times people our age will sign up for something just to see it as a resume booster and that’s not what student government is. It really undercuts student government, in my opinion, when people just see it as a way to fill white space on a page.”

While Tremain felt recruiting for SGA was challenging, Advisor for SGA, Shari Bax, said it was something he managed to accomplish.

“He put a lot of effort into growing the student government association both in members and also in diversity of membership,” Bax said. “He really tried to make sure we were getting a lot of different voices and that he was listening to those different voices.

Congresswoman for the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and cochair for the sustainability committee, Hadley Oden, said, she believes Cade’s greatest contribution to UCM centered around her committee.

“He had made this committee, the sustainability committee, which is new this year,” Oden said. “Their goal was then to bring recycling back to UCM just to promote a greener campus.”

Tremain who described SGA as his child said he is sad to be leaving his post as president but he also feels contented knowing he is leaving it in good hands.

RACHEL BECKER Editor-in-Chief

After announcing the Mule Grant for fall 2023, the University of Central Missouri is already seeing an increase in students committing to the university and enrolling in summer orientations.

The Mule Grant, a need-based grant for firsttime undergraduate degree-seeking students, covers any tuition and general fees remaining after federal, state, institutional, and private or outside grants and scholarships have been applied.

The Director of Financial Assistance, Tony Lubbers said, the university expects to see higher enrollment due to the introduction of the Mule Grant.

“[Grants are] need-based for lower-income students, scholarships can be applied to any charge, the Mule Grant is based on student need,” Lubbers said. “Mule Grant money comes from the institution but it’s coming in the form of a discount. So the grant can be as big as it needs to be. “

Britni Hume, assistant director for New Student Programs, said “We are seeing retention increase in the students who are receiving the Mule Grant. They are actually signing up for orientation, actually submitting a housing deposit, and doing those things at a greater rate than students who are not receiving them.”

“We have given out about 100 to 115 of these scholarships for the fall and we have had about 50% of them so far register for orientation,”

Chris Lang, Assistant Vice Provost for Admissions and Analytics, said.

Lang said other accepted Pell Grant recipients are enrolling in a mid 30% range so far for the upcoming semester.

It has a positive impact on our yield rate on that population of students, Lang said. He said that the overall goal is to help retain those students as well.

One of the biggest reasons students end their college career early or take a gap year is because of the financial aspects of college, Lang said.

Lang said financial aid, like the Mule Grant, helps remove that financial barrier for students, and can help them graduate on time.

“More students have filed the FAFSA for us than in the past,” Lang said. “Which means we can get more financial aid in the hands of students, and typically more financial aid helps with yield.”

Hume said admissions focuses on attracting students who are already eligible for grants or scholarships.

There are other financial aid opportunities available for students besides the Mule Grant. For incoming freshmen, there is the Red and Black scholarship, the UCM Bound Out-ofState Scholarship and the UCM Dual Credit Scholarship.

“We know you are going to have a next step and UCM should be that next step because we have scholarships, resources and we are transfer-friendly,” Hume said. “From the undergraduate perspective, it is how you set us apart from the Northwests, the KUs, and I think we have the best value for the education, plus the experiences that students are looking for. Our campus, and our culture here, make it really easy to appeal to prospective students.”

Graphic by Abram Tabor

Self-Discovery

UCM Student Shares Their Story

ANNELIA NIXON Copy Chief

Senior and Women

Gender

and

Tad Miller, said, “My family used gay as a swear word so if you said the word ‘gay’ you had to put money in the swear jar.”

Sexuality Studies major,

Growing up in what they considered to be the perfect Midwestern Catholic family, Miller said they did not know much about the LGBTQ community. That is until summer camp in 2013, when another camp-goer revealed that she had a girlfriend.

“I was like, ‘Wait! People can do that?’” Miller said. “That moment kind of sparked it because I had all these feelings but no language to support it and I didn’t even know that it was something that was a possibility.”

Once Miller began questioning their sexuality, they said they also began testing their family’s thoughts on the LGBTQ community. Miller said their family seemed unsupportive of

LGBTQ identities, so they kept their sexual identity a secret until the summer of 2014 when they came out as bisexual to a few people at summer camp. After more self-exploration, Miller said they came out as pansexual in the fall of 2015. In the summer of 2016, they came out to their four siblings who were supportive. That same year, Miller said their parents found out.

“I did not get the opportunity to come out to my parents,” Miller said. “They forced me to come out.”

“When coming out, you need to be gentle to yourself and be kind to yourself and recognize that you are a human being and you’re still constantly growing,” Rai Clements advisor for UCM’s LGBTQ student organization, Prism, said. “Start with somebody you trust 100%. Start small. When you come out to the bigger family, having that one advocate on your side can make a difference. Don’t feel pressured to come out because coming out is a

journey and you have to take it on your own time and your own speed.”

Clements said she has seen some students come to Prism and are happy that they do not need to hide anymore while others come to Prism but continue to hide. She said she had some students speak with her privately and reveal that they come from unsupportive families. Clements said it is heartbreaking so she does her best to support them.

“I have very distinct memories of hearing my mom cry behind her closed bedroom door saying my name,” Miller said. “My dad was clearly upset, so I left and ran away for about three weeks. For a really long time, I felt guilty about who I was because it was causing my parents so much pain.”

Miller said during the time that they’d ran away they stayed at other people’s houses and spent a lot of time at the gym because it was open 24 hours and had a shower.

“I was ready to cut my family off,” Miller said. “I had it all set up

financially. I had the dates planned out. I was telling people.”

The Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to suicide prevention in the LGBTQ community, conducted a study in 2022 that stated, “28% of LGBTQ youth reported experiencing homelessness or housing instability at some point in their lives — and those who did had two to four times the odds of reporting depression, anxiety, self-harm, considering suicide, and attempting suicide compared to those with stable housing.”

Tad Middler at Cave Springs Park April 15. Miller is student teaching this semester off campus.

Photo by Ellie Whitesell

Alumni Chapel: Campus Landmark, Memorial and Place of Worship

ABRAM TABOR

News Editor

For over 65 years, the University of Central Missouri’s Alumni Chapel has offered a place for students to gather in the middle of campus. First proposed in 1944 and finished in 1956, the chapel stands as a memorial to those from the UCM community who gave their service and their lives in World War II.

“Having some type of memorial for those that fought and lost their lives in that conflict, and in all conflicts, provides a reminder as part of our campus identity of a commitment to service, a commitment to our country,” Tom Goldstein, UCM associate professor of History, said. “A reminder for later generations that these are the sacrifices made by people that have walked in these same footsteps as you are walking now, and hopefully inspire them to do something similar when they’re called upon.”

On May 19, 1957, Edell Schaefer and Ken Buhlig were the first college student couple to be married at the memorial chapel after its completion, making history and establishing a trend to be followed by many after them.

Today, students said they see the alumni chapel as a pleasant piece of architecture, a classroom and a place of worship.

“It’s a beautiful space, really, it’s very well put together,” UCM Junior Matthew Rudowske said.

“It’s nice to have a chapel on the campus where students can go pray if they need to, you can hold ceremonies there. I’m big on aesthetics, and that chapel is gorgeous.”

Student organizations often reserve the space for larger or more ceremonial gatherings.

“My sorority used the chapel for initiation when we welcome our new members into the official chapter,” UCM student Savanah Ackley said. “I think a lot of students don’t know what it’s for. I didn’t even know what it was until my sorority introduced me to it.”

The chapel also continues to serve as a regular place of worship on campus.

Religious student organizations frequent the chapel, including the Catholic Newman Center. According to Newman Center Outreach Coordinator Adam Royer, the center holds mass followed by a dinner each Sunday at the chapel.

Royer said that the chapel is a good place to go to reconnect with your spirit and faith during college.

“I think it gives the community at UCM a place that everybody can go to and feel welcome,” Royer said. “We have a lot of international students and students who don’t have modes of transportation. So, the alumni chapel offers a space for these students who don’t have cars or are international students where they can go to church.”

Local Business Looks to Expand Downtown Entertainment Scene

DILLON SECKINGTON

Features and Opinions Editor

Bodie’s, located at 126 West Pine St, has featured live music, open mic nights, karaoke and a comedy show in the month of April alone. Jake Reinke, who hosts open mic nights at Bodie’s every Thursday at 8:30 p.m. believes the open mic nights are a unique opportunity for people to both have fun, and express themselves seriously.

“I’m just trying to build a community to bring musicians together,” said Reinke. “Warrensburg surprisingly has a lot of musicians, they just don’t network, or they don’t realize the potential that they have.”

For years, the Warrensburg local business Bodie’s, provided University of Central Missouri students and Warrensburg residents with a place to catch local and touring acts. Founded in 1976, the local hangout came to be known as a great place to enjoy live music in downtown Warrensburg. Bands such as The Nace Brothers Band, Mister Smith, Rampage and Cheap Trick performed at Bodie’s over the years, and now, Bodie’s is making an effort to bring that energy back.

Aside from offering casual music fans a place to sing their favorite songs or tell some jokes they find funny, Reinke says Bodie’s open mic nights have also helped smaller groups get their start. He says, bands such as Fresh of Breath Air and The Short Circuits, previously

known as Rowdy Boys, got their start at Bodie’s open mic nights.

Made up entirely of University of Central Missouri students, The Short Circuits have played at Bodie’s and other local venues a number of times, incorporating covers of all types, from Beastie Boys to Doja Cat, as well as original songs into their set.

“I feel like live music is the best thing you can do to rejuvenate night life for a town, especially a small town like Warrensburg,” said The Short Circuits’ drummer, Connor Sloan.

The Short Circuits also shared that they plan on releasing their debut album soon. While the band didn’t provide a release date or title for the record, it still goes to show the impact that Bodie’s has had on both the Warrensburg and UCM community. The Short Circuits will be playing at Bodie’s again on May 5.

Bodie’s also hosted a comedy night on April 15. Although a departure from the thumping live music that Bodie’s usually has on the weekends, Cameron “Copenhagen Bandit” Summers believes the show provided a sense of variety for interested individuals.

“It’s very exciting to come to a college town and give kids something to do,” Summers said. “I went to college for medical school and I hated sitting in a dorm room so if I can go hear somebody tell jokes, I feel like it would be fun.”

According to Sean Chamberlain, a big part of what is making live music downtown popular in Warrensburg is the effort that the local performers are putting in to push the scene forward.

“I just feel like the creative exploration is the biggest and most vital part about it,” said Chamberlain, an audio technician at Bodie’s. “You have all these people in college at the prime point in their life where their creativity is spawning, so we really want to bring back, to this bar, the local hometown music group scene that used to exist down here on Pine Street. If you talk to people who’ve been down here throughout all those eras this is a very thriving music community and a very thriving art scene.”

Above: Daniel Williams, member of the band Black Odyssey plays at Bodie’s on April 22. Black Odyssey showcased their talents live prior to recording their album.

Photo by Siddharth Tripathi

Left: Lead guitarist Jack Roccaro and lead singer/ bass player Nick Sloan of The Short Circuits perform at their March 25 show at Bodie’s. Previously known as “Rowdy Boys”, the band plans to release their debut album in the coming months.

Photo by Dillon Seckington

The University of Central Missouri Alumni Chapel during its construction. The official idea for the memorial was first presented in 1944, but construction would not complete until 1956. Photo submitted by the McClure Archives and University Museum

The UCM Alumni Chapel in the modern day April 21. The chapel remains an environment for religious space on campus for university students. Photo by Abram Tabor

Graduate Farewell Muleskinner

MEAH COPELAND Staff Reporter

My time with the Muleskinner newspaper has been a memorable experience. I will cherish every moment. It has been a fun ride but my time with the paper has ended.

Coming into the University of Central Missouri, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my major. I originally was a Sport Management major but decided not to go that route. After taking the open options major class, I realized I wanted to pursue it. Now that I had declared a major, it was time to join clubs and activities. Digital Media Production Professor, Joe Moore pointed me in the right direction. He helped me get started with the newspaper and with my first story. I learned that writing a news story is different from writing a paper. A news story has more details than an essay has.

I started writing for the paper in March 2020. That was an interesting time as the pandemic started and we didn’t return to campus for the remainder of the semester after spring break ended. I kept writing stories online but it was not

easy, especially getting interviews. After that, the rest was history.

I have seen the transition in the Muleskinner newspaper. In the beginning, everything was out of place. Once we got a new advisor, Julie Lewis, everything changed. I got to work with great managers, editors and reporters. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for those changes. I want to thank everyone at the Muleskinner for getting me through college. I learned who I am during my time with the newspaper. I also made mistakes but there were people around me that helped. I achieved so many goals at the Muleskinner. I learned so much about the UCM community and its athletic teams. I gained good relationships with the athletes and coaches and I’ll miss the connections that I have made.

Over the years I have seen great athletes play and teams who overcame hardships. I’ve attended many professional developments and Missouri Intercollegiate Activities Association conferences. We have one of the best D-II athletic teams and I’m proud I got to cover those games.

Annelia Nixon always knew she wanted to be a writer but she found her passion for journalism the first time she’d ever written for the Muleskinner. It began her sophomore year at the University of Central Missouri during her firstever journalism class. She had to write a story and if the professor saw that it made journalist standards, then the story was submitted to the Muleskinner student news outlet. Nixon was ecstatic to see her story make the cut. This is where her journey with the Muleskinner began.

Nixon started as a reporter, writing stories for class and hoped it ended up in the paper. Each time it did, her confidence grew and so did her writing skills. Still, she struggled with the dreaded Associated Press Style Guide which she came to know as AP style. Nixon despised AP style and what seemed like its endless list of rules. To Nixon, it

Fond Memories

ABRAM TABOR

News Editor

One of the things I deal with is grappling with the reality of who I am and the idea of who I want to be. I have often had a desire to be something more: a great sports player, a successful creative author, a classroom genius or a hometown hero.

However, when I look at my life experiences these past few years, and even as a whole, I am surprisingly happy with who I am.

Working with the Muleskinner, I had some great opportunities to learn and develop my skills, to meet amazing people and work with an award-winning team.

Life looked a lot different when I first got involved with the Muleskinner. The very first story I wrote with this newspaper was

“Making Your New Year’s Resolutions a Reality.” I am not very proud of that story, it is just as cheesy as you might expect from the name and reads like an essay rather than an article, but I think it was a fitting beginning to a nearly four-year story of growth and change.

In an internship with The Sedalia Democrat, I interviewed state and local leaders, provided coverage for protests over the overturn of Roe v. Wade and even got to write a crime story about a multi-county police chase.

At college, I got to grow in and learn more about my faith as a Christian with The Navigators collegiate ministry, make longlasting friendships and train myself for a future beyond graduation.

All that said, a worldwide pandemic

overshadowed the majority of all these experiences. COVID-19 was a major factor in my life at the University of Central Missouri. And yet, I feel that I have changed for the better, that I have grown as a person and as a professional. My thanks to the Muleskinner teams of present and past, The Navigators, The Sedalia Democrat, The Beat and all the others who have been part of my journey. I hope for the best for all these places. I know and trust in the wonderful people who will continue to work; especially at the Muleskinner to keep publishing stories for students by students.

After living in Nickerson Hall for two years, I grew very familiar with the saying written on the side of the Friendship Tower in Selmo Park: “Who is wise? He who

was the most difficult and tedious thing in the world.

Nixon eventually realized that if she was going to become a better journalist, she had to conquer AP style— so she did. It was anything but easy. Every time she wrote for the Muleskinner she picked apart each line of her work, to ensure she followed AP style guidelines. Once again, it was the most tedious job in the world.

Nixon had not realized the progress she had made until she was offered the position of the Muleskinner’s copy editor. Insert shocked face here. Shortly after, she was offered the copy chief position. Bottom line, you can do it if you try.

Nixon not only gained AP style experience, but she also gained new friendships and networked— a lot. Nixon had always been a social butterfly but crawled into her shell when she made the move from her home

country of the Bahamas to the United States which seemed like a whole new world. It was overwhelming and as a result, she became a reserved person. Going out into the field reporting forced her to be the person she was before. Nixon experienced her first breaking news story with the Muleskinner when UCM students and staff were offered rides in a Blackhawk helicopter. She got to meet prominent faculty members that make UCM what it is. Best of all, she was awarded the opportunity to be part of a team that strives for greatness. Nixon will always remember and appreciate her time as part of the Muleskinner family.

Finding Voice

learns from every man.”

I believe that desire to learn, that curiosity and a willingness to seek after life’s questions have helped make me who I am today.

God bless you all, good luck to my fellow graduates and best wishes to everyone at the Muleskinner!

Photo by Ellie Whitesell

Photo by Ellie Whitesell

Photo by Ellie Whitesell

Muleskinner

Tigers Tennis has the Winning Formula

AARON BAX Staff Reporter

Warrensburg High School Boys

Tennis are the reigning Missouri Class 1 state champions and looking to defend their title. Led by seniors Qi Huang, Cameron King and Brandon Ward, the 2022 champions consistently run their opposition ragged.

Yet if you were to drive by the high school when they have a match, you probably wouldn’t realize they were competing. For someone used to the huge, noisy, and boisterous crowds the football team regularly attracts, the crowd filling the tennis court’s seating may seem underwhelming and silent in comparison. Were it not for a sign on the court’s chain link fence, you would have no idea that they were last year’s champions. The courts are practically silent except for the subtle thud of rackets connecting with balls and the occasional clapping or shouts of a good hit.

The team does not act as if they are something special either. In between matches, they wander the crowd, often interacting with those present. Ask one about how scoring works, and they will gladly sit down and explain it to you. Yet under this veneer of unprofessionalism lies a combination of

chemistry, motivation and a love of the game that makes up a champion.

Chemistry is the first part of the equation. Despite the individual element that is integral to the sport of tennis, the tennis players are among the tightest groups you will see around school. Before each match, the team gets together to chant a chant that one of their own players created. After a match, most team members will stay to cheer on their teammates. The seniors lead with many asking the JV how they did or cheering them on. The underclassmen then reciprocate this back to the seniors.

Motivation is the second part of the equation. Many of these players are self-motivated. The most common thing coach Maple told his players was a variation of calm down. One player, when I asked how he performed, told me he did not play well. He won eight of 11 solo games. Most players would take that happily, however, this player is too driven to accept that. This attitude can be seen in the team’s views on the season too. Huang said, “We should repeat the title run.” Most other team members have said the same. This is a team that is motivated to improve and motivated to win.

The final part of the championship winning formula is love of the game. The best players in Warrensburg’s team

have made tennis a key part of their life. Huang for example plays in tournaments year round. If you sit down to discuss tennis with Huang, expect a long conversation. Many matches require these students to miss school multiple times a week, yet they do it gladly out of love of tennis.

So that is the formula, and it works. To see that you need only look at the team’s results. Of their six matches this year, the tennis team has won four 9-0 and two 8-1. They do it not through fancy moves but through fundamentals and thinking. On this, Huang said, “Mentality is 70% of tennis.” This is a mindset clearly seen by this team all the way through to the coaching. Coach Maple almost never yells at his players correcting them by simply softly offering a correction or observation and or calling them over

to have a quiet talk. It keeps his players calm while still fixing the mistakes in a way only truly excellent coaches can, and there is no doubt that coach Maple is an excellent coach.

Graphic by Rachel Becker

Six Additional Football Coaches Added to Staff

MEAH COPELAND Staff Reporter

The Mules football team hired six new coaches to their staff. All the coaches appeared at the spring football game on April 15. Head coach Josh Lamberson hired Greg Jones, Hayden Hawk, Stephen Franklin, Justin Bane, Adrian Duncan and Chace Gadapee. The spring football game helps the coaches see the strengths and weaknesses of the football team.

Jones will be serving as the defensive coordinator. Before arriving at the University of Central Missouri, Jones was a defensive analyst for the University of Oregon Ducks. He was an assistant for the safeties coach and recruited players from Florida, Iowa, Texas and Missouri.

Hawk will be serving as the tight ends coach and recruiter coordinator. He graduated in 2014 from UCM. During his time at UCM, Hawk was the quarterback for the Mules. He was named the AllMIAA quarterback. Hawk came from Henderson

State University as an offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2022. At Henderson State, Hawk helped lead his team 26-8.

“We’ve all come together, we all have various different backgrounds, experiences in different systems, and different beliefs,” Hawk said. “It was a really good opportunity to come back to coach with Lambo, who I played for.”

Franklin will be the new special team coordinator, linebackers coach and diversity and inclusion coordinator. Franklin is coming from Bethel University in Minnesota. He was the linebackers coach and special teams coach. In the two seasons with the Royals, the team went 18-6 and helped three players earn all-conference linebackers.

Bane will be the passing game coordinator and wide receiver coach. He comes from Texas where he owned and operated training facilities. Bane has helped train and mentor professional athletes in football and baseball.

Sophomore Nyle Pascasciou worked as a support staff in fall 2022 and saw the changes within the

coaching staff. Next season, Pascasciou will be on the team as a running back.

“In my opinion, I don’t think we’ll have too many challenges because we’ve already created a good connection and it’s just improving as we go along,” Pascasciou said. “ One challenge would be being able to trust one another.”

Junior Kendall Scott transferred to UCM this semester from the College of DuPage which is a junior college in Illinois and the staff is brand new to him.

“It’s not just new for me as being a transfer but it’s also new for every player out there returning and us transfer guys,” Scott said. “We’re trying to build a new system. The things that we were doing previously just weren’t working anymore.”

Springing Into Action

4th Quarter Sports Wrap Up Their Season

From left to right: Redshirt sophomore, Alex Gentry, took home the title of MIAA Individual Champion at the 2023 MIAA Men’s Golf Championship on April 19. In his final round, Gentry shot 70 (-2), securing the title with a three-day total of 212 (-4). Mules Golf finished in fourth place as a team and will head to Winona State to compete in the midwest regional May 11 - May 13. Submitted photo by Brinkley Beever

Redshirt Senior, Rosie Klausner hits a drive down the middle while going on to lead the Jennies to their third win of the season at the Midwest Intercollegiate at Mules National Golf Course. The jennies head into the postseason holding the top ranking in the MIAA and second in the midwest region. Submitted photo by Jennifer Rice Outfielder Brennan van Breusegen runs off the field as they take down Flagler College at the Houston Winter Invitational. The Mules have three games left as they will host Fort Hayes State April 28 - April 30 for their last series before the MIAA Conference Tournament. Submitted photo by Erik Williams Redshirt Senior Madi Wulfekotter celebrates immediately after setting the school’s pole vault record at 2023 Outdoor Mule Relays. Wulfekotter held the previous record at 4.25 m, 13’ 11.25”. Submitted

photo by Andrew Mather