Mustang News December 4, 2018

C A L P O LY S A N LU I S O B I S P O ’ S N E W S S O U R C E

MUSTANG NEWS

REALLY PAGE 6

DECEMBER 4, 2018

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MUSTANGNEWS.NET

Austin Linthicum

Lauren Arendt

Quinn Fish

Rachel Showalter

Rachel Marquardt

Claire Blachowski

NE WS Cassandra Garibay Editor Isabella Paoletto Sabrina Pascua Stephanie Garibay Samantha Spitz Ashley Ladin Aidan McGloin Isabel Hughes Jake Wener Roselyn Romero Lauryn Luescher Maureen McNamara Intern Hailey Nagma Intern

V I D EO Justin Garrido Video Editor Sawyer Milam Sports Video Director Reid Fuhr Sports Video Producer Kallyn Hobmann Kayla Berenson Jack Berkenfield Lauren Powers Intern Lily Dallow Intern

Editor in Chief

Print Managing Editor

Digital Managing Editor

ARTS Emily Merten Editor Sabrina Thompson Michaela Barros Caroline Garcia Yasel Hurtado Caitlin Scott Grant Anderson Emma Kumagawa Kiana Meagher Intern Claudia Ferrer Intern Ally Madole Intern OPINION Kendra Coburn Editor Zachary Grob-Lipkis Hanah Wyman Abdullah Sulaiman Bailey Barton Sierra Parr Yervant Malkhassian Brett Baron Noemi Khachian Ken Allard Lilly Leif Elias Atienza Olivia Peluso Jordyn White SPORTS Brian Truong Editor Lauren Kozicki Naythan Bryant Francisco Martinez Sophia Crolla Garrett Brown Prerna Aneja Intern Kyle Har Intern

IN THIS ISSUE

TUESDAY • DECEMBER 4, 2018 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

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Social Media Managing Editor

Video Managing Editor

PR Manager

P H OTO Zachary Donnenfield Carolyne Sysmans Kylie Kowalske Alison Chavez Diego Rivera Connor Frost Maxwell Morais Intern Luke Deal Intern COPY Kelly Martinez Amanda Simonich Jarod Urrutia D ES I GN Calista Lam Director Michelle Cao Solena Aguilar Julia Jackson-Clark D I V ERS I TY Monique Ejenuko Editor Sonya Jindal PR Alyssa Wilson Dominique Morales Kaitlyn Hoyer Mikaela Lincoln Tess Loarie Intern Christina Arthur Intern SOCIAL Lindsay Morris Hanna Crowley Danielle Lee Candace Lee Intern A DV I S O RS Paul Bittick General Manager Pat Howe Print Advisor Brady Teufel Digital Advisor COV ER Kylie Kowalski

S A MA N T H A S P I TZ | MUSTA N G N EWS

CHUMASH AUDITORIUM WILL CLOSE FALL 2019

MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR RENOVATION PLANNED

BY S AMAN T H A S P ITZ

Beginning October of 2019, Chumash Auditorium will be closed for renovations.

As Chumash Auditorium is one of the main facilities on campus used to host large events and club meetings, Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) hopes to enhance its lighting, flooring, staging, soundproofing and technology functions.

The project is estimated to cost about $5 million. ASI set aside funding and is utilizing organizational reserves to cover the costs, so student fees will not be increased for the renovation.

The renovation is expected to last through March of 2020.

The auditorium is composed of three sections, but because of the lack of soundproofing and structural design between each section, there is a limited number of events that can take place simultaneously and the capacity is 300 people. “If there’s an event happening in Chumash for 300 people, but it’s not at maximum capacity, we could still

have one side of the auditorium open with furniture that’s easily moveable for students to sit, relax and study,� ASI Chair of University Union Advisory Board Danielle Diele said. “Our biggest goal in this project is to increase student space when the space is not being fully occupied.�

ASI proposed a large-scale renovation and expansion of the Julian A. McPhee University Union in 2015 and identified Chumash Auditorium as a priority project because of its large impact on the campus community, according to ASI Director of Facilities Management Ron Skamfer. “We understand that there is no good time to renovate a space that is reserved as frequently as Chumash Auditorium; however, our hope is that the short term impact of this closure will result

in decades of successful campus events,�

Skamfer said.

ASI is currently collaborating with campus partners to find alternative venues for students to host club meetings and other large-scale events. According to Skamfer, they are working to gain additional access to the Multi-Activity Center (MAC) in the Recreation Center, which has space similar to the auditorium.

ASI is hosting an information gathering session Tuesday, Dec. 4 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in Chumash Auditorium to gather feedback on how the space has been used and how it can be improved for future use. A series of input sessions will follow, directed toward clubs, departments and other groups that currently use the space.

E D ITO R ’ S N OTE

HEALTH FEE INCREASE EFFECTS

STUDENT SELLS BUGS OUT OF APARTMENT

STUDENT RECOVERS FROM EATING DISORDERS

VOLLEYBALL ELIMINATED IN NCAA FIRST ROUND

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The Nov. 28 edition of Mustang News included a “Healthy Living� advertising insert. The “Hiking Guide� within the insert failed to follow citation guidelines and did not uphold Mustang News’ editorial standards. MMG is dedicated to accurate and original content.

Cal Poly involvement

“Social media is an incredibly powerful tool to start dialogue about these topics that are often not discussed,” WITH US Program Coordinator Michael Eberhard said. “This campaign targets college students, but this conversation is relevant to anyone.”

Nationwide participants in Upstander Week took the Upstander Pledge, shared their own bystander stories, donated to the campaign and posted facts via social media, raising awareness about hazing, alcohol poisoning and “upstander” techniques.

“Upstander Week is about giving students the courage to step up in dangerous situations to prevent harm. It’s not uncommon to see or hear about situations where someone didn’t speak up or step in to prevent the loss of life or serious harm. This campaign [sought] to remove those barriers and encourage students to always do the right thing,” Keith Humphrey, executive director of WITH US and vice president for student affairs, said in a university news release.

The WITH US student team collaborated with 12 greek organizations on campus to plan and promote Upstander Week’s mission through various on- and off-campus fundraisers and tabling events.

According to Eberhard, a number of greek organizations have sold Starkey-inspired SloDoCo donuts and coffee throughout Upstander Week.

On Nov. 26, WITH US gathered community members to paint the Poly “P” blue, the official color of Aware Awake Alive and WITH US. Greek fraternities and sororities also participated in Sober Saturday on Dec. 1, the day Starkey was peer-pressured to consume fatal amounts of alcohol 10 years ago.

“Since drinking is such a huge part of college and greek culture, [Sober Saturday] was a conscious decision to not drink alcohol to remember Carson,” Eberhard said.

According to Eberhard, the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and the Interfraternity Council (IFC) are hosting an IFC Benefit BBQ Dec. 6 from 2 to 6 p.m. at 132 California Blvd. Presale tickets, which cost $6 per person, can be purchased through Venmo at @CPFSL. Onsite tickets cost $8. All funds will go toward research, program development and student internship funding for WITH US.

trial is the change in days and times it is offered. During Winter 2019, the class will only be on Tuesdays, with a time alternation between 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Gibbons and her staff noticed the students were most likely to attend the night sessions, while staff members were more likely to attend the day class.

AW ARE AW AKE AL IVE | COU RT ESY

WITH US held the first Upstander Week to re-spark the conversation about bystander intervention and alcohol poisoning awareness.

10 YEARS WITHOUT CARSON STARKEY UPSTANDER WEEK PROMOTES BYSTANDER INTERVENTION IN STARKEY’S HONOR

BY ROSELYN ROMERO

Ten years ago on Dec. 2, 2008, Carson Starkey passed away due to acute alcohol poisoning during a Cal Poly fraternity hazing incident.

To observe the 10-year anniversary of Starkey’s death and encourage bystanders to take action in potentially life-altering situations, WITH US The National Network for Peer Accountability, a Cal Poly-based bystander intervention research center — launched Upstander Week from Mon-

COOKING IN THE CANYON FREE LESSONS FROM CAL POLY’S EXECUTIVE CHEF

BY SU M ME R SANTANGELO

Have trouble boiling or frying an egg? Looking for gluten-free cooking alternatives? Campus Dining is now offering cooking classes.

Cal Poly Campus Dining and University Housing are teaming up for cooking classes at Canyon Café. Classes are for all students, faculty and staff and took place every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. during Fall 2018.

The classes are led by Campus Dining Executive Chef Michael Albright, who teaches participants how to make a variety of foods, from

day, Nov. 26 to Saturday, Dec. 1.

WITH US is a program that spurred off of Aware Awake Alive, a program created by Starkey’s parents shortly after his death about the signs of alcohol poisoning.

Upstander Week, a predominantly social media-oriented campaign, consisted of seven daily challenges to help raise awareness about the power of intervention in situations of drug and alcohol abuse, sexual violence, racism and bullying.

probiotic overnight oats to the perfect turkey.

Classes are free — students, faculty and staff can reserve a spot by visiting the Cal Poly Dining website and filling out the form at the bottom of the page. There are only 14 spots per class.

Canyon Café is only open on the weekends and Campus Dining wanted to find a way to use the space during the week, so they created the cooking class program.

“We wanted to find a different way to use the space, and since students in Poly Canyon have kitchens and can make these recipes, we thought that it might be useful for them,” Cal Poly Registered Dietitian Kaitlin Gibbons said.

According to Gibbons, they have seen an increase in class enrollment — student participation, however, is still low. Many of the people who attend classes are staff members.

“It’s the first quarter for this program, so it is essentially a trail and we are learning where we need to make changes,” Gibbons said.

One of the changes that has come from this

C A R OLY N E SYS MA N S | MUSTA N G N EWS

Executive Chef Michael Albright teaches weekly cooking classes for free.

3 TUESDAY • DECEMBER 4, 2018 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

Beyond Upstander Week, Cal Poly’s WITH US team has integrated Starkey’s story into Week of Welcome to further spread awareness on the movement for freshmen who may have no connection to Starkey at all.

University departments and San Luis Obispo County Behavioral Health have also shared the campaign on social media.

“One thing I admire about this university is that Cal Poly didn’t run from this tragedy.

They embraced it and continue to support Aware Awake Alive and the Starkey family, from the moment Carson passed,” Eberhard said.

TUESDAY • DECEMBER 4, 2018 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

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HEALTH FEE INCREASED, WAIT TIMES DECREASED HEALTH CENTER HIRES EIGHT NEW EMPLOYEES

C AROLYNE SYS MANS | MUSTANG NEW S

Health Center added eight new staff members in response to student complaints.

BY SA B R IN A PAS CUA With the implementation of the $99 health fee increase per quarter beginning Fall 2018, students are already seeing improved wait times at the Health Center (building 27).

The health fee increase was introduced Fall 2017, but did not apply to current Cal Poly students when it was first approved. However, the fee increase began to apply to the tuition of newly admitted students this quarter — including all 5,728 first-time students, transfer students and new graduate and post-baccalaureate students.

According to Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Health and Wellbeing Tina Hadaway-Mellis, the new health fee goes directly toward expanding health services to students.

“The intent of the fee is and will be to improve students’ access — and ease of access — to providers,” Hadaway-Mellis said.

The money from the health fee totals to about $567,000 for Fall 2018 and has so far been used to hire eight new staff members.

Within the last six months, one full-time medical doctor, one full-time registered nurse, two full-time health educators, three early

intervention specialists and one radiologic technologist were hired, increasing the Health Center staff from 26 to 34 people.

“As a student health center, this is really a one-stop care [place] for our students,” Hadaway-Mellis said. “We have pharmacy services, lab services, radiology services, counseling services, health education and wellbeing services and medical services.”

With more staff available, Health Center officials hope to meet with more students and decrease wait times. According to Hadaway-Mellis, data on wait times taken in October show that, on average, students appear to be waiting less than 30 minutes to be seen.

From Sept. 1, 2017 to Nov. 30, 2017, the Health Center saw 9,188 patients. During that same time frame this year, the Health Center saw 9,601 students.

Over the next four years, the health fee will continue to go toward hiring more staff.

“When the fee is fully funded by year four, I think we’ll really be able to see a bigger impact,” Hadaway-Mellis said.

In the past, students have expressed frustration toward a lack of access to counseling services if their situation is deemed not critical. Hadaway-Mellis said hiring the three early intervention specialists is meant to help improve students’ experience and perceptions surrounding counseling services.

“The three new hires that were made — the early intervention specialists — are in direct re-

sponse to that perception, that feeling from students,” Hadaway-Mellis said. “[There will be] a little bit easier access, not at that critical ring or that center of maybe suicidal ideation or other critical mental health issues … we’re going out of just a couple more rings to catch students a little bit earlier and help give them some tools.”

The health fee also allows the Health Center to hire two additional health educators. According to Director of Wellbeing and Health Education Genie Kim, these new hires will help educate students about how the Health Center is a resource to them and to clear up these misconceptions about the Health Center.

“That team of our health educators are able to develop those messages and be able to go out beyond the walls of the Health Center and engage the student population to help guide and inform students of all of the great work being done inside the building,” Kim said.

The radiologic technologist was hired to also serve as a medical assistant. They are able to help physicians, in addition to performing x-rays. Hadaway-Mellis said staff members like a radiologic technologist are what allow the Health Center to provide many different types of healthcare services, instead of sending the student to a third-party emergency room.

The new Health Center staff members are the first change made with the implementation of the fee increase. All other planned changes will be made over the next few years.

Don’t forget to pick up next week’s newspaper!

New editions every Tuesday morning.

BY ASHLEY LADI N

PASO ROBL ES W IN E COU N TRY AL L IAN CE | CO U RTESY

Wine is a $1.785 billion industry in San Luis Obispo County, according to the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance.

WORKING IN THE VINEYARDS

WINE & VITICULTURE STUDENTS PLAY A BIG ROLE IN CENTRAL COAST

BY S UM MER SA N TA N G E LO Justin Gazzaniga delayed graduation a year to work in the wine industry — yet his learning continues. Jolting awake to a piercing alarm at 5:30 a.m., putting on his worn out jeans and then out the door to get to work on time are all better than sitting in a classroom, he said. This is his real education.

“I love being able to be outside most days and I would much rather be doing that than sitting in a classroom learning about the things I could be doing,” the wine and viticulture senior said. “I know Cal Poly is Learn by Doing, but it is nice to take it one step further.”

Wine is a $1.785 billion industry in San Luis Obispo County, according to the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. Many Cal Poly students are leading the way due to mindsets like Gazzaniga’s — without Cal Poly students, many

wineries would struggle to get through harvest.

Gazzaniga is not the only wine and viticulture student who is working at wineries this fall. There are many others, including wine and viticulture junior Taylor Rebora.

Rebora also wakes up bright and early and her knowledge of the industry is far above that of many her age. She has been working in the industry for three years now, even though she is still a student at Cal Poly.

While other students are sitting in a classroom learning what they hope will help them in their future careers, Rebora and Gazzaniga are already working and making an impact on the wine industry.

Rebora is currently a harvest intern at Tooth and Nail Winery in Paso Robles. Her job involves lab analysis and cellar work. Since it is currently the time of harvest and grapes are being picked, she is getting in 20 to 40 tons of grapes a day.

PA S O R OBLES WINE COU N TRY AL L IAN CE | COU RTESY

The grapes arrive from the field and each type requires a different process. Processing red grapes involves destemming them and transferring them into fermenter bins or tanks. White grapes are put into presses where the juice from the grape skins is extracted.

“The feeling of physically holding a bottle of wine that you were involved in making is one of the most satisfying feelings that I have ever had,” Rebora said. “And to think about all of the long hours and stress that you put into making such a complex little craft makes it so rewarding.”

The program is also rewarding for professionals, according to Tooth and Nail Winery Director od Operations Tami Jo Haley.

“Students are such a large part of our group of workforce from in the lab to out in the fields,” Haley said. “We wouldn’t have enough people to harvest without them.”

Student comedians, singers and dancers performed in an on-campus variety show Thursday, Nov. 26 to raise money for Woolsey and Camp fire relief.

The performers came from Cal Poly Ballroom Dance, Smile and Nod, Nightcap, Comedy Club, That’s the Key and Take it SLO. A total of $435 was raised by ticket sales, and all proceeds will be donated to California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund.

The event was organized by psychology senior Jessica Clark, a member of That’s the Key and president of Nightcap, who brought all six groups together with her fundraiser idea.

“President [Jeffery] Armstrong sent an email a few weeks ago stating empathy for all the students on campus who had been affected by the fires, but I was a little frustrated that there wasn’t any call to action in the email,” Clark said. “I spent a whole night looking for things to do. I just wanted to do something [that] would be helpful.”

Clark said she was happy with the big turnout, but would like more administrators and students to get involved with similar events.

“In the future, I hope performing arts groups on campus are seen [as] a resource,” Clark said. “I’m sure all these clubs would be happy to do this again. All of these clubs have the biggest hearts and we love to band together.”

A SH L EY LA DI N | M USTA N G N EWS

5 TUESDAY • DECEMBER 4, 2018 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

SHOW RAISES HUNDREDS FOR FIRE RELIEF

NIGHT HIKING ALLOWED IN SLO FOR FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS

TUESDAY • DECEMBER 4, 2018 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

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BY SCOTT M I DDLEC AM P

M USTA N G N EWS | F I L E

Two years ago Cal Poly pushed for “When in doubt, recycle.” Now, they are asking students to “throw it out” when in doubt.

WILL CAL POLY HIT ZERO WASTE? OTHER FACTORS AT PLAY WHEN EVALUATING SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

BY A SHLEY LAD I N Two years ago, an on-campus sustainability campaign posted “when in doubt, recycle” stickers on the university’s blue and black bins; a simple message that quite literally stuck and can still be seen around Cal Poly today.

The California State University system set Zero Waste goals for all 23 of its campuses to meet. The next system-wide goal was 80 percent landfill diversion — referring to the percent of total waste produced on campus that is recycled or composted instead of thrown out — by 2020.

Cal Poly has already surpassed this goal with diversion rates of more than 89 and 86 percent for 2016 and 2017, respectively.

However, “when in doubt, recycle” is not what got it there.

The diversion rate of student and faculty trash around campus, which includes all regular-use bins around campus, like those outside classrooms and those for dining hall compost, is increasing, but has low rates overall. In 2017, only 29 percent of campus population trash was diverted from landfills, even though approximately 50 percent of campus population trash is recyclable material.

Cal Poly’s Zero Waste Coordinator Anastasia Nicole said university facilities are what give Cal Poly such high diversion rates.

“We have really heavy waste streams that are making up for public trash,” Nicole said.

“Cement is heavy and that gets recycled for construction. And if we were not an agricultural college, we wouldn’t have such good diversion rates.”

If Cal Poly did not have heavy agricultural waste to compost and recycle, the campus diversion rate for 2017 would have been 72 percent, just below the 80 percent goal for 2020.

Nicole, who began at Cal Poly in February,

wants to improve student and faculty diversion by increasing recycling education, signage and visibility of blue bins. One thing she does not want to continue, despite the 50 percent of recycled material in campus trash, is “when in doubt, recycle.”

“I am saying we are one of the finest universities in the world, [so] why is there any doubt what is recyclable?” Nicole said.

“People think it will just get sorted out at the facility, but the more contamination there is, the harder it is for them to pick out recycling and the less efficient they become.”

San Luis Obispo’s recycling facility, Cold Canyon Processing Facility, services the entire county. Facility Manager John Ryan said contamination from trash in recycling streams is a major issue.

“When in doubt, throw it out. Anything else is irresponsible and almost laughable,” Ryan said. “Contamination is a real bearcat.

I’m sending 800 tons of trash from blue bins to our landfill a month. It’s a real problem on [the] operational [side] to do that level of separation, it fouls up our equipment and costs us a lot of money.”

The facility center has a 34-member staff and much of their time is spent doing quality control and removing contamination. Ryan said the contamination rate from Cal Poly is the highest in the county at 32 percent. Most San Luis Obispo communities hover around 20 and 25 percent contamination.

“I think university itself has a responsibility to ever educate the changing population, and if they still have stickers on any blue bins to recycle when in doubt, [a responsibility] to remove them, because it’s an absolutely ridiculous idea,” Ryan said.

Nicole is focusing on getting educational signage on every bin on campus to better explain what can and cannot be recycled.

“One of the problems with our recycling rate is that people come to this campus

from all over the country and from different recycling programs that collect different stuff,” Nicole said. “Our mixed recycling is pretty easy, it is just five things: paper, cardboard, glass, plastic and aluminum. Of course, it’s not all plastic or metal.”

However, Nicole also recognizes that with 50 percent of the campus population’s trash actually being garage at present, the campus cannot recycle its way to zero waste.

“The idea is to minimize waste by not buying garbage in the first place. There’s a lot of single-use stuff the campus buys, and when we buy it, we know we’re buying garbage,” Nicole said. “So we’re trying to look at all that purchasing and purchase stuff that can be used multiple times.”

How to know what can and cannot be recycled Biological sciences junior and vice president of Cal Poly’s Zero Waste Club Dylan Stevens said students should look at San Luis Obispo’s Integrated Waste Management Authority website if they are uncertain how a material should be disposed of. On the website, visitors can type in any product to see which bin it belongs in.

Some of the most common recycling mistakes that lead to contamination are plastic bags (including trash, grocery and ziplock), thin plastic film, plastic utensils, food containers of mixed materials and straws. Stevens also said students should be wary of Plastic No. 6, such as Styrofoam and packaging materials, as it can almost never be recycled.

“Students often don’t know what’s recyclable, but it doesn’t take much time to find out,” Stevens said. “At the end of the day, it’s something so simple for each individual person to properly sort their trash, but it could make such a visible difference if people cared just a tiny amount.”

Night hiking in San Luis Obispo has been banned since 1998. However, that recently changed under the launch of a two-year pilot program approved last year by city council.

For now, the 4.9 miles of trails on Cerro San Luis — commonly known as Madonna Mountain — are the only trails in the city to allow night hiking.

You need a permit to hike, available through a QR code at the trailhead or on the city’s website. The permit extends to all city trails on the mountain, including the Lemon Grove Loop and the M Trail.

According to signs posted at the trailhead, a permit is required after 6 p.m. and the trail will close at 8:30 p.m. Only 65 permits are issued nightly from November to March.

Those who hike at night will need to provide proof of a permit to a patrolling ranger or face a citation of $561.

Trail cameras will monitor if the nighttime access affects the behavior of local animal populations during the two-year period.

CO N N O R F RO ST | M USTA N G N EWS

CSU APP DEADLINE EXTENDED IN WAKE OF WILDFIRES

BY SO PHI A O ’K EEFE The Cal State University (CSU) priority application deadline for Fall 2019 admission was extended from Nov. 30 to Dec. 15 as many prospective students and their communities are facing hardships due to the Camp and Woolsey wildfires.

CSU spokesperson Elizabeth Chapin said accommodations were also given to students last year due to fires, including application extensions upon request.

The application first opened Oct. 1 for all 23 campuses.

Chapin said this year’s extension is being applied to all CSU applicants because of the overwhelming quantity of requests they received for individual extensions. Students who have experienced direct financial hardship, which includes the loss of a house or unexpected expenses due to evacuation, may also request an application fee waiver.

STUDENT SELLS SNAKES, SCORPIONS & SPIDERS

BY M ICHA ELA B A R R O S Biological sciences junior Jake Molieri smiled as a large scorpion quickly paced over the bridge of his nose and across his cheek. Once it rested on the edge of his face, he scooped up the wiggling scorpion by its stinger and set it back in its box.

“I used to be terrified of this stuff,” Molieri said. “I used to be scared shitless of spiders.”

Just more than a year ago Molieri decided to begin his business Mo Bugz, where he breeds and sells different varieties of snakes, lizards, tarantulas, scorpions and bugs. He has a collection of 100 to 300 animals each year on average, depending on sales.

Every other weekend, Molieri packs his Prius up with his animals and attends bug and reptile shows throughout California. He said he usually makes about $2,000 at each show.

“It’s the most interesting thing to be making money doing the thing you love, and it doesn’t take a lot of work,” Molieri said.

Molieri is a member of a much larger, highly competitive industry. He said companies that mainly sell reptiles at the shows drastically drop their prices to make a sale over another breeder.

“This is a market. There’s competition,” Molieri said. “There are people who will throw you under and try to run you over with prices to try to sell their animals [...] That’s why I stick to a market that doesn’t have a lot of competition. I’m in bugs. There’s very few bug people that I work against here in California.”

Molieri said he has become close friends with the other people working in the bug industry in California. Before every show, Molieri and the other bug business owners gather together and pick a static price for each animal to keep profit at random.

Although Molieri runs a business selling his animals, he said his first priority is the animals’ health and wellbeing.

“This is an industry. A lot of people think that they can get into it really fast [but], you know, I’ve gotten to this level in about a year and a half. I want to say to anyone who’s interested in starting this hobby, you need to prioritize the animal’s wellbeing.”

M I C H A ELA BA RRO S | M USTA N G N EWS

Every other weekend, Molieri packs his Prius up with his animals and attends bug and reptile shows throughout California.

Molieri has been passionate about animals his entire life. He said his grandfather develops large plots of land in Northern California and has always been heavily involved with nature.

“I grew up watching David Attenborough, Jeff Corwin and Steve Irwin,” Molieri said. “I met Steve Irwin when I was super little when I went to the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in the [San Francisco Bay Area], and that was the biggest moment ... [seeing basically my] idol as a kid.”

As a large tarantula scurried down Molieri’s arm and into his hand, he said the animal is highly misunderstood. He said he wished more college students would consider adopting bugs rather than cats and dogs because of their low time commitment and cost to owners.

“If you’re a college student and you want to get a pet, I highly recommend bugs,” Molieri said. “A lot of people think tarantulas are scary, but when you look at them closer, tarantulas are just like eight-legged cats because they have [the] personality of a cat. They like to sit in one spot and they kind of get a bit grumpy if you try to move them. They just walk around and do their thing. They’re fuzzy. [They] aren’t going to attack you.”

Molieri reached out his hand and revealed tiny scars on a palm and his arm where he has been bitten by bugs and the occasional snake. The risk of being bitten is simply a part of the job for Molieri He said it is worth it.

He said he does not blame the animal, and it angers him when people do.

“It’s never the animal’s fault. It’s always your fault,” Molieri said. “If you put your hand in there and you own these animals, you need to understand that you are that animal’s only source of care. You are that animal’s only source of dependence. You are that animal’s lifeline. You have to understand that. If you put your hand in there, you have to understand that you will get bit. If you do get bit, know the precautions you will take.”

As a business owner and college student, Molieri said he does not have as much time for making friends as he would like to. He said that although his hobby is a blessing, it can also be a curse.

“It has brought people in and drove people out of my life,” Molieri said. “Sometimes people can handle having a friend with this hobby and some people cannot deal with it.”

Why are they driven away, exactly? Molieri said it is the fear and that he wishes people would take more time to confront why they are actually afraid of something before avoiding it.

“If you saw a guy walking down the street with eight arms, it would be a bit interesting, but you wouldn’t just go out and try to stomp on him with a boot now, would you? You’d be like, ‘He’s a human being, he just has eight arms.’

I try to treat these animals on the same level that I treat other people. I try my best to keep them happy and if something is wrong I try to figure out what’s wrong, and people just don’t want to understand what makes these animals scary.”

The community that studies and sells bugs is very connected and has a highly supportive structure. Santa Barbara City College student Francesca Heran became friends with Molieri at one of the shows, and is now an active member of the community.

Like Molieri, Heran wrote that people outside of the bug industry should take time to educate themselves on the truth and positives of each animal before dismissing them.

“To people outside the hobby: take the time to reassess your views of these animals,” Heran said. “I was afraid until I really got to working with these animals. Most of them don’t want to hurt you. They’re just afraid you’ll hurt them.”

A L I SO N C H AVEZ | M USTA N G N EWS

TUESDAY • DECEMBER 4, 2018 | STUDENT LIFE | MUSTANG NEWS

MO BUGZ, LESS PROBLEMS

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TUESDAY • DECEMBER 4, 2018 | STUDENT LIFE | MUSTANG NEWS

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AL IS ON C H AVEZ | MUSTA N G N EWS

FROM STARVING TO 20,000 CALORIES A DAY THIS STUDENT BATTLED THE SPECTRUM OF EATING DISORDERS ON HER PATH TO ‘HEALING’

BY CA I T L I N S COT T TRIGGER WARNING Eating Disorders On the outside, Brittany Burgunder was the perfect child. She got straight A’s in school, was a talented tennis player and horseback rider and wore a smile at all times. But underneath the smile she learned to wear so well was a girl struggling with anxiety, depression

Burgunder grew up a competitive athlete, playing tennis and riding horses.

and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

“I wanted people to look at my smile and think ‘Oh, she’s perfect, she’s fine,’ but on the inside, I was the complete opposite,” 30-yearold Burgunder said.

Burgunder has spent the last 17 years battling the spectrum of eating disorders. She went from tirelessly restricting the food she ate to binging on every type of fast food and

processed sugar imaginable. Between countless treatment centers, hospitalizations and standing face-to-face with death, she now lives to tell her story today. After a successful recovery, she became a published author and certified personal coach who shares her story in hopes of helping others going through similar struggles.

Burgunder said she was regularly bullied

She spent the last 17 years battling eating disorders. Burgunder hit rock bottom in January 2009, weighing her lowest of 56 pounds.

throughout elementary and middle school, leading to low self-esteem. She figured if she could maintain perfection in everything she did, then there was no reason she would be looked at differently. But this constant drive for perfection, mixed with her OCD, started to affect the way she consumed food.

“Before even really knowing what calories were, I started making a game out of it,” Burgunder said. “I would eat the same thing everyday at the same time. I would time myself.

I had these really weird rituals.”

She slowly stopped eating her favorite foods and, before she knew it, Burgunder was diagnosed with anorexia at the age of 13.

After her diagnosis, Burgunder visited her first treatment center, where she finally learned what an eating disorder was. She recalls the whole experience as both a blessing and a curse.

“I was with a group of 30 girls that were struggling with the same things and I realized I wasn’t alone, which was the best feeling,” Burgunder said. “But my new friends also taught me more tips and tricks.”

Burgunder remained relatively healthy both mentally and physically throughout high school. So when the time came around to head off to college, she felt like it might be the perfect opportunity to restart.

“I wanted to turn my life around and I wanted college to be this dream opportunity to reinvent myself, hoping it would be the change that I needed,” Burgunder said.

In the fall of 2008, Burgunder began her freshman year at University of California, Davis. The stress of college and being away from home for the first time began to weigh on her — slowly but surely, she started to revert back to her old ways.

“I was so overwhelmed and felt so alone,” Burgunder said. “Instead of letting go of old habits and rules, they only got stronger. Those were the only things that were still familiar to me.”

Over the next few months, she became severely underweight and her health began to deteriorate. By the time she got home for winter break, her parents — Susan and Lee Bur-

The doctors at Torrance Memorial Hospital did not think she would survive.

during this time — 10 times the recommended daily intake, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). She gained 70 pounds. Within three months, and a year later, she had gained nearly 160 pounds.

“Watching your child eat again after so many years was such a relieving experience,” Susan said. “But it started to spiral out of control, and again, we didn’t know what to do.”

At the time, binge eating was not talked about much. It was not recognized in the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) as a real disorder and professionals were not quite sure how to handle these unique cases.

“I still felt the same way mentally when I was binging versus when I was at my lowest weight,” Brittany said. “There was me and then there was my eating disorder, and there was no ounce of Brittany left. That part of my mind was possessed and had fully taken over.”

Brittany once again hit rock bottom. She started taking steps to make a change, but her new solution was just as harmful — she turned to laxatives to control her binging.

“When you say bulimia, you think of someone throwing up,” Brittany said. “But I never once threw up.”

Brittany recalls bulimia as the most difficult of her eating disorders to control. At her worst, she would swallow approximately 100 laxatives in one sitting. The Food and Drug

“There was me and then there was my eating disorder, and there was no ounce of Brittany left. That part of my mind was possessed and had fully taken over.” habits suddenly jumped to the other side of the spectrum: she binged.

“I was finally allowed to eat foods that were forbidden for the past seven years,” Brittany said. “It was the scariest and best feeling that had ever happened to me.”

Brittany ate roughly 20,000 calories a day

In August 2009, her eating habits jumped to the other side of the spectrum: she binged.

Administration (FDA) recommends using no more than one dose of these medications within a 24-hour period due to potential organ failure.

“People would give me compliments and tell me how great I [looked], but of course [I was] thinking of what I was actually doing,”

At her heaviest of 221 pounds, Burgunder was consuming 20,000 calories a day.

Brittany said. “I was living a double life: one foot in life and one foot in self destruction.”

At this point, she said she was mentally and physically exhausted. It was not until she began watching people she had crossed paths with at treatment centers die from the disease that she realized how lucky she was.

“We all struggle with highs and lows and different challenges, and we all need support,” Brittany said. “The DRC was amazing for me and there are so many resources that should be utilized for anyone dealing with some sort of mental health issue.”

Brittany is taking Fall 2018 off to reallocate

“People would give me compliments and tell me how great I [looked], but of course [I was] thinking of what I was actually doing. I was living a double life: one foot in life and one foot in self destruction.”

Something finally clicked, she said. She began taking steps toward recovery, and one of the biggest steps in this process was transferring to Cal Poly.

“I will forever credit Cal Poly for being one of the biggest influences in my recovery,” Brittany said.

However, both Brittany and her parents had reserves about sending her back to school.

“When she returned to Davis after winter break, she suffered with [post traumatic stress disorder],” Susan said. “We didn’t want to see that happen at Cal Poly, but she was determined to make it work.”

She loved school and had grown interested in psychology, so in Fall 2014 she transferred to Cal Poly. Because she was born and raised in San Luis Obispo, Brittany had a large support team in town that made for an easier transition.

“Cal Poly healed me in ways that I didn’t even know I still needed to heal,” Brittany said. “It gave me back everything that I had lost growing up.”

She recalled various on-campus support systems crucial in her transition back to school. The Disability Resource Center (DRC) allowed her to ease back into school without taking too heavy a class load. The health center also offered her resources to assist her while in the recovery process.

She attended camps that helped her lose weight, but underneath it all, she struggled with bulimia.

her time towards helping others. Today, she is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC), specializing in eating disorders. In 2016, she released a memoir on Amazon titled Safety in Numbers, and looks to publish two more books in 2019. Her story has been featured across numerous platforms including the New York Post, Cosmopolitan, and, most recently, the Emmy award-winning talk show The Doctors.

She plans to return to finish her degree in the near future. She said she is particularly passionate about helping college students because she understands how difficult the transition can be.

By continuing to share her story, she hopes she can help others struggling with similar issues and remind them that they are not alone.

“Mental illness can affect anyone,” Brittany said. “I want others to know that you can change at any time and you should never give up. It might click in a year or it might click in 10 years … but there’s always help, you just have to be willing to take it.”

If you or anyone you know are struggling with mental illness or have concerns about eating-relating behaviors and body image, visit the Cal Poly Health Center.

Burgunder transferred to Cal Poly as a psychology major in 2014 and published a book in 2016.

9 TUESDAY • DECEMBER 4, 2018 | STUDENT LIFE | MUSTANG NEWS

gunder — could not even recognize her.

“We thought, ‘This is it,’” Susan said. “Her doctors said she was going to die. We sent her to a treatment center and I thought for sure that was going to be the last time I saw her.”

She spent the rest of winter break hospitalized. Her doctors said there was no way she could go back to school, yet she returned for winter quarter. UC Davis administration, aware of her dire health, monitored her closely. It only took a few more weeks before the university told her she could not continue with school until her health improved.

“UC Davis was amazing and did all they could to help her, but they didn’t want her to die on their watch,” Susan said. “They extended her admission, but she needed to get her health under control first.”

When she returned home, things hit rock bottom. She was at her lowest weight of 56 pounds — no more than what the average 8-year-old weighs. She lost all of her hair, mobility and her vision was starting to fail. She had infections all over her body and her liver was shutting down.

“My parents were planning my funeral,” Brittany said. “My doctors told me I was going to have a heart attack and die, but I just screamed back, ‘Are you kidding me? I’m fat!’”

Against all odds, she survived. Brittany continued to stabilize and improve over the next six months. But in August 2009, her eating

PA I D A D V E R T I S E M E N T

TUESDAY • DECEMBER 4, 2018 | OPINION | MUSTANG NEWS

MI C H EL L E C AO | MUSTA N G N EWS

12

OPIN ION

STUDENTS MAY WANT TO THINK TWICE BEFORE ACCEPTING A JOB AT TESLA B Y B A ILEY B AR T O N Bailey Barton is a political science senior and Mustang News columnist. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News.

It’s in the news again: Elon Musk has gotten in trouble for his shenanigans on social media.

This has become more of a pattern in the past few months and it’s a trend that doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has been the CEO of Tesla Motors since the company’s founding in 2003. He was the mind behind many of the company’s innovative ideas, such as the Model S, a luxury electric car with a battery range able to compete with traditional luxury sedans.

Many Cal Poly students have and will go on to work or intern for the company, and their recruiting events are highly sought-after. However, given Musk’s current streak of behaviors, students may want to think twice about accepting a position with the company.

Take the rescue of the 12 young boys from a flooded Thai cave this past summer. Musk, attempting to assist the rescue, built a small submarine with SpaceX engineers that was supposed to be able to hold a child. Rescue teams decided against using the device. Diver Vernon Unsworth called the move a “PR stunt” and told Musk he could “stick his submarine somewhere it hurts.” Musk, enraged by the incident, called Unsworth a “pedo” in a tweet and went to BuzzFeed News claiming Unsworth moved to Thailand from the U.K. for a “child bride who was about 12 years-old at the time.”

Unsworth is now suing Musk for defamation and is seeking “more than $75,000 in damages and a court order stopping Musk from making further allegations.” The lawsuit is ongoing. If the allegations are true, we cannot accept this kind of childlike behavior from someone who is supposed to be in charge of a multinational corporation. Not only that, but this kind of behavior sets a bad example for the already sometimes toxic culture of men in engineering.

Or take the case of Musk’s latest legal battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC]. In August, Musk tweeted that Tesla had plans to go private at $420/share. This was later discovered to be false, as shareholders and board members had no knowledge of the plans. Additionally, the chosen price of $420 was rounded up as a joke to amuse Musk’s girlfriend, referring to 420 in weed culture. The SEC then sued Musk, claiming he had deceived investors to drive up stock prices with the “false and misleading” tweet. Musk was ordered to pay a $20 million fine and step down as chairman of Tesla Motors for three years. Musk then commented that the tweet was “worth it” and mocked the SEC, calling them the “Shortseller Enrichment Commission.”

Tesla has now been forced to appoint a replacement for Musk as well as two new independent directors and oversee Musk’s communications, especially on Twitter. Stock prices fell sharply by 9 percent after the appearance of Musk’s now-infamous video of him smoking marijuana while recording a podcast. The US Air Force has denied reports that it is reviewing Musk’s security clearance associated with SpaceX due to his drug use. However, if incidents like this continue, it seems likely that they may be forced to begin a review. With someone as erratic and irresponsible as Musk leading the company, the future of Tesla looks bleak.

Musk himself attributes much of the stress he’s under to the pressure to meet Model 3 quotas. The company has been behind on production of its supposed “mass-market vehicle” for months. The vehicle was supposed to be the car that made Tesla profitable, as it was intended to be a mass-market vehicle at a starting price of $35,000, made to appeal to a broader audience than just the luxury market. As of today the company has failed to produce such a vehicle.

Instead, it is only producing a $49,000+ model due to cost concerns. Musk himself tweeted that Tesla would “lose money and die” if the company were to start producing the low-cost

DEA LS OF THE WEEK

Model 3 right now. Musk has commented that the cheaper version should be available by the end of the year, but even Tesla’s own website says customers won’t be able to take delivery before February 2019.

Musk himself even stated in an August interview that “this past year has been the most difficult and painful year of my career,” and appeared deeply emotional throughout the interview. In April, he stated that he was “sleeping on the factory floor” because he doesn’t “have time to go home and shower.”

It is clear that Musk is becoming less capable of running Tesla, perhaps due to the fact that he is now the CEO of not one but three additional companies aside from Tesla Motors — The Boring Company, Neuralink, and, of course, SpaceX. Musk has said he puts in 85 to 100 hours a week for work and will plan his days in five-minute increments. A company like Tesla requires someone who can focus entirely on the day-to-day operations of running a multinational corporation rather than being spread so thin focusing on many other endeavors.

Make no mistake, Tesla has done some pretty incredible things for the electric car industry.

In October, Tesla’s Model 3 sedan became the best-selling luxury car in America. It has forced major luxury carmakers to come up with their own all-electric luxury vehicles to compete, such as Audi’s new e-tron GT and the Jaguar I-Pace.

Most importantly, Tesla has proven to the public and to other major automakers that an electric car can be stylish, luxurious and have all the same functionality as a traditional gasoline vehicle. One of Musk’s best qualities as a CEO is his faith in his ability to lead the company.

It is true that Musk’s brilliance and unwavering belief in himself and his company has allowed him to achieve the success he has today.

However, there is a difference between confidence and hubris. If Elon Musk continues his erratic behavior believing he is infallible, the company may be headed for serious trouble in the coming years.

GOOD LUCK ON FINALS, CERIOUSLY Happy dead week everyone!

Remember to bring lots of study snacks (dry cereal from Village Market’s cereal bar is a great one) and to get some Zzzzzz’s. Good luck on all of your finals!

BREAKFAST BUZZ Stressed out about upcoming finals? Come enjoy Midnight Breakfast favorites like waffle sticks and crispy bacon at 805 Kitchen on Friday Dec. 7. There will also be fun group activities for a much-needed study break!

#CHOOSEWELL Satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthy way by indulging in a naturally pleasing dessert dish—fruit!

Substitute the sugary desserts and get your sweet fix with a side of critical vitamins and minerals.

SAVE THE DATES! December is full of food and fun!

Dig into Midnight Breakfast on Friday Dec. 7. Then, head over to an RD-approved Chef’s Table, featuring a “Healthy Holidays” meal and learn to make the “Holiday Classics” at Cooking in the Canyon Tuesday and Thursday.

GET THE DISH DELIVERED HOT TO YOUR INBOX WEEKLY. SUBSCRIBE AT CALPOLYDINING.COM/ THEDISH

PUZZLES Sudoku Fun by the Numbers Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku.

This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test!

Guess Who? I am a rapper born in Trinidad and Tobago on December 8, 1982. I was a waitress and an office manager prior to finding fame. My debut album dropped in 2010. Since then, I have collaborated with many artists. I was an “American Idol” judge during season twelve.

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

Word Scramble Rearrange the letters to spell something pertaining to clothing.

M W R A H T

CLUES ACROSS

CLUES DOWN

1. A great lunch 4. German composer 8. Expresses pleasure 10. Unit of energy 11. Genus of beetles 12. Type of respect 13. City in Netherlands 15. Showing lack of skill 16. Irish surname 17. Exaggerated or affected sentiment 18. Diversion 21. Journalist Tarbell 22. Wrath 23. Current unit 24. Sixers’ Simmons 25. Makes honey 26. Tributary of the Rhine 27. Once home to a notorious wall 34. Gets back 35. She was beheaded in France 36. Cheer 37. Tropical Asian palm 38. Darker 39. Figures 40. Old World trees 41. Protects a broken bone 42. Dried-up 43. An enclosure for swine

1. Blab 2. __ Bacall, actress 3. Declaration of an intention to inflict harm 4. The most direct route 5. Affirm to be true or correct 6. Rift 7. Oil company 9. Alphabetic character 10. Large marsh bird 12. Hollywood event 14. Scottish port 15. French river 17. Something frustrating (abbr.)

19. More in time 20. Payroll company 23. Pokes holes in 24. A way to steal 25. Blacken with dirt 26. Autonomic nervous system 27. A lab tech’s tool 28. A place to stay 29. UK school 30. Moroccan 31. Where rockers work 32. Most friendly 33. In a state of turbulence 34.“Bridget Jones” actress 36. Hebrew liquid units

B R I A N T R U ON G | MUSTA N G N EWS

Adlee Van Winden led the Mustangs with 19 kills in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

SENIOR OUTSIDE HITTER ADLEE VAN WINDEN

BY B RIA N T R U O NG , KY LE H A R A N D PRE RNA A NEJA Senior outside hitter Adlee Van Winden has dominated on the court ever since her freshman year, recording a total of 1,560 points for the Mustangs. The Napa County native did not miss a single set in her four-year career at Cal Poly.

Mustang News: What is it like watching the team turn around to win back-to-back conference championships?

Adlee Van Winden: It’s so cool to compete at that high level and to see all of our hard work pay off throughout the year, and years past too, so I think we have a really amazing opportunity and I’m really excited to see how we compete as a team.

MN: What are your personal goals going into the NCAA tournament?

AVW: I just need to cherish the moment. I think we have a very unique group and it could be my last time playing with my sister, so my personal goal is to be a good team leader and to just go out there, take risks and take the opportunity.

MN: How special is it to be able to play alongside your sister, junior outside hitter Torrey Van Winden?

AVW: We’ve played together since we were 9 [years-old], so it’s really no different than anything else. She didn’t practice today and it was weird, so it’s very comfortable for me to have her on the court.

MN: What was it like to play by yourself for two years of collegiate volleyball before Torrey transferred here?

AVW: I think we grew a lot as individuals. I think together we kind of played it safe. We each had our roles and we kind of balanced each other out nicely. Not being with Torrey made it

uncomfortable, and I feel like you grow in those uncomfortable situations. So I grew a lot, but having her back makes my job a lot easier.

MN: What was your favorite moment at Cal Poly?

AVW: The Hawai’i game at home last year.

Our first two years, we had maybe 250 fans on a good day, so to see that kind of school spirit come to you is just really rewarding, and in coming out with a win on top of it, I think we created a nice fan base for ourselves.

MN: How have you grown into your role as a leader of the team?

AVW: I enjoy that role. I’ve always taken it on and I think it’s kind of fun. I think that sometimes there’s a lot of pressure, but the great thing is that I have teammates surrounding me who, regardless of their experience, have really stepped up and shown that they can handle themselves, so they make my job as that leader really, really easy.

MN: What have you learned throughout your time at Cal Poly?

AVW: I’ve learned a ton from volleyball.

Maya tripped yesterday in practice and it’s so special that even in this intense time, we have three days to prepare for this game that could be the last. Someone falls down and we’re still able to laugh and have that moment and just be friends and family on the court. That’s something I learned. It’s that special moment that not all teams get.

MN: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

AVW: To find that even balance between holding people accountable and also being a good teammate and being there for people when they need it. [Head coach] Sam [Crosson] has a really cool philosophy that “You’re a volleyball player, but you’re also a person.”

MN: Advice to younger players?

AVW: To just trust your skill. I think the freshman label has a negative connotation to it and some people get timid and hide behind it. Avalon [DeNecochea] and Meredith [Phillips] have done an amazing job of stepping up and doing their jobs. Just continuing to grow and allowing themselves to play freely and be who they are is super special. I tell them to contribute as much as they can because you don’t realize how fast it goes by until it could be your last game.

MN: Since it’s your senior year, are there any special thanks you want to give out?

AVW: Thank you, Sam [Crosson], for being an amazing coach. Thank you, [associate head coach Caroline Walters], for always pushing me. Thank you weight room staff for always making me strong. Stephanie [Uyeno] for keeping me healthy, my teammates for constantly supporting me in good and bad times, family for supporting me and being at every single game — it means a lot. Thank you, everybody.

MN: Since it’s your senior year, what do you want to say to the Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo community?

AVW: The community is the best community I've ever seen. To have a fan base like that, and know people and know their names and know their kids and really be involved in their lives and have them care about you, is something so special that you don't receive at every single school. Keep being a good fan and know how much your support means to us.

MN: What’s something you want people to know about you?

AVW: Bubblegum ice cream is my favorite ice cream flavor.

TUESDAY • NOVEMBER 6, 2018 | SPORTS | MUSTANG NEWS

MUSTANG IN FOCUS

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TUESDAY • DECEMBER 4, 2018 | SPORTS | MUSTANG NEWS

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B R I A N T R U ON G | MUSTA N G N EWS

Cal Poly was kept to a season-low .157 attack percentage in the 3-1 loss to the University of San Diego.

VOLLEYBALL’S SEASON ENDS IN UPSET IN FIRST ROUND OF THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

BY BRIAN TRUONG & SAWYER MILAM The Cal Poly volleyball team’s season came to a close in the first round of the NCAA Tournament with a 3-1 loss to the University of San Diego (19-25, 18-25, 25-23, 22-25).

The Toreros made their ninth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, while the Mustangs made their 16th appearance in program history.

For the first time in 10 years, the Cal Poly volleyball team appeared in the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years. The Mustangs’ chances of repeating last year’s first round win took a big hit as Big West Player of the Year, junior outside hitter Torrey Van Winden, was not able to play after being placed on concussion protocol 12 hours before the match.

“When we found that out, obviously it’s devastating, heart-breaking,” senior outside hitter Adlee Van Winden said. “She puts up numbers that are crazy in our conference and for our team, and not only that, she holds our team very accountable.”

“When we found that out, obviously it’s devastating, heart-breaking” Head coach Sam Crosson said he was proud

of the way the team responded and fought throughout the match.

“To be able to learn that someone of the caliber of player that [Torrey Van Winden] is and what she’s done for the program this year, to be able to find ourselves in a potential fifth set, within 12 hours of learning that, I think speaks volumes to this group,” Crosson said.

Cal Poly finished the season with a record of 25-3 overall and 15-1 in Big West Conference play.

“I think I can look back and be proud of everything that this program has done,” Adlee Van Winden said. “Obviously, sad that it’s over, but overall happy that it happened and so happy that I was able to be a part of this program.”

Without Torrey Van Winden, Cal Poly struggled on offense and were held to a season-low .157 hitting percentage.

Senior outside hitter Adlee Van Winden did her best to make up for her sister’s absence by recording a team-high 19 kills. Freshman setter Avalon Denecochea dished out a matchhigh 41 assists and freshman middle blocker Meredith Phillips added nine kills.

Neither team was able to gain momentum

early in the first set. The Mustangs and Toreros traded points until the score was tied at 18-18. Then, the Toreros broke away, going on a 4-0. Adlee Van Winden broke up the Toreros’ run with a kill to soften the Mustangs’ deficit to 22-19, but the Toreros quickly continued their streak. San Diego’s Roxie Wiblin made back-to-back kills for the Toreros’ 25-19 set win.

The teams exchanged points again early in

the second set, but the Toreros broke through with a 6-1 run that the Mustangs were never recovered from. Cal Poly was kept to only 18 points, their lowest in all four sets. The Toreros’ Lauren Fuller scored nine kills in an eventual 25-18 win to take a commanding 2-0 lead and force match point.

“For the first two sets we were still trying to get acclimated to what it was, [University of San Diego’s] offense in the first two sets was up

BRI A N TRU O N G | MUSTA N G N E WS

Junior outside hitter Torrey Van Winden was unable to play due to concussion protocol.

For the rest of the match, Cal Poly was never able to retake the lead. Down 22-18, the Mustangs attempted to continue their season with a 3-0 run through a kill by Meredith Phillips and errors by San Diego.

However, the Toreros did not let up, responding to kills by Philips and Dvoracek to keep the San Diego lead at 24-22. The Toreros’ ninth block of the match forced the Mustangs’ 11th error of the set, ending Cal Poly’s season with a 25-22 set loss.

With Torrey Van Winden not playing, a lot of young players were asked to step up and pick up the slack in the match. For freshman middle blocker Meredith Phillips the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament will be an experience she will always cherish.

“It’s definitely been a whirlwind, it’s been so surreal too. I never thought that I’d be here, playing with this team in this arena in this environment,” said Phillips. “I’ve loved every second of it, I’ll never take it for granted.”

For the two seniors on the team, Adlee Van Winden and Katherine Brouker, their collegiate careers may be over, but their impact on the team will be remembered for years to come.

“I think it comes down to hard work, and a really amazing culture that Cal Poly has created within its volleyball team,” Adlee Van Winden said. “In that locker room at the end there, every single person is in tears and I think that just comes from how much work has been put into this program, how special it is, and how much it means to every person that is part of it.”

17 TUESDAY • DECEMBER 4, 2018 | SPORTS | MUSTANG NEWS

there, and going in you know that, it’s a hallmark of their team, it’s a high-octane offensive, historically good offensive team.” Crosson said. “I thought we did a very nice job of settling down in the third and fourth sets.”

San Diego started the third set with an early advantage over at 7-4. Cal Poly responded with a run to force a 10-10 tie. Adlee Van Winden recorded four kills and also forced consecutive errors by San Diego through two serves, giving Cal Poly its first lead of the set at 12-10.

The Mustangs’ momentum continued as they eventually took their largest lead of the match at 22-17. San Diego mounted a comeback attempt, cutting Cal Poly’s lead to 24-23.

A kill by Madilyn Mercer gave the Mustangs the 25-23 set win.

“We came to the conclusion that there was no other way than playing as a team and doing what we do day in and day out. We just had to trust and believe in the process and the hard work that people put in,” Adlee Van Winden said. “Obviously it is a big loss but I think the only mentality that we allowed ourselves to have is that we could win this game without her.”

At the start of the fourth set, Cal Poly scored the first point of the set off of a kill by Avalon Denecochea. It was the first time a Mustang opened the scoring all match. The score remained close until the Mustangs went on a 6-0 run to take the lead at 10-6. The Toreros then took control, as three kills by Lauren Fuller and five errors by Cal Poly allowed San Diego to take a 14-12 lead.

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CAL POLY’S UNIVERSITY JAZZ BANDS TWO BIG BANDS AND COMBOS!

DEC. 7, 2018 | FRIDAY AT 8 P.M. SPANOS THEATRE, CAL POLY $14 GENERAL, $9 STUDENTS Cal Poly Ticket Office: Dave Becker, acting director

805-756-4849, tickets.calpoly.edu

FOOD DRIVE GAME MEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Bethune-Cookman Saturday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m.

Men's Basketball will be collecting food donations for the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County.

STUDENT REWARDS

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Sign-up for just $10 and be a member for life!

Get an official Stang Gang T-shirt with your membership!

Swipe your ID card and earn points by attending athletic events!

Receive great rewards when you reach certain point levels!

Repeat steps 3 & 4 all year long!

FOR MORE INFO OR TO JOIN, VISIT GOPOLY.COM/STANGGANG!