RED: Baseball 2020 — Technician 2/13/20

TECHNICIAN F E B RU A RY 13, 2020

VOL . 100 | NO. 22

RED

BASEBALL

See Page 12

DASA SEARCH

FILLING VICE CHANCELLOR POSITION

See Page 3

OPINION: NEW HAIR LAW

WE CAN FINALLY WEAR OUR HAIR DOWN

See Page 5

SHRED THE PLAZA

THE SKATERS OF NC STATE

See Page 6

TECHNICIAN 2

Contents TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

IN BRIEF:

POLICE BLOTTER 02/11/2020

A quick look at the headlines outside of NC State

Michael Bloomberg, Bernie Sanders to rally in Raleigh, Durham

NEWS Search for DASA Vice Chancellor continues, pg. 3

With early voting beginning Thursday, Feb. 13, presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders and Michael Bloomberg have announced rallies throughout North Carolina, according to The News & Observer. In the national poll released by Quinnipiac University, Sanders was leading with 25% of votes, followed by Joe Biden with 17%, Bloomberg with 15%, Elizabeth Warren with 14% and Pete Buttigieg with 10%. Bloomberg will be in downtown Raleigh around 12:30 p.m. at the new Union train station Thursday, Feb. 13, and Sanders is set to visit Durham Friday, Feb. 14 at 11:30 a.m. at the Durham Convention Center. Both of these rallies are open to the public.

SOURCE: THE NEWS & OBSERVER

OPINION

Silent Sam settlement overturned by judge

This new law will finally let us wear our hair down, pg. 5

According to NPR, a judge overturned the $2.5 million Silent Sam settlement between the UNC System and the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV). The agreement required the UNC System to give the Silent Sam statue, a Confederate monument, to the SCV, along with $2.5 million for its preservation and display. The statue stood in a prominent location on UNC-Chapel Hill’s campus for over 100 years but was toppled by protestors in 2018, which led to it being put in storage. In November 2019, it was announced the system had reached a deal with the SCV without ever holding a public meeting to discuss options for the statue. On Wednesday, Feb. 12, Orange County Superior Court Judge Allen Baddour, who originally signed off on the settlement, reversed this ruling and voided the agreement.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

SOURCE: NPR

‘Family’: Wolf Plaza’s skaters, pg. 6

ECU trustee resigns, another censured after student body election meddling On Friday, Feb. 7, one East Carolina University trustee resigned and another was censured after they were recorded offering to help finance a student body president campaign. According to a transcript of the recording, trustees Phil Lewis and Robert Moore met with Shelby Hudson to gauge her interest in running for ECU student body president for a second time and offered to donate to her campaign and help her win the election in exchange for her future support as a voting member of the ECU trustee board’s leadership. Lewis offered his resignation, which was accepted immediately, and the UNC board voted to censure Moore, which is the strongest action they could take against him because he was appointed to ECU’s trustees by the state legislature. Hudson has since withdrawn from the university.

SPORTS New season, new position, same Tyler McDonough, pg. 9

SOURCE: THE NEWS & OBSERVER Editor-in-Chief Dan Gilliam

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7:29 AM | HARASSMENT Carmichael Gym University police investigated a report of harassment, but the investigation revealed that no crime had occurred.

2:35 PM | HIT & RUN/ACCIDENT McKimmon Center University police investigated a collision of a parked vehicle and an unknown vehicle which left the scene without stopping.

7:28 PM | HIT & RUN/ACCIDENT Coliseum Deck University police investigated a collision of a parked vehicle and an unknown vehicle which left the scene without stopping.

8:51 PM | DRUG VIOLATION Wood Hall - Bldg. A A student was referred to the university for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

02/07/2020 2:08 PM | HIT & RUN ACCIDENT D.H. Hill Library University police investigated the collision of an unknown vehicle with a lamppost.

4:28 PM | HARASSING PHONE CALLS Pullen Hall University police investigated a report of harassing phone calls.

02/08/2020 7:25 PM | DRUG VIOLATION Kappa Alpha Order Two students were cited and referred for possession of marijuana & possession of drug paraphernalia. One student was cited and referred for possession of drug paraphernalia. One student was arrested and referred for felony possession of marijuana, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

8:55 PM | SEX OFFENSE Unknown University police received a third-party report of a possible sex offense which occurred at an unknown location. The survivor wished to remain anonymous.

COVER PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY EMMA SHEPPARD PHOTOS BY DAVID TRACEY AND NICK FAULKNER NC State baseball begins its season Friday, Feb. 14, 2020 in a three-game series against James Madison University.

BACK COVER PHOTO BY DAVID TRACEY NC State softball began its season Friday, Feb. 7, 2020 against Ole Miss and will play in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge Feb. 14-16, 2020.

Technician (USPS 455-050) is the largest student newspaper of NC State University and is published every Thursday throughout the academic year from August through May except during holidays and examination periods.

Opinions expressed in the columns, cartoons, photo illustrations and letters that appear on the Technician’s pages are the views of the individual writers and cartoonists. As a public forum for student expression, the students determine the content of the publication without prior review. To receive permission for reproduction, please write the editor. Subscription cost is $100 per year. A single copy is free to all students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus. Additional copies are $0.25 each. Printed by Triangle Web Printing, Durham, NC, Copyright 2011 by North Carolina State Student Media. All rights reserved.

TECHNICIAN 3

News

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

Search for DASA Vice Chancellor continues Travis Mourrier Correspondent

The Division of Academic and Student Affairs has been without a vice chancellor since August 2019, when Mike Mullen stepped down from the position.

Kelly Wick, director of special projects and planning, said DASA oversees many of the programs that allow students to be able to balance their personal health with their academic success.

“This division provides oversight to various student programs, such as student housing, our ROTC programs and even the Student Health Services,” Wick said. “The vice chancellor position is the overseer of the whole of DASA.” The Senior Vice Provost of Enrollment Management and Services, Louis Hunt, said DASA also incorporates exploratory studies, a program created for students who haven’t decided on a major, and provides them advising to best develop their interests and increase their success.

DASA was created in 2012 after the merger of two separate divisions: the Division of Undergraduate Academic Programs and the Division of Student Affairs. Mullen took the position of vice chancellor Aug. 1, 2012, after a role as the University of Kentucky’s associate provost for the Division of Undergraduate Education, and the dean of undergraduate studies. While employed at UK, Mullen led various programs directly involved in transforming the path to student success.

Mullen was NC State’s first DASA vice chancellor, making this the first nomina-

tion inquiry for a new leader.

According to Hunt, any DASA vice chancellor applicant is expected to have 10 or more years of experience leading large administrative or academic units and supporting the cultural and ethnic diversity of the student body. Candidates must have a relevant post-baccalaureate degree and be committed to the academic and social experiences of students.

Wick said the process of finding a new vice chancellor consists of four steps: the provost charging a search committee, a mid-search review, airport interviews, and finally, the provost will decide, taking into account the committee’s recommendation.

The search committee incorporates various representatives of invested parties, from the graduate and undergraduate student body presidents to a member of the Board of Trustees, with Hunt chairing the committee.

The committee will then evaluate and screen the applications that have been received to determine if the applicants meet the qualifications. This is the midreview step, giving the committee its first chance to determine whether applicants move to the next step.

The third committee meeting narrows the field down to around 6-10 candidates and proceeds to set a plan for airport interviews.

Airport interviews are hosted in any given location that is close to the airport.

The handful of candidates chosen during the third meeting will be flown into RDU and given an hour interview, allowing the committee to ask what it thinks the

GRAPHIC BY ANA LEE/TECHNICIAN

most important issues concerning the position are.

Once the airport interviews are finished, that same day, the committee will make a recommendation of 2-4 candidates that the committee chair, in this case Hunt, will pass on to the provost.

The last step in the process is inviting the final nominees to campus.

“After narrowing the field, we invite

the finalists to campus for them to interact with the student body and sit down with the provost, who makes the decision about the best person for the position,” Hunt said.

The third meeting, leading to the airport interviews, has already been held.

Once the interviews have concluded, the office of the provost will be announcing the finalists.

Spring 2020 Student Government Appropriations updates Amber Detwiler Staff Writer

With the spring 2020 appropriations cycle completed, Student Government shared where improvements were made in the process and what has yet to be done.

Graduate and Lifelong Education Sen. Paul Cray, a third-year Ph.D. student in comparative biomedical sciences and Appropriations Committee chair, said the appropriations budget for this semester was $93,000. He said more than 70 student organizations requested the full

amount of $2,000.

Sam Brohaugh, Finance Committee chair and third-year studying civil engineering, said the student organization registration process was streamlined by the Office of Student Involvement, which had a big impact on this appropriations cycle.

“A requirement for a student organization to get money on our campus is to be a registered student org,” Brohaugh said. “That whole process with registration of the student organization is facilitated through the Office of Student Involvement … Once that is done, orgs

can go through the application, which we provide.”

Cray said approximately $262,000 in total was requested before checking eligibility. After confirming eligibility, he said this dropped to around $230,000.

“We saw actually on our side that the impact was significantly better,” Brohaugh said. “We had four organizations that were counted as unregistered, but then two turned out to be a little technical error … Last semester, there were above 20 unregistered, so the process was cleaned up, and it’s much better, but ... there’s still improvements to make.”

Brohaugh and Garrison Seitz, student body treasurer and second-year studying civil engineering major, said about 160 orgs applied in the last 4 days before the Jan. 24 deadline, which they would like to spread out in the future.

“I’d say both in volume and in when [applications] came in was pretty normal, maybe a little later up against the deadline than usual,” Seitz said. “Most of the time, we probably do see 60% of the organizations register for appropriations within the last three or so days.”

APPROPRIATIONS continued page 4

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News

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

WellRec primarily funded by student fees Gavin Bathgate Correspondent

Each year, a full-time undergraduate student at NC State can expect to pay $1,282.80 in tuition fees, and of that, $310.35 goes toward funding NC State’s Wellness and Recreation program, according to Eric Hawkes, executive director of Wellness and Recreation.

Hawkes said while Wellness and Recreation generated income from a few other sources, the majority of its funding comes from student fees, accounting for 76% of Wellness and Recreation’s total revenue in the 2019-20 budget year at $4.98 million.

A large portion of this money goes right back into the hands of the 662 students employed by Wellness and Recreation, Hawkes said, with 23% of total expenses going toward student employee wages.

“Students are paying almost $5 million,” Hawkes said. “$1.5 million of that is going right back to student salaries.”

The second-largest student fee expense is facilities, with $1.3 million in student fees going toward supporting existing facilities as well as expansion projects. According to Eric Hawkes, the Carmichael Gym addition and renovation fee, which pays for the Wellness and Recreation center, is slated to cost students $92.50 annually for the next 25-30 years; the Carmichael expansion fee, which costs students $27.50 annually, supports the recent locker room expansion and fitness center renovation completed in 2016; and the Carmichael Indebtedness fee of $23 supports general repair and upkeep of equipment and facilities.

While most of the student fee money is spent on projects involving the Carmichael complex, Wellness and Recreation supports facilities all across campus.

“We have outdoor tennis courts and

APPROPRIATIONS

continued from page 3

Brohaugh said that student organizations reapplying for appropriations through Student Government need to turn in receipts and unused funds to be in good standing. This year, he said a W-9 was required in the application as well in order to speed up the process of distributing appropriations funds.

“For transitioning student leadership, the best advice we can offer is to set your successors up for success by re-register-

ALICIA THOMAS/TECHNICIAN

Yoga class attendees follow instruction from Kiera Jonson, a fourth-year in microbiology, during a restorative yoga class Saturday, Feb 8.

2020 in Carmichael Gym.

outdoor basketball courts,” Hawkes said.

“We also have Miller Fields and Method Road fields, which a lot of club athletics use. There are some recreation fields on Centennial Campus that we also manage and maintain.”

Administrative and facilities costs account for much of Wellness and Recreation’s student fee revenue, but money also goes toward supporting many other, smaller services, according to Hawkes.

Outdoor adventures are supported by student fees, along with other physical education programs and unsponsored athletics. Hawkes said money is spent on officials and scorekeepers for NC State’s intramural sports programs, and money for travel and other operating costs is proing your organization before this academic year ends,” Seitz said. “When next semester starts, they won’t have to be going through the panic of re-registration on top of appropriations and other stuff.”

Seitz said early registration for next academic year opens in April.

“This whole session, we have been looking at peer institutions and sister institutions on their processes,” Brohaugh said. “We still have improvements we can make, for sure. We did a substantial change this year, but I do think we still have room for improvement, so student feedback is key.”

vided to club teams. However, the amount of money available is limited.

“Club sports has a budget of around $90,0 0 0, a nd int ra mura l spor ts is $250,000,” Hawkes said. “If you look at what it costs to run the club, I think we pay maybe 10% of what they actually need.”

According to Edna Williams, business manager for Wellness and Recreation, student fees also pay for parts of the department’s budget under the “current services” umbrella.

“Current services are janitorial contracts for the other buildings, such as lawn maintenance services or anything that is service-related,” Williams said.

“Then you also have property insurance,

vehicle insurance, stuff like that.”

Over the past six years, student fees have increased by 3.9%, with the majority of that increase occurring in the 2015-16 budget year, according to Hawkes, who said that since taking his position in 2017, he has tried to keep student fee increases down.

“We recognized that affordability is super important,” Hawkes said. “We work as hard as we can to keep our expenses down and to really find revenues on our own … we do charge activity fees for personal training, specialized group fitness classes and other activities, so we own a little bit of our destiny when it comes to money coming in, and we’re excited to not ask for student fee increases.”

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Opinion TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

This new law will finally let us wear our hair down It’s finally Black History Month, a time for people to embrace their African heritage, learn about historica l civ i l rights figures, and have discussions about race in Destry America. Luckily, North Adams Carolina has something Staff Columnist big planned. No, it’s not a big festival or museum to African American history, but a proposed new law.

This proposed law would make it illegal for jobs to fire someone based on the texture or style of their hair. Now, it seems very odd and unrealistic for someone to be fired over their hair, but unfortunately, it happens. Just last year, an African American newswoman was fired after refusing to straighten her hair. In fact, a federal court ruled that firing someone over dreadlocks is not considered a form of racial discrimination.

Not only will this law potentially

challenge the court ruling above, but it will lead to a more inclusive environment for African Americans and others from non-Caucasian backgrounds.

The most important thing about this law is that it challenges the standards of professionalism. It is no surprise that African Americans have different hair textures. Lists can be found all over the internet listing hair styles that are considered professional for both men and women. These models follow the Eurocentric view of professionalism and beauty.

This is a problem because not everyone is white and has straight hair.

When people of color don’t naturally follow these standards, their natural looks are implicitly judged as inferior, dirty or “unprofessional,” as they would call it in the workforce.

These biases become problematic when they force people of color to either straighten or cut their hair, or simply be fired. The act of forgoing your natural hairstyle can be very damaging

to a person’s identity and can tell them they are naturally inferior.

For example, a black woman working in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools was constantly harassed for having unprofessional hair. Of course, the judge said it was not discrimination and did not lead to a hostile work environment.

This new law challenges and dismantles the Eurocentric beauty model that is unfortunately prevalent in today’s workforce.

Not to ment ion t hat consta nt ly straightening your hair is extremely unhealthy. When you straighten your hair, you are steaming it and removing all of the moisture within your follicles.

Having dry hair can lead to frizz, damaged hair texture and even permanent hair loss.

While I am familiar with the term “ beauty is pain,” this is ridiculous.

People should not have to damage their hair just to attain some arbitrary definition of beauty and professionalism.

If this new law is passed, not only will

it keep people’s hair healthy, but it can lead to some newfound appreciation for other cultural identities.

With North Carolina expecting to be increasingly diverse over the next several years, this is an issue we must address now before it becomes too serious.

Sure, it’s just hair. Why get yourself in a tangle over it? The issue is that for some people, their hair ties into their cultural identity. Dreadlocks, cornrows, Bantu knots and other hairstyles are more than just a look — they’re a part of cultural identity and heritage.

When employers force their employees to straighten or cut their hair, they, intentionally or not, tell the employee that how they naturally look is unprofessional and disregard their culture.

With this new law, it challenges the Eurocentric definition of professionalism and allows everyone to express their cultural identity in the workforce.

North Carolina, cut to the chase and pass this new law so people can finally wear their hair naturally.

Fat, cute pets should not be encouraged The internet is obsessed with animals. Everywhere you look you can find a meme, picture or video that has something to do with animals being cute, funny, adorable or all of Zack the above all at once. Even Jenio Staff Columnist more so, internet culture seems to be obsessed with the idea of a “chonky animal,” or an animal that is either overweight or obese.

The idea behind the love is simply that these chunky animals are sweeter and cuddlier than their healthy counterparts.

However, the obesity epidemic in domesticated pets (i.e. cats and dogs) in the United States is similar to the obesity epidemic affecting humans. With over half of U.S. domesticated cats and dogs being overweight or obese, there is a need to address this issue. NC State, with its strong undergraduate animal science

program as well as its nationally ranked veterinary college, has a key role in helping create the cultural change necessary to reduce the animal obesity statistics.

A recent study found that nearly 80% of veterinarians and 68% of pet owners reported they tried to help their pets lose weight through calorie deficits and increased exercise. Although this exemplifies that there are efforts to try and reduce overweight and obese animals’ weights to help prevent negative health outcomes created by unhealthy weight, I still believe that one of the largest issues holding back our pet owners and society from truly decreasing pet obesity is the culture of loving “chonky animals” online.

When online, often the obese animals are praised or circulated throughout social media for entertainment. But similar to other topics of unhealthy behaviors, circulating images and stories about un-

healthy animals creates a perception that these unhealthy animals with abnormal weights are okay and could even lead to people wanting some of these animals to own.

Jacob Wells, a second-year studying animal science, said obese animals should not be affirmed.

“Though fat animals may seem cute, a severely obese animal is just as unhealthy as the severely emaciated animals you see on the ASPCA campaign advertisements” Wells said. “A sane person wouldn’t purposefuly underfeed their animal because it’s inhumane, so this same logic should be applied to overfeeding.”

Although one might think it’s adorable to have a fat pet and think they’re treating it well by overfeeding and/or giving it lots of treats, this really is a disservice.

Wells continued by proposing some advice that he’s learned through his animal work experience and through his classes

at NC State.

“If your animal is overweight and you are interested in trying to get your pet to lose some weight (as you should), increasing fiber and decreasing fat and protein can help your animal decrease weight, though you should first talk to your veterinarian before changing your pet’s diet,” Wells said.

If our community truly wants to make a sustainable, long-term change in the culture surrounding pet health, then we need to stop glorifying the fat, cute animals we see on social media. By doing this, we are able to stop the spreading of misinformation and decrease the number of people being convinced that obese animals are okay. Although the classic “chonky animal” memes and videos can be entertaining at times, it is up to our community to put our paws down and stop encouraging unhealthy weight in our pets.

Arts & Entertainment

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

‘Family’: Wolf Plaza’s skaters Alexis Hurley

Events to keep an eye on for the week of Feb. 13

Correspondent

For many students at NC State, the only interactions they have had with the skaters at Wolf Plaza involve trying to dodge flying skateboards and moving out of the way so they can land their next kickflip.

It has become such an integral part of our class changes and walks to Talley that our ears register the sound of skateboards as white noise, but for the skateboarding community at NC State, this spot is much more than that.

Located next to the Free Expression Tunnel, Wolf Plaza is known as the main hangout site for skaters at NC State. As long as the sun is out, you can assume there is a group of people skateboarding at Wolf Plaza. Some may wonder why they have chosen this specific spot, since it is in the middle of a very traffic-heavy part of campus, but skaters like Jordan Ward, who comes to Wolf Plaza for about 2-3 hours each day, knows this isn’t just a coincidence.

“It’s just a good hanging spot,” Ward said. “Even when your friends are passing through to go to class, you see all of your homies pretty much every day. Everyone here is just so cool. When you come here, everyone has a good vibe, everyone’s mad friendly. Even the people who come out here and are damn near pros, they’re friendly to people that can’t ollie.”

This supportive community may be just what every student is looking for when they come to NC State. Many freshmen may feel they haven’t found their communities on campus just yet, while others, like Tristan Edwards, a first year studying fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology, know they can come to Wolf Plaza every day to skate and be with their friends.

“The skateboarding community out here is a family,” Edwards said. “It’s a good bonding experience.”

Outside of campus, skateboarding isn’t always accepted. Historically, movies have liked to portray skateboarders as lazy or incompetent individuals. They are usually just included for comedic value, performing some prank or being problematic in some way. This portrayal can create a stereotype that negatively impacts skaters and make it difficult for them to skate out in public.

“If you go out in the city, you’ll get stopped by security, or police will pull up and be like, ‘Why are you here? You can’t skate here,’” Ward said. “It’s important to have a place where people can just skate.

The location of Wolf Plaza also serves

T H E R A DA R

AFROFUNK: CULTURE IN MOTION TALLEY STUDENT UNION, THIRD FLOOR THURSDAY, FEB. 13, 5:30-7:35 P.M. Free Multicultural Students Affairs will be hosting the AfroFunk: Culture in Motion event, which is a pop-up museum that has art, music and food. All of the performances for this event will be performed by local black artists.

CANDY, CONDOMS, CONSENT TALLEY STUDENT UNION, LOBBY FRIDAY, FEB. 14, 10 A.M.-1:30 P.M. Free The Movement Peer Educators will be raising awareness about sexual safety and the importance of receiving consent on Valentine’s Day. They will be giving out free candy and condoms as well as sharing information about on- and off-campus resources students can go to if they or a friend have experienced sexual assault.

VALENTINE’S DAY DINNER FOUNTAIN DINING HALL, CLARK DINING HALL FRIDAY, FEB. 14, 4:30-9 P.M. Normal dining fees The dining halls will be hosting a Valentine’s Day-themed dinner in both Fountain Dining Hall and Clark Dining Hall.

NATALIE FOLSOM/TECHNICIAN

Michael Miracco, a fourth-year studying psychology, kickflips with his skateboard in Wolf Plaza on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. Wolf Plaza is known for people skateboarding and doing tricks, and many NCSU students skateboard to class or for leisure.

to create a more prevalent skate culture at NC State, since it is in the heart of main campus. Any student at NC State that wants to skate knows they can come to Wolf Plaza any day of the week and someone will be there to encourage and support them.

Skateboarding will make its debut as an event at the 2020 Summer Olympics, which goes to show it is becoming more

respected every year since making its first breakthrough in popular culture in the 1950s. Seventy years later, it is now one of the most popular pastimes of students at NC State. Although some may still not understand the dynamic, everchanging sport of skating, it is clear the skaters at Wolf Plaza are here to stay and will continue to make a positive impact on our campus.

FILM SCREENING BROTHER OUTSIDER: THE LIFE OF BAYARD RUSTIN TALLEY STUDENT UNION, GLBT CENTER MONDAY, FEB. 17, 5-7 P.M. Free In honor of Black History Month, the GLBT Center will be showing “Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin.”

The movie goes over the life and work of an important character involved in social change.

Arts & Entertainment

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

AfroFunk event celebrates local black artists Riley Wolfram

people are put above them.

“Our whole thing is ‘the future is bright black,’ so we have bright artists, who will This year’s AfroFunk: Culture in Motion, hopefully be very successful, and their art, a free museum-style event highlighting lo- and they deserve to have a space to showcase cal black artists, will be held Thursday, Feb. that,” Babalola said.

Ocran said what separates this event from 13 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on the third floor of Talley Student Union. African Student Union other Black History Month celebrations on president and one of the event’s organizers, campus is the platform given to black artists to showcase their Tolu Babalola, said form of art, no matter students can enjoy unconventional. free food and art Our whole thing is ‘the how “I think this one from local talents, including the works future is bright black,’ so is unique because it gives individual black of Elikem Dodor, a second-year studywe have bright artists, artists at NC State a platform to showing science, technolwho will hopefully be case their art,” Ocran ogy and society. said. “The one thing “We were really very successful, and that we also wanted excited about feato do was include turing artists that their art, and they different forms of go here at State, some that many people deserve to have a space art, so whether it be something unconprobably don’t know to showcase that. ventional, like hairare artists, so we’re dressing or jewelry, happy to give them things like that, we a platform to share really encourage people to sign up … We their art,” Babalola said.

Another one of the event’s organizers, Josi really appreciate that this gives students a Ocran, a third-year studying social work, space to showcase whatever they perceive as said AfroFunk has increased the number of art to other students.”

After going to the event last year, Babalola artists since last year’s event.

“Last year was the very first one,” Ocran said she wanted to be a part of making Afrosaid. “It was pretty small. I don’t think a lot of Funk and Black History Month on campus people heard about it … Last year, they only as bright as possible. Babalola said AfroFunk had like four artists. This year, we definitely is critical to the NC State and Raleigh comhave more than four. I think we have 7-10, munities as a whole because, the event shows probably, so it definitely seems like this will that black artists, are here and deserve recbe an event that continues to grow with NC ognition.

“The event is for everyone,” Ocran said.

State as the years pass.”

According to Babalola, AfroFunk’s pur- “Black art is created from black artists; howpose is to emphasize the importance of ever, it is made with the intention that it can exhibiting and highlighting black artists, speak and have some impact on anyone who because they are often overlooked, or other comes in contact with it.”

Assistant News Editor

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Arts & Entertainment

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

DAVID TRACEY/TECHNICIAN

Musical artist Pat Junior performs during the Double Barrel Benefit Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. The 17th annual benefit was hosted by WKNC.

MINH PHAM/TECHNICIAN

Tommy Quinn, a member of Vacant Company, performs during WKNC 88.1’s Double Barrel Benefit Friday Feb. 7, 2020 at Kings. The two-night show of local Raleigh artists sold out during this 17th annual showcase.

ADITYA PENUMARTI/TECHNICIAN

Travis Harrington, the lead vocalist for Truth Clubs, sings during the WKNC Double Barrel Benefit Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020 at Kings Raleigh. Truth Club headlined during the sold-out second night of the benefit.

ADITYA PENUMARTI/TECHNICIAN

PM, a rapper with Callisto Records, raps during his set with King Gino and the rest of his crew during night one of the 17th annual Double Barrel Benefit at Kings Raleigh Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. WKNC uses the benefit to help fund the outlet through ticket and merchandise sales.

ADITYA PENUMART/TECHNICIAN

Laura Mooney, WKNC’s general manager, enjoys the performance by Junior Astronomers during the 17th annual Double Barrel Benefit Saturday, Feb. 8, 2019.

Sports

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

New season, new position, same Tyler McDonough rick Bailey] last year from his freshman season, so I don’t know if it’s going to be the exact same thing, but right now, Staff Writer it’s the same thing until I realize what Not many freshmen in the ACC come they’re going to do.”

McDonough, due to his success that into the league and put up all-conference numbers, but that’s exactly what sopho- saw him have four hits in three differmore Tyler McDonough did in his first ent games, was named a Freshman Allyear in Raleigh. Starting in centerfield, American by Collegiate Baseball and he batted .320 with 47 RBIs and a team- Perfect Game USA. If he can translate t he product ion high 80 hits, not to from year one to mention he had a year two, he will perfect 1.000 fieldThe switch hitter is be in the converi n g p e r c e nt a g e .

With a new season only 5-foot-10 and 174 s at ion for more All-American acupon us, the Ohio pounds but hits for colades come May. native will look to These accolades avoid the “sophopower despite his size. a re e xc it i ng for more slump” at the anyone, but they’re plate and adjust to McDonough had 21 not the most imhis new position at second base. extra-base hits a year ago portant thing on McDonough’s The switch hitand will look to continue mi nd, as he has ter is only 5-footambitious goals for 10 and 174 pounds that in year two. his team this year: but hits for power winning the ACC despite h is si z e.

Championship.

McDonough had 21 “I think we have a really good squad extra-base hits a year ago and will look to continue that in year two. One of the right now,” McDonough said. “We’re all ways to do that was to get bigger over really close with each other, and I just think we have the talent to.” the offseason.

Whether or not NC State achieves this “I felt like gaining some weight would help me out and give me some more pow- goal, which would be the Wolfpack’s first er,” McDonough said. “The other thing ACC Championship in 28 years, is yet to was getting more consistent at second be seen. If the goal is reached, you can DAVID TRACEY/TECHNICIAN and working on my right-hand swing, almost guarantee that the production Freshman infielder Tyler McDonough catches a fly ball in center field against ECU Sunday, from McDonough will have been one of June 2, 2019 at Clark-LeClair Stadium in Greenville. McDonough went 0-4, with one making it more like my left hand.” strikeout in the Wolfpack’s 9-2 season-ending loss.

McDonough is one of two switch hit- the main reasons why. ters in the NC State lineup, with the other being junior catcher Patrick Bailey. With this ability, he gives pitchers tough matchups whether the pitcher is right-handed or left-handed.

McDonough played infield in high school and showcase ball. With the way the outfield is shaping up, in order for NC State head coach Elliott Avent to get his best offensive lineup, McDonough is likely going to find himself at second base more often than not.

“I think, right now, second base is up there,” McDonough said. “I feel good at either [second base or centerfield], so I just want to help the team out.”

McDonough did his fair share of helping the team out last season. However, with perennial starters like Will Wilson and Evan Edwards no longer in Raleigh, McDonough will be one of the two key guys in the lineup that opposing pitchers dial in on this year.

“I’ve got to figure out what [opposing pitchers] are going to do to me this year,” NICK FAULKNER/TECHNICIAN McDonough said. “They changed [Pat- Freshman infielder Tyler McDonough fields the ball during the 8-7 win over Virginia Sunday, March 31 on Doak Field.

Will Thornhill

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April Visser ready to take next step with Wolfpack softball in second season

DAVID TRACEY/TECHNICIAN

Freshman infielder April Visser takes a swing against Wisconsin Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019 at Dail Softball Stadium. Visser went 0-3, with one strikeout in the Wolfpack’s 6-3 loss.

Tristan Tucker Staff Writer

The NC State softball team began its season Feb. 7 in the NFCA Leadoff Classic and kicked off the year by playing three straight ranked teams. The team has already played in one of its toughest stretches of the season and is sitting at a 2-3 record, with a victory over No. 21 Ole Miss already under its belt.

Part of the reason the softball team was able to conquer a ranked opponent in its first game of the season and score seven

runs on a top-10 team in Minnesota is the confidence sophomore shortstop April Visser has brought to the team.

Visser concluded last season with eight home runs on the year, with six coming in ACC play, 79 putouts and 17 runs, and she started 51 of 53 games as a freshman.

Corresponding to her six home runs in ACC games, Visser began to heat up offensively after already dominating the year on the defensive side of the ball. “[Visser] didn’t make any changes, a lot of it came down to her mindset,” said head coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift.

“When she was able to stay calm, to keep the pressure at an even level and not try and outdo herself, and just allowed herself to be the good player that she is, she was successful.”

This year, Visser already has one home run along with three runs and two RBIs in just 12 at-bats. The Salt Lake City native also has a .417 slugging percentage, an improvement over last year.

“I’m really working on my offensive side,” Visser said. “Last year, I was pretty solid defensively. I struggled a little bit offensively, so I’m just trying to level those out.”

With such a young infield, being a leader as a sophomore is a tall task, but Visser has met expectations nicely. The only upperclassmen infielders on the roster are junior third baseman Logan Morris, redshirt junior first baseman Randi Farricker and senior first baseman/designated player Skylar Johnston.

“It is a pretty young infield, but I think our infield does have experience,” Visser said. “We have all been playing the game for many years, and we all have instincts.

We know what we are supposed to be doing. Being a leader is something I have always enjoyed to do. I like to have that control, which is why I like playing shortstop; it’s the leader in the infield. I think it is important communicationwise; make sure everyone knows where they’re going, where they’re supposed to be going the next play. I think just as far as practicing, you’ve seen a lot of the people grow and learn the game in that way.”

With any freshman entering their first collegiate season, it is definitely understandable for that player to get overwhelmed with all of the factors that go into playing a D1 sport in college, but Visser surpassed all of the lofty expectations set for her by the coaching staff. As a player, Visser always sees there is room for improvement, and that is the key to success for any athlete.

“I think that it’s a mindset to just get out there and get after it every day,” Visser said. “There was a lot of pressure last year starting, coming in as a freshman, not really knowing what it’s going to be like. But I had faith in the training and the coaching and to trust the process. So I’m doing the same thing this year. I’m not really trying to compare anything to last year, just trying to go out and play my game.”

Something the coaching staff is already noticing is Visser’s growth in confidence from last season to this season. Visser’s confidence in her team has grown, and her ability to know that she does not have to bear all of the burdens of a loss on her shoulders shows this. Despite being faced with three straight ranked opponents to begin the year, Visser kept her head high and worked hard to motivate her team.

“She’s definitely one of our leaders and one of the core people on our team,” Patrick-Swift said. “When we brought her here with us last year, that was what we told her we needed her to do from day one, even as a freshman. That’s hard, coming into the unknown and knowing that your coaches have asked that of you.

She embraced it. For the growth that I have seen from her from last year to this year has just been being able to have less pressure on herself, as far as knowing that if she doesn’t get it done, that one of her teammates is going to, and that she has a shot to do it at her next at-bat.”

Visser and the team are optimistic for the season going forward and will look to take each series one game at a time.

However, the team already has a couple of games in mind that it is looking forward to, especially given the success of the team in the fall season.

“All of [the games] are going to be exciting, just because every game counts,” Visser said. “But I think playing UNC is going to be fun, just because they are a rivalry. We did beat them in the fall.

Pretty much any game at home is going to be fun, because you have a home-field advantage; you’ve got your fans there to back you up. I think every game is going to be exciting this year.”

With all of the growth that is taking place in the program, there is plenty for Wolfpack fans to be excited for, but Visser knows the process is not yet complete.

“The comparison from where we were last year to this year,” Visser said. “It’s a complete change. It really is exciting; it is awesome to see the transfers and incoming people this year, just to see the growth and potential of this team.”

Next up, the Wolfpack will take on Ohio State and Illinois in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, with both of those teams having received ranking votes. The Pack will play each team twice, and the first pitch to kick off the challenge Friday, Feb. 14 at 4 p.m. inside Dail Softball Stadium.

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Pack baseball faces tough ACC slate in 2020 season Tristan Tucker Staff Writer

The NC State baseball team will kick off its season on Valentine’s Day, beginning the year with a series against James Madison. Last year, the Pack went 42-19 and began the year at 19-0 but sputtered the second half of the season, going 23-19 after that undefeated stretch.

Perhaps the toughest series of the season is an away series at Louisville, the preseason No. 1 in the rankings, according to D1Baseball.com. The Wolfpack lost all three games of the series last season, when Louisville was ranked No. 12, with the second game of the doubleheader between the two teams a 14-2 defeat.

The Pack plays the Virginia Cavaliers earlier than they did last season, which could go either way. The Cavaliers handed the Pack its second loss last season, and this loss seemed to pop the Wolfpack in the mouth, as it failed to sweep a season series again until early May when it played Radford. With the earlier series this year, the Pack has a chance to right history and not let the same team set it back.

Both Coastal Carolina and South Carolina, who are not ranked, defeated the Pack last season, and while the games were close, the Pack couldn’t put them away.

While neither of those teams are ranked this year, and Coastal Carolina was ranked No. 24 when it defeated the Pack last season, both teams figure to play close games throughout the year.

Another tough nonconference opponent returning from last year is Campbell. Campbell defeated the Wolfpack once in the regular season after the Pack dominated the Camels 10-1 during its 19game win streak. After getting revenge in the regular season, the Camels extended the favor by defeating the Pack 5-4 in the NCAA Regional in Greenville last year.

The Pack will take on Elon twice this year, a team the Wolfpack handled by a combined 26-2 last season. With both Elon games near each other on the schedule this year, these games could be used to spark a run by the Pack.

Inside the conference, the Pack has little luck, as the ACC looks to be a powerhouse once again for baseball. The team will get to take on No. 12 Florida State at the end of March in a three-game series in Tallahassee, Florida, the same team that handed the Pack its first loss of the season last year. While the Seminoles are not ranked at No. 1, as they were when they defeated the Pack last year, they will still prove to be a challenge for the Pack.

The team will also take on the No. 18 Wake Forest Demon Deacons, a team that

SARAH COCHRAN/TECHNICIAN

The NC State baseball team stands for the national anthem before the game versus the Bucknell Bison, Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019 in Doak Field at Dail Park. The Wolfpack beat the Bison 14-2.

took two of three games in the regularseason series last year. The series against the Demon Deacons this year is what kicks off five straight ranked ACC series for the Pack. After the Wake Forest series, the Pack will take on the Seminoles, followed by the No. 15 Duke Blue Devils, followed

by No. 19 Georgia Tech, and followed up with No. 23 UNC-Chapel Hill, with games against Elon, Wofford, Campbell and UNC-Charlotte in between the series.

When the Pack takes on Georgia Tech, it will be looking for revenge. The Yellow Jackets are the team that knocked the Wolfpack out of the ACC Championship when Georgia Tech was ranked No. 6 in the nation. The two teams met in the ACC Championship Semifinal, with the Yellow Jackets stinging the Pack in a 9-2 victory.

The Wolfpack will end its season with a series against Notre Dame, who is not ranked, but took two of three in the series against the Pack last season.

The schedule for the Pack could be worse, but the five straight series against ACC teams that have begun the season with a ranking is brutal. If the Pack can look back to the mistakes that allowed it to skid in the second half of last season and learn from those mistakes, it should have no problem closing out games against teams that it is clearly better than, unlike last year.

The first pitch for the series opener against James Madison is set for 3 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 14 in Doak Field at Dail Park.

The game can be streamed on ACC Network Extra.

NICK FAULKNER/TECHNICIAN

Fans run through the tunnel on the first baseline after the 8-7 win over Virginia, Sunday, March 31 on Doak Field.

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Breaking down NC State softball’s starting lineup Jake Caccavaro Assistant Sports Editor

The NC State softball team is off to a good start in its 2020 season already, with a ranked win under its belt. The new-look Wolfpack has 10 new players this season, a healthy mix of transfers and freshmen, in addition to returning most of its production from a 2019 season in which it advanced to the ACC Championships semifinals. Here is how the Wolfpack shapes out by position group.

DAVID TRACEY/TECHNICIAN

Sophomore infielder Logan Morris rounds third base on her way to home plate against Wisconsin Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019 at Dail Softball Stadium. Morris went 1-3 with one run batted in and one run scored. The Wolfpack lost to the Badgers 6-3.

Catcher Behind the dish for NC State is junior transfer Sam Sack. A 5-foot-9 left-handed hitter from Coastal Carolina, Sack went 3 for 9 and drew two walks in the Pack’s first weekend tournament of the season. Not just a strong hitter at the plate, Sack is also solid behind the plate, throwing out one of two potential base stealers.

Backing Sack up behind the plate is junior Madeline Curtis, who saw time in 25 games

last year, starting 10. Curtis struggled immensely at the plate, batting just .091 with only two extra-base hits. She’ll likely fill in for Sack only when absolutely necessary.

Corner infield Manning the hot corner for NC State again this year is junior Logan Morris. One of the Wolfpack’s breakout players last season, Morris was second on the team in home runs and slugging percentage and third on the team in batting average, OPS and total bases. Morris struggled last weekend, batting just .188, but with her place in the middle of the order cemented, she’ll bust out of the funk in no time.

Opposite Morris on the diamond at first base is senior Skylar Johnston. Never afraid to take a mean hack, Johnston finished fourth on the team in batting average last season and slugged five home runs and 10 doubles. She also has a keen eye at the plate,

SOFTBALL continued page 14

Strong position players round out NC State baseball team Camden Speight Sports Editor

While the NC State baseball team lost key players, like shortstop Will Wilson and first baseman Evan Edwards from a season ago, head coach Elliott Avent and his staff brought in some new faces ready to fill the gap. Some players will be moving around, like sophomore Tyler McDonough, who will likely see at a lot of time at second base.

Infield The infield will look a lot different than it did last year. A position that won’t change is catcher junior Patrick Bailey, who is entering his draft year and will absolutely be the base of the lineup, offensively and defensively. He is also vital to the success of the pitching staff.

When he gets a break, it could be senior Brad Debo, depending on whether he is healthy throughout the entire year.

The rest of the infield could move around quite a bit. Based on the practices, McDonough will likely get a lot of time at second base in favor of junior J.T. Jarrett. McDonough hit .320 last year with 21 extra-base hits and 47 RBIs. Depending on the order, he could follow up the heart of the lineup in

fifth or sixth, as he did most of the year last year, or jump up to leadoff or second.

All signs point to freshman Jose Torres starting at shortstop, and although he has big shoes to fill, Torres looks ready for the challenge. His range at shortstop is already really good, and arm strength will certainly get better as the year goes on. The only question will probably be how long it will take the freshman to adjust to ACC play at the plate.

The corner infielders are more up for grabs, but both have players penciled in to start the season. Sophomore Vojtech Mensik is probably the frontrunner and showed a lot of promise last year, when he started 35 games.

Otherwise, junior David Vazquez has some experience at the hot corner, but it’s probably Mensik’s position to lose, and with the bats in front of him in the lineup, expect a big year at the plate.

NC State went to the transfer portal to find a first baseman for this season, bringing in junior Austin Murr from Des Moines Community College. Murr hit .440 with a .710 slugging percentage and 62 extra-base hits in two years. If it’s not Murr, a couple freshmen could get a little time, or possibly Debo, if he’s

BASEBALL continued page 13

EMMA SHEPPARD/TECHNICIAN

Sophomore outfielder Jonny Butler bats the ball against South Carolina Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at the BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte. Butler had two runs for the Pack, who lost to the Gamecocks 10-8.

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NC State baseball opens season with home series against James Madison

as ever.

Last season, the Wolfpack started the year with a shocking 19-game winning streak, and this year, there is no reason to think the Wolfpack can’t start the year on fire once again.

The last time NC State failed to win an opening three-game series was 2011, where the Pack fell in the second and third games against Elon after winning the first game 17-4. In 2014, it split a

two-game series with Canisius after the Friday game was canceled, and in 2013, the Wolfpack lost its opening series, but just one of the three games against App State was played, as the other two were canceled.

The projected Friday starter for the Pack is junior lefty Nick Swiney. Last season as a reliever, Swiney posted a 7-1 record in 26 appearances, throwing a team-high 95 strikeouts in 56.2 innings

pitched.

As for the other two starting pitchers, head coach Elliott Avent has opted to go for a pair of freshman in righty Matt Willadsen, who will pitch Saturday, and lefty Chris Villaman, who will pitch Sunday.

Both of the freshmen had very successful high school careers. Willadsen threw three no-hitters his senior year and had a career 1.2 ERA for Holly Springs High School. While Willadsen’s resume is impressive, Villaman’s is even more so.

The lefty threw five no-hitters and two perfect games in high school, and he compiled a 0.68 ERA as a senior.

The Wolfpack’s opponent for the opening series, JMU, posted a 31-26 overall record and did not make the NCAA Championship.

JMU’s biggest returning presence on the mound will be righty Nick Stewart, who started a joint-team-high 15 games last season. The other pitcher who also started 15 last season, Kevin Kelly, was selected by Cleveland in the 2019 MLB draft.

Stewart posted a 2.74 ERA last year, despite his 4-5 record. In 72.1 innings pitched, he struck out 61 batters and walked 33. Stewart also gave up just two home runs all season.

The leading returning offensive player for JMU is Nick Zona, who hit .337 last season as a freshman. Another offensive threat for the Dukes is Brady Harju, who hit just under .300 and led the team with nine home runs.

The last time these two faced of f was a two-game series in 2018, which the Wolfpack swept with 6-4 and 15-2 wins. The Wolfpack has a 3-1 all-time record against the Dukes, with the sole loss coming in the first meeting between these two in 2002.

First pitch for the Friday game is set for 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday’s games are set to start at 2 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively. The games will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.

formed really well in that spot last year, but junior Jonny Butler will take on that role after mostly taking a corner outfield spot last year.

With this switch, the Pack probably doesn’t lose any defense either.

Left and right field, as it did in the 2019 season, could see a number of different lineups. Last season, juniors Terrell Tatum and Devonte Brown will probably get plenty of opportunities to earn those

spots, but they certainly won’t be the only ones. Senior Lawson McArthur hasn’t been able to stick in the lineup that long over his four years, so it could be his time.

Sophomores Luca Tresh and Marek Chlup could get some time, as well as freshman Noah Soles.

Honestly, all the options listed are fairly good, but after Brown’s impressive fall season, he should seize a spot, and Soles is

also a really talented newcomer. However, Tatum had stretches last year when he was playing great ball.

NC State has a lot of options and an even deeper bullpen, so it should be another great year. How far the team will go into the postseason will depend a lot on the health of the arms in the bullpen and whether it can keep the intensity through April and May.

DAVID TRACEY/TECHNICIAN

Sophomore pitcher Reid Johnston warms up before facing Minnesota Sunday, March 3, 2019 at Doak Field. Johnston pitched four innings, striking out two, while giving up two earned runs on four hits and three walks. The Wolfpack won 5-4 via junior catcher Brad Debo’s walk-off base hit.

Nicholas Schnittker Assistant Sports Editor

The No. 16 NC State baseball team opens its 2020 season with a weekend series against James Madison this weekend.

The Wolfpack finished last season with an overall record of 42-19 and bowed out of the NCAA Greenville Regional. Despite a number of big departures from last year’s team, the squad looks as good

BASEBALL

continued from page 12

comfortable there.

Outfield With the move to the infield, NC State loses McDonough in center field, who per-

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

This week in sports: Feb. 13-19 Rachel Bilenki Correspondent

Thursday, Feb. 13 8 p.m. No. 4 Women’s basketball vs. No. 9 Louisville (Reynolds Coliseum) In this top-10 matchup, the women’s basketball team will face its greatest challenge yet this season, hosting the Louisville Cardinals. The Wolfpack will look to keep its top spot in the ACC and continue its winning streak.

The Cardinals are on a two-game skid, losing to No. 13 Florida State and unranked Syracuse, but the Cardinals are still the second-best team in the ACC and a win here could solidify the Pack’s case to be a one seed come March.

Friday, Feb. 14 3 p.m. Baseball vs. James Madison (Doak Field at Dail Park) The first game of baseball’s season will see junior Nick Swiney start on the mound for the Pack. The Wolfpack is currently ranked No. 16 entering the season, and the Pack’s opponent, James Madison, failed to make the tournament last season. With exciting players like sophomore Tyler McDonough, junior Patrick Bailey and company taking

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as she drew 20 walks and racked up a .348 onbase percentage in 2019. However, fielding is an issue for Johnston, as she committed eight errors last season, third most on the team.

Middle infield After switching positions over the offseason and filling in the hole left by the graduated Natalie Jones, redshirt junior Randi Farricker is NC State’s starting second baseman this year. A powerful but streaky hitter last season, Farricker started 33 games while splitting time at first base. Although she mashed five home runs and 13 extra-base hits, the 6-foot Farricker struggled with consistency, batting just .242 and striking out 31 times. She might have solved some of her issues over the offseason, however, as she went 4 for 12 with a double down in Florida last weekend.

Next to Farricker up the middle is sophomore April Visser, who finished last season on a monster hot streak that included backto-back walk-off hits in the Pack’s final series of the season. The Utah native slugged eight home runs last season and already has one under her belt this year. After being slotted

the field for the first time in 2020, this weekend’s series is a can’t miss for Pack9 fans.

4 p.m. Softball vs. Ohio State (Dail Softball Stadium) The Wolfpack returns home following the NFCA Leadoff Classic with a 2-3 record after facing three ranked opponents and a fourth that was receiving votes in the poll. The Pack has a number of electric returning players like senior Bridgette Nordberg, junior Sam Russ and a group of fresh faces, including senior transfer Tatyana Forbes, who look ready to rock Dail Softball Stadium.

This weekend’s games are all part of the ACC/Big 10 Challenge with the Pack facing off against Ohio State first and then Illinois.

7 p.m. No. 3 Wrestling vs. No. 7 Virginia Tech (Reynolds Coliseum) After an exciting home win against rival and top-10 ranked UNC-Chapel Hill, wrestling will face yet another top-10 team and continue its battle for the top spot in the ACC. This match will feature four ranked matchups, including a top-five matchup as No. 3 redshirt freshman Trent Hidlay will take on No. 2 Hunter Bolen in the 184-pound bout.

Saturday, Feb. 15 12:30 p.m. Softball vs. Ohio State (Dail Softeighth or ninth in the lineup most of last season, head coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift expects Visser to shine in the middle of the order this year.

Outfield The Wolfpack boasts one of the best outfields not just in the ACC, but in the entire NCAA. Headlined by junior Sam Russ and seniors Tatyana Forbes and Angie Rizzi, NC State’s outfield can hit for power and average, is elite in the field, and is lightning fast on the base paths.

In right field is Florida International transfer Tatyana Forbes, a Mexican national team player and elite hitter. Forbes batted .315 last season at FIU and is off to an electric start already this season, hitting .417 with a 1.059 OPS last weekend en route to NFCA Leadoff Classic All-Tournament honors. Forbes bats second and will be a huge addition to the Pack’s lineup.

To Forbes’ left in center field is the veteran Rizzi, who started 109 games her sophomore and junior seasons, and is back in the starting lineup again this year. After a down season last year that saw her hit just .162, Rizzi picked up three hits last weekend and stole second on her only stolen base attempt of the season. One of the best defensive center fielders in the ACC, anything hit in the air

ball Stadium) 2 p.m. Baseball vs. James Madison (Doak Field at Dail Park) 4 p.m. Gymnastics vs. UNC-Chapel Hill/ New Hampshire (Reynolds Coliseum) In this tri-meet, gymnastics will host UNC-Chapel Hill and New Hampshire Saturday afternoon. It will be the first time gymnastics has taken on New Hampshire this season but the third time it has faced UNC, beating UNC earlier this month in a dual meet.

5:30 p.m. Softball vs. Illinois (Dail Softball Stadium) Sunday, Feb. 16 12:30 p.m. Softball vs. Illinois (Dail Softball Stadium) 1 p.m. Baseball vs. James Madison (Doak Field at Dail Park) 2 p.m. Women’s basketball vs. Georgia Tech (Reynolds Coliseum) In this sold-out game, women’s basketball will face Georgia Tech at home after a huge game Thursday against Louisville. Top-ten ranked NC State will look to continue its winning streak in the ACC and hold firm its top spot.

up the middle is likely an out.

Last but not least in the star-studded outfield is superstar leadoff hitter Sam Russ, who paced the team last year with a .326 batting average, 32 stolen bases, 56 hits and five triples as she earned Second Team All-ACC and ACC All-Tournament Team honors. Russ picked right up where she left off last season, racking up five hits, a double and scoring three runs over the weekend. The electric base stealer didn’t try to steal any bases last weekend, but it’s only a matter of time before she takes off on the base paths.

Pitchers NC State will likely trot out its two-headed pitching attack from last season again this year. Senior right-hander Devin Wallace and sophomore righty Sydney Nester combined for over 85% of the Pack’s innings pitched last year and already threw a combined 29.1 of 33 last weekend.

Wallace looks to be the ace once again, and she’s coming off an up-and-down 2019.

Although she led the team in strikeouts with 155, she also struggled with her control, walking 32 batters and hitting another 28.

Wallace was always able to limit the damage, as she finished with a solid 3.47 ERA and held opposing hitters to a .233 batting

Tuesday, Feb. 18 3 p.m. Baseball vs. Longwood (Doak Field at Dail Park) After a game-heavy weekend, baseball will return to Doak Field to take on Longwood as it continues its start to the season. Longwood is coming off of an abysmal 2019, where it went 11-41. While the Pack is facing JMU over the weekend, Longwood will be taking on Purdue Fort Wayne.

Wednesday, Feb. 19 4 p.m. Softball vs. Elon (Dail Softball Stadium) Softball will take on Elon Wednesday afternoon at home, after wrapping up the ACC/Big 10 Challenge this weekend. Elon went 33-20-1 last season and will be coming off of a busy weekend with the Elon Softball Phoenix Invitational. The Phoenix has started the season 3-1.

9 p.m. Men’s basketball vs. No. 7 Duke (PNC Arena) Men’s basketball will face off against the top-10 Blue Devils at PNC Arena in its first home game in over two weeks. With Duke currently sitting second in the ACC and blowing through its opponents, this match is likely to be a difficult game for the Wolfpack. average.

Alongside Wallace is Nester, who pitched well as a freshman last season with a 3.37 ERA, 153 strikeouts and a 1.49 WHIP. She also struggled a bit with control, walking and hitting a combined 46 players in 149.2 innings pitched. Nester started 20 games and came in as relief for an additional 17 games and may see an even heavier workload this year.

Both Wallace and Nester struggled last weekend, with a 5.25 and 4.44 ERA, respectively. The duo allowed four home runs on the weekend, but with most of the games being against top-tier competition, their struggles aren’t likely to continue as the season progresses.

Designated player The everyday designated player this year will be senior Brigette Nordberg, who was stationed in right field last season, where she hit .291 with 16 home runs and a 1.048 OPS, even earning Player of the Week honors toward the end of nonconference play.

Nordberg led the team in OPS, slugging percentage and home runs and is no slouch on the base paths either, nabbing 7 of 8 attempts. Not a bad defensive right fielder, Nordberg will likely fill in in the outfield if Forbes, Rizzi or Russ get a day off.

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HELP WANTED Hiring Team Members and Shift Leaders You will have FUN and PRIDE serving fresh, healthy good for you Mexican food. We also do good for others!!! For every burrito, bowl or water purchased we donate a meal to someone in need!! If you are personable and like to engage with guests then the ZamFam is the place for you!!

Apply on Indeed.com and search Zambrero Raleigh Email oneglenwood401@zambrero.com

SPRING BREAK CARIBBEAN SPRING BREAK $189 for 5-Days. All prices include: Round-trip luxury party cruise. Accommodations on the island at your choice of seven resorts. Appalachia Travel. www.BahamaSun.com

ORDER YOUR 2019-2020

yearbook $75 At balfour.com/ncsu NC State’s award winning Agromeck Yearbook Est. 1903

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis ACROSS 1 Suffix for Wikipedia 4 Humiliate 9 Network with a “Cameras in the Court” page 14 Excessively 15 Where many watch the Beeb 16 Get to laugh 17 Crow 19 Plug-in Chevys 20 Series-ending abbr.

21 Lightning __ 22 “Settle down!”

23 Delete for security reasons, say 25 Alphabetize, e.g.

26 Crow 32 Lapped (up) 35 Take to a higher court 36 Amana Colonies state 37 Copier pioneer 39 Taylor of fashion 40 Likely 2020 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee 41 Composer Satie 42 Taco sauce brand 44 IRS identifier 45 Crow 48 In years past 49 Range that contains much of the Mark Twain National Forest 53 Temple with an upcurved roof 56 Blue-__: pain relief brand 58 “Allow me” 59 Meter measure 60 Crow 62 Electric car named for a physicist 63 Kirin competitor 64 Zero, in soccer 65 Get to the point?

66 Exorcist’s target 67 “Get how it’s done?”

DOWN 1 “Some __ time” 2 Waze recommendation 3 Lose one’s grip

By Kevin Christian and Howard Barkin

4 Delta hub code 5 Draft source 6 Pet food brand 7 Avoided a tag, perhaps 8 “Queer __”: revived style show 9 Frolic 10 Blended beverage 11 Yank 12 Bubbly city 13 Stick-y place to sleep?

18 Spill the beans 22 Slinky shape 24 Persuade with flattery 25 Title river in a Gershwin/Caesar song 27 Like Wyoming’s population 28 Start of the back nine 29 Quickly writes 30 Is in the red 31 It may get crewel treatment 32 x, y and z, in math 33 Polo of “The Fosters”

2/13/20

Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved

©2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

34 Shillelagh’s land 38 Words that activate an assistant 40 “Empire State of Mind” rapper 42 White-bellied swimmer 43 First name in comedy 46 Make lovable 47 Souvlaki meat 50 Comes down

2/13/20

51 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year __ Irving 52 Crab-walk 53 Miniature golf stroke 54 Riding the waves 55 [Oh no!]

56 Besides that 57 Word said with a tip of the hat 60 Evil 61 It’s all relatives

TECHNICIAN F E B RU A RY 13, 2020

RED

VOL . 100 | NO. 22

SOFTBALL

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