TECHNICIAN F EB RU A RY 14, 20 19
VOL . 99 | NO. 21
RED See page 10
Contents
TECHNICIAN
PAGE 2 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019
IN BRIEF:
POLICE BLOTTER 02/12/2019
A quick look at the headlines outside of NC State NEWS Light House Project illuminates Our Three Winners’ legacy, pg. 3
First black woman to become chief justice of N.C. Supreme Court On Tuesday, N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper announced that the next chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court will be Cheri Beasley. Beasley has served as a member of the Supreme Court for six years, and has been a judge for the last 20. This comes after the former Chief Justice Mark Martin announced last month that he would retire in February. North Carolina judges are usually elected, but in this instance, state law allowed Cooper to select who would take over Martin’s role. Beasley was originally an associate justice, which means that Cooper will have the opportunity to appoint a different judge for the seat. Cooper strayed away from the usual choice to select the Senior Associate Justice, which in this instance was Republican Paul Newby, who previously expressed intent to run for the position.
OPINION Letter to the Editor, pg. 6
SOURCE: NEWS & OBSERVER
WRAL’s Greg Fishel resigns On Wednesday evening, it was announced that the longtime chief meteorologist Greg Fishel would no longer be working for WRALTV, citing a “personnel matter” as the reason. In an interview with The News & Observer, WRAL Vice President Joel Davis said that due to personal challenges over the past year, he would be unable to work effectively. Fishel has not been on air since Jan. 29. “I want to let viewers of WRAL know that you will no longer see me as a part of the WRAL News team,” Fishel said in a statement. “I know there will be many questions as to ‘why?’ and I would like to share what I can with you. I have been facing many personal challenges over the last year and these issues have impacted my ability to work effectively and professionally. I take full responsibility for my actions and intend on meeting these challenges head on. WRAL-TV has accepted my resignation.” A new chief has yet to be selected.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The unusual origins of valentines day, pg. 8
SOURCE: NEWS & OBSERVER
Hillsborough Street crane coming down The unused crane that stands above construction on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh is anticipated to come down in March. The crane was originally placed in summer of 2015 to build a seven-story apartment complex, but the developer and construction company got into a legal dispute, so the project stalled. The crane has been a point of conjecture for the Raleigh community, drawing around 50 residents to discuss the future of the property at a community meeting. The city is targeting the weekend of March 8 for the crane’s anticipated takedown.
SPORTS Patrick Bailey to build on historic freshman campaign, pg. 12
10:26 AM | DAMAGE TO PROPERTY Admin Services I Staff member reported university property was damaged. 11:33 AM | ASSIST OTHER AGENCY Off Campus NCSUPD assisted RPD with a traffic accident. 9:47 AM | FIRE ALARM Turlington Hall Fire and Life Safety responded to alarm caused by a stove which was left on. 1:46 PM | SAFETY PROGRAM David Clark Labs Officers conducted safety program. 10:17 PM | FIRE ALARM Valley Hall Units responded to alarm caused by cooking. 11:56 PM | DOOR ALARM - FORCED Timber Hall Security responded to door alarm and determined the door was secure. 11:57 PM | FIRE ALARM Western Manor Officers responded to alarm caused by an unknown activation. 12:04 PM | TRAFFIC ACCIDENT Admin Services II Staff member reported they struck a vehicle and a light pole. Facilities responded. 3:42 PM | SAFETY PROGRAM Joyner Visitor Center Officers conducted safety program. 3:49 PM | DAMAGE TO PROPERTY Carroll Hall Officers responded to report which indicates a bulletin board was vandalized as a result of derogatory words and a derogatory image being placed on it. 4:05 PM | FIRE ALARM Innovation Hall Fire and Life Safety responded to alarm caused by cooking.
COVER PHOTO BY DAVID TRACEY, KAYDEE GAWLIK AND BRYAN MURPHY
NC State baseball begins its 2019 season on Friday, Feb. 15 against Bucknell. The game begins at 3 p.m. at Doak Field.
SOURCE: NEWS & OBSERVER technician-editor@ncsu.edu
Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Carter
technician-copydesk@ncsu.edu
Copy Desk Chief Ben Wolf
Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor Marissa Jerden
Managing Editor Connor Bolinder
Marketing Manager Solynna Crownson
technician-sports@ncsu.edu
Social Media Editor Mary Goughnour
technician-news@ncsu.edu
News Editor Alicia Thomas
Assistant Sports Editors Alec Sawyer Camden Speight
Assistant News Editors Boz Kaloyanov Rachael Davis
technician-opinion@ncsu.edu
technician-video@ncsu.edu
Arts & Entertainment Editor Emily Hench
Assistant Opinion Editor Joseph Rivenbark
Assistant Video Editor Daniel Gilliam
technician-managingeditor@ncsu.edu 323 Witherspoon Student Center, NCSU Campus Box 7318, Raleigh, NC 27695 Editorial Advertising Fax Online
919-515-2411 919-515-2411 919-515-5133 technicianonline.com
technician-digitalcontent@ncsu.edu
Assistant Social Media Editors Julianne Reas Lorcan Neill Social Media Analytics Manager Isaac Tolbert
technician-features@ncsu.edu
Sports Editor Andrew Schnittker
Opinion Editor Noah Jabusch
Design Editor Nick Weaver
technician-design@ncsu.edu
Photo Editor David Tracey
technician-photo@ncsu.edu
Assistant Photo Editor Sindy Huang Video Editor Minh Pham
The Technician (USPS 455-050) is the official 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.
News
TECHNICIAN
PAGE 3 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019
Light House Project illuminates Our Three Winners’ legacy Alicia Thomas News Editor
After the tragic murders of Deah Barakat, Yusor Abu-Salha, Barakat’s wife, and her sister Razan Abu-Salha, their families chose to honor their lives by bringing the community together through The Light House Project. The Light House Project was started by Farris Barakat, Deah’s brother, after his murder. Barakat said, that the project is based out of a house originally owned by Deah, who only owned two things at the time of his murder: a car and the house, which was being rented out. After his death, the property was inherited by Barakat’s mother and father. “I started reflecting on the murders and I guess there was a lot to be done in terms of continuing to share their story as an educational moment for Americans and just the importance of this moment in our history,” Barakat said. “There was a lot of commitment from people on what they want to do [for them]. It was a matter of organizing that and doing something that is sustainable, doing something that will exist long term.” Barakat began thinking of different things the space could be used for, such as a shelter for women, an office space or resource center. In the midst of renovations to get the property up to commercial code, Barakat’s mother shared an old message tweeted by Deah, that expressed his wishes for young people in the community. The tweet inspired Barakat to create The Light House Project and use the house as a place for young people to grow their ideas. He also mentioned that the name of the center came from Barakat’s brother’s name
‘Deah’ which translates to ‘light’ from Arabic. “The idea was to help them come up with a business plan and try to come up with how this works,” Barakat said. “We ended up on a model where we will essentially run an incubator program. An incubator program essentially [is] going to help foster the growth of non-profit programs related to youth, so it’s literally helping the youth with their projects, allowing them to use their own brand, their own marketing, they feel completely empowered and owning of their projects.” The Light House Project and the incubator program support young individuals’ projects by offering them financial support and resources such as the office’s space and mailing address. “It gives them a springboard to launch from and it’s a way to come together and organize with other projects working out of the house,” Barakat said. Barakat expanded and said that at one point The Light House Project wanted to share the story of Deah, Yusor and Razan but that soon became part of the mission of the Our Three Winners Foundation, another project started by the family to prevent hate violence from occurring by tackling implicit biases. Barakat described the main goal of The Light House Project as being focusing on community outreach in the Triangle area. Since 2012, the house’s purpose has been fully cemented toward fulfilling that goal, according to the organization’s website. The Light House Project also runs additional programs to promote growth and entrepreneurship, such as the Interfaith Food Drive that occurs every year in February.
Shadi Sadi, a volunteer with The Light House Project and director of the Food Drive, talked about the progress made every year in terms of community engagement. “The first year we did it donations had translated into 21,000 meals and then the last two years we have had over 50,000 meals donated,” Sadi said. “I think the grand total of the last four years was 166,000 meals, so we’ve definitely grown. I feel like more people learn about it and more people are signing up, it’s just growing beyond what we could imagine and it’s just touching so many people.” Sadi said that the Food Drive is a way to unite people that have been affected by various tragedies by sharing their stories with one another. “It’s important for people to find a common ground and see a common cause that we can all work towards,” Sadi said. Barakat talked about the purpose of creating the Project, expressing how he believes that in order to live in a better world, the community must work for it. “For me, it’s putting faith into action,” Barakat said. “We all talk about how we care for each other, we talk about [how] we want what’s best for each other, we talk about that stuff, but putting that stuff into action, once you do that then you know that’s genuine and that’s real and that grows and you’re more committed to that you’re more a person that cares about other people and is involved.” Several religious communities from all around Raleigh have come together in support of the food drive, according to Sadi, including Christian churches, all of the synagogues in the Triangle and the Sikh community. Additionally, the NC State School
COURTESY OF THE LIGHT HOUSE PROJECT
The Light House Project is an initiative started to honor Deah Barakat, Yusor AbuSalha and Razan Abu-Salha. The project recently converted a downtown Raleigh house into an office and community resource.
of Design and for the first time, the UNC School of Dentistry, have joined the drive. The impact of the deaths of Deah, Yusor and Razan have made the community selfreflect and take action to see true change, according to Sadi. “This tragedy made us take a step back and say ‘What are we doing with our lives? We know we are supposed to be doing something, but are we doing it,’” Sadi said. “That’s why, for me, something like the food drive makes sense that we should be stopping everything and working towards these common goals that benefit society and really our religion kind of commands it.” Anyone interested in participating in the Food Drive can donate online or at the Islamic Center of Raleigh until March 2, 2019.
Law against gender-inclusive housing creates concern in campus community Amber Detwiler Staff Writer
A system-wide law against gender-inclusive
housing is a main topic of concern to be addressed by the Association of Student Governments (ASG) within the UNC System. UNC System Policy 700.8.1, effective in
summer 2013 after a unanimous vote by the Board of Governors, states that its institutions cannot assign members of the opposite sex to the same dorm, suite or campus-owned
apartment, thereby creating uncomfortable and unsafe living situations for members of
GENDER continued page 3
News
TECHNICIAN
PAGE 4 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019
15,000 untested rape kits discovered, to be eliminated in North Carolina Lauren Greene Correspondent
The state of North Carolina backlogged over 15,000 sexual assault kits, resulting in decades-old cases left unresolved.
The state launched a $10 million solution hoping to eliminate this backlog. Attorney General Josh Stein plans to set legislation into motion called the Survivor Act, which will require the state crime lab no more than 45 days to test new rape kits and previously untested
ones, according to The News & Observer. Each rape kit contains forensic evidence and medical information that could resolve cases, if tested. According to Stein, a primary reason why these kits have not been tested since they have been found is because each one costs approxi-
mately $700 to test. The N.C. government would need a substantial amount of funds to test the old kits in order to eliminate the backlog. The legislation is funded by $4 million
KITS continued page 5
GENDER
continued from page 4
the transgender community. Jess Errico, student body president and fifth-year studying mechanical and aerospace engineering, outlined the policy and shared the impact that the legislation has on students. “There is a Board of Governors-level policy that prevents students from sharing housing with members of the opposite sex, as identified by their legal gender marker,” Errico said. “That prevents students from sharing housing if how they identify is different from what might be present on their birth certificate or what they are identified as legally. This came to the Board of Governors’ attention because UNC-Chapel Hill’s trustees supported gender-inclusive housing.” Errico said that this law applies to all UNC System schools and supersedes any university-level policies, making it harder for University Housing and the GLBT Center to offer adequate living arrangements to students. Andy DeRoin, program coordinator for the GLBT Center, said that transgender students should contact either University Housing or the GLBT Center to request additional housing accommodations. “One of both of those offices work with the student to talk through the housing options that are available, because we do have a pretty wide range of room setups and accommodations,” DeRoin said. “We try to help students communicate with University Housing the importance of finding an LGBT-affirming roommate, if that is a concern. Our office is also able to do some behind-the-scenes roommate matching.” While DeRoin said that although fewer than 10 students have reached out for housing accommodations so far, the process is ongoing due to the need for new housing accommodations each academic year. DeRoin stated that the take on gender-inclusive housing has not changed much after the Board of Governors passed policy 700.8.1 in 2013. “My understanding is that the options
GRAPHIC BY STEPHANIE SOSA/TECHNICIAN
weren’t really any different from what they are now,” DeRoin said. “The way that software was set up in how housing is assigned, it didn’t really allow for it. It’s not like anyone said we couldn’t. For NC State, it didn’t change a ton, but now there is something officially on the books saying you can’t do this.” Errico said that she has been working with the ASG to advocate for gender-inclusive housing in the UNC System and on NC State’s campus. She said that this issue will also be a primary focus of the ASG Advocacy Day in Raleigh, where student government leaders
meet with lawmakers and representatives to discuss topics of concern. “I know there has been desire for this to change both here on campus here at NC State and also at the system level from students,” Errico said. “Each of our 17 institutions are all sending delegates to [the ASG], and we passed unanimously an act to support moving towards gender-inclusive housing in the UNC System.” Errico and DeRoin said that they are hopeful that the policy on gender-inclusive housing will change at some point in the near
future. “For students that are coming to campus, the earlier they get in touch with either the GLBT Center or University Housing, the easier it is to really work with them to find the most comfortable and affirming place that they can live,” DeRoin said. If students have questions or concerns about their housing options and needs, they can reach out to the GLBT Center and University Housing for assistance. Students can share concern on this issue by reaching out to Student Government.
News
TECHNICIAN
PAGE 5 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019
NC State professor elected to national scientific society Staff Report
The National Academy of Engineering (NAE), an extremely influential scientific society of engineers, has just elected their 18th member who is a professor at NC State. Rodolphe Barrangou, Todd R. Klaenhammer Distinguished Scholar in probiotics research and professor of food, bioprocessing and nutrition sciences, is among 86 new members and 18 foreign members to be accepted to the NAE this year. He joined NC State faculty in 2013 and has received numerous accolades in his time at the university. A specialist in beneficial bacteria in foods, Barrangou has done pioneering research on CRISPR technology, which is a
KITS
continued from page 4
already available in grants and asks for another $6 million, which will primarily be used to test the kits that have the most potential in solving open cases, according to The News & Observer. Stein also asked the state legislators to mandate the use of a statewide tracking system that will make sure incoming rape kits do not suffer the same fate as the neglected ones. Although these victims are at the mercy of the state to solve their unclosed cases, Brace Boone III, director of the Women’s Center, and Marc Grimmett, co-director and founder of Community Counseling, Education, and Research Center (CCERC), discussed how the community offers support for people who have been sexually assaulted. The Women’s Center is located on Cox Avenue in Raleigh, and provides a wide variety of services to women, such as primary care, food, clothing, hygiene items, etc. It partners with CCERC to provide mental health for those who experienced any type of trauma. Boone explained that the majority of people who seek services at the Women’s Center have experienced some form of sexual assault. “Over 90 percent of the women we serve have been sexually assaulted or raped sometime during their life,” Boone
tool for editing genomes. CRISPR has potential for editing DNA sequences and modifying genetic functions, with possible uses in treating genetic diseases and engineering foods. Barrangou has shown that CRISPR systems can defend against bacterial attackers, and is currently editor-in-chief of The CRISPR Journal, a scientific publication focused on the technology and its uses. Barrangou has also been involved with writing over 150 peer-reviewed publications. NAE has over 2,000 members and seeks to honor those that make significant contributions to engineering literature or research in new fields of technology. ADITI DHOLAKIA/ARCHIVE
said. “We deal with a lot of brain health, a lot of mental health issues and a lot of trauma. It is a very complex knot that we are trying to unravel.” Boone also mentioned that it is not unheard-of for states to neglect rape kits, stating that letting information fall through can have incredibly negative effects on survivors. “The women presented here have fallen between the cracks and are not being served adequately or sufficiently,” Boone said. “Violence and traumatic experience is a major contributing factor to women becoming homeless. These experiences in their lives can have devastating consequences.” Grimmett stated that the CCERC is beneficial because it offers services to survivors while training master’s and doctorate students in the clinical mental health counseling program at NC State. At CCERC, Grimmett said they approach every situation with caution. “We approach our work with everyone as if they have experienced some type of trauma whether we know it or not,” Grimmett said. “That way, we might be in an appropriate fit for some women who are served by the Women’s Center, as well.” Individuals who experience trauma like sexual assault can often be hesitant to seek help for various reasons, according to Grimmett. “When the person who discloses does not receive a validating or affirming
response, t hey a re very unlikely to tell someone else, so the t rau ma is lef t u ntreated,” Grimmett said. “They are not going to receive the help t hey need because t hey do not want to be hurt again.”
Grimmett also said that 90 percent of sexual violence perpetrators are males, and that his personal mission is to educate men and stop rape culture. He added that the best support a victim can receive is a friend or family member who believes them and is willing to support how they may choose to proceed with their situation. “You, their friend, or a family member or coworker might be the bridge
GRAPHIC BY ANNA LEE TECHNICIAN
between them and getting the help that they need,” Grimmett said.
Opinion
TECHNICIAN
PAGE 6 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019
Letter to the Editor Dearest Editor, My name is Rylie Newman and I am a freshman Political Science major at NC State. Originally, I hail from the small coastal town of Swan Quarter, North Carolina located in North Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes all of our state’s coastline, with the exception of Wilmington and its southern neighbors. I am writing on behalf of my home
district to mourn the loss of our beloved congressman, Representative Walter B. Jones, who has served us since 1995. Jones’ fervent support and advocacy for the oftentimes underrepresented Eastern North Carolina won the hearts of his constituents and government officials alike. It is my greatest hope that the legacy of Representative Jones will carry on in the wake of his death, and that his successor furthers his tireless work and dedication to Eastern North Carolina, especially as our district edges closer to a decision that could reverse the countless hours of advocacy that Representative Jones
has put into protecting our coastline. In January 2018, the Department of the Interior released a plan to open North Carolina’s entire coastline for offshore drilling, a proposal that Representative Jones strongly opposed as he understood the multitude of repercussions that would affect North Carolina’s tourism, commercial fishing and other industries, not to mention the detrimental effects on our environment and marine life. Within the next few weeks, the Department of the Interior will release their next proposal for offshore drilling. After this second release, the pub-
lic will have 90 days to respond. In this time period, it will be the responsibility of North Carolinians to gather the attention of our senators to speak for an already underrepresented district which has just recently lost its most prominent voice. I hope that our state can rally together to continue the legacy of Representative Jones and protect our coast from the catastrophes that accompany offshore drilling.
Regards, Rylie Newman
NC State should let first years live off campus Destry Adams Staff Columnist
It’s time for one of the most stressful moments of the year: the housing selection process. As some students are wondering where they should live for the next academic year, many upperclassmen are wondering whether they can live
on campus. As we all know, University Housing is currently overcrowded. According to NC State, there’s space for around 9,200 students to live on campus. This is a problem since there are currently around 23,000 undergraduates. To make matters worse, since fall 2017, NC State has forced all freshmen to live on campus, contributing to housing becoming overcrowded. While there are plenty of places for upperclassmen to live off campus, some students prefer the convenience of living at NC State. But with such limited space, it’s possible that some students who want to will not be able to stay on campus. A perfect solution to help solve the overcrowding issue is to allow incoming firstyear students to live off campus. While living on campus does help new students adjust to college life, it presents a number of other issues for students’ livelihoods. Foremost, freshman should be given the option to live off campus because there are too many incoming students. Every year, NC
State keeps admitting more students than the previous year. For example, in the fall of 2016, 4,237 new students were admitted to NC State. In the fall of 2018, 4,835 new students were admitted. It’s a serious problem when freshmen are starting to take over half of the available housing space, despite making up less than one-fourth of the total population. Since underclassmen are given priority during the housing selection process, it is difficult for others to apply for housing in the upcoming academic year. By allowing freshmen to live off campus, upperclassmen are given more opportunities to apply for housing. Another reason why freshmen should have the option to live off campus is that University Housing gives priority to students with fewer credit hours. This just compounds the issue, since it means seniors have little
chance of returning to campus unless they have a position that guarantees housing or are part of one of the Living and Learning Villages, which sign up for housing first. By allowing freshmen to live off campus, NC State wouldn’t have to reserve so many rooms for incoming students, allowing upperclassmen more opportunities to apply for housing. Finally, freshman should be given the opportunity to live off campus so upperclassmen have more convenient access to academic resources. Susan Grant, the director of University Housing, said that living on campus has been associated with a higher GPA due to easier access to academic resources like tutoring. Although it is important for freshmen to have access to these resources, upperclassmen arguably need them more. After all, upperclassmen are more likely to
take more intensive courses and need help applying for jobs or internships. While it is important to help freshmen adapt to college life, it is critical for upperclassmen to have easy access to resources that will help them graduate and receive a job. NC State should not require freshmen to live on campus. This requirement makes University Housing overcrowded, making it difficult for upperclassmen to reserve a room for the upcoming academic year. NC State has somewhat addressed the overcrowding issue by allowing students who live in a 15-mile radius to live off campus. However, this solution has not solved the overcrowding issue, since only 116 incoming students were exempted from living off campus this academic year. NC State needs to do more to help all of its students succeed, not just freshmen.
“While it is important to help freshmen adapt to college life, it is critical for upperclassmen to have easy access to resources that will help them graduate and receive a job.”
Opinion
TECHNICIAN
PAGE 7 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019
Voter literacy: Get ready for the new political cycle If you’re feeling fatigued from the political drama that’s been unraveling the past few years, I have some bad news. 2020 is just around the corner, and I wager that this year’s Colin inevitable fiasco will be McKnight even worse than anything Staff Columnist we saw in 2016 or the years afterward. The headache-inducing mess of politicians, media, speeches and scandals is certain to rock both news and social media for months. But the reason I’m nervous about 2020 being even worse than 2016 is that things are already getting tense, and we’re still a year away from the primaries. As of right now, there are already over 10 candidates who have officially entered the running and plenty more being eyed to jump in. If you want to understand what’s about to happen, you’ve got to start f inding trusted sources and understanding vital context, right now, not tomorrow. Us young voters especially are going to be primary targets for most candidates, and North Carolina is likely to be a close battleground, so we need to be ready. Putting aside his policies, the rhetoric of Donald Trump is sure to escalate in the coming months. But while most are already expecting these next two years to be especially tense, the president’s behavior and that of his fellow Republicans will certainly be the focal point of the cycle. We’ve seen more infighting and division among the right, and the most important thing to watch out for is to see which, if any, Republicans sneak up and try for the presidency. On the Democratic side, there’s no shortage of important backstory either. From the controversy surrounding Elizabeth War-
ren’s DNA report to the recent allegations of abuse of staffers from Amy Klobuchar, there are a whole lot of really important details that voters need to study up on to prepare for the volatile landscape. And with more candidates standing by looking for the best time to jump in, more dirty laundry is sure to air. But that shouldn’t be our only focus. Even if a candidate is squeaky clean, we should focus on policies just as much as scandals. The American voter deserves to be picky, and we shouldn’t be excited to accept politicians with open arms just because they’ve acted like decent human beings or made funny appearances on late-night talk shows. Immigration, gun safety, environmental policy and other hot-button topics will be the leading topics in 2020, and we should press candidates on how they perform. That’s why I can’t stress enough that our generation, as a demographic group, shou ld dema nd more from politics. If we’re going to gather as much clout as the baby boomers, then we need to be knowledgeable and certain on what we want. We need to keep up with news, we need to use the tools at our disposal, like social media, to raise our voices and we need to refuse to give attention to those who wouldn’t be good for our country. It’s not an easy thing that I’m asking for, but America deserves it. No matter which side of the aisle you’re on or how deep in that aisle you are, I’m certain that frustration is inevitable, even with your own party. But no matter what, the most important thing for us is no matter how confused, disappointed or scared we are by the happenings up in Washington, we keep the discussion civil and avoid unnecessary bickering. It’s your civic duty to vote, but it’s just as much your responsibility to know what you’re voting for.
“Us young voters especially are going to be primary targets for most candidates, and North Carolina is likely to be a close battleground, so we need to be ready.”
B-Sian: Love
Sindy Huang, fourth-year studying biological engineering
Arts & Entertainment
TECHNICIAN
PAGE 8 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019
The unusal origins of Valentine’s Day with
Thomas Q&A S. Parker Ruby Shah Staff Writer
Valentine’s Day is the sweetest holiday of the year, full of love and sugar-coated chocolates. Even though this holiday has been celebrated for so long, not many people know about the origins of Valentine’s Day. In a Q&A, NC State history professor S. Thomas Parker disclosed the dark and strange origins of Valentine’s Day. Q: How has Valentine’s Day evolved throughout the years? Throughout history? A: It begins as a purely Christian festival in an attempt to compete with this pagan festival called Lupercalia. Then it begins to have a life of its own, and is more widely celebrated over the years along with other days that were associated with specific saints, and so it grows in popularity through the medieval period.
Q: How did Valentine’s Day start? A: The origins of this festival go back to the origins of Rome itself ... Each year in Rome, on Feb. 15 ... there was a really wild kind of festival that the Romans practiced. Basically what happened was priests would sacrifice a dog and a goat, maybe several goats … and they would take the skin of the goats, which often had blood on them, and they would wrap these around the loins of young men and older boys. Sometimes their faces were smeared with bloo too, and they would run around in near-naked condition around the base of the Palatine Hill. As they ran, they would try to whip people they encountered with the flayed skin of the goats that they were holding in their hands. People were not trying to avoid them; in fact, people eagerly sought the chance to be whipped by these boys, because it was thought to be a great omen of good
VALENTINE’S continued page 9
NC STATE STUDENT MEDIA
Notice of public meeting
NC State Student Media has scheduled interviews with students who have applied for the senior leadership positions at Nubian Message and Technician, NC State’s student newspapers, for the 2019-2020 academic year. These interviews are open to the public, and Student Media encourages anyone with an interest in these publications to attend. The students will be interviewed by members of the Newspaper Advisory Board, which includes students, faculty, staff and industry professionals. There will be time set aside for questions and comments from the public before the advisory board members adjourn into executive session. Both candidates will be interviewed Tuesday, Feb. 19, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Media Conference Room (Witherspoon 324.) Yesenia Jones, a junior in communications, has applied to be the Nubian Message’s Editor-In-Chief. Daniel Gilliam, a junior in communications, has applied to be Technician’s Editor-In-Chief. After interviewing each candidate, the advisory board will submit its recommendations to the Student Media Board of Directors, which will make the final decision at its March meeting. That meeting, which is also open to the public, will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19, in Room 201 of the Witherspoon Student Center. For more information, contact Director of Student Media Advising Patrick Neal at pcneal@ncsu.edu or (919) 515-1515.
ANNA LEE/TECHNICIAN
Arts & Entertainment
TECHNICIAN
PAGE 9 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019
Rock climbing courses offer students new adventures Marissa Jerden Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor
NC State’s outdoor adventure courses are one hidden gem of NC State’s Health and Wellness department. One subset of the program, rock climbing, offers students a chance to try a new sport that challenges both the body and the mind. Scott Schneider, a lecturer in basic and intermediate rock climbing courses, has been climbing since his undergraduate career. “The sport of climbing has evolved tremendously,” Schneider said. “I feel like even 15, 20 years ago, it was kind of a fringe sport. Now it’s mainstream in that there’s climbing gyms at almost every university and in most decent-sized metropolitan areas, and it’ll be in the Olympics now in 2020.” Rock climbing is a sport that combines physical endurance with strategy. Learning the necessary skills is crucial to becoming a proficient and safe climber. Schneider described the basics of climbing. “There are many sub-disciplines to climbing, but in a gym setting, most people top rope, where there’s a pre-established anchor,” Schneider said. “Then you do an established route, where you try and figure out a sequence of moves to get to the top.” NC State has its own climbing wall, located in Carmichael Gym, called Faux Rock, which mimics a natural rock outcrop. There are two main courses taught on the wall. The first one, Schneider said, is geared toward beginners. “We have basic rock climbing, which is an introductory course that is very comprehensive and teaches proper belay techniques, climbing movements,” Schneider said. “We show different belay devices and go through the equipment you need in detail, as well as get a lot of time in climbing and rappelling.”
VALENTINE’S
continued from page 8
luck. In fact, women in particular were attracted to this because of fertility associations here and the belief that it would enhance their fertility... The pope at that time complained that many people who were not only Christians were still celebrating this pagan festival ... so what the church needed was a festival of its own, a Christian festival, to celebrate about this time to compete with Lupercalia, and so that’s why the
Matthew Klassa, a third-year studying chemical and paper science engineering, scales the climbing wall at Carmichael Gym on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2019.
Faux Rock. “They can also take a climbing clinic through Wellness and Recreation Outdoor Adventures... which is usually held in the evening,” Dash said. “They can learn enough to pass the belay skills test, and they can come recreationally climb.” The instructors gave a few reasons why students should try rock climbing. Schneider shared some thoughts on rock climbing in general and the program at NC State. “It’s a great sport and activity,” Schneider said. “It’s got the social aspect; it’s really just a good community of people. It’s fun and challenging. It’s definitely an activity you can do throughout your life. It’s a great chance to learn it while you’re here at NC State, because we have a great facility. It’s super affordable because all the gear and instruction is included for free, so it’s hard to beat the opportunity and access you get as a student.” Dash mentioned a few more perks of learning to rock climb. “It’s probably one of the most fun recreational activity classes you can take,” Dash said. “The nice thing about rock climbing is it’s something you can do one or two times a year with your friends and have fun, or it can become the main focus of your recreational endeavors or it can become a career. So you can take it as far as you want to.” Finally, Dash gave one last piece of advice to all the students of NC State looking for adventure. “We have a program called Take 8 at State, which says you should try and take an HES class every semester and experience things that you wouldn’t normally do, learn something new,” Dash said. “You should try and learn new things as often as you can.” More information about rock climbing at NC State can be found on the climbing wall website.
who was marrying young soldiers and young women at a time where the emperor, who was Claudius II, forbade marriage by his young soldiers, thinking that unmarried soldiers would be more effective... He learned that Valentine was marrying these soldiers in secret to their lovers, and so to put a stop to this, he arrested and then executed this priest. There’s another story where Valentine had a crush on the daughter of a jailer who was keeping these Christians in prison; in the 3rd century, Christianity was still an illegal religion. He was then caught and executed, that’s another ex-
planation. Q: Even though Valentine’s Day has such strange origins, how do you believe it became so romanticized in the modern era? A: Around the middle of February, and in the old Lupercalia, the Romans’ festival, there were connections about young men meeting young women at this time and entering into romantic relationships. So, the romantic connection really has some origins in the very beginning of the story, but they really become pronounced in the late medieval period, I’d say around the 15th century and later.
The second course focuses on more specific techniques, according to Schneider. “Then we have an intermediate course, and that class is designed for people who have been climbing for a bit, if you want to transition from climbing in a gym to outside,” Schneider said. “It’s more of a technical skill-based class. We focus on anchor building, how to risk management, how to use all the gear you need to transition to climb outside.” Terry Dash, rock climbing instructor and outdoor leadership program coordinator, elaborated on the differences between the courses. “In basic rock climbing you learn basic safety skills, [and] in intermediate rock climbing you learn more advanced safety skills,” Dash said. “If you’re just going to
climb indoors, you only need a few basic things to get started. If you’re going to climb outdoors, you need to be able to safeguard yourself when you’re in a natural environment.” For interested students, there are a multitude of different ways to get involved in rock climbing through NC State. “There’s a rock climbing class on the wall, and there’s anywhere from two to three sections of climbing a day,” Dash said “We offer intermediate two or three different times a semester, so there’s an opportunity for students who have taken that first class or have previous climbing experience to join that class.” In addition to climbing courses offered through health and wellness studies, students can also take a one-time course at
NATALIE WARNER/TECHNICIAN
Valentine’s Day became celebrated during this time. Q: Who do you believe started the original Roman traditions of Valentine’s Day? A: No one knows for sure, but the celebration of St. Valentine is obviously connected with this. There are actually three St. Valentines known in the Catholic church today, and which one of these is the St. Valentine we associate with the festival of Feb. 14, no one knows for sure. Q: How did St. Valentine get involved in Valentine’s Day? A: One tradition is that he was a priest
Sports
TECHNICIAN
PAGE 10 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019
Patrick Bailey to build on historic freshman campaign Assistant Sports Editor
NC State baseball has a rich history of successful catchers in recent years. 2016 draftee Andrew Knizner has earned his way to AAA in the St. Louis Cardinals organization while Brett Austin, who was drafted in 2014, also finds himself in AAA for the Chicago White Sox. It was clear after the 2018 season that sophomore Patrick Bailey is the next great catcher at NC State. Bailey earned ACC Freshman of the Year, second-team AllACC and Freshman All-America honors from all of the main publications. “We’ve had so many great catchers here,” head coach Elliott Avent said. “And he’s as good as any of them we’ve ever had. As a sophomore, someone could put the tag on him; he might be as good as we’ve ever had, but he’s got to grow and get better and that’s what everybody has to do. Bailey hit .321/.419/.604 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs in his freshman year while getting the start in 50 games. His .321 average was highest among ACC freshmen and No. 12 among all conference players, while his 13 home runs set an NC State freshman record and led all freshmen in the ACC. “It’s hard to do what he did as a freshman,” Avent said. “But to come back and do it again when everybody is looking at you and seeing you different, and maybe some of your other teammates like Brett Kinneman and Brock Deatherage aren’t in the lineup with you.” The Greensboro native hit over .500 in his senior year of high school at Wesleyan Christian Academy and was drafted in the 37th round in the 2017 MLB draft by the Minnesota Twins. Thankfully for Pack9 fans, he chose to go to school in Raleigh. “More than anything, it’s just relaxing and playing my game,” Bailey said. “That’s pretty much all I can do, and whatever happens happens.” The switch-hitting catcher carries a unique array of talent on the field. Hitting from both sides of the plate for power is something few ballplayers can master, especially as a catcher, but Bailey made history against William & Mary by being the first player in NC State history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game.
Bailey hit three triples last season, tied for second on last year’s team, which suggests more speed than a traditional catcher. Only five catchers in the MLB had three or more triples, and only one on that list had more than 12 home runs. The sophomore catcher was also an asset on the defensive side, boasting a .983 fielding percentage (second among starting position players last season) and catching 11 runners stealing on the base path. As a catcher, Bailey is charged with the difficult task of learning each and every pitcher and their tendencies. There are 22 pitchers listed on the roster, including four true freshmen, that he works with to build that chemistry. “We’ve got a lot of new guys,” Bailey said. “Got some strong returners, but a lot of them are just throwing strikes, which is kind of what you need right now.” Not only does he have to work with the weekend and weekday starters, but he also catches all the guys coming out of the deep bullpen that this NC State team has developed. “He’s an absolute wall,” junior pitcher Kent Klyman said. “You can throw anything; whether one gets away from you or it’s not even close to the zone, he’s going to knock it down. He definitely contributes to confidence level you have; he calls a good game back there. Coaches sometimes just let him call like a Major Leaguer, because they have confidence in him and they DAVID TRACEY/TECHNICIAN know he’s going to do the job.” Freshman catcher Patrick Bailey attempts to throw an Auburn baserunner out at first base Along with NC State teammate junior on Sunday, June 3, 2018 at Doak Field. Bailey went 3-5 with one double, two RBIs, two runs shortstop Will Wilson, Bailey had the op- scored and two strikeouts as the Wolfpack lost 15-7. portunity to play over the summer with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. The highlight of the summer came in the series finale against Chinese Taipei in Cary, when he went 2 for 4 with three RBIs. The catcher has earned a number of preseason honors before the start of the 2019 season, including the Golden Spikes Award watchlist and Preseason All-American honors by the main publications. If Bailey continues to build on his first season, he could be yet another NC State alumni to make his way into the MLB. Don’t be surprised if you see him make an impact on the big stage one day, but for now enjoy watching Bailey behind the plate for the Pack this season.
BAILEY
2018
Camden Speight
{
S TAT S :
• .321/.419/.604 • 13 Home runs • 40 RBIs • 28 Walks
Sports
TECHNICIAN
PAGE 11 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019
Love for NC State runs deep for Wolfpack reliever Kent Klyman
Sophomore pitcher Kent Klyman delivers the ball against Army on Sunday, June 3, 2018 at Doak Field. The Wolfpack beat the Black Knights 11-1.
Andrew Schnittker Sports Editor
2019 is going to be a season of change for NC State baseball. The entire outfield is gone, as well as a pair of starting pitchers. One constant from last season that will be back? Mr. Reliable out of the bullpen, junior reliever Kent Klyman. Klyman was counted on in all situations for the Wolfpack last year, and with the graduation of closer Joe O’Donnell, should be the top option out of the bullpen this season. “He’s one of the biggest competitors we’ve got,” said head coach Elliott Avent. “He loves to be on the big stage. He loves to pitch the big innings. We gave him the ball a lot last year, so he’s one of the guys coming back that’s very, very special… There’s a lot of guys we’re going to miss, but Kent Klyman’s a guy that’s back that we gave the ball to an awful lot.” Last season, Klyman threw 61.2 innings for the Wolfpack in 31 relief appearances (sixth in the ACC), compiled an 8-2 record (good for the team lead in wins), 2.34 ERA, 67 strikeouts to just 25 walks and held opponents to a .204 batting average. Klyman’s best weapon last year was his fastball command, but he’s spent the offseason working on his changeup and slider to bring a more complete arsenal into this
season, which should be a scary proposition for opposing hitters. “Being able to rely on that to keep all the righty batters off balance,” Klyman said. “I’ve been working on a changeup so I can go away from their barrel. That’s one of my things. I know my slider was in and out. I need to work on that consistently more, but I think overall three pitches is what I’m hoping to go into the season with.” That pitch arsenal should continue to allow Klyman, who prefers pitching the biggest innings but can do a little bit of everything, to continue to be a versatile reliever for NC State. Need a closer? Klyman can handle that. Need a setup man in the seventh or eighth inning? Klyman’s ready. Need a fireman to come in and pitch two or three innings after the starter has a rough outing and gets chased in the early innings? Klyman’s warming up in the pen. “It just brings the confidence, knowing that coach trusts me in any situation,” Klyman said. “I think I’m one of those guys that enjoys coming in with the game on the line. I think I perform my best when the moments are a little tighter than when it’s a blowout or not. But I enjoy coming in whenever the team needs me.” For Avent, having a left-handed relief ace
who can throw in so many different situations definitely makes his task of managing a game a little easier. “He’s got a good fastball,” Avent said. “Anytime you compete, you have a chance to do some things. He’s a big man. He’s a big lefty. Big lefties have a chance, if they can throw strikes, to have a little bit of an edge, because you don’t see that many big lefties with the command he’s got. He has a good breaking ball. Like I said, his biggest thing is he likes to be on the big stage. He likes matchups.” Klyman went 9-0 with a 1.00 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 59 innings during his senior season at Jamestown High School in Virginia. When it came time for the Williamsburg native to choose a place to play college baseball, NC State had an emotional leg up. Klyman said he grew up cheering for the Wolfpack, and his grandfather played basketball for the Pack in the 1950s. Meeting Avent and seeing what kind of program he was running, combined with his love for NC State, sealed the deal for Klyman. “As soon as I was born, I was kind of destined to love NC State,” Klyman said. “I was all for it. I think that coach Avent just opened my eyes to everything about the program and how everything’s run. That just definitely sold it for me.”
SARAH COCHRAN/TECHNICIAN
If there’s anyone who could connect with Klyman on that love for NC State, it was Avent. Entering his 23rd season as the Wolfpack’s head coach, Avent often describes his loves for the game of baseball and NC State as “the perfect marriage.” In Klyman, Avent not only has a rock-solid reliever but a fellow lifelong NC State fan. The two will often talk in the dugout about what’s going on with other NC State sports, such as football and basketball. “That’s why you come to NC State, because it’s more than baseball,” Avent said. “It’s the school; it’s the community; it’s Raleigh. What former players have done here and what this program means to you, and it’s about the other sports as well… Kent gets that. He’s one of those guys that gets that. He’s not just self-absorbed with what our baseball program is doing.” As NC State embarks on another season with the ultimate goal of getting past the regional round for the first time since a trip to the College World Series in 2013, the pitching, and in particular the bullpen, figures to be a strength. Klyman will be the undisputed leader for the Pack’s relief corps in 2019, giving NC State a relief ace who has loved his school long before he ever put on a Wolfpack uniform.
Sports
TECHNICIAN
PAGE 12 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019
Pack baseball NC State faces starts back extremely tough against Bucknell nonconference slate Ethan Barry Staff Writer
SARAH COCHRAN/TECHNICIAN
Junior infielder Evan Edwards puts out Army catcher Trey Martin on Sunday, June 3, 2018 at Doak Field. Edwards hit two home runs versus Army as the Wolfpack beat the Black Knights 11-1.
Camden Speight
Assistant Sports Editor
The NC State baseball team will get things going against the Bucknell Bison on Friday to kick off the Pack’s first weekend series of the 2019 season. They last met in March of 2016 when NC State won 5-2. The preseason-ranked No. 21 Pack was 42-18 overall and 19-11 in the ACC last season and looks to build similar success this year despite losing a number of key pieces in the outfield. However, the infield remains strongly intact and will be the strength of the team on both sides of the ball. Bucknell was 17-27-1 and 13-11-1 in the Patriot League in the 2018 season. The Bison lost their top two players by batting average from last season so there are some large shoes to fill at the top of the lineup. NC State will face four players who were picked for Preseason All-Patriot League Team led by Jeff Gottesman. Gottesman went 5-4 last season with a 2.85 ERA and will likely get a start this weekend. If Gottesman gets the start on
Friday afternoon, he would face Pack junior starter Jason Parker. NC State pitchers will have to be careful while pitching to a couple of position players who also made the preseason conference team. First baseman Tyler Wincig hit .277 last season and tallied 15 RBIs. Outfielder JohnPaul Bell hit .250 and led the team with five home runs, while catcher Evan Klugerman hit .235 and led the team with 26 RBIs. NC State knows the production it will get from junior shortstop Will Wilson, sophomore catcher Patrick Bailey and senior first baseman Evan Edwards, but it will be important for this team to get the rest of the lineup producing offensively. Sophomore outfielder Terrell Tatum and redshirt junior third baseman Dillon Cooper are two guys that the Pack need to step up after losing all three outfielders to the MLB last year. Cooper started at third base for the first half of the season but his defensive play slipped and caused a switch at that position. NC State will look to get off the ground against the Bison on Friday at 3 p.m. at Doak Field at Dail Park. Saturday’s first pitch is at 2 p.m. and Sunday’s is at 1 p.m.
One of the most important parts of building a quality resume for the NCAA Tournament, regardless of the sport, is the nonconference schedule. The difference between a strong nonconference slate and bad nonconference slate can be as big as missing the tournament versus making the tournament. Last year, the NC State baseball team was in danger of not hosting a regional because the nonconference schedule was so bad. It was the biggest knock against a team that had one of the best regular seasons in NC State history. Fortunately, or unfortunately based on how it played out, the Pack was able to snag the last national seed and host a regional, despite its nonconference schedule. This year, the Wolfpack won’t be in trouble because of the strength of schedule. Let’s take a look at that schedule. The biggest nonconference series of the season will be one of the toughest tests all year when Minnesota comes to town from March 1-3. The Gophers went 44-15 last season, won the Big Ten and won their regional before losing to eventual national champion Oregon State in Super Regionals. Minnesota lost their best hitter, Terrin Vavra, but returns the majority of its pitching staff. This series figures to be one of the premier nonconference matchups in the country. From there, the nonconference schedule shifts to midweek matchups when conference series take over the weekends. The Pack has road games against in-state teams Elon, Campbell, UNC-Wilmington and Charlotte, who each finished in the top 110 of the RPI. Of those teams, the Seahawks will likely take a step back from finishing one game away from Super Regionals, but otherwise each will be a potential NCAA Tournament team. NC State has a home and road series with Coastal Carolina, who is one of the best mid-major teams in the country year in and year out. This year, D1 Baseball ranked them No. 21 in their preseason poll. The most underrated nonconference games is when Tennessee Tech comes to
SARAH COCHRAN/ARCHIVE
Sophomore infielder Will Wilson runs to third base against Georgia Tech on Friday, March 23 at Doak Field. Although losing 13-4 to the Yellow Jackets in the first game of that day’s doubleheader, the Wolfpack came back to win the second matchup 5-2.
Raleigh on April 23, a year after finishing 15th in RPI, winning the regional against No. 4 overall seed Ole Miss and coming within one game of advancing to Omaha and the College World Series. This Golden Eagles team won’t be that good, but they’ll still be a good challenge for the Wolfpack. A not her big nonconference ga me comes in Charlotte on April 2 against South Carolina, another team who advanced to Super Regionals last year and was one game away from Omaha. The
SCHEDULE continued page 13
Sports
TECHNICIAN
PAGE 13 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019
Johnston ready to build on breakout first season Alec Sawyer
Assistant Sports Editor
It’s never easy for a freshman pitcher to come into an ACC baseball program and find success. It’s even harder for a freshman pitcher to come in and find success as a weekend starter, but that’s exactly what Reid Johnston did for NC State last year. Johnston, now a sophomore, put together an incredible freshman campaign in 2018, earning multiple Freshman AllAmerican honors after compiling a 7-1 record with a 3.06 ERA in 64.2 innings pitched. Johnston commanded games throughout the season, moving from the bullpen to the starting rotation in the second half of the year. The success came early and somewhat unexpectedly for the right-handed pitcher from Enfield, North Carolina, who came to the Wolfpack as both an infielder and pitcher. After quickly shifting to a pitcher only in his first fall, Johnston broke out in a big way on the bump in a season even he didn’t see coming. Now, he enters his sophomore year set up to be the Pack’s ace. “I didn’t really know what I was going to go up against,” Johnston said. “I got a lot of experience last year that’s going to help me out this year, which is really what I didn’t have last year, was experience. I think I’m ready for this year.” Johnston started out in the bullpen for the Wolfpack as a freshman, and was one of the Pack’s most reliable arms in relief. He made 11 relief appearances on the season, allowing runs in just five of those outings and never giving up more than three earned runs in a game. He was also as reliable as anyone on the team when it came to his command out of the pen, walking just four batters in 22 innings of relief work compared to 17 strikeouts. His strongest relief outing came in the Pack’s best series, a sweep on the road at No. 2 Clemson. In game two of the series, Johnston
SCHEDULE
continued from page 12
Gamecocks are historically a very strong program, and this year will be no different. The emphasis placed on neutral-site road games is clear. Last year, there were only three nonconference games away from Doak Field, and that included a
DAVID TRACEY/TECHNICIAN
Freshman pitcher Reid Johnston pitches the ball against Virginia at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Thursday, May 24. Johnston pitched 2.2 innings, giving up three hits and two earned runs as the Wolfpack lost 4-2.
earned a save after tossing three scoreless innings to close out the game, walking no one and striking out three batters. Johnston really found his own with the Wolfpack as the season moved along, and also found a groove with battery mate Patrick Bailey, another player looking to build on a great 2018 freshman year. “He brings a guy that is going to get on the mound and throw strikes,” Bailey said. “He’s going to attack with his fastball, and he’s always going to let the defense work and get some quick innings and get back into the dugout.” That relationship and comfort level between Johnston and Bailey helped Johnston immensely last season, and is something that will help the righty continue to
grow and develop moving forward. “It’s a comfort thing. I threw to him last year basically every time I threw,” Johnston said. “He knows how to work with me, and we know how to work together. He knows how to work with everybody else. It’s just a comfort thing, mostly.” That comfort and success for Johnston last season out of the bullpen turned the heads of the NC State coaching staff and earned him the opportunity to move into the weekend rotation later in the season. Johnston’s last eight appearances of the season came as a starter, with five of those coming in ACC play and two coming in postseason play. The move to the rotation was something that made a lot of sense for Johnston, who
showed the coaching staff he clearly knew how to get guys out at a college level. And while the move made sense and bolstered the starting rotation, it was something that didn’t come easy for head coach Elliott Avent, who didn’t want to lose one of his most reliable relievers. “Reid actually was a guy that keyed our season last year,” Avent said. “We were going along, and he was a guy out of the bullpen that I was utilizing a lot. He was very successful, and the coaching staff said ‘Hey, I think we need to put him in the rotation.’ I hesitated to put him in the rotation because he was so valuable out of the bullpen, but not only did we put
game against UNC-Chapel Hill in Durham. This year, there are 10. Last year, the Pack didn’t face a single nonconference team who made the tournament in 2017. This year, the Wolfpack has twelve nonconference games against 2018 tournament teams, including three who won regionals. As for the conference schedule, it’s as tough as ever. D1 Baseball ranks Louisville at No. 4, Florida State at No. 13
and Clemson at No. 24 in its preseason poll. Each of those teams make trips to Raleigh this season. Louisville was also voted as the ACC preseason favorite to win the Atlantic Division and the ACC as a whole. The Wolfpack will travel to UNC-Chapel Hill and Wake Forest, who check in at No. 7 and No. 20, respectively, in the D1 Baseball poll. The Tar Heels were voted the preseason favorite in the Coastal
Division, receiving 13 out of 14 votes. The team who received the other vote is Virginia, who will also play at Doak Field this year. The schedule is as tough as it’s ever been for the Wolfpack, and there will be bumps in the road because of it. The good news is that when push comes to shove in May, the Pack will be battle-tested, and the schedule will help instead of hurt the Wolfpack when it comes to seeding.
JOHNSTON continued page 14
Sports
TECHNICIAN
PAGE 14 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019
Russ brings a mix of power and speed to the Wolfpack Jake Caccavaro Staff Writer
After leading the Wolfpack in on-base percentage (.394) and stolen bases (17 for 17) in 2018, Sam Russ is ready to add an even flashier weapon to her game. The sophomore outfielder has fully bought into new head coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift’s “home-run mindset” and has embraced the power that her sweet lefthanded swing can generate. “It’s a good feeling, having outfielders back up when you come to the plate,” Russ said, “knowing at any point you can hit it out.” A speedy, slap-hitting leadoff hitter the majority of her life, Russ’ swing caught the eye of Patrick-Swift early on. “Day one, when I saw her natural lefty swing,” Patrick-Swift said. “I knew that we could get power, we could get pop.” A right-handed hitter for the first six or seven years of her softball career, Russ cites a midsummer switch to hitting left-handed when she was 13 as the beginning of her love for softball. “Swinging left-handed just came more naturally to me,” Russ said. “As soon as I turned around and hit left-handed… that’s when I really fell in love with softball and knew that was the game for me.” Transitioning from a slap hitter to a power hitter isn’t an easy task, and Russ didn’t make that switch overnight. All throughout practices and scrimmages during the fall, Russ fine-tuned her swing to generate the type of power she is capable of. “She was one of the first ones that seemed to understand it,” Patrick-Swift said. “She made the body adjustments and had the body awareness.” Although a catchy phrase, the homerun mindset of Patrick-Swift isn’t strictly to swing for the fences every at-bat and go
JOHNSTON
continued from page 13
him into the rotation, we put him into the Friday night role.” Johnston got thrown into that Friday role and the success didn’t stop. In his first weekend start of the season and just fourth start overall, Johnston shut down an incredibly talented Duke offense on the road. Johnston tossed 6.2 innings against the Blue Devils, holding a Duke offense that had four players who would later see the MLB draft to just two earned runs and four hits. He struck out three in the game,
all or nothing. In addition to the physical aspects necessary to adopt the home-run mindset, such as fine-tuning her swing, Russ has had to adopt a mental approach that is a lot different than that of a slap hitter. “I like to think that when I step into the box, I’m in scoring position,” Russ said. “I can score a run for my team as soon as I step into the box.” Russ’ longtime bread and butter, however, is her speed. As one of the fastest players in the ACC, Russ led the Wolfpack in stolen bases in 2018 and wasn’t thrown out a single time. Every time she gets on base, she is a threat to steal a base, a skill that just comes naturally to her. “My mindset is… I need to get myself into scoring position,” Russ said. “I’m confident I can do that off of most catchers.” An excellent baserunner her whole life, Russ’ key to success is getting good jumps, something she is good at partially as a result of paying attention pregame. “It’s all about the jump,” Russ said. “I look at the pitcher while she’s warming up to understand her windup and when I’ll need to go. Then it’s just all about getting that good jump.” As fast and adept a baserunner as Russ is, she wasn’t given the green light very often last year, roughly only once every three games. However, Patrick-Swift knows a weapon like Russ shouldn’t be left unused. “If we can get her to the next base, we’re going to,” Patrick-Swift said. “When she gets a good jump, she can beat out any catcher in the country.” Through five games, the Wolfpack is 3-2 with a win over No. 7 Arizona under its belt already. Hitting out of the leadoff spot, Russ has been a catalyst for the offense, and her coach expects her to keep it up. “The kid’s just a great ballplayer,” PatrickSwift said. “The sky’s the limit.” and his command was on display as always as he didn’t register a walk. He ended up starting five ACC games down the stretch of the season and into the ACC Tournament. Johnston went 2-0 in those five games, striking out 18 batters compared to walking just eight. “That’s actually what turned our season around a little bit,” Avent said. “He pitched so well on Friday nights as a freshman in the ACC. It shows how he believes in himself, how competitive he is and how much he wants to be successful.” That competitive drive is pushing Johnston forward as he enters his second season in a pitching staff that is arguably more talented than last year. Johnston will take over the ace role from the gradu-
BRANDON LANG/ARCHIVE
Freshman outfielder Sam Russ looks to throw to the infield against East Carolina on Oct. 6, 2017 in Dail Softball Stadium. The Wolfpack won the first game of that day’s doubleheader 8-1.
ated Brian Brown, and he knows what to expect in the ACC. However, Johnston won’t let that familiarity keep him from competing. “It’s easier because the comfort level is there, you kind of know what to expect,” Johnston said. “You’ve still got to go out there and work hard every day, and do
what you did last year and keep getting better. We have a good pitching staff this year, and everybody is looking to take somebody else’s spot. We have seven or eight guys that could easily be pitching on any night of the weekend. Everybody wants that spot. We just keep working hard.”
Seeking Qualified Eggs Donors. Donors will receive up to $4500.
The North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine is in need of women 19-32 for egg donation. Donors will receive up to $4500.
Visit NCCRM.com or call (919) 233-1680.
Classified
FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY 14, 2019
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
PAGE 15 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019
To place a classified ad, call 919.515.2411 or visit technicianonline.com/classifieds
ANNOUNCEMENTS Lease a two bedroom apartment at the recently constructed 109 Park Avenue in Raleigh, NC for only $825 a month! Lease a two bedroom apartment at the recently constructed 109 Park Avenue in Raleigh, NC for only $825 a month! https:// www.liveonhillsborough.com. The price is lower than what is now being charged. This is a two bedroom apartment and the lease is for one bedroom in the apartment as the other bedroom is vacant so you can select your own roommate. The lease starts August 1, 2019 and ends July 31, 2020. Move in approval is upon apartment owners screening, i.e. credit check. The apartment rent includes all utilities (water, electricity, gas, garbage, and internet) along with a washer and dryer inside the unit, and 50 inch smart TV. Plus, the bedroom comes with an extended full size bed, dresser, and desk with chair. As well, the apartment complex has a gym and yoga studio with a pool coming in summer of 2019! Pets are allowed for an additional fee. Email bruffin76@yahoo.com
HELP WANTED ***Direct Support Professional*** Fantastic opportunity to support an adult or child with special needs in their home and community. Varied schedules and locations available with full time, part time, temporary and fill in options. Must have high school education and reliable transportation. Rates $10-$12 an hr. Great benefits, 401-K and loyalty bonuses per eligible employees! EOE Send resumes to Keri.Richardson@asmallmiraclellc.com. Email Keri.Richardson@asmallmiraclellc.com
TUTOR NEEDED SAT or ACT Tutoring online Did you do extremely well on the SAT or ACT? Are you good with the math and the verbal materials? If so, call or text to 910-528-5595 to arrange a time to talk. Perry Youngblood, NCSU-BSEE Email perryybus@gmail.com
SPRING BREAK BAHAMAS SPRING BREAK $189 for 5-Days. All prices include: Round-trip luxury party cruise. Accommodations on the island at your choice of ten resorts. Appalachia Travel. www.BahamaSun.com 800-867-5018
Level 1
2
3
Level 1
4
Solution to Wednesday’s puzzle
ACROSS 1 Queen, e.g. 6 Fell for the joke 9 Put away for future reference 13 ArkivMusic.com purchase 14 Sch. with a Tempe campus 15 Flooded 17 “Little Book of Mind-Power” author 19 Battery inventor Alessandro 20 Stand food 21 Danish city named for a Norse god 23 Place for a shot 24 Gate info 25 Conversation stumbles 26 Gives the nod 27 Hasty escape 28 Superman specialty 30 Wrigley Field feature 31 Like beds in cleaned hotel rooms 32 Peter of “9-1-1” 34 Tunisian currency 35 Takes a casual drive ... and a literal description of 10 puzzle answers 37 Bearings 39 Casual eatery 40 Ending to avoid? 41 Interject 42 Touchdown site 46 “Well, __-di-dah!” 47 Shooting initials 48 “Jeopardy!” record-setter Jennings 49 Spa emanation 50 Source of some ’60s trips 51 1840s-’50s home to Liszt 53 End of an old boast 54 Military camp 56 Luxury accommodations for bigwigs 58 Church offering 59 Prefix with warrior 60 1960 Wimbledon champ Fraser
2/14/19
2/14/19
By Bruce Haight
61 Laryngitis symptom 62 Spied 63 Fire __
Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved
DOWN 1 Wi-Fi conduit 2 Raise from three to four stars, as a hotel 3 Classic cameras 4 So 5 Singer Carly __ Jepsen 6 Gets thinner on top 7 “So THAT’s what’s going on here!” 8 Hoops goofs 9 BFFs 10 __ Jima 11 Space cadet’s world 12 Erik of “CHiPs” 16 Work (out) with effort, as an agreement 18 Cosmetics giant 22 What’s up? 25 Pierre’s bills 29 Designer fragrance 30 “To repeat ... ”
2
3
4
©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
31 Trivial 33 PC storage options 34 “Hands of Stone” boxer Roberto 35 Fortune 500 IT company 36 Frisky whiskered critters 37 Polo need 38 Excited
Solution to Thursday’s puzzle
2/14/19
41 Tap outflow 43 Tiki bar cocktail 44 Small battery 45 Swindle 47 Win the first four World Series games 48 “Whammo!” 52 Flaky mineral 53 Contender 55 Acidity nos. 57 German conjunction
2/15/19