RED: 2022 NC State Basketball — Technician 11/03/22

WHAT YOU MISSED:

Chancellor Randy Woodson gives annual fall address

NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson gave his an nual fall address Monday, Oct. 31 in Talley Student Union. The event took place on the first day of Red and White week, NC State’s homecoming celebra tion. Woodson highlighted the notable accomplish ments of individuals and groups at NC State.

SOURCE: NC STATE NEWS

Sing Out NC raises money for reproductive rights

On Nov. 6, Cat’s Cradle will host a concert featuring a collection of artists advocating for reproductive rights. Proceeds will go to protecting abortion access in North Carolina. Artists include HC McEntire, Kamara Thom as, Libby Rodenbough, Dawn Landes, Florence Dore and Sinclair Palmer.

SOURCE: CAT’S CRADLE

Taylor Swift announces The Eras Tour

Following the release of her album “Midnights,” Tay lor Swift has announced her first tour in four years, “The Eras Tour.” The tour is set to begin March 18, 2023 in Arizona and wrap Aug. 5 in Los Angeles. Art ists such as Phoebe Bridgers, Girl in Red, Haim and Paramore will be joining Swift on tour.

SOURCE: CNN Escaped king cobra located after a week of freedom

A seven-foot king cobra named Houdini that escaped from his terrarium in a Swedish zoo was discovered in the insulation between two walls near the terrari um. The snake escaped through a light fixture in the ceiling of his terrarium Oct. 22 and was found using X-ray cameras. He slithered back into his terrarium after a week of freedom.

SOURCE: AP NEWS

THE RADAR

Events to keep an eye on for the week of Nov. 3

HARAMBEE! BLOCK PARTY

Friday, Nov. 4, 3-6 p.m.

HARRIS FIELD Free

Join the African American Cultural Center for their annual welcome back to campus. Make connections and enjoy music and food while celebrat ing this year’s theme: the power of community.

ACAPPOLOGY CONCERT

Saturday, Nov. 5, 7:30 p.m.

TALLEY STUDENT UNION, COASTAL BALLROOM

$5 for students, $10 for faculty, staff and seniors, $12 for general public

Join NC State’s very own all gender a cappella group for the upbeat ener getic tunes at their annual fall concert.

WKNC’S LOCAL LUNCH LIVE WITH UGL3E

Wednesday, Nov. 9, Noon-1 p.m.

THE CORNER Free

Take a midday break from your Wednesday work for the next event in WKNC’s Local Lunch Live featuring musical artist Ugl3e.

CROWN OF ROYALTY: HAIR EXPOSÉ

Wednesday, Nov. 9, 6-8 p.m.

TALLEY STUDENT UNION, COASTAL BALLROOM Free

Join the Black Students Board for an exhibition of four artists’ creative collections celebrating the beauty of natural hair.

BY MOLLIE MITCHELL

Record freshman class leads to on-campus housing overflow

Cameron Rhinehart Brand Manager

For the last few years, NC State’s incom ing first-year class has grown larger and larger. Because of this, freshmen have had a hard time securing conveniently located housing on campus.

This year, NC State’s incoming class contained 5,601 students, 571 more than last year. Because of the increase, Uni versity Housing was not able to allot the space needed on central campus for first-year students, according to Katrina Pawvluk, director of Administration and Occupancy Management.

“This year we had to figure out how to take on this many students,” Pawvluk said. “I was prepared for an increase but was not prepared for one this large.”

According to Donna McGalliard, as sistant vice chancellor and executive director of University Housing, the de partment is always talking to admissions to ensure that as many students can get convenient housing as possible.

“We work very closely with the admis sions office to understand their target goal for first-year and transfer students,” McGalliard said. “We are in constant communication with them in general.”

Once Housing learns the target number of students to be accepted, applications can begin and Housing can begin assign ing students housing.

“When we learn the number, [we] put our applications live,” McGalliard said. “It is a little bit of a puzzle, but we have a good framework for how that puzzle is out together.”

However, that target number is not al ways completely spot on, so housing does use a buffer, according to Pawvluk.

“Once they tell me the target number, I usually hold a buffer over it because it is not an exact science,” Pawvluk said. “We always know the class could be larger, and try to plan for that, but this year was a bit bigger than we were able to plan for.”

Housing tries to put first-year students as close to Main Campus as possible so they are near important structures and support systems.

“We’ve tried to make freshmen closer to campus because they are closer to support services, and makes it easier to connect,” Pawvluk said. “The more they are con nected the more likely we are to retain them as students. We try really hard to make freshmen more centrally located on campus for this reason.”

This year, because of the large influx of students, Housing was unable to ensure that all first-year students received hous ing close to campus. Yuvan Suresh Babu, a first-year studying biomedical engineer

ing, lives in Avent Ferry Complex, which is pretty far from Main Campus.

“I personally dislike it a lot. It is very difficult, because I don’t understand the bus system too well, and it varies when the buses come, so to be safe I always walk,” Suresh Babu said. “This means I spend my entire day at north campus because that is where my classes are. I don’t go back to my room because it is a long walk, so if I forget something, I just have to go without it.”

Suresh Babu said being far from Main Campus creates an obstacle in meeting new people and finding friends who are also in their first year.

“It feels like it is more difficult to find friends,” Suresh Babu said. “I know more upperclassmen at Avent Ferry than I do freshman, so it is hard to make friends with other freshmen.”

Despite the difficulty, Suresh Babu said he likes the size of his room and being able to have his own bathroom.

“There’s definitely some tradeoffs,” Suresh Babu said. “I am an introvert, so I like having more space and not having to share a bathroom, but in general it is harder to get to campus.”

Suresh Babu said it is better for firstyear students to be closer to campus for meeting people and finding community.

“You need to find people to align with who you can be friends with, and you can better cultivate your interests be cause there are more things happening on north campus than at Avent Ferry,”

Suresh Babu said. “If you’re trying to net work or socialize, Avent Ferry is not the best place to be.”

Pawvluk said Housing actively tries to avoid putting students in Avent Ferry Complex, but sometimes have to because of the influx of first-year students, and the ultimate goal is to put students, es pecially first-years, where they are com fortable and able to find structure and community.

“We moved away from putting fresh men into Avent Ferry Complex unless they fit into the two communities that live there (sports teams and villages), but this class being so large, our only option to meet the live-on requirement was to put some freshmen in that complex this year,” Pawvluk said. “The goal is to not do that again in the future if we don’t have to, and next year I will give myself a bigger buffer after seeing the influx this year.”

DaQuanta Copeland running for Mayor of Raleigh

DaQuanta Copeland, community orga nizer and advocate and vice chair for Wake County Health and Human Services Board, is running for Raleigh mayor. The focuses of Copeland’s campaign include affordable housing, ending gentrification and police accountability.

Copeland: plans to support efforts to make affordable housing in Raleigh more accessible and available. In an interview with INDY Week, Copeland said she disagrees with the City Council’s current plans for affordable housing. “We’re losing affordable housing by the thousands,” Copeland said to INDY Week.

Copeland said the council should work to provide incentives and extra support through grants and bonds to property owners to make creating and keeping affordable housing more appealing as Raleigh continues to grow.

“If we blanketed that property owner so that the families didn’t have to eat that higher cost that they can’t afford, then we as a city, we will take care of our business owners as well as taking care of our family,” Copeland said to INDY Week.

Copeland: wants to address gentrification and displacement in Raleigh. Copeland said Raleigh’s continued growth and rising hou sing prices have led to Raleigh natives being pushed out due to new houses and apartments being built over historically affordable hou sing, according to The News & Observer.

“We can’t help the fact that Raleigh is conti nuing to grow,” Copeland said to the N&O. “There’s no way to tell someone ‘Don’t move here.’ But what we can do is stop waving the flag and advertising that you should ‘come here, come here’ when we still have so many homeless people who are here.”

Copeland: if elected, also plans to imple ment effective leadership, inclusive commu nication and create healthy and strong com munities. Copeland’s campaign website said, “Our vision of an inclusive, caring society mo tivates us to work tirelessly and never give up.”

GRAPHIC BY AVERY SZAKACS/TECHNICIAN

Abigail Ali News Editor

RYAN PERRY/TECHNICIAN

view of downtown Raleigh from South Saunders Street on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019.

Vampires, werewolves and shapeshifters: how NC State professors use monsters

Brinley Carter Correspondent

Many works of classical literature follow monsters of all kinds, as well as contemporary writing. Two NC State professors use the supernatural to il lustrate real life.

Cadwell Turnbull, an assistant profes sor of creative writing, is the published author of “No Gods, No Monsters.” His award-winning novel was acclaimed by The New York Times as “riveting … [a] tender, ferocious book,” and he said monsters, like vampires, werewolves and other shape-shifters, helped bring this novel to life. Turnbull said he used some of the stories he heard from back home to play into his writing.

“I grew up in the Virgin Islands, so I borrow a lot from stories I heard growing up as a kid from popular folklore in the region,” Turnbull said.

Before writing his novel, Turnbull also wrote a short story that was set in the same place as his book. He said they al most played into each other, using the example of one of the monsters he pulled from his other works.

“There’s also a selkie-like creature called a soucouyant; they remove their skin and suck blood,” Turnbull said. “In the stories back home, if you found their [shedded] skin, and you poured salt in it, you could kill them that way.”

Turnbull explained how he wanted to structure his novel and what kind of top ics he wanted to include.

“So the way that I pitched it was ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ meets ‘The Wire,’” Turnbull said. “So it’s social issues and monster folklore.”

Turnbull said some of the social is sues he wanted to address while writing his novel included topics like race and sexuality.

“The thing that I wanted to do with the book was take monsters that we all recognize and tie them into a sectional study,” Turnbull said. “How does being marginalized in different ways … affect your monstrosity? How does being Black, Brown or queer affect your monster side or your relation to the world as being a monster?”

He said he also used his book as a tool to communicate other social issues of class and wealth.

“You know, I was really interested in having this kind of more nuanced ex ploration of the different kinds of mon sters and those things that intersect with class,” Turnbull said.

He said vampires are usually associat

ed with being wealthier than werewolves.

“This is kind of a spoiler because I don’t explicitly say this in the book, but vampires tend to be wealthier,” Turnbull said. “And so, their experience of being a monster is very different from the were wolves in the book who are coming from vulnerable populations. A lot of them were homeless, and that affects how they relate to their monster side and how they relate to the world.”

Sumita Chakraborty, an assistant Eng lish professo, explained her thoughts on monsters in poems and said they can provide deeper meanings within litera ture.

“The interesting thing, I think, is usu ally the monster in the poem is there to either show something monstrous about humanity, or to kind of point toward some way in which some populations are unfairly characterized as monsters,” Chakraborty said.

Chakraborty said one of the poems she studied exemplifies how some people

were made out to be monsters.

“Jericho Brown’s poem ‘Homeland’ starts off with the speaker, a Black man, realizing that other people on the plane viewed him as a vampire,” Chakraborty said.

Chakraborty said poets and other writ ers often used monsters to communicate through metaphors.

“I feel like a lot of folks can relate to the feeling that we’re living in a scary time with lots of monsters, and that’s essentially what these poets are trying to think about too,” Chakraborty said.

Chakraborty said she was looking for ward to getting more into this type of literary analysis during a spooky class she will be teaching next semester.

“One of my biggest interests in lit erature is how poets deal with death,” Chakraborty said. “So, I’m going to be teaching a class in the spring that I’ve taught before elsewhere, and it’s called Conversations with Dead People.”

Chakraborty said one of the topics in

the course is how the literature of poets exemplified some of the methods people used to contact spirits.

“In the 20th century, a lot of really major poets not only imagined poems where they were talking to ghosts or corpses, but they also used a lot of ma terial means, like ouija boards and table tapping to try and contact dead spirits,” Chakraborty said.

Chakraborty said this course will be an interesting addition to NC State.

“So the course is about how the occult ist is still really relevant and of interest to contemporary poets,” Chakraborty said. “For some reason, we just kind of can’t shake the interest in spooky stuff.”

Turnbull said he is working on publish ing his second book of the trilogy.

“I still have some work to do on this second book, and then I’m going to be working with an editor,” Turnbull said. “It’s going to go through its pre-publica tion phase, but I’ve started working on a third book, and I’m excited.”

GRAPHIC BY AVERY SZAKACS/TECHNICIAN

How to build credit without ruining your score

Cameron Rhinehart Brand Manager

Never heard of credit? We’ve got you. When managed well, credit cards can be a vital part of building credit while in college. Melissa Hart, a senior lecturer in Finance and Hailey Amass, president of the Financial Literacy Club, gave advice for students on how to manage their credit while in college by using a credit card.

Amass, a third-year studying accounting and finance, explained credit is any money that you will have to pay back. Credit cards and student loans are examples of money that you have to borrow and pay back, in turn building credit.

“It’s important to start building good credit habits at a young age rather than waiting until it’s necessary,” Amass said. “While we aren’t buying houses right now, it is good to have an established credit history, because the longer you have credit established, the better it will look on your score over time.”

Hart said credit is important because almost everyone will need it in order to make a big purchase eventually, such as a house or a car. Credit is what will be used to evaluate one’s ability to pay back their debts, so when trying

to make a major purchase later in life, the better one’s credit the better off they will be.

“Almost everyone will be making a major purchase one day,” Hart said. “If you don’t have credit when trying to make a major purchase one day, you’re either going to need a cosigner or pay a really high interest rate.”

Amass said the best way to build credit while in college is opening a credit card when you turn 18, and actually using it.

“You can find a student credit card at many banks, and then use it for any purchase rather than paying with cash or a debit card, then pay ing it back immediately,” Amass said. “Use it as you would cash and live within your means, don’t overspend and it will build your credit.”

According to Hart, a small piece of credit score is length of credit, but the majority is payment history, so student credit cards are a great way to build credit in college.

“The FICO score has two pieces in it which represent 65% of your credit score, the first be ing payment history,” Hart said. “There is only one way to have payment history, and that is to actually have credit.”

Hart said college students often shy away

from credit cards because of the fear of overspending or spending money they don’t have, but a little self-control will go a long way in terms of building credit.

“This is the part that I think scares college students the most: if they give you a credit line, what if you spend it all?” Hart said. “You need to have a bit of restraint but even if you did spend the max, it would take you a long time to pay it off but you’d have a great pay ment history.”

Amass said the best re source for students on cam pus is the PNC bank in Talley Student Union, located on the second floor.

“It’s really convenient with its location, and they have a lot of options for students to start building their credit,” Amass said.

Ultimately, both Hart and Amass advise stu dents to find a credit card best suited to their lifestyle and personality as a way to build credit

BY ANN SALMAN/TECHNICIAN

and prepare for life after college.

“Understand what your limits are, if you’re a saver or a spender, and knowing yourself can really pair well with what you’re trying to do with your credit,” Hart said. “Know yourself and know your circumstances.”

Horrible Halloween Emma Reid, staff cartoonist A second-year studying business administration

Nova and Comet: The Doubtful Dinosaur Pearl Knight, staff cartoonist A fourth-year studying art and design

Think twice before you buy Shein again

less workers’ rights violations within their factories.

Anu Mishra Correspondent

Scrolling through Shein feels like an insane sen sory overload. There are a dozen different versions of the exact same top — some in different colors, some strapless, some with sparkles and some without. Most college girls choose to shop off Shein because it’s cheap, always has new styles and if something doesn’t fit, you just return it. However, Shein and its counterparts are part of an ever-growing fast fashion indus try creating disastrous effects on our envi ronment and their labor pools.

Shein is a part of the fast fashion culture that is rapidly taking over the world. The low prices and convenience work well for people living busy lifestyles. The company releases nearly 10,000 new products a day. This high volume encourages terrible envi ronmental practices and has caused count

The company has long been under fire for having questionable standards for their workers. This past June, a viral TikTok pointed out concerning messages written on Shein clothing tags. These tags were lit tered with messages like “Help Me,” “SOS” and “I am in pain.” Shein responded to these messages and claimed that they were just awkwardly worded translations.

These messages were just the initial signs of the questionable and illegal activity happening within China’s Shein factories. Channel 4, a UK broadcasting company, recently went undercover in two of Shein’s factories in Guangzhou, China. They un covered a myriad of workers’ rights viola tions and disturbing details about how the company operates.

According to Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz, a reporter from The Cut, the undercover in vestigation revealed that Shein workers re

ceive a base salary of 4,000 yuan per month. This is roughly $556 per month to make 500 pieces of clothing on a daily basis. If work ers make any mistakes, their first month’s pay is withheld from them. Employees work nearly 18 hours a day and get one day off per month. Conditions in these factories are so bad that women were seen washing their hair during their lunch breaks.

Consumers of Shein products are woe fully unaware of the terrible impact this corporation has not only on its workers, but also on the environment. Dilys Williams, a reporter from The Guardian, writes about the disturbing truth behind this throwaway form of fast fashion. The sheer amount of products that Shein releases promotes a culture of “wear it and throw it away.”

Shein also practices the “test and repeat” model; the company produces 50 to 100 of each item, and if an item doesn’t sell, all those products go straight to the landfill. This is immensely wasteful and leaves an

atrocious carbon footprint for the corpo ration. Williams refers to Shein as going beyond fast fashion — becoming an “ultra fast fashion” corporation.

Shein has become one of the largest ecommerce giants, surpassing both Zara and H&M. This past year, Shein passed Amazon as the most-downloaded online shopping app. The rise of Shein brings up major concerns about the future of fashion and wardrobe trends. Overconsumption, constantly evolving fads and unethically produced clothing have taken over the face of modern fashion. Our spending habits are bringing us closer and closer to cata strophic environmental concerns.

Continuing to purchase off Shein only promotes the company’s unethical behav ior. Convenience is not worth the cost of human lives. At the end of the day, you vote with your dollar. A couple bucks for you can cost another person’s life and compro mise the future of the planet.

You are biased, whether you like it or not

We all do it. Everywhere we go, every individual we pass by and every single post made on social me dia, we are making a bi ased assumption. We may be completely aware of do ing so, or we are doing it subconsciously. The fact of the matter is, we are hu man beings and we are hardwired like this. Our family, gender, political stance, re

Ashley Linzey Staff Columnist

ligion, class status and most importantly how we are raised and who we surround ourselves with all impact how we view oth ers and our surroundings. The type of bias we make without knowing, implicit bias, stems from confirmation and cognitive biases where we try to make sense of the world around us.

We take what we have learned from fam ily and peers and group everything into our own filing cabinet of beliefs. We then hold those beliefs with confidence, assum

ing what we know is right, and automati cally assume everyone and everything fits within those files.

The world is a large, complex and confus ing place with many individuals roaming about. Different cultures, walks of life, be liefs and so much more are all intertwined and can be a lot to take in if you come from a small town like myself.

I have multiple tattoos, my ears pierced up like nobody’s business and I have a sep tum piercing as well. I listen to ‘70s and

‘80s rock, my parents are divorced, I have a major RBF and sometimes curse more than I ought to. Just by this short descrip tion, you may or may not have already made some biased opinion in the back of your head, and that’s OK. I’ve had friends in the past tell me at first impression they never thought I would be so goofy, caring and loving as I am because of my outward appearance.

BIASED continued page 7

Become a part-time vegetarian, it’s worth it

larly if you rely on dining halls for meals.

Emily Cooney Staff Columnist

According to The Veg etarian Resource Group, 5.3% of U.S. adults be tween the ages of 18 and 34 are vegetarian. People have personal motives for wanting to be vege tarian — health benefits, desire to protect animals, religious practices, envi ronmentally conscious reasons — the list goes on. I have always aspired to one day become a vegetarian for a combination of these motives but have continued to put it off; I’ll tell myself perhaps by the time I’m 25 or 30.

After learning about the cruelty of the meat industry in classes and various dis turbing documentaries that exposed the real inner workings of big meat compa nies, I wanted to make a difference so badly. However, like many, I have not fully committed to the task as it can be difficult in a number of ways, particu

It’s fair to say the deterrent of vegetari anism is the thought of never being able to have meat ever again. It’s hard, and many of us enjoy a burger or piece of ba con from time to time. This shouldn’t make us ashamed but rather change our approach to vegetarianism. This is where I would like to bring like-minded indi vidual’s attention to the idea of being a weekday vegetarian or even less than that based on your preferences.

The concept is simple but effective, and comes from a TED Talk entitled “Why I’m a Weekday Vegetarian” presented by Graham Hill. He opens with the same question I have asked myself for years: knowing what I know, why am I not a vegetarian? Especially once we are of col lege age, it’s the time we are more likely to have more control of our diets on our own terms as adults.

The weekday vegetarian practice would allow people to still eat a diet without re

strictions at least two days a week. Hill’s solution demonstrates how a vegetarian diet of any level still has value and is therefore worth the commitment. The same can be argued for veganism or an entirely plant based diet — a much more daunting task for those of us who are still not full vegetarians. For example, If a person were to commit to eating vegan five or even just two days a week, they are still making a difference with their efforts.

Some of the environmental benefits of vegetarianism are certainly saving animals’ lives, as well as reducing your ecological footprint, reducing the use of antibiotics and growth hormones, sav ing large amounts of water and lessening further pollution. Among many more, your vegetarian efforts will contribute powerful changes to the environment that shouldn’t go unnoticed.

Some of the health benefits include a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as

high blood pressure, heart disease, dia betes and even some types of cancer. It’s essential to plan out a vegetarian diet to be nutritional with all of the important nutrients such as protein, vitamins, iron, etc. This is very doable with determina tion and proper guidance.

Whether you are aiming to become a full vegetarian one day, wanting to try out the vegetarian lifestyle a few days a week and put your struggle with full veg etarianism to rest; becoming a part-time vegetarian is an exceptional solution. By doing so, we can all make a positive im pact the same way full-time vegetarians do, even if it’s to a slightly smaller degree.

To start, you can look up easy vegetar ian recipes and try them out with friends. If you are going to the dining halls, look for the vegetarian and vegan labels. NC State also has a vegan and vegetarian club in which they volunteer at local animal sanctuaries, try new foods and host social events to build a supportive community.

Opinion

OP-ED: Cheri Beasley — This election is about your future

Cheri Beasley Guest Columnist

Since I launched my campaign, I’ve vis ited college campuses all across the state, meeting with students to hear what’s on your mind and what you need from your next senator. I never feel more hopeful than when I’m talking to young voters like you. You show me how the future is bright and the next generation of lead ers will fight hard for our beloved North Carolina.

But I’ve also heard from so many young voters — from App State to Durham Tech to Johnson C. Smith to NC State — that you aren’t being well served by Wash ington. At NC State, a student brought up their concern about Roe v. Wade be ing overturned and what this means for our Constitutional freedoms. A UNCChapel Hill student from Leicester, in the mountains, talked to me about how his family farm was flooded after ma jor storms last year, and how action on the climate crisis feels more urgent than ever. At Elizabeth City State, one student talked to me about how it feels like there aren’t enough job opportunities in rural parts of the state even when you do get your degree.

Your concerns and frustrations are real and justified. You deserve better. We must protect our Constitutional rights, including access to abortion. We must tackle the climate crisis to safeguard our planet — and strengthen our economy. We must strengthen rural communities and create good-paying jobs in all parts of this state.

Many of you are already doing the work to tackle these fundamental issues — but you need a partner in the U.S. Senate. This election, we can make that happen. We can secure our Constitutional rights for generations to come. As a former judge and Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, I know that Americans should have the freedom to make decisions for their own futures and families without government inter ference. I am ready to go to the Senate and fight to make Roe v. Wade the law of

the land — even if that means ending the filibuster. But my opponent, Congress man Ted Budd, is leading the charge on banning abortion nationwide. That’s the choice in this election.

We can tackle the climate crisis. North Carolina is no stranger to the effects of climate change. We know it’s making storms more severe and more frequent. From flooding to fires, to pol luted air and water — this is a problem we have to tackle before it consumes us.

The good news is that leading the charge on clean energy is not only good for our environment, but for our economy, too.

North Carolina is among the top states for solar energy and we’re creating thou sands of good-paying jobs making parts for electric vehicles. This type of leader ship is transformative for our economy

don’t ask, or at least try to get to know them. There’s a story behind every detail to a person, and it all matters.

and will bring real opportunities for young people seeking work in cuttingedge fields. And we need more of it in the U.S. Senate.

But standing in the way is Budd. Just this month, he voted against funding for storm recovery. And as long as Budd is bankrolled by big oil and gas companies, he’ll keep denying climate change and blocking progress. Our planet can’t af ford that. Our people can’t afford that. And our economy can’t afford that.

We can lower the cost of education. Education is vital to preparing young people for their career and for life. Whether they choose to go to a univer sity, a community college or attend an apprenticeship training program — ev ery North Carolinian should be able to afford the best pathway for them and

their future. We need to address the rising cost of college that is affecting our students and their future financial stability. We should focus on improv ing transparency, lowering interest rates and increasing Pell Grants for borrowers moving forward. While attending col lege is the right path for some, I will also support more funding and resources for community colleges, skills training and apprenticeship programs that can pro vide good-paying jobs and strengthen our workforce.

There is so much at stake in this elec tion. That is why it is so important to get out and vote, and tell all your friends and family to get out and vote too. We have a chance in November to stand up for our values and fight for a stronger future for all of us. I’m ready to fight alongside you.

Deep down, I really want people to just ask. Ask me about my tattoos instead of staring. Ask me why I love rock music. Ask me if I have an RBF or if I am instead hav ing a bad day. You don’t truly understand a person and where they come from if you

Instead of assuming what we know is the concrete truth — which it is not — we should become more aware of the implicit biases we all have as we walk through cam pus and the outside world.

Once you become aware this is all hap pening subconsciously, you’ll start noticing

the assumptions. We should force ourselves to look at both sides of the story because ultimately there is more than one truth to all situations, environments and people.

It’s also best to educate ourselves. Just because someone said something, or we heard it over social media, doesn’t mean it is the truth. We shouldn’t run with what we have been taught our whole life or what we hear from family and friends. Doing a

little research on what we are unfamiliar with, or talking with a person we wouldn’t normally befriend, could open our eyes to the different walks of life happening simul taneously.

The more we are aware, the more we learn about one another and ourselves. This can impact us but can also impact the chance of another to be heard and understood — a chance to not feel isolated.

COURTESY OF CHERI BEASLEY

howling our We’re

Thank you for joining us for our fourth annual Pack Appreciation Day. You wrote thank-you notes to NC State donors, you learned about philanthropy and you shared your own #PackAppreciation on social media.

This event would not be possible without student support. You are why Pack Appreciation Day was a success.

We appreciate all the ways you make our Wolfpack community extraordinary. Go Pack!

Season’s Pickin’s: Persimmons Wylie Phu, staff cartoonist A second-year studying art and design

Autumn Air Sophie Gabriel, staff cartoonist A second-year studying art and design

Culture

Arctic Monkeys disappoint fans yet again with seventh album, ‘The Car’

Heidi Reid Assistant News Editor

The Arctic Monkeys returned from a fiveyear hiatus to launch their seventh studio album “The Car,” which was released Oct. 21. Although the album has a few notable songs worth a second listen, most of the album can be described as recycled lounge pop. This is a continued downward spiral for the band, which began with the release of their 2018 album, “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino.”

Although “The Car” features better and more familiar instrumentals, Arctic Mon keys is still embracing depressed disco and it shows. Unfortunately, “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino” was not a phase for the band, but the beginning of a new era of sound. Although they play the lounge pop genre well, it would have been more refreshing to see only a few tracks featuring this genre in between their more familiar sound, which is a clash between punk and stoner rock.

While the instrumentals and vocals aren’t bad, the Arctic Monkeys definitely misread what their fans wanted more of. Even though the band has now released two albums since they’ve hung up their guitars and began utilizing ‘60s-sounding instru mentals, their most popular albums are still “AM” and “Favourite Worst Nightmare,” both of which feature overly-aggressive vo cals and long guitar riffs. Although there seems to be a recent respect for the revival of the Rat Pack style of the 60s, hopefully this is left to artists such as Father John Misty in the future.

Out of the ten tracks there are three songs worth noting. The first is “Sculptures of

Anything Goes.” Although the synthesizer was slightly overdone, the use of bass and occasional guitar is reminiscent of “AM,” which is enjoyable for fans still looking for that familiar aggression used in “Arabella” or “Do I Wanna Know?”

“Jet Skis On The Moat” features some of the best instrumentals on the album, but the same cannot be said about the lyrics. The slow guitar is almost reminiscent of the opening riff in Led Zeppelin’s “Since I’ve Been Loving You,” giving the track more of a slow 80’s feel rather than the sedated pop in the rest of the album.

Unfortunately, this success is immediately overshadowed by the poor lyrics. They ap pear as if they are attempting to dive into the writer’s emotional baggage, but just end up being confusing and obscure rather than striking up empathy or insight in the lis tener.

“Body Paint” is easily the best track on the album. The instrumentals open featur ing only strings and piano, then move into a heavier sound with slow bass and guitar beginning in the bridge. The writer success fully describes his own experience to gather empathy and pity in his listeners. This more direct approach with lyrics serves the track well.

“The Car” is a concise album at only 37 minutes, and while it isn’t necessarily bad music, it doesn’t feature the genre or instru mentals fans were hoping for. If this trend continues with the band’s next album, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Arctic Mon keys’ reign declines and they vacate their throne as one of the best rock bands of the early 21st century. Hopefully with their next album, the Arctic Monkeys will return to their classic sound.

HIST Talks to expand lesser-known histories for NC State community

Mariana Fabian Opinion Editor

Celebrating LGBTQ History Month, CHASS and the Department of History put on their first history teach-in, or HIST Talk. The first of these talks was Before Grindr: Gay Hookup Culture in the 20th Century, held Oct. 26.

Megan Cherry, associate professor of history, led this first talk and detailed the chronology of the culture, separating it into three separate periods: 1900-1945, 1945-

1969 and 1969 to now.

During the talk, Cherry described the many differences between each time period alongside one commonality: the subtlety of queerness. Cherry also explained how the start of cruising, defined as discreet and anonymous ways for men to have sex with other men, simultaneously started this trend of lingo amongst gay men.

Cruising had its beginnings in the 19th century but became more popular through out the 20th century while homosexual acts were still criminalized vehemently. It would

occur in more public spaces with not much attention being brought to the men engag ing with one another. Whether that be of fering a cigarette, a flashy tie or a lingering gaze, gay men had to learn this all to be able to attract one another.

The latter time periods both detailed sig nificant historical events such as the Lav ender Scare of the early ‘40s and ‘50s, the Stonewall Riots of 1969 and the AIDs crisis of the ‘80s, all of which had lasting effects on the LGBTQ community.

The point of these talks, according to

Cherry, is to get more students interested and involved in the history department at NC State.

“Erin Seiling designed the HIST Talks program to try and sort of provide a window into what history classes are like for future or for potential minors and majors,” Cherry said. “They wanted it to be less sort of dry, longer lectures and more just sort of quick takes on history in many ways.”

GRAPHIC BY HEIDI REID

The Silent Witness Project exhibit spotlights domestic violence resources

Madison Ligh Correspondent

Editor’s Note: This article contains refer ence to domestic violence.

When walking through Talley Student Union, students, faculty and guests alike will find a powerful exhibit on display for personal reflection. Situated beyond Talley Market, several red silhouette cutouts stand with names and faces that become known by those who choose to stop and read more. What people find are the stories of individu als who lost their lives from the dangerous relationships that they were in — victims of domestic violence.

The Silent Witness Project is an interna tional effort that places exhibits throughout the country, allowing people to remember the names of victims and helping promote further efforts to end domestic violence. The project was created in 1990 and has been implemented at NC State as a month-long memorial for many years.

Grace Woods, a fourth-year studying so cial work and intern for the Women’s Cen ter, helped to set up the project. According to Woods, this passive exhibit brings aware ness in a subtle, yet powerful, way.

“It’s just sort of an active remembrance and a way for people to remember as a com munity,” Woods said. “The Silent Witness Project is an interactive way for the victims to visibly be seen and for people to just see

it in their daily life.”

Considering the impact this project may have on people, certain changes have been implemented to not only create a more per sonal experience, but to remind students that there are resources available through the Women’s Center and on campus for support. One of these changes includes a resource table.

“For more long-term support, we usually refer to the Counseling Center, IPV coun selors,” Woods said. “We can also provide funding, a dedicated survivor fund. If you need funding for housing, we do have an emergency housing fund. And we can get you to your legal appointments and stuff like that too, and just sort of walk you through that process if you decide to take action.”

Dr. Kaelie Giffel, Assistant Director for Interpersonal Violence (IPV) Prevention Education and Training, organized the exhibit this year. One of the changes she implemented was including pictures and other additional information to reveal more about each person.

“On our side of the statues, we have a va riety of stories,” Giffel said. “But I’ve also in cluded pictures of the victims, some who are women, some who are trans women, some who are trans men, and kind of across racial experiences. I wanted to find a variety of experiences to show folks that IPV affects almost every community. And so this is like a huge, huge effort. It’s not something that

belongs just to one group. It’s not something that only affects certain people — it affects all of us.”

In consideration of the adjustments made this year, Giffel reflects on future changes that may be added to improve the exhibit further, including the importance of talking about the experiences and emotions people may have as they walk through the stories.

“I think that it is important to have com munity conversation,” Giffel said. “It’s one thing to experience Silent Witness on your own, because it is a deeply troubling exhibit. But then it’s a whole other thing, if, for in stance, you took a group tour through it, and then you had kind of an organic conver sation with somebody. This is why I think that it’s good as a passive exhibit.”

With such an honest display of a difficult subject, there can be negative impacts as well. Giffel describes how raising awareness and making people comfortable enough to talk to others can help alleviate these hardto-confront feelings.

“We also need to have follow-up conver sations with people,” Giffel said. “What do you do with that kind of knowledge? And how do I make sure that doesn’t lead you to despair? … I think it [the project] gives students an ability to engage something on their own terms and in their own time. But I do think that maybe we should add a community conversation piece to help contextualize information and help them think about what things I can do around

the issue, [and the] community.”

Beyond the resources previously men tioned, the Women’s Center, as well as the Sexual Assault helpline, can be contacted directly. And although it’s titled the Wom en’s Center, it’s important to remember that the support offered is catered to everyone.

If you or someone you know is experienc ing relationship violence, sexual violence, stalking or any other form of interpersonal violence and are in need of advocacy services, the NC State Women’s Center has trained ad vocates available to offer crisis intervention, emotional support, resources, and referrals. Students can contact the 24/7 Sexual Assault Helpline at 919-515-4444 or email ncsuadvo cate@ncsu.edu to schedule an appointment with an advocate.

Advocacy services through the NC State Women’s Center are available for all students inclusive of all gender identities and sexual orientations.

**For more information on advocacy ser vices, please visit go.ncsu.edu/supportsurvi vors. If you would like to talk to a confidential resource, you can also connect with the NC State Counseling Center at 919-515-2423. You may also visit go.ncsu.edu/safe for ad ditional information on resources and re porting options.**

MOLLIE MITCHELL/TECHNICIAN

The Silent Witness Project display stands in Talley Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021. The project is a memorial to victims of domestic and dating violence. Each witness carries a plaque with the story of an individual who was murdered as a result of domestic and dating violence.

Culture

Standout screenings from Film Fest 919

Allie Remhof Copy Desk Chief

Editor’s Note: This article contains refer ence to death and mentions of sexual assault.

At the Silverspot and Lumina theaters in Chapel Hill Oct. 19-23, Film Fest 919 celebrated its fifth festival with 21 different films representing 13 different countries. The festival has held four out of the last five best pictures, making it a local go-to for films you’re sure to hear about soon. Here’s a spoiler-free recap of seven films screened at the festival this year.

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery:”

Possibly one of the biggest upcoming films of the year, “Glass Onion” is riding the success of 2019’s murder mystery break out “Knives Out” directed by Rian Johnson. This film lived up to the hype and expec tations set by its successor. While “Knives Out” focused on old money folks and their absurdity, “Glass Onion” sets its sights on new money while avoiding all the usual satire we’ve seen before. Standout perfor mances from this film include Daniel Craig returning as Detective Benoit Blanc and Janelle Monae as Andi Brand. Keep an eye out for the celebrity cameos; there may be a few too many.

See this film with as many people as pos sible, whether in a theater over Thanks giving week or in a living room packed with your friends when it premieres on Netflix before Christmas; the completely unexpected twists and turns in this film are delightful with a large crowd. Johnson was awarded Film Fest 919’s Distinguished Screenwriter award, joining Chloe Zhao for “Nomadland,” Anthony McCarten for “The Two Popes,” and duo Sean Baker and Chris Bergoch for “Red Rocket.”

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” is in theaters for one week starting Nov. 23 and will premiere on Netflix Dec. 23.

“She Said:”

This film follows the reporters investigat ing Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assaults and the article resulting. This is an intense story of reporting, celebrity and pain, and the film mostly handles this topic sensitively; inclusions of the reporters’ personal lives are important to the arc of this film but of ten undermine the story. New York Times reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor are portrayed well by Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan, respectively, who wrote the book by the same name this film is based on. Survivors of Weinstein’s assaults are ce lebrities, meaning their names are front and

center. Ashley Judd plays herself and other survivors like Rose McGowan are portrayed by voice only.

The trouble with a film like this is the fact that this story broke only five years ago; it feels too recent and too high profile to have a real effect on the audience that the origi nal New York Times article didn’t already have. In opposition to “Spotlight,” a similar story about the Boston Globe reporting an important and sickening article, the survi vors and other names in that story aren’t nearly as memorable and known, and the film was also made many years after the story broke. However, “Spotlight” won best

picture — maybe “She Said” is chasing a similar destiny.

“She Said” is in theaters Nov. 18.

“White Noise:”

Based on the foundational postmodern novel by Don DeLillo, “White Noise” is another Netflix feature from the festival and did not disappoint. This is Noah Ba umbach’s first really high budget film at $80 million, but not his first time collaborat ing with Adam Driver and partner Greta Gerwig. For its postmodern themes and distinct style, DeLillo’s novel would be a difficult one to adapt to the silver screen, but Baumbach accomplishes that and more. This film is vibrant, fun and plays with De Lillo’s themes of consumerism and anxieties around death.

Although I highly recommend this film, I also recommend reading up on the adapted novel beforehand — firstly because it’s a great book and will enhance your view ing of this film, and second because Hitler studies, caped academics and a mysterious airborne event might not be for everyone. That being said, this film features some of my favorite performances such as Driver and Gerwig as the Gladney couple, and all of their children, who give this film some added intrigue.

The film also features Don Cheadle, An dre 3000 and Jodie Turner-Smith, all fun and interesting actors that breathe life into this movie. This film is one of the most fun of the year, even at its most existential. Stick around for the credits to see one of my fa vorite scenes of 2022. Give this film a shot, but go in with a grain of salt.

“White Noise” is in select theaters Nov. 25 and will premiere on Netflix Dec. 30.

Visit technicianonline.com to view the entire article.

HIST

continued from page 9

Though Cher ry led this first talk regarding gay hookup cul ture throughout history, they emphasized that sexuality in the 17th and 18th centuries is their primary research topic. They had approached the topic the second year they had been at NC State in their teaching career, coinciding with paint ed homophobic slurs found on campus at the time.

“The history of sexuality in my field in the 17th and 18th centuries was super interest ing,” Cherry said. “I wanted a way to sort of get into forcing myself to read more about that. … So I thought, it’s really important that students have a class on the history of sexuality here at State. I looked around, and I was like, ‘Well, nobody else is teaching it, so I guess I better.’ It was important to me, that it be something that’s taught on cam

pus. And it just so happens that it’s also a fascinating subject. So I was happy to sort of take that on as a teaching field, even though it doesn’t really relate to my research.”

Cherry will be teaching HI 369: Sexuality in U.S. History in the spring semester. They hope this class will be enlightening and en gaging for students looking to learn more about the intersection of societal values and cultures with the history of sexuality.

“I think that’s a great window to figure out what’s going on with different societ ies like values and cultures at the time,” Cherry said. “It’s just a perfect sort of in sight as to like what’s going on in different areas. I think it’ll be eye-opening to any student who takes the class to sort of look at America’s past and then also look at our current society with a more informed sort of notion as to how we got here. … And offering a class on this can make our LG BTQ students feel more welcome and have a better climate on campus. Things get better

with each decade, but we’ve also got a long way to go.”

Seiling, an academic advisor for history majors and minors at NC State, thought the talk was incredibly insightful for students looking to learn more outside the classroom.

“I think it’s a history that is not frequently taught,” Seiling said. “I hear that from a lot of students is that one of the things you re ally enjoy when they start taking history classes at NC State or at the college level is that they’re learning histories that they feel like have always sort of been either not part of the curriculum or just a very small part of the curriculum, and this is much more expansive what we have to offer here.”

For more information about majoring or minoring in history at NC State, contact Seiling and check out the department’s website. The next HIST Talks has not been confirmed yet but is likely to happen during the spring semester.

ANNA HANSEN/TECHNICIAN

A gay liberation poster is displayed on speaker Megan Cherry’s slides during their “Before Grindr” presentation in Withers Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 26. 2022.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ETHAN RIMOLT

Transfer Jarkel Joiner set to lead reconstructed Pack men’s basketball

Ethan Bakogiannis Assistant Sports Editor

By this point, it’s no secret that the NC State men’s basket ball team has nearly an entirely new roster. Only retaining a handful of players on its roster from the 2021-22 season, head coach Kevin Keatts had to do some serious work in recruiting and via the transfer portal to construct the newlook roster.

A number of transfers have already been added to the team, as graduate forwards Jack Clark and DJ Burns are set to add some much-needed depth to the once-depleted roster. But the most impressive addition to the squad is that of graduate guard Jarkel Joiner.

“Whether we had a great year or a disappointing year, I go back and evaluate things I can get better at, and as a team, we can get better,” Keatts said.

And the squad did get better.

Joiner, a 6-foot-1 transfer from Ole Miss, is primed to make an instant impact for the Wolfpack. His communica tive leading style, confidence and dedication off the court only boosts his athleticism, playmaking ability and scoring potential on the court.

Right from the get-go, the graduate fit right in with what NC State aims to do on the hardwood: play hard and play fast. He’ll no doubt be a much-needed addition to the start ing lineup for the Wolfpack based off of his high-motor playstyle alone.

“Just the play style … they play fast, and my game excels when playing fast,” Joiner said. “Getting out in transition, playing hard, that’s something I feel like I can relate to.”

What makes Joiner stand out however, is the instant im pact he’s had on the locker room. With a revamped roster like NC State’s, it’s certainly a challenge to bond with team mates, establish a repertoire with each other and create chemistry. But this comes second nature to Joiner, who was able to use his veteran leadership and communication skills to help build chemistry with the team.

“I love to talk, I love to communicate,” Joiner said. “This team is amazing to be around. I’m very vocal; I like talking to my teammates, being communicative and learning from my teammates from day one was the goal.”

As soon as he touched down in Raleigh, Joiner was deter mined to make an impact. And he did, using his talkative and social personality to his advantage, playing a major role in gelling an amalgamation of players into a unified squad in mere months.

Keatts has also taken note of Joiner’s chatter, and like the rest of the squad and staff, looks to his graduate transfer as a leader, no matter how much he may talk his coach’s ears off.

“He talks all the time,” Keatts said. “So if you’re going to be a guy that talks all the time, you might as well be a leader, and I’ve seen some good stuff. He’s got a tremendous personality.”

This infectious personality, leadership style and expert communication all comes naturally for Joiner. He’s used it all his life, and now, he’s putting his skills to use as the red-and-white gears up for a new season.

“I like to talk all the time, be communicative, talk to my team on and off the court.” Joiner said. “I was just raised like that.”

NC State will undoubtedly need Joiner’s veteran leader ship if it’s to find success in the much-anticipated 2022-23 season. While the finished product of the recreated roster

is still yet to be seen on the court, it seems like Joiner and the rest of the squad already have the chemistry part down.

“We’ve got great chemistry, great energy,” Joiner said. “At practice, we’re very competitive, hardworking, and we’re looking to have a better year.”

Determined to help lead his new team to success this

season, the Wolfpack is set to reap the benefits of Joiner’s leadership and communication efforts. It’s impressive how much of an impact he’s had already, and when it’s all said and done, Joiner captaining the NC State crew might just be what takes to right the red-and-white’s ship.

No. 23 Oregon State at Washington

No. 1 Tennessee at No. 2 Georgia No. 25 UCF at Memphis No. 20 Syracuse at Pitt No. 6 Alabama at No. 10 LSU

Appalachian State at Coastal Carolina James Madison at Louisville No. 4 Clemson at Notre Dame

No. 21 Wake Forest at No. 22 NC State

Washington Washington Washington Washington Washington Washington Air Force Air Force Air Force Air Force Air Force Air Force Georgia Georgia Georgia GeorgiaTennessee Tennessee UCF UCF UCF UCF UCFMemphis Syracuse Syracuse Syracuse Syracuse Syracuse Pitt Alabama Alabama Alabama AlabamaLSU LSU Appalachian State Appalachian State Appalachian State Appalachian State Coastal Carolina Coastal Carolina Louisville Louisville Louisville Louisville Louisville Louisville

Clemson Clemson Clemson Clemson Clemson Clemson NC State NC State NC State NC State NC State NC State

Wade Bowman Managing Editor Record: 49-31 Rank: 6

Bryan Pyrtle Sports Editor Record: 50-30 Rank: 2

Sam Overton Managing Editor Record: 44-36 Rank: 11

Ben Ellis Asst. Sports Editor Record: 45-35 Rank: 7

Ethan Bakogiannis Asst. Sports Editor Record: 45-35 Rank: 8

Shilpa Giri Editor-in-Chief Record: 55-25 Rank: 1

Air Force at Army

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN

Graduate guard Jarkel Joiner smiles during a breakout interview on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022 at the ACC Tipoff at The Westin Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina. The ACC Tipoff is an event that spans two days to promote the upcoming women and men’s basketball seasons.

TechSports Predicts:

MEN AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Wade Bowman Managing Editor

Men’s basketball

Record: 18-13

MVP: Terquavion Smith

Breakout player: Jarkel Joiner Biggest Win: vs. Kansas Most surprising loss: at Georgia Tech

Bryan Pyrtle Sports Editor

Men’s basketball

Record: 15-16

MVP: Terquavion Smith

Breakout player: Jarkel Joiner Biggest Win: vs. Clemson Most surprising loss: at Campbell

Ben Ellis Assistant Sports Editor

Men’s basketball

Record: 19-12

MVP: Terquavion Smith

Breakout player: Jarkel Joiner Biggest Win: vs. Miami Most surprising loss: at Clemson

Ethan Bakogiannis Assistant Sports Editor

Men’s basketball

Record: 18-13

MVP: Terquavion Smith

Breakout player: Jarkel Joiner Biggest Win: vs. North Carolina

Most surprising loss: at Boston College

Women’s basketball

Record: 24-5

Tournament Seed: 2

Reloading, not rebuilding: NC State 2022-23 women’s basketball roster

Griffin Cunningham Staff Writer

Women’s basketball

Record: 25-4

Tournament Seed: 2

MVP: Diamond Johnson Breakout player: Camille Hobby Biggest Win: vs. Louisville Most surprising loss: at UNC MVP: Diamond Johnson Breakout player: Camille Hobby Biggest Win: vs. UNC

Expectations should remain high for NC State women’s basketball, who made it to the Elite Eight last March and are ranked No. 10 in the country going into this season. The last time NC State fans saw the team on the floor was in the Pack’s loss to UConn in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, who would go on to the championship game and lose to South Carolina.

Women’s basketball

Record: 25-4

Most surprising loss: at Duke MVP: Diamond Johnson Breakout player: River Baldwin Biggest Win: vs. UConn

Four of the five starters from that final playoff game are gone — Raina Perez, Kai Crutchfield, Kayla Jones and Elissa Cunane. The Pack also lost Kendal Moore and Genesis Bryant who transferred to UNC-Wilmington and Illinois, respec tively.

EMILY PEEDIN/TECHNICIAN

Junior forward Jada Boyd signals a team mate in the game against Virginia Tech on Saturday, March 5, 2022 inside Greensboro Coliseum. Boyd made seven field goals and four rebounds during the game. NC State won 70-55.

Women’s basketball

Tournament Seed: 2 Tournament Seed: 2

Most surprising loss: at UNC MVP: Jakia Brown-Turner Breakout player: River Baldwin Biggest Win: vs. UNC Most surprising loss: at Duke

Eight returning players for NC State will be joined by three incoming transfers: graduate center River Baldwin, graduate forward Mimi Collins and sophomore guard Saniya Rivers will help fill the gap left by some of the starters from last year.

Record: 23-6

Guards

Without Perez and Crutchfield, look for junior guard Diamond Johnson to start and handle the ball on most possessions. Johnson was a huge acquisition for the Pack last year, coming in as a transfer from Rutgers. Johnson should play si gnificant minutes this season and play the role of floor general.

Joining Johnson in the backcourt is Rivers, who left the defending champion South Carolina Gamecocks to join the Wolfpack. She played a role off the bench in South Carolina’s title run last season. Rivers is a solid two-way guard that could develop into one of the best players on the roster by the end of the season.

NC State lost a lot of guard depth from last season, so sophomore guards Aziaha James and Jessica Timmons will have respective roles in relief of Johnson and Rivers.

Lastly, junior guard Madison Hayes is a do-it-all guard who can shoot from distance and guard positions one through four, so she will likely be worked into the rotation wherever head coach Wes Moore and his staff see best fit.

Wings

Senior forward Jakia Brown-Turner is one of the most deadly scorers on the roster. Last season, she got off to a slow start but was a key scorer down the stretch and provided a major scoring boost off the bench in the tournament.

Collins will contribute on the wing

along with Brown-Turner. Last season, Collins averaged just under eight points for Maryland, and is a much welcomed presence as she will provide experience and leadership along with her basketball talent. The two forwards should comple ment each other while sharing the floor, with Brown-Turner being an explosive scoring threat and Collins being a 6-foot-3 3&D player. The rest of the roster should benefit from the play of these two women. Having wings who can score that ball on all levels and play good defense is key to being a winning basketball team.

Senior forward Jada Boyd will also be a key wing player who will fill out the rotation for the Pack. She’s making a re turn from last season, and provides elite rebounding with her length, strength and basketball IQ.

Centers

Baldwin will likely log heavy minutes as the new starter at the five spot. She saw success at FSU for three years, putting up multiple double-digit scoring games and notching multiple blocks in a game on nu merous occasions last season with the Se minoles. She will play down low, crashing the glass and blocking shots for the Pack.

Baldwin will be backed up by sopho more center Sophie Hart and senior cen ter Camille Hobby. Hart likely won’t see much playing time behind Hobby and Baldwin, as Hobby deserves the minutes in her senior season.

NC State has an 11-person roster and will likely run a 10-person rotation to start the year, giving almost all women a chance to play and prove themselves as legitimate pieces to a potential championship team.

Ethan

Wolfpack women’s basketball aims to keep winning tradition, fill big shoes

Ben Ellis Assistant Sports Editor

Three years. Three ACC Championships. A Sweet 16 and an Elite Eight appearance for the ages.

What the NC State women’s basket ball team has accomplished over the last three seasons has been nothing short of incredible.

Not long ago, just making the NCAA Tournament used to be a challenge for this program. Now, NC State expects to compete for championships on a yearly basis.

Over the team’s remarkable run the last three seasons, there has been a core of players who were perhaps most responsible for bringing the Wolfpack to new heights: Elissa Cunane, Kayla Jones, Raina Perez and Kai Crutchfield, who formed the 2022 senior class.

But as is the rule with college athle tics, nobody can stay in school forever. Last year’s senior class has now de parted, leaving a void to be filled within the program.

“We lost a lot of great talent, a lot of great experienced players that have been in our program, so now it’s a fresh start,” said head coach Wes Moore. “We’re excited about a new opportunity, and that’s why that rearview mirror is really small and your windshields really big. We’re focused on the future and looking ahead.”

Despite the loss of so much talent and experience, NC State still expects to compete at the highest level this upco ming season. But how can a team that lost so much expect to reach heights such as the team has never experienced?

If there’s one head coach in the country who knows how to accomplish such a feat, it’s Moore.

Entering his 10th season as the Pack’s head coach, Moore knows how to get it done — he’s a winner. He has changed the narrative about NC State from a place where championships are a rarity to where cham pionships are the expectation.

But this could very well be Moore’s tallest task of his tenure in Raleigh thus far. With the loss of a core that made up the identity of the program’s winning culture, it’s still championship or bust this year for the Pack.

For starters, even though last year’s se nior class made up a bulk of the production, Moore still has lots of talent and experience returning for the 2022-23 season. That be gins at the top with the team’s two retur ning leading scorers from last season, junior guard Diamond Johnson and senior wing Jakia Brown-Turner.

Johnson and Brown-Turner were res ponsible for two of the biggest moments of the season last year for the Pack. For John son, her moment came when NC State took on then-No. 3 Louisville in a top-5 clash.

every year, and I feel like it’s our goal to just keep it going.”

Johnson and Brown-Turner have been a part of big moments, which have no doubt prepared them for taking more of a lea

Baldwin, graduate forward Mimi Collins and sophomore guard Saniya Rivers. Baldwin comes from within the ACC having played her prior three seasons at Florida State, where she played 81 games, including 19 starts. She averaged six points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game and 17.9 minutes per game in those three seasons, was a McDonald’s All-American in high sch ool and will help fill the void left inside by Cunane and Jones.

Collins began her college career at Tennessee then played the last two seasons at Maryland, where she started 38 of 61 games, in cluding 15 in the 2021-22 season. This past season, she averaged 7.9 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game and 21.4 mi nutes per game, and like Hobby and Baldwin, will be tasked with becoming an in-the-paint presence for the Pack.

With the Pack trailing by 14 heading into the fourth quarter, Johnson led the team on a furious comeback, scoring 14 points in the final frame alone and helping the Pack outscore the Cardinals 31-8 in the last 10 minutes to get the win.

“I want to keep growing,” Johnson said. “Last year, I was Sixth Player of the Year. This year, I wanna gun for Player of the Year, win more rings and just keep winning with my team.”

Brown-Turner shined in the Pack’s final game of the season against UConn in the Elite Eight. Down by three with 6.2 seconds left in overtime, Brown-Turner showed she had ice in her veins and drained a corner 3 to tie it up just before the clock hit zero.

“I just feel like it’s a new beginning,” Brown-Turner said. “I love having a new beginning, a fresh start. It’s a new team, and it’s something that people are not used to seeing. For the past couple of years, it’s been the same five. Now it’s a new team, and I feel like we’ve just got to bring a lot of energy and excitement to the game. … The past players have won championships

dership role with this year’s squad.

The team received big news in August when, after reports that she would not be playing this season, it was announced that senior forward Jada Boyd will be back for another year with NC State. This is huge, considering Boyd’s significant contribu tions to the team over the Pack’s conference championship runs, having won the ACC Co-Sixth Player of the Year in 2021.

Also looking to play bigger roles on the team this season will be senior center Ca mille Hobby, junior guard Madison Hayes and sophomore guard Aziaha James. Hobby is used to playing big minutes as she has often played in years past when Cunane was either hurt or in foul trouble, while Hayes is known for always hustling and playing great defense.

Still, while the returning pieces make up a portion of the new team, there was space yet to be filled. Moore knew he had to go to the transfer portal to bring in fresh talent, which is what he did.

The Pack brings in a trifecta of talented transfers this season: graduate center River

Rivers was a member of the national cham pionship-winning South Carolina Gamecocks last year as a freshman and returns this season to her home state. She was the No. 2 ranked guard coming out of high school and a McDonald’s All-American. In addition to a void in the frontcourt, there is also a deficit in the backcourt with the de parture of Perez and Crutchfield, and Rivers will look to be a significant contributor in that area this season.

The talent is there for NC State. Now it’s all about putting it together and consistent ly winning games. While a team with so many new faces and new roles may take some time to gel, the belief within this pro gram is that this team is capable of winning championships.

“We’ve got a nucleus of experience that has been there and been through the bat tle, knows what it’s about and our culture, our system,” Moore said. “We added some really good players. Now, you gotta become a team. These players are gonna have to step up and take on roles that they haven’t had in the past, as far as leadership. … We’re trying to win ACC championships, we’re trying to get to a Final Four, we’re trying to win a national championship.”

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN

Head coach Wes Moore (left), senior wing Jakia Brown-Turner (center) and junior guard Diamond Johnson (right) accept a question from the media during the ACC Tipoff on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022 at The Westin Charlotte in Char lotte, North Carolina.

Sports

Revamped NC State men’s basketball roster ready to flip the script in 2022

A robust NC State men’s basketball pro gram is ready to put last year’s historically disappointing 11-21 season behind it — and this is the team that’s going to do it.

Guard – Jarkel Joiner

Transferring from Ole Miss, graduate guard Jarkel Joiner is easily NC State’s most exciting addition from the past offseason. Outside of his ability as a scorer, Joiner adds a necessary veteran presence to help mold this strung-together Wolfpack team con sisting of younger players and transfers into a cohesive unit.

In five seasons of collegiate athletics, Join er spent two with Cal State Bakersfield, then transferred to Ole Miss where he redshirted before playing his final two seasons as an undergraduate athlete. In his second year, Joiner lit up the Western Athletic confer ence with 15.6 points per game on 45.1% shooting from the field, adding 1.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. His second year stands as his best season of col lege basketball to date, earning an oppor tunity to face stiffer competition as a Rebel.

Tougher opponents created a small dropoff in Joiner’s per-game stats, but all the talent that landed him on the 2018-19 All-WAC First Team was still there. Last year, Joiner posted 13.2 points per game on 41% shooting while nailing 34% of his 4.7 three-point attempts per outing. NC State will have to look elsewhere for playmaking, however, with Joiner coming off a year in which he only accumulated 2.3 assists per game.

Guard – Terquavion Smith

The hottest commodity on NC State’s ros ter this year is sophomore guard Terquavion Smith, who enters the season as one of the most hyped bucket-getters in the country. Smith earned himself the fourth spot on the Preseason All-ACC First Team, and he’s primed to blow his stats from last year sky-high.

Smith averaged 20.6 points per 40 min utes in 2021-22, pacing the team in scoring ability by that metric on his way to leading the ACC in three-point attempts with 260 on the year. As a freshman, he logged 16.3 points per game on 39.8% shooting from the field and 36.9% from beyond the arc. Outside of scoring, Smith averaged 2.1 as sists, 4.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 0.5 blocks and 1.7 turnovers per game.

Perhaps the most impactful part of Smith’s game is his confidence, which nev

er waivered a bit despite NC State’s roller coaster of performances. That confidence empowers him to trust his shot at all times, defend the perimeter with unmatched in tensity and inspire his teammates to do just the same. Scoring was his forte as a fresh man, but expect leadership to become one of Smith’s greatest qualities in his second year with the Wolfpack.

Forward – Jack Clark

As one of the few true wings on NC State’s roster, graduate forward Jack Clark’s game resembles that of Dereon Seabron heavily. Transferring from La Salle in the offseason to join the Pack, Clark earned his name as a slashing, board-grabbing wing. While not on the playmaking level of Seabron, Clark provides incredible value to the lineup in complementing Joiner and Smith’s perim eter-dominant offense.

Last year, Clark posted a career-best 12 points per game on 38.4% shooting from the field. Hitting the lane hard is his greatest strength, shooting 45.9% inside two-point range in 2021-22, but things drop off signifi cantly once he’s on the other side of the arc — shooting 29.8% from three last season. NC State has plenty of threats from beyond the arc without needing Clark to produce

in that department, which should help him settle into a comfortable role as an on-ball driving threat.

Forward – DJ Burns

The most decorated of NC State’s trans fers, graduate froward DJ Burns, enters the program after being awarded the 2021-22 Big South Player of the Year award. In his final season with Winthrop, Burns averaged 15 points per game on 62.6% shooting from the field with 1.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 0.4 blocks per game.

His game is at its best when he can work opposing defenders on the low block, ex celling in finishing at the rim. The biggest drawback to his game, however, is his ability as a defender — which could create issues for the Pack when facing the dominant bigs of the ACC. With a defensive box plus/mi nus of -1.3 last year, Burns played at nearreplacement level against much lesser com petition. It’s significantly late in his career to expect a change to his defense, so head coach Kevin Keatts and the rest of the staff will have to find ways to send help his way.

Forward – Ebenezer Dowuona

Junior forward Ebenezer Dowuona was thrown into the fray last year, becoming a

mainstay in the starting lineup following Manny Bates’ season-ending injury in the first game of the season. While the situation wasn’t great — made clear by the team’s final record — Dowuona showed flashes of being an elite shot blocker and finisher under the rim, but his game still had plenty of incon sistencies. Fortunately, he finds himself in better company in the big department with the likes of Burns playing alongside him to carry the physicality of NC State’s lineup.

In 27 games started in 2021-22, Dowu ona averaged 4.1 points per game with 0.2 assists, 0.4 steals and 1.7 blocks. The last figure placed him fourth in the ACC for blocks per game, and he found himself at the same ranking with his 7.5% block percentage. Rim protection is his greatest strength, which is to be expected from a 6-foot-11-inch, 225-pound man.

However, much like Burns, Dowuona has struggled in the rebounding department historically, averaging only 4.1 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game last year. Alongside playmaking, rebounding is one of the larger gaps in NC State’s game that’ll need to be improved as the season progresses.

NATALIE FOLSOM/TECHNICIAN

Freshman guard Terquavion Smith cuts to the basket during the game against Wake Forest in PNC Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022. Smith scored eight points before being fouled out in the second half. The Wolfpack lost 69-51.

Wade Bowman Managing Editor