Support
BUILD YOUR SUMMER CLASS SCHEDULE!
Regular Session • May 18–Aug. 13, 2020 Mini Session • May 18–June 5, 2020 First Session • June 8–July 10, 2020 Second Session • July 13–Aug. 13, 2020
Learn more at summersession.unr.edu
SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO SINCE 1893
FIRST COPY FREE, ADDITIONAL COPIES $1.00 EACH
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020
VOLUME 126, ISSUE 23
File Photo/ Nevada Sagebrush ASUN presidential candidates Dominque Hall and Andrew McKinney at the primary election debates in the Joe Crowley Student Union Theatre on March 2. Hall and McKinney advanced to the next round of presidential elections after the primary elections on March 5.
Hall, McKinney advance to ASUN general presidential elections By Taylor Avery File Photo / Nevada Sagebrush A protestor holds a sign during a Black Lives Matter rally at the University of Nevada, Reno, in August 2017 that was held in response to the Charlottesville white nationalist protest. African American students, faculty and staff discussed their experience on campus.
‘I’m the outsider looking in’: African American experience at UNR
By Taylor Johnson Unique Hardy, a junior atthe university, said being an African American student at the University of Nevada, Reno was extremely isolating at first. “I’ve had to deal with professors teaching students racial biases such as it being ‘perfectly reasonable’ to see black people more as a threat than white people,” Hardy said. “Whereas the discrimination I faced with my peers was [microaggressive], it’s clear to me that several white faculty at UNR don’t care to
create a safe space for black students or any minorities for that matter.” According to a public records request from the Nevada Sagebrush to the university, 689 African American undergraduate and graduate students attend the UNR while 156 African American faculty and staff work at the university. Approximately, there are a total of 21,003 students and 3,187 faculty and staff at the university Hardy said she is from a more diverse city where she was surrounded by several cultures along with her own.
I was so angry that no one stood up for me or with me.
Hardy said when she came to Reno, she was stared at by her peers. “I have definitely been stared at a couple of times, especially when I wear my natural hair when I hadn’t the day before or even when I wear colorful hair,” Hardy said in a Twitter message to the Nevada Sagebrush. Hardy said she gets compliments at times such as people saying “love the hair”, but finds it annoying because she believes the statement never acknowledges her as a person, but
Dominique Hall and Andrew McKinney advanced to the ASUN general elections, according to official results of the primary election posted outside of the Center of Student Engagement on the third floor of the Joe Crowley Student Union on March 5. Of the 2,291 votes casted, Hall received 45 percent of those votes, or 1,042 cast ballots. McKinney received 873 votes,
or 38 percent. This eliminates Patricia De La Hoya-Velez from the race. She received 297 votes, which is 17 percent of the cast ballots. 79 voters left their ballots unanswered. Only 14.37 percent of the undergraduate student population voted in the 2020 ASUN primary election. In the 2019 general election, 15.79 percent of the undergraduate stu-
dent population casted their vote. Students can vote on WebCampus through the elections module or in-person at the Center for Student Engagement in the Joe Crowley Student Union, starting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, March 11 and ending at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 12. Taylor Avery can be reached at oali@ sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @ tavery98.
See EXPERIENCE on A2
RTC to break ground on Virginia Street Project near UNR in March By Olivia Ali
Photo courtesy Creative Commons DACA “Journey of hope” walkers from NY to DC stop at Philly Liberty Bell on Feb 20, 2018 to speak on need for immigrant DACA rights. Students at UNR feel there is not enough visibility for undocumented students’ rights.
‘The fear is legitimate’: DACA students’ voice worry about higher education status By Andrew Mendez At the University of Nevada, Reno students who are undocumented or on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals expressed how the university needs more visible support for them. DACA refers to an executive order placed in 2012 by the Obama-Biden administration to provide temporary protection status
for individuals who immigrated to the United States before the age of 17. It allows students to work and pursue higher education. Maria VillasenorMagana is one of more than 700 ,000 students who rely on DACA to attend universities. Although she uses DACA, she said her journey in higher education is not
easy. Villasenor-Magana started off by attending the College of Southern Nevada in 2013, and didn’t have any support from councilors, advisors or faculty. “It made me feel very insignificant,” Villasenor-Magana said. “I would go up to people and be like ‘Hey do you know anything that can help me See DACA on A2
Students, staff and community members can expect more construction around the University of Nevada, Reno this month. The Regional Transportation Commission will be breaking ground on the Virginia Street Project as soon as March 16. The Virginia Street Project will feature a new bus station on the southeast corner of Ninth Street and Virginia Street. The first segment of the Virginia Street project will feature demolition of the east side of Virginia Street between Eighth Street and Ninth Street. This block is home to Textbook Brokers, multiple motels and The Union. The closing of The Union—more commonly known as The U—sparked a petition in 2019 that gathered more than 800 signatures. The Virginia Street Bus RAPID Transit Extension
Project includes extending the RAPID Virginia Line from Midtown to the University of Nevada, Reno. The extension will cost $87 million and will come from fuel and sales tax revenue and federal funds, according to Nevada Today. “The Virginia Street Bus RAPID Transit Extension Project will improve safety and provide better access, enhanced transit service and improved mobility for everyone,” a post on Nevada Today said. RTC Public Information Officer told the Nevada Sagebrush in December the RTC chose the location because it will serve university students, faculty and staff as well as passengers and area residents in the high-density and developing areas just south of the freeway. Construction near the See RTC on A2
Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit MTA New York City Transit personnel perform disinfectant sanitization aboard an R-160 train in the Coney Island Yard on Tue., March 3, 2020. UNR takes precautionary measures to prepare.
UNR increases precautionary measures to prevent coronavirus outbreak By Sarah Strang Due to growing concerns about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, countries, states and cities have increased healthcare procedures to contain the flu-like virus. The University of Nevada, Reno decided to increase its efforts against the virus as well in the midst of global concern. In Reno, Washoe County Health District reported two cases of the virus: two men with connections to the Grand Princess cruise ship
and Santa Clara, California. Both men are isolated in their homes. In a recent email to the students, faculty and staff of the university, President Marc Johnson touched on the different angles of COVID-19 and what steps the university is taking in order to prevent an outbreak on campus. “[A]s the global spread of the virus reached our western region in recent days, it became clear Nevada would not remain un-
touched by the c o r o n a v i r u s ,” said Johnson. “[...] Deaths in the country from the virus remain low, yet remind us of the seriousness of this virus and the importance of following proper health practices.” Johnson went on to explain the university’s plan to prevent a potential outbreak of COVID-19 on campus. He said the school partnered with Washoe County Health District, Nevada State Division of Public Health and the Nevada State
See CORONAVIRUS on A2
A3
A4
A6
A7
DACA
ANTIGONE
STARBRUSH
CONTRACT
Student voice of the University of Nevada, Reno, since 1893.
Volume 126 • Issue 24 Editor-in-Chief • Olivia Ali oali@sagebrush.unr.edu
News Editor • Taylor Johnson tkjohnson@sagebrush.unr.edu
News Editor • Taylor Avery oali@sagebrush.unr.edu
Spanish Editor • Andrew Mendez andrewmendez@sagebrush.unr.edu
Sports Editor • Ryan Freeberg rfreeberg@sagebrush.unr.edu
Opinion Editor • Vincent Rendon vrendon@sagebrush.unr.edu
A&E Editor • Rylee Jackson rjackson@sagebrush.unr.edu
Managing Editor • Sarah Strang sstrang@sagebrush.unr.edu
Photo Editor • Michala Matovina oali@sagebrush.unr.edu
Copy Editor • Alec Brown oali@sagebrush.unr.edu
Multimedia Editor • Austin Daly adaly@sagebrush.unr.edu
Engagement Editor • Rachel Jones rjones@sagebrush.unr.edu
Social Media Manager • Brooke Enochson oali@sagebrush.unr.edu
Design Editor • Sam LaRussa oali@sagebrush.unr,edu
CONTRIBUTING STAFFERS Isaiah Burrows, Madeline Chinery, Hailey Fleming, Matt Hanifan, Emilie Rodriguez ADVERTISING For information about display advertising and rates, please call the advertising department at 775-784-7773 or email adnevadasales@gmail.com.
SOCIAL MEDIA The Nevada Sagebrush @NevadaSagebrush @SagebrushSports
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020
@NevadaSagebrush | nevadasagebrush.com
A2 | NEWS
Experience Continued from page A1 reinforces how people at the university love black culture but don’t like actual black people. “The discrimination I’ve dealt with on-campus has mostly been in social settings such as food places,” Hardy said. “If a group of my friends and I were sitting at The Den or The Overlook and we were laughing loudly or anything like that, we were given rude looks or long stares.” Hardy said as a criminal justice major, professors made her feel uncomfortable when they discussed different topics in class. “Professors have made comments or inconsiderate actions in the classroom,” Hardy said. “This past year, I’ve dealt with racist comments [and] actions from professors such as Laura Archer, Elizabeth Frances and Greta Woyciehowsky. Some professors have had complaints filed about them and their treatment of black students but so far, nothing has been done.” Hardy said Archer had complaints from students who took her classes. Hardy claims Archer told students of darker complexion that their video submissions are “too dark” and Archer took away points from predominantly black students. Hardy said Frances made comments to her and pulled her aside after class to discuss Frances’ racist experiences her family member experienced at school. Hardy said Frances told her how Frances’ classmates still believe black people should get 3/5 of a vote. “It was only the 2nd day of the semester and I immediately became uncomfortable because I was the only person in the classroom at the time and I didn’t feel comfortable going to her as a professor for help so I had to drop the class and wait until someone else taught it,” Hardy said. She also claimed Woyciehowsky justified the use of
Eric Garner’s death and use of force as well as gave Hardy’s class a scenario officer’s handle and influenced how the class responded by adding that the criminal was “a large black man with tattoos.” “I became uncomfortable with attending her class because she showed us a half an hour worth of videos of black people getting shot and beat by the police,” Hardy said. Woyciehowsky said she was unaware a student was impacted by the comments in her class and she does not tolerate any discrimination or harassment in her class. She also encourages the student to meet with her so Woyciehowsky can better understand. “I encourage students, myself included, to learn from each other, to honestly examine societal issues and to come to together [sic] to identify viable solutions especially in a university setting,” Woyciehowsky said in an email to the Nevada Sagebrush. “I am not sure in what context it was construed I made a personal attack or caused injury to someone while discussing these topics, I certainly did not intend to offend any of my students.” The Nevada Sagebrush reached out to Archer and Frances but they have yet to respond. Hardy also believes the resources she has as an African American student are great but there aren’t enough of them on campus. “The one safe space for minorities and marginalized groups on campus all share The Center which is an extremely tiny space,” Hardy said. Hardy also believes ASUN does not represent everyone on campus. “I think ASUN only represents the majority, not the ones that are being ignored,” Hardy said. “They only reflect what a majority of what the student body wants
which is often white voices on campus.” President Anthony Martinez said when he developed his platform with Vice President Nicole Flangas, one of their four goals was student voice and advocacy. ”I have continued to push this goal throughout the 87th session,” President Martinez said in an email to the Nevada Sagebrush. “We have supported Elect All People, which furthers our effort to diversify the officers that constitute ASUN. Additionally, we have the Diversity and Inclusion department to prioritize these values in our organization and our practices.” President Martinez also sits on the presidential search committee and he wants to ensure the new administration prioritizes hiring a more diverse staff. “What is most important to ASUN is that you feel represented in our decisions,” President Martinez said. “If you would like to help us create solutions to combat problems on campus, I encourage you to meet with me or your senator(s) to take part in our democratic culture.” President Martinez added as an openly queer person and someone who is Latinx, he cannot represent everyone nor speak on behalf of their communities. “Everyone has a different story and experience, which I never want to narrate for them, which is why my door is always open to bringing in those powerful voices of the future and working together for a better Nevada and student experience,” President Martinez said. Hardy believes the university can better support the African American community by creating stronger and better-funded resources. “Make them more accessible to those living in residence halls and off-campus so that black students don’t feel the need to transfer after
their first or freshman year at UNR,” Hardy said. Faith Thomas, an undergraduate student, also admitted to feeling like an outsider due to her race. “Honestly, sometimes I feel like I’m the outsider looking in,” Thomas said in private Twitter messages to the Nevada Sagebrush. “The only place on campus that I truly feel comfortable is when there is a high concentration of marginalized [people] such as the center and club meetings that I attend.” Thomas said people have stared at her and touched her hair and skin without her consent while on campus. “It’s always so jarring for me whenever it happens because I feel like a zoo animal and I’m not that like I understand that there’s a difference between you and me, however don’t come into my personal bubble and feel entitled to my space,” Thomas said. Thomas said as an African American lesbian woman, she feels discriminated against on campus. “It might not be somebody calling me a slur to my face but it might be somebody holding up progress in the work that is being put down by me and those who think like me,” Thomas said. Thomas believes the only resources for African American students is at the Center. “There aren’t that many black professors on campus which I think is a huge problem especially if this campus is all about pushing diversity and inclusion,” Thomas said. “All of the black professors on campus have given me nothing but support through my academic career here and I am truly thankful for them.” She also said although campus does not deserve her here, she is needed. “I want to make it easier for those who are to come after me seeking a safe space while they’re away from home,” Thomas said. “I think it’s important that...margin-
Continued online at thenevadasagebrush.com
Nevada Sagebrush nvsagebrush nevadasagebrush.com
Coronavirus Continued from page A1 Public Health Laboratory. These partnerships aim to help align and prioritize health resources in Washoe County. UNR and the University Studies Abroad Consortium canceled its programs in China, South Korea and Italy. Students and faculty returning from a spring semester abroad were placed in a 14 day self-quarantine. Johnson warned about spring break travel for students, faculty and staff. He said the university was following the advice of the Center for Disease Control in advising against international travel. Those who travel to China, Iran, Italy, South Korea or Japan will be required to remain in quarantine for 14 days. They will be required to utilize sick time or annual leave time. Students are not accommodated by university policy if they miss class. However, the email states “opportunities will be provided” for missed work due to illness. Globally, the virus broke 110,000 cases. Of those cases, over 62,000 have been recovered and nearly 4,000 have died. The death rate lulls around three percent. Most cases still rest in China. Johnson’s email provided a list of precautionary measures people can take to prevent the spread of the disease. A few of those personal measures are avoiding close contact with those who are sick, avoiding touching the face, washing hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and cleaning surface areas touched frequently. These precautions are in line with the CDC and WCHD advice. The university created a website for updates on the virus and includes information on the disease, resources and advice regarding issues surrounding the virus. If you believe you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, contact the Student Health Center at (775) 784-6598 or visit their website at https:// med.unr.edu/student-healthcenter.
alized groups have a haven to call their own especially when they are the minority.” Thomas also emphasizes how more African Americans and other people of color need to be included in the conversations revolving around diversity at UNR. “In order to claim diversity and inclusion, black and brown people need to be included in the work that is being done toward making more safe spaces because without those voices and without that perspective, it won’t really be as diverse as you wanted to be,” Thomas said. “It’s important that when these conversations are had it’s not just faculty or staff or ‘the important people,’ students need to be at that table especially if you want to foster change. “ Undergraduate student Sydney Banks said she has had a lot of interaction with primarily white students discussing issues that are really personal to her. She said in her sophomore year, she had a policing class and was one of three African American students in the course. In class one day, Banks said the class discussed how Kevin McReynolds, a former African American football player, and his friends were stopped by the University of Nevada Police Department. During the stop, UNRPD Officer Adam Wilson joked about shooting McReynold if he was noncompliant. Banks said her professor asked the class if the incident was a “race issue or a size issue”. “I remember feeling nauseous because I wanted to speak up and had no idea how it would turn out,” she said in a private Twitter message to the Nevada Sagebrush. Banks said she raised her hand to argue the incident was a race-related issue but she said her classmates then talked over her and told Banks she was wrong. Bank
RTC
DACA
Continued from page A1
Continued from page A1 financially, I’m on DACA.’ No one knew what DACA was. No one knew what DACA meant.” According to Federal Student Aid, students under DACA are required to pay yearly taxes, but are not eligible for federal aid—including pell grants. DACA students can potentially qualify for external scholarships or state/institution funding. Even though VillasenorMagana has a social security number, advisors would just tell her to apply for federal aid even after she tried to explain to them what DACA means. For her “they would just assume things.” “I feel they should have given professors and faculty a training in [DACA], and they didn’t,” she said. “It made me feel very outcasted.” When Villasenor-Magana had saved enough money to transfer to the university in 2018, she said she was disappointed because no one told her about the resources she had on campus. “It was scary, ” VillasenorMagana said. “It felt kind of the same [as CSN]. It’s been years. We need more awareness on this, we need more exposure on this because I know I’m not the only DACA student on campus. For UNR to be such a huge school and not have that exposure on a matter that’s happening today, it’s just crazy to me. It’s just; why? It doesn’t make sense.” Although Villasenor-Magana is set to graduate next fall, she constantly fears for her status. “It can literally [be] from one day to another, you don’t have a status,” she said. “That’s what makes it very nerve wracking, and the uncertainty is just awful.” In 2017, President Donald Trump announced he would end the program. However,
several federal court lawsuits have blocked the action. In reponse, the university issued a statement in September of 2017, along with the Nevada System of Higher Education, stating their support for undocumented students. “Since the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was started in 2012, we have witnessed the critical benefits of this
That’s what makes it very nerve wracking, and the uncertainty is just awful program for our students, and the highly positive impacts on our institution and community,” the university statement read. “We are proud of all of our DACA students. We want to protect the opportunity for anyone who comes to our University to pursue their dreams through education. We will continue to embrace our mission and support the members of our diverse groups, who are a valued and critical part of our campus community. With reports indicating that DACA may be rescinded, we are affirming our stance that all students who are ready to pursue a higher education are welcome here at the University of Nevada, Reno.” Although a statement was issued, DACA recipient Dulce Medina said she doesn’t feel supported on campus.
“The university has shown that it treats students of color much different than their white peers,” Medina said. “We are already at a disadvantage and the school does not do a lot to even the playing field and much less push to surpass others. There are resources that are great, like The Center, but still the university as a whole doesn’t take a strong stance against people who are being discriminated against for anything—including immigration status.” Medina immigrated to the US when she was just a 2-year-old, and says if it wasn’t for DACA she wouldn’t be able to support herself. “I grew up my entire life in Nevada, in Incline village, a small town on the north shore of Tahoe,” Medina said. “I grew up supported by friends and family but there were obvious barriers when I started getting older and started looking at higher education, all combined with Trump going into presidency and threatening my status. DACA has given me the opportunity to go to school in general. I’m also first generation so if it weren’t for DACA then I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to go to college at all. It also has given me the chance to work legally, and if I couldn’t work I also wouldn’t be able to afford school or life in general so I couldn’t imagine not having it.” For Villasenor-Magana and Medina, their biggest fear is “What if DACA is taken away?” In fall 2019, the Supreme Court began hearing testimony on if DACA is legal. The court is expected to give a response by spring. Although the hearings pertain to Villasenor-Magana and her potential status, she chooses not to listen. Continued online at thenevadasagebrush.com
File Photo / Nevada Sagebrush The Union and Textbook Brokers as it stands on Saturday, Dec. 7. Buildings along Eighth and Ninth St. will be shut down in order for RTC to create a bus station..
university is scheduled to take place from mid-March to November of this year. Demolition between Eighth and Ninth will take place before construction on the east side of Virginia Street between Interstate 80 and the West Stadium Parking Lot commences, as soon as April 1. This will include the construction of a roundabout near Lawlor Events Center. According to the post, two-way traffic will remain on Virginia Street during the construction. From this summer until November, construction on the west side of Virginia
Street between Interstate 80 and West Stadium Parking Lot will commence with one-way traffic in place. As these segments of the construction take place, the Midtown segment of the project will also commence. The total project is expected to be complete by November 2020. More information on the Virginia Street Project and its impact on the university is available on virginiastreetproject.com/unr/. Olivia Ali can be reached at oali@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @OliviaNAli.
File Photo / Nevada Sagebrush The RTC bus station on Saturday, Nov. 16 2019. Construction is scheduled to take place mid-March.
Español
MARTES, 10 DE MARZO DE 2020
@NevadaSagebrush | nevadasagebrush.com
ESPAÑOL | A3
“El miedo es legítimo”: la incertidumbre de voz de los estudiantes de DACA, la preocupación en la educación superior Por Andrew Mendez En la Universidad de Nevada, Reno los estudiantes que están indocumentados o en la Acción Diferida para los Llegado en la Infancia (DACA por sus siglas en inglés) expresaron cómo la universidad necesita un apoyo más visible para ellos. DACA se refiere a una orden ejecutiva realizada en 2012 por la administración ObamaBiden para proporcionar un estado de protección temporal para las personas que emigraron a los Estados Unidos antes de los 17 años. Permite a los estudiantes trabajar y seguir una educación superior. Maria Villasenor-Magana es una de más de 700 mil estudiantes que confían en DACA para asistir a las universidades. Aunque usa DACA, dijo que su viaje en la educación superior no es fácil. Villasenor-Magana comenzó asistiendo al Colegio del Sur de Nevada en 2013, y no contó con el apoyo de consejeros, facultad o profesores. “Me hizo sentir muy insignificante”, dijo Villasenor-Magana. “Me acercaría a la gente y diría ‘Hey, ¿sabes algo que pueda ayudarme económicamente? Estoy en DACA’. Nadie sabía qué era DACA. Nadie sabía lo que significaba DACA “. Según la Ayuda Federal Estudiantes, los estudiantes bajo DACA deben pagar impuestos anuales, pero no son elegibles para recibir ayuda federal, incluidas las subvenciones Pell. Los estudiantes de DACA pueden potencialmente calificar para becas externas o fondos estatales / institucionales. A pesar de que VillasenorMagana tiene un número de seguro social, los asesores solo le dirían que solicite ayuda federal incluso después de que ella haya intentado explicarles qué significa DACA. Para ella “ellos simplemente asumieron cosas”. “Siento que deberían haber dado a profesores y facultad información de [DACA], y no lo hicieron”, dijo. “Me hizo sentir muy marginado”. Cuando Villasenor-Magana había ahorrado suficiente dinero para transferirse a la universidad en 2018, dijo que estaba decepcionada porque nadie le contó sobre los recursos que tenía en el campus. “Fue aterrador”, dijo Villasenor-Magana. “Se sintió como lo mismo [como CSN]. Han pasado muchos años. Necesitamos más conciencia sobre esto, necesitamos más exposición sobre esto porque yo sé que no soy la única estudiante de DACA en el campus. Para UNR ser una escuela tan grande y no tener esa exposición sobre un asunto que está sucediendo hoy, es una locura para mí. ¿Por qué? No tiene sentido “. A pesar de que VillasenorMagana se graduará el próximo otoño, ella teme constantemente por su estado. “Literalmente puede [ser] de un día para otro, no tienes un estado”, dijo. “Eso es lo que lo pone muy nervioso, y la incertidumbre es simplemente horrible”. En 2017, el presidente Donald Trump anunció que terminaría el programa. Sin embargo, varias demandas judiciales federales han bloqueado la acción. En respuesta, la universidad emitió un comunicado en septiembre de 2017, junto con el Sistema de Educación Superior de Nevada, indicando su apoyo a los estudiantes indocumentados. “Desde que se inició el programa de Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia (DACA) en 2012, hemos sido testigos de los beneficios críticos de este programa para nuestros estudiantes y los impactos altamente positivos en nuestra institución y comunidad”, se lee en el comunicado de la universidad. “Estamos orgullosos de todos nuestros estudiantes de DACA. Queremos proteger la oportunidad para cualquiera que venga a
nuestra universidad a perseguir sus sueños a través de la educación. Continuaremos aceptando nuestra misión y apoyando a los miembros de nuestros diversos grupos, que son una parte valiosa y crítica de nuestra comunidad universitaria. Con informes que indican que DACA puede ser rescindido, estamos afirmando nuestra postura de que todos los estudiantes que estén listos para seguir una educación superior son bienvenidos aquí en la Universidad de Nevada, Reno “. Aunque se emitió una declaración, la receptora de DACA Dulce Medina dijo que no se siente apoyada en el campus. “La universidad ha demostrado que trata a los estudiantes de color muy diferente a sus pares blancos”, dijo Medina. “Ya estamos en desventaja y la escuela no hace mucho para igualar el campo de juego y mucho menos empuja para superar a los demás. Hay recursos que son geniales, como The Center, pero aún así la universidad en su conjunto no adopta una postura firme contra las personas que están siendo discriminadas por nada, incluido el estado migratorio “. Medina emigró a los Estados Unidos cuando tenía solo 2 años y dice que si no fuera por DACA, no podría mantenerse. “Crecí toda mi vida en Nevada, en Incline Village, un pequeño pueblo en la costa norte de Tahoe”, dijo Medina. “Crecí apoyado por amigos y familiares, pero había barreras obvias cuando empecé a envejecer y comencé a estudiar educación superior, todo combinado con que Trump asumió la presidencia y amenazó mi estatus”. DACA me ha dado la oportunidad de ir a la escuela en general. También soy de primera generación, así que si no fuera por DACA, no habría tenido la oportunidad de ir a la universidad. También me ha dado la oportunidad de trabajar legalmente, y si no pudiera trabajar tampoco podría costear la escuela o la vida en general, así que no podría imaginar no tenerlo ”. Para Villasenor-Magana y Medina, su mayor temor es “¿Qué pasa si se quitan DACA?” En el otoño de 2019, el Tribunal Supremo comenzó a escuchar testimonios sobre si DACA es legal. Se espera que la corte dé una respuesta para la primavera. Aunque las audiencias se refieren a Villasenor-Magana y su estado potencial, ella elige no escuchar. “Honestamente, ni siquiera sé qué está pasando en la Corte Suprema”, dijo Villasenor-Magana. “No me gusta estar al día con las noticias, es demasiado deprimente”. Para el coordinador de servicios sociales Jahahi Mazariego, explicó cómo esta respuesta es normal. “Lo que encuentro es que hay algunos estudiantes que eligen no escuchar activamente cuáles son los cambios en la política de inmigración y no están al día con lel Tribunal Supremo”, dijo Mazariego. “Lo hacen principalmente por su propio cuidado y protección de su salud mental, salud física. Tengo algunos otros estudiantes que están ansiosos por aprender más sobre lo que sucederá con DACA, por lo que están al día. Pero en estos dos sentimientos diferentes hay mucha ansiedad y mucha depresión y aislamiento social “. Mazariego comenzó a trabajar en la universidad en 2016 como una forma de brindar apoyo y abogar por estos estudiantes. Ella dijo que se preocupa por estos estudiantes y su estado. “Si lo pierden, es posible que tengan que ajustarse sobre cómo [piensan] sobre cuál es [su] futuro”, dijo. “Esta es una comunidad que no siempre
Sam LaRussa / Nevada Sagebrush Un grafico de una mariposa que representa la communidad indocumentada. Lee: Más de 700.000 personas confían en DACA. Los estudiantes de DACA no califican para recibir ayuda financiera. Se espera que el Tribunal Supremo dé los EE.UU da una respuesta si DACA continuará. En 2017, el presidente Donald Trump anunció que pondría fin al programa. puede planificar con anticipación. Van día a día. DACA nunca ha sido un programa permanente, siempre ha sido temporal. He estado pensando en esto, honestamente, desde 2012. ” Mazariego dijo que comenzó a abogar por DACA y estudiantes indocumentados cuando su cuñada fue deportada, y cuenta su experiencia con frecuencia. “Si un estudiante en un grupo subrepresentado siente apoyo aquí en el campus, es más probable que se gradúe de la universidad. Lo mismo [se aplica] cuando se trata de estudiantes indocumentados ”, dijo Mazariego. “Siento que a menudo lo digo para humanizar la discusión sobre inmigración. Creo que muchas veces gran parte del trabajo que hago justifica la humanidad de los inmigrantes. Preferiría usar la historia de mi familia para hacer eso en lugar de que otros estudiantes hagan eso ”. Desde entonces, Mazariego ha tratado de dar visibilidad a los problemas que afectan a esta comunidad. “El miedo es legítimo. Es extremadamente legítimo, y nunca puedo quitarle el miedo a otras personas ”, dijo Mazariego. “Solo quiero que los estudiantes sepan que estoy aquí para apoyarte en todo lo que pueda. Cada sentimiento que tienes es completamente válido. Espero que te sientas apoyado aquí en el campus, pero si no, comunícate conmigo. Quiero crear esa oportunidad para sentirme apoyado y visto “. Mazariego agregó que está investigando activamente los recursos en caso de que DACA sea eliminada por la Decisión de la Corte Suprema. La universidad ha realizado eventos como UNDOCU Week para mostrar su apoyo a esta comunidad. Se recomienda a los estudiantes que reciben DACA o que son indocumentados y que necesitan apoyo / recursos que secon Mazariego: comuniquenjmazariego@unr.edu.
Mande sus comentarios a Andrew Mendez: andrewmendez@sagebrush. unr.edu o sígalo en Twitter @ AMendez2000.
Your plasma donation creates life-saving medications for thousands of patients all over the world.
New donors bring this coupon in to receive $50 at your 1st donation! *This coupon is not a bonus. A new donor will only receive $50 on their first donation with this coupon.
Call today
(775) 351-1505
Sparks Biomat 652 E Prater Way Sparks, NV 89431 Call today
(775) 324-5600
Reno Biomat 270 East 6th Street Reno, NV 89501
New plasma donors receive up to
$500 in a month.
In addition to meeting the donation center criteria, you must provide a valid photo I.D., proof of your current address and your Social Security or immigration card to donate. Must be 18 years of age or older to donate.
Arts Entertainment A4 | A&E
PACK N THE EVENTS THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR THIS WEEK By Rylee Jackson READING BY FICTION WRITER JAMEL BRINKLEY DATE: March 10 TIME: 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. LOCATION: ASUN Wolf Shop, 2nd Floor INFO: Jamel Brinkley, author of “A Lucky Man: Stories,” will read from his work, answer audience questions and sign books at the ASUN Wolf Shop on Tuesday night. Brinkley is currently a Wallace Stegner Fellow in Fiction at Stanford University. This event—made possible by the Black Mountain Institute, Nevada Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities—is free to the public.
DRAG SHOW HOSTED BY SHEA COULEÉ DATE: March 11 TIME: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. LOCATION: Joe Crowley Student Union Ballrooms INFO: Put on by the Queer Student Union and ASUN programming, this year’s drag show will be hosted by RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 9 finalist Shea Couleé. Come see all the amazing performances from local artists and watch them compete for the crown!
JAZZ LAB BAND IN CONCERT DATE: March 12 TIME: 7:30 p.m. LOCATION: University Arts Building, Hall Recital Hall INFO: Jazz Lab I, the university’s large jazz ensemble comprised of students from the jazz studies program, will be performing on Thursday night at the new University Arts Building. Tickets are $7 for general admission and students with ID pay zero.
PERFORMING ARTS SERIES PRESENTS STEEL BETTY DATE: March 12 TIME: 7:30 p.m. LOCATION: Church Fine Arts, Nightingale Concert Hall INFO: The final artist for this season’s Performing Arts Series will be Austin, Texas band Steel Betty. Their music pays tribute to the pioneers of bluegrass, folk and country, so it’s bound to be a great showcase. Tickets are $37 for adults, $31 for seniors and university staff, $16 for youth and $5 for UNR students. Rylee Jackson can be reached at ryleejackson@sagebrush.unr.edu, or on Twitter @rybyjackson.
@NevadaSagebrush | nevadasagebrush.com
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020
UNR Theater presents ‘Antigone’: the sacrifice for family ending in tragic death daughter of the late King Oedipus of Thebes. Prior to the play beginning, Antigone’s brothers, Eteocles and Polynices, lead opposite sides of the Thebes’ civil war, fighting for the throne. Both brothers end up killing each other, leading Creon to become king. The death of the brothers leaves Antigone and her sister Ismene grieving and alone, with which we pick up the play. Both sisEmilie Rodriguez/Nevada Sagebrush ters are argubecause Playbill for ‘Antigone.’ The UNR Theater Department performed this Greek tragedy throughout February and March. ing King Creon has chosen to give Eteocles By EMILIE RODRIGUEZ also incorporated an all-female cast. With all male roles replaced a warriors burial while Polynices Students may recall reading the with female pronouns, the pro- is shamed, and is to stay unburied Theban Plays—a series of three duction switches up the norms for being a traitor to Thebes. Antiplays written by Sophocles—in in which many greek plays have gone is enraged by this proclamation and informs Ismene that she their Core Humanities classes been performed over the years. upon entering college. “The play contributes one of the is going against the King’s wishes The ancient Greek tragedy, An- first and most popular represen- and will bury her brother. Ismene tigone, while written first, is the tations of a strong, decisive, and tries to dissuade her for fear that third installment in the Oedipus brave female hero,” wrote Jahan- she, too, would lose both her Trilogy, which consists of Oedipus mir in the director’s note. “The use brothers and her sister. Antigone, the King, Oedipus at Colonus and of an all-female cast reiterates this ashamed that Ismene is a coward, Antigone. Even though this play is impact—further celebrating the goes to bury Polynices alone—and unfortunately pays dearly for it. part of the trilogy, it can stand on characters’ feminine power...” After this scene, an ensemble of its own. Along with the raw stage-setting The Department of Dance and and fun costumes, Antigone’s cast actors appear on the stage. AnTheater presented their rendi- entrapped the audience with pow- tigone is separated by scenes, or tion of Antigone on Feb. 28, with erful imagery and stage presence. “episodes” in which a chorus will follow-up performances through With no mics to amplify their voic- sing and dance to inform the audiMarch in the Redfield Proscenium es, the casts’ vocals surprisingly ence of the unfolding events. “In the spirit of this production, Theater at the Church Fine Arts reached the entire theater. I took choreography inspiration building. The storyline of the play contains Directed by Yasmine Jahanmir, bravery, solemness and tragic both from past and present sourcAntigone used costumes ranging death. Antigone, played by gradu- es,” wrote Jahanmir. Jahanmir later explains in her from different eras in history and ating senior Emily Dunn, is the
director’s note that these dance styles come from the early women’s movement history. The Delsarte system and synchronized swimming were a few styles mentioned. In the two following episodes of the play, Antigone is captured and sentenced to death by starvation while being locked into a dark cave. King Creon’s madness drives “her” to subject Antigone to this fate, and deny the union of Antigone to Haemon, Creon’s son (or in this case daughter). Haemon is overtaken with grief and goes to Antigone, who’s been locked away from the sun for eternity. While many try to persuade King Creon to take back the punishment put on Antigone, Creon doesn’t budge until the blind prophet Tiresias warns Creon that what he’s done has displeased the gods. In Creon’s efforts to please the gods, he orders Polynices to have a proper burial and the release of Antigone. Unfortunately, upon arriving at the cave, Creon finds Haemon mourning the death of Antigone, who has killed herself. Haemon kills “herself” in distress, and Creon is heartbroken. Low and behold—when Creon returns to his house, his wife has also killed herself, for she could not live without her “daughter” Haemon. The play ends with Creon in despair. This Greek tragedy depicts the lengths one woman will go for her family, and the destruction that comes from it. The audience clapped and whistled as the cast took their bows after the 90-minute performance. “Antigone was a wonderful experience because of the collaboration result of every voice in the room,” wrote assistant directors Jolene Stewart and Sam Crabtree. “We truly believe, and hope that you share in the notion, that Antigone is a story that continues to resonate today.” Emilie Rodriguez can be reached at ryleejackson@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @NevadaSagebrush.
‘Final Fantasy VII’ remake demo previews what’s to come By RYAN FREEBERG With roughly a month away from the much-anticipated release of the “Final Fantasy VII” remake, developer Square Enix decided to give fans a taste of what’s to come with a demo. The short one-hour gameplay preview gave fans a glimpse into the world of Midgar, but one question remains—is it good? In short, yes. It’s very, very good. It should be noted that this title should be approached with a pair of nostalgia goggles on. For many people that grew up in the 90s, the original was most likely their first trip into the worlds of Final Fantasy. In particular, the original “Final Fantasy VII” is regarded as one of the best entries in the series, holding a Metacritic score of 92. For those that played the original demo for “Final Fantasy VII” back in the 90s, the opening should look identical. The entire demo should, as it is a recreation of the original demo and opening segment of the title. This review will not be getting into the story of “Final Fantasy VII” remake, as that should be enjoyed by the player. Also, the original came out in 1997. The remake is not scheduled to differ too drastically from the original, but why risk a spoiler when you don’t need to? Just know that the game centers around a group of individuals that are seeking to rebel and push out an oppressive company that controls the fictional city of Midgar, known as the Shinra Corporation. As the opening cinematic plays, gamers are shown a world where technology is at the core of everyday society—something that isn’t too far from our own. The player is shown a sweeping shot of Midgar, the city at the heart of this story’s tale. The scene plays out, showing glimpses of some of the characters that the player will meet along this one hour demo —characters like Cloud and Barret, who are the only
playable characters in the demo build of the title. As soon as the cinematic ends, players are thrown into gameplay. Compared to the classic Final Fantasy formula, which has a turnbased battle system, “Final Fantasy VII” remake uses an action combat system to speed up the pace of combat. Fights are fast, tense and aggressive thanks to this updated combat system. However, that’s not to say the game doesn’t offer a slower approach to combat. Players have the option to slow down fights and Screenshot of “Final Fantasy VII” remake demo. pick their moves partment that Cloud simply can’t: carefully instead of the quick- range. paced action the game defaults to. Cloud is known for using an overInstead of slashing away with an sized sword. Barret, on the other oversized buster sword—Cloud’s hand, takes a different approach. iconic weapon—players can Barret’s right arm has been rechoose to use special attacks or placed with a Gatling Gun, allowuse magic to slow down the pace ing players to fight enemies at a of combat. Square Enix has given distance. The disparity between players control that previous Final Barret and Cloud in the gameplay Fantasy games limited, and it’s a department offers players some diwelcome addition to say the least. versity, letting them play out a sceThe demo proceeds to play out, nario as they see fit. giving players more opportunities As the demo nears its end, the to practice with the new combat player is given a chance to flex the system and get used to the fast- skills they have acquired throughpaced action. As the demo nears out their last hour of gaming. A it’s halfway mark, players are given large insect-like robot descends the ability to switch playable char- on the player, giving fans their acters. first peek at how this remake is apAs a default, players start the proaching boss battles. game as Cloud, the main protagoThe large insect robot—approprinist of the title. It is here that the ately named Scorpion Sentinel— game opens up, allowing players to attacks the players with rockets, try out Barret. Barret offers play- laser beams and close up melee aters something in the gameplay de- tacks. If players wish to defeat this
Ryan Freeberg/Nevada Sagebrush
giant baddie, they’ll need to use the skills acquired over the last hour. Scorpion Sentinel is a tank, both in a literal and figurative meaning. The boss is a damage sponge, but if players properly listen to the dialogue being hurled by both Barret and Cloud, the boss is a surmountable challenge. “Final Fantasy VII” remake is shaping up to be a tour-de-force for developer Square Enix. For fans interested in the title, they can log onto PlayStation Network and download it for free. If you have already played the demo, or are happy to wait till the finished product hits store shelves, there isn’t much longer to wait. “Final Fantasy VII” remake hits store shelves on April 10.
Ryan Freeberg can be reached at ryleejackson@sagebrush. unr.edu or on Twitter @ NevadaSagebrush.
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020
A&E | A5
@NevadaSagebrush | nevadasagebrush.com
Wolfstock Comedy Show highlights student comedians, special guest Bobby Benedict By RYLEE JACKSON
Lady Gaga returns with ‘Stupid Love,’ introduces us to the world of Chromatica By RYLEE JACKSON
The Wolf Pack Comedy Club put on their very own “Wolfstock” comedy showcase on Wednesday, March 4 at the Joe Crowley Student Union with local comedian Bobby Benedict as their special guest Friends, students and comedians alike packed inside room 323 for a night of entertainment and, of course, lots of up and many attendees stood in the back, which made it clear that almost everyone in the room needed a carefree evening to unwind after a long day. And that’s exactly what The Wolf Pack Comedy Club did. The night kicked off with sets from 10 club members, each around the event was held in a conference room instead of a theatre, it didn’t stop the comedians from making a great entrance. Before each person began, they would enter through a side door—backed by an encouraging round of applause from the audience. A lot of the night’s performers discussed similar topics, but they all
added their own unique commentary, which was refreshing to witness. Many interpreted the sagas relating to their own navigation of dating apps along with the hardships of the college experience in general, which many audience members related to—as seen through all the cheers and head nods. Some even provided their own takes on the world around them, with politics and the coronavirus being the most popular in that category. A little bit of musical comedy was also implemented in the set, which was a fun way to deviate from the stand-up act for just a moment. After the student comedians each had their moment to shine, Benedict stepped in and ended the show on a high note. Right off the bat, it was clear that Benedict was a seasoned pro, as he didn’t seem to have any nerves whatsoever. In a short amount of time, he covered all kinds of topics from certain comments he gets about being tall to sharing fun facts about pigs, but the subject that received the most memorable churn of laughter
had to be his elaborate, lengthy story about realistic-looking cakes. What was most impressive about each set was how the comedians took full advantage of the short amount of time they had to showcase their talent. Many would assume perform in front of many people, but the added element of performing brief yet impactful sets must be even harder. Because of their time constraints, many who covered a few different topics made abrupt transitions—mostly from unrelated subjects, which made their delivery even more hilarious. All in all the night was and the supportive environment made it even more enjoyable. Make sure to follow The Wolf Pack Comedy Club on Twitter @ UNRcomedy as well as on their Instagram @unrcomedy for more information on their upcoming events. Rylee Jackson can be reached at ryleejackson@ sagebrush.unr.edu, or on Twitter @rybyjackson.
Lady Gaga released song since “ARTPOP.” We were blessed with single off of her upcom- the often-overlooked ing album “Chromatica,” 2017 Coachella promoon Feb. 28, which has tional single “The Cure.” fans rejoicing over the We also had the glorious start of a brand new era Ally Maine-becomesand a much-anticipated a-pop-star tracks in “A return to pop. Star Is Born.” But, those Success with award are different because eishow wins, Super Bowl ther they were a one-off performances and Vegas single, or they were deresidencies aside, Lady signed for a character in Gaga has had a whirl- a movie. So, they don’t wind couple of years in really count as a commusic. plete Gaga pop era. In 2014, she embarked Thankfully, the time on a jazz project with has come. Finally, we the legendary Tony Ben- have “Stupid Love,” nett titled “Cheek to which we may or may not have heard in Januout of the pop bubble, which would continue in leaked—but we’re still the years to come. grateful nonetheless. Shortly after, the Produced by Max “Joanne” era traded the Martin, Blood Pop and “Aphrodite lady seashell Tchami, the song strikes bikini” she fashioned in a similar feeling to certhe dawn of the “ART- tain tracks off the “Born POP” era for a pink cow- This Way” album—parboy hat paired with a ticularly the electro-pop country-pop twang. This liveliness of “Fashion of stripped-down side of His Love.” Gaga’s heartGaga continued to reign felt and powerful voice in the “A Star Is Born” shines through the simsoundtrack as seen plistic lyrics, which is through last year’s Best a perfect formula for an Original Song Oscar anthemic pop song like winning duet, “Shallow.” this. Although we’re happy The music video, shot for Gaga’s willingness on an iPhone 11 Pro, is set to successfully embark on an intergalactic desert on new sounds over the and begins with the stateyears, a part of us missed ment, “The world rots in that “Rah Rah B*tch” and the exhilarating, tle for dominance. While carefree pop music we the Spiritual ones pray and sleep for peace, the That’s not to say she hasn’t released a pop Chromatica.”
Gaga,
embodying
a ine as she sports the pink ponytail and metallic face armour of our dreams, breaks up a battle through the power of levitation alongside her dancers—each group representing a color on the chromatic scale. The costume design is spectacular, the makeup is ever-so bold and the choreography by longtime collaborator Richy Jackson is full of joy. What more can you ask for? However, the only downside to the video is its short length. It would’ve been cool to see Gaga make a triumphant return to long form videos in the same vein as “Marry The Night” and “Telephone,” which is a major aspect of the pop music puzzle piece that’s missing in this current crop of artists. But, never say never. This is only the beginning. Who knows what else “Chromatica” will bring to pop music lovers and Little Monsters alike when it releases on April 10. There’s a lot to take in until then, so all we can do is get excited and embrace everything that’s about to unfold. Rylee Jackson can be reached at ryleejackson@ sagebrush.unr.edu, or on Twitter @rybyjackson.
Take Charge of Nevada’s Future Wednesday, March 4, 2020 Wednesday, March 11, 2020 Opens at 8:00 a.m., Online via Web Campus
Physical voting location is in the Center for Student Engagement on the third floor of the Joe from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 5, 2020 Thursday, March 12, 2020 Closes at 5:00 p.m., Online via Web Campus
Physical voting location is the Center for Student Engagement on the third floor of the Joe from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
HOW TO VOTE ON WEBCAMPUS
HOW TO VOTE IN PERSON
3.
Wednesday, March 4 and Thursday, March 5 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Center for Student Engagement, Front Desk on the third floor of the Joe
1. 2.
4. 5. 6.
Sign in to WebCampus using your NetID On your courses tab, select: ASUN ELECTIONS - (NAME OF YOUR COLLEGE) Click on ASUN Election NAME OF YOUR COLLEGE Once in the course, click on the top left hand corner link called: ELECTIONS 2020 An instruction window will appear, click on the BEGIN button to VOTE Once you have selected your choices, SUBMIT
Wednesday, March 11 and Thursday, March 12 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Center for Student Engagement, Front Desk on the third floor of the Joe Casting a ballot on WebCampus and at the physical location is a violation of Nevada Student Code of Conduct and further judicial actions will be taken.
NOTICE for DOUBLE MAJORS
If you are a Nevada student double majoring in separate colleges or schools and the Ballot Name does not match your desired college or School you wish to vote in, please DO NOT fill in this ballot on Webcampus. You may only vote in one college or school that you are majoring in. You can proceed to the physical location to cast your vote.
Want more info on the 2020 ASUN Elections? Visit www.NevadaASUN.com or pick up a Voter Guide from the Center of Student Engagement on the third floor of the Joe from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. f /nevadaASUN
“This is Nevada”
@nevadaASUN
NevadaASUN.com
@nevadaASUN
Mobile App
Opinion
A6 | OPINION
Buttigieg doing a Texas accent in Dallas is embarrassing By Vincent Rendon While campaigning for Joe Biden in Dallas before Super Tuesday, former nominee Pete Buttigieg dipped into a Texas accent. Buttigieg, decidedly, does not have a Texas accent. As a dual-citizen Texas-American, I found this deeply upsetting. Pandering to people is one thing, but pretending to have an accent to appeal to locals is just bizarre. For his transgressions, I nominate this folly be placed upon the pantheon of pandering, right next to “Pokemon Go to the polls.” Please, sign the Change.org petition to ban Buttigieg from Texas. Wash your heckin hands. By Madeleine Chinery The coronavirus is causing panic all around the world. But there are a few easy solutions to prevent it. Wash your hands. Don’t touch your face without washing your hands. If you think you are sick, selfquarantine until you feel better. And wash your hands. If you are not washing your hands, go to heck.
For the sake of everyone who is fearful of getting coronavirus, please take care of yourselves. Above all, it should not take a virus to make you feel obliged to wash your hands. Always wash your hands. Chick-Fil-A Sauce = Overrated By: Matt Hanifan Listen, I’m just a sports guy. I’m not a professional sauce enthusiast. But neither are the majority of humans, so I am here to spew this take that some of you may find repulsive. As one of the few humans who hasn’t been to Chick-Fil-A an absurd amount of times in a lifetime, I decided to indulge myself in the eatery last week (for the first time in several years). The only chatter I’ve heard from other humans is the rave about this “special Chick-Fil-A sauce”. As a man of the people, curiously wanting to form my separate thoughts on the sauce, I decided to have it with my meal. I am a big pro“telling it how I see it” guy. I will call a spade a spade, and my brain concluded that it was mediocre. I didn’t want to say it, but it was true. My taste buds were expecting much better.
People won’t like to talk about, or read about it for that matter, but I just don’t think it was that “special.” I know some of you will have kerfuffles with this opinion, and that’s fine, but I will stand my ground with this chaotic, unpopular take. Crocs are amazing, quit hating! By Andrew Mendez Pay attention, Crocs—the rubber shoe you keep hating on—is actually the best shoe you will own. Not only are they soft and comfy, but they are so versatile. You can wear them after a long day of walking, and your feet will be relaxed. One can wear Crocs when you go fishing. Crocs could also be used as shower shoes if you share a bathroom. You can also slide them on if you’re in a rush. They are, in a way, the superior shoe! Despite all the hate it gets, the Crocs twitter page has over 87 thousand followers. There is a community who understands the versatility and variety one can use/purchase. When one thinks of crocs,
most usually will think of the basic model, the company actually makes boots, tennis shoes, and for those ladies out there , wedges and flats. Answer me this: why not choose comfort? Buy a pair of crocs and experience the joy yourself. CURL GANG deserves some more hype By Sarah Strang Local Reno band, CURL GANG, deserves way more hype than they are currently getting. If you’re into edgy lyrics, good production value and beats that absolutely slap, then listen to CURL GANG. The rap band’s music hasn’t failed to bring people together at a fun party with their hit “Suck My D*ck,” or motivating people who need some inspiration with their song “Change My Life.” CURL GANG is worth way more than people give them credit for. Opinions expressed in The Nevada Sagebrush are solely those of the author and do not necessarily express the views of The Sagebrush or its staff. The opinion section can be reached at vrendon@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @VinceSagebrush.
Who’s talking about climate change now that Steyer’s gone?
Climate change is a pressing issue nowadays. We have brushed off the fact that the earth has between five and 12 years left until it becomes a real-life version of Waterworld. That shouldn’t happen, and not only because WaterSarah world was a really Strang bad movie. Over this past election season, we have seen democratic presidential candidates come and go. Promise they will make a difference and
then drop out. We’re down to three candidates now in the race for president: Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, and surprisingly, Tusli Gabbard who is polling at less than 1 percent. Tom Steyer was one of the only candidates prioritizing climate action while he was still campaigning. Claiming it was his number one issue helped spark a deeper conversation even if he wasn’t favorable in the Democratic Party. Since he left, the climate change discussion has ceased. Though the candidates are touching on the subject, climate change is no longer a priority despite its determining factors
for the world. Speakers around the world like Greta Thunberg are sparking inspiration in those who wish to change the planet for the better. But our own country’s leaders have not labeled it as a global priority. It is our leaders’ responsibility to bring citizens together to fight for a better world. Other places cannot sustain a conversation on climate change because they are prioritizing surviving a war or a famine. Some countries cannot participate, so it is the responsibility of the United States and other developed countries to have real exchange about climate. And here we see our potential
presidents brushing it aside to make way for other discussions. Climate change is something we need to make room for. Climate change doesn’t decide who is affected by it, but we have the means to stop it in its tracks. It’s just going to take some paying attention to in order for us to achieve climate safety.
Opinions expressed in The Nevada Sagebrush are solely those of the author and do not necessarily express the views of The Sagebrush or its staff. Sarah Strang is a student at the University of Nevada studying journalism. She can be reached at sstrang@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @scsstrang.
Should I study for that exam worth half my grade or just take a break? So it’s midterms. We all know that feeling from just the word “midterms.” It strikes fear and stress into our hearts. We always promise ourselves we will study way more than last time so we can earn a better grade. But let’s be honest, it never really works out that way. We all end up pushing it off until the week of the exam and we try Brooke to cram study. But Enochson it never works. It is way better to go in
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020
@NevadaSagebrush | nevadasagebrush.com
confident rather than a complete bumbling mess. Here are some of the ways I study, procrastinate, and take breaks, with a few methods for balancing out your workload with breaks and studying. Set a timer It’s hard to make your brain focus on something you do not like or understand. You get bored or frustrated and try to take a break. But don’t do it, that break will be longer than you anticipated. Make your life easier and set a timer. For example, set a timer for 1 hour of studying and a twenty-minute timer for a break. This is super easy.
You’re just setting short-term goals and it makes it more manageable. Give yourself incentive to study I like this one the best! It doesn’t make studying fun, but it does make it easier. I start studying and I try to stay focused, but often start to get distracted by my phone or the episode of “Friends” on TV. Tell yourself you’ll watch the full episode once you’re done with the chapter. You can then bust through the chapter and when you’re done you get to watch the episode or whatever else would normally be a distraction. In my opinion, this makes it way easier to not get distracted. I get
Simply the best sandwiches in the world!
25% off your first sandwich with this ad and your Wolfpack i.d. 6775 Sierra Center Parkway (at S. Virginia) telephone orders: 775-499-5098 menu: thesandwichspot.com (ask Ty or Adam about opportunities for part-time employment for UNR students)
distracted easily and stop studying to go do things I’d rather do, but it feels more rewarding once you do get to finally watch that episode you’ve been waiting to get to. Do it little by little This is what’s suggested by professors: if you do a little each day it makes the workload a lot lighter in the end. As much as we all would like to believe they are wrong, they really aren’t. Shove your stubborn rebelliousness aside and just study for an hour everyday. Future you will appreciate it. Study groups I don’t have a ton of friends in the same classes as me but who said I can’t have a study group with them? Just have a night in and study with your friends around. Chatting here and there is okay but make sure you are still studying. Don’t get off track. I often go over to my friend’s place with a few others and we all sit and do our work and chat too. Maybe there is a glass of wine involved here and there (I am over 21, don’t worry). It’s not impossible. You really can study and still hangout with friends. Here’s my tip to you and to myself. Save yourself the mental exhaustion and just study. It doesn’t matter what method you choose really. Anything is better than cram studying and failing, I promise. Look at the brightside; after these exams and essays it’s spring break. We get to take a week-long break and it will feel like paradise.
Opinions expressed in The Nevada Sagebrush are solely those of the author and do not necessarily express the views of The Sagebrush or its staff. Brooke Enochson is a student at the University of Nevada studying political science. She can be reached at oali@ sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @BEnochson.
-Spring Break HoroscopeStarbrush is the Nevada Sagebrush’s column devoted to the interconnection between astrology and college life. Congrats! You survived the first leg of the semester, hopefully with your sanity (mostly) intact. Now it’s time to kick back, relax and enjoy spring break, right? Well, as we all know, best-laid plans don’t always turn out the way we want them to. For some of us, surely the next week will be a White Claw-fueled fiesta of fun. Yet, it’s also possible your spring break winds up riddled with various anxieties, or derailed by a hostile agent (Coronavirus? Overbearing family? Overbearing family with coronavirus?). Spring break should feel Vincent like the calm before the storm, a moment of rerendon laxation before the proverbial orcs of the second semester storm the proverbial Helm’s Deep that is your psyche. If something is going to go wrong, we better get a heads up. So, for this week’s Starbrush we’re going to look to the stars and predict how everyone’s spring break will unfold.
Aries
Your spring break is destined to be fun, but be careful— you might find yourself in some sort of trouble! Classic Aries, always rushing headfirst into things. The stars have no doubt your courage will lead to some epic moments, but you’re equally likely to crash through a glass coffee table during a round of shenanigans. Such is your ethos.
Taurus
Tauruses thrive during long breaks because it gives them time to do something. During this spring break, it’s likely a taurus will use their extra time to plan and execute something rather impressive. You might not get a lot done, but the few things you do will be masterfully put-together with the care and patience only you possess.
Gemini
Your spring break will certainly be a movie, but will it be more like the beginning half of “Spring Breakers” or the latter half of “Spring Breakers”? That all depends on how wellaccustomed your friends are to your specific quirks and peculiarities. If you are worried partying with your friends will lead them to throw you off the boat, maybe just take it easy at home this week.
Cancer
Sorry to say it, but your spring break might just fly by without anything happening. Unless you actively fight against your nature, it might seem like no one wants to hit you up. Remember: you can get things started too. I believe in you.
Leo
By the end of the week, your friends might need some space. They won’t stop liking you, but sometimes you get caught up in the good times and try to stretch them out over days or a whole week. Also, your personality makes you extra susceptible to coronavirus, so watch out.
Virgo
Nothing bad will happen to you this week. Even if everything around you is crumbling, something about your energy will keep it away like a forcefield. Yet, somehow, you might leave the week feeling unfulfilled.
Libra
Don’t let the fun times pass you by this week by being indecisive. Sometimes Libras are hesitant to take risks, or are afraid of getting “arrested” by the “police.” Don’t be a coward. You’ve got this.
Scorpio
You are going to cause some chaos this week, isn’t that great? The problem: you really need to be relaxing but will forget to recharge because you’re having too much fun. The next week back at school will be rough, but you’ll be able to look back fondly at your whirlwind spring break at least.
Sagittarius
This upcoming week will be a fun one for you, but there’s also a good chance one of your friends will leave this week in a bad mood with you. Think before you speak, Sagittarius.
Capricorn
Look, I’ll be honest, the stars seem to think this is a good time of year for something unfortunate to happen to poor Capricorns. Of course, it will be your own fault, but the cosmos will surely snicker at your maladies. My advice? Don’t do anything stupid. Save the free solo rock-climbing or axe-throwing bars for summer vacation.
Aquarius
Time to catch up on sleep! Aquarius will find themselves enjoying a well-balanced spring break, but perhaps with more snoozes than normal. That’s fine—you deserve it, Aquarius.
Pisces
Spring break falls smack-dab in the middle of Pisces season, so the outcomes will be even more unpredictable for an already volatile sign. Whatever you do, be prepared with lots of water and maybe some emergency tissues. Things could get wild. Opinions expressed in The Nevada Sagebrush are solely those of the author and do not necessarily express the views of The Sagebrush or its staff. Vincent Rendon is a student at the University of Nevada studying political science. He can be reached at vrendon@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @VinceSagebrush.
Sports
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020
@SagebrushSports | nevadasagebrush.com
SPORTS | A7
With help from above, Nevada’s Blane Abeyta sizzles on the mound By Isaiah Burrows Nevada closer Blane Abeyta stands tall on the mound, but his idol watches him pitch from above. Blane’s grandfather, Gilbert, was with him when he signed his national letter of intent to join the baseball team at the University of Nevada, Reno. Gilbert passed away on Jan. 1, 2020 before the season began. Abeyta enters every outing calm and composed, knowing his grandfather is by his side. “I wish I could see him in the stands watching me play,” he said. “He was my idol. He’s watched every game of mine since I was little. It’s hard not having him here with me, but I know he’s watching me up there so I want to make him proud.” Abeyta has made the most of each appearance thus far. The junior right-hander earned his first two career saves with the Wolf Pack against California Baptist on March 6-7, securing Nevada’s first two wins of the season. He is one of 11 junior college transfers making their Nevada debut. Abeyta played two seasons at Modesto Junior College from 201819. The Modesto, Calif. native is adjusting to his new surroundings on the Division-1 stage. “This is a completely different environment from junior college,” he said. “I love every guy here and there are many ways to learn from them. I just need to keep learning and growing each day.” Abeyta comes equipped with a low-80s slider and a low-70s curveball. But his velocity-packed fastball is a swing-and-miss weapon in his arsenal. It ranges between 90-93 and has reached 94 mph this sea-
son, forcing opposing batters to adjust on the fly. The 6-foot-3 Abeyta lowered his ERA to 3.86 on the year. He is fourth on the team with 11 strikeouts in six appearances. “I can throw the ball pretty hard and it’s just translated,” he chuckled. “I’ve been able to focus on adding to my velocity and it’s helped my off-speed stuff so it’s been an asset of mine.” Along with his dominant repertoire on the mound, Abeyta’s work ethic and strive for improvement has remained a constant throughout the year. It also has captured the attention of head coach T.J. Bruce. “We have a lot of experienced players out there and he’s one of them,” Bruce said. “He’s battled and learned what we’re about as a team, I’ve been impressed with how much he’s grown in such a short amount of time.” Before his debut on the mound with the Wolf Pack, Abeyta was a standout catcher at Ceres High School. He batted .324 with five home runs, 54 RBIs and a .444 on-base percentage over two seasons with the Bulldogs. He also was named first-team AllLeague and Most Valuable Player his senior year. Abeyta was in for quite a change when he arrived at Modesto Junior College. The catcher position was filled to the brim, forcing him to try out in a bullpen session. He flashed his skills on the hill and made a permanent switch soon after. “Going into junior college, that position was filled up so I had to do something,” he said. “Coach (Zeb Brayton) told me to go throw in the bullpen and I was sitting in the high 80s. All of a sudden, I was their clos-
Image courtesy of Nevada Athletics
Breaking down Jay Norvell's new five-year, $3.125 million deal By Ryan Freeberg
On the morning of March 3, the university announced that Nevada's football coach Jay Norvell inked a new fiveyear deal to remain with the Wolf Pack for the foreseeable future. This new contract signs Norvell as the Pack’s leader through Jan. 31, 2025. The Nevada Sagebrush requested a copy of the contract shortly after the news broke of the deal. The contract—25 pages in length— details a wide array of guarantees and clauses for the head coach. The deal also outlines how Norvell will be evaluated for his position. 40 percent will be based on competitiveness, 40 percent on academics and rule compliance, 10 percent on institutional goals, including diversity and citizenship, and the final 10 percent will come from program administration. For starters, Norvell’s salary is broken up into two main categories: base salary, and media and public appearances. Norvell earns $300,000 as his base salary and $325,000 as his media and public appearance pay. He earns all $625,000 as long as he keeps his media and public guarantee. Per season, Norvell is required to appear 12 times on the radio and television/internet and 20 times for public/ donor appearances. According to the contract, public appearances are defined as “appearances before civic, faculty, student, alumni, booster or other like groups, as may be reasonably determined by the Athletic Director.” Norvell’s $625,000 salary would put him at the bottom of the Mountain West coaching salary rankings per Chris Murray of Nevada Sports Net. On average, coaches in the Mountain West earn $1.14 million per year to lead their respective
programs. Also included in the compensation portion of Norvell’s new deal are a few interesting details related to bonuses and stipends. As part of a monthly stipend, Norvell receives $1,000 a month for an automobile stipend. Norvell is given a skybox which can hold 12 people at Nevada’s home football games. He also receives four tickets to every other Wolf Pack sport’s home games. The head coach also receives a membership to a local country club as part of the new contract. There is also a long list of bonuses that Norvell can achieve for hitting certain criteria throughout the season. If the team wins seven or eight regular-season games, Norvell gets a bonus of $25,000. If he leads the team to nine regular-season wins, he receives a bonus of $50,000. For beating a power-5 opponent, Norvell will receive a bonus of $25,000. For defeating UNLV, Nevada’s main rival, Norvell gets a bonus of $25,000. Norvell hasn’t beaten UNLV since his first season with the Wolf Pack, in 2017. The head coach is also offered enticing incentives if he leads the Pack to the Mountain West Championships. If Nevada wins the MWC West division, Norvell receives a bonus of $50,000 and a $100,000 bonus if he leads the team to a victory in the MWC Championship. Although these are some of the bonuses Novell is more likely to obtain, they aren’t the only ones. His contract also outlines bonuses if he leads the team to post-season play—something he’s done consecutively for the past two years. An appearance in a nonNew Year’s bowl game results in a $15,000 bonus for the coach. The payday increases to $25,000 if he wins the bowl game. If Ne-
vada makes it to one of the six New Year’s bowl games, Norvell will earn himself a $150,000 bonus. The payout increases to $200,000 if leads the Wolf Pack to victory in the match. The largest potential bonus for Norvell comes if he leads the Pack to the College Football Playoffs. If Nevada makes it to the semifinals of the playoffs, Novell earns a bonus of $250,000 or $500,000 if they make it to the championship match. The last of the bonuses for field performance is connected to the Coach of the Year awards. For winning the MWC Coach or Co-Coach of the Year award, Norvell earns $25,000. For receiving the National Coach or CoCoach of the Year, Norvell will be paid $50,000. All of these bonuses are dependent on Nevada hitting a single-season APR of 940 in the following academic year. Additionally, Norvell’s total bonuses can not exceed $875,000 per year per the contract. Also outlined in the contract are a few academic dependent bonuses for the head coach. If the program has a team APR of 985 from the previous two semesters, Norvell earns a $10,000 bonus. If the team’s GPA in the same time-frame is a 2.75 or higher, Norvell earns an additional $25,000. In the case of Norvell wanting to leave Nevada for another program, Norvell would have to pay the program his remaining contract within 60 days of leaving Nevada. Also, if Norvell is terminated prematurely without cause from his contract, Nevada would owe Norvell the remainder of his deal. Ryan Freeberg can be reached at rfreeberg@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @SagebrushSports.
er and pitched well.” In his freshman season, Abeyta sported a 1-0 record with five saves, 22 strikeouts and a 1.62 ERA in 16.2 innings. He followed it up with a 5-4 record and 4.55 ERA in 17 appearances—including 10 starts—in 65.1 innings during his sophomore campaign. Despite several obstacles throughout his junior college career, Abeyta’s experience behind the plate helped him achieve his dream of playing D-1 baseball. “Everything took off from there and it’s an honor to be here,” he said. “I think a big part of it was catching. I know how to call a game from a pitcher’s standpoint because I understand how hitters focus in the box. So that helps me know what I’m positioned and looking for on the mound.” Abeyta has transitioned to the mound and is serving as the closer with the Wolf Pack. His potential grows with each new appearance on the mound. Nevada has stumbled during the 2020 season, but Abeyta will be in a position to seal wins for the Pack as they look to rebound from a slow start. He has plenty of support from above. “We’ve got a lot of JUCO guys like myself who know how to play,” he said. “Some of those qualities we bring can help over the course of a season… There are a lot of guys on this team who know how to win and I just want to be a part of it.” Isaiah Burrows can be reached at rfreeberg@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @SagebrushSports.
@NevadaSagebrush | nevadasagebrush.com
SPORTS | A8
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020
Nevada softball goes 3-2 in annual Wolf Pack Classic By Hailey Fleming Nevada softball held their first home series this past weekend: the annual Wolf Pack Classic. The Wolf Pack competed hard, taking three wins and two losses as they improve to 10-14 on the season. University of the Pacific and Sacramento State, March. 6
Austin Prince/ Nevada Sagebrush Johncarlos Reyes goes for a dunk during a game against Air Force on Feb. 4. Reyes had three points in the loss.
Wyoming knocks off Nevada in quarterfinals upset
By Ryan Freeberg In stunning fashion, Nevada men’s basketball was eliminated from the Mountain West Tournament on March 5 at the hands of the Wyoming Cowboys. The match was played in Las Vegas. Leading the Pack offensively was Lindsey Drew. The senior scored 19 points in his final MWC Tournament appearance. Right behind the senior was junior Jalen Harris, who scored 17 points in the loss. Harris also recovered nine rebounds—all were defensive. The top overall scorer on the court was Wyoming’s Kwane Marble II, who picked up 24 points in the Cowboys’ victory. Wyoming will move on to play Utah State on March 6. Although Wyoming struck first to open the match—a layup from Trevon Taylor— Nevada came out of the locker room red hot. The Pack opened the match on a 13-6 run, to take the lead over the first four minutes of the contest. The Cowboys battled back as the 10-minute mark ticked by, taking a one-point lead over the Wolf Pack with 9:47 left to play in the half. After the Cowboys and Pack again tied it up just prior to
the nine-minute mark, Wyoming went on to have a 5-0 run to take the lead over the next minute. The scoring streak sparked the Nevada squad, responding with a 12-0 that lasted roughly the next four minutes. As the half came to a close, Nevada and Wyoming traded blows, but the Pack kept its lead over the Cowboys. When the buzzer struck at the half, Nevada led Wyoming, 43-33. Nevada continued their offensive streak to open the second half, sprinting off to a 5-3 run to open the half. The run didn’t seem to slow down the Cowboys though, immediately responding with an 8-2 to cut into the Pack’s lead. Thanks to two successful free throws from freshman K.J. Hymes, Nevada took back their 10-point lead with just over 13 minutes left to play in the match. Both Nevada and Wyoming struggled for nearly a three-minute stretch, as neither team failed to hit from the floor as the game ticked from the 13-minute mark to the 10-minute mark. Wyoming’s Marble II finally broke the silent streak, hitting on a layup from the paint. Wyoming clawed back into the match as the game approached the final seven minutes of play. Hunter Thomp-
son hit both of his free throw attempts after picking up a controversial foul against Harris. The two successful free throws brought Wyoming to within three points of the Pack. The Cowboys came alive as the game entered the final four minutes. Marble III drove to the basket to give Wyoming a three-point lead. A free throw from Thompson gave the Cowboys the lead just a possession earlier. As the match entered the final 70 seconds of play, Nevada was down four points. A three-point shot from Drew brought the Pack to within a single point. With the ball back in the Cowboy’s hands, the Pack played a smothering style of defense, forcing a Wyoming turnover. With the gained opportunity, Nevada crashed the glass but failed to secure a point. The Cowboys stretched their lead to three with nine seconds left. Nevada had one final opportunity as the game came to close, but failed to convert. Nevada fell to Wyoming, 74-71. Ryan Freeberg can be reached at rfreeberg@sagebrush.unr. edu or on Twitter @SagebrushSports.
Lindsey Drew’s impact on Nevada should not go unnoticed By Matt Hanifan It shouldn’t be overlooked how important Lindsey Drew was to one of the best basketball eras in University of Nevada, Reno’s history. When talking about Drew’s career, there are few words to describe it. Uncommon, unique and extraordinary are just some words which come to mind. Drew averaged just 7.6 points in his collegiate career. Not a lot of players—at least in this generation—are revered as much as Drew was at Nevada because of his low scoring numbers. Why is that? Drew was the player that, if he wanted to, could have scored 20 points each a night. But he never needed to. He was surrounded by terrific scorers—such as Marqueze Coleman, Caleb Martin, Jordan Caroline, Marcus Marshall, Cameron Oliver, Jalen Harris and others—throughout his Nevada career. It’s not that he couldn’t score—he did when Nevada needed him to. In the Wolf Pack’s season opener against Utah on Nov. 5, Harris played just eight minutes due to an ankle injury. In his first game in 18 months after having surgeries on his Achilles and both of his hips, Drew scored a career-high 30 points, including a career-best: five 3-pointers. Drew put together a 24-point performance with nine rebounds and seven assists the following game en route to a 72-67 win over Loyola Marymount on Nov. 9. It wasn’t all about scoring for Drew, who tallied 38 double-digit scoring performances in 130 career games in the silver and blue. It was about putting his team in the best position to win when he was on the floor. When Nevada didn’t need him to be a primary scorer, his fluid style of play allowed him to contribute in every other way. Here is where Drew ranks among different non-scoring
statistics in Nevada history: Wins - 93 (4th) Minutes played - 3,934 (3rd) Assists - 508 (3rd) Steals - 168 (5th) Blocks - 106 (9th) Rebounding - 654 (9th) In Nevada’s 88-74 win over New Mexico on Feb. 18, Drew etched his name into Wolf Pack history after becoming the first player in school history to total 900 points, 600 rebounds and 500 assists in his career. He is 18 points away from being the thirtieth player in Wolf Pack history to accumulate 1,000 career points. The tranquil guard is also looking to become the eleventh player in Pack history to join the 1,000 points and 600 rebounds club. In his fifth year at Nevada, Drew is having his best season to date. He is having career-bests in scoring with 11.4 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game and 45 3-pointers. For his efforts, Drew was named as an AllMountain West Honorable Mention and to the All-Defensive team for the second time in his career. Coming out of Fairfax High School, Drew was named one of the top point guards in the nation and the third-best in the state of Calif. He decommitted from Arizona State after head coach Herb Sandek was fired. This is when he set his sights on Nevada, becoming Eric Musselman’s secondever recruit at Nevada. Musselman departed a year to take over coaching duties at Arkansas. From the moment Drew stepped on campus, his leadership and poise were on full display. Starting in 36 of his first 37 games, he averaged 5.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in his freshman season. Drew also led the team and was fourth in the conference in steals at 1.5 per game. Drew was an essential piece to Nevada’s CBI Cham-
pionship run, averaging 7.8 points, five rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.2 steals in the six CBI games. He scored a season-high 16 points— 14 coming in the second half— in Nevada’s 79-75 win over Montana in the opening round. The 6-foot-4 guard was tasked to fill a bigger role the following season after Coleman graduated. He did just that and served as the conductor to Nevada’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007. Drew’s 164 assists set a Nevada record for most assists by a sophomore and he led the conference with 4.7 assists per game. He was named to the All-Mountain West defensive team, finishing Top10 in the Mountain West in both steals and blocks. Drew averaged 8.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists in his junior season—which was cut short after an Achilles injury. He missed the final ten games of the season. Being one of the few remaining pieces from the Musselman era, he filled his role to the best of his ability. His laid-back attitude translated into a fearless, consistent and disciplined play on the floor. He never seemed rattled when the lights shined brightest. He did it all—which is why he should be remembered as one of the great players in Wolf Pack history.
Nevada opened the series with a close game, losing in the seventh inning 5-4 to the University of the Pacific Powercats. Nevada started the game strong, scoring four runs in the first two innings. At the bottom of the first, junior Lauren Gutierrez smacked a single that drove senior Sierra Mello home, giving the Wolf Pack a 1-0 lead. Freshman Charli McLendon put herself into scoring position on a single in the bottom of the second inning. Senior Sadaria McAlister then smashed a double, sending McLendon home and adding another point to Nevada’s tally. Freshman Chelie Senini reached base on a bunt, and Mello hit an RBI single to bring her home. Still, at the bottom of the second, senior Mele Tausinga hit a ground ball RBI, putting Nevada ahead 4-0. The Pack held Pacific until the top of the fifth inning. The Tigers fought back with a leadoff triple and single, now only trailing Nevada 4-1. The score held until the top of the seventh inning when Pacific picked up four runs. Sophomore Kendall Fritz pitched in the circle, giving up back-to-back singles. The Tigers tied up the game on a double. With the score 4-4 and two outs, Pacific took the lead on a single. Nevada was unable to earn another point, giving the Wolf Pack their first loss of the series and their first loss at home. The second game of the day fared much better for the Wolf Pack, who cinched 9-0 win against the Sacramento State Hornets. Freshman Blake Craft started the game in the circle, pitching five innings and allowing only two hits. The Pack got started right away, with Mello slamming a double in the bottom of the first. Only two pitches later, junior Ashley Salausa hit another double, sending Mello home. Three more pitches in and Tausinga continued the double trend, growing the Pack’s early momentum. Salausa scored, and another RBI from Gurierrez gave the pack an early 3-0 lead. A single run was scored by the Wolf Pack in the bottom of the second, with Senini stealing second base after reaching first on a walk. An
RBI from Mello sent Senini home, giving Nevada a 4-0 lead. At the bottom of the third inning, senior Haley Burda smashed a two-run home run, adding two more points to Nevada’s lead, now 6-0. McAlister started the bottom of the fourth inning off strong, hitting her first triple of the season. Mello followed with her third hit of the game and sent McAlister home. After two more singles and a sacrifice fly ball, the Wolf Pack secured the game, winning 9-0. Weber State, March 7 In a doubleheader against the Weber State Wildcats, Nevada split the series 1-1. Fritz started in the circle, pitching six innings and allowing only three hits. The first game of the day saw the Wolf Pack dominate Weber State 10-4. Thanks to an RBI single from Gutierrez, Nevada had an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The Wildcats retaliated fast, scoring two runs in the top of the second inning. Weber held the Pack 2-1 until the bottom of the fourth inning. McLendon reached base from a walk before Senini singled, putting two runners on base with only one out. McAlister impressed again, smashing her first home run of the season, scoring three and giving Nevada a 4-2 lead. The Pack continued to attack Weber in the bottom of the fifth inning, tacking on four more runs, and now leading 8-2. The Tigers responded with a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning, cutting Nevada’s lead to only four. The Wolf Pack answered back, scoring two runs of their own in the sixth inning, opening up the game with a six-point lead. The Nevada defense held the lead in the seventh inning, giving Nevada a 10-4 win. In their second game against Weber State, the Pack went neck-and-neck with the Wildcats, before eventually losing it in the final inning by a score of 4-3. Weber State took the lead early, hitting a solo home run in the top of the second. The Pack was able to hold the Wildcats there until the top of the fourth when backto-back doubles gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead. Nevada responded in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases and scoring on a walk, and closing the gap by a single point. The Wolf Pack stole the lead from Weber State in the bottom of the sixth after a two-run RBI single from Salausa brought home McAlister and sophomore Danielle Lew. Nevada led 3-2 with only one inning to go.
With two outs in the top of the seventh inning, Nevada looked like it might get the win. Unfortunately for the Pack, the Wildcats launched a two-run home run, stealing the lead 4-3. The Pack was unable to respond in the seventh, taking the loss with a series record of 1-2. Weber State and Sacramento State, March 8 Nevada and Weber State were scheduled for one last contest on the diamond, but the game was canceled. In their final game of the series, Nevada battled it out to take another win—this time, against the Sacramento State Hornets 6-2. Fritz started in the circle for the Pack, pitching all seven innings and allowing only two runs with three strikeouts and no walks. She went the distance, allowing just two runs without issuing a walk and tallied three strikeouts. The sophomore is now 8-5 for the season and 2-1 at home. The Pack attacked fast, scoring a point at the bottom of the first. Mello reached base on a single before Gutierrez doubled, driving Mello home. The Pack continued to swing hard, with Salausa also smacking a double to move Gutierrez into scoring position. However, the Hornets ended the threat after catching two pop-ups, ending the inning. The Wolf Pack held the 1-0 lead until the top of the fourth when Sacramento scored to tie it up. A scoreless bottom of the fourth from Nevada kept the score 1-1 until the top of the fifth after a sacrifice bunt and two hits put another point on the board for the Hornets. Nevada answered back in the bottom of the fifth with McLendon reaching base on a walk, followed by a single hit by Senini to put two on with no outs. McAlister kept her dinger streak strong, smashing yet another threerun home-run, her second of the series and her second home run of the season. The home run gave Nevada a 4-2 lead. The Pack performed on defense, keeping the Hornets from scoring in the sixth while the bottom of the inning saw Nevada tack on two more runs, giving the Wolf Pack a 6-2 lead. Nevada won the game with a quick three outs in the top of the seventh. Nevada starts conference play next weekend as the Pack travels to Las Vegas, Nev. to take on UNLV in a three-game series. The series begins on March 13 and runs through March 15. Hailey Fleming can be reached at rfreeberg@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @SagebrushSports.
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in The Nevada Sagebrush are solely those of the author and do not necessarily express the views of The Sagebrush or its staff. Matt Hanifan is a student at the University of Nevada and studies journalism. He can be reached at rfreeberg@sagebrush.unr. ed and on Twitter @SagebrushSports. Matt Hanifan can be reached at rfreeberg@sagebrush.unr. edu or on Twitter @SagebrushSports.
Mason Solberg/ Nevada Sagebrush Charli McLendon (pictured above) gets an out at first base during a match against Sac State on March 8. McLendon has .302 batting average so far this season.
