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FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021

VOLUME 127, ISSUE 3

Dorm residents required to show negative COVID test upon arrival By Taylor Avery

Lucia Starbuck/KUNR Public Radio

Dr. Bret Frey, president of Northern Nevada Emergency Physicians, receiving his second shot of the two-dose Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Renown’s South Meadows drive-through vaccine site in Reno, Nev., on Friday, Jan. 8.

University begings vaccination process almost one year since pandemic began By Taylor Johnson

After almost a year i nt o t he C OV I D -19 pandemic—which has killed 2.06 million people worldw ide — several states initiated their vaccine rollout. Nevada is one of ma ny st ates beg i nning to vaccinate its citizens, with around 116,0 0 0 tot a l doses ad m i n i stere d a s of Thursday, Jan. 21, according to the Centers for Disea se Cont rol and Prevention. Currently, those working in hospitals, frontline hea lt h workers a nd staff and residents at long-term care facilities are being vaccinated, with individu-

als aged 70+ and public safety and security personnel next in line. I n a n e m a i l add re s se d to a l l st udents, faculty and staff on Tuesday, Ja n. 5, University of Nevada, Reno President Brian Sandoval said the universit y is f i na l i zi ng the implementation of its campus-wide plan as to how employees are to be categorized for the tiers. The first prioritizat ion feat ured f rontline workers such as u n i v e r s it y me d i c a l personnel who actively engage in pat ient care. The first doses of v ac c i nat ion s for this group began to be administered in late December a nd w i l l continue to take place

until at least Jan. 11, 2021. T he s e c ond pr ior it i zat ion i ncludes “Education and Childcare Staff” and “Nevada System of Higher Educat ion Front l i ne Facult y/Staff.” NSHE F r o nt l i n e Fa c u l t y/ St a f f i s def i ned by P re sident S a ndov a l as anyone employed by NSHE and physically working on campus face-to-face with other individuals duri ng t he Spr i ng 2021 Semester. “Education and Childcare Staff” only includes personnel working in person at a childcare site on campus and students actively teaching in a K-12 env ironment as part of their studies. The third prioriti-

zation includes the remainder of NSHE staff and “students liv ing in campus-sponsored residential settings.” T he rema i nder of NSHE staff are indiv idua l s who t aug ht remotely in the spring or those who are not working on campus in person until the Summer 2021 Semester. Lastly, the last prior it i z at ion w i l l i nclude t he hea lt hy general student body and all other healthy adults. The Student Health Center’s Medical Dir e c t o r, D r. C h e r y l Hug-English said the u n i v er sit y re c ei v e d the Moderna vaccine

As students head back to the University of Nevada, Reno campus for the spring 2021 semester, extra masks and hand sanitizer aren’t the only things they’ll need to bring. Students living in the residential halls this semester are required to present a negative COVID-19 test administered less than 72 hours before their arrival on campus, according to an email sent to students on Wednesday, Jan. 13. “By basically sharing the opportunity to get tested over a larger geographic area, students will be less inconvenienced if they’re able to test not here. If they’re not able to test, whether they’re at home, off-campus, traveling, they will be able to test on campus,” said Dean Kennedy, executive director of Residential Life, Housing and Food Services. “We’re trying to keep those numbers down as much as possible, so it’s more convenient for students to get here, get settled in and jump into classes.” For those unable to provide a negative test result at the time of their arrival, the Student Hea lt h Center w i l l be administering f ree, 30-minute rapid tests at Peavine Hall on Saturday, Jan. 23 and Sunday, Jan. 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students with a positive test result will be required to quarantine in Sierra Hall or offcampus for 10 days. Students without a negative test result that arrive outside of the testing times provided at will also be required to quarantine in Sierra Hall until they receive a negative test result. Students who have tested positive in the last three months won’t be required to retest but will need to provide their previous results at time of arrival. Indiv iduals who have tested positive for COVID-19 can continue to test positive without being infectious for up to three months after the first positive result, according to the See page A2

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Students move into the dorms after the buildings reopened on Jan. 23, 2020.

President Biden, Vice President Harris sworn into office By Taylor Avery

Two weeks after a violent mob stormed into the U.S. Capitol Building, Joseph Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States and Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first female vice president. Harris is also the first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to become vice president of the United States. She and Biden were sworn in at an inauguration ceremony unlike any before on Wed., Jan. 20. Instead of the typical inauguration crowds well into the hundreds of thousands, the ceremony was attended by lawmakers, past presidents and celebrities. National Mall, usually swarmed with attendees trying to get a chance to see the new president, was instead filled with close to 200,000 f lags representing those thousands unable to attend due to COVID-19 concerns. National Guard troops numbering at 25,000 were present in Washington, providing extra security. The heightened security comes after hundreds of pro-Trump rioters stormed past Capitol Police

Education, not violence, remains the pathway to real and lasting change and the continued pursuit of American ideals.

into the Capitol Buidling while lawmakers were certifying the results of the Electoral College inside on Wed., Jan. 6. In a message to staff and students, University of Nevada, Reno President Brian Sandoval said he was “shocked and saddened” by the events at the Capitol. “It is in this spirit of democracy that we will never tolerate what transpired yesterday in Washington, D.C., as our elected leaders gathered to consummate a time-honored electoral tradition that signals to our citizens and the world that we are a nation of laws and that power is always transferred peacefully,” Sandoval said in the Jan. 7 email. Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Melody Rose also issued a statement on the violence. “As a public higher education system, we must continue to make space for the robust deliberation of facts and the conveyance of truth. Education, not violence, remains the pathway to real and lasting change and the continued pursuit See page A2

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Student voice of the University of Nevada, Reno, since 1893.

Volume 127 • Issue 2 Editor-in-Chief • Olivia Ali oali@sagebrush.unr.edu

News Editor • Taylor Johnson tkjohnson@sagebrush.unr.edu

News Editor • Taylor Avery tavery@sagebrush.unr.edu

Spanish Editor • Andrew Mendez andrewmendez@sagebrush.unr.edu

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Adrienne Desens, a pharmacist with Renown Health, prepares a syringe with a second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to administer to a health care worker at Renown’s South Meadows drive-through site in Reno, Nev, on Friday, Jan. 8.

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and that “adequate secu r it y mea su res are in place” to protect it. The Nevada Facu lt y A l l i a nc e e xpressed concer n about t he decision on splitting vaccine pr ior it i z at ion between faculty teachi n g “on c a mpu s” a nd facult y teaching remotely. On the day President Sandov a l a n nou nc e d the university’s plan for vaccination, the NFA sent him a letter outlining their concerns. “We encourage t he Universit y a nd NSHE leadership to bear in mind t he obl igat ions of shared governance, a nd work t h roug h ex isting structures of the Faculty Senate, Sta f f Counci l, and other representative bodies,” part

of the letter read. NFA Vice President Dr. Kent Er v i n sa id he understands tough decisions had to have been made but feels the divide is unfair for those working remotely or placed on Families First Coronavirus Response Ac t leave because of preexisting me d ic a l c ond it ion s that make them especially vulnerable and those whose work duties include off-campus educational or research activities that requ i re face-to-face interactions. “The potential disc r i m i n a t i on a r i s e s from a lower priority for the vaccine based on a pre-existing medical condition that has forced the staff member to work from home or be placed on FFCRA leave, and which could be remedied by i mmunity from the vaccine,” Ervin said in an

email to the Nevada Sagebrush. Er v in sa id t he A mericans with Disabi l it ie s Ac t ( A DA) gener a l l y pr oh i bit s discrimination based on medical conditions but does not k now how v ulnerabilit y to COV ID-19 wou ld be treated legally under ADA. He believes this is the group that could b e n e f i t mo s t b ot h he a l t hw i s e a nd i n their ability to resume essential face-to-face work. “NFA has received reports of the criteria for vaccine pr ior it ization being applied differently in different units across campus, with some units showing flexibility and others being ver y rigid. There needs to be a t ra nspa rent process for appea l s,” E r v i n said. “We appreciate President Sandova l’s statement that he will

wa it u nt i l f ront l i ne UNR faculty and staff are vaccinated before he gets the vaccine.” Un i v e r s i t y C ommu n ic at ion O f f ic er Natalie Fr y said this decision was not made by the university and was asked by the state to conduct the prioritizations like this. “We are following State of Nevada defin it ions a nd recommendat ions developed from guidance from the CDC and the Nevada State Immunization Coalition,” Fry said. “Gov. Sisolak has st ated t hat v acci ne distribution throughout Nevada is based on scientific data, key ethical principles and federal recommendations.” Fry said the university’s goal is to have as many students, faculty and staff who indicate they wish to have t he vacci ne receive

vacci nat ions by t he end of the semester. “...[ T ]he vacci nes are a highly effective tool in a kit of many med ica l a nd publ ic hea lt h tools t hat we should all use in concer t i n f ig ht i ng t he spread of COVID-19,” P re sident S a ndov a l said in an email to the Ne v ad a S a gebr u s h . “Taken together, one step at a time, we are now on a road where perhaps by the end of the coming semester we will be at a different place. We all need to continue to look out for one a not her. We have much to look forward to this coming spring semester.”

Taylor Johnson can be reached at tkjohnson@ sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @taylorkendyll

Continued from page A1

of A merican idea ls,” Rose sha red i n t he statement on Jan. 7. A Google document entitled “Open Letter From Political Scientists” was created on Ja n. 6 a nd ga r nered hundreds of na mes, including UNR political science professors Christina Ladam and Rober t L . Ostergard, Jr. The letter called on Congress and former Vice President Mi ke Pence to remove former President Donald Tr u mp f rom of f ice, which began on Jan. 6.

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Students begin moving into Peavine Hall on January 23, 2020. The University has implemented a variety of regulations to increase safety in the dorms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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File Photo / Nevada Sagebrush President Joe Biden speaks a t Tr u c k e e M e a d o w s Community College on Oct. 2, 2020.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is important to note, however, that an individual can still be reinfected during this three month period. Students moving into the dorms will only be allowed one helper. Face coverings are required at all times during the move-in process. The dorms are reopening on Saturday, Jan. 23 following their closure on Wednesday, Nov. 25. Students in Nevada can use the Nevada Health Response website to find testing locations. Students in California can use the California Department of Public Health website to find testing locations. Students may also use an at-home COVID-19 test kit for their results. Additionally, students can schedule a test at the Student Health Center by calling 775784-6598. The SHC is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Taylor Avery can be reached at tavery@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @travery98.

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NEWS | A3 the hands of police,” Sandoval’s statement read. Following the protest over the summer, Hall along with Alpha Ph i A lpha, Ph i Beta Sigma, Black Student Or ga n i z at ion, Residence Ha l l A ssociation, A.B.L.E. Women and Kappa A lpha Psi formed the “It is long overdue” ca mpa ig n. The ca mpa ign seeks to u n i f y t he Bl ac k com mu n it y across t he state of Nevada t h roug h ser v iceable actions. In addition to t he campaign, ASUN has developed the UNRPD Accountability Coalition. DACA

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Former President Donald Trump speaks to a crowd of people in Minden, Nev. on Sept. 12, 2020.

UNR through the Trump presidency: Four years of turmoil, change By Andrew Mendez

D u r i n g t he p a s t fou r yea rs, va r ious policies enacted and actions from the Trump-Pence admini s t r a t ion h a v e i mpacted the University of Nevada, Reno commu n it y. T hese pol icies have surrounded topics such as COVID19, t he Black L ives Mat ter movement, Title IX and more. United States President Joseph Biden, who was inaugurated on Wednesday, Jan 20, has since implemented 17 executive orders to cou nteract ma ny policy moves by former president Donald Trump. Here is a look at how t hos e p ol ic ie s have a f fected t he university during the past four years. COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandem ic bega n to i mpact t he majorit y of U.S colleges and institutions, including the University of Nevada, as ea rly as Ma rch 2020. To date, the Washoe Cou nt y Hea lt h District has reported over 40,000 cases of coronav i r us, w it h 14,292 remaining active. There have been over 570 coronavirus related deaths. A s t he pa ndem ic became more severe, UNR and the Universit y of Nevada, L a s Ve g a s a n n o u n c e d all courses would be moved online due to safety precautions related to COVID-19 on March 12, 2020. Currently, the universit y ha s i mplemented a HyFlex model where courses with less than 34 student s a re taug ht i n person. Classes w ith over 34 students are taught remotely. In addition to other policies put in place, students and facult y e x p r e s s e d c on c e r n coming back for t he Fall 2020 semester. “Please, do not sacrifice the loved ones of t hose a round you for the sake of conven ience,” sa id Sier ra Bat r i n, a st udent at UNR, back in August 2020. “I am expressly concerned about the hea lt h a nd sa fet y of students and staff in t he residence ha l ls.

W h i le I u ndersta nd that it would be nearly, if not absolutely, i mpossible to close residence halls during in-person instruction, the fact that students w i l l st i l l be sha r ing room s w it h p e ople they haven’t had contact w it h during t he 2020 pandemic turns my stomach.” Si m i l a r l y t o B at r i n, Mel i ssa Bu r nha m, a professor of Human Development a nd Fa m i ly St ud ies, sa id t he decision to come back for the fall s e m e s t e r w a s “t o o soon.” “It just seems too soon to be br ing ing students back to campus en ma sse, even with safety protocols i n place,” Bu r n ha m sa id i n a n ema i l to the Nevada Sagebrush back in August 2020. “I wor r y about t he health of our students and our facult y. One of t he most da ngerous places to be during this pandemic, according to the World Health Organization, is a contained space for a prolonged period of time.” As the fa ll semester passed, university President Brian Sandoval announced the Spring 2021 semester spr i ng brea k wou ld not take place and the semester would start a week later on Monday, Jan 25. In place of spring break, reading days were implemented. The HyFlex model w i l l cont inue in t he spr i ng semester, a llow i ng for some i nper son i n st r uc t ion. Additionally, COV ID19 vacci nes w i l l be ad m in istered to t he ca mpus com mu n it y in their respective tier classification. During the Trump p r e s i d e n c y, o v e r 40 0,0 0 0 i nd iv idua l s died due to COVID-19. Since taking office, President Biden has issued a mask ma ndate on federal property to help decrease exposure. White Supremacy F o r m e r u n i v e rsit y st udent Peter Cv jeta nov ic pa r t icip a t e d a nd b e c a me the face of the “Unite t he R ig ht ” r a l l y i n Charlottesville, VA in Aug ust 2017. Cv jetanov ic’s photo circulated a l l over socia l med ia where UNR

s t udent s ident i f ie d h i m f r om pre v iou s classes. The universit y bega n receiv ing national attention after a decision by former u n iversit y President Marc Johnson issued saying they would not expel Cvjetanovic. During a news conference severa l days after the rally, Trump ca me u nder f i re for h i s r e m a r k s a b out t he participants. A lt hou g h he s a id he condemned hate, he sa id “you a l so had people that were very f ine people on bot h sides.” Following the rally, acts of hate increased on campus. Multiple swastikas were found i n t he Chu rch Fi ne A r t s bu i ld i ng st a rwell in October 2017. T he sta i r wel l was orig ina lly mea nt for st udent s to ex press t hem s e l v e s a r t i s t ically. A lt hough a report and an investigation took place, acts simila r to t hose of 2017 kept taking place. A swastika was carved inside Peavine Hall, a residence hall located on ca mpus, in October 2018. The incident occured the same day a mass shooting took place at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, which lef t 11 dead and six injured. In addition to swastikas being carved on ca mpus, t he A mer ic a n Ident it y Movement and Identity Evropa placed f lyers on campus in 2019. Flyers were placed across va r ious bu i ld i ngs across campus. Students expressed concer ns a nd demanded the university take action, and the Johnson administrat ion classif ied t hese ac t s a s “poi s onou s and corrosive”. O v e r 2 0 a c t s of hate related to white supremac y have occurred on the universit y ’s ca mpus si nce 2 018 , a c c or d i n g t o Bia s a nd Hate Incident reporting site. Add it ion a l l y, t he David Horowitz Freedom Center classified the university as one of the top institutions to report neo-Nazi incidents. BLM Students at the university participated in a protest organized by

Black Lives Matter in 2017 a f ter d iscovering Cv jeta nov ic was at t he ra lly in Charlot tesv i l le. St udents at the event called for the univeirty to take more decisive actions. A f ter t he mu rder of Geroge Floyd, protests erupted in cities a l l over t he cou nt y, including in Reno on May 30, 2020, which i n c l u d e d s t u d e nt s , facult y a nd community members. Floyd, an unarmed A f r ica n A mer ica n man, was killed by exofficer Derek Chauvin of t he M i n neapol i s Pol ic e D e p a r t m e nt on May 25, 2020 after the officer kneeled on Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes. P r e s ide nt of t he A ssociated St udents of t he Un iversit y of Nevada, Dom i n ique Ha l l, s p ok e at t he event, calling for students to remain vocal. “We a re t he st udents and leaders of tomor row. I encourage you to use your voice on this campus a nd d o s om e t h i n g about [police brutalit y] now because it h a pp e n s i n Re no,” Ha ll said at the protest. “A s a nat ion, not only have we not resolved the historically deep wounds of structural racism, inequality, injustice and violence in our countr y, but t hose d iv isions, dramatically intensif ied in recent times, s i g n i f i c a n t l y c h a llenge ou r democracy,” former President Marc Johnson said in a statement. Ac c ord i ng to re porting by the Reyn olds Sandbox in midOctober, Blue L ives Matter materia l was present at a un iversit y event i nvolv i ng UNRPD. In response, President Sandoval issued a statement saying the presence of this material was “disheartening”. “I understand that w h i le t he or ig i n of t h is f lag is to show appreciat ion for police officers and their service, it’s important to recognize the ways in which this symbol has been weaponized by some law enforcement a nd ot hers to u nder m i ne t he e xper iences of people of c olor w ho h a v e faced discrimination a nd h a r a s sment at

Recipient s of t he D efer r e d Ac t ion of C h i ld hood A r r i v a l s a re indiv idua ls who ca me to t he cou nt y before the age of 16, a nd c u r rent l y pr o tects over 800,000 indiv idua ls by prov iding t hem tempora r y status. W hen t he Tr u mp Ad m i n i st r at ion a nnou nced t he end of the program in 2017, students at t he universit y took to Ca rson City to voice their concerns. Ja n e , a s t u d e nt , told The Nevada Sagebrush she was scared for her future. At the time of the stor y the source was given an a l ia s to protect her ident it y due to her immigration status. “I wouldn’t recognize my birth place if I were to ever go back,” she said back in 2017. “Now t h a t 8 0 0,0 0 0 people have decided to t r ust t he gover nment a nd come out of the shadows, they have no idea what to expect.” The same feelings of fear continued on to other DACAmented students in 2020. Students like Dulce Med i na, Ma r ia V i llasenor-Maga na a nd L u i s Mor e no A r i a s expressed t heir concer ns a nd voices as de c i sion s on DAC A were made in the Supreme Court and the 2020 election. After the Supreme Cou r t r u led aga i nst t he Tr u mp Ad m i ni s t r at ion to r e v oke DACA in the summer of 2020, V i l la senorMagana said she felt relieved. “I got out of bed and went to look for my mom to tell her the news and we just both looked at each other a nd hug ged. It wa s the best possible way to sta r t my day. My im mediate t houg hts were my brother and I can stay,” she said in 2020. In addition to t he decision, the universit y a nd t he Nevada System of Hig her Education joined the Presidents’ A l l ia nce on Higher Education and Immigration. The Alliance is comprised of i nst it ut ions f rom ac ros s t he c ou nt r y to urge for legal protection DACAmented a nd u ndoc u mente d students in higher education. For Moreno A rias, the 2020 presidential election meant it was a way for the nation to change in his favor. “There is nothing I want more than to be able to have the same opportunities as t he people in this country, especially since I have spent the same amount of time in the states a s t hem,” he said. “This election is more than a decision, it’s our livelihood.” Despite a want for s e c u r i t y, s t u d e n t s have also said there is a need for the path to citizenship, a realit y unava i lable under a

Trump Presidency. However, Biden issued a memorandum in support of DACA on Wednesday, Jan 20. Title IX Under t he Tr u mp Administration, Betsy DeVos wa s appoi nted a s t he Secreta r y of Education, during which she implemented policies related to Title IX. Title IX is a policy which prohibits federally funded programs f rom discriminat ion based on sex, includi ng protect ion f rom s e x u a l h a r a s s m e nt and assault. However, DeVos issued roll backs to the g u idel i ne s i n 2017. Under t he rol lback, universities were required to implement new w ay s of i nvest igat ing a nd adjudicating a llegations of sexual assault. In the ruling DeVos said the revised process would prov ide g reater due process. “Schools must continue to confront these horrific crimes and behav iors headon. There w ill be no more sweeping them u nder t he r ug. But the process also must be fair and impartial, giving everyone more confidence in its outcomes,” DeVos said in a statement to the U.S Department of Education. Despite t he orig ina l rol lback, DeVos proposed new changes to Title IX in 2019. Under the change, Title IX offices on college campuses are not requ i red to i nvest igate a ny student-tostudent incidents reported to have taken pl ac e of f- c a mpu s. A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e cha nges made it so only Title IX officials were a l lowed to f i le r e p or t s . P r e v iou s l y any employee at t he university was a mandated reporter. Un iversit y Di rector of Title IX and ADA Ma r ia Doucet t per r y ex pressed concer n f or t he pr op o s e d changes. “Additionally, the proposed rules state t hat i n cases where the complaint alleges conduct that does not amount to sexual harassment as def ined in the regulations, or t he a l leged conduct t o ok pl a c e out s ide of t he i n st it ut ion’s prog ra m or act iv it y, the institution ‘must d i s m i s s t h a t c omplaint,’,” Doucettperry said in an email to the Nevada Sagebrush in 2019. “This requirement seems to definitively deny a remedy not w it hsta nding t he fac t t hat ot her w i se ac t ion a ble c onduc t t hat m ig ht even be defined in other governing laws, such as dating violence under Cleary, has occurred. This is concerning for the University in that t h i s pr op o s e d r u le seems to require us to ignore the needs of our community.” Despite concer n s expressed by students a nd facu lt y, t he Nevada System of Higher E duc at ion vote d i n favor to comply with t he cha nges on August 18, 2020. C u r r e n t l y , D eVo s ’c h a n g e s r e main in place coming into the Biden administration. A s t he ca mpus com mu n it y moves into t he Spring 2021 semester, t he nation moves into a new nat i on a l pr e s i d e nt i a l administration. Andrew Mendez can be reached at andrewmendez@ sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @Amendez2000.

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Victor Hughes/Big Vic Media Aaron Gene Arao in downtown Reno, Nevada filming for a passion project.

Freelancing during a pandemic: how two local creators have taken on COVID-19 By Emilie Rodriguez

Freelancing is all about building connections and getting your name out into the world to strengthen your brand; However, the pandemic certainly didn’t help many local content creators in this season of their business. Everyone has had to adapt, and Aaron Gene Arao is taking this time to strengthen his videography and photography skills in order to take on bigger projects in his future. Arao lives in Reno, Nevada and attended the University of Nevada, Reno before taking a gap year as a senior. He describes his work as “passion projects” and has been creating Christian and faith-based content for the last two and a half years. Arao highlights the community in his projects, and finds himself out and about capturing what Reno has to offer. “For me, it’s showing love through what we create...through what I create specifically,” Arao said. “That can either be giving glory to God or just by making something I enjoy.” Arao said the pandemic was challenging, but also eye-opening to where he could build his brand as a Christian Digital Creator. Earlier last year, Arao created a TikTok account where he posted videos ranging from projects to behind-the-scenes shots of his work. “I was okay with COVID happening because school went online, and I was able to grow a TikTok audience,” Arao

I just like to shed the excess stuff in my work...and to me it’s really focusing on a focal point.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021 said. “It kind of worked for me in a way.” He added that gaining a good following which helped him grow his Instagram and YouTube channel where he posts vlogs, music covers and more. Currently, Arao is taking the year off of school to redefine his work and grow in his faith. He’s freelanced for Victor Hughes, a wedding photographer for Big Vic Media, as well as 1, 2, Tea, a local boba shop in Reno. Arao’s video work has also been featured on the E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center’s Instagram page. Even in this time of uncertainty, Arao hopes to be a full-time digital creator in the future, and has acquired new equipment to start feeding his other passion projects. “This right now it’s more of an experience, an experiment,” he said. “If I really enjoy the process and it’s something that I can keep doing it might just turn into a full time grind.” In a sense, the pandemic provided Arao a chance to grow an online following for his work, but for Hannah Van Dyke, a local portrait photographer and emerging videographer, her freelancing business took off differently. Va n D y k e r u n s a s m a l l f re e l a n c e p o r t ra i t photography business with her business partner and boyfriend. They both pursue their business parttime, and work full-time in other occupations, but Van Dyke wants to make her business full-time in the future. “If I could make enough sustainable living off of [photography] I would,” Van Dyke said. “I am so passionate about creating and being an avenue for others to express themselves.” The duo mainly relies on word of mouth to spread awareness of their business. Their photography style relies heavily on a minimalist outlook; Photos on their Instagram, @ hd.raw, either focus on the subject, or key items around their subject. “It’s evolving, but currently I am in a minimal mindset,” Van Dyke said. “I just like to shed the excess stuff in my work...and to me it’s really focusing on a focal point.” She added they recently picked up videography and want to build their business to incorporate diverse forms of content creation. “We just invested in a gimbal, so we’re learning how to take shots that way,” she said. A gimbal is a tool that provides pivoted support which allows video shots to rotate about a single access. These shots are steadied and stabilized to give the video a smooth effect, similarly to a stand-still tripod. Van Dyke hopes that through this medium she can tell different stories that are interactive and engaging. While working dur ing the pandemic didn’t necessarily hurt Van Dyke’s business, there were a couple protocols her and her boyfriend needed to take in order for their subjects to be comfortable during shoots. Considering social distancing and masks where all a part of the new transition Van Dyke faced. Van Dyke is still looking forward to using her photography and videography skills to highlight the unique individuals in the Reno community. “I think it would be cool to take somebody who isn’t super confident in their body, and then have them open up to me and show them they are beautiful,” Van Dyke said. Business has carried on as usual for the duo, and while they want to make a larger profit and grow their brand, the pandemic has added an extra layer of challenges for them to face.

Emilie Rodriguez can be reached at emilier@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @emilieemeree.

a few of the local mountains you can hit before the snow melts towards the end of April. Each of these resorts handles their pandemic policies in their own way, but masks are universal across the board and social distancing is required. Check the mountain’s website at least a couple of days before you go so you know the COVID requirements and to make a reservation. If you go up to the mountain in hopes of buying a ticket on the spot, you will be driving down that mountain without a ski day. Online reservations are the way to go unless you’ve previously acquired a season pass. 3. Snowshoeing

Emilie Rodriguez/Nevada Sagebrush A view of Lake Tahoe from the top of Chickadee Ridge, a scenic spot located in Washoe County, Nevada.

Avoiding cabin fever with these five COVID-19 friendly winter activities By Emilie Rodriguez Finding alternative ways of entertainment during the pandemic has been a big challenge to many, but living in Reno, Nev., people have the Sierra Nevada Mountains to call home. Not only are there great hikes in the summer, but getting outdoors for winter activities can help if you are experiencing cabin fever this winter. We are right in the middle of flu season, and with the pandemic looming, here are five COVID-19 friendly winter activities which can be enjoyed by students and faculty alike: 1. Ice Skating There are currently two places in Reno offering ice skating experiences for the entire family. The Grand Sierra Resort resides about three miles away from the University of Nevada, Reno, and has sessions starting at 3 p.m. Monday through Sunday. COVID-19 precautions include wearing a face mask at all times during your session, with only 50 skaters on the ice at any given time. The GSR recommends reserving your time online, as the spots can fill up fast on the weekends. If you plan to skate with your friends on the weekdays, you can get away with a walk-in and no online reservation. The second edition to the ice skating scene is Reno Ice, a

new facility located in the Huffaker Hills off of Longley Lane. Reno Ice had their grand opening on Jan 18. with public sessions and classes held throughout the week. Unlike the Grand Sierra Resort, Reno Ice requires all to sign up for the events schedule and make a reservation before coming in. Due to pandemic precautions, all scheduling is done online with 50 skaters on the ice at any given time. Reno Ice does give a more diverse skating scene to Reno. Not only are figure skating classes taught at the new rink, but if you’re interested in hockey, you can enjoy that as well. Checking out both Reno Ice and the GSR would be a great excuse to get out of the house and still respect COVID guidelines. 2. Skiing and Snowboarding How can one not take advantage of the many ski resorts Northern Nevada has to offer? While this outdoor activity leans towards the more expensive side of things, you can take advantage of feel-good friday deals at a variety of resorts this season. Boreal Mountain California has a $25 Friday deal on select dates that you won’t want to miss. Family-friendly mountains such as Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, Diamond Peak Ski Resort and Squaw Valley Resort have great runs that are well suited for beginners. Skiers and Boarders can also enjoy Heavenly Ski Resort and Northstar California Resort with their long runs that are quite the calf burners. These are only

If you are itching to get a good workout and some outdoor fun, then snowshoeing awaits you. Virtually anyone can participate, and it’s a great way to incorporate friends, family and four-legged companions in an outdoor activity. You can rent snowshoes or buy them from most local sporting good stores. Snowshoeing is inexpensive and very rewarding. The Tahoe Meadows located in South Lake Tahoe is the most notable place to hike with snowshoes, and if you bring birdseed you might just catch a glimpse of the famous Chickadee birds on Chickadee Ridge. The Tahoe Meadows also has a great view of Lake Tahoe if you reach the summit of the mountain, so make sure to bring a camera and a snack for a fun snowy day-trip. The best part about snowshoeing is that it’s in Reno’s backyard, so catch the snow before it melts. 4. Sledding Sledding is another cost effective way to spend your winter days outside. Buy a cheap plastic sled from Walmart, grab a couple of friends and take a trip up to any mountain with a touch of snow. The Tahoe Meadows also offers a great sledding hill, but if you want another adventure, Boreal Mountain California has Tahoe Tubing. If you grab your tickets online, you can tube down a snowy hill located in Soda Springs, CA. 5. Snowmobiling In ending our outdoor winter list, you can give Snowmobiling a shot this season. While it’s on the more expensive side of things, Snowmobiling offers an exhilarating time as you tokyo drift your way through snowbanks and carved out trails. There are a variety of snowmobiling tours in Tahoe but make sure to reserve your spot online as they do fill up fast. Luckily, everyone is pretty much socially distant while snowmobiling, and as long as you are wearing a mask you can easily follow the COVID precautions. Emilie Rodriguez can be reached at emilier@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @emilieemeree.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021

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Opinion A6 | OPINION

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021

Staff Editorial: Stop villainizing the media

Isaac Hoops / Nevada Sagebrush Students begin moving into Peavine Hall on January 23, 2020. The University has implemented a variety of regulations to increase safety in the dorms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Permission to party: Housing’s movein plan doomed to cause super spread By F. Evans T his weekend, t he students liv ing on-campus at the University of Nevada, Reno —i nclud i ng my sel f — subm it ted themselves to the logistical nightmare of producing a negative COV ID-19 test before they were allowed back into the dorms. To meet the housing department’s list of testing requirements, many on-campus students like me, who live outside Reno, had two financially viable options: get a test before traveling to Reno (which is slightly counterintuitive, since there’s a good chance some of us will be infected while driving or f lying) OR line up outside the Student Health Center on Saturday or Sunday for a rapid test and super spread party sponsored by Residential Life. I’m omitting the third option—to travel up a week early, get tested and stay in a hotel until the dorms open—because that’s simply infeasible for most of us. Setting aside the fact that this whole scenario is a recipe for infection, and ignoring the philosophical argument that it might have been more ethical to forge a negative test than to follow Residential Life’s move-in plan, there’s another issue at play here that Housing seems to be ignoring completely: undoubtedly, many students interpreted their negative test results as permission to party it up over the weekend before the start of classes on Monday. Just last week, I was on the phone with a friend I hadn’t seen for two

months, and even my knee jerk reaction was, “Hey! I’ll test negative in the morning, move my things back into the dorm, and we can hang out as early as Saturday afternoon.” I almost facepalmed after that sentence left my lips. This is a phenomenon we see all over social media, and it’s a common train of thought that experts are begging us to derail. A negative COVID-19 test does not make it risk-free for people to gather and socialize without regard for public health guidelines. In the weeks to come, UNR will be dealing with fallout from infected residence hall students who either slipped under the radar during rapid testing, were infected during the movein and testing process, or met up with off-campus friends (who may or may not be sick) to catch up. At best, housing’s testing requirement will ring in the new semester with a bump in cases. At worst, the dorms are about to turn into a COVID-19 hotspot, with resident students unwittingly infecting their classmates and Reno locals.

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. F. Evans is a student at the University of Nevada studying journlism. She can be reached at vrendon@ sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @ VinceSagebrush.

Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2021 is a day that will live in infamy in American history—and not for good reasons. While Congress worked to certif y the 2020 election results, rioters broke into the capitol. Emboldened by conspiracy theories, hatred and determination, they boldly embodied what is wrong with our democracy. A lt houg h ma ny issues a re causing problems within our nation, one of the most concerning developments are t he rhetorica l attacks aimed at delegitimizing the press. Throughout the insurrection, participants angrily chanted “fake news.” On the doors of the capitol building, someone wrote “murder the media”. This aggression led to several altercations where rioters attacked the press covering the insurrection. From spitting on them during a global pandemic, to hurling slurs and physically attacking them, this behav ior has proven there is a problem within our democracy. T his behav ior a nd v i l l i na zat ion of the press has been accepted under the Trump administration. The former president himself has said during countless rallies to not accept the “fake news” and to not trust the media. A free press is a constitutional right and the attempt to discredit reputable organizations by a government figurehead is not something that should be accepted. For many of the reporters on The Nevada Sagebrush, we plan to remain active members of the media going forward in our professional careers. It’s unner v ing to go to an event, scared you’re going to be attacked just because you’re holding a camera or because you have a press badge around your neck. Members of ou r newsroom a nd others across the country have had to take unprecedented steps to protect themselves when reporting in the field. These steps included more than just the use of the buddy system. Reporters on our own staff took steps such as writing Editor-in-Chief Olivia Ali’s phone number on their arms in case of arrest or emergency. Reporters established alternate escape routes in the event things got violent. Reporters disabled their Touch ID and Face ID on their phones in the event they got stolen and searched. Reporters had to research what would help alleviate the

By Vincent Rendon A few days ago I was sitting in my chair and sipping on a cup of coffee when I decided to re-embark on an old journey I had taken many times last year: checking the Coronavirus case counts. It had been about four months since I had last done it, and I was checking mostly for old time’s sa ke. For whatever reason, the pandemic feels like it is in its waning moments, slowly starting to fade. I’ve stopped caring about updates on the status, and have become resigned to my quaint little life of isolation until someone in charge says things are over. I had heard chatter that things were really bad, and I believed it, but I expected “really bad” to mean something akin to how high case counts were in the summer. When I pulled up the graphs I was shocked. The numbers were even higher! The peak of the case count was so frighteningly high it seemed to have dwarfed the summer peak. How had I gone so blind to the state of things? In talking with friends and browsing social media, it is clear that a lot of people have more-or-less given up on caring about the pandemic. It is sort of hard to blame t hem. The government more-or-less gave up on everyone struggling through it as well, so why should the average person care? For many, the existential threat of the v irus has dissipated, and it feels like since they have not gotten it so far, they won’t get it in the future. Therefore, why increase caution? Why try to be more safe all of the sudden, when being occasionally sloppy hadn’t yet had any consequences? It’s toxic reasoning, but also incredibly natural. After a while, it is hard to not feel invincible when you’ve avoided harm for so long. One of the inevitable effects of feeling invincible is a disregard for the precautions responsible for the invincibility in the first place. With just a moderate level of obser vation, anyone can see people dropping t heir g uard, getting sloppy. Shut-ins in April are suddenly okay with dining in restaurants, or going to parties. The people in line with you for take-out are no longer standing on the little bub-

bles marking six feet in distance. Suddenly the vaccine we all clamored for is something many of us don’t even want or see as necessary. Yet, in the midst of all of this, things are WORSE than they were before. People’s behaviors are entirely topsy-turv y from how they should be, and it is hard to not correlate the increasing complacency with the increase in cases. People feeling invincible is inevitable in a time like this, and it is completely understandable given the circumstances. It is hard to endure such a prolonged battle without getting relaxed and starting to slip. What matters is recognizing that, even though we all really want to, now is not the time to get complacent. The pandemic is not over; you are not suddenly immune. Remembering that you are v ulnerable — not invincible — might seem somber and blea k, but it might also make a difference in keeping you safe. 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.

Isaac Hoops / Nevada Sagebrush Student sits on campus the frist week of academic school year. Students on campus are required to wear masks at all times on campus.

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 Ediorial staff ccan be reached at oali@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @NevadaSagebrush.

Americans need to reckon with the nation’s dark past By Vincent Rendon

The importance of not feeling invincible

effects of tear gas. These actions may seem extreme, but t his has become t he rea lit y for many journalists across the nation. During the Black Lives Matter protest s, ma ny jou r na l ist s were tea rgassed, beaten and arrested regardless of how many times they signified their status as members of the press. The U.S. Press Freedom tracker found since 2017 more than 431 journalists have been attacked while covering protests. This phenomenon has a lso been seen i n our loca l com munit ies. In Reno, two rioters assaulted a journalist during a Black Lives Matter protest in June. Several of our city’s reporters and community reporters were tear gassed by Reno Police. Brian Duggan, Executive Editor of the Reno Gazette-Journal wrote an editorial discussing the disheartening feeling of buying his photojournalist a bulletproof vest in order to safely cover an anticipated protest. Fake news is a problem; however, credible news outlets do not aim to misinfor m or disinfor m t heir audience. Credible media outlets are extremely important for any democracy, including ours. The riot on Capitol Hill showed that the vilification of media outlets by prominent pundits and even politicians is part of a larger attack on democracy. Attacking the press and storming the capitol are two pages out of the same playbook, they go hand in hand. But t his begs t he question: what does this mean for America? It means, for our democracy to cont inue forward, the press must be allowed to do their job without fear. The Nevada Sagebrush stands with our fellow journalists who risked and continue to risk their safety to report on stories. We stand by the rights given to us in the First Amendment. We stand for our democracy to f lourish as we enter into a new administration.

As t he 46t h president of t he United States, Joe Biden, is sworn into office, all eyes are, of course, on his choice of White House decor. In what can be seen as an inspiring move, the portrait of Andrew Jackson in the Oval Office has been replaced by one of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Jackson is widely regarded as one of America’s worst presidents. He signed and oversaw the Indian Removal Act, a cruel and genocidal step in the nation’s long-standing histor y of committing atrocities against the indigenous peoples of this land. Replacing Jackson with FDR—a widely beloved president for his New Deal policies and leadership during the second World War—is certainly a comforting signal for many. Of course, if you drive just 5 hours south from Reno--on the edge of Death Valley-you ca n v isit t he Japa nese internment camp at Manzanar. You can see where the American government under FDR forcibly sequestered t he Japa nese people liv ing in the country during W WII. You can see where they were placed after having their livelihoods and possessions stripped from them. Yet, FDR is one of the “great” presidents, and is seen as a high note in American history. A lot of wonderful, stunning, and inspiring things have occurred in American history. Even more dark, depressing, and atrocious thing occurred right besides them. Quite frankly, this dark side of our nation’s history is not something very many people have come to terms with. Throughout the end of Donald Trump’s ter m, many pundits and media sources have started to proclaim him as the worst president ever. They cite things such as his multiple impeachments, numerous gaffes, alleged corruption, bigotted acts and remarks, and handling of the pandemic. All of t hese t hings ra nge f rom emba r rassing to detestable, this is true, but they are also not unique to Trump. In many cases, Trump’s awful deeds are dwarfed by the horrors of America’s past. Twelve American presidents owned slaves. Many of our leaders aided in the destruction of this nation’s i ndig neous peoples. President Tr u ma n dropped two atomic bombs on civilian targets in Japan. Taken in context, the actions of Trump are just additions to a long list of tragedies. Going beyond the sins of our leaders, America’s past is full of rarely-mentioned atrocities. The school system glosses over

many of the grim moments of our recent history. The response to the AIDS epidemic, the treatment of black activists by our intelligence agencies during and after the Civil Rights movement and America’s involvement in staging coups and upholding dictatorships abroad are subjects rarely broached. The inabi lit y of A merica n’s to lea rn about, accept and internalize the implications of the nation’s dark histor y hurt our countr y’s abilit y to t hink critica lly about our next steps. When unfortunate or shameful things occur, we brush them off as “unprecedented” blips in time that are deviations from the norm. However, when it comes to American history, the unprecedented is often deeply precedented, and the abnormal is entirely normal. The Capitol Hill riots are not unprecedented when you consider the nation’s longstanding history of failing to combat right-wing insurrectionist movements. The Coronav irus response is not unprecedented when you consider how Reagan failed to respond to AIDS. We need to realize that these moments are not t hings t hat w i l l pass by, but part of a larger pattern that has never been reckoned with. When looking back, it is okay to accept that the American past is bleak, amoral, and v ile. W hat matters going forward is creating a better now for the future to look back on.

Tyler Merber / Flickr Protestors waving Trump flags stand in front of the capitol building in Washington D.C on Jan. 6, 2020. Rioters stormed into the capitol building seeking to disrupt President Joe Biden’s confirmation process.

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

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021

Nevada Athletics Nevada alum Colin Kaepernick scrambles out of the pocket. A potential statue of Kaepernick has been discussed at the Unversity of Nevada, Reno.

Students push for Kaepernick statue By Madeleine Chinery

A resolution in support of building a statue of Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick passed in an Associated Students of the University of Nevada Senate meeting in December 2020. Now, it awaits the decision of university President Brian Sandoval. The purpose of the statue is to honor the former quarterback who brought excitement and success to the Wolf Pack during his collegiate career from 2006 to 2011. After entering the NFL draft in 2011 and playing several seasons for the San Francisco 49ers, Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem to bring

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attention to racial injustice and police brutality in the United States in 2016. The move sparked controversy, drawing criticism from people who said the action was unpatriotic and disrespectful to current and former members of the military. Kaepernick’s decision to kneel was influenced by a veteran. This led to Kaepernick’s departure from the NFL. Since then, he has become an activist for racial equality with a focus on police and prison reform. If Sandoval approves the proposal, the next step would be to reach out to Kaepernick himself for permission. The idea to recognize the quarterback came after recent

graduate Wenei Philimon interviewed Black students and several voiced concerns about Kaepernick’s image being removed from campus in the wake of his protest. “The university and ASUN put out statements supporting Black Lives Matters therefore putting the statue would be the “action” part of their letter of statements,” she said. “This statue would make Black students feel like they are supported and are listened to. Additionally, it would showcase that their voices are being heard and not ignored like in the past. In the past we have seen hate speech on this campus targeted towards Black students and yet nothing has been done concerning it.” When an opportunity to interview Sandoval’s predecessor Marc Johnson arose, Philimon initiated the conversation. “I asked him if he would be willing to put a Kaepernick statue on campus based on students' requests and he said he would consider it if a proposal was made,” she said. In the spring of 2020, Philimon reached out to College of Liberal Arts Senator Lauren Harvey for help with creating a proposal. “I wanted to work with Lauren because I was beyond amazed by the work she has done in ASUN with issues that concern diversity,” Philimon said. Harvey says the biggest step in the process will be submitting the proposal to Sandoval as the future of the project relies on his go-ahead. The two women have worked for months to research and draft the final product, and hope to finalize it during the spring semester. “What I think is important to note is that our work here is just beginning,” Harvey said. “The past few months that were dedicated to writing the proposal and speaking with campus organizations is simply the beginning of a larger agenda to create statue committees, begin fundraising, and solicit an artist; all tasks that we are eager and ready to begin once we receive approval from Brian Sandoval and Colin Kaepernick. Both women agree that recent events and the escalation of the Black Lives Matter movement is proof that there is a need for a Kaepernick statue. “In the same way that we’ve had hard discussions with students and faculty about this project, this statue will serve to engage the campus population in greater dialogue about what it means to be patriotic, what anti-racism means, and to start having uncomfortable conversations about privilege and how we can work to become better peers to our diverse community,” Harvey said. For Philimon, the process to move forward with building the statue shows there is more work to be done. She says that people who would normally support these efforts oppose Kaepernick because he is too controversial. “Cherry-picking when to engage in activism and when not to has been the most prevalent barrier to this project because so many individuals do not realize that activism and allyship must be a constant effort and not just something to post about on social media when it’s convenient.”

Madeleine Chinery can be reached at mchinery@sagebrush. unr.edu or on Twitter @mchinery6.

Nevada Athletics Wolf Pack guard Nia Alexander drives to the hoop. Nevada improved to 7-6 after sweeping Wyoming.

Women’s basketball sweeps Wyoming over weekend By Madeleine Chinery

The Nevada women’s basketball team improves to 7-6 after winning back-to-back home games against the Wyoming Cowgirls. The Wolf Pack won 60-52 on Friday Jan. 22 and 57-50 on Sunday Jan. 24. Senior guard Nia Alexander kicked off game one with a three-pointer, followed by a successful layup by junior forward Megan Ormiston leading to a 14-10 run. The Wolf Pack led the Cowgirls the entire game. During the second quarter, the Pack kept their opponents at bay, with scoring help from junior F Eliska Stebetakova and defensive efforts by sophomore G Bethany Carstens and junior G Amaya West. The score at halftime stood at 32-20. Wyoming outscored Nevada 17 to 11 during the third

quarter, but the women maintained their advantage over the Cowgirls as senior G LaPraisjah Johnson and sophomore F Leta Otuafi made big offensive plays. Wyoming continued to attempt to take the lead during the fourth quarter. With a minute and 30 seconds left in the game, the Cowgirls came within three points of the Pack after a successful jumper by sophomore G McKinley Bradshaw. A two point shot by freshman G Kenna Holt along with a layup by Ormiston kept them ahead and ensured the win for Nevada. Ormiston led the Pack in scoring with 14 points, followed by Alexander with 11. Holt picked up seven rebounds during the game. Nevada scored 26 points in the paint and 18 points came from the bench. During Sunday’s game, Nevada took the lead early and

never looked back. Offensive efforts by West and freshman F Lexie Givens kept the Pack in front of the Cowgirls. Defensively, Alexander and Johnson helped fend off attempted challenges. Nevada led by 11 points going into halftime. With under three minutes left in the game, the Cowgirls cut the lead to five. Nevada answered with free throws by Alexander and Johnson after fouls made by Wyoming to complete the weekend sweep. West scored the most points during the game, scoring a career high 18 points. Alexander scored 20 points over the weekend to achieve 700 career points with the Pack. 20 points were made in the paint and another 20 came from players on the bench. Madeleine Chiner y can be reached at mchinery@ sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @mchinery6.

Nevada Athletics Nevada guard Kane Milling attempts a layup over two defenders. The men's team lost back-to-back games to Wyoming.

Nevada men’s basketball lose two consecutive games against Wyoming By Madeleine Chinery

The Nevada men’s basketball team fell to the Wyoming Cowboys 64-71 on Friday Jan. 22 and 88-93 on Sunday Jan. 24. Their record now stands at 10-7 for the season. During Friday’s game, sophomore forward Warren Washington scored the first points for the Wolf Pack, followed by a jumper by junior F Robby Robinson. Nevada took the lead shortly during the first half, but Wyoming was able to take over and forge ahead. The Cowboys countered the majority of Nevada’s advances to hold onto the lead in the first half of the game. By halftime, the Cowboys led 33-21. In the beginning of the second half, Wyoming pushed their lead over the Pack to 20. Junior guard Desmond Cambridge and freshman F Tré Coleman helped the team rally back to close the gap to

one point, until a dunk by Washington gave Nevada a one point lead. The lead was short lived, and the Cowboys fended off the Pack to retake the advantage and win the first game of the weekend series. Washington led Nevada in scoring with 21 for the night followed by Cambridge with 16. Defensively, Washington and sophomore F K.J. Hymes completed four rebounds each, and Hymes combined with Cambridge for four blocks. As a team, 32 points were made from the paint, and only four points came from players on the bench. In game two, Wyoming quickly took the lead over the Wolf Pack with a 12-1 run within five minutes. Nevada was unable to answer the offensive attack until a layup by Hymes snapped the run. The team reorganized and came back to cut the deficit to two points. A jumper by Coleman tied the game at 27. Nevada took the lead over the Cowboys after a layup by Washington gave

them a two point advantage. Wyoming once again came back to reclaim the lead just before halftime, leaving the score at 34-33. In the second half, Wyoming managed to keep the lead, but could not extend the margin more than seven points due to the Pack’s best offensive efforts led by Sherfield, Washington and Cambridge. Two free throw shots by Sherfield created a draw with two minutes left in the match. With the game tied at 81 points, the Cowboys hit a three pointer and began to pull away from the Pack. A made free throw by Wyoming solidified the score and the second loss in a row for Nevada. Sherfield led in scoring with 26, followed by Cambridge with 16 points. Washington had 12 total rebounds, and Coleman had the only block during the game. The team combined for 28 points from the paint and 26 from the bench. Madeleine Chiner y can be reached at mchinery@ sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @mchinery6.

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021

True freshman Tré Coleman blossoming into star for Nevada men’s basketball By Isaiah Burrows

Indiana has long been crowned as the epicenter of basketball, it’s established roots for handfuls of Hall of Famers and NBA AllStars. Five-star recruits develop their talents, while fans by the thousands fill local high school gyms and college arenas across the state. With dozens of tournaments and travel teams to choose from, Indiana is a golden opportunity for young players to build their skills, but it’s also known for its physical brand of basketball. In order to stand out amongst your peers, hustle and determination is mandatory until the final buzzer sounds. Growing up in Jeffersonville, Ind., true freshman Nevada forward Tré Coleman has fully embraced that gritty style of play. “Indiana is different,” he said. “You try not to get pushed around. They try to get in your head and try to get you to react. It prepared me for that mentality and brand I like to play while staying calm and collected.” Before his arrival at Nevada, Coleman’s stardom flashed at Jeffersonville High School. He lettered four times in basketball while leading the team in scoring (15.4 ppg) and blocks (2.3 bpg) his senior year. The Jeffersonville Red Devils played

against some of the best high school teams in the country, and Coleman’s presence was felt on a nightly basis. Jefersonville assistant basketball coach Clarke Miles noticed Coleman stood out amongst the competition from his junior season onward. “He had a whole lot of tenacity and fight for the game itself,Clarke said. “He would routinely step in and say ‘Coach, I got him.’ on the opposing team’s best player. He put in a whole lot of time to be as good as he can be.” Coleman established himself as a premier player in a state filled with talent. He was one of just 13 players named to the Indiana All-Star team as a senior. He also played two seasons under head coach Mike Fox with Indiana Elite, an AAU Basketball Association dedicated to developing the best basketball players in the country. That level of competition has paved a bright future at Nevada for Coleman, and he’s only begun to tap into his potential. “It was a great experience,” he said. “So many coaches taught me a lot of things and how to watch film and apply it on the court. Playing that competition helped, I got to see how good everyone is around the world. It made me better.” Coleman translates that “Indiana style” of basketball with the Wolf

Pack. At 6-foot-7 and 185 pounds, he guards multiple positions with his defensive versatility and physicality on the perimeter. His lanky arms and athleticism give opposing players fits offensively. Coleman has carved out a starting role with Nevada this season. The forward joins Lindsey Drew and Cameron Oliver to start more than half of Nevada’s games in their debut season over the last ten years. “When I got into that starting role I knew I had to embrace it,” he said. “I was ready to get minutes and knew I had to be ready for it.” Defense and hustle are two mindsets Coleman displays as soon as he steps on the floor. He shot 65 percent from the floor his senior year at Jeffersonville, but took the time to build his defensive abilities. Coleman’s efforts to improve defensively is rare for high school players looking to fill the stat sheet. “Kids these days coming up are all about scoring points,” Miles said. “The thing that impressed me with Tré was he bought into being a great defensive player… Any team we’d play, we put him on their best player without hesitation. He takes pride in that.” While his defensive abilities continue to shine with Nevada, Coleman is rounding out his offensive game as a whole. He transitioned to the wing after resid-

ing in the paint and around the basket his entire high school career. Through 17 games this season, Coleman is averaging 5.0 points per game on 30 percent shooting from 3-point range. He poured in a career-high 13 points in his collegiate debut against North Dakota State on Nov. 25. Coleman may lack eye-popping stats, but his intensity and high motor sparks Nevada on both ends of the floor. He continues to grow into his offensive profile, making him a potent two-way force. “I’m getting more comfortable every single day,” he said. “Growing into that part of my game has been a process and something I work on. I knew I had to step my game out. I used to tower over some guys in high school, but that’s no longer the case. I wanted to challenge myself in that way.” Indiana roots are a storied tradition within the Wolf Pack’s coaching staff. Nevada head coach Steve Alford and associate head coach Craig Neal were named Indiana All-Stars in 1983. Coleman followed suit with his selection 37 years later. As a three-star recruit out of high school, the Indiana connections bonded Coleman to his coach-

Nevada Athletics Nevada freshman forward Tré Coleman drives to his left. Coleman is averaging 5.0 points per game this season.

ing staff, but more thought went into his decision to choose Nevada over several prominent schools including Ball State and Nebraska. “The Indiana ties were a bonus, but I just wanted an opportunity,” he said. “I came for basketball, and I loved the coaching staff... I knew it would be a great place to start my career here.” Alford has given Coleman an opportunity in the starting lineup, and the freshman forward has made the most of it. The physicality he endured in high school has made a seamless transition to the college game. “Tré gives us so much versatility and brings a lot of energy,” Alford said. “I think he can become a real

impact player and defender for us.” Coleman has more room to grow, but he’s on the right path towards a successful college career. If his high school experience tells anything, Coleman has a tendency to stand out amongst his competition. Coleman has his sights set on maximizing his talent, and he has what it takes to blossom into a star with the Wolf Pack. “I want to get to the highest level I can get to,” he said. “I feel like with this coaching staff and teammates, they will help me get there.”

Isaiah Burrows can be reached at iburrows. unr.edu or on Twitter @ IsaiahBurrows_.

From JUCO to Division I leaderboards: Nevada’s Julian Diaz reflects on senior season By Isaiah Burrows

Nevada placekicker Julian Diaz lives and kicks by a simple, but valuable life lesson. “I learned early on that nothing is given to you,” he said. “You have to work for what you want, and I carry that with me through each process and kick.” Nothing has come easy for Diaz throughout his playing career, and he’s grown to seize each opportunity. He never kicked a football up until his freshman season at Lincoln High School in Lincoln, Calif., a moment that arrived through unique circumstances. Julian’s older brother, Giovanni, served

as the senior kicker at Lincoln High. An injury forced him to miss that week’s contest, which prompted fellow coaches to give his then-soccer prevalent younger brother a chance to try out for the position. As the youngest sibling of two brothers in a soccer-heavy family, Julian never imagined kicking a football, let alone filling his brother’s cleats in a week’s time. All it took was just one practice to make an everlasting impression. “I still remember it like it was yesterday,” he said. “I was coming back from soccer practice and the coaches asked me to kick a few footballs.

Nevada Athletics Nevada placekicker Julian Diaz sets for a kickoff. Diaz ranked nationally in two punting categories his senior season.

My first kick at that practice just swooshed through the uprights, and I had a huge smile on my face… From that moment on, I thought I would enjoy it, and it turned out for the best.” Several years and hundreds of kicks later, Diaz hasn’t slowed his pursuit of individual perfection. Through the trials of junior college and receiving zero Division I offers out of high school, he garnered recognition as one of the nation’s top punters during his truncated senior season at Nevada. After serving as the Wolf Pack’s primary kickoff specialist as a junior in 2019, Diaz excelled as a punter in 2020 despite his limited experience. His seasonlong punt of 76 yards finished tied for fourth in the nation, while his 46.3 yard punting average ranked eighth in the nation. Nevada special teams coordinator Thomas Sheffield has seen his fair share of punters and kickers during his three-year stint at Arkansas-Pine Bluff— who broke school records and led the Southwestern Athletic Conference in several categories during his stay there— but he was quickly impressed by Diaz’s composure. Just like his former high school football coaches, Diaz left Shef-

field in awe of his natural ability. “He’s not your average punter, I can guarantee you that,” Sheffield said. “He had no punting experience when I first came here, but he’s really worked to become one of the best punters in the country, and he’s done that.” Diaz made the most of his two seasons with the Wolf Pack. He cherishes each moment in part to his obstacle-filled path to excel at the Division I stage. After receiving zero Division I collegiate offers, Diaz went the JUCO route and attended American River College in Sacramento, Calif. Without any offers, Diaz relied upon those valuable life lessons and struggles in hopes of making it to the next collegiate level. “I had nothing to lose at that point,” he said. “They said if I came there I might have a chance to make it to the next level. Since I didn’t receive any other offers, it’s better than not playing at all.” Through two seasons at American River College, Diaz ranked second in the state with a 61.4 yard average per kickoff. He went 79-of-88 on

PAT attempts and 16of-23 on field goals. Diaz’s stellar performance earned him a Division I offer from Nevada, an opportunity he sought all along. “It was a dream come true for me,” he said. “Nevada was always one of my dream schools growing up. I came on a visit, saw the campus and committed the following day.” Wolf Pack alum Quinton Conoway’s departure left a gaping hole at punter for the 2020 season. Diaz’s experience at the position posed a question mark heading into the year, but he erased any doubts of his ability with his diligent work ethic. He put in extra practice over the year to tweak his mechanics, which helped strengthen Nevada’s special teams unit. “I didn’t know how that lack of experience would hurt him, but it hasn’t slowed him down,” Sheffield said. “He continues to work and has done everything I’ve asked him to do. He’s helped bring our special teams unit to those higher standards we set for ourselves.” Diaz’s senior season ended in a 7-2 record and Famous Idaho Potato Bowl victory over Tulane. He

totaled 63 yards over two punts in the win. His consistency as a punter helped the Wolf Pack clinch their second bowl championship in three seasons, but his humble attitude opened the eyes of Sheffield and coaches on staff. “We know about Julian the player, but him as a person is right up there as well,” Sheffield said. “He goes about his everyday business always trying to learn and improve.” Through countless obstacles and trials, Diaz accomplished his dream of making it to college football’s most competitive level. Each experience fueled his competitive spirit to overcome any obstacle in his way. The NCAA’s Division I Council granted all winter sport athletes an extra year of eligibility, and it’s possible Diaz may return for the Pack. Regardless, he reached new heights during his 2020 senior season. “I was just happy to have an opportunity to play in this crazy year,” he said. “It humbled me, and I’ll look back on it with so much gratitude.” Isaiah Burrows can be reached at iburrows. unr.edu or on Twitter @ IsaiahBurrows_.