Volume 129, Issue 9: February 25, 2021

VOLUME 129, ISSUE 9

the

SIGNAL A P U B L I CAT I O N O F O U AC H I TA BA PT I S T U N I V E R SI T Y

FEBRUARY 25, 2021

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cover story....................................3 news................................................4-5 arts/entertainment....................6 opinions...........................................7 Sports................................................8

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SIGNAL

Caity Hatchett

Elizabeth Steely

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

SPORTS EDITOR

Sara Patterson

Matthew Branch

OSDN COORDINATOR

Katie Kemp

Hannah Smith

COPY EDITOR

NEWS EDITOR

Langley Leverett ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT & OPINIONS EDITOR

Dr. Jeff Root Adviser

Caroline Derby AD COORDINATOR

PHOTO EDITOR

Abby Blankenship PHOTO EDITOR

Dr. Deborah Root Adviser

The Signal is the student newspaper of Ouachita Baptist University, and is published twice a month on Thursdays during the fall and spring semesters when school is in session. The newspaper is distributed free of charge; 1,200 copies are placed in more than 20 locations across campus.

Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or university. The Signal is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press and is printed by the Nashville Leader.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Letters to the editor are encouraged and accepted, unless libelous, irresponsible or obscene. Letters should be typed and include a signature and contact phone number, and must be less than 500 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and style. Letters should be sent via campus mail to Box 3761 or via email to signal@obu.edu.

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From anchor to intern: Baughn learns to invest

BY CAITY HATCHETT Editor-in-Chief

If you text Izzy Baughn, you may not get a response for a bit, so a phone call is the best way to reach her. Your conversation probably will not last more than five minutes, but you’ll smile when you hang up and laugh about something she said. It’s this ability to leave an impact in such a short time that makes Baughn a great person to know.

As busy as she is being a student-athlete, working part-time for the Arkansas governor’s office, anchoring “The Roar Rundown” and “The Ouachita News Show” and serving as a leader for the Ouachita Student Foundation (OSF) and the Ouachita Sports Digital Network (OSDN), Baughn still finds time to spend with her friends and to excel in her academics. She is a double major in political science and communications, and she’s only a sophomore. But that does not stop her from being just as confident, energetic and involved as the upperclassmen.

During her freshman year, Baughn got involved in OSDN through “The Roar Rundown,” and she has been reporting for and anchoring the show for over a year. The show has given Baughn professional opportunities, but she’s had many fun moments, too.Baughn and “Ouachita News Show” co-anchor Caroline Derby had the chance to watch Ouachita’s football team during their Purple Haze workout last February and even tried some of the workouts themselves.

Baughn’s love for sports media started in high school. She and some other students created a weekly sports show that allowed them to highlight their school’s

different athletic programs, and Baughn spent a lot of time getting to interview different coaches. As she has moved into college, Baughn’s interests have shifted to include other areas of communications, like event planning and social media, as well as political science.

“While I’m not really considering a career in sports reporting, my time reporting and anchoring for both of these shows has truly shaped me in more ways than I ever thought imaginable,” Baughn said. “I was already a people person, but I’ve learned just the importance of telling people’s stories and listening.”

Working in the governor’s office in Little Rock has taught Baughn a couple of things, too. She applied for an internship during the fall semester and when the internship turned into a full-time job, Baughn rose to the challenge. With more on-campus obligations this semester, she is only able to work part-time. But she wouldn’t change a thing.

“It was something I never expected, but it was hands-down one of the best things that’s ever happened to me,” Baughn said. “I am thankful for all the people that I’ve met and the opportunity that they gave me at the governor’s office.”

In balancing school and work, Baughn has learned a lot about being patient. She will readily admit that it’s not one of her virtues.

And you cannot fix standstill traffic— no matter how hard you try. Being off campus so much was also a challenge for Baughn. Since she is so involved on campus, she really struggled with not being able to be here as much as she wanted to. Despite all of this, Baughn knows the experience she gained is invaluable.

“While it did pose some challenges, I was able to

overcome them because I knew this experience was shaping me into the person I want to be and it was giving me experience that’s absolutely irreplaceable,” Baughn said. “I wouldn’t trade those challenges or those difficulties for anything in the world.”

The cross country team brought Baughn to Ouachita and has continued to anchor her throughout all of these challenges. She loves the uplifting community that the women on the team have created, and being with her teammates helps Baughn reset and refresh. Since cross country is part of the Great American Conference (GAC), the team’s season and practice schedules are set in stone. Baughn has had to learn to prioritize the things she really cares about and arrange them all around cross country.

“There have been challenges because it’s been really hard to balance being involved in six-plus campus organizations, working full and part-time, as well as being a student-athlete,” Baughn said.

“You prioritize what you care about, and so I’ve just tried to keep that at the forefront of my brain when I’m deciding how I am going to approach each different situation.”

Over the past two years, Baughn has learned to invest in people.

She will be the special events codirector for OSF next year and is excited about being able to give back in that role. Baughn is ready for any challenges that the next two years will throw at her because of what she’s learned so far.

“I would definitely say that from these challenges and these experiences, they have shaped me into someone who is more intentional with my time,” Baughn said, “and I want to use that intentionality to invest in the people around me.”

On the cover: Sophomore Izzy Baughn stands in front of the Arkansas Capitol.

She is a political science and communications major from Jonesboro, Ark. On this page, top to bottom: Baughn poses with Governor Asa Hutchinson. She has continued to work part-time for the governor. Baughn and co-anchor Caroline Derby take a photo after filming the news show. (photos courtesy of Izzy Baughn)

news

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Sodexo feeds students amid snowstorm chaos

BY CRAIG CRAWFORD Staff Writer January and February are some of the coldest months in the year, and in 2021, polar air masses battered the contiguous United States in a way that shook power grids, families, schools and other institutions.

Arkansas saw some of its coldest temperatures to date, dipping below zero degrees Fahrenheit.

Heavy snowfall throughout the week tied the state record for 14 inches, but as temperatures dropped and snow height increased, the team at Ouachita’s Commons made strides to maintain a safe environment for students to eat.

The Commons stayed open on a limited schedule during the week, but the cafeteria was open every day to serve food for students. The Commons is now returning to its usual schedule.

During the week, employees at Sodexo found themselves working in a variety of places within the Commons. The hazardous weather conditions limited the ability of some Sodexo staff members to come in to work.

“We had to review and reorganize our small group of culinary, food service workers and management team to support the Commons. You may have seen a few of your Chick-fil-A team members and managers working in the Commons,” Kari Ledford, Sodexo Retail and Marketing Manager, said.

When it became evident that the storm would disrupt the ebb and flow of a normal day in the cafeteria, Sodexo worked vigilantly to maintain normalcy for students.

A normal day for Sodexo workers means opening in several retail locations– Dr. Jack’s, Chick-fil-A, Sandella’s and Tiger Grill– in addition to operating the Commons.

“We created a plan based on minimal staffing and food delivery trucks not servicing our area. We had to increase our food inventory to allow us to provide meals all week without restocking,” Ledford said. “Quarantine meals needed to be delivered to students daily to the dorms and hotels in Caddo Valley.

Not knowing road conditions or weather changes was difficult. Our team was able to plan ahead with deliveries by monitoring and adjusting to conditions to safely deliver meals for all meal sessions.”

Eventually, the team organized a schedule only for members who could afford to come in to work.

Because of the uncertainty and fear of weather conditions, several Sodexo members took on roles they normally do not operate in.

Ledford spoke very highly of the contribution of Sodexo General Manager John Fitzgerald.

“Jon Fitzgerald was up before sunrise each morning to pick up our staff and bring them to campus,” Ledford said. “Once on campus, he was in the kitchen working with our chef and culinary team to make sure they had all they needed for menus and service, tasting and reviewing quality of food and packing meals for quarantined students and delivering for all meal sessions. Once dinner service was over, he’d begin driving staff back home and prepare to start again the next morning. As our leader, he exemplified Sodexo’s values and mission of improving the quality of life for our employees and people we serve and demonstrating the service spirit that inspires others.”

An unexpected consequence of the staff shortage, causing retail locations to close, meant that students were limited to eating in the Commons. This caused an increase in the number of students visiting the cafeteria. The Sodexo team also stepped up to take on this

It was a challenge to keep The Commons open during the snowstorm. The Sodexo staff braved the extreme weather to feed students. (top left and bottom right photos by Abby Blankenship; top right and bottom left photos by Sarah Dean)

challenge.

“Knowing how much students enjoy dining at our food court in Evans Student Center, expanding staff roles and training to provide staffing to open, or partially open, retail, it’s never in our plan to close [the retail locations], and we exhaust every option before we make the decision,” Ledford said.

“Supervisor teams stepped in to manage, and roles were expanded.

Due to COVID-19 guidelines, the dining area had to have additional supervision to ensure capacity limits, service requirements and

sanitation guidelines were closely monitored.”

During the week, the Sodexo team pulled through to deliver quality food service for a large number of students, many of whom have expressed their gratitude in-person.

“Our Tigers are amazing, and during this most challenging week, they all made sure we knew how much our support meant to the campus. We received many compliments and much gratitude from the students during meal sessions.

That means a lot to our staff. Some even brought tears to our eyes with

their kind words.”

Despite the snowstorm raging on across the state and covering the campus, Sodexo even managed to host a Mardi Gras-themed lunch and dinner, complete with po’boys, etouffee and gumbo.

“I’m so proud of our team for always looking out for the safety of our Tigers and providing a comfortable atmosphere,”Ledford said.

“Every meal session, our students were gracious with our staff; above and beyond with kindness and expressing their appreciation for being there for them.”

NEWS

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Dietetic association equips students with experience

BY ERICA WILMATH Staff Writer

Chi Mu hosts an Autism walk in April 2019. Unfortunately, COVID-19 prevented the event from happening in 2020. This year, Chi Mu and the other women’s social clubs are planning safe ways to support their philanthropies. (photo by Ransey Joiner)

Women’s clubs plan to give back

BY SAMANTHA PIPKIN Staff Writer

Chi Mu, Chi Delta, EEE, Tri Chi and Gamma Phi are planning events to raise money for their philanthropies this semester.

According to philanthropy chair Emma Dennis, Chi Mu has two philanthropies: Lighthouse Ministries in Arkadelphia and the Arkansas Autism Foundation.

“We raise money for both of them through our different philanthropic events and volunteer down at Lighthouse Ministries,” Dennis said. “Chi Mu has done many things in the past to raise money for our philanthropies. We have had bake sales and dances as events, and we even sold bracelets once.”

Last year, the Chi Mu Autism walk ended more quickly than expected. The club was unable to hold the autism walk because of COVID-19. However, Chi Mu remains hopeful for its philanthropy events this year.

COVID-19 also caused Chi Delta to make changes to the philanthropies that it supports.

“The people who host Relay 4 Life finally decided to permanently

change when and where they were going to host their events,” philanthropy chair Sydney Bufford said.

“Because of this, Chi Delta was inspired to try a new philanthropy in order to continue to serve the community around Ouachita.”

This year, Chi Delta chose to partner with the Percy and Donna Malone Child Safety Center.

For their philanthropy week, Tri Chi and EEE join forces to put on events every spring semester. The two clubs host a variety of fundraising events that occur over the course of a week. The proceeds are divided in half to benefit each club’s philanthropy.

“We will have percentage days at various businesses around Arkadelphia and all the proceeds will go to our philanthropy, the Pregnancy Resource Center,” EEE Vice President Michaelyn Ferrell said.

Tri Chi philanthropy chair Madison Mosier is excited to raise funds for the Arkadelphia Human Development Center. Senior and Tri Chi member Madi Rawls actually works at the center, making it a special way for Tri Chi to give back.

“I think more people need to know about the Arkadelphia Human Development Center,” Mosier said. “Learning about the things

they do has really helped me understand and value even more the job that she [Madi] does.”

The week usually ends with the clubs’ annual Space Jam event, which is usually a dance party. Due to COVID-19 guidelines, the event will feature different activities this year. The clubs will have stations for games like cornhole, balloon popping, ring toss and many others.

Gamma Phi will be hosting events throughout the semester to benefit their philanthropy. The club is in the process of planning a couple of on-campus events and partnering with a local business to raise money this semester.

“Our philanthropy is the Humane Society of Clark County,” President Jorie Beaumont said.

“We have an event to raise money for them next week with Elegant Nails Salon.”

Students can mention Gamma Phi at Elegant Nails in Arkadelphia and the salon will donate $5 to the humane society.

For more information about this year’s philanthropy events, follow the social clubs on Instagram: @ womenofchimu, @thewomenoftrichi, @thewomenofgammaphi, @ thewomenofeee and @womenofchidelta.

The Nutrition and Dietetics Department at Ouachita has an association specifically tailored for students seeking a major or minor in dietetics: the Student Dietetic Association.

The association holds monthly meetings that often include guest speakers of professional interest, community service opportunities, planning for fundraising and other topics. All nutrition and dietetics students are welcome to join the dietetic association at any point in the semester. Students can join by attending one of the monthly meetings or by emailing the association’s faculty sponsor Mrs. Stacy Freeman.

According to the association’s president Madeline Steely, the dietetic association allows students like herself who are pursuing a career in this field to get to know one another outside of a busy classroom. Steely enjoys that the association has fun get-togethers and parties every year that the students and their professors can attend.

These events allow the students to connect with one another and their professors in a fun and relaxed environment.

The dietetic association has not only created this community for Steely and her peers, but it has also allowed the members to reach their main goal: raising funds so they can attend the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo biennially.

“The FNCE Conference is an opportunity given to students where the newest technologies and innovations in dietetics are showcased,” dietitics major Julianna Jones said.

Because of this association, students get to learn from experienced speakers, registered dieti-

tians and doctors that have years of experience in this field of work.

The conference is one of the many hands-on learning opportunities for dietetics students to experience that prepares them for their next step after graduation.

In addition to the FNCE Conference, the dietetics association also offers other hands-on learning experiences, such as food labs that are included in some of their classes and opportunities to go into the community in places like the Clark County Fair, First Baptist Church, Head Start and Baptist Hospital.

Jones’s experience as a dietetics major has allowed her to become more educated on how food can change and heal the body along with the science behind cooking and baking.

“The opportunities placed before me have opened my eyes to take care of myself better and understand the value of nutritional education,” Jones said.

In addition to the experiences Jones gained from classes, the dietetic association has allowed her to form relationships with her peers.

Although students outside of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics cannot join the association, they can offer support to the association by participating in its fundraisers.

The Student Dietetic Association focuses on two specific fundraisers every year. Every fall, the dietetic association sells lunches that consist of baked potatoes and salads.

In the spring, they sell chocolate-covered strawberries for Valentine’s Day, and the dietitic association hands them out during the week leading up to Feb. 14.

The Student Dietetic Association has a positive impact on the dietetics students and offers them experience to prepare them for a career.

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Muse project gives student director opportunity to lead

BY MADELINE MARTIN Staff Writer

Top photo: Students Cross Brandon and Molly Kennedy perform a scene from “Almost, Maine” during last year’s Muse project. Bottom photo: Students Carlin Campbell and Kennedy rehearse. This production was composed of nine vignettes and the performance ran during Valentine’s Day weekend. (photos by Justin Trostle)

Ouachita’s Department of Theatre Arts will present “The Old Man and the Old Moon” as its annual Muse Project on Feb. 25-March 1.

The department produces a fulllength, student-directed production each spring. Junior theatre majors who are interested in directing the Muse Project during their senior year submit their production ideas a year in advance, along with a detailed report about it. The theatre faculty deliberate and then select the director from the pool of applicants.

Molly Kennedy, a senior musical theatre major from Melissa, Texas, is the director of “The Old Man and the Old Moon.” The production marks her directorial debut.

Kennedy’s passion for educational theatre influenced her decision to apply to direct this year’s Muse Project. After graduation, she plans to teach theatre. Having never directed before, Kennedy thought that the Muse Project would be a great jumping off point before getting out into the real world.

“The Old Man and the Old Moon” by Pigpen Theatre Co. is a musical tale about an old man whose duty is to fill the moon with liquid light. The moon serves as a lantern, and if it is not kept filled, bad things will happen to the world. When the old man’s wife disappears, he is forced to abandon his job and search for her, all while dealing with the consequences of living in a moonless world.

“It’s not just his story, but it’s also kind of a parable about how the moon got its phases,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy saw a 40-minute adaptation of the show performed at a One Act Festival in 2019, and she fell in love with it. She chose the show for Muse due to her love of whimsical theatre and the low budget. For Kennedy, the musical represents the magic of storytelling.

“The illusion is never hidden.

We have shadow puppetry and all kinds of things, and the puppeteers are always seen,” Kennedy said.

“There is something so magical about that. I think it ties us back to things like playing pretend as a kid.”

At first, Kennedy was intimidated by directing a fulllength production. Several aspects of the show are so outlandish that she had to be innovative to figure out how to depict things like a ship catching on fire and a volcanic eruption onstage.

“That’s really what the show is about: communicating the power of love and adventure.”

- Molly Kennedy Despite her apprehension, Kennedy faced the challenge head-on with her cast and crew by her side. Hearing the music and seeing the cast bring the show to life in the first few weeks of rehearsals provided Kennedy with the reassurance she needed, and she overcame her initial fear. As for masks and social distancing, the cast rose to the challenge and has not been hindered by these adjustments.

Due to the collaborative nature of the show, it all came together and made Kennedy proud of their work.

Overall, the Muse Project serves an important educational purpose in the theatre department. Muse is unique because it provides an opportunity for theatre students to apply what they are learning and step up to the responsibility of producing a show without professors and faculty telling them what to do every step of the way.

The costume, lighting and set designers are all students learning how to perfect their crafts while expressing their creativity.

“I would say that having the Muse Project is, I think, the most beneficial thing that Ouachita can provide for the theatre students,” Kennedy said. “The faculty is there to help us when we get stuck, but for the most part, the responsibility falls on the students, and it’s the most practical application of the things that we’re learning in class.”

“The Old Man and The Old Moon” has something for every audience member. Audiences can expect an hour and a half adventure.

It is a heartwarming story with music, puppetry, cool effects and lighting, and Kennedy believes the show will inspire viewers to follow the call of adventure in their own lives.

“That’s really what the show is about: communicating the power of love and adventure,” Kennedy said. “Expect 90 minutes of the most fun you could have onstage.”

All in-person tickets are sold out, but livestream tickets can still be purchased online at www.obu. edu/boxoffice. As always, current Ouachita students are eligible for one free ticket to the performance by presenting their student ID.

OPINIONS WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM | PAGE 7

TikTok changes industry for musicians, artists

BY WYATT ASHLOCK Staff Writer

TikTok has become one of the main social media apps throughout the world that has the most influence on culture and trends.

TikTok can make songs, ideas and movements become famous overnight.

When it was released, TikTok began with over 500 million monthly users that came from the merger with Musical.ly, and the app’s following has only grown since then. TikTok has become the main social media for singers trying to make their songs viral when the songs might not perform as well if released on the radio.

Many groups have seen the music trend in TikTok and have released samples of their music on the app before releasing the full single.

Lil Nas X released a sample of “Old Town Road’’ on TikTok before releasing the single on music services. This caused his song to be viral before the song had even been released. Due to the song’s success, many have followed, including songs from Lizzo and Ambjay. These artists were the first that used the free publicity from TikTok to get people excited and

anticipating the release of their songs, which increased the amount of listeners.

When Olivia Rodrigo released her song “drivers license” it was an instant hit. The day after her song debuted, she released a clip on TikTok and her song doubled in listeners overnight. Many would use her song to make their own videos and the song climbed to No. 1 on the billboard charts. Her song is known as the TikTok heartbreak anthem for its emotional and relatable lyrics.

“To see it do really well— to have this really painful moment in my life, and turn it into something beautiful that can maybe help people through a tough time that they’re having, like I was having a tough time— it’s just so empowering,” Rodrigo said in an interview with NBC News. “And I feel grateful that I got to do that.”

Many celebrities use TikTok to find new fans that they might not if they just released their music to streaming services. However, there are many people who became instantly famous from making a TikTok video of them singing.

Nathan Evans, 26, was known for singing sea shanties that are centuries old, but everything changed for him when he released

a new rendition of “Wellerman.”

Millions watched his video, and he became an overnight sensation.

Evans ended up signing a record deal with Polydor Records.

Em Jaccs wrote a song that debuted on TikTok during quarantine. The song was based on the Disney movie “Ratatouille (2007).” This song became a viral trend which transformed into a virtual musical starring many celebrities, including Wayne Brady, Kevin Chamberlin, Adam Lambert and many others. “Ratatouille” was a fundraiser that made over $2 million for The Actors Fund, all because of a viral song on TikTok. “I like to think that in the lyric about Remy being ratatouille, the ratatouille is really more of a symbol for dreaming big and achieving greatness. Everyone should go out and try to be ‘ratatouille’ in their own lives,” Jaccs said in an interview with BroadwayWorld.com.

There are many others like Evans and Jaccs who have become famous for their songs because of TikTok and its user base that helps people go viral. Whether the user is a celebrity or an everyday person, one thing is for sure. TikTok’s ability to help artists has changed the music industry forever.

of higher education. Known as HB1218, the bill mentions that if it is approved and schools do not comply, the State Board of Education will “adjust funding.”

Lowery graduated from the University of Arkansas with a master’s degree in communications and has recently taught a course in communications at Henderson State University. As a lawmaker and a college instructor, he should know better than most people how dangerous this bill is to

the future of Arkansas. This bill seeks to sedate social tensions by whitewashing history in an incredibly shallow bucket. This bill should have been laughed off of the floor, but it has since been read twice, engrossed and referred to the Education Committee which includes Lowery.

Banning the instruction of history, even parts of history, is blatant censorship. This action goes directly against the first amendment and under-serves not

HB1218 threatens historical inclusivity

BY LANGLEY LEVERETT

Arts & Entertainment/Opinions Editor Arkansas legislator Mark Lowery proposed a bill on Jan. 21 that would “prohibit the offering of certain types of courses, classes, events, and activities that isolate students based on race, gender, political affiliation, social class, or other distinctions” throughout public schools and institutions

only minority students, but majority students, too. This bill would slash diversity training, inclusion efforts and any organization that seeks a defined social justice goal. This includes the Young Republicans, Young Democrats, gender or African American history classes, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Gay Straight Alliance, sororities, fraternities and multicultural organizations.

This bill is harmful to anyone who is trying to make change

with inclusive efforts. Change will come when we realize our strength is in our diversity, not in isolated learning. The Civil Rights Act, and every person who has protested for equality since, has fought for students to have the ability to mobilize, speak out and become informed about what needs to change. It is our right to form diverse groups. All of these groups give students the ability to learn about others, themselves and the world around them.

sports

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Tigers to compete in GAC championship meet

BY MACKENZIE HALL Staff Writer

The women’s cross country team lines up with the other teams at the annual Bob Gravett Invitational. This meet is hosted by Ouachita each year, and it typically takes place early on in the season. (Photo by Hannah Adamson)

The women’s cross country team will compete in the long-awaited Great American Conference (GAC) Championship in Weatherford, Okla., on Feb. 27. After a season of adapting to COVID-19 and only competing in two meets, the team is anxious to see how it stacks up to other teams in the conference.

Normally, cross country season would have started in August and ended in November. However, the season was delayed this year and began in January 2021. The team’s first meet was the Lois Davis Invitational at Southern Arkansas University, where the team finished third. Two weeks later, the women competed at home and also finished third overall.

“We started training thinking we were going to have a season,” Head Cross Country Coach Steve Guymon said. “Then that got postponed and eventually eliminated with the rest of fall sports. So, we still kept training. It was hard because, you know, in our sport, just like any other sport, you can’t just take two or three months off.”

The team kept a consistent training schedule, running six days a week and mixing strength and cross training into its routine. The Tigers have also been running in simulated meets.

“As far as the day-to-day goes, COVID hasn’t stopped us from working hard and building relationships with our teammates,” freshman runner Taylor Koeth said. “We’re still able to run well and practice. We just have to do so cautiously.”

Compared to other teams in the conference, the Tigers are relatively young. This could be used to their advantage, since the team is

currently ranked in the top five in the GAC. “These teams are a lot more seasoned. I guess you’d say the other teams have more experience than we have,” Guymon said. “I think we’ve got a shot to finish anywhere from top three to five.... If their day goes great, maybe second.”

To clinch a ranking in the top five at conference, the cross country team has trained to establish a strong work ethic. A solid moral foundation accompanies this work ethic. The coaching staff wants the young women on the team to be great athletes, but also to be good people who build up those around them.

“Coach Guymon and Coach [John] Jones have absolutely done an amazing job coaching us,” freshman runner Becca Beard said.

“Not only have they coached us to be good athletes, but to be even better people.”

It is evident that the team consists of women who seek to encourage others, build relationships and care for those around them well. Guymon has seen these young women go through hard times, and he is proud of his team.

“I am extremely proud of this group. I really am,” Guymon said.

“I took this job a year and a half ago and I coached 17 years at Harding.

I had great kids, great teams there.

I really like [this] team. I am very proud of them. It’s just like any other team that’s had to go through all these things and the unknown, but they’re constantly pushing, helping and supporting each other. They are a joy to be around and I’m a very, very lucky coach.”

To keep track of how the Tigers are doing during the GAC championship, visit obutigers.com for updates. Most of the team will be back in action for track season, which starts with a meet at Hendrix College on March 13.