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Oct. 20, 2016
Free Speech Trade-offs
Transforming Hearts
Meet the First Lady
Lions Capture Shutout
Staff Reporter Alex Medrano discusses balances between majority rule and minority rights of freedom of speech. Page 2
Co-founder of Equality Florida Nadine Smith speaks about LGBTQ discrimination before and after the attacks in Orlando. Page 3
Patricia Keck discusses her life experiences before bringing a nurse’s touch to the Lion family. Page 5
Soccer defeats another Lone Star Conference rival 1-0 Saturday night to remain undefeated at home. Page 8
Political Clowns Campaigns and clowns haunt headlines but what do the canidates stand for?
Hillary Clinton VS. Donald Trump This chart provides a very brief overview of where the two political candidates stand on several issues. The websites set up by the candidates, donaldjtrump.com and hillaryclinton.com, have been used to compile this chart that illustrates their stances. Where the campaign websites have not provided a clear stance, reports from news outlets have been used and are cited directly beneath the stance.
Im migr ation
She aims for reform that will make it faster to attain citizenship, focus on the detention and deportation of those immigrants who pose a threat, and create on Office of Immigrant Affairs.
He aims to be more selective on those coming to the US with a screening system, building a wall along the southern border funded by Mexico, and ending sanctuary cities.
She supports the idea and practice of abortion and use of contraceptives.
He is against abortion except in cases of incest, rape, and the health of the mother.[BBC.com, 9-27-16]
A bortion
Guns
She plans to expand background checks and close gun show and internet loopholes. Support laws that stop domestic abusers from owning and buying guns. She is for the removal of military grade weapons from the streets.
Allow gun owners to defend themselves and have a national right-to-carry in all 50 states. He plans to expand mental health programs in hopes of preventing mass murders. Also plans to fix the background check system instead of expanding it.
Clim ate
Climate change is real. She aims to implement pollution standards to clean air and invest in renewable energy that will decrease oil consumption.
Climate change is not occurring. [usnews.com, 10-1116] He plans to tap into reserves of shale, oil, and natural gas reserves as well as coal reserves.
College Education Community colleges will offer free tuition. In-state colleges will offer free tuition by 2021 to families making up to $125K. She plans for borrowers to refinance loans at current rates and cut interest rates for future borrowers so government doesn’t profit off student loans.
He aims to ensure universities are making an effort to reduce the cost to attend and student debt incurred for federal tax breaks and money. He plans to ensure opportunity to accessible, cheaper, and easy to finish two and four year colleges.
Information compiled by Staff Reporter Christian Aleman
Clown Nightmares Enter Waking Life
Manuel Ramirez Staff Reporter
Remember when clowns were associated with laughter and entertained children with their silly antics? Well, their popularity has certainly begun to trend by enhancing everyone’s fear of clowns to gargantuan proportions. Ever since the news sprouted footage, pictures and reports of scary clowns a couple of months ago, many have been on total clown alert for fear that one might be standing out of their window poised to strike. Believe it or not, these sightings have been around for some time before the craze started. 23-year-old Nathaniel Dunivinin was arrested for chasing a group of kids at a bus stop with a knife in a clown mask and costume in Chesterfield, Va. on Nov. 12, 2015. Aug. 1, 2016 in Greenbay, Wis., a sinister-looking clown was spotted holding black balloons in the middle of the night; luckily this was one of those cases where the clown presented no danger as it was part of a stunt used for a short film that was being made in the area. Still, it spooked many residents and made some headlines, but no one knew how quick the clown scare would resurface once again in a South Carolina town (coincidently named) Greenville in late August.
Earlier reports believed that this was some sort of promotional material for the new upcoming adaptation of Stephen King’s IT, which is scheduled to be released in 2017. According to reports, the clown was spotted trying to lure kids into the woods exactly like Pennywise (the clown/monster did in the Stephen King story), but when word got out to the filmmakers and King himself, they made it abundantly clear that they had nothing to do with this. With that statement it begged the question, “What the heck was going on?” Week after week, more clown related news began to appear more frequently than before; not just in the United States but in Canada and the UK, ranging from more clown sightings, being chased by these figures, juvenile pranks, social media threats, lethal injuries and at least one death (in which a 16-year-old, who was wearing a clown mask, was stabbed). With so many crimes and arrests that are occurring many are unsure if these crimes are being committed by certain individuals, separate groups or if are all connected, which leads back to the fear. Sept. 27 saw the arrest of a pair of 17 year olds who committed robberies at Dominoes Pizza and Taco Bell while wearing clown masks in Phoenix, Ariz. On Sept. 21, a middle school girl was arrested when she brought a knife to school as a means to defend herself from clowns. Many states, including Colorado and New
Hampshire have banned clown costumes due to the pandemonium. Others, like Illinois and Alabama have had some schools on lockdown to either sightings or threats involving clowns. Professional Clowns and other associations haven’t been keen on this craze. While many have continued with their careers, others remain nervous for fear of being accused or attacked by any passerby when performing. It’s gotten so bad that a march called Clown Lives matter was scheduled for October 15, only to be cancelled when the head of the march Nikki Sinn received numerous death threats. Even Ronald McDonald, the most iconic fast food mascot has disappeared from the spotlight due to this clown catastrophe. Despite many clown costumes being banned in many places they’re still selling fast with Halloween approaching. In lighter news, Oct. 3 saw about 6000 students at Pennsylvania State University rally together for a clown hunt after hearing that a clown was sighted nearby. The hunt lasted into the following morning, but there was no physical harm, property damage and no clowns of any sort were captured. Recently, in North West England a group known as the Cumbria Superheroes has begun to post videos and photos dressed with people dressing up as Continued on page 5..
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Oct. 20, 2016
Opinion
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International Indigestion Lead.er.ship Mind.ful.ness:
Gwiwon Jason Nam Staff Reporter
Cultural differences are a topic that comes up often among international students with one of the biggest being food. According to African student Isaac Shoeologist Ogunniran, in African countries, students usually learn how to cook before leaving their home countries. “Africans were taught to cook before leaving the house, so Africans don’t eat out too much. Home cooked meals are life to us,” he said. However, he said what African students make in Commerce is not African food, and in his case, he lives with his family to eat authentic African food. “We suffer. Most African dishes are prepared a certain way and hard to copy without the right stuff,” he said. “Literally, I’ve got tons of food from home to get some good African food. At times, I’ve had my mom bring buckets of rice and chicken so I won’t miss the cooking.” East Asian students also prefer making food themselves. South Korean student Mingyung Kim lives off-campus and doesn’t have a car. “Usually, I cook in my house. I don’t use the university cafeteria, because I prefer Asian food such as Korean food, but the cafeteria doesn’t provide many Asian foods,” she said. “If they provide Asian food, especially Korean rib-eye type food such as Tteok-galbi and Bul-galbi,” she said, then she would eat there. Chinese student Qian Wang said, “I’ve been to the cafeteria a few times, but everything has high calories, and I don’t want to pay $8 just for a salad.” In contrast, most Indian students at A&M-Commerce live off-campus and they are graduate students. Also, many of Indian students have cars. Indian graduate student Sunayana Krishna said, “75 percent of the Indian students here in Commerce cook themselves. I cook most of the time, the cafeteria doesn’t serve anything related to Indian food, so I don’t like to go and eat American cuisine every day. Also, many Indian students have a car, so we go to Indian restaurants outside Commerce like in Plano and Dallas. We go to the Indian market in Dallas to get Indian Ingredients,” she said. On the other hand, some international students have been trying to adjust to American food. Transfer student Sunyong Cho said, “I didn’t adjust to American food for the first time, because it was too salty and fatty. But now, I am adjusting quite well.” Some international students find their own ways to adjust life in Commerce. Rebecca An, a Korean student who graduated from an American high school said, “I try to find healthier options from the cafeteria such as salads and fruits. Since my meal plan is already paid for, I go to the cafeteria to eat.” Taiwanese student Daniel Lee said, “Cafeteria is just not bad, so I love going to IHOP in Greenville, so I sometimes ask my friends who have cars and we go there.” Bangladeshi student Elora Justina is satisfied with cafeteria food. “I know most international students don’t like the cafeteria, but I don’t like to complain much. There is a section in the cafeteria called chefs table. I generally like the foods they serve there.”
Sheriff Osni Special Contributor
SELF Realization
Editor’s note: This opinion piece is by special contributor Sheriff Osni, a graduate student at Texas A&M UniversityCommerce, and it includes his personal account of a visit to the university Counseling Center.
“Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” ~ Carl Gustav Jung The imperative first step in the foundation of Lead. er.ship Mind.ful.ness is to be mind.ful of and realizing the SELF; knowing who you are with clarity, certainty, and confidence; becoming conscious and aware of your principles, ethics, beliefs, and values through de.lib.er.ate, care.ful and hon.est reflection, investigation, evaluation, examination, and comparison of all that you choose to define you. “Awareness allows us to get outside of our mind and observe it in action.” ~ Dan Brule Actions Speak Louder Than Words SELF realization is only half of the equation of the first step in Lead.er.ship Mind.ful.ness for as Alan Watts stated in “How do we define ourselves?” https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXRPjdXGjjg we are all a reflection of our inter-actions with every-thing. Hence, I cannot completely know who I am without knowing who you are: If I am kind or cruel; generous or stingy; giving or holding; honest or dishonest, and so on and so forth it is because of my inter-actions with every-thing; I am who I am due to my chosen actions with, towards, and in response to others. Therefore, it is my carefully chosen nouns and adjectives (thoughts), and my deliberate chosen verbs (actions) that reveal and determine the authenticity and congruency of “I walk the talk” or “I do as I say” or as the American idiom goes “the proof is in the pudding” meaning the proof is in the results; the actions that speak louder than words. “You have to do it by yourself and you can’t do it alone.” ~ Martin Rutte
Mind.ful.ness is a conscious practice that takes time. My 30 second elevator pitch is “I am Sheriff Osni. I believe that the more I develop my SELF, the more I can become even more helpful and more useful to be of more service to more people,” and summing it into one word” I am defined by INTEGRITY, for it is always doing the right thing, especially when no one is watching - for I am always watching... my SELF.” took me two years to mind. fully construct, and it is a dy.na.mic life-long process. And, I didn’t do it alone. To make a difference in the world you must begin by making the difference in your SELF. By a twist of fate, I was referred to the Counseling Center at A&M-Commerce which turned-out to be a blessing in disguise. Dr. Tina Yang, the Staff Psychologist I met with gave me a core values exercise tailored to my needs that “made a difference” in my life. The exercise tool brought attention, focus, and mind.ful.ness to begin evaluating who I truly am. At the beginning, on the surface, the exercise appeared too simple and I dismissed it as invaluable. Months later, when I committed to completing it, I found it to be a revelation. “Seeking what is true is not seeking what is desirable.” ~ Albert Camus In the process of analyzing my SELF and validating it against my actions I experienced Granger Westburg’s 10 stages of grief: Shock, Emotion, Reflection, Physical Symptoms, Anxiety, Guilt, Resentment, Resistance, Hope, and Affirming Reality. “Knowledge is only potential power. It becomes power only when, and if, it is organized into definite plans of action and directed to a definite end.” ~ Napoleon Hill Our journey continues soon, for Lead.er.ship is an ongoing process of Mind.ful SELF realization in relation with every-thing. For an alternate expanded version of this article please visit https://issuu.com/sheriffosni/docs/lead.er.ship_ mind.ful.ness_-_self_r.
Freedom of Speech is a Two-Way Street Alex Medrano Staff Reporter Recently, there have been promoters for safe speech in American public colleges. The philosophy of having a “Safe Space” in each campus to allow discussions on all topics and all beliefs has shown a need for a more inclusive college lifestyle, one that embodies every student that goes there. At Texas A&M University- Commerce, there was a beach bubble ball with Sharpied words of freedom written on it. While this idea has all the ideal qualities that embody what we should be, it fails to understand the backlashes of this act and who we are as individuals. While free speech (except for hate speech) is how the First Amendment has been interpreted for definition purposes, it does
not highlight the “unspoken rule,” the rule of majority trumps minority. The reality of the situation is that we still live in a world of misunderstanding and hate it whenever certain beliefs have more credibility due to the number of followers. All over the ball, the right to religious freedom was printed in permanent marker. But, it only read “God is great”, “God is good”, and Christian ideals. What if an atheist wrote, “God does not exist” or a Christian student wrote, “Praise God.” Or what if a die-hard Republican wrote something ridiculous like “We should build a wall.” It should not matter as long as someone is not degrading your own personal beliefs. The problem is that we deal with the thought that the majority is right. And, while acceptance is gaining popularity in our society, making it more “p.c.” (politically correct), there still are many believers of “my way or the highway”.
It can be hard understanding that everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion despite conflicting beliefs. It is not something that can be fixed by writing niceties on a beach ball, but by understanding all that can go on the beach ball. It’s something that will never truly stop. The efforts on spreading the ideas of compassion are needed, not through showcasing “good old American values,” but a more educated collective of opposing ethics. Words that make others quick to anger are others truths. It does not seem fair that we only deem one way of thinking and believing to be right. To understand true Freedom of Speech, each individual must be willing to sacrifice a little and lend compassion to other ideals that do not belong to them.
Campus Comment: What do you do when you’re stressed?
“Usually I’ll go out in nature and take pictures. It helps me express myself. It’s art.” -Evan Luecke
“When I stress I try and take myself out of the situation, take a step back, and figure out why I’m stressing.” -Ahnaliese Bell
The East Texan Staff
Editor Travis Hairgrove Managing Editor Alissa Silva Sports Editor Ricky Moser Opinion Editor Kerry Wilson Entertainment Editor Imogené Wofford Web Editor Todd Kleiboer Lead Reporter Brenda Perez Staff Reporter Alex Medrano Staff Reporter Christian Aleman Staff Reporter Evangelina Morales Staff Reporter Isabella Garcia Photographer/Reporter Gwion Jason Nam Photographer Kristen Taylor Distribution Assistant Michelle Whitehead Faculty Adviser Fred Stewart Phone 903-886-5985 E-mail theeasttexan@gmail.com
“I usually just try to work out and sweat as much as possible. Working out helps to relieve my stress.” -Joseph Brown
The East Texan, official student newspaper of Texas A&M University-Commerce, is published 11 times per semester during the Fall and Spring by students including journalism students in reporting classes. Content is solely the responsibility of the student staff and writers. The comments and views expressed in The East Texan, in print or online, do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of other students, staff, faculty, administration, or the Board of Trustees. The East Texan is located in Room113 of the Journalism Building. Single copies of The East Texan are free, additional copies are available in The East Texan offices for an additional 25 cents each.
“When I’m stressed I like to go do yoga. It’s amazing. The class they offer at the rec is amazing and the instructor is awesome.” -Nancy Moreno
Letters to the Texan Letters to the Texan are welcome and should be limited to 350 words. They may be edited for spelling, grammar and libelous and malicious statements. The East Texan reserves the right to refuse publication. Letters should be typed or emailed, must include a valid signature and contact information, and can be sent to theeasttexan@gmail.com or PO Box 4104, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Commerce, TX 75428.
Oct. 20, 2016
News
Page 3
-The Right to Exist- Counseling Alex Medrano Staff Writer Nadine Smith, a former journalist and one of the most distinct and notable speakers about equality, gave a talk to Texas A&M University-Commerce of the lessons of equal opportunity. After the Orlando Pulse Murders, the continued battle of nondiscrimination was brought into national awareness. Smith said, “Hate violence, it hangs over you. I’m different after the murders of Orlando. Orlando was a fundamental question that everyone is going to have to answer. Will you dismantle hatred towards LGBT people, or will you be part of keeping it in place? You can’t be neutral on the issue. You have to decide. Either you consider us equals or you think I’m less than you.” Smith has become an increasingly distinguished woman in 2016, winning many awards that are founded on her civil rights activism. She has visited the White House on several occasions, and in 2013, was named one of Florida state’s Most Powerful and Influential Women by the Florida Diversity Council. She was also given the League of Women Voter’s Woman of Distinction Award earlier this year. “From the time I was born, I have gotten every message that gay people shouldn’t exist, and if we do exist we have to hide,” Smith said. “And, if we don’t hide then anything that happens to us is our own fault. That message is the heart of what we really have to transform.” Throughout her own personal life, she has faced opposition from being what she really is. “When I was in college I lost a job,” Smith said. “My then girlfriend and I were told an apartment wouldn’t rent a single bedroom apartment to two women. The worst circumstance was to not be legally wed to my wife, to ensure our son would be born in a state where both our names would be put on the birth certificate. Even though we were married in 2009, we were legal strangers in our home state. “It’s an important time for people to be talking about LGBT equality,” she added. “How do we uproot hatred? The issues that remain are the harder ones. They are more deeply entrenched. In the aftermath of marriage equality, we saw more hateful LGBT legislation than ever. A business could turn away someone based on sexual orientation. Most of what those laws do is set an expectation...they set a standard. “By doing this they erase people from the public square,” Smith explained. “You’re confined to your home. By challenging someone’s ability to access a restroom, you are challenging their right to exist.” At the same time, to fully accept oneself can be more difficult depending on how and by whom you were raised. “Coming out is powerful and transformative. because when we
are younger, any story they say of us is true and as difficult as it was...the liberation of being out of the closet and unafraid, being able to breathe and be myself, to stop putting up an artifice, changing pronouns...It’s worth more than anything,” Smith said. “Your happiness is worth fighting for. “When I came out, it was the last night I lived in my parents’ house,” Smith said. “It was the worst case scenario. It was all my fears of this secret would come out, but it was a journey that was familiar to this country. It was difficult for my family to accept me to the day my father walking me down the aisle for my wedding.” Beyond personal reasons, the upcoming political elections have raised certain hot button items that specifically affect the LGBTQ community. “I think that this presidential election is a moment of truth for our country,” Smith said. “Are we going to give into fear, or are we going to embrace a vision where everyone has a place and everyone has a responsibility to each other. This is a character question for the country, and what we have in this country right now is a lot of people who believe the system is fundamentally broken on the left and the right. But, fixing a broken system is not burning it the ground but getting involved. “This race, the prospect of the first female president is creating the same backlash,” Smith conjectured. “I still have faith that our country will not take the path of fear. I think it’s the last gasp of a dinosaur in it’s sunset. There is a new generation coming of age, that don’t understand why we are fighting this fight, that don’t understand the hatred of gay people.” With everything going on in this country, it has become important to be honest to your own voice and Nadine Smith has become an outspoken proponent in her beliefs of equality. “I wish everyone thought the way I do but they don’t,” she said. “We all have to find a way, together. We have to end the normalization of hatred towards LGBT people.”
E ast Texan Photo/ Isabella G arcia
Watch Your Back TAMUC students express their interest in a self-defense course Liliana Vasquez Staff Reporter Violent actions in society have caused students at Texas A&M University-Commerce to concern themselves with selfdefense. Due to the recent shootings on campus, along with societyalviolence such as police shootings and clown incidents, students feel that self-defense tactics would be useful to know. If possible, students and staff would like to see self-defense classes provided at the university. Self-defense, defined by Assistant Professor of Sociology Dr. Nicole Farris, is taking any precautionary measures against anything that could cause you harm, whether that be using physical defense if necessary. Students should use self-defense if they are feeling threatened in any way or facing immediate harm, she said. Farris explained how a multi-week course, similar to the one she took through the police department, could help students feel safe and teach them tactics that could be useful to them in harmful situations. “I think something like that would be really beneficial to the university, especially to young women,” Farris said. She proposed a course that would bring together volunteer officers from the Commerce and university police departments to provide a series of workshops open to students.
Theatre Major Jo-Dee Burston lives on campus close to the residence hall where a round of shots were heard a couple of months ago. “The fact that the shots were so close to where I live really scares me,” Burston said. “You would think the school would have brought it up at least once, but they haven’t.” A question then arises. Can someone’s death be justified by self-defense? Farris and Burston both seem to agree. “If you have to shoot someone to save your life, then do it,” Burston said. Graduate Assistant Serina Dennis begs to differ. “Taking a human life away is something serious that takes a toll on you even if it is self-defense,” Dennis said. Although self-defense classes would be useful to all students on campus, Dennis believes that a more valuable class would be learning how to de-escalate a situation with words when being threatened. Dennis explained about her highschool teaching experience and dealing with violent students who brought guns to school. Metal detectors were not an option at the high school, so teachers like her were put in situations where the use of words, instead of self-defense, came into play. “We would call it re-directing them,” she said. “We had to learn how to de-escalate with words because your physical force was nothing against people that were way stronger than you.”
Corner
Stuck in the Middle Marty Marsh Jacobs, LPC-S Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday the academic year began with enthusiasm and high hopes for a great semester. Suddenly the semester is half over… You have fallen into a comfortable routine and started relaxing a little. You think, “I’ve got this under control”. The problem begins when you turn the page in your planner and discover you have three exams, a presentation, and a research paper all due next week. The stress begins and your anxiety takes off like a rocket. It’s a fact that this time of the year is stressful. Midterms, presentations, and papers often account for a huge part of final grades. When you’re under stress, your immune system weakens and illness can follow. Extreme stress can also lead to poor performance on exams. There are some things you can do to beat that stress and increase your chances of success. First, stop procrastinating. You’ve heard this advice since middle school, but it really helps. Now is the time to stop binge watching your favorite program on Netflix. Nobody does that, right? Wrong! Why stop, you may ask? Because you’ve discovered that a huge exam is only three days away. The first thing you might want to do is create a study schedule. Find out what you need to prepare for each class. Review notes, book chapters, and any supplemental readings. Do a little studying every day instead of cramming at the last minute. Consider forming a study group with classmates. That way you can pool resources and knowledge rather that staring at your material for hours without a clue of what to do next. Stay healthy! Facing midterms and being sick is too much to handle at one time. Pay attention to your diet and do your best to eat healthy foods. Get a good night’s sleep and throw in some exercise. This will provide extra energy to get past that hump. You might want to include some yoga or meditation to reduce your stress. Don’t forget about the Counseling Center’s Relaxation Room and those awesome massage chairs. Be organized… Don’t increase your anxiety by having a messy desk or room. You won’t have to spend panic filled minutes looking for something to wear, digging through piles of notes, or trying to find a pen or scantron. Spend some time outdoors. The weather is cooler and being outside can help you feel more energetic. Take a break from studying and go for a leisurely walk. Stretch out on the grass and soak up some Vitamin D. Find a place to study outside instead of being trapped in your room or the library. Drop some of your commitments. If you have too much on your plate due to community service or social activities, consider putting some of them off until after exams. You might even want to practice a little assertiveness by using a special word…. No. You can pick back up on your activities after midterms. Midterms don’t last forever. Remind yourself that you can do this. If you need someone to talk to, call a friend or family member who is positive and on your side. If needed, stop by the Counseling Center, 204 Halladay Student Services, to speak with a counselor. It’s possible to get yourself unstuck.
Campus
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Oct. 20, 2016
Homecoming Court Candidates Homecoming King Nominees
LaShuna Evonne Anderson Senior, Education (Interdisciplinary Studies) Sponsoring Organization: Campus Activities Board I ,LaShuna Anderson am a senior majoring in Education with plans to teach 6th grade after graduation. My goal is to attain my Masters in English and Educational Administration. By being on the Campus Activities Board, a Residential Assistant, and part of Golden Leos I have learned what it takes to be a lion whose pride runs deep. Being omecoming queen will contribute to my talents of perseverance and selflessness with advocating for others
Dakota Brewer Senior, Radio Television Sponsoring Organization: Pi Kappa Alpha At A&M-Commerce I had a specific goal, and that was to be involved on campus. Through being involved with Pi Kappa Alpha, Order of Omega, the University cheer team, and going through a process of being a member of Sigma Alpha Pi, I did just that. Part of that goal was to leave a legacy at A&M Commerce, I believe over the course of my I have represented the University with the same values it instilled 127 years ago.
Angel Jasso Junior, Criminal Justice Sponsoring Organization: Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated Being the first person in my family to go to college is already an accomplishment within itself. Becoming homecoming king would be the cherry on top. The student body here is like one big family and I want to be the one to represent them because over the years I’ve gotten to know many of them and now see many as family of my own.
Gary Lazard Jr. Junior, Communication Studies Sponsoring Organization: National Broadcasting Society My name is Gary Wayne Lazard Jr. from Houston, Texas. I am a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated also I serve as the Vice President of the Eta Zeta chapter here at Texas A&M Commerce. A member of the Caribbean Student Association serving as Public Relation Officer. I have also been inducted to the National Honor Society of Leadership and Success. I am a desk attendant at Smith and Berry.
Hannah Jewel Clark Junior, Journalism Sponsoring Organization: Gamma Phi Beta Hannah is a dog lover who is studying to be the U.S. ambassador to India, in that order. After graduating from A&M - Commerce and working abroad she will apply for a position in the Foreign Service. Hannah has been to India and Spain, she plans to continue her travels after college. Becoming Homecoming Queen means she can represent A&M - Commerce on a international scale in the years to come.
Viviana Guillen Senior, Marketing Sponsoring Organization: Multicultural Greek Council I believe I should be Homecoming Queen because of all of my experiences have helped me to be the person that I am today. I believe Unity, Honesty, Integrity, Leadership, and Service are qualities the Homecoming Queen should embody which I do. I am involved in numerous organizations including serving as the current President of MGC, NSLS, and I support and promote the Lion Pride in all that I do.
Yohance Smith Senior, Marketing Sponsoring Organization: CaribSA (Caribbean Students Association) I, Yohance Smith, grew up in Tortola, BVI. Focused on success, I vowed to leave my mark everywhere I go. I graduated Valedictorian of my elementary School, top five percent of both high school and community college. I swore to be a positive representation of what this University has to offer and have been awarded Student of the year at this University. My ultimate goal is to be Director of the BVI Tourism Board. Sam Kaiser Junior, Biological Sciences Sponsoring Organization: Kappa Kappa Psi My name is Sam Kaiser; I’m a junior here at A&M-Commerce. I’m majoring in Biology, with a second major in Chemistry - in the future, I’d like to be a chemical engineer. I’m also the president of the Zeta Kappa Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, the national Honorary Service Fraternity for College Band members, and a proud Mayo Scholarship recipient. I believe that I represent the university well through academic achievement and unswerving service on behalf of my fraternity.
Homecoming Queen Nominees
Tyrae Jones Junior, Spanish Sponsoring Organization: NACWC As the oldest of 6, I am the first generation High School graduate and soon to be college grad. My life is driven by the growth mindset, the need to give back, and spread of diversity. For that reason, I’ve spent my life destroying communication barriers through the learning of different languages and my 3 years at A&M- Commerce learning what it means to be a service leader. I’ll continue as an international social worker.
Elisabet Martinez Prado Senior, Social Work Sponsoring Organization: Kappa Delta Chi Sorority Inc. My name is Elisabet Martinez Prado, and I am grateful to be nominated for this year’s Homecoming Queen. By applying leadership skills and showing my Leo pride, I believe I am a great representation of the university. My goal is to receive a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and promote diversity programming. I am a member of Kappa Delta Chi Sorority Inc., MGC Council Delegate, in Leadership Without Limits, and work for the L.E.A.D. department.
Hotdog Spirit Rally Starts off Homecoming Isabella Garcia Staff Reporter In preparation for the Homecoming game, the annual Hotdog Spirit Rally is a Texas A&M University-Commerce tradition to be held on Blue and Gold Wed. Oct. 26 in the amphitheater. Students and faculty are encouraged to attend the celebration from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and eat hotdogs. Many exciting announcements will be revealed during the pep rally and the energetic atmosphere will definitely pump up students for the weekend game. This occasion, held midday during lunch, was carefully planned with free food in order to be an inviting attraction and have as many possible students attend. The Commerce Chapter of our alumni association will be serving food and students will get the opportunity to interact and meet with them throughout the event. Besides hot dogs, baked potatoes and other snacks will be provided in order to cater to students with special diet restrictions and provide different lunch options. Three announcements pertaining to homecoming and the contests involving faculty and students organizations will be released.
The Window Door Banner Competition was made by the (QEP) Quality Enhancement Plan and is open to departments on campus, faculty, and students to learn more about an interconnected world. The Get on Board Contest is a spirit decorating competition and charity open to student organizations where they must customize a board promoting their association and the homecoming theme in hopes to receive the most donations. Lastly, the Court Winners for Homecoming royalty will be unveiled. Special guests and speakers during the rally will include administraton members and coaches of the game. Students can look forward to an appearance by the university band who will be performing our fight song. There will also be performances by the cheer and dance teams to energize the crowd. Later that week, another popular event on Friday, Oct. 28 is the Bonfire and Fireworks Show. Last year, it was rescheduled a week later due to the rain, but was still an enjoyable experience. Hopefully, students will be able to unite together and attend the 9 p.m show in preparation for the game the following day. There will be a plentiful amount of diverse events during homecoming week from other sport games to a talent show. Attending
these activities is a great approach to show off Lion Pride and anticipate the upcoming game. Students will be able to create long lasting memories by taking advantage of the free events and a chance to take their minds off their classes. “Homecoming is a fun time to really honor our campus and celebrate what being a lion is all about, and showing what the phrase “Our Pride Runs Deep” really means,” Deepti Chadee, the Assistant Director of Student Activities in charge of the Homecoming events said. “It’s a fun week of activities, where we can all come together as a community, students, faculty, and staff, to celebrate why it’s so special to be a lion. We do have several events that take place starting on Monday through the football game, so we encourage everyone to come out to as many things that they possibly can.” To find more information on details and specific events occurring during the week of Homecoming, students can visit http:// www.tamuc.edu/aboutus/alumni/homecoming/. Other resources include the university’s main Twitter, Instagram and social media accounts,@tamuc. Another helpful account,@TAMUCspirit provides students reminders of current campus activities.
Page 5
Features
Oct. 20, 2016
A Life of Hopes and Dreams Evangelina Morales Staff Reporter Patricia Keck is the first Latina First Lady of Texas A&M University–Commerce as well as the wife of President Ray Keck. Previously, she was a Director at Health Services at Laredo ISD, but is happily settling into her new role. “It is a wonderful thing. I am enjoying immensely,” Keck said. There are different life choices for people, and Mrs. Keck decided to say yes not just to receiving a higher education, but also said yes to love. “We fell in love immediately, and six months
“For me, the American Dream is defined by the ability to choose your life path and to have resources available to follow your journey.” -Patricia Keck, First Lady of TAMU-C later we were married,” Keck said of her marriage to Dr. Keck. “We have had incredible life adventures characterized by the willing to say ‘yes’ to opportunities that come unexpected like the amazing opportunity to be here in Commerce.”
The First Lady is the oldest of 10 children, meaning Mrs. Keck had responsibilities on her shoulders and more pressure because she is the eldest daughter of her family. Besides that, she went to Rice University where she received a B.A. in nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Mother, wife, student, friend and daughter are some of the roles that Mrs. Keck. Sometimes, during their life journey, people have downs and ups, and for those reasons people do not try or do not take risks to pursue opportunities. However, Mrs. Keck was different. She wanted to make a change. Choosing her own destiny, she wisely decided about her life, education career, marriage and especially the role of being a good mother to her daughters. She, like many of us, has had (and has) dreams. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to define the “American Dream.” “For me, the American Dream is defined by the ability to choose your life path and to have resources available to follow your journey,” Keck said. “I’ve been able to contribute to the wellbeing of others.” Students sometimes need words of encouragement, and Patricia does not think twice to give students those words. “Establish what your priority is for you at this period in your life. Study and succeed at everything that you can, volunteer in community effort, and engage in all these great things,” Keck said.
Maintaining Relationships and Grades E ast Texan Photo/ Evangelina Morales
Imogené Wofford Entertainment Editor
College years are a part of the huge transition for students and their lives. It is a hard task to be a college student, steer your way through getting an education, transition to campus life, and especially maintain relationships. When a student goes off to college, maintaining relationships with people can be stressful, regardless of whether it’s with friends, family members, or romantic partners. One of the reasons that it’s hard to maintain relationships when students come to college is bad communication. “Without the ability to communicate desires and set rules about relationships and communication styles, it is a setup for conflict,” Administrative Director for Student Health and Counseling at State University of New York at Geneseo Melinda DuBois said. The student and the other person in the relationship forget that they are each going through a transition to living alone and trying to find their purpose; on the other hand, the other
person is having to adjust to that student not being around, or spending less time with them. Communication needs to flow both ways in a relationship so that both parties involved know the other’s feelings, concerns, what they want, and what will be the best solutions. This way both parties are heard and understand where the other is coming from. This reduces the stress on both parties, and the risk for conflict or confrontation goes down. “For the vast majority of adults, the biggest danger is repressing or avoiding dealing with conflict, often people avoid asserting their needs for fear of damaging a relationship;” Gary Harper, conflict resolution expert and author of The Joy of Conflict Resolution, said, “But, what damages a relationship is when resentments are repressed and build up and poison the relationship.” Having good communication in a relationship is good way to make sure that the relationship grows and continues. “Assert yourself. Communicate in a gentle but direct and firm manner,” Dr. Tina Yang, staff psychologist and clinical coordinator at Texas A&M University-Commerce, said, “Without
boundaries, we don’t know where we are in relation to others; our interactions with each other would be chaotic and out of control. [They] help us understand our needs and know what our limits are. Moreover, it helps us develop and maintain healthy relationships.” To maintain a relationship with others, both parties should be confident in their feelings and emotions and not be worried about the other treating them differently because of it. “If you have to pretend to be happy when you are angry, then you are not free to express your true feelings,” A&M University-Commerce Counselor and Assistant Director Nick Patras said, “Eventually this forced way of expressing emotions will damage the integrity of the relationship. Healthy relationships are those that allow us to express the full range of our emotions without the fear that it will end the relationship. Healthy relationships have a natural balance of time together and time apart. Each partner is encouraged to have interests,
Photo Courtesy/M elvin E.
friends, and hobbies outside of the relationship as well as common interests and friends.” For more information on how to maintain relationships with others while you’re in college, visit the university counseling center.
Nightmarish Reality
Photo Courtesy/Middlesboro, KY. Police Department Jonathan Martin, aged 20, was arrested for “allegedly causing public alarm” in his clown costume.
Continued From Pg. 1 superheroes like Batman chasing off clowns, with hopes of countering this clown scare. A man dressed as the Dark Knight posted a video saying,”As for you clowns, if you want to scare someone, why don’t you try and scare me.” Texas has also had its fair share of clown incidents. Some of these include teens being arrested for committing juvenile crimes such as posting clown-related threats online, and other sorts of clown hoaxes have occurred from Houston, Rockwall, and even Commerce when a clown was supposedly sighted on campus only to result in a fabricated picture. A Denton police officer came under fire when she made the comment on Facebook saying “Pop a cap in the first clown you see. Someone needs to just hit one, and the rest
of these fools will learn.” Thankfully, no sightings or crimes involving clowns have occurred in this area, and Lieutenant Jason Bone of UPD has said that while anyone has the right to dress up as whatever they want, just be aware of the consequences particularly during this time and with the Campus Carry law that has been passed. While it may never truly disappear, many are hoping this will all die down soon. Clowns have been associated with frightening and disturbing images, but let’s not forget that they have also brought joy to others with their silly slapstick at circuses and rodeos. Stephen King, who has a phobia of clowns, posted on his twitter saying “Hey, guys, time to cool the clown hysteria--most of ‘em are good, cheer up the kiddies, make people laugh.”
Entertainment
Page 6
Oct. 20, 2016
TAMU-C Play Charms Audiences Web editor, Todd Kleibor attends the theater department’s first production of the semester, and gives his after thoughts. Todd Kleiboer Web Editor The Theatre Department performed “Acting: The First Six Lessons” by Emily Bridges and Beau Bridges and directed by Kelsey Cooper through the week of October 10. It was a charming production that showcased the department’s talent, but I felt it had a few shortcomings overall. Held in the studio theater, dubbed the ‘black box’ because of its appearance, “Acting: The First Six Lessons” was adapted from Richard Boleslavksy’s book with the same name. The play centered on a young actress learning to perfect the art of acting with the guidance of a teacher. On entering the theater, ambient music reminiscent of the early 1900s aided the audience in guessing the play’s setting of 1930s New York, if they did not know already. The venue itself offered some challenges to
the director and actors because the audience viewed the play from four sides, but it was managed nicely with excellent blocking and actor awareness. Voices also echoed endlessly within the boxy theater especially during the more passionate lines, but these errors were out of the actors’ and director’s control. The Teacher, played by Corbin Winston, was the wise man of the story who passed off his lessons, six of them in all, to Creature, played by Samantha Cox. In the midst of this heartwarming tale was a meta-play, play within a play, and the Stage Manager, Movie Director, and Understudy (played by Lacey O’Brien, K’Anthony Jones, and Zacherey Rodriguez respectively) staged and removed props as part of their roles. It was a bit confusing at times because whenever one of them would come onstage, I would never know if they had a speaking part. This confusion might have been a result of my bias toward traditional plays, however.
Samantha Cox as the Creature was definitely the best actor with Corbin Winston as the Teacher in a far second. The other parts had such little parts that they left no or insignificant impressions. Cox was strong and dominated the stage with her presence, and the audience straightened whenever she stepped into the lights. Cox, however, overshadowed her co-star Winston who most likely had the second highest number of lines. Be it his character or the acting, Winston’s part faded through the play from a strong presence in the beginning to an add-on at the end. In all, the play did not have the audience riveted to their seats, but it did spark a few laughs here and there with Cox’s over-exaggeration or Winston’s careful quips. If you missed it, you missed nothing spectacular, but “Acting: The First Six Lessons” was another solid production by the Theatre Department, one of many.
Cinema Spotlight: Scott Derrickson Part III: Sinister Manuel Ramirez Staff Reporter After the disappointment of The Day the Earth stood Still (not to mention a Razzie Nomination for Worst Prequel, Remake, Ripoff or Sequel) Derrickson returned to what he did best, scaring the living daylights out of everyone with his third outing that lives up to its title, Sinister. Premiering on October 12, 2012 in what is perhaps his most popular film with audiences; the movie follows Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke), a true-crime writer attempting to make a comeback. Hoping to cover more ground on the murders that he’s writing about, he moves with his family into a house were one took place; a detail he decides not to mention to neither his wife or kids. One night he discovers a box containing a Super 8 projector with a couple of film reels; to his shock, each footage shows various families being hanged, drowned, burned or murdered in some other graphic manner. Seeing an opportunity for a possible best seller, Oswalt tries to fathom this gruesome mystery but as the closer her gets, things begin to get a little eerie. Who made these films? Who could have committed such monstrous acts? Could it be a serial killer or something much more
sinister? From the opening scene I could tell this wasn’t going to be your run-of-the-mill scary movie. Derrickson delivers a truly terrifying ghost story that brought to mind R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series but with an adult edge. There are scares, moments of tension and elements of mystery as we are immersed with Oswalt in trying to put the pieces of this puzzle together. Derrickson’s recurring theme of belief also makes an appearance when the case moves into possible paranormal territory. A rarity that this movie brought is that the characters are believable and to an extent likable; however, that’s not to say that they are all around nice. The main lead Oswalt has his flaws and we especially see it in his desire to have fame once again, that he makes many rash decisions during the investigation. Still, you feel for the guy compared to characters in other horror movies that are mostly made of idiotic and obnoxious morons. The rest of the cast is terrific from a comic relief deputy who assists in the case (James Ransone from HBO’s The Wire), a gruff sheriff who doesn’t approve Oswalt’s new residency (Law & Order’s Fred Dalton Thompson) and a professor with an expertise in the occult and supernatural (Vincent D’Onofrio from Netflix’s Daredevil and Men in Black).
Also, I couldn’t help but notice that Oswalt seemed like a sort of replica of Derrickson himself. Both have an uncanny resemblance from the hair, goatee and black-rimmed glasses, and delve into nightmarish subject matter. Oswalt looks at some horrific footage and other scary material when writing his novels, while Derrickson watched a bunch of footage of demon possessions and exorcisms while he was working on Emily Rose. Oswalt wrote a best seller with his first book only to have his later material flop, whereas Derrickson also made a hit with his first film but failed to deliver with his second. Both are writers but where Oswalt writes books on real crimes, Derricskon writes screenplays to horror movies. The director has even stated that the character embodied a bit of himself and certain aspects of what he feared of becoming, like having long night talks with his wife, to putting his work ahead of his family. Kids at sleepovers and campfires have utilized such a method when they put themselves and other people they know into their spooky stories; I have to give the filmmaker credit for using cinema as a means to tell such a frightening tale. For those who enjoy watching scary movies, Sinister will not disappoint and even
if such movies aren’t your thing this is one of the few modern horror films that delivers good scares, plot, and characters, that I highly recommend it. It may not be for the faint-hearted but it’s one of the better modern horror movies out there. Having regained his movie-making skills, Derrickson has one more film before heading into Superhero territory, with another Horror film that deals with a subject that he’s very familiar with...exorcisms. All in the next week’s issue of the East Texan.
Art Day: An Open House With a Splash of Color
Prospective Lions attended an overview of A&M-Commerce’s Dept. of Art during last week’s Mane Event, to explore new techniques in visual art East Texan Photos/Jason Nam
Artday 1- Professor Gerard Huber is seeing student’s work. He demonstrated “Airbrush Painting on T-shirts workshop.”
Artday5,6- Photography professor Leigh Merrill is teaching participants at the “From 2D to 3D: Photoshop Manipulations.”
Artday4-Student is checking glass pendant at the “Glass Fusing” class.
Page 7
Oct. 20, 2016
finalscore 3-2
hotshot 1.57
The Mustangs force a fifth set of this game against Lubbock Christian’s Lady Chaps but still fall at the end of it 25-16.
Average number of points per game Angelo State’s Demi Tsambasis has scored in the 14 games she has played.
Football
2016football
Three awarded for athletic prowess Midwestern State improved to 6-0 overall for the second consecutive year and for the fourth time in school history to stay atop the Lone Star Conference standings. Texas A&M-Commerce and Tarleton State also posted wins to remain a game behind MSU in league play. Six games are scheduled for this week with four LSC games and a pair of non-conference contests. LSC football teams are 3533 overall this season. The squads are 3-3 combined versus the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Great Lakes Valley Conference and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams, which are also in NCAA Super Regional Four. LSC FOOTBALL ON ESPN3 A pair of Lone Star Conference football games are part of the 2016 Division II Football Showcase schedule and were broadcast on ESPN3 and WatchESPN. For a second straight season, A&M-Commerce hosted a national broadcast on October 8 as the Lions hosted Midwestern State. UT Permian Basin welcomed West Texas A&M in the Falcon’s first LSC football game in the program’s initial season. Due to inclement weather the game was postponed and was
not broadcast as scheduled. NCAA Division II announced 18 of the 22 regular-season football games that will be carried on ESPN3, WatchESPN and American Sports Network, after the division entered a three-year agreement in 2015 to deliver Division II athletics events. By comparison, only seven games were televised in each of the 2013 and 2014 seasons. PLAYERS OF THE WEEK OFFENSIVE Ben Arbuckle, West Texas A&M University, SO, QB, Canadian, Texas, Canadian HS Arbuckle had a career day in a 42-14 win at Oklahoma Panhandle State as he threw a career-best six touchdown passes accounting for all of the points by the Buffs. The six TD strikes were the most by a Buff in a game since Dustin Vaughan threw six against West Georgia (2013) and matched the secondmost passing TDs in Division II this season. Arbuckle, in his first collegiate start, missed just 12 passes on the day (30-for42) with no interceptions.
Team Conf. Overall Midwestern State 5-0 6-0 A&M-Commerce 4-1 5-1 Tarleton State 4-1 4-3 East. New Mexico 4-2 4-3 West Texas A&M 3-2 4-3 A&M-Kingsville 2-3 4-3 Angelo State 2-3 3-4 West. New Mexico 2-4 2-5 UT-Permian Basin 0-5 2-5 O.K. Panhandle 0-5 1-6
Schedule
October 22nd Bacone AT East. New Mexico West. New Mexico AT Fort Lewis A&M-Kingsville AT Tarleton State Midwestern AT West Texas A&M A&M-Commerce AT Angelo State O.K. Panhandle AT UT-PB
women’ssoccer
Photo Courtesy/L onestarconference .org
DEFENSIVE Treston Ridge, Tarleton State University, SR, S, Waco, Texas, La Vega HS Ridge sealed Tarleton’s 2616 victory against Eastern New Mexico in Portales last Saturday with two interceptions on the final four drives of the game for the Greyhounds. With Tarleton leading 26-10 with just over nine minutes left in the game, ENMU went to the air looking for an answer. The Greyhounds turned to a flea-flicker but Ridge had other ideas as the senior safety made a diving
interception to stop that drive. Two drives later with ENMU looking to pull within one possession, Ridge put the win on ice by stepping in front of the Greyhounds receiver with 2:02 left in the game for his second interception of the afternoon. He became the first Texan with multiple interceptions in a game since Charles Moore against McMurry on October 25, 2014. Ridge added nine tackles for the Texans. SPECIAL TEAMS Hector Dominguez, Texas A&M University - Commerce,
SR, P, Monterey Park, Calif., Monterey Park HS Dominguez had four punts for an average of 60.2 yards in the No. 9 Lions’ win at Western New Mexico, which is the highest in Division II this season. He is also the only punter in all four NCAA football divisions to average over 60 yards per punt with more than two punts in a game this season. Dominguez had punts of 70, 54, 57, and 60 yards.
Commerce claims two of three awards East, West New Mexico take honors Texas A&M-Commerce has sole possession of the top spot in the Lone Star Conference standings with 15 points at the halfway point of the league schedule. Angelo State, Midwestern State and West Texas A&M are tied for second with 12 points each. LSC action continues with one contest Wednesday and three on both Friday and Sunday this week. The women’s teams are 38-34-6 overall this season. The squads are currently 8-84 combined versus Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams, and 3-2-1 against the Heartland Conference, which are the other conferences in the NCAA South Central Region. Photo Courtesy/L onestarconference .org CO-OFFENSIVE Savannah Grasser, Texas a two-goal performance against Eastern A&M University - Commerce, SR, F, New Mexico before scoring the gameMabank, Texas, Mabank HS winner against Midwestern State. She Grasser scored three goals over the finished the weekend with 11 shots, weekend to move to 40 career goals - five of those on target. The Hovborg, just the third player in Lion history to Denmark native ranks second in the reach that milestone... She scored both conference in shots per game (3.75) and goals in a 2-1 win at Angelo State to third in both game-winning goals (2) clinch a comeback win late... Her goals and points (14). came less than seven minutes apart in DEFENSIVE the 77th minute and the 84th minute Vicky Back, Texas A&M University to give the Lions the victory... She also - Commerce, SR, York, England, D/M, scored in the 12th minute of a 5-0 win York College at UTPB... She ranks second in the Back was a two-way threat, keeping league in scoring, as the Lions are now a strong Angelo State team from much first in the conference and 24th in the offensive production in a 2-0 weekend nation... for the Lions.. A&M-Commerce’s back Marlene van Mourik, West Texas line allowed only 9 of ASU’s 20 shots on A&M University, FR, Forward, goal and Back also assisted on the gameHovborg, Denmark, Kolding winning goal in the 84th minute... The Gymnasium Lions and Back shutout UTPB 5-0, The freshman forward got back on allowing only 3 Falcon shots on goal... the score sheet this past weekend with Back also scored a goal for the Lions... Football: Italics denote winner October 15th A&M-Commerce AT West. New Mexico West Texas A&M AT O.K. Panhandle Tarleton State AT East. New Mexico Angelo State AT Midwestern State UT-PB AT A&M-Kingsville
Angelo State and Tarleton State are tied atop the Lone Star Conference standings with identical 7-1 league records. LSC action continues this week with 11 matches scheduled. LSC volleyball teams are 109-87 overall this season. The squads are Photo Courtesy/L onestarconference .org currently 15-9 combined versus over Texas Woman’s on Saturday. Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Additionally, she became the first teams, and 20-7 against the Heartland Eastern player to tally 30 digs in a Conference, which are the other four-set match since Hayley Crouch leagues in the NCAA South Central accomplished the feat in 2012. Region. Aguilar added 23 digs in the victory PLAYERS OF THE WEEK against Texas A&M-Commerce. For OFFENSIVE the week, she averaged 6.62 digs per Lauren Frye, Eastern New Mexico set. University, SR, Amissville, Va., SETTER Highland HS Melanie Hughes, Western New Frye averaged 5.00 kills per set in Mexico, JR, Riverside, Calif., Martin victories over Texas A&M-Commerce Luther King, Jr. HS and Texas Woman’s. The senior swung Hughes led Western New Mexico to a tune of .358 with 40 kills while to a pair of wins over Texas Woman’s only committing 11 errors. Against and Texas A&M-Commerce last week TWU, Frye had 12 kills alone in the with 36 assists, while also adding a kill, second set and finished with 25 for the a service ace and 11 digs. She went for match. She recorded a match-high 15 18 assists in each match and had seven kills against A&M-C. digs versus TWU. Hughes averaged DEFENSIVE six assists per set in the Mustangs 6-2 Andrea Aguilar, Eastern New offense as WNMU recorded a .370 Mexico University, JR, Clovis, N.M, team hitting percentage. Clovis HS All honored players were Aguilar recorded the first 30- congratulated over social media by dig performance of the season for their respective universities. the Greyhounds in the four-set win
Score Recap
38-24 42-14 26-16 28-21 56-7
Women’s Soccer Italics denote winner October 14th Midwestern State AT A&M-Commerce East. New Mexico AT Angelo State West Texas A&M AT UT-PB October 16th West Texas A&M AT Angelo State East. New Mexico AT UT-PB Midwestern State AT Texas Woman’s
1-0 2-1 2-0 1-0 1-0 1-0
Women’s Volleyball: Italics denote winner October 11th Lubbock Christian AT West Texas A&M 3-1 Cameron AT Southern Nazarene 3-1 October 13th Midwestern State AT Lubbock Christian 3-2 October 14th West Texas A&M AT A&M-Commerce 3-1 A&M-Kingsville AT Cameron 3-0 East. New Mexico AT Tarleton State 3-0
West. New Mexico AT Angelo State UT-PB AT Texas Woman’s October 15th A&M-Kingsville AT Midwestern State West. New Mexico AT Tarleton State East. New Mexico AT Angelo State West Texas A&M AT Texas Woman’s Arkansas-FS AT A&M-Commerce UT-PB AT A&M-Commerce
3-0 3-2 3-0 3-0 3-0 3-2 3-2 3-0
Team Conf. Overall A&M-Commerce 7-1 10-3 West Texas A&M 6-2 8-4 Angelo State 5-3 9-4-1 Midwestern State 4-4 7-5-2 Texas Woman’s 3-5 7-6-1 East. New Mexico 2-6 3-9-1 UT-Permian Basin 1-7 1-10-1
Schedule
October 21st UT-PB AT Midwestern State A&M-Commerce AT West Texas A&M Texas Woman’s AT East New Mexico October 23rd A&M Commerce AT East New Mexico Angelo State AT Midwestern Texas Woman’s AT West Texas A&M October 26th West Texas A&M AT East. New Mexico
2016volleyball
Team
Angelo State
Conf. Overall 9-1
18-2
Tarleton State
9-1
17-2
A&M-Kingsville
7-3
17-5
West Texas A&M
7-3
12-8
A&M-Commerce
6-4
12-9
West. New Mexico 5-5
13-8
East. New Mexico 5-5
10-10
Midwestern State
3-7
9-12
Texas Woman’s
2-8
6-13
UT-Permian Basin 2-8
6-14
Cameron
2-17
0-10
Schedule
October 21st Cameron AT West Texas A&M Tarleton State AT A&M-Commerce Angelo State AT Texas Woman’s
Midwestern State AT UT-PB A&M-Kingsville AT West Texas A&M October 22th Midwestern AT West Texas A&M Angelo State AT A&M-Commerce Cameron AT UT-PB Tarleton State AT Texas Woman’s A&M-Kingsville AT East. New Mexico October 25th A&M-Commerce AT Texas Woman’s October 26th Tarleton State AT Angelo State
Men’s & Women’s Cross Country October 22nd LSC Championships
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Oct. 20, 2016
Sports
Game schedule
Oct. 21: Soccer vs @ West Texas A&M (7 p.m.) Oct. 21: Volleyball vs Tarleton State (6 p.m.) Oct. 22: Cross Countr y LSC Championship
Oct. 22: Volleyball vs Angelo State (2 p.m.)
Oct. 22: Football @ Angel o State (6 p.m.)
Oct. 25: Volleyball @ Texas Woman’s (7 p.m.)
Lions Look to Clash with Rams Ricky Moser Sports Editor
The Lions football team (4-1 Lone Star Conference, 6-1 overall) got back to their winning ways after heading on the road and defeating Western New Mexico University 38-24. Texas A&M University- Commerce is No. 2 in the LSC, only behind Midwestern State, and No. 9 in the national poll for Division II football. The next hurdle for the team will be an away game against Angelo State (2-3 LSC, 3-4 overall) on Saturday at 6 p.m. A&M- Commerce won last year’s tightly contested matchup 38-35. It is worth noting that A&M- Commerce senior punter Hector Dominguez enters this week’s game as the LSC special teams player of the week. Dominguez’s four punts against Western New Mexico averaged 60.2 yards, which is the best in Division II this season. His punts went for 70, 54, 57, and 60 yards respectively. Saturday’s game in San Angelo is the team’s last away game before they return for their Homecoming game Saturday, Oct. 29.
LSC Special Player of the Week
Josh Manck Lion Athletics
Photo courtesy/ Lion Athletics
Senior kicker and punter Hector Dominguez receives his second LSC Special Teams Player of the Week honor.
Texas A&M University-Commerce punter Hector Dominguez has earned Lone Star Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors for the second time this season, as announced by the LSC office Monday. Dominguez had four punts for an average of 60.2 yards in the No. 9 Lions’ win at Western New Mexico, which is the highest in Division II this season. He is also the only punter in all four NCAA football divisions to average over 60 yards per punt with more than two punts in a game this season. Dominguez had punts of 70, 54, 57, and 60 yards. The No. 9 Lions have now won LSC Special Teams Player of the Week honors four times in the six weeks they were eligible. In addition to Dominguez’ two honors, kicker Kristov Martinez and running back Ovie Urevbu have won the honor this season. The Lions are on the road for the second straight weekend, traveling to San Angelo for a 6 p.m. Saturday kickoff at Angelo State.
Lions Split Saturday Doubleheader Lions Defend Volleyball sweeps UTPB and has five-set loss to Arkansas- Fort Smith
Josh Manck Lion Athletics
Home Territory
Ricky Moser Sports Editor
The Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team picked up a conference win and a non-conference loss Saturday. The Lions beat the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and lost to the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. The games brought the Lions to 12-9 on the season and 6-4 in the Lone Star Conference. UTPB fell to 6-14 on the season and 2-8 in the LSC, while UAFS went to 14-5. A&M-Commerce won all three sets against UT Permian Basin (25-18, 25-23, 25-19). The Lions served nine aces while not allowing any. They had a .226 hitting percentage and had five blocks. The Wacker sisters were the leading scorers for the Lions. Jaryn Wacker had 10 kills while Jaslyn Wacker had eight. Freshman Rylie Fuentes led the Lions with 21 assists. She also made seven digs and had four service aces. Senior Ashley Mireles led both teams with 13 digs. She also had two service aces. Falcon junior Caitlyn Guajardo had ten kills for UTPB. Freshman Mallory Nicholson had 17 assists. Freshman Sarah Vazquez had 10 digs. Arkansas- Fort Smith won 3 while A&M- Commerce won 2 (20-25, 25-15, 29-27, 15-25, 10-15). It was the Lions’ first home loss of the season. They are now 7-1 at the Field House. TAMUC served six aces while UAFS served five. TAMUC senior Taryn Driver had 15 kills. Fuentes had 21 assists and freshman Savannah Rutledge had 20. Mireles had 24 digs. UAFS senior Kennedi Coleman had 22 kills. Freshman Erin Black had 33 assists and senior Emily Tripp had 24 digs. “Fort Smith is easily one of the best teams in our region,” Case said. “To be able to push them to a thrilling five-game set is a great sign. We now have to figure out how to make that a five-set win. They have some great players and do some great things both offensively and defensively. I thought we had some stretches where we did some good things to disrupt UAFS. Now, we have to focus on limiting runs that great teams like UAFS go on while lengthening our own runs more.” After Lions went head to head with Midwestern State University on Tuesday, they will be playing home games this weekend against Tarleton State at 6 p.m. and Angelo State at 2 p.m.
The No. 24 ranked Texas A&M University- Commerce soccer team (7-1 Lone Star Conference, 10-3 overall) continues to remain atop the LSC rankings and undefeated at home following a 1-0 win Friday night. A&M- Commerce has 15 points as the season is past its halfway point, while three other teams are all tied for second with 12 points. Much of the team’s success has been in part of senior forward Savannah Grasser and senior defender/midfielder Vicky Back. Grasser, who was named LSC co-offensive player of the week, scored three goals over the weekend and has now tallied 40 career goals as a Lion- the third player in history to do so. Grasser’s nine goals this season ranks second in the league. Meanwhile, Back was named defensive player of the week. Back and the Lion’s defense have only allowed one goal in their last five contests, all wins. The team will put their five game win streak on the line Friday versus West Texas A&M and Sunday against Eastern New Mexico. Both games are on the road, where the Lions are 3-3.
Top photo shows junior Neka Nelson tips the ball to the opponents side in hopes of avoiding their block. Bottom photo displays freshmen Rylie Fuentes diving for the ball with success.
Photo courtesy/ Lion Athletics
E ast Texas Photos/ K risten Taylor