Times Delphic

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER FOR DRAKE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

THE TIMES-DELPHIC DES MOINES, IOWA • Monday, October 12, 2009 • VOL. 128, NO. 10 • www.timesdelphic.com

WHAT’S

INSIDE

FOOTBALL

OUR TWO CENTS

CHARLES NELSON

HOMECOMING

Drake beat Missouri S&T 19-0 in its homecoming game on Saturday.

What’s the TD Staff complaining about this week?

A Drake professor performs in a band on campus called DiscoBoy.

See what happened this week in homecoming activities.

PAGE 6 SPORTS

PAGE 3 OPINIONS

PAGE 5 FEATURES

PAGE 8 FEATURES

A RAINBOW in the

CLOUDS

photos by SARAH ANDREWS | Photo Editor

Maya Angelou delivers the Bucksbaum Lecture to 8,000 people in the Knapp Center

by LAURA JOHNSON

Staff Writer laura.johnson@drake.edu

Maya Angelou crafted a message of hope for her audience at the Bucksbaum Lecture last Thursday, framed by wisdom from her personal struggles and triumphs.

Angelou said “rainbows in the clouds” have

blessed her life even in the most challenging days.

She used personal anecdotes to demonstrate how positives can emerge from life struggles.

The phrase, “rainbows in the clouds,” which originates from the flood story in Genesis, appeared several times throughout her lecture.

Angelou said the phrase inspired a slave song around the theme that “in the worst of times, there’s the possibility of seeing hope.”

Angelou went on to explain some of her

own “worst of times” and the rainbows that brightened her life.

After her parents’ divorce, three-year-old Angelou and her brother Bailey were sent from Los Angeles to rural Stamps, Ark., to live with their grandmother. There, Angelou grew close to her uncle, Willie, who was partially paralyzed.

He even taught Angelou her times tables. Many years later, upon returning to Arkansas for Willie’s funeral, Angelou learned Willie had educated others in basic mathematics, including the first black mayor of Little Rock. As a boy, the mayor was an employee at Willie’s store, and he credited Willie with his future success.

Even after his death, Willie continued to impact Angelou’s life.

“Who can say how wide, how deep, how high

the breadth, in fact, of his rainbow?” she said.

Angelou, 81, knows much more than her times tables, renowned worldwide for her insightful writing and work in education and with civil rights.

Lecture officials said Angelou drew an

SEE ANGELOU, PAGE 2 For Mariah Marconi’s behind-the-scenes look at Maya Angelou’s Drake visit, see page 5.

Board of Trustees announce crucial campus decisions Hubbell North renovation and Bell Center improvements explained to Senate

by ERIKA SEVIGNY

Staff Writer erika.sevigny@drake.edu

photo by MEGAN BANNISTER | Staff Photographer

STUDENTS sumo wrestled and participated in other activities at the Fall Festival.

Have no fear, SAB is here Homecoming proves to be activity-packed

by KENSIE SMITH

Copy Editor erika.sevigny@drake.edu

Towering over Helmick Commons, a large, inflatable Spike signified the beginning of Drake’s Homecoming. Clad in bright, red capes, the Bulldog parade statues were ready for action, dressed for this year’s theme, Bulldogs to the Rescue. Campus was decked out and ready for the week.

The Student Activities Board (SAB) worked diligently to provide an exciting week of entertainment and school spirit.

Tisleen Singh (J4), vice president of student activities, said there was a strong effort to get more attendance to homecoming events this year. In 2007, Singh served as homecoming committee chair with this year’s Homecoming

king Tyler Boggess (J4). Singh said collective student apathy translated to low student turnout at homecoming events that year.

“We’ve really been hitting the ground running the past three years, trying to do different and bigger things with Homecoming,” Singh said. “We hope that Homecoming becomes a bigger deal on our campus as time goes on.”

A collaborative effort between SAB’s committees helped the organization use all of its resources to maximize the week.

Homecoming, public relations, entertainment, campus programming and bands committees all contributed to the week of events.

Homecoming began Oct. 3 in conjunction with Parents’ Weekend. It started with Sodexo

SEE HOMECOMING, PAGE 2

Plans to move forward with the renovation of Hubbell North – the area including Spike’s Pizza/Sub Shoppe, Spike’s C-Store and Cool Beans – were finalized Oct. 3 when the Drake University Board of Trustees visited campus and approved the measure.

Campus Advancement Senator Greg Larson (B, J2) reported to the Student Senate Thursday evening on his meeting with the board of trustees regarding grounds and facilities. The meeting produced a long-awaited decision on the renovation of the Hubbell Dining Hall.

“All the trustees in attendance were impressed,” Larson said. “They actually made the call to have the meeting in Cool Beans so they could do a walk-through of the site.”

The board of trustees is broken down into smaller committees, focused on areas including campus and grounds and student life. The committees held meetings Oct. 2 and voted as a board on measures, including the Hubbell North renovation, on Oct. 3.

“I heard there was very little debate over the issue of Hubbell North,” Larson said. “They knew something needed to be done in that

Vote on which dining facility needs the most improvement at www.timesdelphic.com

area.”

Larson said the board’s main concern was that not all of the money for the Hubbell North project was available up front.

“I’m so excited about this project,” Larson said.

Renovating the space has been in the works on campus for five years, Larson said.

“Jolene Schmidt (director of facility services) has been there for the good and the bad times of this project,” Larson said.

Last spring District Marketing Coordinator Rebecca Stamp and Dannie Crozier, director of dining services at Drake, organized a student focus group to gather ideas and input for improving the building.

The renovation is scheduled to begin after Thanksgiving break. The first step will be to close the Cool Beans space in upper Hubbell North. During Winter Break, Spike’s Pizza/ Sub Shoppe and Spike’s C-Store will close, and Olmsted Terrace Court operations will be adjusted to accommodate the closings for second semester. The plan for Hubbell North includes moving the food distribution and dining areas currently on the lower level to the space now known as Cool Beans. Food will be served in a setup similar to the current Olmsted Terrace Court.

The upstairs space will feature a glossy black floor, permanent seating around the exterior of the space and movable seating in the open space. The design includes keeping the stage, so the space can still be used for events hosted by student organizations.

SEE SENATE, PAGE 2

NEWS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

PAGETWO

“

PAGE 2

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2009 QUOTE OF THE DAY

”

“Wubs came up huge today. We couldn’t punch it in.”

That’s what she said.

–Mike Piatkowski (B1). SEE PAGE 6

Angelou gives heart-warming lecture FROM ANGELOU, PAGE 1

photo by MEGAN BANNISTER | Staff Photographer

STUDENTS dressed as Wonder Woman and Batman came to the rescue at the SAB-sponsored Homecoming Fall Festival last Wednesday.

Homecoming week features superhero fun FROM HOMECOMING, PAGE 1 superheroes serving a “Blast Off ” lunch in Parents Hall. Families could also spend valuable time together with a different type of hero – world-saving robots and Shia LaBeouf – in “Transformers 2,” which SAB showed in Bulldog Theater.

Sunday was full of traditions, including window painting and powder puff football.

Student organizations painted the Meredith windows with bright illustrations of superhero themes. The images provided the perfect backdrop for the epic battles of powder puff football. Social and professional organizations were brought together at the events.

Annual activities are a favorite of students, but so are new forms of entertainment. For example, “Justin Kredible,” comedic magician,

was a hit with the audience Tuesday. Kredible has appeared on “Rachel Ray,” “Suite Life on Deck” and “Room 401.”

“We really are trying to put efforts to improve the support by getting new events and having different people get involved,” Singh said on incorporating different activities into the agenda.

The mid-week Fall Festival drew students to taste cotton candy, play games and receive prizes. The most popular were inflatable sumo wrestling suits, mechanical bull riding and a blow-up obstacle course.

“It’s nice and it’s just something fun to do,” Elyse Kurtz (J2) said. “The mechanical bull is probably the main reason why we came.”

Singh said that the festival is one of the most difficult events to promote, due to the extensive supplies and organization it requires.

“I went to the stuff before Relays (last year) and it’s a lot of the same stuff,” Robby Patterson (J4) said. “I think the obstacle course is a favorite.”

Classic carnival games and a spin art booth lined the sidewalk. Students played games for tickets that they could exchange for prizes, including gift baskets. SAB also offered free gifts, including glow-in-the-dark cups and notepads embossed with the Homecoming logo.

“I think it’s wonderful, and I love all the free stuff,” Lauren Phillips (AS1) said, emerging from the complimentary photo booth.

Even vendors working the event seemed to have a good time.

“I enjoy that everybody’s in a good mood,” photo booth operator Joe Henscheid said.

SAB promoted the festival by incorporating the Homecoming logo on photo print outs, blasting popular music and offering free food.

Student enthusiasm grew throughout the week, building up to Friday’s Eric Hutchinson concert. The show followed the traditional “Yell Like Hell.” The cheer competition was once a major pep rally held in Drake Stadium.

However, it was moved to Pomerantz stage as student participation declined.

“The participation and excitement for it has fallen over the years,” Singh said.

However, promotional flyers and music in the Breezeway encouraged student attendance at “Yell Like Hell.”

“We really are trying to put efforts to improve the support by getting new events and having different people get involved,” Singh said.

SAB came to the rescue this year with a week of “super” events.

of nearly 8,000, making the event the mostattended Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lecture since the series began in 1996.

Angelou attracted an audience from the Drake campus, but also area high schools, the Des Moines community and other colleges and universities. There were even students from the University of South Dakota in the crowd. A full Knapp Center did not discourage 150 overflow attendees from flocking to Sheslow Auditorium, where the lecture was streamed live onto a projection screen.

Reactions of applause, laughter and meditative silence were sprinkled among her words. President David Maxwell called her lecture one of the “defining moments of this university.”

Angelou said it took her 17 hours to reach Des Moines from North Carolina, as she traveled by bus.

“When I say I’m glad to be here, I mean it,” Angelou said.

While Angelou did not linger on the subject of her poignant book, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” she did address being sexually assaulted as a young girl by her mother’s boyfriend. She reported the incident, and the man was arrested. He was released after being locked up for one day and one night. Shortly after his release, he was found murdered.

“I thought my voice had killed a man, and if I spoke again, my voice might just kill anybody,” Angelou said.

Angelou became a voluntary mute for six years after the incident. Despite the social stigma attached to her lifestyle, Angelou’s grandmother would not give up on her.

“She said, ‘You’re gonna be a teacher all over the world,’” Angelou said.

Decades later, she would become just that.

Her written works have become famous, and she has received three Grammys and over 30 honorary degrees.

English student Kara McKeever (AS4) enjoyed the lecture.

“Her life is really fascinating with everything she’s accomplished,” McKeever said. “I could have listened to her a lot longer.”

At the end of her speech, Angelou encouraged the audience to be a rainbow for others and to look for the rainbows in their own lives.

Angelou’s words also left an impression on Hayley Harvey, 44, of Des Moines.

“She is a national treasure, and I just had to come out and see her,” Harvey said. “She reminded me of the possibilities out there, and of hope.”

MAYA ANGELOU read her poem “Health Food Diner” at the Bucksbaum Lecture last Thursday.

MAYA ANGELOU: HEALTH FOOD DINER No sprouted wheat and soya shoots And Brussels in a cake, Carrot straw and spinach raw, (Today, I need a steak).

Not thick brown rice and rice pilaw Or mushrooms creamed on

toast, Turnips mashed and parsnips hashed, (I’m dreaming of a roast).

Zucchini by the ton, Uncooked kale and bodies frail Are sure to make me run

Health-food folks around the world Are thinned by anxious zeal, They look for help in seafood kelp (I count on breaded veal).

No smoking signs, raw mustard greens,

to Loins of pork and chicken thighs And standing rib, so prime, Pork chops brown and fresh ground round (I crave them all the time).

Irish stews and boiled corned beef and hot dogs by the scores, or any place that saves a space For smoking carnivores.

Courtesy of: Drake University Web Site

Senators meet with Drake board of trustees on Hubbell Renovation FROM SENATE, PAGE 1 The lower-level portion of Hubbell North will become a student lounge, including general seating-style tables and chairs and three conference rooms available to individuals and organizations for group needs, such as meetings and study groups.

The board of trustees also held meetings on the functionality of the Bell Center for the student body. Dean of Students Sentwali Bakari said that other schools are highlighting recreation facilities as a major recruiting point for their campuses, and Drake may be at a disadvantage in this area. Bakari did not report

any measures passed on this subject.

Senate also drafted a resolution in response to the 27th Street parking ban that has been widely discussed in the last few weeks. Last week, Bridgette Huntley (L2) asked Senate to write a measure on behalf of the student body, citing short notice of the ban to students and improper procedure on the part of the university.

According to the motion, “Although we understand the safety concerns expressed by the administration and the city – we are the voice of the students – we need time to find a different solution.”

The resolution was passed by the student senators and will be taken to the Des Moines City Council tonight.

HOMECOMING RESULTS FOOTBALL: 19-0, Drake ROYALTY:

POWDERPUFF FOOTBALL:

WINDOW PAINTING:

YELL LIKE HELL:

Calli Copoulos, queen Tyler Boggess, king

Drake University Honors Program

Alpha Phi

CHEERLEADING: Alpha Kappa Psi

Malaysian Student Association

SEND YOUR STORY IDEAS TO TDNEWS@DRAKE.EDU

FOR BREAKING DRAKE NEWS, CHECK OUT WWW.TWITTER.COM/TDBREAKINGNEWS

PAGE 3

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2009

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

OPINIONS&EDITORIALS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

the

BUZZ

LIFE: LIVING IT FROM EXPERIENCE

Picking up the pieces

H

Don’t make things happen; let things happen

ow can you mend a broken heart? I am beginning to notice more and more how much past relationships can damage you and affect how your next one begins. It is known to almost all that when you date someone, you are bound to change in some capacity for better or for worse. But no one ever really tells you how scary it can be, once it is over, to begin a new one.

It’s like every relationship we end, we add a few more levels to our already high walls. We always have to stop and think, is this person safe to let in? Should I ever let my guard down again? Sure, relationship books will tell you that is the only way to get over someone and be happy again. In my opinion, I don’t think those experts have ever been burned as bad as we have.

I do agree to a certain extent that letting down your guard will ultimately lead to a healthier, happier relationship.

But if you have your heart on your sleeve (I am so guilty of this one), you’re just asking for someone to crush it. Or worse, being an optimist (also something I do way too often), and hoping it will only help your cause, generally leads to more disappointment. Just be very careful how fast you put down your guard or how willing you are to give your heart away.

Past relationships seem to be like some kind of a ghost following us around, not only in our everyday life, but our future relationships. It seems to leave us relationshiply challenged. We don’t know how to start again or how the whole process even works.

I see it all the time: Boy likes girl.

Girl likes boy, but nothing happens or it completely falls apart. These ghosts are haunting more than just our dreams,

JEN CALDER COLUMNIST they’re affecting our future endeavors as well.

Now, getting rid of the ghost can really be tough. Do we date and hook up to try and get it to go away? I continually hear people say the only way to get over someone is to be with someone else, most of the time they are referring to a

I mean, leave everything you have right now that is so great, where the world simply revolves around you, free to flirt with whomever and do whatever with whomever (also know as being single).

But when the right someone comes along, we all will find that leaving the carefree single ways are a lot easier than one would think.

But are we really willing to jump off into the unknown? For most of us, even the thought of it is just too scary.

One of my professors is always telling the class, “Don’t make things happen, let them happen.” And I think that is truly the secret to letting someone else in and starting a new relationship. Just be patient and positive and something good will come your way, rather than forcing the matter.

Different relationships are bound to change who we date and even love in our future.

It affects our dating styles, too. Every person who you end up in a relationship with is bound to change you, hopefully, for the better. I have had boyfriends who were smarter than me, which in turn made me work hard to become myself and boyfriends who were more athletically inclined who pushed me to be in better shape. But the point I am trying to make is, every relationship will bring you something extraordinary and new and help make you become even more remarkable than all you Drake students already are.

Past relationships seem to be like some kind of a ghost following us around, not only in our everyday life, but our future relationships. hookup. Or do we just have to take time and mourn the past? I have heard the rule of thumb it takes half the time you dated someone to get over them. Maybe it’s a combination of both and it just comes down to your gut feeling, or when your ghost finally goes away and you will know that you’re finally ready to get back out there.

Also, the longer we are out of a relationship, the scarier and scarier it seems to jump into a new one. We all say this is what we want. But in reality, is it?

Calder is a sophomore public relations major and can be contacted at jennifer.calder@drake.edu.

Ready for a different type of after-hours?

Midterms are here.

STAFF EDITORIAL

Our Two Cents What’s the TD staff complaining about this week?

H

ere are the opinions that are floating around our newsroom: • So begins our winter of discontent. Waking up Saturday morning to see snow on the ground was unsettling at best. If it’s this cold in early October, we can’t imagine the winter the state of Iowa will have this year. If only Drake was in southern California. Damn you, Pepperdine.

• Again, serious props to SAB for all of the amazing Homecoming activities they planned this year. From dueling pianos to Eric Hutchinson, SAB put together an incredible week that made this campus remember the true spirit of a collegiate homecoming. We hope Drake students noticed the efforts of Vice President Tisleen Singh (J4) and her talented crew, as they showed their worth to Drake’s campus. Big ups!

• Congratulations to the Drake football team. Starting its season 4-1 is no easy task, and Head Coach Chris Creighton and his staff have done an incredible job with our Bulldogs. San Diego is a good team and Drake will have a challenge next week, but we’re confident in the team’s abilities. A Big 10 football atmosphere starts with students showing up to games, so start going. The next game is against Pioneer Football League defending champion Jacksonville on Oct. 31 at 1 p.m. Go Bulldogs!

FACE-TO-FACE TIME

Social Media Changes Communication

I

Tiffany Krause is trying to keep up with the ever-changing media while still living in the real world

Yesterday at 2:08 p.m. • Comment • Like

have never been one to be on the cutting edge of communication technology. I have never had a MySpace page, my phone lacks a full keyboard and Internet capabilities and I rarely video chat. A tech-savvy friend had to urge me to create a Facebook account in high school. Back in the day, Facebook was fairly new and I didn’t think I would use it much.

Fast forward a couple years later, and I can be found Facebook-stalking on study breaks like many other students (admit it – you do it, too). What I thought was merely a trend, has now become a staple.

Social media has taken a more prominent role in our lives. It has redefined how we think about communication, not only in our social lives, but also in business relations and news coverage. I may have conceded and jumped on the social media bandwagon, but I’m not convinced these changes will lead to a social media takeover. It has more potential in some areas than others.

Social media does have its place, but we should not overlook possible opportunities.

Social media definitely has a place in our social lives (hence the term “social” media).

Such sites make it easy to keep in touch with friends. Users can message, chat or poke someone with the click of a button. It is also easy to connect with long-lost friends, especially if your profile name is your real name and not uknowuwantme_09.

For that person who actually does want you, social media can help him or her approach you. Facebook, in particular, has cupid-like characteristics. Thanks to information section, find out if your new interest is single, in a relationship or interested in the opposite sex

(don’t you hate when that I have yet to follow any happens). I have even had friends on Twitter. Keeping a couple friends use their up with Facebook statuses relationship status to ask out is hard enough. The one someone for a date. They area I do use Twitter for is have said something similar news. News networks are to, “So, can I change this using social media to reach from single?” It may not be more viewers. I log on to see TIFFANY KRAUSE the most romantic line, but I the latest headlines from a suppose it gets the job done. variety of news sources. It is COLUMNIST After all, they’re not really a convenient way to get uptogether until it’s “Facebook to-date information. I have official.” also gotten news from friends Information-sharing with social media is so who have mentioned something in a status. That easy it leads to too much of a good thing. You may be the first place I hear about something might tell your closest friend or roommate that because I check my Facebook fairly often. I not you are heading to class and then work, but is it only use social media to get the news, but also to necessary to broadcast it to all 500 or so? Not write it. As a journalism student, I have used my only are the mundane statuses frustrating, but Facebook status as a shout-out to find sources also the ones that reveal too much information. for an article.

Users can message, chat or poke someone with the click of a button. It is also easy to connect with long-lost friends, especially if your profile name is your real name and not uknowuwantme_09.

Social media is not your shrink’s couch.

Seek help from a real friend or professional instead of venting to hundreds of people who, frankly, don’t care.

The information overload is the reason

THE TIMES-DELPHIC THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER FOR DRAKE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884 MATT VASILOGAMBROS, Editor-in-Chief times.delphic@drake.edu LIZZIE PINE, Managing Editor tdeditorials@drake.edu JILL VAN WYKE, Faculty Advisor jill.vanwyke@drake.edu ERIN HOGAN, News Editor tdnews@drake.edu MATT NELSON, Features Editor tdfeatures@drake.edu

SARAH ANDREWS, Photo Editor tdphotos@drake.edu MARY BESS BOLLING, Copy Editor mary.bolling@drake.edu KENSIE SMITH, Copy Editor mackensie.smith@drake.edu KYLE GLASER, Web Editor tdweb@drake.edu

PETER ZEMANSKY, Sports Editor tdsports@drake.edu

TYLER O’NEIL, Relays Editor tyler.oneil@drake.edu

PHIL KREZNOR, Business Manager tdbusiness@drake.edu

CALEB BAILEY, Ads Manager tdads@drake.edu

Social media has altered the way we get news.

However, I don’t think it could ever eliminate traditional news sources. If a Facebook status is the first place I see news, I will turn to a news network to confirm it. I may use Facebook to

find sources, but I cannot interview most of my “friends” because they are not experts in any field or because there are conflicts of interest.

Using social media for news is like using Wikipedia for research. It is a starting point, at best.

Businesses are also using social media to reach more people. Until I participated on Drake’s Social Media Team last month, I never thought much about the business opportunities of social media. Hubbell Realty Co. built nine homes in nine days for families in need. The Drake Social Media Team posted updates about the event on Hubbell’s Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts. That experience opened my eyes to the public relations aspect of social media.

As in the case of news, I do not think social media will eliminate other business communications, but it is another tool for reaching consumers. The message can be tailored to reach a certain audience, those who spend a lot of time on social media sites. The business opportunities from social media should not be overlooked.

Ready or not, social media is playing a larger role in our lives. It has affected social and business interactions and influenced news coverage. Who knows how it will continue to shape society. I used to think Facebook was only for kids, and look how that turned out.

Does this mean social media will dominate every aspect of our lives? I hope not. There are times when I need face time instead of Facebook time.

Krause is a sophomore open-journalism major and can be contacted at tiffany.krause@drake.edu.

Letters & Submissions Policy The Times-Delphic strives to represent student views as accurately and honestly as possible. We rely on readers to provide us with criticism, comments and new ideas so that we can continue to serve the interests of the students in the fairest possible way. We encourage interest readers to submit letters to the editor. Letters must include the author’s name and phone number. Unsigned letters will not be published. Deadlines for guest submissions are noon Tuesday for the Thursday edition and noon Friday for the Monday edition.

The Times-Delphic reserves the right to edit letters and submissions for space and in the interest of taste. Letters and submissions reflect only the opinions of the authors and should be limited to 250 words.

Legal The opinions of staff editorials reflect the institutional opinion of the newspaper based on current staff opinions and the newspaper’s traditions. These opinions do not necessarily reflect those of individual employees of the paper, Drake University or members of the student body. All other opinions appearing throughout the paper are those of the author or artist named within the column or cartoon.

@

BULLDOG BYTES WWW.TIMESDELPHIC.COM

Access additional information and multimedia – including slideshows, videos and interactive features – from The Times-Delphic online.

FEATURES

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

FEATURES Rocking the physics one tune at a time

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2009

PAGE 4

Patricia Yaeger delivers the lecture “Luminous Trash” at 7:30 p.m. tonight in Cowles library, focusing on material excess by looking at robots in popular culture.

DON’T. MISS. THIS.

Charles Nelson: studying stars while moonlighting as one

by EMMA COLLINS

Staff Writer emma.collins@drake.edu

Charles Nelson, associate professor of physics and astronomy, has seen it all. Okay, maybe not all, but he’s seen a lot.

With degrees from Oberlin College, Vanderbilt and the University of Virginia, he seems to be a perfect match for Drake University’s physics and astronomy departments. He’s also a perfect match for Potential Well, Czech Defense and Foamy G. Those are three names for one band that, in the last five years, Nelson has played guitar.

As a professor and aspiring rock star, Nelson divides his time between research on black holes and writing songs for the band (currently Discoboy) to play.

“Teaching is the most important thing you do at Drake,” Nelson said. “But you’re actually supposed to be an active scholar.”

Studying material that is ejected from the universe’s black hole, Nelson spends almost half of his day doing research and receives grants from several public and private organizations including NASA, to help fund his efforts. He also hosts band night once a week at his house – a tradition that started its early forming made up of Nelson, drummer Pat Bell and Associate Professor of philosophy Tim Nepper, and Director of the Chinese culture exchange program Kirk Martin.

“We (originally) convinced Kirk to learn how to play bass,” Nelson said. “He had really never even played, but within a month he was playing some fantastic stuff.”

Since forming, the band has undergone over 10 name changes, each one as unique as the last.

“Half the fun of forming the band is picking a name so we get to think it up all the time,” Nelson said. “When you’re teenagers and you’re trying to come up with a name of a band you probably come up with a list of a hundred of them, so we just sort of get to scroll through them.”

In 2007, on Earth day, they were known as God’s Dad when they played a concert for Drake’s DEAL organization and their demo album (songs available on MySpace.com) is released under The James Nevin Band.

“The campus radio station also has that,” Nelson said. “But there have been all sorts of other names, too.”

On Oct. 7, they made an appearance as Discoboy when headlining the U.G.A.N.D.A. Youth concert. Nelson was approached by a current student with the job offer, and it was the bands’ third time playing at Drake. “[U.G.A.N.D.A. Youth] pretty much asked to play and we said yes,” Nelson said. “They were actually going to pay us to play, but we are planning on returning our proceeds to the event.”

photo by MEGAN BANNISTER | Staff Photographer

CHARLES NELSON rocks out as one of the members of Discoboy, performing at the “Concert for Hope” through U.G.A.N.D.A. Youth. Nelson is also an associate professor of physics and astronomy at Drake University.

HOW DID SOMEONE WITH A MASTER’S FROM VANDERBILT AND A PH.D. FROM VIRGINIA END UP IN “DISCOBOY?” Fourth grade: Began playing the trombone.

Drake: Started jam sessions with a former professor.

High school: Learned guitar for music theory class.

Drake professor Tim Nepper started playing keyboards.

The trio’s five-year anniversary.

Fellow professor Kirk Martin learns to play bass.

ARTS. LIVING. MOVIES. MUSIC. WEEKEND.

Owl City performs with talented bands Waggoner and The Scene Aesthetic provide a variety of musical medleys

by HEATHER HALL

Staff Writer heather.hall@drake.edu

While Owl City headlined at the People’s Court Thursday, the other bands gave solid performances, as well.

Brooke Waggoner performed first, giving audience members the chance to experience her distinct musical stylings. Originally from Nashville, Tenn., Waggoner has a relaxing sound mixed with a mean piano, which she’s been playing for 17 years.

The performer graduated with a music degree from Louisiana State University, intending to pursue a career in music education, but instead went into music entertainment.

Patrol Magazine called Waggoner’s “Heal for the Honey” the No. 1 faith-inspired album of 2008. During Thursday’s performance, she performed the songs “Daylover,” “Body” and “Get Too Close.”

Andrew de Torres and Eric Bowley, also known as The Scene Aesthetic, were up next with their amazing acoustic harmonies. The duo formed in 2005, and has since gained popularity through the social networking site MySpace. The Scene Aesthetic has toured all over the United States with bands like Never Shout Never, Lydia and Danger Radio.

The duo talked about their 30-hour drive to Des Moines, during which they ran into a

blizzard.

“Yes, Even Stars Break,” “Dear Time Traveler” and “Don’t Be That Note I Can’t Hold” were among the medleys they performed, including two crowd favorites, “The Alamo Is No Place For Dancing” and “Beauty in the Breakdown.”

Thursday night’s excitement peaked when Owl City finally took the stage. When the band was first formed two years ago, Adam Young was the only member. Young began making music in his parents’ basement as a way to deal with insomnia. The name Owl City was based off Young’s hometown of Owatonna, Minn.

Owl City started on the social networking site, MySpace, and received over six million plays on its tracks. The online popularity led to a record deal with Universal Republic Recounts earlier this year.

Breanne Duren became the second member of the group, joining Adam Young on the keyboards and backup vocals. The band’s variety of songs range from dentistry to love and are classified as electronica and pop.

Walking onto a pitch-black stage, the lights rose as the first chords of “Vanilla Twilight” played. Everyone came alive as “Hello Seattle,” “The Bird and the Worm” and “Strawberry Avalanche” burst off the stage. The floors vibrated and the voices of everyone who knew

CC

CAMPUSCALENDAR

TODAY

TUESDAY

LECTURE – “Luminous Trash” WHAT: Patricia Yaeger talks about throwaway robots in “Blade Runner” and “Wall-E.” WHERE: Cowles Library Reading Room WHEN: 7:30 p.m.

MUSIC – Flute recital WHAT: Assistant professor Leslie Marrs gives a flute recital.

WHERE: Sheslow Auditorium WHEN: 8 p.m.

photo courtesy of PAMELA LITTKY

ADAM YOUNG of Owl City performed at the House of Bricks last Thursday night. Brooke Waggoner and Scene Aesthetic also performed at the concert. the songs rang throughout the room. After their set was done, the crowd cried out, “One more song! One more song!” until the band returned.

“Really, you want to hear more?” Young said. “You guys are great.”

The band started playing “Fireflies” and the crowd reacted with excitement.

The tunes of Waggoner are for those who like soft, soulful music, whereas some might prefer the acoustic harmonies of The Scene Aesthetic. But for fun, electronica tunes, Owl City is the band to hear.

UPCOMING ACTS AT THE PEOPLE’S COURT: October: 19 29

November: Act: 11 New Found

Glory 14 Kate Voegel

Y R D for E E FR

ith e dry w e r f a ts the e ID ge ash on A Drak w a f o rchase th. the pu e mon h t f o ursday first Th

t 8"4)&34 %3:&34

WEDNESDAY LUNCH SERIES – Book making WHAT: Eduardo Garcia gives a book making demonstration.

FILM – Slave Trade documentary WHAT: “Traces of the Trade,” a film about the DeWolfe family

WHERE: Room 122 Cowles Library

WHERE: Harvey Ingham 102

WHEN: 12:10 p.m.

WHEN: 6 p.m.

Act: Keller Williams Matisyahu

t "#065 .*/65&4 1&3 -0"% t 4/"$, #"3 pizza, snack food, beverages t '3&& 8*ű'* Open 7am | Last load 8:30pm Located at 2629 Beaver Ave. www.dsmlocalbiz.com/dudsnsuds/

PAGE 5

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2009

FEATURES

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

Maya Angelou: Behind the Scenes

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Students treated to an eloquent, personal discussion from a legend

by MARIAH MARCONI

Staff Writer mariah.marconi@drake.edu

Last Thursday, while 8,000 people crammed into the Drake University Knapp Center to hear Maya Angelou speak, 25 fortunate students had the chance to meet the distinguished author up close. The meeting took place prior to Angelou’s lecture and offered students an encounter, which President Maxwell later said “defined their Drake experience.”

The evening began with the selected students meeting in the lobby of the Bell Center at 5:20 p.m. President Maxwell and his wife Madeleine Maxwell, joined students in the lobby and waited in anticipation for Angelou to arrive.

Event coordinator Sue McEntee escorted students into a small room with plush carpeting and cozy green furniture. Seated elegantly in the center of the room in a long, black dress and gold necklaces, Angelou welcomed students upon their entrance.

“I have come here tonight because I want to be useful,” Angelou said. “I have something to say and I would be remiss if I did not tell you the truth as I see it. You have that responsibility, too.”

Students crowded around the great author and listened eagerly to her eloquent and poetic conversation.

Her words echoed the importance of being useful, of aiding one’s fellow man and of appreciating the beauty found in the human voice. She told students about growing up in Stamps, Ark., where she first fell in love with the power of the human voice.

“I heard so many different voices growing

up, different ways of speaking,” Angelou said. “I couldn’t ask anything better than the beautiful human voice. It reminds us that humans are more alike than we sometimes think. It brings you close to humanity.”

She told students about her time spent in Cambridge, Mass., where she learned that she was not a “writer who also taught” but rather a “teacher who could write.”

In her hourlong meeting, Angelou emphasized the importance of being an active participant in humanity.

“Never let anyone say you do not fit,” Angelou said. “Do not let anyone try to narrow down your lives.”

She appealed to students and said, “Do not waste time. Spend it easily but never waste it.”

Students were also allowed to ask questions of Angelou during the session. When asked what advice she would give to an aspiring writer, Angelou emphasized the necessity of reading.

“Read,” she said. “Go into your room, shut the door and read aloud. Read your language.

It all belongs to you. It is all for you and once you have all that in you, you know you belong anywhere.”

Angelou ended the meeting telling students ,“If you make note of nothing else, make note of this – homo sum: humani nil a me alienum puto.”

The words, written by the playwright Terence in 154 B.C., translate to “I am a human being: I regard nothing of human concern as foreign to my interests.”

Angelou, in her personal and worldly advice, revealed humanity, both its beauty and its ugliness.

photo by SARAH ANDREWS | Photo Editor

A GUITARIST FOR ERIC HUTCHINSON performs during the concert Friday. Hutchinson entertained audiences with songs from his album “Sounds Like This.” Some of the tunes included “Rock and Roll” and “Ok It’s Alright With Me.” He covered such songs as “Build Me Up Buttercup.”

ARTS. LIVING. MOVIES. MUSIC. WEEKEND.

REVIEW | ZOMBIELAND

Sinister wit reels in “Zombieland” viewers A humorous horror film with an excellent cast entertains audiences

by JAMES VANECHAUTE

Staff Writer james.vanechaute@drake.edu

“Zombieland,” directed by Michael Bay, is a near picture-perfect marriage of good oldfashioned zombie mayhem and comedy.

Some zombie films try too hard to push the envelope and end up being more parodies of themselves than actual scary flicks. It doesn’t matter how realistic that exploding head looked – if it’s backed with unconvincing actors and a weak plot, you can kiss your audience goodbye.

“Zombieland” goes above and beyond the call of entertainment, bringing both engaging suspense and comedic elements.

In the post-apocalyptic world, a virus has, once again, turned nearly all the human beings on the planet into ravenous, mindless zombies. Thankfully, the writers did not attempt to rationalize the zombie epidemic with real science. Zombie plagues are all the same; everyone gets sick, no explanation needed.

The plot revolves around the main character and narrator, Columbus (Jessie Eisenburg, “Adventureland”) who sets the tone of the film by telling the viewers some of the rules of living in a post-catastrophic landscape.

The first rule: cardio. People need to be able to outrun the zombies because, as Columbus explains, the obese portion of the population were the first to go. Another rule is called the “double tap.” If you think the zombie is dead, another shot makes sure.

These rules are two of several funny guidelines to survival that are cleverly incorporated as the plot moves along.

Columbus (named from where he lives in Columbus, Ohio) had been attending college when the plague hit. He created the rules as a way to survive and attributes his continued survival not only to his strict adherence to the rules, but his generally antisocial nature.

Columbus now attempts to get back home to see if there is anything left of his former life.

While on his journey, he runs into Tallahasee (Woody Harrelson, “Kingpin” and “No Country For Old Men”). The two reluctantly decide to join forces.

While on their journey east, they are caught unaware by two con-artist sisters, Wichita (Emma Stone, “Superbad) as Little Rock (Abigail Breslin, “Little Miss Sunshine”). The foursome develops trust issues Little Rock and Wichita attempt to leave Columbus and Tallahassee behind on more than one occasion. The sisters are heading for a theme park in an attempt to allow Little Rock to feel like a normal little girl again. They drag the unwilling men along with them.

The movie lived up to the hype. It drew in audiences from the opening credits until the last second of footage. The actors were cast perfectly in conjunction with excellent writing.

Eisenburg is quirky and awkward as Columbus, yet completely believable.

Harrelson, as Talahassee, is a never-ending source of dry one-liners and random outbursts.

Stone and Breslin portray the schemers Wichita and Little Rock with expert ability, giving the characters realistic depth in the brief time.

“Zombieland” draws viewers in with its mixture of comedy, juxtaposed with suspense and danger. There is no shortage of laughs or action typical of a Michael Bay film. A surprise cameo midway through the film is a treat for audiences.

Critics have reacted favorably toward the movie. “Zombieland” is rated 88 percent on Rotten Tomatoes review site.

The movie is a decent action flick worthy of the price of a ticket. The casting is excellent, the acting is superb and the pacing is perfect. It’s a movie to die for.

MOVIE: Zombieland | VERDICT:

AP PHOTO

WOODY HARRELSON portrays Tallahassee in “Zombieland,” now playing in theaters. The horror/comedy film depicts the chaotic lives of zombie-plague survivors who take refuge in an amusement park.

SPORTS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

SPORTS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2009

FOR BREAKING SPORTS NEWS WWW.TWITTER.COM/TDSPORTSNEWS

19

by MATT MORAN

Staff Writer matthew.moran@drake.edu

Drake’s defense dominated yet another game and Brandon Wubs (B4) kicked four field goals to lead the Bulldogs to a 19-0 victory over Missouri S&T Saturday at Drake Stadium. The visitors were held to only 120 yards of total offense on the day. Mike Piatkowski (B2) went 27-34 passing and had a career high 340 yards.

Drake overcame three turnovers and two empty-handed scoring chances in the red zone, thanks to another excellent performance by the defense. It was the fifth shutout for Drake in the last 14 games.

“We took a step forward today,” Head Coach Chris Creighton said. “The defense pitched a shutout.”

Drake marched right down the field, deep into Miner territory on its first possession. A screen pass on third down to Drew Blackmon (B2) put the ball inside the five-yard line, but a Trey Morse (AS1) fumble on the next play gave Missouri S&T the ball. The defense forced the first of 12 punts on the day, and Wubs connected on a 36-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.

The offense struggled a bit with a couple dropped passes, which cost Drake a touchdown and a key first down in the second quarter.

Piatkowski again stepped up when his team needed him, and led the Bulldogs on the game’s only touchdown drive. Stephen Platek (B4) scored on a one-yard plunge to put Drake up 10-0 “We were moving the ball well,” Piatkowski said. “We didn’t let the turnovers bring us down.”

Near the end of the first half, Ben Morrison (E4) forced a fumble at the Miner 33-yard line, which was recovered by safety Andrew Reed

DRAKE VS. MISSOURI S&T NEXT GAME AT SAN DIEGO SATURDAY 4 P.M.

2

PAGE 6

STELLAR STATS Shutouts for the Bullldogs football team, including its homecoming shutout of Missouri S&T.

0

(B1). The takeaway set up a 33-yard field goal for Wubs, which he drilled to end the half and put the Bulldogs up 13-0.

On Drake’s first possession in the second half, there appeared to be a quick three and out with the Bulldogs facing a third-and-12. Piatkowski scrambled from sideline to sideline, avoiding Miner defenders and finally unloading a 32-yard pass to Platek. The play set up a career-long 45yard field goal for Wubs to push the Drake lead to 16. “(Wubs) came up huge today,” Piatkowski said. “We couldn’t punch it in.”

With more than enough support, the Drake defense continued to dominate. Missouri S&T struggled to get minimal yardage on every play. Even when it seemed that penalties and turnovers would doom the Bulldogs, the defense responded with huge stops throughout the day.

“We had some untimely penalties and turnovers, and we realized today that we were not immune to turnovers,” Creighton said.

Wubs added another field goal to complete the scoring, but missed a chance to tie former Drake, and current Cleveland Browns, kicker Billy Cundiff with five field goals in a game when he missed on a 25-yard attempt in the fourth quarter.

“I’ll take Wubs’s punting and kicking field goals anytime, anywhere,” Creighton said.

Travis Bogaard (B4) agreed with his coach’s assessment of the team’s kicker.

“Wubs has been a rock for us,” he said. “We just have to do a better job executing in the red photo by SARAH ANDREWS | Photo Editor zone to get touchdowns instead of field goals.”

Platek led Drake in receiving with seven WIDE RECEIVER JOEY ORLANDO heads downfield with the ball against Missouri S&T durcatches for 118 yards. Bogaard had a career day ing the Bulldogs’ 19-0 homecoming victory over the Miners on Saturday. with five receptions for 102 yards, but it ended on a bad note as he tore his ACL. He is expected I expect him to make a difference for the rest San Diego, which will be an exciting game in to miss the remainder of the season. of the season. I really believe guys can be as, or determining who will be on top in the Pioneer “That’s a tough one to swallow,” Creighton even more impactful when they get injured.”

Football League. said. “Our staff has so much respect for him. But Drake will return to action next Saturday at

MEN’S SOCCER

Bulldogs triumph in Thriller

by SKYLAR BERGL

Staff Writer skylar.bergl@drake.edu

With just a minute and a half left in the game, midfielder Thomas Ostrander (B2) sent the No. 22 Bulldogs ahead of the Evansville Purple Aces. The only goal of the game gave an exciting finish to an otherwise average soccer game.

Ostrander’s second goal of the season couldn’t have come at a better time for the Bulldogs. A long ball from goalkeeper Michael Drozd (B3) found Garrett Webb (B4), who sent the ball on to Ostrander near the top of the Evansville box. The flick floated past sprawling Purple Aces goalkeeper, Phil Boerger, into the back of the net.

“We never really found our rhythm in the whole game, but to be undefeated in the conference and be a few days away from the first NCAA RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) at 7-3-1 is a sort of satisfaction,” Head Coach Sean Holmes said. “I thought we were very good going forwards at times, but never consistently and it never flowed. The moisture from this morning’s snow sped up the game a little bit and the ball skipped out causing a lot of stoppages.”

The first half was a battle that never found any goals. Even though

Drake held the shot advantage in the first half, 8-3, the Bulldogs didn’t find any real opportunities to gain the lead until the second half.

Webb nearly put the Bulldogs up in the 57th minute when his shot was sent just wide by the Purple Aces keeper. Webb ended the game with a game-high five shots.

The Bulldogs continuously had the advantage in the offensive category and their defense remained strong enough to keep Evansville from having any real chances to break through.

“I never felt like they were going to score in the run of play except maybe in the last 10 minutes, but credit to the guys for having the maturity again to win when we don’t play great,” Holmes said.

The 1-0 victory gave Drozd his fifth shutout of the season and second in the same week.

Center backs Calvin Clark (B4) and Julien Edwards (B4) provided solid back line play for the Bulldogs, as they never let anything threatening get past them to Drozd. Clark, honored last week as the Missouri Valley Conference defensive player of the week, has provided strong structure as the last line of the Drake defense all season long and was key in keeping the attack out of the Bulldogs’ end.

“Our two center backs, Calvin Clark and Julien Edwards, were very

solid,” Holmes said. “It was great for Michael Drozd to get his fifth shutout of the season as well.”

With the newly-instated homeand-home format for the MVC, each team plays the remaining five opponents in the league both at home and on the road makes the final stretch of the season that much more important.

“I have a feeling a lot of the conference will look like this where people will be playing not to lose on the road,” Holmes said. “We have to get our full points at home and then go steal some on the road to be successful.”

Last week, the Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 in the Midwest region and No. 22 nationally, showing that last year’s success wasn’t a fluke.

“It is very nice to get recognized for our good play so far this season,” Shrout said. “We know we’ve let a few slip away, but we’re ready to keep winning and keep moving up. We have big hopes, and we know if we continue to make progress then we’ll be fine.”

Coming off the dramatic win, the Bulldogs will return to action against preseason MVC favorite Creighton in Omaha on Oct. 14. The tough test will say a lot about their hopes for the rest of the season.

photo by SARAH ANDREWS | Photo Editor

MIDFIELDER LUKE GORCZYCA (B4) controls the ball during Drake’s 2-0 win over DePaul Sept. 1.

BULLDOG BRIEFS

by PETER ZEMANSKY Sports Editor tdsports@drake.edu

CREW

Did you know .. .

, f InStyle magazine o r ito ed g in g na a The m ted from the Drake ua d ra g n, ho w La Charla s a circulation of ha le ty S In .

8 7 9 1 SJMC in ion. more than 1.8 mill

The Drake Fund

SEND YOUR STORY IDEAS TO TDSPORTS@DRAKE.EDU

The crew team had its race for this weekend cancelled due to inclimate weather this weekend. The Quad Cities Classic Regatta, which was to be held on the Mississippi River, was cancelled Saturday because of conditions that made the race unsafe.

“We were disappointed because the team had trained well the last two weeks and this was something we were looking forward to see how much we had improved,” Head Coach Charlie DiSilvestro said in a Drake Athletics press release. “But the conditions today didn’t warrant any racing. It wouldn’t have been safe.”

The team will now focus its attention on its next race, the Head of the Iowa Regatta Oct. 25 in Iowa City, Iowa.

WOMEN’S TENNIS The women’s tennis team dominated the MVC Individual tournament through Saturday, as three Bulldogs made it to the finals of their respective singles flights.

In the top flight, Manca Krizman (AS1) topped Southern Illinois’ Emily Whitney in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0 to reach the No. 1 singles final. In the No. 2 spot, Gabby Demos (B2)

downed Julia Zubkova of Illinois, 6-2, 6-2, to reach Sunday’s final. The last finals spot for Drake was won by Earlynn Lauer (AS2), who defeated Leesa Cadwallader of Creighton in the No. 7 singles semi-final, 6-2, 6-1.

Drake wasn’t as successful in the doubles action this weekend as all three of Drake’s doubles teams lost in Saturday’s action.

WOMEN’S GOLF While Drake’s campus was receiving its first snow of the year this week, the women’s golf team had to endure 93-degree heat at the LPGA Xavier Invitational in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Bulldogs shot an opening round 304, putting the team in sixth place after day one of the tournament, and finished the day just nine strokes behind the tournament leaders, Daytona State.

Elena Vukmir (B4) paced the Bulldogs, shooting a two-over par 74 for the round, including finishing the back nine with an impressive score of 35 strokes. Vukmir’s score was good enough to put her in a tie for ninth place after the first day.

Olivia Lansing (AS4) finished the round just one with just one more shot than Vukmir, and her score of 75 left her in a tie for 13th place.

Amanda Vogt (B4) also notched an impressive result, finishing in a tie for 20th place with a score of 76 on the round.

FOR BREAKING DRAKE SPORTS NEWS, CHECK OUT WWW.TWITTER.COM/TDSPORTSNEWS

PAGE 7

SPORTS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2009

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Bulldogs bite panthers in first MVC Win

by JACK THUMSER

Staff Writer john.thumser@drake.edu

photo by SARAH ANDREWS | Photo Editor

LAUREN BERNER (AS2) takes control of the ball during the Bulldogs’ 0-0 tie in doubleovertime against DePaul Sept. 6.

The Drake women’s soccer team picked up a crucial 2-1 victory over in-state rival Northern Iowa in their return to Missouri Valley Conference play.

The team, which lost its MVC opener to Evansville, Sept. 27, are now 1-1-0 in conference play and 6-5-3 overall. The loss was Northern Iowa’s seventh straight – including its first three conference games – and their record is now 2-9-2.

“As we’ve had two months to play and train together, our potential as a unit has increased,” Head Coach Lindsey Horner said. “While it is imperative to win conference games, our team can’t perform just well enough to get a result.

We have to continue to maximize our potential and raise the standard for ourselves.”

Drake got on the board early when Laura Moklestad (AS1) took advantage of a good deflection off a Crystal Townley (AS4) shot to net her fourth goal of the season. Townley received credit for the assist, which was her third of the season.

“Crystal served a good ball back across the face of the goal and Laura got on the end of it,” Horner said. “It wasn’t the cleanest goal, but Laura forced the keeper to make a mistake and was rewarded for it.”

Moklestad’s goal came only 15 minutes into the game, marking the first time the Bulldogs have scored in the first half in four games.

The Bulldogs continued to have scoring opportunities in the first half, but could not turn any into a goal. Drake outshot Northern Iowa 7-3 before halftime and also had three corner kicks to Northern Iowa’s one.

In the second half, the Bulldogs again got on the board when midfielder Elizabeth Woerle (AS,B4) capitalized on a poorly played ball by Northern Iowa goalie Lauren Potzman to score her team-leading sixth goal of the year. The

unassisted goal came in the 69th minute and sealed the victory for the Bulldogs.

“Our second goal came from switching the ball through midfield,” Horner said. “Crystal (Townley) got forward with it and forced defenders to commit to her. Then she found Liz (Woerle) who shielded the ball, turned and tucked it away in the side netting.”

Northern Iowa scored a goal in the 81st minute to cut the lead to one, but ultimately it would be too little, too late.

The Bulldogs outshot the Aces 12-7 total, with six of those shots being on goal. Woerle led the way for the Bulldogs, firing three of her four shots on goal.

Goalie Kourtney Arnold (B2) had another strong performance, saving three Northern Iowa shots, and picking up her sixth win of the season. She has started every game, so far, for the Bulldogs.

Drake is now in the heart of the MVC season and each game is critical to its placement in the conference tournament. Horner said that, no matter what happens, the team’s goals remain consistent.

“Our goals for the team haven’t changed since preseason,” Horner said. “Anytime we can get three points towards the conference standings, the closer we get to achieving these goals.”

After playing their last non-conference game of the season on Sunday against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, the Bulldogs have four MVC games to close out the season, including a big matchup with rival Creighton on Thursday.

“Whether we are fighting for the championship or to get into the conference tournament, we expect our team to play at or near their potential each game both individually and collectively,” Horner said.

After playing Creighton, Drake will play Missouri State and Illinois State on the road and then Indiana State at home to finish the season.

The MVC tournament starts Nov. 1.

VOLLEYBALL

Bulldogs reach highest win total since ‘98 Rival Bluejays shot down by strong Bulldogs squad

by MATT MORAN

Staff Writer matthew.moran@drake.edu

The Drake volleyball team defeated conference rival Creighton 3-1 to surpass last year’s win total, and the first time the Bulldogs defeated the Bluejays since 2006. Drake won the games one, three and four with scores of 25-18, 26-24, 25-21, respectively, while dropping the second game 25-15.

The last time any Bulldog team won 13 games in a season was in 1998, when the volleyball team finished the season 13-14. This year’s team is a safe bet to surpass that mark, holding

13-7 record with 13 matches remaining, as well as the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

“This was a great team effort tonight,” said Head Coach Phil McDaniel. “Creighton is a strong team, but I thought our defense and strong net play put us over the top tonight.”

Drake and Creighton moved into a tie in the conference standings, with identical records of 3-4. Creighton has an overall record of 6-11.

In the first game of the match, Drake got off to a great start. Five different players contributed kills that helped the Bulldogs obtain a 13-4 lead.

Creighton fought back and cut the lead to 2015 on a service error by Lindsey Schryver (E4).

Two kills by Michelle Reidy (B2), one by Mikayla Sims (E2) and two Creighton attack errors gave Drake the victory in game one.

The second game started off fairly even, but the Bluejays went on an 11-3 run that put them up 17-9. Drake never recovered and Creighton went on to finish game two with a win.

With the match tied, the Bulldogs took control late in games three and four to win

two close ones. Down 12-7, Creighton went on a 10-5 run to even up the third game at 17.

Angela Bys (E3) led Drake to a 24-22 lead, but the Bluejays battled back to tie the game once again. The Bulldogs made one more push, behind two Creighton attack errors, to take the game.

The fourth game was as close as the third, with a back-and-forth effort between both teams until Drake took over late in the match. Down 21-20, the Bulldogs rattled off five-straight points to win the game 25-21 and clinch the match victory. An Emily Madden (J,AS4) kill and another Creighton attack error helped contribute to the final stretch in the Drake victory.

“We were disciplined on defense and we spread the offense around very efficiently,” McDaniel said. “I thought we did a great job tonight.”

Setter Chelsea Lauersdorf (J4) was the key in spreading the offense, with 30 assists on the night. Caitlin Johnson (B2) added nine to aid the Bulldogs’ cause. Bluejay setter Megan Bober

had a match-high 42 assists.

Bys had a team-high 16 kills for Drake. Reidy had nine kills, and Madden and Alisa DeBerg Roth (AS3) had six kills each. Allie Oelke led the Bluejays with 15 kills.

Libero Alana Wittenburg (AS3) had an outstanding night with 27 digs, which led all players in the match. Madden had 12 for the Bulldogs.

Drake had eight blocks, with Reidy leading the way with four. Emily Heffernen (AS2) had three blocks.

Each team had six service errors, while Creighton had six service aces compared to Drake’s three. It was one of the few statistical categories in which the Bluejays outpaced the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs will head to Carbondale, Ill., Friday, to take on Southern Illinois in another Missouri Valley Conference match.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Optimistic Bulldogs return experienced squad

by MARY BESS BOLLING Copy Editor mary.bolling@drake.edu

After last season’s Missouri Valley Conference semi-final loss, Head Coach Amy Stephens and her team have begun this year’s practices with more certainty in their outlook for the season.

“A year ago, we didn’t know what to expect,” Stephens said. “There were so many unknowns.”

The Bulldogs finished thir in the MVC last year, and only lost two senior starters. Four of the team’s five highest scorers will return this season.

Jordann Plummer (B4) and Monique’ Jones (B4) will bring the senior leadership to the otherwise young team.

“A team can only go as far as the upperclassmen are willing to go,” Stephens said.

Plummer has grown on and off the court in her years at Drake University.

“She’s one of the most rewarding players to watch,” Stephens said. “It gives me goose bumps to think about how she has emerged as an unselfish leader.”

Stephens also said that Jones, one of the team’s starting forwards, is one of the most underrated defenders in the MVC. “Both Monique’ and Jordann want a taste of what it’s like to go to the NCAA,” Stephens said. “They want to win games, and don’t care how we do it or who plays.”

Another experienced player who the team will rely on this year is post player Rachael Hackbarth (HS2).

“Through the course of last year, we really started to realize how

she could be a force in the MVC,” Stephens said.

Hackbarth said she recognizes her role as lead post on the team.

“Because Lauren (Dybing) and Kelsey (Keizer) graduated, I’m looked at as the post with the most experience, so I need to step up,” Hackbarth said.

Last year, Hackbarth earned a spot on the all-MVC freshman team.

She said she won’t let the honor go to her head this season.

“I just keep in mind that it’s a team effort and I couldn’t have gotten it without them,” she said.

Hackbarth and other upperclassmen have taken on the role of helping the freshmen transition into the world of college athletics.

The team has had plenty of workout sessions and even an all-team sleepover during which they try to bond.

“We all get along really well on and off the court so far,” Stephanie Running (E1) said. “That’ll show when season starts and we’ve already seen it in pick-up games.”

Stephens said that a young team makes for a nervous but exhilarating season.

“With that youth, there are going to be days when you scratch your head as a coach and are unsure, but it adds a lot of excitement,” she said.

High school standout Kayla Person (AS1) was one of the “most touted recruits,” according to Stephens. She earned a spot on Missouri’s Super Five Team in her senior year and started all four years for Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis).

The addition of four freshman will provide the Bulldogs strength and fresh legs while the return of now-healthy

FILE PHOTO

GUARD AMBER WOLLSCHLAGER (B2) drives by a defender in this file photo. point guard Brittnye McSparron (HS2), will bring confidence to the team’s offense.

When McSparron was moved into the starting lineup last year, the Bulldogs went on a seven-game winning streak before she injured her knee, knocking her out of competition for the final 11 games in the season.

McSparron worked with a physical therapist in the off-season and is now in full health, according to Stephens.

Another confidence-booster for the Bulldogs is this season’s 15 home game line-up. Last year, the team went 11-3 at home.

“We really feed off of the enthusiasm and energy the crowd

brings,” Hackbarth said. “We’ve got one of the top attendances in the MVC and the fans are good about following us on our road games, too.”

The season will begin Nov. 13 when Drake will take on UMKC at the Knapp Center

FEATURES

Monday, October 12, 2009

HOMECOMING

2009 photos by MEGAN BANNISTER AND SARAH ANDREWS

www.timesdelphic.com