thebatt.com What you missed this weekend Check out the recaps of this year’s veterinary school open house, Chilifest and former Mexican president Vincente Fox’s lecture on globalization at thebatt.com.
thebattalion ● monday,
april 11, 2011
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texas a&m since 1893
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community news
Left, the men’s polo team heads off a bump from opponents, holding line of the ball. The men’s team was in running for regional status this year; the competing team was under direction of Coach Mike McCleary and included Oso Beltranena, Alex Molina, Jose Miguel Aguilar and Michael Berto. Below, the women’s team titled as Regional Champions, also under McCleary’s coaching. Winning roster included Jessie Upchurch, Stephanie Massey, Frances Hinkle, Chloe Bourgeois and Amanda Massey.
Source of Friday fire found The College Station Fire Department was called to combat a fire Friday at Cripple Creek Condos, near Texas A&M sorority row. There were no deaths as a result of the fire, and one individual was cut by broken glass while warning occupants of the fire. Sixteen units were affected by the hazard, 14 of which were significantly damaged as a result of smoke and water damage. The College Station Fire Marshal’s Office has ascertained the source of the fire to be a cigarette discarded in a plastic bucket, which was being utilized as an ash tray. Tenants who were displaced due to the damage of their homes are being assisted with the locating of temporary housing and other necessities with the aid of CSFD CART (Community Action Response Team).
soul | 3 Island Party
Crowds gathered Saturday at Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater Saturday for a series of performances by Christian musical artists and a sermon by speaker Paul Dauboub as part of BYX’s annual Island Party.
voices | 5 Rising Oil Prices Supply, demand and geopolitical uncertainty are among many factors driving up the price of oil.
A&M’s track and field team receives outstanding honors Adrian O’Hanlon III
The Battalion The Texas A&M track and field team was named outstanding team of the 84th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays this weekend at Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas. Texas A&M had received the honors for the past two years and entered the Texas Relays leading the nation in both women’s relays, men’s 4x400, men’s What’s 100 (Prezel Hardy Jr.), men’s 400 next? (Tabarie Henry) ◗ The next and women’s 400 meet for (Jessica Beard). Texas A&M “We comis Saturday at peted at a level the Tom Jones that showed who Invitational in we are today,” Gainesville, Fla. said A&M Head Coach Pat Henry. “I’m extremely pleased with the whole group across the board, men and women. These are the things we have to be able to do if we are going to be a good team. Our team is doing very well right now.” Gerald Phiri was named outstanding male athlete after breaking the oldest record at the Texas Relays in
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Athletes continue to excel in meets
See Track on page 8
Krystal Nimigian, staff writer
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Men and women’s polo teams aim to ride off competition in National Intercollegiate Championship Alex Lotz
The Battalion Having flown under the radar for years, the Texas A&M Polo Club emerged. It seems these Aggies are once again riding on the path to the United States Polo Association’s national championship competition. The men and women’s teams have become threats to top polo teams in the nation. Known as “the sport of kings,” long-standing tradition has surrounded the sport through the millennia; the men’s team has a winning tradition, including seven national championships since 1994, one championship last year. With a loss to Texas Tech in the final 30 seconds in the Central Regional Tournament, the men’s team still has a chance to defend the national championship if it wins a wildcard. “Winning the National Intercollegiate Championship is one of the most fulfilling accomplishments I have experienced,” said Jose Aguilar, a senior international studies major. “We worked so hard to get there and we were able to write our school’s name once again on that trophy.” This year’s USPA Intercollegiate National Championship tournament will be in Ithaca, N.Y., at Cornell
Extra info ◗ Mounted polo is the oldest team sport. ◗ The first noted polo match was between the Turkomans and Persians. ◗ A Byzantine emperor was the first casualty of the sport. ◗ The Indoor Polo Association was established in 1915. ◗ From 1900 until 1936, the Olympics included polo as a major event. For more information, see http://www.sportpolo.com/Sport/ default.htm University where the women will compete against the top players and schools in the nation. “Winning nationals takes not only the best game from every teammate, but a connection between the team members,” said Chloe Bourgeois, a junior animal science major. “To win, we will have to play as one, like a machine.” The men and women’s teams produced some of the top polo players in the country. Many have even converted their joy into a career, going professional after graduation.
“To win the nationals you have to be dedicated,” said Mike McCleary, coach of the men and women’s team. “You’ve got to be an athlete with excellent hand-to-eye coordination and a God-given ability to ride.” With many games won and lost within the final seconds, the athletes maintain top physical performance throughout the entire match to secure a victory. “Polo is an addiction,” said Amanda Massey, a senior biomedical sciences and wildlife fisheries and sciences major. It is a full contact sport with the player and the horse together weighing 1,300 pounds and bumping into each other at 30 degree angles at 40 miles per hour. Recognized by Rec Sports, the polo club is a student-run organization that accepts students of every skill level, provided they are willing to experience the challenge of the sport in its fullest. The highest level the students can reach in the club is to attain varsity status and compete at the national level. “The sport is fun no matter what level you play it at,” McCleary said. With roughly 40 members in this See Polo on page 8
Club raises money, serves peers Aggies Giving Selflessly works for students in need Trevor Stevens
The Battalion Aggies Giving Selflessly, AGS, is a new and growing student-run organization campaigning to raise awareness of student needs and money for Student Assistance Services. Members of AGS have been on campus handing out flyers and balloons to inform the student body about the organization and its purpose to raise money to help students gain financial support. AGS is a medium for students to connect to methods of support that are already available, but often underutilized. Robert Scoggins, AGS marketing director and junior communication major, said the organization is a way for students to directly impact other students by raising money to assist the needs of fellow Aggies. “Our goal is to reach out to all students to raise awareness of a need, provide a catalyst to serve others, and develop that spirit of giving for after their time at Texas A&M as well,” Scoggins said. “AGS is an encouragement to anyone facing hard times now or in years to come, because they can see that there is an entire University that wants to help them as Aggies.” In a study by the National Center for Education Statistics, about 50 percent of recent college graduates have student loans and an average student loan debt of $29,000. According to the AGS website, aggiesgivingselflessly.tamu.edu, more than 7 percent of students drop out of college because of debt or financial burden. “[During this campaign] we hope to demonstrate the very real need on campus, but also mobilize the Aggie See AGS on page 8
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