campus news
thebattalion
Prepare for flare This week, there will be a new, natural gas line installed in service to the Central Utility Plant on Ireland Street by Atmos Energy. Planning has already happened to ensure safety and service to campus. The work is due to the progression of the Texas A&M Combined Heat and Power Project. There will be a startup of a new gas turbine, steam turbine and heat recovery steam generator in May. The natural gas form the old line will be burned as a flare at Texas Drive and University Drive Tuesday afternoon. The flare will be monitored to make sure everything happens safely. There will also be several switching operations at the Central Utility Plant and on campus to make modifications to the electrical distribution system on campus. There should not be any impact to campus, but there is always the possibility of interruption. Christine Perrenot, staff writer
coming wednesday
Muster hosts
Check out Wednesday’s paper to learn more about the muster hosts and what they do when families come to Aggieland to honor loved ones.
b!
inside trends | 3 Wearever the Weather The Houstonbased website, Wearever the Weather, provides fashion advice for women of all ages to help them select weatherappropriate clothing in cities around the world.
sports | 5 TCU in town The No. 5 Aggies welcome in the no. 11 TCU baseball team for Twelfth Man Day and a midweek battle at Olsen Field.
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april 19, 2011
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● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2011 student media
Tyler Hosea— THE BATTALION
The men’s practice team for the women’s basketball team accepted recognition at Reed Arena when the women’s basketball team came back from winning the national championship.
Court support
Practice team aids Aggie win behind the scenes Roster ◗ Will Allen ◗ Prince Woodrow ◗ Chris Hsiao ◗ Brandon Peck ◗ Cameron Blenden ◗ Carson York ◗ Samir Khoja ◗ Nathan Tonne ◗ Philip Mynarcik ◗ Matthew Igbinigie ◗ Scott Oswald
Joanna Raines
The Battalion Aggies around the nation watched as the women’s basketball team fought for a national title. They received attention on the national stage, and are one of the Aggie’s greatest sources of pride this spring. Behind the scenes, the women’s team practices with a group of men every week. The guys on the team are picked through recommendations, and they work out with the women multiple times a week. “Players on the practice team usually get picked through recommendations. After trying out for the men’s basketball team, I received an email from the women’s basketball department stating that they were looking for more practice
players,” said Prince Woodrow, a senior computer engineering major. The practice team works around their schedule, and each player attends practice at least two times a week. The purpose of the practice team is to give the women’s team tough competition. Members of the practice team said practices were hard every day, so it was constantly a good workout. Practicing against a men’s practice team allows the women to play against a team that is more physical. “Most of the time, when men play basketball it is more physical, intense and at a faster pace, than when women play. It’s always helpful when you are going up against competition that’s going to make you work hard on a daily basis. That’s what the coaches want us to do as
practice players,” Woodrow said. At practice, the teams do a mix of scrimmages and drills that prepare the women’s team for big games. “We do some drills and we scrimmage sometimes also ... it’s a good mix of both,” said Will Allen, a freshman sports management major. Being able to play with the national champions isn’t the only upside to being a member of the practice team. “Even though the women players work hard in practice, they also have fun in the process. Plus a lot of the girls are characters. I don’t think a practice went by without me laughing. It was also fun just being able to play basketball. Both the girls and the coaches are very See Practice on page 2
sports
Club volleyball wins second straight title Alex Lotz
The Battalion Texas A&M has even more national champions walking among its crowds of students as the Texas A&M women’s volleyball club returns from Houston as national champions for the second year running. The men’s volleyball club faced adversity with a young team, fighting to regain the national championship once again from 2010. Unfortunately, the dreams were dashed the second day after a loss in the
silver bracket. “I am so proud of our club for finishing in the top five the past four years I have been a part of the program,” said Taylor Purswell, women’s volleyball club president and senior marketing major. “We have a very talented group of girls that work very hard.” The women’s team was confident going into the championship and finished with the first team placing fifth in the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association while the second team took home the gold.
“When we play you can tell how much we love each other, and that team chemistry helps us beat teams who maybe have more talent than ours,” said Tori McWilliams, second team right side hitter and junior kinesiology major. “The way we play together really shows the values that A&M stands for.” After beating Florida in 2010 and placing first in the championship, Florida avenged their loss by beating the men’s club in a tough match in the silver bracket during the second day of
the tournament. “This was heartbreaking for us, but we played extremely well for the second half of the tournament,” said Tyler Hoffman, men’s volleyball club president and junior petroleum engineering major. The women and men’s club practice twice a week. The men’s club team accepts athletes who are willing to learn the sport. The women’s volleyball club is more competitive and See Volleyball on page 2
student activites
post-graduation
Sophomores pull out today
Students prepare as MCAT revamps
The official sophomore class event, will all walk to Olsen for the TCU baseball “Pull Out Day” will begin at 3:30 p.m. game,” Reynolds said. today at the zone at Kyle Field. Reynolds said there were auditions to “This is a day where 2013 comes todetermine who would sing the National gether and is the first day to pull out the up- Anthem at the baseball game and Kaitlyn perclassman privilege of ‘whooping’ which Hobaugh was chosen. is simple, but unique to Texas A&M,” said “There is free food, fun, games and opSam Reynolds, Pull Out Day director for portunity to spend time with fellow class2011 and junior recreation, park and tour- mates,” Reynolds said. ism sciences major. Reynolds said sophomores can come to Traditionally, this is a time when soph- pull out day and “whoop” from then on. omores will get together to “pull out” “This is a way to support the class gift,” whooping privileges given to juniors. Segers said. “The main reason for doing this event Reynolds said there is much he wants is to sell T-shirts that raise money for the to accomplish at Texas A&M, and this is class gift,” said Trent Segers, the 2013 class something students can do together. president and industrial distribution major. “We encourage shirt buying,” ReynReynolds said he encouraged sophoolds said. “If you wear your sophomore mores to come to the event and to get as pull out shirt you get into the game for much participation as possible. free.” Candy95 will be playing music there Students can plan on performances from until the first performance. The Twelfth the Aggie Percussion studio, Aggie WranMan bus will also be there giving students glers, Fade To Black and Grady Douglas. the opportunity to take pictures. Christine Perrenot, staff writer “Yell practice will be at 5:45 p.m. led by the new sophomore yell leaders and we
Naila Dhanani
The Battalion The MCAT — a five-hour official admissions tests for premedical students — might be getting a makeover. Preliminary recommendations to change both the format and content of the MCAT have been initiated by the Association of American Medical Colleges, AAMC. Changes include the elimination of the writing sample, the addition of a behavioral and social sciences principles section and added questions on the advanced sciences, such as biochemistry and molecular biology. “The stated goal of the AAMC committee is to retain all aspects of the MCAT that they understand are working and to change
others accordingly,” said Jeff Koetje, director of academics of pre-health programs at Kaplan. These changes sparked concern for those involved with the MCAT, such as test-preparation companies, colleges and especially students. Test preparation companies, as well as universities across the nation, might have to reformat the curriculum to better prepare students applying to medical school. Although these changes will not be directly seen until 2015, effects will be seen much sooner, Koetje said. The writing sample seems to generate the most concern. “What medical schools have See MCAT on page 2
4/18/11 7:03 PM