The Bell Ringer | Monday, Oct. 3, 2022 Vol. 68 Issue I

Monday, Oct. 3, 2022 Vol. 68, Issue I

STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY

Remembering Bloodworth: The man who helped shape this university

By Rakiyah Lenon, Aaron Smith Editor in chief, Staff writer

A celebration of life event for William A. Bloodworth Jr. was held in the Maxwell Theatre Monday, Sept. 12 as family and friends gathered to say their goodbyes to the president emeritus of Augusta College and Augusta State University.

Born in San Antonio, Texas, Bloodworth obtained his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and doctorate from Texas colleges, majoring in English education, English and American civilization.

He took on jobs as a professor, provost, chairperson and vice chancellor between multiple colleges before becoming the university president from 1993 to 2012.

After retiring, he returned to the classroom as a history professor, connecting with many students.

Bloodworth is well-known for the improvements he made to the Summerville Campus during his tenure as president, successfully lobbying for the construction of Allgood and University Hall, the Jaguar Student Activities Center (JSAC) and the D. Douglas Bernard Jr. Amphitheatre.

A caring husband, father and grandfather, Bloodworth had a love for life and a love for teaching. He will be dearly missed.

“I really think he fought so long against cancer because he didn’t want to stop being with us,” said his daughter Nicole Bloodworth.

Portrait of President Bloodworth by E.E. Wimberly, housed in Reese Library.

“I realized this was a place that paid a lot of attention to the students.”

- William Bloodworth Jr., 2021

AU gets ready to welcome new athletic director

By Rakiyah Lenon Editor in chief

Augusta University announced that Ryan Erlacher of Clayton State University will serve as its third athletic director beginning Oct. 17 after the retirement of Clint Bryant.

Eager to start his new position as athletic director, Erlacher said, “Get ready. I can’t wait to share some of the ideas I have.”

He said he aims to continue supporting the coaches and student-athletes, ensuring they have what they need to be successful.

“We have a very bright future ahead of us for Augusta athletics,” he said.

Until his arrival at Augusta, Erlacher said he has been working to ensure the transition is carried out smoothly at Clayton.

“They’ve been wonderful to me,” he said. “We have an amazing staff here and I want to make sure those guys are taken care of on my way out.”

Originally from Florida, Erlacher said he grew up around sports and later moved into administrative work at several institutions.

He has worked at Flagler College, Newman University, Northwood University, Florida State University and Stetson University prior to his role as director of ath-

letics at Clayton.

“I started out my career coaching basketball and then fell into administration and never looked back,” he said. “I love what I do.”

He added that AU for him is “a great fit, personally and professionally.”

A married father of two, Erlacher said he and his family also hopes to bring excitement and enthusiasm to each of AU’s athletic programs.

“I’m big on building culture and maximizing our potential,” he said. “We need our students out there supporting their fellow student-athletes.”

Ryan Erlacher will begin his new position at Augusta University as athletic director in the coming days. (photo courtesy of Kevin Liles)

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Monday, Oct. 3, 2022

Chiming in: It’s time we talked about this conditioners to continue running. We don’t have As the fall season approach- enough time to cool down es once again, so does stan- and relax by the end of the day. dard time. However, some According to scientists of people want to make this be the American Academy of the last time it does, which Sleep Medicine, standard is a big mistake.

Earlier this year, the Sen- time is more in tune with ate passed a bill that would the body’s natural cycle as our interal clock recieves eliminate standard time cues from sunlight. Sleep permanently. It has not yet been voted on by the House experts have concluded switching clocks back and of Representatives. forth isn’t great for sleeping Daylight saving time, which starts in spring, skips habits, but settling on the right time is essential. our clocks ahead, resultIt’s been reported that ing in us losing an hour. farmers have said it interFrom the perspective of a college student, I can’t help rupts their schedule with the animals. They must wait but think of all the ways I would have used that hour, longer to begin the normal daytime routines. As a pet and the others I seemingly owner, I find this to be true lost afterward.

Though it’s been said that with my dog.

I get it. The sun sets late it saves energy, a claim like in winter. But that’s how it this can be disputed. is. After all, we wouldn’t try Georgia’s summer nights to grow crops out of season. are often hot, humid and It just wouldn’t work. long thanks to “daylight If we want more daylight saving time” causing air

in our lives and schedules, we should advocate for that in other ways instead of making such a large change. More can be done to work around the time that comes with the seasons on their own.

As people, it’s fair to say we have grown to realize that what we want, or think we might want, is not always beneficial to us. Most people would rather eat junk food than turnips. As children, it was fun to stay awake past bedtime, but as adults, we can see that isn’t the best practice. Starting the day off late and ending the night late isn’t the best idea.

The country should also be allowed the opportunity to be educated on a matter like this. Other thoughts and opinions should be considered, allowing more of us to have a say. Afterall, there is a time for everything.

By Rakiyah Lenon Editor in chief

CALENDAR of EVENTS: October 4 • 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Augusta National Day - Summerville Campus at Roscoe Williams Ballroom October 5 • 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Augusta National Day - Health Sciences Campus at Harrison Educaiton Commons Building October 7 • 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. — Augusta University Brew-N-Que at Douglas Barnard Amphitheater October 17 • All Day — Spring Registration begins October 24 • 7:30 p.m. — AU Jazz and Friends: Nothin’ But the Blues at Maxwell Theatre October 28 • 7 p.m. — The Cinema Series: Halloween Double Feature at Maxwell Theatre

NEWSPAPER STAFF:

Editor in Chief

Social Media Editor

Rakiyah Lenon rlenon@augusta.edu

Mikaela Graf mgraf@augusta.edu

Kai Brickey kbrickey@augusa.edu

News Editor

Bell Ringer Staff

Angela Stephan astephan@augusta.edu

Liz Wright elizwright@augusta.edu

Aaron Smith madsmith@augusta.edu

Advisor

Sports Editor

Arionna Gantt agantt@augusta.edu

Rachel Balducci rbalducci@augusta.edu

Carlos Rodriguez carrodriguez@augusta.edu

Chris Rickerson crickerson@augusta.edu

Photography Editor

CM Wahl cwahl@augusta.edu

Madison Keel mkeel@augusta.edu

Payton Willis paywillis@augusta.edu Shelbie Summerlin ssummerlin@augusta.edu

Student spotlight:

AU STEM student shines in Sand Hills Literary Magazine

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PRINTER

Aiken Standard

326 Rutland Dr. NW P.O. Box 456 Aiken, SC 29802

Rachel Kaufman, a third-year medical student at the Medical College of Georgia, published the award-winning poem “On Body Donation” in the Sand Hill’s Literary Magazine.

While Kaufman’s ideas for creativity come through many forms, her field of study has continued to be a driving factor.

To read the full article, visit www.aubellringer.com. (photo courtesy of Madeline Snipes)

THE BELL RINGER

PAGE 3

Student Life

AU Study Abroad and Away programs for upcoming semesters

By Rakiyah Lenon Editor in chief

Augusta Uniiversity students are once again learnring across the globe with new study abroad and away programs planned for the upcoming spring and summer 2023 semesters.

Many courses are structured to allow students to complete work that will prepare them for their trip.

Students will need to check with their advisors and financial aid resources as needed as each course has varying due dates for payment.

This year, there are several trips planned to Europe. A large focus has been directed toward Europe, the United Kingdom and Scotland following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Elizabeth Huggins, director of first and second year experiences, said there is a sense of togetherness in the country.

“That’s got to resonate well with visitors and tourists,” she said.

Giada Biasetti, a professor of Spanish, said that students who take the course abroad in Spain improve on their language skills after

AU held a Study Abroad and Away Fair on the Summerville Campus in the JSAC Roscoe Williams Ballroom Sept.17. (photo by Rakiyah Lenon)

the two weeks of being immersed in the culture and language.

A New Zealand trip that focuses on biology will be the first one taken by a AU study abroad group led by Jessica Reichmuth, a professor of biology.

Politcal science professor Sudha Ratan and history lecturer Carol Quinn are leading the travel to India.

In addtion to international studies, several programs are also traveling within the

country.

“It’s a fun, student-run, student-led class,” said Nadia Jiani-Hyler, the political science professor and leader of the Model U.N. course.

Jiani-Hyler and politcal science professor Craig Albert will lead the studies for the class as they take a trip to New York.

Randy Pace and Chad Tolley of AU’s Department of Art and Deisgn will also lead a trip to New York for based art class.

Seretha Wlliams, a professor of English and Women’s and Gender studies leads a program about Gullah medicine traditions in St. Helena Island, S.C. As part of the Study Abroad office initiative to inform students about available study abroad opportunities, the department held a Study Abroad and Away fair in the JSAC last month on Sept. 21. Attendants took part in a scavenger hunt trivia as well.

Katherine Grego, director of Study Abroad, said though the fair was one of the best ways for students to learn about each of the events offered, students are always encouraged and welcome to visit the office and website for information.

The Study Abroad office is located in room E134 of Allgood Hall on the Summerville Campus.

The website is www.augusta.edu/studyabroad/ .

AU professor discusses Hispanic Heritage Month

By Aaron Smith Staff writer

Augusta University is honoring National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept.

15 to Oct. 15, with several on-campus Hispanic organizations and faculty hosting events and sharing the love of their culture.

Annually, Americans take part in National Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of those whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Christopher Botero, associate professor of Spanish in the Department of English and World Languages in the Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, who is of Hispanic heritage, feels that Hispanic heritage is well represented in the United States.

“Hispanic Heritage Month is a time in which I’m reminded of where I come from and I’m proud of who I am and where I’m from.”

Christopher Botero, Associate professor of Spanish “Currently, the United States has more native Spanish speakers than Spain does,” he said. “And, if you pull the Latinx population from around the U.S., you’ll see that we have the fifth strongest economy, so I believe these indicate just how strong the Hispanic heritage dynamic is in not just in the CSRA, but also the entire country.”

While AU offers several clubs like the Spanish Club, Botero works with Alpha Mu Gamma, the honor society of which he is the faculty advisor.

He said that Alpha Mu Gamma often works toward learning the historical significance of Hispanic cultures around the world.

“We will often get together and watch movies from

other parts of the world, mainly from Latin America and Spain,” Botero said.

“Sometimes, things from different cultures aren’t very delightful, but we then have intense discussions about the movies afterwards to empathize with other cultures. It may not be the culture that we talk about or are happy about, but it’s culture nonetheless.”

Botero said that he tries to incorporate Hispanic heritage not just from his birthplace of Colombia, but also from other Hispanic countries as well.

“While we don’t have any cultural events, I try to have my classes do greetings from different parts of the world,” he said. “The greetings from Spain are different than the greetings from Argentina, therefore I try to incorporate that along with teaching grammar.”

Much like many Hispanic or Latino Americans, National Hispanic Heritage Month has a special meaning to Botero.

“It’s definitely a time to take a moment and be proud of what my heritage is,” he said.

“Hispanic Heritage Month is a time in which I’m reminded of where I come from and I’m proud of who I am and where I’m from.”

PAGE 4

Monday, Oct. 3, 2022

Dining

Fall in love with Rooted Coffeehouse drinks Brew If you prefer your coffee cold and pumpkin spice As seasons change, so do powerful, then the pumpkin our favorite flavor profiles. cream cold brew may be a Rooted Coffeehouse in better choice. The base for Evans, Ga. has already this drink is a housemade jumped mug first into fall pumpkin spice cold brew with their series of seasonal that is enhanced with a beverages. topping of deliciously sweet Their specialty menu inpumpkin cold foam. This cludes a total of six drinks, combination creates a flavor four of which are included that is reminiscent of a in this review. whipped cream-topped slice 1. Pumpkin Spice Latte of pumpkin pie, bringing The pumpkin spice latte is back memories of fall feasts a staple of fall culture, and and sneaky second helpRooted keeps it classic by ings. The smooth, mild taste adding a housemade pumpof cold brew still shines kin spice syrup to their through the seasonal spices, signature latte and topping though, and mixes well with it with whipped cream the creamy cold foam. and pumpkin pie spice.

In my opinion, this drink This drink has a rich and was a step up from the latte. smooth flavor that delivers The double pumpkin spice the traditional seasoning delivered a much more while maintaining enough prominent taste, and the taste of espresso. Rather cold brew itself tasted fresh than overpowering the and sweet. The cold foam base, the spices add a subtle, was the star of the show, complimentary flavor for though, so if you are going those who want to enjoy an to try it, make sure to get essence of fall without sacrisome in every sip. Still, it ficing the coffee aspect. was not as good as some of This drink delivered everythe other drinks I tried. thing I expected, but not Rank: 8/10 much else. It was a good 3. S’mores Latte drink, but when compared Fall is not only about to the others I tried, it did pumpkins and their seanot stand out. Perhaps in soning. When some people a ranking against other think of the season, they pumpkin spice lattes, it picture cool nights warmed would have ranked higher, by a fire and sweetened with but as far as Rooted’s spea toasted marshmallow. cialty menu goes, there are The s’mores latte combines better-tasting options.

Rooted’s housemade vanilRank: 6/10 la syrup, mocha, and white 2. Pumpkin Cream Cold

By Mikaela Graf Staff writer

The drinks at Rooted Coffeehouse can satisfy the fall flavor cravings. (photo by Mikaela Graf)

mocha to create a rich, sweet latte. The real s’mores flavor comes from the toppings that include whip, crushed graham cracker, and mini toasted marshmallows.

If you are not a fan of immensely sweet coffee, this is not the drink for you. I, however, prefer my coffee extra sugary, so I enjoyed the flavor that felt closer to a hot chocolate than a latte.

It truly tasted like a s’more to me, and the only thing that I did not like about this drink was how the graham cracker crumbs turned soggy and fell to the bottom of the cup. Every sip was enjoyable until the last five or so because of this.

Rank: 8/10 4. Apple Crisp Refresher Apples are another import-

ant staple of the season, and this drink puts a unique spin on the classic apple cider. Served cold, the apple crisp refresher starts with an apple juice base and includes digestion-aiding aloe, assorted freeze-dried fruit. If you do not want to have coffee but still want any energy boost, you are in the right place, because this drink also has 160 mg of plant-based caffeine. Holding true to its name, the drink is crisp, refreshing, and full of apple flavor.

The refresher was my personal favorite by far. As someone who prefers cold beverages over hot and apple flavor over pumpkin spice, I was excited to see this option on the menu. By taste alone, it came close to a 10, but I think there is still

some room for improvement. This drink contains almost twice the amount of caffeine as an 8 oz cup of coffee or tea, and while you can reduce it by 100 mg by removing the unflavored shot, the remaining 60 mg comes from a flavored shot that would affect the overall taste if removed. There are people who do not or can not consume caffeine, and it would be nice to have a caffeine-free option, so more people can enjoy the unmatched flavor that this drink brings to the table.

Rank: 9/10 The salted caramel cold brew and snickerdoodle iced americano were not included in this review but are still offered on the seasonal menu for those who wish to try them.

Craving bread pudding this season? Metro Diner is a must try

By Arionna Gantt Staff writer

Bread pudding at the Metro Diner makes a great autumn dessert. (photo by Arionna Gantt)

Fall season has just arrived and what better way to bring it in than to try one of Metro Diner’s featured fall menu items?

Metro Diner is a wellknown eatery in the area.

Just by that statement, I’m sure you can imagine how crowded they are on weekends and even during lunch time on weekdays.

After leaving class, I drove to Metro Diner and ordered their pumpkin bread pudding drizzled with pumpkin cream icing and walnuts.

I placed my order on their website and picked it up via curbside because I was in between classes.

The presentation of the bread pudding alone was top tier! I was tempted to tear bits and pieces off and eat it while driving but I decided not to-- I know I’m not the only one. I waited until I arrived back at school to put the taste to test.

As I dug my fork inside the bread pudding and tore it apart, I could tell that it was moist and would melt in my mouth. The first bite was one to remember. It wasn’t as pumpkin-y as I thought it would be but it was still good! The bread pudding was a perfect mixture of soft, crunchy, and sweet.

Texture wise, it reminded me of peach cobbler with-

out the peaches which isn’t a bad thing because I’m a fan of that dessert as well.

The serving was enough to satisfy my taste buds and well worth the $5.92.

Along with the pumpkin bread pudding, Metro Diner also has a pumpkin waffle and pumpkin pancake. Next time, I’m going to order the chicken and waffles and substitute the original waffle for a pumpkin waffle. I can’t wait!

If you haven’t already, go try this scrumptious dessert! You won’t regret it.

Metro Diner is located at 2820 Washington Road Augusta, Ga. 30906. Their hours are Monday-Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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THE BELL RINGER

Movie Review: Plantation Blood continues to scare CSRA See ‘Barbarian’

By CM Wahl Staff writer

With Halloween around the corner, locals may find themselves seeking entertainment of the scary kind.

Plantation Blood, the CSRA’s only haunted theme park, is an option for those willing to brave the 30,000 square foot facility full of darkness, jump scares, and chilling actor portrayals.

Located in South Augusta, the brick ranch includes four separate houses on one spine-tingling tour, with shows beginning at 8 p.m. all season long.

According to Mike Theberge, Caretaker at Plantation Blood, every actor there is a volunteer and most work every day of the season. Anyone 16 or older can take a role, even for just one night, and the haunt is always hiring. Parents and younger children can also work together, teaming up to scare patrons in their own special way.

“It’s a different breed of people,” he said. “Some of them really get into what they’re doing.”

Theberge says they never know what an actor will do. Plantation Blood gives parameters of what can and cannot be done, then gives the actors freedom to make their characters their own. He walks through the houses several times a night, monitoring both actors and customers to

ensure things run smoothly.

Having helped design and build the sets, it’s important to him that everyone has a good time.

“It’s the best feeling in the world to see someone get scared from something you built.”

Theberge says every worker pitches ideas for the attractions, so guests can always expect new features.

The staff changes the lights, sounds, and even room locations to give repeat attendees a different experience every year. Somewhere around 8,000 people visit during each season and the energy rises closer to Halloween. Live bands, costume contests and outside vendors help add to the overall spirit.

Manager Paul White agrees. To him, the best part of Plantation Blood is the atmosphere and “seeing people’s reactions.”

Whether in the front house, the asylum, the voodoo swamp, or the clown area, he says his staff takes a lot of time, effort and detail to make the entire experience unique and authentic.

“It’s all different. Nothing is the same throughout the whole deal.”

As soon as the season ends, the staff begins working through the winter, spring and summer on scares for the following fall.

White took over operations of Plantation Blood last

year, but recalls once being a volunteer clown. Now, he is proud to have his 7-yearold daughter in the Doll Room as a terrifying addition to the cluster of scares around her. He states there is no age minimum for customers, leaving it up to parents’ discretion on what their children can handle.

White states that if patrons of any age ever struggle to get through the haunt, Plantation Blood has people who can walk them to the exits or escort them through the houses. This includes anyone who is too scared to continue, crying or panicking in any way.

“In all honesty,” he said, “we got a very good staff.

They do very well with that.”

Both Theberge and White offer advice to future attendees to take their time walking through the haunt and keep their belongings stowed away. Every season, the lost and found has numerous cell phones, earrings, glasses, keys, and bizarrely, a collection of left shoes.

They said there’s no need to rush, as tickets are sold until midnight and the haunt won’t close until the “last victim” goes through the queue line.

“It’s a good time,” commented Theberge. “Family-friendly. If you like to be scared, come here. We’re good at it.”

Plantation Blood located in Augusta is the city’s only haunted theme park this season. (photo by CM Wahl)

“Barbarian” is being shown in many theaters across the CSRA. (photo by Madison Keel)

By Noah Bowers Contributor

It’s that time of year again, get ready for the spooky, scary, screaming movies to be crawling their way into the theaters and streaming services as we get closer to Halloween.

A new horror movie has taken cinemas by storm, and for good reason.

“Barbarian” is the new horror film by Zach Cregger. If you don’t recognize the name, it’s because this is the director’s first venture into horror films. He previously worked on lesser-known comedy movies and shows, much like another highly regarded horror filmmaker, Jordan Peele.

Peele has made a name for himself after the box office success of “Get Out”, which was a terrifying allegory to modern-day racism and its effects on society. Peele has gone on to make multiple films with terror-filled plots that center around a powerful message.

“Barbarian” does just that, providing some of the scariest tension I’ve ever seen, while also cleverly delivering a poignant message on toxic masculinity in today’s world. Cregger’s comedic roots shine through in the characters’ writing as well, giving some genuine laughs in the otherwise claustrophobic, paranoid film.

The cinematography and chilling score do an excellent job in keeping you painfully waiting for the next scare. Each new corner crossed and door

creaked open sends your heart rate racing as you, and the characters, desperately look for answers.

The performances by the leads were another pleasant surprise. Their chemistry makes it easy to relate and support them, and the fear that was shown gave me goosebumps.

Perhaps most importantly, the story serves as a fantastic setting for realistic scares with believable characters going through some rather traumatic events.

Cregger’s critique on masculinity comes through clearly, through the unique characters and the origin of the main horror of the movie. It left me thinking about all the ways it was hinted at and spoken about in the movie without me initially realizing; signs of effective writing.

I hope to see more from Cregger in the horror genre, having both him and Peele competing for the most compelling scares means more quality terror for us!

That’s about as much as I can say without giving away too much of the film because this is one that is best experienced blind.

No trailers, no Wikipedia summaries, the twists and paranoia of the film are expertly made for an incredibly fun ride that would be hindered by spoilers.

One of the most original and fun horror films I have seen in a long time, and one I highly recommend going to see.

Final Verdict: 4.5/5 Must see it!

PAGE 6

Monday, Oct. 3, 2022

Sports

Jaguars celebrate after winning over USC Aiken. From left to right: Dariana Luna (7), Coach Sharon Quarles, Kiera Barr, Jazmyn Wheeler (16), Samantha Zittrauer (10), Jada Suguturaga and Madelyn Eden (15). (photo by Madison Keel)

Jaguars Volleyball team completes sweep of Pacers

By Payton Willis Sports writer

The Augusta Jaguars defeated the USC Aiken Pacers in a five-set collegiate volleyball match at Christenberry Fieldhouse on Saturday, Sept. 24, to make their way to the top of the Peach Belt Conference standings.

Following a clean threeset sweep by AU on Friday, the Pacers proved to be a more formidable opponent for the Jaguars on Saturday.

USC Aiken took Augusta

to five sets in the two programs’ most recent match.

With the two wins, the Jaguars now sit atop the conference with a 4-1 record in the PBC and a 12-4 record overall. Saturday’s triumph also marked their 10th consecutive win over their conference rivals and third straight win overall— and AU’s 11th win in its last 13 matches. The overall series record between the two teams is 20-10 in favor of Augusta.

Sophomore middle hitter Jada Suguturaga led the way for Augusta with 15 kills and a blazing .480 hitting percentage. Senior setter Samantha Zittrauer totaled 35 assists.

“Because of Friday night’s win, we were not present and ready to go at the start,” AU Coach Sharon Quarles said after the match. “We changed things up between the second and third sets. We went from a 6-2 to a 5-1 set. That meant

there was only one setter on the court the entire time instead of two. That was the big difference for us.”

The Pacers (1-4, 10-6) won the first two sets of the match by scores of 25-19 and 25-14, meaning the Jaguars would have to mount a major comeback to beat their rivals.

The Jaguars won the next two sets 25-17 and 25-16 before winning the match with a 15-6 win in set No. 5. Ally Thees had the

match-winning kill, with Zittrauer providing the assist.

Junior outside hitter Jazmyn Wheeler had 11 kills for the Jaguars, while senior defensive specialist Kiera Barr had 19 digs.

Emily Lammers and Sadie McKay each had 16 kills for USC Aiken. Mallory Barash added 24 assists for the Pacers.

For updates on the volleyball team, visit www. aubellringer.com.

AU golf teams begin season with some new faces

By Chris Rickerson Sports writer

Augusta University men’s and women’s golf teams recently began their fall season after an offseason filled with coaching and roster changes.

The AU men’s golf team is beginning the season with new Head Coach Steven Paine. Paine was previously an assistant coach at Mississippi State University and was also the head men’s golf coach for Point University for six seasons.

“I consider myself a Georgian, I lived in Columbus, Ga., for 13 years, and my wife is from Columbus, Ga.,” Paine said. “We are

very happy to be back in the state of Georgia. It feels like home and to be at a place like Augusta where we can win at the highest level, the excitement is high.”

The Jaguars also added an assistant coach in Ben Nelson, who recently graduated Mississippi State University where he played golf for five years.

AU also added three new golfers in the offseason in Behn Heyns, Ian Pienaar, and Dean Wilken.

Despite adding some players, the men did lose one of there best golfers in Alex van Wyk after he decided to transfer to Coastal Carolina.

AU men’s golf opened the season at the Badger Invitational in Wisconsin, where they finished 14th overall.

Wilhelm C. Berg von Linde led for the Jaguars, shooting 3-under par and finishing in 15th.

Newcomer Pienaar began his collegiate career with a 34th place finish, shooting 1-over par for the tournament.

The Jaguars also finished 10th overall at the Windon Memorial Classic at the Evanston Golf Club. Heyns finished tied 18th, shooting 3-over par total.

AU women’s golf added new Assistant Coach Oliver Rubenstein and three new

golfers in Daniela Burgos Ortega, Chiara Sola and Mirabel Ting.

Rubenstein was previously a head coach at Bethany College for both the men and women’s golf team.

The Jaguars women’s golf team lost a few key members from last years team, including former freshman star athlete Chloe Holder and seniors Nicole Page and Natalia Yoko. Holder transferred to Clemson University.

AU women’s golf opened the season at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate in Knoxville, Tenn., where they finished 14th. Burgos led the Jaguars with a

53rd place finish, shooting 10-over par for the tournament.

Their second tournament was as the Lady Paladin Invitational in Greenville, S.C., where they finished 17th. Senior Napabhach Boon-In finished in 11th place, shooting 2-over par for the tournament.

The women will continue their season at the Southern golf tournament on Monday, Oct. 17, in Savannah, Ga. The men will have their next tournament at the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate on Sunday, Oct, 9, in Johnson City, Tenn.

PAGE 7

THE BELL RINGER

Transfer Vince DiMauro in motion to throw a pitch. (photo by Shelbie Summerlin)

Jaguar baseball excited about 11 transfer players

By Shelbie Summerlin Sports writer

The transfer portal allows athletes to find their fit and coaches to bring in some different college playing backgrounds to their team.

Augusta University’s baseball coach Chris Howell was able to add new levels of maturity to his roster by adding 11 transfers for this upcoming season.

Adding players with pre-

vious experience in college ball is huge for Howell after losing key players last season.

“We’ve had some transfers come in that have some experience under their belt,” said Howell. “A bunch of ‘em have played high-level baseball and also in our league, so they understand the league. It’s important for these guys that they have that experience.”

Howell found what he was looking for in the portal to fill in defensive needs.

“We added some depth on the mound. That’s something that we went after very aggressively,” said Howell. “We lost a lot of infielders, so we went after some position guys.”

At the end of the day, Howell trusts his transfer players to improve his team this season.

“They’re gonna come up here and help us be better.”

Athlete: Previous School Koby Ayala: Lawson State Community College Rushton Bowles: University of South Carolina Salkehatchie Parker Ingram: University of North Georgia Turner Sircy: Florida A&M University James Schlegel: East Tennessee State University

J. Ben Haynes: University of North Georgia Michael Morrison: Louisburg College Jojo Oldknow: Chattahoochee Valley Community College Logan Howell: Middle Georgia State University Vince DiMauro: Patrick & Henry Community College For updates, visit www.aubellringer.com.

AU prolific scorer Cracknell signs first professional contract

By Carlos Rodriguez Sports editor

The Reading Rockets of the National Basketball League (NBL) of England announced on Aug. 31 the signing of former Augusta University men’s basketball player Troy Cracknell.

“It’s always been a dream of mine when I first started playing,” said Cracknell about playing professionally. “To accomplish that dream is surreal and hopefully I can keep playing for a while.”

Cracknell, from the Charlotte, N.C., metro area, played for the Jaguars the past five seasons and just graduated with a master’s

degree in business administration this past summer.

His undergraduate degree was in finance.

Over his career, Cracknell eclipsed the 1,000-career point mark, helped the Jaguars win two Peach Belt Conference regular-season and tournament titles and earned All-PBC second team honors his graduate year while helping AU advance to the NCAA Division II national championship game.

“Being at Augusta the last five years has allowed me to grow a lot,” said Cracknell.

“It showed me the highs and the lows of basketball from my freshman

year to my graduate year.

I wouldn’t change a thing about my experience there.”

Cracknell mentioned what he’ll miss most about leaving Augusta.

“I’m going to miss the camaraderie the most with my teammates and the great fans at Augusta,” he said. “Coach Dip (Metress) has been a great mentor and so was Drew Gibson for the two-year stand at Augusta. The training staff was also great, and I will miss them dearly.”

Cracknell has some specific things he’d like to work on as he starts his professional career.

“I can always work on

ball handling and putting on some more muscle,” he said. “My goal is to be able to play the point guard and the shooting guard position in the future.”

Cracknell spoke about the adjustment to living in a new country and being with a new team.

“My sleep schedule has been the hardest thing so far to get adjusted to, but all my teammates and coaches out here are great and really supportive,” said Cracknell.

“This is a great starting place for my first year pro and I’m excited for what the future holds for my professional basketball career.”

Metress said Cracknell is

in line with many of his past players.

“Troy is the 22nd player in my tenure to sign a contract and to get paid to play the game of basketball,” Metress said. “He was instrumental in our success last year because he was a guy we could count on every day to show up, work hard and was about winning.”

Cracknell has helped the Rockets start off the 202223 season 3-0 and recently scored 27 points to go along with nine rebounds to lead them to an 87-72 win over the Thames Valley Cavaliers.

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Monday, Oct. 3, 2022

AU women’s cross-country team begins the race at the Jaguar XC Invitational. (photo by Madison Keel)

New AU cross-country coach Jacob Burgamy leads Jags to strong start

By Angela Stephan and Kai Brickey Sports writers

Augusta University recently tabbed Jacob Burgamy to lead the cross-country and track-and-field programs for 2022-2023.

Burgamy replaced the highly successful Adam Ward, who took a similar post at the University of Maine in August. In the teams’ first races of the season, both the men and women took home the first-place trophies at the AU invitational at Redcliffe Plantation. AU’s Riley Triplett and Tripp Miller were the individual winners.

Both teams also impressed by beating out a few Division I schools during their second meet at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational on Friday, Sept. 16. AU was the only Division II school in the race.

The men finished fifth out of nine teams with Patrick Motes leading the pack finishing in 20th place. The women finished eighth out of 10 teams with Cassie Lagan leading all AU runners with a 54th-place finish.

Burgamy grew up in small-town Tennille, Ga., about an hour southwest of

Augusta. He began running in the fifth grade. By high school, he actually started his coaching career.

As a 15-year-old sophomore, he was coaching other students who wanted to perform better. He saw some of those runners qualify for the high school national championships, and some of them signed college scholarships.

While in college he continued to coach through his online business, 478 Athletics. Once he graduated, Burgamy continued to coach athletes online.

Burgamy also coached at his high school, Brentwood School, which helped him gain more coaching experience.

“Coaching’s changed so much,” he said. “Back when I started, I had no idea what I was doing.

Coach Ward had a huge impact on me, because I would come sit in here like three to five hours a week and just talk to him about training.”

Burgamy attended Brentwood in Sandersville for most of his high school career, but graduated from Washington County High School. He started at Emmanuel but finished his undergraduate degree

at Campbell University with an exercise science degree, and then joined AU’s master’s program in kinesiology for graduate school. Burgamy received his master’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis on coaching.

“I think that master’s degree helped me out a lot, but if I’m going to be honest, if you’re going to coach a sports team, you don’t really learn that in the classroom,” he said. “The program did help me from the psychology side and everything, but the actual training and coaching of distance runners that came more from the three to five hours a week that I used to spend in Coach Ward’s office.”

Sitting in Ward’s old chair, Burgamy said taking over for his former coach was a bit strange.

“It felt so weird, because I used to, in this little tiny hallway right here, I used pull-up a milk crate and sit on it,” he said. “I didn’t even know this second desk was back here. I used to sit there for three hours just on a random day of the week. It feels so weird being on the other side of it now and kids coming in here talking to me about

training.”

Burgamy is ecstatic about coaching at Augusta University.

“There is not a program that I’d rather be coaching, so I am glad to be sitting in this chair,” he added.

“There is no sports team in the world that I’m a bigger fan of than Augusta cross-country and track, even before becoming the coach.”

Burgamy’s dream was to one day become the cross-country and trackand-field coach at AU. Since he graduated with his master’s degree, he had kept up with the program at AU, and he knew all members of the team, their times and what their training looked like. This was all before knowing that Ward was leaving for Maine.

“It helped me a lot, now as their coach, that I kept up with the team and everything they’ve been doing,” he said. “It made it so much easier for me.”

His strategy for the season is to get Jaguar runners to peak at the right time.

“Right now the emphasis is really just on staying patient, because it’s a long season,” Burgamy said.

“Nationals is Dec. 2 and regionals is two weeks before

that, so we’ve got two and a half to three months before we really need to be sharp and at our best. That’s a long time. We’re just trying to preach patience to the kids, and not have them in peak shape in October when we need them in peak shape in November and December.”

Burgamy expressed his love for Augusta, and Augusta University, despite living an hour away growing up. He recalls all the places he used to go to, even his doctors’ appointments.

“I am happy to be here, because I am from a small town,” he said. “A lot of my doctors were up here, so I know Augusta really well. I’m also not far from family, just an hour from home.”

Hard work and passion brought Coach Burgamy to the chair he always wanted to fill, his growing skills and experiences landed him exactly where he wanted to be.

“If we are not growing, then what are we doing?” he asked.

Burgamy and the Jaguars will continue their journey at the Royals Invitational in Charlotte, N.C., on Oct. 7.