The Blue & Gray Press

THE

BLUE &GRAY

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER

PRESS

March 2, 2017

VOLUME 90 | ISSUE 17 SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE

Res Life announces new housing options for upcoming year ANDREW ARENAS Staff Writer

Residence life recently unveiled major changes to its housing options for the upcoming academic year.

Special interest housing is now an option, which includes themed living communities, language communities and gender neutral housing. A new feature called flexible housing was also introduced, which gives students housing agreements, regardless of sex or gender.

This also includes changes to housing assignments in the fall 2017 semester. Applying for a dorm can now take place from the second week of the semester to the middle of November. In the spring, housing assignment changes can take place the second week of the semester through the first week of April.

The objective of these changes is to add more flexibility for housing decisions.

The flexible housing and the overall cost of meal plans were the top factors in getting part time students to reside on campus. These new options are available to students that are taking nine credit hours.

Christine Porter, the director of residence life stated that these changes have been in development for well over a decade. Residence Life considered what

other institutions in the state were doing while making these changes. She contacted other Residence Life directors in the state of Virginia to see what changes worked and what didn’t work.

Residence life wanted to make sure that word of these changes and additions were clear to current and upcoming students. Res Life added sections to Mary Washington’s website, put posters in residence halls and sent out emails detailing the changes. Porter hopes to have as little confusion among students as possible.

“The ability of living with who I want to live with is very important to us and remains a top priority for us,” Porter said. She wants to make it clear to students that more options are being presented to them rather than being taken away.

Porter also considered what non-residential students are looking for if they want to move on campus. She mentioned data research, surveys and the FSEM program played a major role in deciding what needed to be improved.

Res Life has been fine-tuning the FSEM program for years based on student feedback.

•HOUSING | 11 Andrew Boswell / The Blue & Gray Press

Clubs host drive for women’s needs SHAWNYA PETERSON Staff Writer

In the coming weeks, if you see pink boxes around campus marked “Unmentionables,” contrary to the box’s message, the organization behind the boxes definitely wants you talk about them.

Sponsored by the Women’s and Gender Studies department in celebration of Women’s History Month, the Unmentionables project is a drive to collect donations of feminine hygiene products, women’s underwear and monetary contributions of cash or check. All of the offerings gleaned from the several donation drop-boxes across campus will go to benefit Micah, a non-profit homeless shelter in downtown Fredericksburg that aims to help those in need.

Allyson Poska of the history depart-

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ment, one of the organizers of the drive, says that the idea of a feminine hygiene products drive began after her colleague, María-Laura Bocaz of the Spanish department, approached her with the idea after working with Micah over the summer. Bocaz and Poska joined forces with Kristin Marsh of the department of sociology and anthropology as well as Lauren Rainford, senior history major and ICA President, to start this drive.

Rainford spoke of her choice to join the project stemming from encountering firsthand accounts of the dire choices many are faced with.

“A few weeks ago I saw a video of an interviewer asking homeless women what it was like to have their periods on the street,” Rainford said. “Some said

•UNMENTIONABLES | 10

CAT GATSBY

UMW ORCATV

Leaders join forces to write inclusive statement for UMW community

MEAGHAN MCINTYRE Staff Writer

On Thursday, Feb. 23, a statement was drafted by a group of student leaders and sent out to the University of Mary Washington community in response to events that have taken place both on campus and nationwide over the last few weeks regarding hate speech. This statement was written and signed, by leaders of 30 campus organizations. The message in the email regarded embracing differences, speaking out against hate rhetoric and supporting one another.

In the statement, the leaders encouraged the UMW community to support and respect each other’s differences.

PRO CHOICE

“This is our UMW, our community is built from our differences and with our differences...We are built on respect for each other, for faculty, and for staff… we construct the ideals of our campus community on the pillars of our morality and our intellect,” stated the email.

Members of the Young Democrats and College Republicans first came to Dean Melissa Jones about drafting a letter to the community after the travel ban was placed.

“It started as an idea from the College Republicans and Young Democrats who wanted to affirm our community values,” Dean Jones said. “There was a desire to not have it be political… they

COURT SWEEP

Therapy cat takes on UMW with owner

Mothers reserve rights to their own bodies

Men’s tennis blanks Stevens on Saturday

LIFE | 6

VIEWPOINTS | 4

SPORTS | 12

•UNITED | 10

NEWS THE

BLUE & GRAY PRESS

MISSION The Blue & Gray Press is published every Thursday in the University Apartments Clubhouse for our university community. The goal of The Blue & Gray Press is to produce high quality and accurate news in a manner compliant with the Society of Professional Journalists ethics code. In its coverage, The Blue & Gray Press strives to highlight the community of the University of Mary Washington, as well as deliver fair and accurate coverage on the issues important to our students.

EDITORS-AT-LARGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Chris Markham

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Alex Spence

SECTION EDITORS NEWS Ester Salguero Lauren Taylor

VIEWPOINTS Tessa Cate

LIFE Kelly Emmrich

SPORTS Mikey Barnes

ONLINE Ethan Tobin

PHOTO Alex Sakes

Business Team Linda Fitzpatrick Janelle Behm

FACULTY ADVISOR Sushma Subramanian

Editors: Ester Salguero & Lauren Taylor | blueandgray.news@gmail.com

House of Delegates passes bill to give churches a choice LIAM MISSIOS Staff Writer

On Feb. 20, the Virginia House of Delegates passed HB 2025, also known as “Religious freedom; solemnization of marriage,” in a 54-38 vote which largely adhered to party lines. An earlier form of the bill was introduced in the House of Delegates in January and was passed by the Senate in its current form on Feb. 16. It now awaits approval by Governor Terry McAuliffe.

The bill protects religious entities and their affiliates from penalty if they refuse to perform any marriage, and it is understood to target religious organizations which deny the performance of marriages to same-sex couples.

Governor McAuliffe has promised to veto the bill, stating earlier this year that he would “veto any legislation that discriminates against LGBT Virginians.” McAuliffe and Virginia Republicans have a history of disagreement regarding policies that concern the rights of members of the LGBTQ community.

In 2014, McAuliffe signed an executive order banning discrimination against state employees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, a measure that former Republican governor

against a religious institution, it may require us to pass certain bills in order to protect those religious institutions from discrimination by the government…”

However, the executive order does not address the performance of marriages by religious institutions.

Although the bill will not be met with approval by the governor, a Republican win in the upcoming gubernatorial election could lead to the passage of similar bills. Comparable laws in other states have been met with crippling opposition.

In 2016, the Mississippi legislature passed the Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act, which also allowed businesses and other organizations to freely discriminate against members of the LGBTQ community. A federal court later ruled it unconstitutional.

In North Carolina, HB2, which required transgender people to use bathrooms that corresponded to the gender specified on their birth certificates, was signed into law in 2016. Opposition led to hundreds of millions of dollars in lost business. Similar opposition can be expected if anti-LGBTQ legislation were passed in Virginia.

Although HB 2025 may not have a tangible impact on Virginians, its passage in the General Assembly is indicative of fierce opposition among some politicians and their constituents facing changing legal and cultural norms regarding the LGBTQ community.

Though they may be fighting a losing battle, the subject will continue to play an important role in state and national politics in the coming years.

“when the government is engaging in a form of discrimination against a religious institution, it may require us to pass certain bills in order to protect those religious institutions from discrimination by the government.”

-Delegate Nicholas Freitas entities to discriminate against married same-sex couples and transgender individuals. The bill was not passed in the Senate. In response to this, McAuliffe signed an executive order in January banning state contracts with firms that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. House Republicans reacted by introducing HB 2025.

Referring to the executive order, Delegate Nicholas Freitas, a Republican from Culpeper who sponsored the bill, said, “when the government is engaging in a form of discrimination

Historic Preservation students research slave houses LAUREN CLOSS Staff Writer

In 2007, Doug Sanford, a professor of historical preservation at the University of Mary Washington, began a two-year project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities Collaborative Research grant. Along with his colleague Dennis Pogue, a professor at the University of Maryland, Sanford researched and documented 30 former slave residences in Virginia. Since then, the pair has continued their efforts throughout the summers and during the school year with the help of historic preservation majors.

“African American archaeology is a long-term research interest of mine,” Sanford said. “On archaeological sites, we would often encounter evidence of buildings so it just made perfect sense to start studying surviving slave buildings so that we could compare those to what we were seeing archaeologically.

My colleague and I have continued to do this and become more organized about it, to both gather this information

•RESEARCH |11

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Bob McDonnell deemed unnecessary because he claimed that there was no evidence of discrimination in the state workforce.

In 2016, the predominantly Republican House of Delegates passed the Government Nondiscrimination Act, which permitted businesses and government

Student Senate Beat Wednesday, March 1 The following motions have been passed by UMW Student Senate. The passing of a motion does not mean that its terms are subject to happen. The motions will be reviewed by the Student Government Association Executive Cabinet, who will then vote on the proposed motions.

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The motion for Student Senate to work with Campus Recreation to fix the basketball hoops and nets in the auxiliary gym was passed by the SGA Executive Cabinet.

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The motion for Student Senate work with the SGA Technology Coordinator to make the SGA Constitution printable from their website was passed by the SGA Executive Cabinet.

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The motion that the dining advisory committee work with Sodexo to provide wooden stirrers in Blackstone was passed by the SGA Executive Cabinet.

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The motion for Student Senate to form a special committee to examine the SGA constitution and recommend possible amendments to the Senate body was passed by the SGA Executive Cabinet.

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The motion that Student Senate works with Campus Recreation to open the gym earlier on weekends was passed by the SGA Executive For more information, contact the president of Student Senate, Ethan Carter at : ecarter@mail.umw.edu All motions were originated and passed in the Student Senate. They have not gone through approval by the Executive Cabinet.

DETAILS PROVIDED BY JAMIE MCGUIRE

Thursday, March 2, 2017

SPORTS UMW tennis serves past their opponent Olivia Bridges Staff Writer

Sue Spencer / Perfect Shots

Saturday, Feb. 26, the University of Mary Washington men’s tennis team faced off with the Stevens Institute of Technology Ducks. At 9 a.m., the match between the two teams began, starting with doubles.

On Court 1 one: sophomore Ryland Byrd and freshman Michael Fleming played against Kyle Henry and Kyle Cenderelli of Stevens, with the duo from UMW winning 8-4.

A notable rally on Court 1 was the point that won Byrd and Fleming their second game. Byrd and Fleming only needed one more point to win, their opponents Henry and Cenderelli both came to the net to volley. There are both advantages and disadvantages to coming to the net. Luckily for UMW, Henry and Cenderelli felt the disadvantages of volleying when they hit the ball into the net, losing the point.

The players of Court 2 were UMW senior and newly crowned CAC Player of the Week Brandon Griffin and sophomore Matt Miles playing Danny Polk

and Michael Feldman of Steven, with an identical result as their teammates Byrd and Fleming. Lastly, on Court 3 were sophomores Derek Hagino and Patrick Hughes facing Ducks William Persson and Divin Sarthak in a match that needed a tiebreaker to decide.

“It was a lot of pressure,” said Hughes, who has played tennis since he was nineyears-old. “The other team played really well, it came really close, but we got it down in tiebreaker.”

Hughes and Hagino won tiebreaker eight to two and the final result was nine UMW and eight Ducks.

“It was definitely tight going in there, they had to implement tiebreak, but it felt good to get an early start in it,” said Hagino, who has been playing since the age of five.

With the three doubles wins, UMW’s singles matches began with a good start.

The UMW tennis team only needed two more wins to guarantee their victory over SIT.

Sue Spencer / Perfect Shots

In singles, there are six different games, where with the doubles matches there were only three games going on. Like in doubles, single players play an eight-game set; however instead of only playing one set, they play first to two.

Matt Miles on Court 3 quickly defeated his opponent 6-3, set one and six to one, set two. Miles won the second set on a forehand cross-court shot to his opponent’s backhand who couldn’t get to the ball on time.

With four wins against Stevens Institute of Technology Ducks, UMW only needed one more. UMW was looking to lock up a victory to snap a two-game losing streak to Longwood and George Mason.

“We’ve played two pretty solid Division I teams and had our chances, but came up a little short and this is our first weekend against some nationally ranked Division III opponents, so we will find out a little more about where we are,” said head coach and director of tennis, Todd Helbling.

“It’s a good start in this one, we look good, we’re at four zero and then these other two teams are going to be strong,” Helbling said during the match. “So, these are going to be good test, but we’re excited, we’re a very good young team, a lot of talent.”

UMW men’s tennis team certainly has a lot of talent as Helbling said. They won against Stevens Institute of Technology Ducks 9-0. Later that day, UMW played against Sewanee University and also won, by a much closer score of 5-4. Sunday, Feb. 26th they played against N.C. Wesleyan and St. Mary’s, both games UMW won 8-1.

Six games into the tennis season and UMW men’s team is off to a solid start with four wins out of six games.

UMW basketball All-CAC recipients Eric Shaw

Sue Spencer / Perfect Shots

Kendall Parker Junior Kendall Parker received second team All-CAC honors. This was Parker’s first time earning such honors. On the year, Parker averaged 12.5 points per game, including a three-point percentage of 42.2. Parker averaged 2.5 made threepoints per game, including one game netting nine threes, to break the CAC record of three-pointers in a game.

Junior Eric Shaw earned All-CAC first team honors for this season. Shaw was named to the All-CAC second team in both 2015 and 2016, his first two seasons at UMW. Shaw averaged 16.9 points per game on the season, along with 6.1 rebounds and a 43.8 field goal percentage.

Sue Spencer / Perfect Shots

Breezi Comden

Sue Spencer / Perfect Shots

Megan Green Senior Megan Green was named to the All-CAC second team. This is the second straight year Green was named to the AllCAC team, earning second team honors in 2016. Green averaged 7.3 points per game, along with 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assist per game as well. Green was second on the team with an 82.5 free throw percentage.

Senior Breezi Comden was named CAC women’s basketball Player of the Year and was All-CAC first team. On the season, Comden led the Eagles in scoring with 15.5 points per game, also led the team with a 48.3 field goal percentage and averaged just under six rebounds per game.

Sue Spencer / Perfect Shots

Weekly Scoreboard women's basketball:

Feb. 25 @ CNU (L) UMW:58 CNU: 75

women's LACROSSE

Feb. 25 vs. Lynchburg (W) UMW: 15 Lynchburg: 2

baseball

Feb. 26 vs. CCNY (W) UMW: 6 CCNY: 1

men's LACROSSE

Feb. 25 vs. Ursinus (L) UMW: 9 Ursinus: 13

women's basketball: March 3 vs. Sage 5:00 P.M.

women's LACROSSE

March 4 @ Messiah 1:00 P.M.

baseball

March 4 vs. Bridgewater 3:00 P.M.

men's LACROSSE

March 4 vs. Widener 1:00 P.M.

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VIEWPOINTS

Women should have the right to choose JOHN MARTIN Staff Writer

When it comes to abortion, women should have the right to choose whether or not they want the procedure. I believe it is a human right for any person, male or female, to be able to make decisions regarding their body because it is theirs. I see an abortion to be like any other medical treatment in the world. If a patient wants to undergo the procedure, then they have the right to. However, there should a cutoff date – a number of days or months left until the due date where an abortion is no longer an option. This cutoff would be implemented unless the mother’s life was in harm’s way by having the child; in that case, the mother should come first.

On Jan. 22, 1973, The United States Supreme Court confirmed that a woman has the right to have an abortion under the Fourteenth amendment to the Constitution. Since this historic court case, there has been a consistent back and forth between supporters of the pro-choice mentality and those who are pro-life. There are a

lot of factors that form and cross each side of the aisle; however, in the 44 years since the court case, the debate

is still at the forefront of the political battle.

The views and opinions of those who have chosen the pro-life stance are not to be diminished. They have rooted their freedom of religion and speech

religious beliefs are a part of them. It can also be hard to separate these religious views with their political stance.

I understand that some people hold strong views when it comes to their religion. However, our constitution sets up the separation of church and state.

Therefore, no religious view should influence a law. Also, if a supporter of the pro-life movement does not want to get an abortion then they don’t have to form this opinion. I understand that to. It is a choice, not a requirement. I many people see this as ending a life, do believe that during the later stagtaking the timing of an abortion into es of a woman’s final term abortion should not be an option unless the woman’s life is in danger.

The BBC ethics guide states that the argument of when a fetus obtains human rights changes depending on what perspective you look on, but science and the medical industry do not have a concrete day for this. They say that the Church believes that it is from the moment of conception; however, this presents a conflict with the United States Constitution. So, the argument is not able to hold its ground because it is being seen through a religious context.

Overall, I believe it is anyone’s choice. Abortion is just a comUnsplash.com / Jv Garcia mon medical procedure that one can go through. While I do believe account. As I mentioned before, I do there should be limitations, it does not believe in certain limitations, but these affect my opinion of the procedure as limitations are rooted within a timeta- a whole. It should be an option for ble and carry exemptions too. Religion every woman. plays a major part in this group’s opinions, which is natural because one’s

Honor code must be taken seriously JONATHON MYERS Staff Writer

In less than two minutes, I can get inside of any residence hall on campus. I’m not an RA. I’m not on the security team. I’m not even a resident.

I’m a commuter student.

As a commuter student, my EagleOne does basically nothing for me.

It can’t unlock any doors on campus. Thankfully I don’t even need it. I don’t get in with my card, or by breaking a window, or tunneling underground. All I have to do to get inside is stand by the door and wait for some passerby to let me in.

Now, it’s not like I’m doing this for sinister reasons. Sometimes I don’t want to wait out in the rain for my friends inside to come down and let me in. And it’s not like anyone has a reason to be afraid of me. I’m a total chicken nugget. The problem I see with this though, and the thing that scares me about how easy it is, is that eventually someone who isn’t a chicken nugget might be at the door.

The fact that so many residents are willing to hold the door open for anyone outside of their hall has a lot to do with UMW’s honor code. No one has any reason to believe that some-

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one like me, a guy wearing a UMW backpack and holding a UMW water bottle, is going to steal stuff out of his

and an outsider is a backpack.

The school has had trouble in the past with strangers entering private

UMW Blogs

fridge because I’m honor-bound to not do that. Our honor code has built a community of trust that has made UMW a better place to be. Unfortunately, that honor code doesn’t hold weight for non-students, and the only visible difference between a student

campus facilities without permission. Non-students have been sneaking into the Goolrick gym for years.

Outsiders are encroaching on our space more and more. The fact that a commuter student can get into any residence hall on campus may not be

a big deal, but one of these outsiders potentially being able to do the same thing is an extremely unsettling thought.

The RAs try their best, but even they can’t be everywhere at once. We shouldn’t necessarily start distrusting each other, but we definitely need to be more careful from now on. Our community is facing some troubling times. Keep an eye out for suspicious looking people, even if they’re wearing a backpack. Maybe think twice about letting folks you don’t recognize into your residence hall.

Non-residents like me will be more than willing to wait that extra minute in the rain for our friends to come get us if it means that their living space is safe. And definitely let your RA know if you see someone walking around your hall who looks like they shouldn’t be there.

We have to start watching each other’s backs, Eagles. We may have our honor code, but that means as little to a stranger on our campus as a locked door.

Thursday, March 2017 Thursday, January 21,2, 2015

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Editor: Tessa Cate | blueandgray.views@gmail.com

Spring break: the beach vs. your bed AMANDA HOWAR Staff Writer

Spring break is almost here and college students are preparing for their annual wild binge. They will party hard and get drunk at the beach, or at least that’s what the movies tell us. Is that what actually happens during spring break or is Hollywood exaggerating and stereotyping college students?

There are more movies featuring drunk and reckless students than responsible ones because the movie industry thinks what sells and makes money are movies that support the stereotype of the wild and crazy college student.

This wrongly depicts college students in a negative light. While movies exaggerate wild scenes and nonstop partying, I believe college students have a lot more going for them than the image Hollywood produces.

I decided to see what students are really doing on their spring break. It was easy to get people to talk about their spring break plans since everyone is excited for a week off of studying and exams. As I was asking students about their spring break plans, I noticed a

pattern. The majority of students I talked to are choosing to use spring break as way to catch up on some much-needed sleep or a way to earn a few extra bucks. Many students are

paying for their own education so spring break provides an opportunity for them to work extra hours.

When asked what she is doing for spring break, UMW sophomore Megan Milonovich said, “I’m just go-

ing to pick up a few shifts at work.”

I think this is indicative of a number of students at UMW and the majority of other universities. A lot of students are using this time to relax

homework, to take their minds off of school and spring break provides the perfect opportunity to do just that.

As far as my own plans for spring break after midterm exams, I am ready to just relax. Relaxing for me means sleeping, reading a good book and binge-watching a series on Netflix.

My main goal for this spring break is sleeping in until 1 or 2 in the afternoon, and my main wardrobe for spring break will be my pajamas. Just the luxury of not having to be up and out the door by 8 a.m. is relaxing in itself.

To some people, my spring break may sound boring but for me it is the perfect way to unwind after a stressful half of the semester.

It is alright to relax in whichever fashion one enjoys whether that is hanging out with friends, staying at home or travInstagram / springbreakers eling. I am sure there are and sleeping is a big part of that re- students that fit the movie descriplaxation. tion of a wild spring break, but for “I’m hibernating this break,” said the majority of us, we will be relaxfreshman Jennifer Crowell. Many ing. students feel the need, after the constant bombardment of essays and

Staff Ed: Actors use the big stage as political platform Anyone who tuned into the Oscars Award show, or any award show for that matter, isn’t prompted to think ‘politics.’

Usually people are trying to escape the oversaturation of political rhetoric when they turn on the TV to watch an award show but that ideal has not been the case as of late.

This phenomenon isn’t new, it happened in 1975 when Bert Schneider won “Best Documentary Feature” and took advantage of the limelight to talk about how great it was that Americans pressed to end the war in Vietnam. Frank Sinatra later followed with an apologetic statement on behalf of the Academy and to this day we still have actors using the stage as a political platform.

Some may think that it is impossible

to separate politics from the positions people hold in their line of work, others think that acceptance speeches aren’t the mediums for platform pitches but there have been effective and productive examples where actors have played the role of an activist, figuratively speaking that is.

After another Oscars Award show just past, the staff of The Blue & Gray Press want to look at some examples of political platform usage on stage and some that were more effective than others. In many cases, the most effective examples are those in which the people speaking are heavily involved or personally attached to an important political issue.

Asghar Farhadi, the film director of Iran’s “The Salesman” which won the

foreign-language film award, is one of those examples of a person who productively makes a political statement at the award shows. He boycotted the awards to protest against President Trump’s travel ban.

There are times when the pictures that win awards are already based on political topics or act as commentary to the current political climate and in these instances, it would be strange not to place any attention on the political issue on display.

Also, a lack of a political statement may be perceived as a political stance in itself and this is dangerous territory if and when actors choose to not take a stance or separate themselves politically.

There really is no logical way of sepa-

rating people and politics when the state is so heavily integrated into people’s’ lives and dictates the positions or roles they play in their everyday routines.

Even just the memorable appearance of 98-year-old Katherine Johnson, the NASA scientist from which the movie “Hidden Figures” is based on, makes a political statement about the history of racism.

If people only accepted the movie at face value, for the performance and production, then the purpose of creating such a moving picture that comments on the history of racism in our country would have no effect.

By THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD

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LIFE

Editor: Kelly Emmrich blueandgray.life@gmail.com

Therapy cat finds place in dorms, offers support to UMW student GARY KNOWLES Staff Writer

College is hard. For many it is the first time they have become independent from their families and are left to

make their own choices and decisions on a day-to-day basis. Most would think that not having someone there would lead to great new experiences.

However, sometimes the changes that come with college are not as easy for some.

Miranda Schnakenberg, a University of Mary Washington senior studying creative writing, is one student whose journey has not been all independence and sunshine.

She suffers from depression and anxiety.

Thanks to the UMW Gary Knowles/ The Blue & Gray Press Office of

Disability Resources, Schnakenberg’s journey has been made a little easier with her cat, Gatsby, by her side.

For a student who lives on campus, it is extremely hard to get a pet unless it is a fish. In Schnakenberg’s case, her cat serves a different purpose from being a pet. Gatsby exists on campus as an emotional support animal. The guidelines for support animals are that it must be an animal that provides emotional support or otherwise improves a person’s condition with their disability.

Gatsby lounged on the shaggy pink carpet clawing at Schnakenberg as she explained that her journey to getting permission to have Gatsby. Emotional support animals are covered by the Fair Housing Act and allows Schnakenberg to keep Gatsby in her dorm room on campus. Schnakenberg had to get a prescription from her psychiatrist to show that it would be beneficial for Schnakenberg’s condition to have a support animal.

With the diagnosis and prescription, Schnakenberg completed and turned all the required paperwork to the Office of Disability Resources, along with accommodations paper work.

Initially, in an email Schnakenberg had received a positive response to her request to have Gatsby on campus.

But, a tunnel of paperwork delayed the process of Schnakenberg getting Gatsby. After what almost turned into a legal dispute initiated by Schnaken-

berg, Disability Resources granted permission for her to have Gatsby on campus.

“Since then I’ve had friends who have applied to have emotional support animals and have been accepted without issues,” Schnakenberg said.

She’s glad to know that other people have an easier time with the process of getting an ESA after what happened with her case.

When asked about how Gatsby benefits her daily, Schnakenberg revealed that because of her depression she has trouble dealing with being alone for long periods of time. Gatsby, goes out of his way to cuddle, play alongside, and comfort Schnakenberg. She’s had Gatsby since the spring of 2016.

Schnakenberg, after her experiences with Gatsby, has said that Gatsby, “love’s her unconditionally” which helps with the feelings of loneliness she experiences. Schnakenberg did recount how spoiled Gatsby has become now with his food and care. But, despite any unforeseen spoiled cat issues, the two are inseparable.

“He’s also someone to take care of and someone to live for because if I don’t get out of bed he doesn’t get fed,” Schnakenberg said, “and he’s not having that.”

So, in addition to the comfort, Gatsby keeps Schnakenberg motivated because he relies on her just as much as she relies on him.

Cameron said that the way they make music is very democratic and instead of trying to get four people to agree,

now they just have to get two.

The duo did express some difficulties in making their sound warmer and fuller with just two instruments.

As hinted or rather stated by their name, these two are “trying to queer the music scene a little bit” and that’s something that is very important to them. Dehart also noted that making music that their audience thinks is fun and enjoy listening to is something their band works towards. They appreciate friends and people close to them listening to, enjoying and connecting to their music.

Sorority Boy has definitely felt the pressure of our current political climate. Music is something that is so deliberate and offers a way to make a statement and for these two.

“It feels really great, making art that feels reflective of who I am in a really beautiful way in this moment of such terrible current events,” Cameron said. “Just the act of making music under a white national regime, it has to inherently challenge that at every corner.”

Their next show is Tuesday, March 14 in Harrisonburg. They are hoping to play in Fredericksburg sometime soon, but until then you can check out their music and get the EP on Bandcamp at https:// sororityboy.bandcamp.com and stay updated on their shows and information through their Facebook Page, Sorority Boy.

VA Vibes: UVA band, Sorority Boy, releases twinkly emo EP GRACE HOWIE Staff Writer

On Feb. 20, 2017 a two-piece band formed by two students at the University of Virginia released their first EP Friends/Enemies. Sorority Boy is composed of Maria DeHart, from Falls Church, Virginia and Fredericksburg native Brian Cameron.

Their band name, Sorority Boy, is a comment on how big the Greek life culture is a the University of Virginia.

“I think we wanted to do something kind of fun and funny,” DeHart said. “[We wanted to] make fun of Greek life a little bit because it dominates this school, and it’s obnoxious and also to make it clear we’re trying to break gender boxes.”

The music these two produce is what they describe as “twinkly emo” or “dreamy emo indie rock.” The EP made up of two tracks, Friends/ Enemies and Far Away features both of their voices along with DeHart on drums and Cameron on guitar.

“There are definitely some shoegaze influences for sure. There’s a limit to how shoegazey you can successfully be with one guitar or one melody instrument because otherwise at a certain point it just starts sounding like noise, which we’re not really about,” Cameron said. “Got to have those sweet melodies.”

Both DeHart and Cameron had been in other bands before. They

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had never been in a two-person band, however. They both explained how logistically it was much easier.

Sorority Boy/Facebook

Thursday, March 2, 2017

LIFE

UMW dancers showcase their different styles in small show Photos by: Alex Sakes The PAC Small Show took place Wednesday, March 1 in Dodd auditorium,. Small Show is an event that takes place every semester and showcases several different dance clubs on campus including: Bhangra, Performing Arts Club, MEDC and Dance Team.

LEGO Batman Movie serves as worthy follow-up to 2014 classic CHRIS MARKHAM Editor-in-Chief

When I watched the LEGO Movie for the first time two years ago glued to the couch in my living room during summer break, my interest grew from simply ‘interested’ to ‘emotionally invested’ rapidly. The witty comedy, emotional tugs and surprising twists launched the 2014 classic into my top-five favorite movies of all time.

My arguably unnecessary obsession with the LEGO Movie was grounded in its ability to stun me by surpassing all of my lowest expectations. The idea of a movie based on a toy didn’t excite

me, and in fact, disappointed me by the apparent corporatization of LEGOs. The argument could be made that the LEGO Movie franchise is one big commercial, and while that may be true, I had every intention of spending the money to see the spinoff LEGO Batman Movie in the theatre. I went to see it with my deaf and autistic brother for his 23rd birthday last week and I’m fairly positive I was more excited for the movie than he was. In addition to being a huge fan of the original movie, I consider myself a super hero buff, setting pretty high expectations for the first of many super hero movies of 2017.

The trailers appeared to show me

everything I wanted in the LEGO Movie spinoff, focusing on the comedy of the movie but not giving away the emotional details, and there were plenty. I expected the LEGO Batman Movie to be absolutely hilarious, which is was, but what I wasn’t expecting was an emotional roller Joker and Robin serve as focal points of LEGO Batman storyline.

Brickset/ Flickr

coaster that also had surprisingly intense action sequences.

I cannot overstate how satisfied I was with the LEGO Batman Movie.

It had every element I was looking for in a spinoff of my favorite animated film.

Subtle nods to the original and a hilarious array of characters from across the cinematic spectrum enhanced my enjoyment of this movie.

Adult humor mixed into the

Vimeo

easily digestible child entertainment made this the perfect family movie and an even better choice for a movie date, provided your partner has a good sense of humor.

The LEGO Batman movie was certainly a better-rounded movie with less plot holes than the original, but lacked the mind-blowing twist at the end that I was expecting. Still, I was laughing the entire way through and even came close to crying on a few occasions. The humor was nearly identical to the humor I witnessed in the original on my couch (too) many times over that summer and the Batman character held the same personality, which was important to me.

Recently, LEGO released a trailer for their new LEGO Ninjago movie, set to release in September of this year, and by the look of its first trailer, I’ll be investing another $12.50 in an animated LEGO film, something I am not ashamed to admit.

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LIFE

Tips and tricks for staying afloat during midterm week

ES HETHCOX Contributing Writer

Midterms for many University of Mary Washington students are happening either this week or the week after spring break. Because of this, students are feeling overwhelmed with an influx of papers, projects and tests. Here are 10 essential tips for students to not only survive midterms, but to also come out on top.

1. Eat brain food Food is the most essential part for surviving midterms. The brain needs healthy brain food to not only help you get through a test, but also the day. Nuts such as pistachios and cashews are the best nutrients for your brain as you walk into a test. According to Livestrong, it helps to eat an apple before a test because it reduces anxiety.

2. Flashcards.

Repetition is key when it comes to studying. Write out flash cards of important facts or key terms and recite the question and answer as you make them. This is the most important part of flashcard studying, especially if you are a visual learner.

3. Have someone quiz you No one likes to be tested on material, especially by his peers.

But this is an essential part of your studying. Because of sleep deprivation and stress, students are more inclined to make mistakes.

It can be a good idea to have a friend proofread papers and go through flashcards.

4. Organize notes Do not just straighten them, read them and practice important terms or key dates. This is great if you are having an open note test, but even if your test is closed book this still helps you go over information and visualize your notes.

5. Create a study schedule—and stick to it Making a set time in your day that is solely devoted to studying guarantees

that you will at minimum be familiar with the material you need to know.

Also, schedules are known to help people who are feeling anxious—having something that is definite in your day and not unknown can relieve additional stress.

6. Study with classmates Group study sessions are sometimes exactly what you need. Not only does it make you sit down and study, but talking about the material with other people can help you see if you are studying the right material or completely off base.

In addition, sometimes explaining material to someone who doesn’t understand it is actually beneficial for you.

Repetition helps you remember important details.

7. Take breaks Do not study for endless hours without any breaks. Your brain needs a rest so it can process all the information you’ve been cramming into it. After a half hour session take a 10-minute break. Go grab some coffee or stretch and go for a quick walk.

8. Comfort food While it is a good idea to eat healthy foods for the most brain power, it’s okay to splurge a little bit. It is called comfort food for a reason. Have your favorite candy or snack close by when you’re studying.

9. Playlist Get your power songs and put them on repeat. Hans Zimmer music is considered the best music for studying— there are no words to distract you and the melodies are the epitome of power tunes.

10. Sleep Most importantly, try to sleep.

Being well-rested will make sure your brain is ready for your next big exam or writing a big paper.

Follow these tips and hopefully this midterm season will run smoothly for you. Good luck and don’t forget these essential tips!

danni /Flickr

High School sweethearts: the good times and the hard times ELIZABETH PATTERSON Staff Writer

As far as relationships are concerned, there is no handbook on the “do’s and don’ts” of love. The idea of a perfect romance is drilled into the human brain with princess movies for kids and chickflics for young adults. Chances are most people experience the first flutters of love in high school.

Typically, it is a young and immature love that fizzles out shortly and leaves only memories and lessons behind. Some high school loves, however, withstand the awkward and trying years of high school and mature into a college relationship.

Maria Dubiel and her boyfriend Jalen Brown grew up in the suburbs of Richmond. The two attended the same elementary school for a short time, and

then reconnected when they entered high school. For the majority of their high school careers the two led different lives until their junior year when they met in their English class. Taking it slow, the two did not really begin their romance until the beginning of their senior year.

“My first thoughts were that he was handsome, laid back and sweet, but way too cool for me,” Dubiel said. “I never thought we would be as compatible as we are. They say opposites attract.”

Once their relationship started, it blossomed quickly, and the two became inseparable. As they continued dating, a few members of Dubiel’s family started to judge the relationship as harmful.

“Certain family members of mine didn’t agree with Jalen and I dating, as he is black and I am white,” Dubiel said.

“We made it through a difficult time filled with prejudice and racism in order to make it to Mary Washington, where we have never felt anything but accepted and respected.”

Dubiel and Brown are now sophomores here at UMW, and while things at home are still difficult, Maria Dubiel and Jalen Brown Dubiel

credits the trying times for her and have made the best out of it and look at Brown’s strength, independence and is as “a mini deployment.” close relationship.

“Assuming we’re still together after Sarah Balenger, a sophomore here at college, he’ll be commissioning to the Mary Washington, has been in a long disNavy and we’ll have actual deployments tance relationship with her high school where we could not see each other for sweetheart Jacob Davis for two years months at a time,” Balenger said. now. The two started dating at the end of From the outside these two couples their junior year of high school. may seem very different, but they all When it came time to pick a colhave their own set of complications. lege, both Balenger and Davis made a The struggle for Dubiel and Brown it conscious effort to not apply to the same is the hurtful racism of Dubiel’s family schools. They ended up 219 miles away and Balenger and Davis the daunting with Balenger at Mary Washington and distance.

Davis at Virginia Tech.

However, while most couples would “Long distance is hard and long disshatter in these struggles, these couples tance in college is even harder,” Balengflourish. It is their love and friendship er said. “Most people feel the need to that allows them to withstand the test of worry about their significant other out time, opinions and distance. partying or even cheating, and I don’t have that with him and he doesn’t with me either.

We have a great foundation of trust for each other.”

Davis is in the Corps of Cadets at Virginia Tech on a Naval Scholarship and consequently can’t come and go over night as he pleases, which makes visiting hard.

While the time apart is hard the two Sarah Balenger and high school sweetheart Jacob Davis

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NEWS

POLICE BEAT LAUREN TAYLOR News Editor

Rape On Monday, Feb. 27, a rape that occurred a year and a half before the report date was reported. The location is unknown, and no information is available from the victim.

Alcohol On Thursday, Feb. 23 around 11 p.m., underage possession of alcohol and littering occurred at Eagle Landing. One administrative referral was given.

On Saturday, Feb. 25 around 2 a.m., public intoxication and underage possession of alcohol occurred at Eagle Landing. One administrative referral was given.

Vandalism On Sunday, Feb. 26 around 1:30 a.m., vandalism of an exit sign occurred at Eagle Landing. The case is pending.

Petit Larceny Between Thursday, Feb. 23 and Friday, Feb. 24 between 11 p.m. and 1:30 a.m., petit larceny of a television occurred at Bushnell Hall. The case is pending.

CRIME COVERAGE POLICY The Blue & Gray Press will publish the names of students who are formally charged by the University of Mary Washington Campus Police or the Fredericksburg Police Department to have committed acts of xtreme violence against members of the UMW community or pose a large threat to that community, when names are released to the public.

The Blue & Gray Press will publish names and write articles about criminal acts on a case-by-case basis according to the aforementioned parameters.

The information was compiled with assistance from UMW Police Manager James DeLoatch and Fredericksburg Police Department Public Information Officer Sarah Kirkpatrick.

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Drive supports local homeless resource center

•UNMENTIONABLES | 1

that because tampons are so expensive, they frequently go without meals in order to pay for these sanitary items... this should never be a decision that a woman needs to make.”

She continued, “Later, I was talking to Dr. Poska in her office hours about my thesis when she mentioned that a colleague was working on a drive to collect feminine hygiene products for homeless women in Fredericksburg. I offered my connections as ICA President to support the cause in any capacity that I could.”

When asked about where the name “unmentionables” came from, Poska responded, “We really wanted to find a catchphrase that brought awareness to the issue of homelessness, which is rarely talked about in our community, and dovetailed with the items we hoped to collect. Unmentionables seemed to fit the bill perfectly.”

Rainford echoed Poska’s sentiment, talking about the deeper meaning behind the tongue-in-cheek name. “People are uncomfortable talking about tampons, pads, underwear and especially homelessness along with the problems it brings about for women,” Rainford said. “We want to encourage conversations about homelessness to raise awareness to its impact on our community at large... we all tried to come up with something witty or comedic to garner as much notice from college students as possible.”

To assist in the Unmentionables project, the organizers reached out to groups whose missions they believed

align with goal of the donation drive, including Alpha Mu Sigma, Women of Color, UMW Young Democrats, Feminists United and World Wide Web of Women.

“These organizations have a history of dedication to the overall Fredericksburg community, especially in regards to women’s aid projects,” Rainford says. Throughout March, volunteers from each of these groups will take turns tabling for donations in the University Center.

The efforts to better the lives of

pens to them,” Rainford said. “There’s a popular misconception that homelessness is self-inflicted but this is rarely ever the case... Women also don’t get to put their periods on hold anytime they run out of tampons.

“Homelessness and periods are stigmatized and both perceived to be dirty and taboo. As a feminist and a member of our community, I believe that we should all be concerned with assisting women in need of assistance.” She continued, “Because sanitary products are so expensive—a whole other conversation— women are unable to take care of both their dietary and sanitary needs.

This is totally unacceptable and I believe we can all help and make a difference.”

Poska hopes that this project will become a recurring effort, serving not only to aid those in need, but also to connect the students, faculty and the greater Fredericksburg community—spheres, which can often feel distant from one another.

“We have tremendous talent and resources available, and it is our social obligation to use those talents and resources to help those who are less fortunate,” Poska said.

Anyone interested in participating in the drive is welcome to bring new boxes of pads, tampons or cash to any of the Unmentionables boxes, located in Simpson Library, Monroe Hall, Combs Hall or the UC, from Feb. 22 to April 1.

People can also bring their donations to any university sponsored Women’s History Month events on campus throughout March. The schedule of events is available on the James Farmer Multicultural Center website.

“People are uncomfortable talking about tampons, pads, underwear and especially homelessness along with the problems it brings about for women.”

-Lauren Rainford, ICA president homeless women in the Fredericksburg area are also being combined with efforts to aid students within the UMW community. At the table, representatives from the many clubs supporting the drive will be collecting donations, and people will also be able to sign a petition urging the administration to provide feminine hygiene products in the University Center and the HCC for students, free of charge.

Rainford spoke of the importance of making sure that feminine hygiene products are made easily accessible.

“Women don’t get to choose what hap-

Student leaders unite to be inclusive of all students •UNITED | 1 wanted it to be from a collective group of students.”

Dean Jones sent an email out to student organizations to organize a meeting between the leaders after The Blue & Gray Press published the article about the Nazi note found on Campus Walk. The first meeting took place on Friday, Feb. 17 and more meetings took place throughout the course of the following days. The group of student leaders worked together to make a message that was the voice of the students and expressed unity in the UMW community. The group’s logo is UMW United.

“We wanted to offer comfort and support to students who feel like they are being threatened and attacked,” said senior English major Danielle Howard.

“A lot of people were upset with the delay of the university making a statement. We wanted to let students feel that whether they had the support of administration or not, they always have the support of their fellow students.”

The group also wishes to promote a sense of safety on campus.

“The purpose of the statement was to let the campus community, specifically students, know that as fellow students we will not accept hateful rhetoric on our campus,” said senior sociology major Mariam Khan. “We want to ensure

the safety of everyone.”

In the statement, students were encouraged to speak out if they ever witnessed discriminatory or hateful acts on campus. The message stated that actions such as hate speech are not in line with the core values that Mary Washington stands for.

“We want to address not only what the problems with the propaganda were but also to provide comfort to students,” Howard said. “To let them know those aren’t UMW values and to let everyone know they are welcome here.”

Protecting UMW’s sense of community was important to students involved in writing the statement.

“The goal of the student group is to promote our community values and serve as a resource for students on campus,” Khan said.

In the statement, the leaders suggested the UMW community support and respect each other’s differences.

“This is our UMW, our community is built from our differences and with our differences... We are built on respect for each other, for faculty and for staff… We construct the ideals of our campus community on the pillars of our morality and our intellect,” according to the email.

While the group is student run, it formally originated when Dean Jones sent

out the email and organized the meeting amongst leaders.

“What’s been neat to watch is how this group came together around this incident, stood up, and said that this is not what our community is about,” Dean Jones said. “And they are committed to continuing that. It’s been an amazing experience.”

As a way to keep the conversation going, outside of the statement that was sent out on Thursday, the students also aim to hold a banner signing and create buttons to be used as a sign of unity. To help work go more smoothly, the student group created different subcommittees based off of individual interests and strengths.

“There are three main groups,” Howard said. “We started with a big Google doc and emailed everyone but then divided into subcommittees.”

While the statement was created as a result of the events that have gone on, the group is hoping for their statement to have a lasting impact.

“It is not a closed forum,” Dean Jones said. “They very much see this as a continued conversation. It is one of the things that make our school so great.

When we say community, it is not just a word, it is a way of life. It is an overwhelming sense of ‘I got your back.’”

Thursday, March 2, 2017

NEWS

Students take part in research trips to gain historical insight

•RESEARCH | 2

and to share it with other people, make it available to other researchers, but also as a way to encourage awareness of these buildings and see that they’re talked about and that the issues of slavery are talked about.”

Professor Sanford is currently teaching a slave housing course that made four expeditions to slave dwellings this semester.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said Madeline Fanta, a senior history major and member of the class. “You get to take pictures, you have to make a floor plan, we measure the building and figure out how big it is- interior, exterior, upstairs, downstairs- and we also fill out a survey form which sort of details the details of the building.”

In addition, the types of nails, tool marks and construction techniques are accessed to date the building. Sanford and Pogue also previously used dendrochronology, tree ring dating, to pin down the specific year a dwelling was built.

These results and measurements are then published on vaslavehousing.org.

According to the site, the purpose of the project is to “compile information on the domestic architecture of slavery in Virginia. We gather information from archaeological sites, period documents such as census and tax records and surviving buildings in rural and urban settings. Beyond facilitating scholarly research, we encourage public awareness and preservation of slave-related buildings, many of which are in danger of being lost due to neglect or purposeful demolition.”

Busloads of students have traveled to buildings several hours away. Earlier in the semester, students made trips to Pittsylvania County and outside Lexington.

“If you look at the study of slave buildings in Virginia, most of the effort has been placed in Eastern Virginia,” Sanford said. “We’re purposefully looking at other parts of the state that have been less studied, for instance the Shenandoah Valley, or South-Central Virginia.”

The buildings are put on their radar by private landowners, historical societies or preservations groups, previous small-scale architectural surveys or just people in the community with an interest in historic buildings or issues of slavery. They are often helpful in providing some past “historic documents, maps or personal accounts from the plantation owner” that aid in identification of slave dwellings, according to Sanford.

“There are also fire insurance policies that included slave buildings in some cases,” Sanford said. “One of the things we use is the US census in 1860, [which] asked all slave owners how many slave houses they had.”

One challenge associated with documenting surviving historical buildings is determining what has been replaced because if they are still standing it is likely they were used or updated after the civil war.

“We have to become housing detectives to determine what survived from the period of slavery and what came later,” Sanford said. “It’s good training for the students to learn how to recognize different periods of construction and what were the different uses of a

Historic Preservation Club / Facebook Page

building, but then to ultimately get back and say okay here’s what we think the building looked like when it was used as a slave quarter.”

Unfortunately, there are many more slave houses in Virginia than are possible to document before they deteriorate further.

“The reason we’re doing this is because you see all of the buildings that have survived that belonged to the people that owned the slaves, but unfortunately slave buildings were not built to last,” Fanta said. “They were typically made of wood, so that’s why we want to focus on protecting those because they are falling down and the ones we

have left- it’s incredible that they’re still standing.”

The ongoing project will be continued by Sanford and Pogue this summer in Shenandoah County, and hopefully next semester in other parts of Virginia.

The involvement of students not only provides the man-hours needed to document buildings that would otherwise be accessible only from archaeology, but also the education and experience for their future occupations.

“Right now, we are learning how to identify and protect buildings and archaeological sites and artifacts,” Fanta said. “We’re learning how to make a greater impact.”

More housing opportunities available •HOUSING | 1

The Craik-Patton House in Charleston, South Carolina.

Historic Preservation Club / Facebook Page

“We at Residence Life ask ourselves ‘is the student experience here at Mary Washington the way we want it to be?’”

Porter said. There is also a lot of thought that goes into making sure students have as many options for housing as possible.

Students that share similar academic interests with each other can take advantage of themed housing options as well. One of the themed housing options is specially tuned for science majors. A student majoring in biology can live with someone studying in physics or chemistry to think outside of his own discipline. “The ability to choose who you want to live with is very important and I believe that the changes have been

pretty well received by students,” said junior sociology major Joemmel Tendilla.

There is also an option called ‘no man’s land’ which is a themed housing with all-women that look to honor Mary Washington’s history. UMW’s themed housing communities (T.L.C) are for upper class students to further grow academically outside of the classroom.

“We are very excited about all of these changes and new additions and the enthusiasm among students is felt and appreciated,” Porter said. It has encouraged students to finish their housing applications on time and not put it off.

Hidden Figures: 2017 Common Read The University of Mary Washington has selected “Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race”

by Margot Lee Shetterly as the Common Read for 2017-2018.

Shetterly will be at UMW on Saturday, March 4 to speak about her book at 3 p.m. in Dodd Auditorium.

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Creative Commons / Flickr

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SPORTS

Editor: Mikey Barnes | blueandgray.sports@gmail.com

The winners and losers of the NBA trade deadline RYAN BRAUCH Staff Writer

Every year, all 30 NBA teams scramble to make last minute trades as the annual trade deadline approaches. For many teams, any trade will impact the outcome of their season and determine whether or not they will find themselves in the playoffs or not. There are numerous reasons in which a team makes a trade around the deadline. Whether it be to make a final playoff push, to clear cap space, or in some cases, get rid of valuable players in order to tank. No matter what the reason is for the transactions, there are always winners and losers to every trade.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Winners The Thunder are currently sitting on the seventh seed in the West, with a comfortable lead over the other teams fighting for the eighth seed. Despite having Russell Westbrook at the reigns of their offense, OKC’s top priority was to get other scorers to be included in their offensive scheme. For a while, the Thunder had discussed trading with the Nuggets for forward Wilson Chandler. After a while, those discussions fizzled out, still leaving the Thunder needing some offensive minded players. On Thursday, the Thunder traded point guard Cameron Payne, forward Anthony Morrow and center Joffrey Lauvergne to the Bulls, in exchange for forwards Doug McDermott and Taj Gibson. McDermott is a prime shooting threat, especially as a three-point shooter.

Gibson is a great player all-around and can score well, but can also defend and

rebound on an elite level. Getting rid of Payne was a smart move by the Thunder, as the young guard cannot shoot very well, giving him little offensive value despite his decent passing ability. Overall this trade should give the Thunder bench the extra boost it needs to secure a playoff berth.

Philadelphia 76er’s: Losers The Sixers were active last week as they were part of two trades during the All-Star break. Early in the week, Philadelphia sent Ersan Ilyasova to Atlanta in exchange for Tiago Splitter and a few second round picks. On the day of the trade deadline, the Sixers’ front office sent center Nerlens Noel to the Dallas Mavericks for next to nothing. The Mavs got Noel by sending second-year forward Justin Anderson and veteran center Andrew Bogut to Philly, along with a heavily protected first round pick. With the Mavs having a tumultuous season and Bogut demanding a buyout, the 76er’s are only left with Anderson and Splitter to shake up their roster. More big men were the last thing the Sixers needed, as they already had a frontcourt logjam with Embiid, Okafor, Saric, and Noel. Only now, they have replaced Noel for Splitter. Philadelphia really needed a shooting threat in their backcourt to give their offense a boost. With lackluster trade attempts, this only solidifies another tanking season in eastern Pennsylvania.

New Orleans Pelicans: Winners The Pelicans made headlines as they swindled the Sacramento Kings’ front

office into giving them three-time All-Star center Demarcus Cousins and Omri Casspi in exchange for rookie guard Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans and two draft picks.

With the addition of Cousins, the Pelicans could be threat to be reckoned with as they also have All-Star power forward Anthony Davis. These two will easily pair together to form the most elite frontcourt in the NBA and dominate the paint and the glass. The only things the Pelicans are missing now are chemistry and decent rotational players. Since they traded Evans and Hield, the Pelicans are now leaning on the likes of Solomon Hill and Hollis Thompson on offense. As Davis, Cousins and point guard Jrue Holliday build chemistry, the playoff clock is ticking as the team stands a few games behind the current eighth seed in the competitive Western Conference.

Sacramento Kings: Losers In the wake of the epic Demarcus Cousins trade, the Kings front office had one thing on their mind, rebuilding. By shipping Cousins and Casspi off to New Orleans, Sacramento sent a clear message to the league that they are in the process of a total reset. With forward Rudy Gay out with an extensive leg injury the team was ready to call it a year, collect as many rookies and draft picks they could and get rid of their best players. Following trading Boogie, the Kings also expressed interest in removing guards Arron Afflalo and Darren Collison from their roster. By failing to gather any more picks and accepting a terrible deal for Cousins and Casspi the Kings are trade deadline losers.

Toronto Raptors: Winners The Raptors are currently holding the third seed in the East and appear to be title contenders as we transition into the final stretch of the regular season. Toronto acquired forward Serge Ibaka from the Orlando Magic for guard Terrence Ross and a first round pick. Then they received P.J. Tucker from the Phoenix Suns in return for forward Jared Sullinger and a second round pick. Toronto’s weakness thus far, has been their defensive consistency, or lack of. The addition of Ibaka, an elite shot blocker, and Tucker should improve their defense and rebounding greatly as the team prepares for playoffs. These were two strong moves made by the franchise that will likely propel them further in the postseason.

Boston Celtics: Losers Before the deadline, numerous trade rumors surrounded Boston as the team engaged in endless trade discussions. With so many possibilities swirling around from Jimmy Butler to Paul George, the Celtics were part of just about every rumor. Like the Raptors, the Celtics are also title contenders, but struggle in rebounding. Investing in another big man was a top priority for Danny Ainge and the Celtics, but nothing came of the numerous discussions. Boston was silent when the trade deadline rolled around. Not getting a strong rebounder may end of hurting the Celtics when it comes time to play the Cavaliers or the Raptors in playoffs.

Club Sports Spotlight: Women’s Club Soccer LAURA TAYLOR Staff Writer

Chelsea Irizarry

The thrilling excitement all began with the ball switching back through the defense to the left side. The receiving Eagle defender took it up the sideline and ended up scoring against William and Mary. The game wasn’t played at the varsity level; it was played at the club level but with just as much thrill and excitement.

UMW’s women’s club soccer team offers a comfortably competitive atmosphere that welcomes all ranges of experience from beginner to advanced.

The competitiveness comes each game week when the roster is decided for that weekend’s game. Those that really wish

Thursday, March 2, 2017

to play can utilize all the experience they have to hopefully make roster while those who simply want the challenge are able to play in more competitive practices.

For junior Mollie Rhoades, playing on the women’s club soccer team allowed her to play soccer at a more relaxed pace while also allowing her to experience the thrill of playing other colleges and universities. When asked why she chose club level over varsity, Rhoades said “I wanted something more relaxed and that I would be able to work around my schedule.”

She ended up loving her teammates and realized she had found her spot on the

Chelsea Irizarry

club level.

“I wanted to be able to play soccer but still have enough time for school,” and the women’s club soccer team offered her just that. She is able to make all three practice days throughout the week and still has enough time to do her schoolwork.

This past weekend, the roster included Rhoades and Beavers in the away game against Christopher Newport University, one of the Eagles’ biggest rivals, in which UMW took the win, 3-1.

Similarly to varsity, the club soccer team plays other Virginia colleges and universities in both home and away

games. Athletes are able to work on skill and scrimmage against teammates during practice. However, the club level minimizes tense pressure in not only games but practices, and focuses more on building skill, relationships and practicing good sportsmanship rather than records, statistics and rankings.

Women’s club soccer’s next home game will take place on the Campus Rec Field on March 25 at 11 a.m. as UMW will take on George Mason University.

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