Feb. 20, 2018 by The Collegiate Times

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February 20, 2018

COLLEGIATETIMES

An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

CT presents

ANNUAL CAMPUS-WIDE DEBATE

Feb. 20, 2018, Haymarket Theatre, 7–9 p.m.

RECEPTION: Brush Mountain A, 9–10 p.m.

WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY Young Democrats

he Virginia Tech Young Democrats have remained the liberal voice for students in the Blacksburg area, pushing for liberal agendas and social issues statewide and across the New River Valley. The Virginia Tech Young Democrats is one of the largest active chapters in Virginia and one of the largest political groups on Virginia Tech’s campus. Our organization is dedicated to promoting liberal values and electing Democrats down the ticket.

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We believe in creating a society based on equality.”

We are an inclusive organization that welcomes anyone who identifies as a member of the Democratic Party or is democratically inclined regardless of race, sex, age, color, creed, national origin, religion, ethnic identity, gender, sexual orientation, economic status or disability. Virginia Tech Young Democrats specifically seeks to engage and raise the voices of historically marginalized groups by promoting our values of equality and liberty. We seek to ally ourselves with these groups and amplify their voices a place in both local and state politics. Historically, we have reached out and formed connections with clubs that have similar progressive interests such as United Feminist Movement, DEMS / page 2

Greens at Virginia Tech

ur system is broken. Roads and bridges are crumbling. The planet’s climate is warming rapidly. While millions suffer from poverty, the richest 1 percent continue to become even wealthier. Racism and sexism continue to deny African-Americans, Hispanics, AsianAmericans and women equal opportunity. Millions lack access to basic health care and nutrition. Hundreds of thousands are homeless, including thousands of veterans. Foreign wars have cost the United States trillions of dollars and resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives. Students are increasingly burdened by debt, despite doing the right thing by pursuing education. We need change, and we need it now.

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Only the Green Party is brave enough to offer these solutions.”

Only the Green Party has the courage, the wisdom and the political platform to fix these systemic problems. We demand that our government invest in building new, green infrastructure that will boost our economy and transition us away from fossil fuels. We demand new institutions, like worker cooperatives and local ownership of the means of production that will ensure that wealth is distributed more equally. We demand an end to racial

Young Americans for Liberty

oung Americans for Liberty at Virginia Tech is an openminded student group that promotes ideas about liberty and individual freedoms. We have been active in the Virginia Tech community for many years. YAL also supports human rights, free markets and small government above all.

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Libertarianism offers a platform based on freedom of choice.”

YAL frequently participates in activism on campus, campaigning to promote student’s rights on campus. In a free and open society, the ability to openly discuss ideas should be held above all, and universities provide such a wide-ranging atmosphere to be able to give students that opportunity. This extends onto the internet, where the repeal of net neutrality poses a threat to individual liberties for everyone. Libertarians support the decriminalization of drugs based on drug enforcement in the past, which has unequally targeted minority groups and other disenfranchised populations. Also, the drug war and drug enforcement has fueled the enormous American prison population for decades. One of the solutions to this is to treat many drug related enforcement as a mental health problem rather than a criminal problem. Combining this with education would drastically reduce

GREENS / page 2

YAL / page 2

As Blacksburg starts to warm up, get ready to start running outside again; check out these on- and off-campus routes for your workout Whether you prefer Main Street’s wide sidewalks or the scenery of Tech’s cross-country trails, Blacksburg has a run for you.

BRANDON ALIMANESTIANO lifestyles staff writer

Unless it’s colder than 40 degrees, or it’s raining or windy, Virginia Tech is a really great place to go out running. The Blacksburg area is full of different types of scenery and wildlife and there are dozens of nearperfect places to take a quick and easy run, or a more difficult/long run.

Easy

Around campus There’s nothing like running around Virginia Te ch’s ca mpus. T he buildings, the people and the number of sidewalks are all great for running. If you start around McComas, you can do a great deal of running around Lane Stadium and the woods surrounding Center Street.

Having run there before, it’s interesting to see the permanent damage of beer can lawns and dead grass that you never got to notice during football season. This route can take you about half a mile, but if you want to push it further, you can make it closer to a mile and a half if you make it all the way to Goodwin Hall. There are plenty of ways to get there and back, and you could get a great 3-mile run in without repeating the same scenery. Downtown Blacksburg Running in town is always an option, especially if you don’t live on campus. A good, friendly stretch to run on is from North Main Street to South Main. It has wide sidewalks and and this route can be nice to get in a short run before hitting the gym.

HOKIE BASEBALL SEASON PREVIEW The team will be breaking ground this season.

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Intermediate

VT cross-country trails This is a great place to run for anyone, especially if you ran cross-country in high school. It will make you feel right at home. The trails begin around a mile from the center of campus, going through the Duck Pond and past the Corps of Cadets obstacle course. There will be a fork in the road, and going left will take you up the hill to Smithfield Plantation. Once you see the trails, they will amaze you. They are located in the agricultural area where they grow crops every year, providing some really great scenery combined with nice inclines and views of what used to be Southgate Drive. If you run the full circuit, RUNNING / page 4

A woman runs at the Duck Pond, Feb. 8, 2018.

CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION DISTRICT The plan will unite students and faculty.

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PAGE 2 February 20, 2018

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DEMS: Speaking up, inciting change from page 1

Students for Sensible Drug Policy and the Tech DREAMers. We promote the values and beliefs of the Democratic Party, such as the right to education, health care, living wages, citizenship and safe communities regardless of identity. We believe in creating a society based on equality, recognizing the privileges that make our experiences unique from those of others and providing a platform and social support for people who belong to historically marginalized or disenfranchised groups.. Each generation should have the same opportunities as the one preceding it and enjoy the same rights and privileges regardless of their identities. We can only achieve these goals by engaging young

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people in the political and electoral process. In the last presidential election, only 50 percent of millenials voted. As millennial voter turnout increases, millenials have the power to shape the future of America. We are the future of the United States of America and must act and advocate for the issues we take to heart accordingly. We encourage all students to come out to the Collegiate Times campus-wide debate this Tuesday, Feb. 20, and hear our perspectives on key political issues being discussed nationwide right now. If you are interested in joining our club or want more information, like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter @VTYoungDems.

THE YOUNG DEMOCRATS AT VIRGINIA TECH

AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES The Young Democrats respond to fellow debaters during the second annual Campus-Wide Debate hosted by the Collegiate Times, Oct. 25, 2016.

AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES The Young Americans for Liberty and the College Republicans listen while the Greens at Virginia Tech speak during the second annual Campus-Wide Debate hosted by the Collegiate Times, Oct. 25, 2016.

GREENS: Calling YAL: With liberty for sustainability and justice for all from page 1

profiling, to the racist drug war and to the continued unequal pay given to women. We unapologetically fight for universal health care that will ensure all Americans have access to cheap, quality care. We demand a universal basic income that will eliminate starvation, poverty and homelessness for the first time in human history. We demand a just transition for workers who lose their jobs because of trade deals or the move to renewable energy. We demand an end to foreign wars, to government surveillance, to drone strikes and military adventurism. We argue for universal higher education and a debt jubilee. This will eliminate all student loan debt and ensure no one will ever accumulate more. Only the Green Party is brave enough to offer these solutions. These issues can feel overwhelming at times. It’s difficult to see how we can right a ship so large and so vastly off course. It can be done, if we work together at the local level to make

positive change. The Greens at Virginia Tech cannot, by themselves, rebuild the crumbling infrastructure of the entire nation, but we can work with local governments to ensure quality, high-speed, public internet for all residents of the New River Valley. We can unite student workers into a union to fight for better pay and working conditions. We can demand that our university do the right thing and oppose the Mountain Valley Pipeline. We can force the administration to meet ethical obligations and divest from fossil fuels. We can stand in solidarity with those facing deportation and discrimination on campuses. We can make a difference. We can’t make a difference by ourselves. We need you, reader, to join us in this fight. Email us at greensatvirginiatech@gmail.com to find out how you can help, or come to our weekly meetings every Thursday at 7 on the first floor of Squires. We will see you there!

THE GREENS AT VIRGINIA TECH

from page 1

costs associated with maintaining prisons and will promote rehabilitation. Individual privacy goes hand in hand with private property, which includes control over individuals’ finances and personal well-being, so a libertarian approach to health care is rooted in personal freedom to choose the care that best suits them. Programs like Obamacare that have a mandate to purchase health care go against the individual’s freedom to choose their care. YAL supports a singlepayer health care system in which health care choice is in the hands of the individual, not mandated by the government. Concerning the environment, smaller government would decrease dependency on fossil fuels and would fuel the free market to improve sustainable sources of fuel. The price of solar energy technology has been steadily falling for years, which could provide a solution for the future. Student loan debt is a major

issue for american taxpayers and students, and there is a large split in what the role is that the government should play in loan forgiveness. The student loan debt bubble is a government made problem that has set back many young Americans from pursuing careers and created a cycle of financial instability. In addition, the societal pressures that are placed on higher education create a culture that promoted college as a necessity, when in fact it is not for everyone. In support of a laissez-faire economy, government intervention in student loan debt should be held to a minimum. In participating in the campus-wide debate, YAL hopes to bring awareness that not all political ideas are black and white and that libertarianism offers a platform based on freedom of choice, which is one of the ideals on which this country is founded.

THE YOUNG AMERICANS FOR LIBERTY

Business majors receive unfair judgment, derision despite challenging coursework and career outlook

People who see business majors as self-absorbed and money-minded are blinded by prejudice and fail to look past stereotypes. ajors are an important identifier among college students: They are one of the first things we inquire about upon meeting new people, how we make friends and how we describe people. With so many diverse disciplines offered here at Virginia Tech, it is inevitable that people will judge others based on their majors. However, one group of people continuously falls victim to vilification more harshly and frequently than do others: Business majors. Students in business are constantly judged for their majors and career paths. Whether it’s being told that they only care about money, never have to do any work, don’t contribute to society — amid a slew of other accusations that people come up with — business majors often have to defend themselves from scrutiny. These criticisms are completely uncalled for and based on nothing besides exaggerated stereotypes. What people fail to see is the depth and variety

within business. People pursue business for so many different reasons: Business majors have dreams of opening their own small businesses, creating new technologies, going into hospitality, starting their own brands and much more. There is much more to it than just wanting to be wealthy, especially because so many careers in business involve taking financial risks. Money just happens to be an added bonus for many business careers, and I don’t hear people judging, say, engineering majors for their financial prospects. Another common m i s c o n c e p t io n a b o ut business majors is that we don’t work or study as hard as other majors, but this is far from the truth. Students are often required to take classes that focus on each of the different majors offered by the business school, no matter their concentration; every business major has to take courses in accounting, economics and business information technology in their first two years of study. Having to immerse yourself

in an entirely different concentration can be overwhelming and difficult. Business majors also depend on internships as a key part of being successful in their major. Getting these internships is incredibly competitive, and performing well at them is just as important because they could turn into full-time job offers. Not to mention that so many of the jobs that business majors are preparing for require long hours of hard work. Just because we may not complain about our workload as much as other majors does not mean that it is any less strenuous. L i kew i s e, bu si ne ss majors aren’t all self-serving either. They have the ability to impact people’s lives and communities in plenty of ways. Businesses often have philanthropic efforts: Small businesses offer local jobs to communities, business people can help others manage their finances and those in hospitality are able to give people life-changing experiences and memories. The charitable work of

business people may not be as obvious as others, but their ability to help others is undeniable. No matter what major someone chooses to pursue, everyone has the same goals and aspirations: We all want to do something we are passionate about and be successful in our careers as we pursue those passions so that we can live a meaningful life. Whatever career that may be differs for everyone, and no one should be judged poorly for the path they choose to take. DONYA MOMENIAN • opinions columnist • freshman/business information technology

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news

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Future plans for Creativity and Innovation District revealed The Creativity and Innovation District will have two living-learning communities and promote collaboration between colleges. MIKE LIU

assistant news editor

On Thursday, Feb. 15, Ben Knapp, director of the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT), and Frank Shushok, senior associate vice president for Student Affairs, presented Virginia Tech’s future plan for the Creativity and Innovation District at the monthly Town-Gown meeting in Ambler Johnston Hall. The Creativity and Innovation District will be located on the eastern edge of the campus close to downtown Blacksburg. The district will contain most of the existing facilities that are already in the area. These facilities include the Moss Arts Center, Theatre 101, Squires Student Center, Newman Library, the Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown, the Media Building and the Media Annex. “If you notice, this really is right on the edge of campus,” Knapp said. “The idea is that these are edges of campus to work with students and entrepreneurial folks from the community that want to collaborate.” According to Knapp, he hopes that the district will blur the edges of Virginia Tech and Blacksburg.

“Students and faculty love engaging with the community, having people ask them questions. We are really looking forward to expanding this,” Knapp said. A new living-learning residential community will be added to the district. According to Shushok, there will be about 550 residential beds in the new residential community.

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Students and faculty love engaging with the community, having people ask them questions. We are really looking forward to expanding this.” Benjamin Knapp director of ICAT

“It should be really exciting,” Knapp said. “And really there is no precedent across the country that would do this kind of thing and really merging town, Virginia Tech, live-learn community all in this really incredible design and the arts and innovation space.” Two living-lea r n ing programs, Innovate and

Studio 72, both currently located in Pritchard Hall, will move to the new residential community once the construction is completed. The Innovate livinglearning community is open to students from all majors across the campus who want to gain insights into the entrepreneurial process. The Studio 72 living-learning community is also open to all students who want to make arts part of their experience at Virginia Tech. “We are trying different things and seeing what works and what doesn’t work. One of the things we felt did work and we are going to hopefully be moving that or within the live-learn community is the idea of the entrepreneurial connection,” Knapp said. “Students at Virginia Tech have some amazing things about their ethos. One of which is they all want to solve the world’s problems. You may roll your eyes and think that’s typical, but I’ve been in a lot of universities and that’s not typical.” V M D O, a n a rch itecture firm based in Charlottesville, is responsible for designing the buildings. It will be visiting campus about every three weeks. The new residential community is on schedule

ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES Benjamin Knapp chuckles as he answers a question from one of the audience members, Feb. 15, 2018.

for occupancy in the fall of 2022. The purpose of the Creativity and Innovation District is to create a place that can bring students and faculty from different colleges together. “The whole Creativity

and Innovation District itself, over the years, is going to become something quite incredible as the design, the architecture and arts part of campus start to move into the Creativity and Innovation District,” Knapp said. “And everything

really gets aligned with that interspace between us and Blacksburg and all that’s happening there.”

@Zelia_Liu

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RUNNING: Want a challenge? Try the Huckleberry Trail from page 1

dummy rifle at me, causing his instructor to yell at him.

you could get a good 2-mile run there, with the addition of getting there and back making the run 4 miles. Just don’t run there when the cross-country team is practicing, or when the Corps is doing drills. I learned this the hard way when I came across a drill and a cadet pointed a

VT to Foxridge This is a great run for scenery too. If you live in the Foxridge area already, you may be familiar with this trail and may have run it yourself. If you start from the center of campus, you take the same path to the obstacle course, but instead take a right at the fork.

From here, there is a trail that leads under Route 460 and past the livestock pastures, and then parallel to Stroubles Creek leading to Foxridge. If you run far enough to a small pavilion overlooking a large valley with hills on either side, that is about 2 miles from campus, and if you go back the same way, you will be able to make a good 4-mile run.

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Today’s Birthday Horoscope (Feb. 20): Learn and grow this year. Expand your understanding through direct experience and teamwork. Summer love fills your heart with courage to face changes. Inspiration energizes your physical practices, health and work. Community action gets satisfying results. Strengthen bonds and win together.

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ACROSS 1 Hebrew scholar 6 Borden spokescow 11 With 25-Across, “Scream” director 14 Watery expanse 15 Double-check, as totals 16 Shakespearean prince or Broadway producer Prince 17 *“Never!” 19 Incoming flight info 20 Flower parts 21 Visit 22 Fedora feature 23 Valley with wine cellars and sellers 25 See 11-Across 27 Rock gently 29 “Is this a good move for me?” 31 Folk singer Phil 32 Steeped beverage 33 Become a pro at 36 After “no,” “Not possible!” 37 *“Not another problem!” 39 State 40 Appetizer follower 42 That woman 43 Tortoise racer 44 Carpenter’s cordless cutter 46 Temper tantrums 47 Tank type 48 Mix 50 Jelly holders 51 Turf roll 53 Olympic segments 57 Outback bird 58 *“I don’t need a second opinion!” 60 Sit-up targets 61 Sporty Chevy 62 Angler’s danglers 63 “Nope” 64 Portfolio part 65 Snooty sorts DOWN 1 Lettered theater locations 2 Post-workout soreness

Difficult

The Huckleberry Trail If you are looking for a much more difficult run, try the Huckleberry Trail. You don’t have to run the full length — but if you’re up for it, it goes all the way to Christiansburg. It starts around where Route 460 meets the old Southgate Dr ive, and continues through woods, neighborhoods and along railway

tracks. It is a very scenic run, and there are plenty of ways to run it, but if you decide to run the whole trail and back, it is a very tough 11-mile run. Knowing when to run The best rule of thumb for me before running is to look at the temperature. Generally, if it’s above 45 degrees, it is fine to run in shorts with a hoodie at most.

I also use the GoRun feature on the Weather Channel app. It provides a ranking of 1–10 on how good the running conditions are in your area, based on preferences that you can set.

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3 Warning toot 4 Fruit that grows in bunches 5 Like catchable foul balls 6 Physicist’s work unit 7 Not so pricey 8 Seattle’s __ Field 9 Unsubstantiated bit of gossip 10 Ice cream maker Joseph 11 *“Happenin’ scene, man!” 12 Enjoy home cooking 13 Shut angrily 18 Web access co. 22 Brief briefs? 24 On the water 26 “There oughta be __!” 27 Read quickly 28 *“Cool your heels!” 30 Yoga system 31 Be in debt 32 Things to “do” after you 12Down 34 Glasses holders 35 Pumpernickel grain

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The 9 best documentaries on Netflix right now for conspiracy junkies Feed your curiosity about terrorist attacks, dead rock stars and the meaning of life with these captivating films and TV series. EMILY HANNAH

lifestyles staff writer

Netflix has been under quite a bit of heat lately as a result of the company making a good amount of popular TV shows and classic movies unavailable for viewing. Despite all of this chaos, there is a genre still available that many overlook: conspiracy. As someone who truly enjoys the thrill of an interesting documentary, conspi r a cy do cu mentaries are up my alley. After researching heavily and talking with peers, I compiled a list of nine conspiracy documentaries (and yes, I watched them all) on Netflix. Of course, there are more than nine available for viewing, but no one has that much free time. These movies range from topics about terrorist attacks and alien sightings all the way to the untimely death of Nirvana star Kurt Cobain. This is a list for all aspiring conspiracy junkies. “A Good American” (2015) This movie is about NSA analyst and cryptologist Bill Binney. During his work for the NSA as technical director, Binney created a complex program called ThinThread that could uncover information, data and clues about future terrorist attacks. However, his data and programs were eliminated just weeks before the terrorist attacks on 9/11. In the documentary, Binney explains the NSA’s decision to not use his inexpensive surveillance software that could have potentially stopped the terrorist attacks. Binney takes the audience through his time working for the government and critiques the NSA on its arrogance. “Curse of the Man Who Sees UFOs” (2016) This movie is about Christo Roppolo, a man who claims he has been sighting UFOs for several years in Monterey, California. In 2013, he got in touch with a filmmaker named Justin Gaar to help him film sightings of his “brothers from space.” Though Christo is deemed “crazy,” he truly is just driven by forces greater than himself. This story is something of a tragedy hidden in a documentary, and Roppolo emits a heavy amount of empathy to the people of the world who don’t understand his sightings. “Amanda Knox” (2016) Whether Amanda Knox is guilty of the murder of her roommate is a question many people are still asking. This documentary, which Knox herself stars in, sheds light on several different points of view for this truecrime conspiracy. The whole film honestly forces the audience to do a gut-check and view the whole situation from several angles that hadn’t been previously considered.

“ Cow s p i r a c y: The Sustainability Secret ” (2014) This documentary sheds light on how factory farming is depleting the Earth of its natural resources and why this huge issue has been ignored by even the most prominent environmental groups. Like another popular farming-directed documentary, “Food, Inc.,” this movie mixes environmental implications and how environmental groups are becoming controlled by the inevitable “boom” of big business. “Zeitgeist: The Movie” (2007) This nonprofit film was created to encourage the audience to look at the universe with a more skeptical eye, to understand that things are not always what they may seem. The film covers three theories: Christian religion derives from other astrological religions, the 9/11 attacks were orchestrated by the government and the Federal Reserve System is a small group of bankers who collapse economies to benefit themselves. Though some arguments made in the film aren’t all that compelling, the film truly does force you to think about certain things in life a little differently. The information backing the claims isn’t so questionable, and is backed up with irrefutable data, but someone who has been studying conspiracies for longer can notice some claims about a few theories have already been debunked. “Kurt & Courtney” (1998) This documentary goes deep into the marriage of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, putting a magnifying glass on Cobain’s untimely death. This film doesn’t completely focus on the marriage of Cobain and Love, but also focuses on what living in the “shabby” world of rock can do to people. Narrator Nick Broomfield portrays Love almost as a hypocrite who promotes her need for free speech but also manipulates media sources in an attempt to save her public image. “The Code” (2011) The code is a three-part series of documentaries, explaining a complex mathematical code that is accountable for all life on Earth and our universe. This mathematical code is explained in depth in each part of the series, stating that the code controls everything from “shapes to serial killers.” This series is almost interactive, pulling any viewer in to take a shot at this mathematical puzzle like some sort of treasure hunt. “Casting JonBenet ” (2017) Cold cases like the JonBenet Ramsey case turns us all into the amateur detectives we dream of being. This documentary is more like an

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audition reel of actors auditioning to play the members of the Ramsey family for a documentary about the murder of JonBenet. Most of the actors are interviewed in the movie, sending out their own theories about who killed 6-year-old JonBenet. A good portion of the actors also had personal connections with the Ramsey family at the time of the murder. The documentary is interesting, shedding light on all theories — overstated and brand new. “Unsealed: Conspiracy Files” (2012) This show is only one season long, with over 20 episodes ranging around 20 minutes each. I liked this show specifically because there are many different conspiracies recognized, not just a few, and the information is interesting. Some of the conspiracies covered are about government mindcontrol, animal cloning, Adolf Hitler’s death and several more regarding aliens, zombies and bigfoot alike. However, there were some downsides to the show. Because each episode is only 20 minutes, there is hardly enough time to go into great depths about all of the information. Some episodes also focus more on the images in the show rather than the substance. Other than that, it’s a great starting point for those just getting interested in conspiracy theories. In addition to this list, Netflix offers many other conspiracy documentaries — don’t limit your search to just this article. If Netflix doesn’t have everything you hoped for, check out Hulu or Amazon Prime. @CollegiateTimes

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sports

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Revamped Hokies’ baseball makes season debut Tech started its season off in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this past weekend with a new coach and renewed motivation. STEPHEN NEWMAN social media editor

The Virginia Tech baseball program will be breaking ground in multiple respects this season. With English Field having undergone major reconstruction and head coach John Szefc’s starting his first season with the Hokies, the team has a chance to rebuild itself in a positive way. Prior to taking the Tech job, Szefc went 180–122 (.596) in five seasons as the head coach at Maryland, guiding the Terrapins to the NCAA Tournament three times. He has also served as the head man at Marist (1996–2002), as well as held multiple gigs as an assistant. Szefc’s motto since taking over has been to “build it in Blacksburg.” “We’re grateful for all of the physical building that the administration has done for the program,” Szefc said. “But our current players are

really what matter most.” In his first season with the Hokies, the offensive backbone will remain intact. Their top three hitters for average from last season (Jack Owens, Tom Stoffel and Sam Fragale) are all returning. Hitting coach Kur t Elbin, much like the rest of the staff, has been very impressed with how the team’s nucleus, particularly offensively, has adjusted to the new regime. “Our older guys have done a really good job at accepting the way we want to do our business,” Elbin said. “I’m thankful to work with them.” Although two-thirds of the Hokies’ starting outfield in Rahiem Cooper and Mac Caples will be gone, they were also both sub-.250 average hitters. With the two of them out of the mix, junior transfer Nick Menken will have an opportunity to step into a

starting role. In each of his first two seasons, attending Iowa Western Community College, Menken hit well over .300, and stole 36 bases, a key element that the Hokies have been lacking. They swiped just 21 bags as a team last season, and the only returning player with any was Owens, who led the team with just nine. Additionally, Stevie Mangrum showed plenty of potential at the plate, both in terms of average and pop, albeit in a relatively small sample size. He will have an opportunity to claim a larger role in the lineup this season. After hitting over .300 for the first time last season and also recording career highs in home runs, triples, doubles and runs scored, shortstop Ryan Tufts has graduated and moved on to his new role on the Diamondbacks. The favorites to fill his void appear to be transfer Nick Owens — no known relation

to Jack — and freshman Jojo Odachowski, as well as fellow freshman Cam Irvine, who had a standout in the team’s Fall World Series. However, this situation appears to be up for debate. Another freshman to keep an eye on is outfielder Darion Jacoby, just one more star of the Fall World Series. Based off his performance, it would be no surprise if he could also earn significant playing time. Senior righties Connor Cowa rd a nd A nd rew McDonald were rested for much of the offseason. They had relatively heavy workloads last season and are expected to shoulder substantial responsibilities again this coming spring. In t hei r a b s enc e, freshman southpaws Ian Seymour and Ryan Okuda impressed the coaching staff. They were thought of highly enough to be the starters for their respective teams in the Fall World Series and may have worked their way into key roles this season. Pitching coach Ryan Fecteau noted that senior Joey Sullivan will be relied upon as a major piece out of the bullpen and that Coward will likely be relied upon as

the Friday night starter, as the ace of the staff. Nic En r ight could potentially factor into the equation, but the team has remained cautious with him, since he’s coming off Tommy John surgery. Prior to the operation, the redshirt sophomore was selected in the 19th round in 2015 by the New York Mets. Speaking of Tommy John, Luke Scherzer looks to return to his starring role out of the bullpen after two such operations. He led the Hokies in saves (five) as a freshman and appeared in a team-high 27 games as a sophomore in 2015. Fecteau believes that keeping players who have had these types of injuries rested is of the utmost importance and has historically erred on the side of caution. This appears to be what he has done this offseason as well, for both the Tommy John returnees and the guys who had heavy workloads last season. After a last-place finish last season, the Hokies were picked to finish in sixth place in the Coastal by the ACC coaches in their preseason poll, only ahead of Pitt. Szefc recognizes that he won’t be able to rebuild the

program overnight. While he believes he struggled with this as a younger coach, he has learned that patience is vital to the process. “You have to believe that the process that you’re executing every day is the right process and not get hooked on the outcome as much.” A new chapter of the process began this past weekend when Tech opened its season in the Coastal Carolina Classic. The team faced Coastal Carolina, No. 17 South Alabama, Oklahoma and Kansas State over a four-day stretch. They started the tournament with two consecutive losses to Coastal Ca rol i na a nd Sout h Alabama. Despite seeing a daunting list of programs, Fecteau believes that playing such tough teams early in the season is actually to his benefit. “It really shows your weaknesses and what you need to get better at.”

@Stephen_Newman1

BILLY CLARKE / COLLEGIATE TIMES Tom Stoffel (12) stands at the mound swinging toward the oncoming pitch, April 21, 2017.

LOREN SKINKER / COLLEGIATE TIMES Tech’s pitcher Connor Coward (27) winds up for a pitch early in the first inning of game one against UVA, April 13, 2017.

BILLY CLARKE / COLLEGIATE TIMES Dylan Hall (13) pitches a fastball toward the Jacket at-bat, April 21, 2017.

Men’s basketball bounces back with win over Jackets The Hokies stay in the NCAA Tournament running with a win on Saturday to improve to 19–8 as March quickly approaches. RYAN WILSON sports staff writer

It is safe to say that Virginia Tech bounced back from its loss at Duke on Wednesday after dominating Georgia Tech 76–56 to improve to 19–8 overall and 8–6 in ACC play. Georgia Tech, with its fifth consecutive loss, remains in the cellar of the ACC at 11–16 overall and 4–10 in league play. After trailing 14–8 early, and having Georgia Tech guard Tadric Jackson score

many points early, the Hokies went on two separate 10–0 runs, and later in the half 7–0, to eventually take a 43–29 lead into the locker room. In the second half, it was no contest, as the Hokies opened up the period with a 21–3 run to eventually take a 32 point lead at 64–32. After leading by as much as 35, coach Williams took out the starters and Tech cruised on to a victory. The Hokies go as Justin Robinson goes. He certainly came back to form after scoring only five points in

Durham on Wednesday night in the blowout loss. He led the team in scoring with 18 points and four assists. The Hokies were brilliant from the floor, as they shot 53 percent and went 8–16

“

Virginia Tech may need one or two more wins to solidify its tournament resume.”

from beyond the arc, with Robinson going 3–3. Jackson, the older brother of Hokies guard Tyrie Jackson, led Georgia Tech in scoring. Georgia Tech’s Jackson started 5–5 from the field, but missed 11 of his last 12 shots and scored 17 points. Josh Okogie, who leads the Yellow Jackets in scoring, had only 10 points, and shot 2–14 from the field. The Hokies finished up their three-game road trip going 2–1, including the ma rquee win in Charlottesville against the

now No. 1 Virginia. They now return home for three straight games against Clemson, Louisville and Duke before ending their season at Miami. None of these games will be easy, as Virginia Tech may need one or two more wins to solidify its tournament resume. Virginia Tech fans are used to sweating as they watch on Selection Sunday, as there have been many snubs from tournament worthy teams in the past. This year will be no different, as the resume

for the Hokies certainly has enough at this moment to put them in, but will need some good performances down the stretch to make the committee certain that they belong in the field of 68. That quest begins this Wednesday night back in Cassell Coliseum against the No. 11 Clemson Tigers. The game will tip off at 7 p.m. on the ACC Network.

@RyGuySportsGuy