The Daily Aztec 4/12/23

Aztecs celebrate a historic basketball season at Snapdragon Stadium

BY MORGAN PRICKETT SPORTS EDITOR

Thousands sat glued to the jumbotron as Lamont Butler dribbled the ball up the court.

A few seconds left on the clock and the chance to send SDSU’s men’s basketball team to the National Championship. Butler sank his mid range jumper, and the crowd was sent into a frenzy. No.

This wasn’t the thousands that sat in NRG Stadium in Houston nor was it the ones who remained back at Viejas Arena in San Diego.

This was the Snapdragon Stadium crowd during the Aztec basketball team’s celebration on April 8, reliving the moments that made this season so special:

From the Aztecs’ raining a Viejashigh 19 threes against Occidental College on Dec. 2, 2022 to Butler’s game-winning 3-pointer in New Mexico and from the Mountain West Tournament win in Las Vegas, all the way to the huge win over the overall No. 1 seed Alabama.

Plenty of magical moments replayed through the big screen as the crowd rejoiced in the beauty of SDSU’s historic season.

“This is a reward for all of us and for all of the guys that have played before,” head coach Brian Dutcher said.

The lengthy 35-inch wide red carpet was rolled out for the players who came off the bus 1-by-1. Fans

crowded

Matt Bradley dressed in Young Thug’s clothing brand, Spider, with his celebrity Morkie (Maltese Yorkie), Penny, garnered plenty of attention.

Keshad Johnson brought out three sets of gold chains, some rings and Alexander McQueen kicks while Nathan Mensah stunted with his usual hat-shoe combo.

“I’m trying to grow my hat collection to match with my shoes,”

Mensah told The Daily Aztec. “I tried to keep it going today, I decided to do a green and a green... so I’m getting there.”

The players were all reintroduced on the field following their red carpet entrance. Fire and other pyrotechnics blazed down the pathway as the entire staff and team strutted to the on-field platform. The loudest cheers echoed for Butler, Dutcher and 10th year assistant coach Mark Fisher who was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in 2011.

Aguek Arop strode in with the

South Regional Title in hand followed by Keshad Johnson holding the Mountain West tournament trophy and Mensah with the regular season one. The event took place at Snapdragon in anticipation of a crowd larger than Viejas Arena’s 12,414 capacity.

“We had 27,000 tickets out but we don’t know how many that is because you can get up to six tickets free,” said Jamie McConeghy, Senior Associate Athletic Director of Communications & Media Relations. “So we thought it

SEE SPORTS • BACK PAGE

Unrecognized fraternal student organization under fire for 2021 hazing incident

DAESHA GEAR

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Kappa Sigma, an unrecognized fraternity at San Diego State University, and its Epsilon Iota chapter were named in a lawsuit after an alleged hazing incident nearly led to the death of a former student.

Nine members of the Epsilon Iota chapter have been accused of

negligence and hazing 19-year-old Benjamin Brennan, who was a student during the alleged 2021 incident. According to the complaint filed, Brennan was given copious amounts of alcohol and potent tobacco by the accused Kappa Sigma members during an initiation ritual during the late hours of April 16 into early the next morning.

“Kappa Sigma Epsilon Iota and Kappa Sigma National, by and

through its Kappa Sigma members and (John) Does 1-100, provided alcoholic beverages and forced alcohol upon plaintiff Brennan, an obviously intoxicated minor,” the complaint reads. “Whom (accused Kappa Sigma members) knew or should have known to be under the age of 21, in violation of their duty.”

Lamont Butler parts a sea of fans at Snapdragon Stadium on April 8. Photo by Noelani Sapla

The SDSU men’s basketball team hosted a commemorative celebration to honor a momentous season

as the Aztecs handled media interviews before walking down the long carpet from outside-to-inside the stadium.

Former SDSU student alleges Epsilon Iota chapter of Kappa Sigma fraternity participated in hazing and negligence that led to intubation on life support

Brennan, a first-year from Pennsylvania at the time, wanted to enhance his college life experience by attending SDSU and experiencing brotherhood by joining the Kappa Sigma Epsilon Iota chapter, according to the document.

Brennan paid membership dues to the Kappa Sigma Epsilon Iota chapter and was considered a member of the 2021 Omicron pledge class.

According to the complaint, Brennan participated in six weeks of events, and if he did not show up, he would be automatically “cut” from the pledge class.

On the night of April 16, 2021, Brennan, along with other aspiring members, were summoned to pledge at the Kappa Sigma Epsilon Iota chapter house at 9 p.m. Brennan, at that the time, was working and received a message from one of the accused members, who told Brennan to immediately be at the frat house to continue pledging to the fraternity.

Allegedly, the 9 p.m. pledge — called the “Big Brother” event — at the Kappa Sigma Epsilon Iota house was said to be the final stage of pledging. Therefore, if completed or failed, aspiring members would either become official brothers or be rejected from the organization.

The accused fraternity members allegedly told pledges who arrived at the house they could not leave. Aspiring members were ordered to “obey” the directions of the accused Kappa Sigma members.

Brennan’s phone and car keys were confiscated during the activities, which included drinking a 750-milliliter bottle of alcohol within 30 minutes. After consuming everything he was told to, Brennan became dangerously inebriated and was unable to speak or stand.

In the early morning hours of April 17, Brennan was unconscious and was allegedly “repeatedly stricken with paddles.” He soon entered a comatose state and was brought to the hospital by the accused Kappa Sigma members.

The complaint claims that the men accused did not provide proper medical information on Brennan’s condition, which prolonged his treatment. And those accused also allegedly used a fabricated story in which they said, “It was instead the Grossmont Junior College baseball team’s fault, and everything occurred away from the fraternity.”

Brennan was found unconscious by hospital personnel and was immediately placed on life support. He was intubated and had a “1% chance of survival” as his blood alcohol content level was at 0.489%.

Brennan survived the alleged hazing incident but is still recovering. However, he had to withdraw his enrollment at SDSU and was fired from his job since he left work immediately to arrive at the Kappa Sigma house the night of the incident.

SDSU officials did not comment on the incident in question since the university is not named in the lawsuit. However, officials addressed Kappa Sigma’s status, unrecognized student organizations and its anti-hazing policy.

“Kappa Sigma was suspended from SDSU in 2020 and expelled in 2022. The chapter appealed the university’s decision earlier this year, and the university has upheld the expulsion,” SDSU said in an email statement. “(Kappa Sigma) is not an approved, recognized student organization (RSO), and has not been since May 2020.”

SDSU has implemented strategies, such as the Amnesty (for individual students) and Good Samaritan (for student organizations)

policies to prevent hazing. The university urges its community to report any potential hazing incidents via its online reporting form and reporthazing@sdsu.edu email address.

The university discourages individuals from joining unrecognized fraternal student organizations, and it will inform students, parents and

families through letters each year.

“At SDSU, we expect all of our students to uphold our institutional values, and for our students, to also honor the policies of their local and national chapters and the distinct values of their organizations,” the university said in an email statement.

“As always, the university urges any member of the community to report

incidents of concerns, and SDSU looks into each individual complaint and will move forward with separate investigations as warranted.”

The civil lawsuit is estimated to be $25,000 or more for the damages Brennan sustained during the alleged hazing incident.

This story is ongoing.

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Kappa Sigma, an unrecognized fraternity at San Diego State University, and its Epsilon Iota chapter were named in a lawsuit after an alleged hazing incident nearly led to the death of a former student. Photo by Isabella Biunno.

Greenfest ‘got low’ and sustainable this year

The annual event celebrated sustainability, diversity and pride

BY EMILY LYTLE STAFF WRITER

Following an exciting weekend of watching San Diego State University men’s basketball play in the NCAA Final Four Tournament, the high energy continued at this year’s Greenfest week, April 3-7.

Jacquelyn Hristov, Greenfest chair and third-year business management major, emphasized urgency with this year’s theme: Before it’s too late.

Hristov wanted to communicate to her peers and the SDSU community the importance of adopting a sustainable lifestyle now considering the rapid momentum of climate change. She has always been interested in the legislation and regulations surrounding sustainability and how these can be implemented into a college system.

“Sustainability is taking positive actions to try to eliminate the waste you produce and the emissions you emit,” said Hristov at the California’s Creatures event on Tuesday. “Taking any sort of action, no matter how big or small of an impact, to reduce your waste.”

Greenfest prepared a variety of informative and engaging activities for the SDSU community that promoted and celebrated sustainability, diversity and pride. San Diego State’s Associated Students hosts the festival each year in collaboration with the Aztec Student Union Board, Green Love Commission, Student Diversity Commission and other organizations. Greenfest 2023 included a full week of impactful events on campus:

Monday

Monday, April 3, focused on learning and networking. Greenfest and Enviro Centric hosted a Sustainable Career Fair where students were given the opportunity to network with business professionals and learn more about the different sustainable companies in the San Diego area.

The Enviro-Fashion Show was canceled due to the large student attendance at the Viejas Arena watch party for the NCAA basketball championship game that evening.

Tuesday Lizards, birds and bunnies visited campus on Tuesday, April 4 for the California’s Creatures event. The goal of this action was to demonstrate that the sustainable choices we make can have

a positive impact on these animals and their environment.

San Diego State’s Alt Protein Project hosted its first annual summit at Greenfest that evening. With its mission being to support the growing alternative protein industry, this event included panel sessions on the food system, complimentary food and networking opportunities.

Wednesday

The well-known, organic and fair trade ingredient soap company Dr. Bronner’s came to Union Theatre on Wednesday, April 5. At the Green Lunch Bag Series event put together by Greenlove, Lisa Bronner, the founder’s granddaughter, spoke on behalf of Dr. Bronner’s organization and educated students on sustainable production. She gave an inspiring presentation about the value of being transparent with customers. Students were able to enjoy complimentary Plant Power food and engage in direct conversation with the guest speaker.

That evening, The Butterfly Effect event allowed students to immerse themselves in a monarch butterfly environment through virtual reality. The VR experience was informative and creative “without disrupting a real monarch butterfly’s environment or using carbon emissions to get there,” said Kailey Tooch, music and entertainment representative for Greenfest.

With multiple sustainability organizations tabling at the event, participants also engaged in terracotta pot decorating, planting pollinator friendly plants and enjoyed vegan butterfly-themed cupcakes.

Thursday

Nicole Estrada, a vegan chef, visited campus on Thursday, April 6 for Greenfest’s Whole (some) Cooking event in the Union Courtyard. She did a cooking demonstration of five vegan and gluten free meals that consisted of ingredients from Trader Joe’s and Costco, where many SDSU students shop for groceries. Participants were provided with samples and recipes for healthy, nutrient dense foods that college students can make even with busy schedules and tight budgets.

The Rock and Stick and the Healing Gifts of the Earth event that evening inspired deep reflection about treating

the world with kindness. Guest speaker Maggie Steel guided participants in connecting spiritually with the Earth by recognizing the significance in the simple journey of sticks and rocks.

“I wanted to include an event that really emphasized the three Greenfest initiatives (sustainability, diversity and pride) and make sure the voices of the Student Diversity Commission were heard as they are an integral component of putting on this impactful workshop every year,” said previous Greenlove events chair and member of the Student Diversity Commission, Lexi Bautista Madison.

Friday

As Greenfest is commonly recognized for its annual Friday concert featuring a famous headliner, singer and

producer T-Pain performed this year at the Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre on April 7. This is the second year the Greenfest concert has been back since the COVID-19 pandemic following an electric performance by rapper Gunna last year in 2022.

Before the concert, Greenfest hosted a kick-off in the Union Courtyard where students were able to enjoy music and free food. With the large influence of Aztec Music Group and other creative Greenfest committee members, music and culture has continued to be a large element of the Greenfest festival each year.

For more information, you can visit @greenfestsdsu on Instagram or the Greenfest website.

April is recognized as SWANA Heritage Month

SDSU is hosting a variety of events throughout the month related to SWANA Heritage month to acknowledge the contributions of the community tremendously hard to make sure that SDSU students will have the ability to immerse themselves in SWANA culture during the heritage month,” said Ilias Benbatoul, MENA’s cultural coordinator and a third-year political science major.

SDSU is hosting seven events through the course of the month, with comedy nights, conversations about cultural appropriation, SWANA related art events and others.

This month is in concurrence with the Arab American Heritage Month, in the year following Biden’s official presidential recognition. San Diego State alternatively chose to use the term SWANA.

BY AMINA IDOUI STAFF WRITER

April 1 marked the beginning of Southwest Asia and North African (SWANA) Heritage Month at San Diego State. The intended purpose, according to SDSU, is “to increase awareness about the history, cultures,

civil engineering major, Mohammad Erakat, expressed indifference towards everchanging terms.

“I do not feel connection to broad terms because they are always changing and it is all just semantics,” Erakat said. “My identity just comes from my culture as a Palestinian and an Arab.”

The events shed a light on SWANA contributions in the United States, help educate students on the rich cultures prevalent in the region and inform attendees on issues the community commonly faces.

experiences, contributions

of the SWANA community.”

and resiliency

This event is put on as a collaboration between the Center for Intercultural Relations and the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Student Union.

“The executive board (MENA) along with the staff of CIR have worked

The use of the term SWANA is a departure from the contested colonial “Middle Eastern” term or “Arab,” recognizing there are a multitude of identities and communities outside of Arabs in the region.

Students note a lack of inconsistency as there are groups that continue to use the term MENA that may lead to confusion. First-year

“(Events like these) ensure that our voices do not go silent. It is a way to embrace our culture and our achievements and be alone to be who we are proudly,” Erakat said. “Even if you do not have any particular interest it could be a learning opportunity to expand your perspective and learn about other cultures.”

More information on SWANA Heritage month and upcoming events can be found on the Associated Students’ website.

T-Pain takes the Cal Coast Credit Union Amptheater stage with an energetic performance at the Greenfest concert on April 7. Photo by Sumaia Wegner

ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXANDRA DUNLOP

Gabriel Schneider editor@thedailyaztec.com

ILLUSTRATION BY GABBY HOUSER

Aromanticism never felt like a real option, and that’s not my fault

BY MADISON MCGILL STAFF WRITER

I threw up shortly after a boy asked me out when I was 15.

He decided to do this in front of all our friends, so naturally, I felt compelled to say yes. As the hollers and excited cheers roared in my ears, I promptly walked away and found the nearest bathroom to vomit in.

I did not go on that date.

At 17 years old, I made the mistake of telling a guy, very politely, that I wasn’t interested in being anyone’s girlfriend. He called to scream that I was a whore who wanted an excuse to have sex with everyone.

I cried myself to sleep that night.

I didn’t know what was wrong with me. It didn’t help that every family gathering turned into an interrogation about whether or not I had a boyfriend. How was I going to explain that there were always guys around, but the mere thought of harboring romantic feelings toward them didn’t make any sense to me?

All I knew was I had a difficult time separating platonic love and romantic love because I treated everyone exactly the same. A boyfriend was not a viable option in my eyes.

In the end, it took a global pandemic to figure out exactly how I felt.

I opened up a new browser on my laptop and typed in

“What does it mean if I don’t want to date anyone?”

The first result highlighted a single term: aromantic.

I guessed what it meant, but I still clicked on every site for hours. I continued to read articles and stories about the spectrum of aromanticism, which is defined as having little to no romantic attraction toward others, and it was… more accurate than anything else felt.

That sucked in more ways than one.

I was pissed I’d never heard of it before. I got the birds and the bees talk when I was 12 years old, but no one thought to explain that I may like sex, but not romance, or neither. The aroace community makes up 1% of the population, and people are far more familiar with asexuality between the two, so I don’t blame my mom in the slightest for leaving it out of “the talk.”

I blame the films and television shows I watched growing up.

Every single one ended with a happily-ever-after involving a romantic couple. I loved them, and I still watch “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” religiously, but I didn’t feel connected to these stories.

Each time I got my hopes up that there would finally be a character who truly believed she didn’t need a romantic relationship, Ryan Reynolds or Hugh Grant showed up to steal that from me. This dynamic had a negative impact on me as I grew up. It discouraged me

from accepting my aromantic tendencies from a young age.

I felt left behind and confused – to say the least – and it still bothers me today that I didn’t see anyone like me on the big screen.

I wonder if I might’ve understood myself sooner if there was someone to look up to.

But the absolute worst aspect of identifying with aromanticism are the stigmas, which add to my discomfort with openly declaring I’m on the spectrum. I’m not “out” to many people, although that’s changing with this writing piece, because I received some negative reactions.

“You just haven’t met the right person yet.”

“You’re simply a late bloomer.”

“But what about (insert guy’s name)?”

It’s disheartening when the immediate response is to challenge me on such a personal issue, especially when they imply that since I haven’t been in a relationship, I

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couldn’t possibly understand if I’m aromantic.

I just want to scream from the tops of my lungs, “I never want a boyfriend, so leave me alone about it!”

At the same time, I can hardly blame them for responding this way in a world that expects romantic relationships, especially when I do it to myself at times.

I’m turning 21 this month, and I continue to struggle with self-doubt about aromanticism. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a raging overthinker or terrified to solidify my label, but despite the years of internal rumination, I’ll find myself thinking, “maybe someone will change my mind.” I’m not so sure it will happen, and that’s okay.

But I do know the next time a boy asks me out I probably won’t throw up, because I now know I’m not alone. There are others like me, even if we’re hard to find.

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EDITOR IN CHIEF

Gabriel Schneider

MANAGING EDITOR

Xiomara Villarreal-Gerardo

NEWS EDITOR Christian Houser

ASSISTANT EDITORS

Daesha Gear

Madison Geering

OPINION EDITOR

Katy Stegall

MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Fatima Lopez Lopez

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Sumaia Wegner

SPORTS EDITORS

Justin Cox

Morgan Prickett

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Melody Bathaee

PHOTO EDITOR

Brittany Cruz-Fejeran

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Mackenzie Stafford

LIVE PRODUCER

Flower Smith

GRAPHICS EDITOR

Alexandra Dunlop

STAFF WRITERS

Justin Cox

Daesha Gear

Christian Houser

Amina Idoui

Emily Lytle

Madison McGill

Morgan Prickett

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Christian Houser

Noelani Sapla

Sumaia Wegner

Isabella Biunno

CONTRIBUTORS

Rachel Franklin

Gabby Houser

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Sofia Gonzalez

GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST Quentin Skaggs

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it was better to go somewhere where we would have room as opposed to Viejas where it would fill up.”

A selection of speakers from radio host on San Diego Sports 760, Jon Schaeffer hosting the event, to director of athletics JD Wicker followed by plenty more notable San Diegans.

San Diego County Board of Supervisors chairwoman, and SDSU alumna, Nora Vargas named April 8th ‘SDSU Basketball Day’ for the team’s outstanding leadership, service and commitment to the community while Mayor Todd Gloria joined in with his own contribution, gifting Dutcher and the men’s basketball team the keys to the city.

SDSU president Adela de la Torre also hinted at the possibility of switching conferences when thanking Wicker for his hard work and dedication to the program.

Former Aztec head coach Steve Fisher had a chance on the podium as well, naming this a “historical moment for San Diego sports.”

Highlights throughout the season played as Johnson, Arop, Bradley and Butler filled in between with heartfelt speeches.

Johnson’s speech, unsurprisingly, was met with chants of “One more year, one more year!”

Aztec sportscaster Ted Leitner, who spoke toward the middle of the ceremony, left the crowd with one phrase they’ll never forget, a phrase he’s been saying for the majority of the last 44 years he’s been covering the Aztecs, and especially after a historic season like this one — the phrase seems quite fitting.

“How ‘bout them Aztecs?”

Aztec seniors leave behind more than just their on-court play

The NCAA championship loss marks the final game for four Aztec mainstays

BY JUSTIN COX

SPORTS EDITOR

Following last week’s 76-59 loss to the University of Connecticut in the NCAA championship game, four San Diego State players made their way to the interview dais in the depths of NRG Stadium — Nathan Mensah, Matt Bradley, Adam Seiko and Aguek Arop.

There was a striking commonality

between the four Aztecs. As seniors, they had all just played their final game in the Scarlet and Black. Head coach Brian Dutcher said this was why he chose the four to represent the team following the loss.

“Because they were seniors that used up eligibility,” Dutcher said.

“They’ve given everything to the program. What better group to hear from than guys that have been here for five and six years and poured all into it,

and to see the raw emotion and to feel good about college athletics when you hear from kids like this. From young men like this.”

All four players were key rotation pieces for Dutcher as the Aztecs put together the deepest run in program history by shocking the nation en route to the program’s first-ever championship game, overcoming deficit after deficit along the way. When asked what he would remember most about this year’s senior class, junior Lamont Butler said it was this never say die attitude.

“Their determination,” Butler said. “They decided to come back and try to win a national championship. They did all the little things to help us win. Not everything that was in the stats, they guarded, they were leaders, we’re going to miss them for sure.”

The four will certainly be missed on the court. Bradley is the team’s leading scorer both years since transferring from UC Berkeley.

Mensah is the two-time Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Seiko is the winningest player in Aztec history, and it seemed like all season Arop made the hustle plays when the Aztecs needed them most. But for junior Micah Parrish, he said he will always remember what the four brought to the locker room.

“They always kept a positive attitude,” Parrish said. “AG, Adam, Nate, it was just a joy to be around them every day. That’s something I’ll miss.”

The loss is a bitter ending to a truly sweet season. After a canceled tournament in 2020 spoiled a 30-2 season followed by two straight firstround exits the following years, these seniors led the Aztecs through the South Region and all the way to the college basketball season’s final game. Bradley said he will always remember this team for its perseverance.

“It’s just a great comeback story,” Bradley said. “I’m so lucky to be part of the team where I was able to set the precedent for what this team has to come. I can see it in everybody’s faces returning, they want it again. We’re sad but ultimately, we just gotta keep our heads high and just realize we got a great comeback story this season.”

The future is unclear for the four seniors. They now leave SDSU with spectacular careers in their rear view, but according to Dutcher, they should have no regrets about their time on the Mesa.

“These guys have given me everything they had,” Dutcher said. “This is what these guys are all about. It’s about college athletics. They’re good people, and they’re good students and they’re really good players. We can feel good about the things they did.”

Aztec fans will have numerous memories from this basketball season, but they surely will never forget the four that stepped to the podium after the championship game.

EDITOR: Justin Cox & Morgan Prickett

Head coach Brian Dutcher and his four exiting seniors: (From left to right) Adam Seiko, Matt Bradley, Nathan Mensah and Aguek Arop sit at the podium during the post-game press conference following the National Championship. Photo by Noelani Sapla

Junior Guard Lamont Butler drives to the basket during the NCAA Championship game versus the University of Connecticut on April 3.

Photo by Noelani Sapla