Preview: No. 7 LSU baseball hosts No. 6 Tennessee in the biggest series of the year.
‘FIGHT BACK’
Feminists in Action hosts annual Take Back the Night event to support victims of sexual assault.
TAKE BACK THE NIGHT
Students gather to raise awareness of sexual assault, support survivors
BY MORGAN VANNOSDALL Staff Writer
Students gathered around the LSU Library entrance Wednesday to listen to sexual assault survivors, socialize with advocacy organizations and march to take back the night.
Feminists In Action held its annual event to raise awareness of sexual assault and empower survivors. Students approached tables scattered with sexual protection and informational pamphlets as a live band performed. After tabling, survivors shared their stories at the organization’s third Take Back the Night.
Voices echoed throughout LSU’s quad after the event as students marched advocating for sexual assault awareness, shouting “What do we want? Safe streets. When do we want them? Now,” while holding signs with phrases like “fight back,” and “shatter the silence.”
Myrissa Eisworth, a sociology doctoral student, is FIA’s director of advocacy and activism. Eisworth is also the director of Student Government’s We’re Committed, a department that focuses on sexual violence prevention and awareness.
“It’s such a hot spot,” Eisworth said of LSU’s campus. “I feel it is really really important to make sure students have the resources and support available on campus. That they know where it is and who to reach out to, and they know there are people here who believe and support them no matter what.”
Eisworth shared her story at the event alongside nine other survivors. They gave raw testimonies about their experience with sexual assault and how they are processing and coping to inspire others to speak up and feel heard. FIA members also read anonymous testimonies survivors submitted to the organization. One survivor performed a song they wrote about sexual assault awareness.
Joseph Liberto, the student body president and an international trade and finance junior, handed out drink covers and contraceptives at SG’s event table. Liberto attended the event last year and said he noticed a growth in the crowd and student participation.
Patti Joy Freeman, the executive director of Iris Domestic Violence Center, tabled representing the center. She was advocating for awareness on campus and providing information about the center to those in attendance.
Iris’ location is not published to protect survivors staying there, but it offers a 24-hour crisis hotline, serves eight parishes and can house around 175 men, women and children.
The center also has a legal department that provides representation to domestic violence victims. The pamphlet Freeman was handing out gave attendees more insight to the organization and ways it helps the community and victims.
Cate Suthon, a psychology senior, is FIA’s director of political awareness. Her goal is to spread awareness and give a sense of community to survivors and advocates at LSU.
“I’m very passionate about the topic around feminism, sex education and sexual assault awareness. I think it’s kind of a scary time, so it’s a good time to get involved,” Suthon said.
Many organizations attended the event, including the Stu-
dent Health Center’s Lighthouse Program, LSUPD, the Women’s Center, SG’s We’re Committed, Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault and Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response. All proceeds of the event will be directly donated to STAR.
One of the many students in attendance was marketing sophomore Joshua Jones, a student senator. He expressed his gratitude for all organizations who attended to advocate for the student body.
“I believe in survivors, and as a transfer student I believe spreading awareness is very important,” Jones said. “I’m going to do my part, but now I call on the student body to do their part as well.”
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ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
LSU student body president Joe Liberto poses with members April 23 outside the LSU Library in Baton Rouge, La.
NEWS BREAKTHROUGH
University unveils new medical degrees
STAFF REPORT
LSU’s Baton Rouge campus will launch two new medical degree programs, including an undergraduate nursing program, to address a shortage of medical professionals.
The program will eventually allow 90 pre-nursing students to stay in Baton Rouge to pursue the major, with the first cohort expected to graduate in May 2028. Previously, nursing students completed 37 prerequisite credits before applying to LSU Health New Orleans.
“We’re producing more registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree, and this expansion is a key part of ensuring that our pre-nursing students have an option to stay local,” said LSU Health New Orleans Dean Demetrius Porche in an announcement Tuesday.
The announcement said students who pursue the new undergraduate nursing program will undergo the same curriculum as those in New Orleans, a nursing program the Nursing Schools Almanac ranked 10th nationally last year. The program will offer students clinical training through partnerships with Woman’s Hospital and Our Lady of the Lake.
The move comes as the Louisiana Board of Regents projects a 42% shortage of registered nurses in the state by 2030, numbers reflective of a nationwide trend.
see NURSING, page 4
LSU student discovers new way to fight breast cancer
BY AIDAN ANTHAUME Staff Writer
An LSU biochemistry senior is developing a groundbreaking breast cancer treatment that combines natural compounds with modified virus therapy, offering a targeted, less harmful alternative to traditional methods.
Danielle Gipson’s interest in cancer research grew after watching her great aunt battle cancer.
“I started to see not only the physical ailments but also
the sociological factors and the health disparities that affected her diagnosis,” Gipson said.
Her experience motivated her to focus on women’s health, particularly the social and medical disparities that influence cancer outcomes.
In the lab, Gipson is studying fisetin, a flavonol found in fruits and vegetables, which has shown promise in shrinking tumors and inducing cancer cell death.
Her team’s research goes a step further by combining fisetin with a genetically modified
herpes simplex virus. The virus targets cancer cells, sparing healthy tissue while also acting as a vaccine to prevent the spread of cancer to other organs.
“Our full goal is to create a personalized medicine approach,” Gipson said. “The herpes simplex virus, which is a type of viral therapy, can actually help to kill the tumor cells even more. We’re doing a combination therapy.”
The team’s focus is on triplenegative breast cancer, one of
HIGHER EDUCATION
Provost Haggerty to leave university
BY PIPER HUTCHINSON Louisiana Illuminator
LSU Provost Roy Haggerty, the highest ranking academic administrator on campus, will be leaving the university. He is the third high-profile departure from LSU this year.
LSU Board of Supervisors member Rémy Starns confirmed Wednesday to the Illuminator that Haggerty will soon leave the university.
Haggerty’s departure follows the resignation of Kimberly Lewis, executive vice president for finance and chief administrative officer, in February and General Counsel Winston DeCuir in January.
The LSU Board has not yet established a timeline for replacing Haggerty, Starns said, but he said it would likely be discussed at their next meeting Friday.
Haggerty has not yet responded to a request for comment for this report.
This is a developing story
Former National Parks director visits LSU, talks climate change
BY TORI BONIN Staff Writer
The former director of the National Park Service spoke about his career, climate change and how community members can make a difference at an Earth Day keynote address on campus Tuesday.
Charles F. Sam III, who served as the National Park Service director from December 2021 until this January, spoke to students and more at the address about Americans’ responsibility to take care of the environment.
“How do we look beyond the 30-day spreadsheet, the quarter spreadsheet, the annual appropriations and start looking at generational change to ensure
the flora and fauna are here for generations to come?” Sam said.
The address was presented by Geaux Green LSU, LSU’s Student Sustainability Fund and the Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College as the fourth and final climate speaker event leading up to Earth Day Tuesday.
Peter Kelly, a senior studying geography and philosophy, serves as a Geaux Green LSU committee member and helped plan the address. Kelly believes these events are important because they offer students a chance to learn about and become involved in environmental activism.
“We wanted to bring leaders in the climate space from across Louisiana and across the country to speak to all aspects
of the climate crisis and how we can go about addressing them,” Kelly said. “And what efforts are going on currently to introduce students to people who are working in this space to be able to provide some knowledge and some connection to people who want to make a difference.”
Geaux Green LSU President Aidan O’Neal believes educating students is important to building knowledge and understanding of complex climate issues.
“This is an issue that is often politicized,” said O’Neal, an environmental engineering senior.
“There’s a lot of conflicting information and that’s the result of the fact that these are complex topics. Our idea was to kind of
PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIELLE GIPSON
Danielle Gipson, Christella J Nelson, Harikrishnan Mohan and Ojasvi Dutta look at data together.
TORI BONIN / The Reveille Students sit at an Earth Day event on April 22 in Baton Rouge, La. see EARTH DAY, page 4
PHOTO COURTESY OF LSU.EDU
CAMPUS ORGS
LSU ROTC collaborates with students for new logo and merchandising
BY TORI BONIN Staff Writer
The LSU Corp of Cadets collaborated with textiles, apparel design and merchandising students to generate logos and insignias in hopes of creating new and appealing merchandise.
Deputy Corps Commander Gavin Lanning, a senior studying international trade and finance, saw a need to innovate the corps’ merchandising to reach an audience beyond the cadets themselves.
“We’ve really been lacking in the department of merchandising and spreading our name through merchandising on campus within our group and out of our group to include whether that be students on campus, parents, grandparents of people in the Corps of Cadets, teachers, professors, veterans, whatever it may be,” Lanning said.
Lanning realized he needed ideas from people that could cater towards those outside of the cadets. Yudy Reyes, a textile, apparel and merchandising senior, is also a member of the corps and shared Lanning’s urge for a design makeover.
“Over the past few years I’ve been in ROTC, we’ve always had some type of what we call a ‘morale t-shirt,’ so we’ll wear it to like the PT in the morning or any events just to represent the ROTC program as a whole,” Reyes said. “I feel like every year we struggle just to find a good design that doesn’t scream military 100%.”
Reyes pitched Lanning on the idea of reaching out to Mary Elliot, the instructor of a product development class, to collaborate on the creation of new designs. Elliot agreed, and turned the project into a class assignment.
“I just thought what a wonderful program that is a part of LSU,” Elliot said. “It has been a part of LSU for a long time and you don’t normally see military
RESEARCH, from page 3
the most aggressive forms.
“It’s not able to be treated in the same ways that other types of breast cancer are,” Gipson said. “That’s why we have to come up with more unique approaches.”
For Gipson, the biggest challenges are the slow pace of research and the setbacks that come with it.
“It can take months just to get one set of good data, of good results,” she said. “Even though maybe every day I’m not getting results … I’m still doing work towards my end goal.”
But she’s not facing these challenges alone. While working with Konstantin “Gus” Kousoulas, the head of LSU’s
organizations collaborating with apparel fashion students on something.”
Jean Maleszewski, a junior studying textiles, apparel and merchandising, participated in the creation of the new designs and as a result had the opportunity to learn more about corps members and the work they do, disproving some common preconceptions along the way.
“They have lives and they have other interests,” Maleszewski said. “They’re allowed to explore those and it was really cool getting to see how the ROTC helps enhance their lives more so than it takes on, which I think is a really big stereotype.”
The corps hopes that expanding their merchandising will not only allow them to grow, but spread awareness about LSU’s deep-rooted military history.
“Obviously with any group whether that be a student club or an international organization, whatever it may be, spreading the word and building the organization is what keeps you alive,” Lanning said. “We wanted to bring awareness because LSU started as a military institute.
That was the core founding in the 1800s of what we were.”
Department of Pathobiological Sciences at the School of Veterinary Medicine, and Jean Christopher Chamcheu, an associate professor of biology at Southern University, Gipson has built a network of mentors who help her navigate the tough spots in her research.
“Dr. Kousoulas at the vet school is great, he’s my main director,” Gipson said. “Dr. Chamcheu, who runs my lab, has been a huge mentor for me.”
Additionally, Leila Rahimian, a doctoral candidate in the lab, has played a crucial role in guiding Gipson through her day-today work.
“She’s been my main mentor that’s helped me and just really made sure I was comfortable doing all my work before I did
EARTH DAY, from page 3 put together some very dense, appealing talks to get people from across the student body to come out and basically get a kind of crash course on what’s going on.”
Granger Babcock serves as one of the associate deans of the Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College. He is teaching a course about Louisiana’s economic and environmental problems this semester and invited his students to attend the event.
“We’re working through environmental issues in the class right now, and I thought it was important for them to come and hear from somebody who actually works in the field,” Babcock said.
NURSING, from page 3
Thirty students will be admitted in the program’s first semester, and 60 students will be admitted next spring.
The corps dates back to LSU’s founding in the 1860s to when the university was known as Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy, and boasts of an accomplished history. During WWII the university claims it was top five in producing officers, with over 5,000 former students having served as officers during this time.
Up until 1969 every male student was mandated to participate in the corps their freshman and sophomore year. Today, LSU has over 300 cadets involved in the program.
Reyes encourages prospective students to join the cadets and not to be afraid of the challenge, pitching the experience as tough, but rewarding.
“ROTC was in a weird way the first place I made friends,” Reyes said. “Because you start to hang out with these people and you’re through all these things that might suck like sleeping out in the woods for three days, getting rained on when you’re out there, all these different experiences, but you end up building this bond and this trust and you see each other almost every single day.”
anything on my own,” Gipson said.
She also credits Emmanuelle Ruiz, a bioinformatics expert from LSU’s Louisiana Biomedical Research Network and postdoctoral researcher Reza Ghavimi for their guidance in shaping her research.
After graduating, Gipson plans to attend medical school and become an obstetrician/gynecologist.
“I’ll be continuing my research as I apply to medical school,” she said. “This is only the first step of our goal.”
Gipson hopes her research will lead to more effective treatments and help reduce the disparities that contribute to Louisiana’s high breast cancer mortality rate.
The event educated attendants about environmental sustainability. Mallorie Johanning, a freshman studying biological sciences, highlighted the talk’s emphasis on stewardship over domination.
“I think the biggest thing that I learned is that we have this mindset as a culture of dominance over nature,” Johanning said, “but I really like how he mentioned that we need to incorporate stewardship of the land and just overall preservation and protection of it because ultimately we aren’t working with the environment to dominate it. We’re working together with it to care and provide for future generations.”
The university also announced a new two-year master’s program at the Baton Rouge campus. The public health and epidemiology program will have courses offered for the first time in the fall. The announcement said the program will utilize healthcare partnerships between LSU campuses and the university’s partners and offer students interdisciplinary faculty expertise.
MADALYN CUNNINGHAM / The Reveille Clouds pass over Memorial Tower on Sept. 8, 2022, on Tower Dr on LSU Campus.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIELLE GIPSON
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARY ELLIOT
ENTERTAINMENT
A NEW CHAPTER
Take a look at Baton Rouge’s newest tea and book store
BY EMILY BRACHER Staff Writer
Across the street from Superior Grill on Highland Road sits a new, unique book and tea shop.
TBR Books and Tea hosted its grand opening on April 12, with the first week of business garnering plenty of attention from book lovers and local business supporters alike. TBR Books earned its name from a popular acronym readers use for the list of books they plan on reading, or a “to be read” list. Owner Jamie Freeman had her “aha” moment after realizing that the “BR” in “TBR” can also be associated with Baton Rouge. Freeman hand-picked every book in the store, trying to find something for everyone. She said this personal touch is what makes local and independent booksellers so important, compared to larger corporations like Barnes & Noble. All around the store, customers are able to find recommendations from herself and the rest of the staff, showing off some of their favorite books.
“Think of it as, like, shopping
at a department store versus shopping at a clothing boutique,” Freeman said.
Genres at the store include romance, fiction, memoirs, mystery, thriller, horror, fantasy, young adult, childrens and many more. Freeman said that because the store is independently owned, it gives her the leeway to take recommendations on future additions for purchase.
“It’s important to shop local and support the community, and we’re trying to support the community ourselves by being here,” Freeman said.
Not only does TBR feature books, but it will also have an extensive tea selection coming soon. After noticing that there weren’t many tea shops and houses in Baton Rouge, Freeman decided to include her favorite beverage in her new business.
The store also has an extra room where people can come and go to read, study or hang out in a quiet, cozy setting. Freeman hopes that in the near future, the room will also host book clubs and other events for the Baton Rouge community.
“So any kind of events, fun stuff that we can bring to the community, we definitely want to do that,” Freeman said.
The owner was born and raised in Baton Rouge, and her love for reading stemmed from a pile of books on her dad’s nightstand that held stories her grandmother would read to her when she was little. Her passion derives from loving a good story and learning about different places, cultures and people.
Freeman graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in film and moved back to Louisiana to work in the film production industry, before becoming a bookkeeper for her dad’s industrial installation firm.
The bookkeeper position led her to the next job, which was working for non-profit organizations doing government relations and association management. After all of those positions, she decided that she wanted to open a bookstore, so she stepped back to start looking for options.
Freeman calls the location of TBR a “happy accident.” It was January 2024 and she had taken a step
back from working to find a place where her new business could call home. She knew she wanted it to be far enough from Red Stick Reads on Government Street so the two book stores could operate in harmony, mentioning her admiration for the other independent bookseller.
When she found the location on Highland Road, she immediately turned around to start the journey of flipping it into a bookstore.
“I just walked in and I was like, ‘this is perfect’,” Freeman said. “It’s a beautiful space. It has so much bright light. It’s a great location. So I just got really lucky with that.”
Avery LeMaire and Akira Grant both found TBR through Instagram and applied to work there. As two of the first employees, they were there opening day to see the cars parked down the street and assist the customers as they explored the new store. Both said the store has been amazing to be a part of and to watch grow in just over a week.
“This kind of gives you a place to sit down, hang out, do your work with no pressure,” Grant said in regards to access to its connected room, since visitors do not need to
purchase a book to read or study in there.
Shoppers could find one of LeMaire’s recommended books with a blurb with why she chose it on opening day. LeMaire said that Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” is something she thinks everyone should read at least once, which led her to choosing it to be her first ever “Staff Pick.” She was very excited when she saw someone buy it.
“There’s just something different about a community here, and people that come here are really interested in our business and really want to be here and support us,” LeMaire said.
TBR will celebrate Independent Bookstore Day on April 26 by joining other Baton Rouge bookstores, like Red Stick Reads, in a book crawl. They will participate in a Libro.fm golden ticket giveaway, with the audiobook website rewarding 12 audio books to whoever finds the golden ticket in store.
TBR is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The shop’s selection of books can be foud on their website.
Sullivan Theater to put on Agatha Christie classic this Friday
BY SARAH WALTON Staff Writer
The esteemed Orient Express is taking its routine trip from Turkey to Paris, but a snow drift comes and traps everyone inside the train. What could be worse than being stuck with a ton of strangers in the middle of winter? One of those strangers being a murderer.
“Murder on the Orient Express” is the Sullivan Theater’s newest play, and the show is a stage adaptation of Agatha Christie’s original book released in 1934. The story follows renowned detective Hercule Poirot as he solves the murder of an American tycoon with a shady past.
Jon Russo plays Monsieur Bouc in “Murder on the Orient Express.”
This is not Russo’s first time working with the Sullivan Theater, and it’s definitely not his first time acting. He has been acting for decades and finds that when acting in any capacity, he always learns something new. Russo enjoyed working with everyone in the cast. From seasoned actors to newer actors, he
loved watching everyone grow and craft the characters during the rehearsal process.
Russo’s process of learning the character grew as rehearsals continued, adding depth to scenes and interactions where he could. Russo discovered that the meaning of Bouc in French is “goat” and refers to a “goatee.” So, for the role, he shaved to have a goatee on stage.
Russo is excited for fans of Agatha Christie or anyone new to her work to get to see the show.
Knick Moore plays Hercule Poirot and was added to the cast later in the production; however it wasn’t difficult to get started.
“The rest of the cast is bringing all this energy, and they’ve got their lines down packed, and they understand the back and forth,” Moore said. “It made it a lot easier to transition into it.”
This will be Moore’s third time playing a famous detective, but his first time playing Poirot. Back when the Sullivan Theater first opened in 2023, he played Sherlock Holmes in “Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Elusive Ear.” Moore
remarked the difference between playing the two famous detectives, with Holmes being more logic based and Poirot focusing more on the suspects.
Moore explained that playing Poirot and the entire story challenges him, since he struggles with his black and white thinking throughout the play
“One of Poirot’s big ideals is that the law is the law, it’s what he lives his life by,” he said. “This particular story begins with him questioning his conscience. Poirot goes into this case with doubts about whether legality really is black and white, and over the course of the play, he is presented with situations that make him question that ideal.”
Moore believes the space in the theater is something that stands out, since the theater continues to produce things that go beyond what you think is capable in that space.
The Sullivan Theater is much smaller than other local theaters but that’s what Moore found special about the location. He loved what people can do despite a lim-
ited space. Moore said the Sullivan Theater’s opening musical, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” had many people walk into that show and walk out with their jaws on the floor, because it seems like such a small space, yet they managed to build a cathedral in it.
William Dellinger, who worked on the set for “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and “Murder on the Orient Express” said the train would be a piece of cake to build after working on the cathedral.
“The theater did a fantastic job utilizing the space they have,” Moore said.
Moore’s favorite scene takes place after the victim is found, and Poirot, Monsieur Bouc and the Countess are all together. In this scene they are examining the body and talking about what has happened.
“The big enjoyable part is Poirot becoming delighted with this woman,” he said. “She’s on point, she’s smart, she’s not horrified by the body, she just rolls on, proceeds, and gets down to it. And Poirot is just looking at his buddy and says
eh, eh, look at her go. It’s just fun watching him admire somebody else who’s really good at what they’re doing.”
There are rules when you are presenting plays to an audience, Moore said. Facts must be presented earlier in the play so the audience has a chance to solve it before the detective does. If not, when the detective solves it, the audience also needs a moment to put the pieces together.
“You and the audience are going to solve the mystery together, and that is what makes it fun,” Moore said.
Moore encourages everyone to visit the Sullivan Theater just to experience the space, saying its a unique experience.
“This is different, this is you almost being able to touch the actors. It really feels like you’re not watching on a big screen, but that you’re there. You’re part of it. It’s a very unique way to see the show.”
“Murder on the Orient Express” opens at the Sullivan Theater Friday, April 25. Student tickets are $20 and adult tickets are $25.
Rev Rank: “Sinners” is two hours and 17 minutes of pure cinema
BY ARIS WILLIAMS Staff Writer
The horror film “Sinners,” written and directed by Ryan Coogler and Autumn Durald Arkapaw, got off to a strong start with an opening weekend box office of $45.6 million.
Set in the 1930s, in the Mississippi Delta, the film depicts the journey of Smoke and Stack, twin brothers where Micheal B. Jordan plays both. The twins return to their Mississippi hometown to open a juke joint and are sucked into a world of supernatural phenomena, vampires and hoodoo.
The similarity to the 1996 film “From Dusk Till Dawn” is worth noting, but it doesn’t make “Sinners” any less of an ambitious project. With Coogler’s superb production skills that shined in the “Black Panther” series and Arkapaw’s impeccable cinematography and a standout cast, the result is magic.
The casting rings true to the long-standing diversity of Mississippi Delta communities,
with Chinese grocers Grace and Bo Chow played by Li Jun Li and Yao, white-passing Mary played by Hailee Steinfeld and the twins’ extended family bearing little difference from the locals of today.
Jim Crow segregation and overtly violent racism were prevalent during the time period this film is set in. With that being said, the twins’ aspiration to create a juke joint for Black locals to seek refuge in is historically accurate, and their close encounter with the Klu Klux Klan drives the plot forward.
The first half of the film centers around these social dynamics, and things begin to get spooky when a blood-thirsty vampire, seeking to expand his coven, comes to town. From there, “Sinners” becomes a Southern gothic folktale that doesn’t shy away from gore, violence or sensuality.
The musical accompaniment for this film is integral to this transition. Coogler’s frequent collaborator Ludwig Goransson referenced 20th century blues
recordings of Robert Johnson and Tommy Johnson to score the film, and the supporting cast members performed live on set along with musicians.
“Sinners” also has cinematographic appeal, with the color grading and lighting matching the intensity of each scene and setting the mood accordingly. The film was shot on 65 MM film, with the high image quality allowing for many scenes to be shot in natural light. Every aspect mentioned up to this point melts together seamlessly to form two hours and 17 minutes of pure cinema.
Long story short, go watch “Sinners.” The film is a brilliant love child of talented people who have honed in on their craft in ways that will be remembered for years. The scariest parts are in the second half, so it’s more digestible than the average horror film. There are sex scenes, so maybe don’t go see it with your parents. The film is riveting, raunchy, chaotic and the kind of movie that movie-lovers will be revisiting for years to come.
PUZZLES
LSU Dining hosted its Joyful Street Food Festival April 22 on Tower Drive.
JOYJOYFUL JOYFUL STREET JOYFUL JOYFUL STREET
Students make bead bracelets.
LSU Dining employee makes chips and salsa.
Students smile.
LSU Dining employee serves poke bowls.
Photospread by Riley White // Photos by Alexis Persicke
LSU facility services employee takes chips and salsa.
SPORTS HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT
BY BRETT KEMPER Staff Writer
Following a series sweep loss on the road in 2024, Jay Johnson and his Tigers have one thought on their mind as LSU prepares to host Tennessee in a three-game series this weekend.
These two teams last met in the 2024 SEC Championship Game in Hoover, Alabama, a tightly contested battle that ended in a heartbreaking one-run loss for the Tigers. The Tigers mounted a valiant battle in the bottom of the ninth inning and plated two runs, but the deficit was one too many, and the Volunteers would win 4-3 after Ashton Larson and Alex Milazzo both struck out swinging.
While both teams have reshaped their rosters since then, the competitive fire hasn’t gone anywhere. Players like Jared Jones, Steven Milam and Kade Anderson were all part of last year’s loss, and they certainly haven’t forgotten.
With both teams tied at 12–6 in SEC play, this series could be the difference between hosting a Super Regional or traveling for one.
The Tigers haven’t lost a series at Alex Box Stadium this year, and with postseason intensity ramping up, they’ll look to protect that streak in front of a packed home crowd.
Jones and Doyle clash in top prospect duel
LSU’s veteran slugger Jared Jones continues to anchor the top of the Tigers’ lineup, entering the weekend with 13 home runs and 55 RBIs. Him and the other hitters at the top of the LSU lineup battling Tennessee ace pitcher Liam Doyle – who has racked up 104 strikeouts with a 2.48 ERA – will be one of the weekend’s most compelling matchups. Doyle has been instrumental in the Vols’ success this season, showcasing his dominance on the mound. It’s an MLB scout’s dream – a battle of future MLB talent on college baseball’s biggest stage.
LSU’s pitching depth vs. Tennessee’s explosive bats
LSU’s pitching staff has quietly evolved into one of the most complete units in the SEC. Kade Anderson, recently named to the Golden Spikes and National Pitcher of the Year watch lists, headlines the rotation with strikeout stuff that’s overwhelmed hitters all season.
Anthony Eyanson remains a workhorse, consistently delivering quality starts and approaching innings with poise. And when the Tigers hand the ball to the bullpen, Zac Cowan and Casan Evans take over – a lights-out duo that’s made late-inning comebacks feel nearly impossible for opposing teams.
But their grit will be tested against a Tennessee lineup built to punish mistakes. The Volunteers rank near the top nationally in both slugging percentage and home runs, and they don’t need much room to change a game’s trajectory.
Andrew Fischer and Dean Curley have emerged as two of the SEC’s most dangerous power threats, capable of flipping a scoreboard with a single swing. If LSU’s arms want to prove they’re postseason-ready, it starts this weekend.
LSU still searching for Sunday stability
While LSU has proven it can set the tone early in weekend series, Sunday remains a lingering concern – especially in rubber match scenarios.
The Tigers have lost three of their last five Sunday games, and the pitching, particularly from projected Sunday starter Chase Shores, hasn’t consistently been at the level needed to close out high-stakes SEC series.
Shores, who returned to the mound this season after an injury-shortened 2023, has flashed potential but struggled with command and efficiency deep into outings. In recent rubber matches, he’s been unable to keep opposing lineups in check long enough to give LSU’s offense a fighting chance. The result? Early deficits and overworked bullpens.
Against a team like Tennessee, which thrives on momentum and power late in games, LSU will need more than just grit on Sundays – they’ll need execution. Whether it’s Shores taking a step forward, a bullpen shuffle or a new look altogether, how the Tigers handle Game 3 could be the difference between a series win and another missed opportunity.
This weekend isn’t just another series – it’s a statement opportunity. For LSU, it’s a shot at redemption. For Tennessee, it’s a chance to prove a repeat is in reach. And for college baseball fans, it’s can’t-miss television.
If LSU can win the weekend, it can head into College Station with some confidence. The Tigers will face a Texas A&M team that has been heating up recently. But first, the Volunteers await.
TORI HILL / The Reveille
LSU men’s baseball freshman right-handed pitcher William Schmidt (9) pitches during LSU’s 7-6 win against Missouri on March 15 at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.
Inside LSU baseball’s newfound rivalry with Tennessee
BY ISABELLE CALLAHAN Staff Writer
College baseball takes center stage this weekend with a matchup between the last two national champions. The nation’s attention will fall on a three-game series between No. 6 Tennessee and No. 7 LSU.
What began as a fairly routine conference matchup has become a full-blown collision of culture and postseason ambition. It’s a rivalry born not from tradition but in the tension of momentum of the rapidly moving season.
As the 2025 season progresses toward the postseason, it’s become a test for measuring who’s built for Omaha, given the current D1 baseball rankings, where they both sit in the top 10. The pair head into a season-defining series this weekend.
To understand the weight of this rivalry, let’s start with LSU, the gold standard of college baseball. In the 1990s, under renowned coach Skip Bertman, the Tigers turned baseball into a spectacle by building a college baseball dynasty.
They didn’t just win; they dominated the college baseball world, claiming five national titles between 1991 and 2000, including the back-to-back cham -
pionships in 1996 and 1997. Bertman’s teams were fueled by a fanbase that treats baseball like Saturday night in Death Valley.
Under Paul Mainieri, the legacy only continued. A national title in 2009 and multiple deep runs in Omaha cemented LSU as a powerhouse. The program has kept going while Jay Johnson is the head coach.
They built a culture where anything short of mid-June baseball is seen as a failure, and fans ensured the team knew about it.
For most of LSU’s height, Tennessee was never on the radar.
The Vols had brief moments, including a trip to the College World Series in 1995 under Rod Delmonico and again in 2001, but there was a lack of consistency.
While LSU was stacking titles and producing MLB stars, Tennessee was in the middle of the SEC pack, struggling to break through in a league that only got stronger and became one of the hardest leagues to play in college baseball.
That saw a shift when Tony Vitello took over in 2018.
From the start, Vitello brought fire and a sense of determination to paint a new history for Tennessee. A former Arkansas assistant with a grinder’s mental-
ity, he turned Tennessee into a program to take note of. He recruited aggressively, leaned into Knoxville’s heavy baseball talent available to him and created an unapologetically bold team.
By 2021, Tennessee was back in Omaha for the first time in 16 years. In 2022, it was the undisputed No. 1 seed with a 57-win season that saw the team dominate the regular season but fall short in Super Regionals, a result that stung but only hardened the Volunteers’ edge.
In a few short years, Tennessee went from an SEC afterthought to one of the conference’s most feared opponents, and no program took more notice than LSU. This rivalry had crossed paths many times before 2023, but never with such talent and national spotlight.
That memorable spring, both were ranked inside the top five. LSU featured the future No. 1 overall MLB Draft pick, Paul Skenes and the eventual Golden Spikes Award winner, Dylan Crews. Tennessee came into Baton Rouge on March 30 with one of the deepest pitching staffs in the nation and a chip on their shoulder the size of Neyland Stadium.
The series in Baton Rouge felt like Omaha in March.
It was SEC baseball at its purest: intense, personal and unforgettable.
This rivalry set a school single-game attendance record of 13,068 fans at Alex Box to watch LSU take on the Volunteers. LSU won that single game and the series but fell short of a sweep.
LSU went all the way that summer, capturing its seventh national title. Tennessee, meanwhile, made it back to Omaha but again fell short of the championship series.
The following season, Tennessee paid it off with a College World Series Championship of its own. Coming into 2025, the Volunteers looked poised to repeat, smashing non-conference series’ and riding high into SEC play.
However, nothing is guaranteed in the SEC, and things are constantly changing.
Midseason stumbles, injuries, slumping bats and a few too many bullpen collapses have brought Tennessee back to earth as the current No. 6, sitting just in front of LSU.
The once-unbeatable Vols are battling inconsistency, and questions are surfacing: Can they close when it counts? Can they live up to their former No. 1 billing? Can they finally finish in Omaha?
Meanwhile, LSU is doing what it always does: building steam in the second half. With a mix of seasoned returners and emerging newcomers, the Tigers are again positioning themselves for a deep postseason run if they can continue winning.
After some questionable weekend series on the road, they remind everyone that championships aren’t won in February rankings; they’re won in June.
Every matchup adds another layer: Vitello’s mission to bring a title to Knoxville, LSU’s relentless pursuit of more and the SEC’s dominance on the national stage. In the last five years, the conference has sent more teams to Omaha than any other. The path to the national championship doesn’t just go through the SEC; it is the SEC.
And with LSU and Tennessee standing near the top, their rivalry is no longer a footnote. It’s a headline that thousands will take notice of this weekend at Alex Box.
The road to Omaha is long, winding and brutal. But this weekend’s series will provide insight into who can handle the pressure of intense SEC matchups and who will prove themselves.
Column: Scouts shouldn’t overthink future star Will Campbell
BY GORDON CRAWFORD Columnist
Three-eighths of an inch, for one of the most dominant linemen in LSU history, that seems to make all the difference.
Will Campbell was a day one starter, and he went on to be one of the most consistent players on the team, solidifying himself as one of the top blockers in the SEC. Yet now, despite everything he has going for him, some scouts seem to want to talk about his arms.
There’s always a weakness number one on any profile and Campbell’s is supposedly his less-than-optimal wingspan. If most projections turn out to be true, he’ll have one of the shortest arm lengths of a first-round tackle in NFL history.
Therefore, many scouts have debated if he should start at guard instead. It does seem like a natural fit for him. He’s got a sturdy build and his strength lets him manhandle virtually any defensive lineman he can get his hands on.
This kind of obsessing over the numbers, the intense focus on historical relativity, it all tends to miss the human aspect of football which makes the
sport so compelling. Campbell has offensive lineman in his blood. His father was a lineman, and he instilled both a love for football and an appreciation for discipline and labor. Some of this was taught in part through having him and his brothers work the family farm.
Campbell even served as a de facto assistant tackle coach while at Neville High School.
Every year there are certain star players who scouts panic about because they are physically lacking in some department. Drew Brees was too short, Aaron Donald had short arms and tiny hands and Julian Edelman was too much of a lightweight to have a long career. Sure, physical barriers can at times put significant limitations on players in close moments, but to act like Campbell has T. rex arms like some do is comical.
Watch the tape. This is a guy who consistently excelled at the highest tier of college football. This is a guy who allowed two sacks in 558 snaps. Add him to your team, and he will be an instant playmaker.
And yet, it all seems to circle back to the arms.
While LSU is more well
known for elite quarterbacks, wide receivers, and defensive backs, there is an underappreciated history of rock-solid offensive linemen who went on to be core, long-term cornerstones of many NFL franchises.
Campbell knows it. His idol is Andrew Whitworth, also from Monroe, who, after winning a national championship in 2003 with the Tigers, went on to have a 16-year run as an essential member of both the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams.
While Whitworth primarily relied on his immense size and strength to dominate, Campbell has demonstrated an extra level of athleticism, with more intricate footwork and hand placement.
While in interviews he’s soft spoken, polite, and humble, on the field he’s a relentless and aggressive fighter. He was also a true team leader while a team captain during his last two seasons at LSU.
Currently, the bettors have Campbell going to the Patriots at No. 4. This is a great pairing. Mike Vrabel is the type of coach with a deep appreciation for building a solid team culture, and his tendency to push
his players through tough love is the kind of environment a player like Campbell can truly succeed and develop in. Also, he has indicated that he would likely give Campbell a chance to start at tackle.
The Patriots are also sorely lacking in their offensive line,
frequently being ranked at the bottom of the League in that department during the 202425 season. With quarterback Drake Maye showing an immense amount of promise, adding a dominant force like Campbell could truly put the Patriots in reach of the playoffs again.
REAGAN COTTEN / The Reveille
LSU football sophomore left tackle Will Campbell (66) uplifts the crowd on Sept. 16, 2023, during LSU’s 41-14 win over Mississippi State in Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS.
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OPINION
Professionals shouldn’t need side hustles to live comfortably
GARRETT’S GAVEL
GARRETT
MCENTEE Columnist
“Being an adult is expensive” is a sentence uttered by mothers everywhere and discovered annually by college students who think their story is going to be different.
We all attend college, in some part, to get a position in an industry we, hopefully, like and perhaps even love, so that we can exist in a capitalistic society.
Going to college and getting a degree used to mean that you would be able to find a job in your specialized field and then live comfortably off that job in a single-income household. However, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, that wasn’t really true then, and it certainly isn’t now.
More and more people have dead-end careers that they might love but don’t give them the means to survive in an ever-increasingly costly world.
enough to do this. In fact, countless educators are picking up sidehustles to pay their bills.
An important distinction must be made between having a sidehustle to add to your income and having a side-hustle to supplement your costs, which are very different. Teachers, including ones I know personally, are having to do the latter.
This phenomenon isn’t exclusive to teachers either. I know plenty of office jobs and law enforcement officers who are turning to other means to help make rent.
Stop going into the arts.
Far too many hustlers think making cutesy t-shirts and curating a vintage jewelry booth at the local market are the ways to add to their income. These options are costly and take lots of time and money to build up a clientele and supply. And honestly, most of us aren’t talented enough in the arts to make marketable art, which is okay.
Instead, as much as it pains me to say it, turn to corporations like DoorDash and other restaurants as a part-time worker. Or perhaps, build on your other skills that relate to your job, i.e., teachers could get involved in tutoring, etc.
Upon getting hired at said school, they get a job that they can comfortably live off of.
Except literally everyone knows teachers don’t get paid
Teachers are a great example of this, a basic answer to the formula of going to college and getting a degree: ideally, educators do their four years of hard work and learning in college and then apply to teach at a school.
Also, we’ve got to acknowledge that people should be able to live comfortably off their career salary; they shouldn’t just be making rent.
Despite these borderline dystopian conditions, I have some advice for all my fellow hustlers who are attempting to make money but are going about it the wrong way.
It is awful that our society is in this situation, but we must make the most of what we have while fighting for better conditions for everyone.
Garrett McEntee is a 19-year-old English sophomore from Benton, La.
Constant remakes show the film industry’s lack of creativity
AVA’S POV
AVA FRANCIS Columnist
The television and film industry can’t seem to leave well enough alone when it comes to remakes.
Some of the upcoming announcements regarding cinema have made it clear that it’s only the beginning of gratuitous remakes.
Revamping iconic movies is all the rage right now. I understand nostalgia pulls at the heart strings of viewers, but releasing a remake of a classic isn’t always the best idea; in fact, it’s usually the opposite.
As of last week, the 1992 romance thriller “The Bodyguard,” is the latest addition to the remake docket.
I wasn’t too pleased seeing this news on my Instagram timeline, and the comment section is with me. One commenter said, “No. This is absolutely out of hand. STOP REMAKES.” I agree with the thousands of users who have made their thoughts known about the situation at hand.
Nobody wants this, so why the green light from film studios?
These waters should remain uncharted; the original film starred the irreplaceable Whitney Houston as Rachel and Hollywood legend Kevin Costner as Frank, her new bodyguard.
While the movie was a hit at the box office, earning more than $410
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million worldwide, the soundtrack has stood the test of time.
40 million copies sold, making it one of the best-selling soundtracks ever. If you haven’t heard every track, you’re definitely familiar with the most popular, Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” re-recorded by Houston. Houston’s rendition is not just beloved by the fans but also by Parton herself.
I’m curious as to who is bold enough to take on the role of Rachel and attempt Houston’s unmatched vocals in the film. I’ll wait. Rumor has it that a certain pop star is in the running, oh boy.
Will the film consist of the original soundtrack, or will a new catalog of songs be used? I’m hoping for the latter. I don’t want to live in a world where two versions of “I Have Nothing” and “Run to You” exist. There should only be Houston’s Version.
Overall, this remake is a sign of disrespect to both Costner and the late Houston. Not to mention Costner, who only wanted Houston for the role, “She was my choice,” the two-time Oscar winner said. “So I was the actor, I produced it, and I picked her.”
Some things are better left untouched. A remake runs the risk of ruining what made the original film great in the first place.
“The Bodyguard” embodied the 90s life with a certain appeal you can’t replicate. The chemistry be-
tween Houston and Costner is undeniable.
I also have to assume that the remake will be set during the current day, which leaves it susceptible to mentioning things like “TikTok,” which has no place in the movie.
Have you ever wondered why a film like “The Breakfast Club” is so loved by audiences worldwide? It’s the era it was made in.
“The Breakfast Club” wouldn’t have been the same if it didn’t have the style of the 80s all over it. The hair, wardrobe and “Simple Minds” iconic arrangement, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” made it one of the best closing shots in cinematic history. All perfectly good reasons why it should never be remade.
People usually watch old movies to be reminded of “simpler times.” The 80s and 90s may not have had iPhones, but at least people still talked to each other.
While some remakes haven’t been terrible, such as “Top Gun Maverick,” most miss the mark.
Last year, “Mean Girls” made its way back to theaters; this time with a musical twist. While I enjoyed seeing Gen Z faces such as singer and actress Reneé Rapp, I didn’t appreciate the remake as a whole. I was just fine with the 2004 original film, I grew up watching and quoting over and over again.
Instead of taking something that already exists and “moderniz-
ing” it, the incredible works of the past should be used as inspiration. If you want to make a love story about a regular girl and a mysterious guy with a secret, create something original instead of trying to replicate “Twilight.”
Remakes are a clear indicator that no one has original ideas anymore, or the studios just refuse to take risks. Either way, it’s unfortunate for viewers.
Remakes should at the very least include the original actors, or I don’t want them at all. For example, a se-
ries on Peacock titled “Clueless” is coming out with Alicia Silverstone returning as the fashion-forward Cher Horowitz. This is good, it shows this remake is headed in the right direction.
Nonetheless, cinema lovers everywhere can only take so much. Tell me where we can cast a collective vote to put a pause on the long lists of remakes, and I’m there.
Ava Francis is a 22-year-old journalism major from New Orleans residing in Texas.
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