ECU 4/04

Carolinian

After another East Carolina University men's basketball season (15-18, 7-11 American Athletic Conference) concluded with more losses than wins, over half of the Pirate scholarship players have decided they will part ways with ECU and enter the transfer portal.

Only 20 days after the Pirates last basketball game of the season, where they fell to the University of South Florida in the American Athletic Conference tournament quarterfinals, eight players have entered the transfer portal this offseason.

It all started when now graduate transfer forward Brandon Johnson announced his decision to enter the transfer portal on March 18, the leader for the Pirates in rebounding this past season and second in points per game.

Johnson is the only ECU player entering the transfer portal

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that was not recruited by Head Coach Michael Schwartz, as he was originally a signee from former ECU Head Coach Joe Dooley.

After coming to ECU after winning a national championship at the University of Kansas, junior guard Bobby Pettiford entered the transfer portal. The Durham, North Carolina native had his moments in the Purple and Gold during the 2023-24 season, averaging 7.8 points per game while dishing out 112 assists and 35 turnovers. He averaged 2.3 rebounds per game and shot 45.3 percent from the field, 26.4 percent from three, and 65.9 percent from the line.

What may have come as the biggest surprise from fans was sophomore forward Ezra Ausar hitting the portal. He had an impressive freshman campaign, being unanimously selected as All-AAC first team. Ausar started 24 of 32 games last season, averaging 11.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.

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ECU alumnus works with the campus to develop advanced military courses

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A team led by University of Pennsylvania scientists has discovered three genetic variants that offer the first strong clues as to why glaucoma disproportionately affects Black people.

The variants are common in people with African ancestry and are associated with a significantly higher risk of developing the sight-robbing disease, the researchers found in their study of more than 11,000 volunteers, including 6,300 from the Philadelphia area.

More research is needed to determine if these variants — each consisting of just a single “letter” among the three billion pairs of letters that spell out the human genome — play a direct role in causing glaucoma. But if they stand up to scrutiny, the findings someday could be used to develop better treatments and identify people who could benefit from them, said Shefali Setia Verma, one of the lead study authors and an assistant professor at Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine.

“The idea is that this can help identify

The latest Pirate to enter the transfer was sophomore forward Valentino Pinedo. Pinedo appeared in 45 games and made two starts. He scored 32 points and pulled down 32 rebounds, averaging 0.7 points and 0.7 rebounds per game. Pinedo shot 40 percent from the field.

After two seasons and 56 games at ECU, sophomore guard Kalib LaCount sought a transfer. LaCount served as a backup point guard this season, and his average minutes per game dropped in his second year. LaCount averaged three points and 1.4 assists a game this season, playing 13.0 minutes. Throughout his two years at ECU, the 5-foot-8, 148-pounder shot 32.8 percent from the field, 23 percent from three, and 72.6 percent from the free throw line.

East Carolina University and the Institute for Defense and Business (IDB) have forged a unique partnership, offering advanced military courses at ECU.

According to IDB’s website, they have a track record of over 25 years in developing leaders through tailored programs. IDB's mission aligns with ECU's commitment to fostering innovative thinking. This collaboration aims to equip leaders with the skills to think critically and make faster, more effective decisions.

With its proven success, as claimed by General Mark Faulkner, president of IDB and ECU alumnus, the institute has transformed the lives of over 10,000 business and government leaders. Its impact extends beyond North Carolina, reaching out-of-state organizations and universities.

"One of the things we particularly like about East Carolina is when you look at their mission, and you put it aside ours, you see a lot of similarities and alignment," General Mark Faulkner said. "East Carolina believes strongly to push through with creating innovative learners and thinking differently, and that is exactly

individuals who are at higher risk before any symptoms occur,” she said.

Previous studies have found more than 170 other genetic variants that are involved in glaucoma, a condition in which the optic nerve becomes damaged, often as a result of increased pressure inside the eye. But most of those studies were conducted among white or Asian populations — despite the fact that glaucoma is more common in Black people and, when it occurs, is more likely to lead to blindness.

And most of the genetic variants discovered in those previous studies turned out to play little or no role in the disease for Black people, illustrating the need for diversity in study populations, said Penn physician-scientist Joan M. O’Brien. “It was a hugely unmet need,” she said.

Gaining trust from Black patients

That’s what prompted O’Brien, Verma, and their colleagues to launch the new study, which is among the first — and by far the largest — conducted among Black people.

O’Brien blamed the shortage of studies

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what we want to do."

As part of their comprehensive training, the Institute for Defense and Business covers various topics, including leadership, strategic planning, contested logistics, innovation, risk management, data fluency, artificial intelligence, problem-solving, and critical thinking, IDB’s home page said.

This diverse curriculum, delivered through custom education programs, executive education courses, and (mostly residential) online training programs, ensures leaders have the necessary skills to excel in their roles.

According to WNCT, The Office of Research, Economic Development, and Engagement will work beside IDB to ensure their partnership thrives and meet ECU leader's defense and professional needs.

"There may be an opportunity for us (IDB) to custom build and design a program together with East Carolina, we can build a curriculum," General Faulkner said.

partly on the justifiable misgivings that many Black people hold about medical research, citing examples of misconduct such as the Tuskegee experiment in which Black men were not treated for syphilis.

Ongoing bias in medicine continues to contribute to mistrust. For instance, Black patients are less likely than white patients to

receive pain medication, and less likely to be admitted to the hospital from the emergency room. Until recently, they had to wait longer than white patients for a kidney transplant.

Nick Bailey TEC STAFF

Bobby Pettiford Jr.

Quentin Diboundje Valentino Pinedo Ezra Ausar Benjamin Bayela Brandon Johnson Kalib LaCount Jaden Walker

East Carolina University Athletic Director Jon Gilbert released a statement on Monday with many updates and acknowledgements having to do with ECU Athletics. Gilbert wrote the ECU Athletics Pirates Unite Campaign has surpassed $30 million in fundraising money and more substantial donations will be announced soon.

“I am thrilled to share with you the remarkable progress we have made with our Pirates Unite Campaign in less than two years, thanks to the unwavering generosity of our Pirate Club members,” Gilbert wrote. “Your support has propelled us forward, enabling us to remain competitive in the ever-evolving collegiate landscape.” The campaign has largely contributed to two large projects, Gilbert wrote, the first being the Isley Indoor Performance Center. The proposed center is around $3 million from being fully funded, GIlbert wrote, and would be a training facility available for all sports programs. The second project, Gilbert wrote, is the expansion of the Dick and Sarah Bennett Baseball Building.

Longtime ECU Athletics Administrator

Mike Hanley will retire July 1, Gilbert wrote. Hanley has worked in a variety of roles at ECU, Gilbert wrote, and has served over 30 years at the university. Currently, Gilbert wrote, Hanley works as the sport administrator for the lacrosse, tennis, cross country, track & field and soccer programs at ECU.

“Mike is a true professional in every sense of the word and his integrity and genuine care for others have earned him the respect and admiration of all who have had the privilege of working with him,” Gilbert wrote. “While we will miss Mike, he leaves a lasting legacy with ECU Athletics and his impact will continue to be felt throughout the department.” Gilbert wrote he congratulates the Pirates Men’s Golf team for their second consecutive tournament win at the 2024 Cutter Creek Intercollegiate last weekend. Gilbert wrote sophomores Lucas Augustsson and Philip Linberg Bondestad came out with especially strong performances.

Team Boneyard is a large contributor to Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities and funds for student-athletes, Gilbert wrote, and has launched an auction last week to further support student-athletes and their personal endeavors. Gilbert wrote that NIL has become a crucial part of student-athletes’ lives and its support from Pirate Nation is appreciated.

“While we are immensely grateful for the

support of our large donors, we understand that funding NIL initiatives cannot solely rely on them,” Gilbert said. “It must truly be a collective effort involving all members of Pirate Nation. We have so many businesses in our community and surrounding region, and we hope they will consider empowering our student-athletes through NIL opportunities.”

The 2024 ECU football team can be seen in action on April 13 during the annual Pigskin Pig-Out, Gilbert wrote. The players will sign autographs outside TowneBank Tower from 10:30-11:30 a.m., Gilbert wrote. Over 8,200 season tickets have already been purchased for the 2024 season, Gilbert wrote, with the athletic department’s goal being 15,000.

The ECU Athletics Hall of Fame will be returning to vote in 2025, Gilbert wrote. Individuals nominated from 2022 to June 30, 2025, Gilbert wrote, will be considered in the next election. The Hall of Fame currently sits at 187 inductees, Gilbert wrote, and plans are being made to honor all inductees at a Pirates home football game each season.

“I hope to see you around campus soon,” Gilbert wrote. “Thank you for your loyal support of the Pirates.”

A new political party gains prominence in North Carolina

Another third party is approaching its goal of regaining access to the ballot in North Carolina, potentially adding more candidates to an already crowded election season.

The Constitution Party delivered petitions for ballot access to the State Board of Elections on Monday, vowing to run candidates up and down the ballot once it regains its status as an official party.

“What we’re doing here in the third party movement is the most patriotic thing and honoring those soldiers that fought and died to give us this right not to be held captive to a few people in the establishment parties,” Al Pisano, the party’s chairman, said.

The Constitution Party supports a variety of conservative policy positions, such as banning abortion, supporting the Second Amendment and upholding the “traditional nuclear family, consisting of one man and one woman joined by marriage,” per its website.

Pisano said the party does not identify itself with the “conservative” label, though, and sees itself as distinct from Republicans.

“You either believe that government is restrained within the parameters of the Constitution, or you’re just for whatever feel-good thing comes down the road,” he said. “... We’re giving way too much power to the government over our lives when we do that. What we’re about is holding government accountable to the Constitution that restrains it.”

The path to ballot access

The party has turned in nearly 15,000 valid signatures that have been checked by county boards of elections, per the state’s online petition module. That’s around 1,000 more than is required to gain recognition, but the state board will still need to certify the petition results before the party can begin nominating candidates.

The party has a tight deadline to meet. It’ll need to nominate candidates by July 1 in order to appear on the ballot this year.

Pat Gannon, a spokesperson for the board, said the board will begin reviewing the documentation provided by the party to see if it meets the legal requirements for recognition. The board has not set a date for a meeting to vote on certifying the party.

If approved, this won’t be the first time the Constitution Party has been on the ballot in North Carolina. Pisano ran for governor in 2020 after the Constitution Party gained ballot access in 2018. He got just under 21,000 votes — around 0.4 percent of all votes cast — not enough to meet the state’s 2 percent requirement for the party to keep its recognition.

Kyle

Jon Gilbert

Studies should take priority for students as semester closes

As the semester begins to draw to a close, it’s important for students to remember that their academics should be a main priority. Towards the end of the semester, it can become easy for students to be distracted from their schoolwork and prioritize it less.

We, the editorial staff of The East Carolinian, believe students should be placing a strong focus on their studies and other academic endeavors in order to finish the semester out strong.

With summer break quickly approaching and a multitude of exciting events and opportunities that are coming up around Greenville, it can be hard to remain focused and motivated to complete the semester.

However, we want to encourage students to put forth their best effort in their academics and keep in mind that summer and all of the enjoyable activities that entail are soon to follow.

Around this time in the semester, many students are typically facing a heavy workload and can become overwhelmed with the amount of tasks that need to be done in a short time period.

While this may be a stressful period of time, we believe it’s important to remember to effectively balance one’s free time with academic duties.

Simultaneously, it’s also important to practice strategies to effectively manage anxiety and avoid becoming too overwhelmed. After all, students’ mental health should also be a priority.

There are many resources on campus that East Carolina University students, staff and faculty can utilize to manage stress or other struggles they may experience with mental health.

Some of these resources include the Center for Counseling and Development and ECU Cares, which can assist students in receiving the support that they need.

PIRATE RANTS

I am an employee of ECU and I am having trouble understanding why employees are being charged to park? We are barely getting paid what we should and we have to pay to park our cars to go to work? It makes no sense to me! I don’t make enough each month to cover gas or food, let alone a parking permit after paying rent, car payment, and car insurance. I just received a ticket today because I was not able to pay for a parking permit! Now, I have to figure out how I’m going to pay for this ticket!!! This is ridiculous!!

Why does the university not allow for more flexible working, especially when emails are going out about potential parking lot closures due to heavy rainfall? Would be nice if more departments would allow employees to work from home these days... especially the day before a spring holiday.

I wish that you could pay a small fee to rent out a textbook once or twice. For some courses I have taken, I’ve maybe used the required textbook listed for that course under the syllabus only a couple of times. Why not make these textbooks free or available to rent for a short period of time?

I wish that The East Carolinian received more recognition. I feel like many students are not familiar with it, or even aware that ECU has a student newspaper. The weather in Greenville is so up and down. One second it’s warm and the sun is shining, and the next it’s pouring down and many areas are left flooded.

How are we going to choose? How do we decide? Especially when we don’t like our options in front of us.

on government would be necessary.” That is clearly not the world we live in. Buchanan demonstrated that government needs to be controlled by constitutional limits.

these voters violate transitivity.

Both major political parties are soon to nominate their candidate for president. Unfortunately, most voters don’t like either of them. That makes for a tough choice.

According to a recent Gallup poll, the leading Republican and Democratic presidential candidates are viewed unfavorably by most registered voters. There may be strong opinions on both sides, but there is clearly no collective will of the people.

In this election year, we would all do well to remember some important principles of government: nobody’s perfect, and there is no perfect way for us to elect our leaders. The academic discipline known as public choice theory shows the limitations of our election process.

Nobel prize-winning economist James Buchanan called public choice theory, “politics without romance.” As with most economic theories, public choice models rest on the assumption that people are guided chiefly by their own self-interests. This includes politicians, that sometimes refer to themselves as public servants.

Buchanan’s work builds on the thoughts and theories of James Madison, who famously said: “If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls

Nags Head, Outer Banks in North Carolina is a popular destination for tourists across eastern North Carolina. Over time, I’ve heard some people from the area say that Nags Head simply wasn’t that fun to visit. However, I’d have to disagree with that statement.

Although I normally travel to Atlantic Beach and Morehead City due to visiting family in that area, Nags Head is a great place to visit. I believe it is a destination for families, friends or partners to spend their week or weekend.

Since I was a little girl, I have always enjoyed visiting the beach. Growing up, my family and I usually visited the OBX at least a few times each year. I have always been fascinated by a trip to the beach, and am just excited now to

But even that is very difficult.

Another Nobel prize winner, Kenneth Arrow, published work in the 1950s explaining that even if we control government through our elected representatives, we still won’t make everyone happy. Simply because we hold an election doesn’t mean we can learn the will of the people.

Arrow demonstrated that no perfect voting system exists. This has come to be known as the Impossibility Theorem. Arrow first assumed that society wants a voting scheme that satisfies, at the very least, the social properties of unanimity and transitivity. Unanimity implies that if everyone prefers choice A, to choice B, A will always beat B. Transitivity says that if choice A beats B, and B beats C, then A also beats choice C.

Unfortunately, both properties are easily violated in elections. The property of unanimity can be violated when just one pivotal voter changes his or her preference. Transitivity can be violated by groups.

To see this, suppose voter 1 prefers A to B and B to C, voter 2 prefers B to C and C to A, and voter C prefers C to A and A to B. This is a case of cyclical, not transitive, preferences. The group as a whole prefers A to B, but one majority (2 of 3 voters) prefers B to C. Another majority prefers C to A. As a group

visit as I was several years ago.

This past weekend, I was able to take a trip with my boyfriend and some friends to Manteo, which is located in close proximity to Nags Head. Overall, the trip reminded me of how much fun visiting Nags Head was and everything it had to offer for a weekend of fun.

We started the weekend off by getting some breakfast at Dunkin’ Donuts and walking out on a public beach access in the early afternoon. Although the wind was a bit chilly at times, the weather was beautiful and the temperature was warm. We enjoyed a stroll along the beach and searched for seashells.

While traveling over the bridge, we even saw several dolphin fins closely peeking over the water. Since dolphins are one of my favorite animals, I really got a thrill from seeing them.

I also really enjoy going shopping, especially in stores around the beach. I got a few souvenirs

Arrow proved mathematically that no voting system can satisfy these and other socially desirable properties of voter preferences. No matter what voting scheme we use, one way or another, it will be a flawed mechanism for social choice.

The lesson of political choice theory is that the best we can do is guard against results that promote only the limited self-interest of a few voting groups. That is, government must be limited. We can’t ask much of our elected officials.

The founder of modern economics, Adam Smith, knew this. In his seminal work, “The Wealth of Nations,” Smith first shows what leads to prosperity and then demonstrates that the government has only a limited role in that process. He argued that national defense was the prime responsibility of government, followed by the administration of justice, and lastly fulfilled by the construction of only some public works, like roads and canals, that facilitate trade.

Economics shows we can’t expect a perfect leader, and since we are unlikely to ever agree on who that is, we should limit the role of government in our lives.

That’s the most favorable choice.

from my favorite store in Nags Head, known as Parrot Bay. This store has a wide selection of souvenirs ranging from sweatshirts to keychains and other popular beachwear brands.

There are many great places to shop in Nags Head, and the options seem to be nearly limitless. A few of my other favorite places to shop are Forbes Candy and Gift Shop and the Outlet Nags Head, which has many popular stores such as American Eagle Outfitters, Belk and more.

To conclude the weekend of fun, my family, partner and I went to dinner at Outback Steakhouse and got snow cones as dessert at Booty Treats Ice Cream and Shave Ice.

Overall, if you are looking into planning a vacation or are even thinking about making a last minute trip to the beach, I highly recommend visiting Nags Head in the Outer Banks. With so many things to do, you surely will not be disappointed!

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Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 9 — Your luck in love improves immensely, with Venus in your sign. Take action for matters of the heart for the next month. You’re irresistible.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 7 — Enjoy private productivity. For four weeks, with Venus in Aries, fantasies abound. Discover hidden beauty from the past. Finish old jobs and relax peacefully.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Friends make the world go around. Get public over a month, with Venus in Aries. Social activities benefit your career. Group collaborations thrive.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

— Today is a 9 — Assume authority this month, with Venus in Aries. It’s easier to advance your professional agenda. Take on greater leadership. Career advancement is distinctly possible.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Explore and discover new beauty this month, with Venus in Aries. Make travel plans and venture forth. Investigate subjects of curiosity, fascination and passion.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 9 — Generate increasing assets, income and wealth this month, with Venus in Aries. Budget carefully. Invest in family, home and beauty. Divert funds to savings.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Listen to intuition. Collaboration and partnership flower over the next month, with Venus in Aries. Things could get deliciously spicy. Follow your heart.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 9 — Find your rhythm. Move your body this month, with Venus in Aries. Physical action gets results. Your efforts seem energized. Get your heart pumping.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 9 — Creativity and passion fuse. You’re especially lucky in love this month, with Venus in Aries. A powerful attraction pulls you toward someone beautiful.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 9 — Beautify your space. Settle into your lovely nest, with Venus in Aries over the next month. Share domestic bliss with family and friends.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) —

Today is an 8 Communication flourishes. Creative arts provide satisfying results, with Venus in Aries for a month. Write, publish and broadcast your messages from the heart.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) —

Today is a 9 — Weave your special magic. This month can be especially lucrative, with Venus in Aries. Tend your garden with love for an abundant harvest.

BLISS

LOS ANGELES — Subscribers of both Disney+ and Hulu can now access Hulu content through the Disney+ app, as the Burbank media and entertainment giant launched its oneapp integration of the two streaming services Wednesday.

Known as Hulu on Disney+, the combined experience brings shows such as FX’s “The Bear” and Hulu Original “Only Murders in the Building” right onto the Disney+ homepage, allowing viewers to peruse those shows alongside alreadyexisting Disney series and movies, such as “The Mandalorian” and “Loki.” Hulu content is also fully merged into search and recommendations.

The Bob Iger-led company announced plans in December to combine Hulu with Disney+ and initiated a beta test to see how viewers would react to the integration.

The move is part of Disney’s plan to increase viewer engagement and reduce churn on Disney+, which has 111.3 million subscribers globally.

Disney has lost billions on its direct-to-consumer business as it tries to compete with Netflix, but the company has told investors that its streaming segment will begin to turn a profit by the end of fiscal 2024. Streaming losses have been a key component of a nasty activist shareholder campaign ahead of next week’s annual meeting.

Disney+ has typically served up family-

friendly content and major brands such as Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel, whereas Hulu’s offering has been the streaming home of more adult-oriented programming.

Disney executives described the combined app experience as the most extensive technical advancement to the Disney+ streaming platform since it launched in November 2019.

“Watching Hulu on Disney+ is going to be simple, easy and seamless,” Aaron LaBerge, president and chief technology officer of Disney Entertainment and ESPN, told reporters Tuesday. “It’s going to make it stickier and more engaging, which is also going to be great for our business.”

The price of the bundle plan starts at $9.99 with ads.

Here’s what this means for viewers and why Disney wanted to combine the two.

Hulu and Disney+ will still remain as stand-alone apps

Just because Hulu content will be available on Disney+ doesn’t mean the Hulu app is going away.

Both Hulu and Disney+ will still be available as stand-alone services, though Disney+ only subscribers will see more in-app options to upgrade to the combined service. Upgrading to the bundle of Hulu on Disney+ will start at $2 more per month, Disney said.

Beta tests of the integrated app showed higher engagement Engagement with the one-app beta phase “exceeded our expectations across every single metric, with significant growth week over week,” said Joe Earley, president of Disney Entertainment’s direct-to-consumer division.

Those metrics included hours per subscriber, or the amount of time viewers spent watching; the percentage of subscribers who were watching; and the number of titles watched, he said.

“Its whole goal is to make happier subscribers ... provide them convenience, deeper engagement, better retention, increase the value of the Disney bundle for our subscribers,” Earley said.

The one-app experience still won’t include Hulu + Live TV

Hulu + Live TV will remain a stand-alone service “for the foreseeable future,” Earley said, describing the service as “very, very healthy” and “an important part” of the direct-to-consumer system.

Disney will get a taste of what this kind of live content integration could look like in June, when Latin American streaming service Star+ will be consolidated into Disney+, a move that will bring the ESPN networks in Latin America into Disney+.

TEC spertZ'

The East Carolinian Sports experts predict this week’s events

Garett Skillman For The East Carolinian

FAU VS. ECU Score Predictions?

ECU 2-1 Why?

With East Carolina traveling down to Boca Raton this weekend, I predict the Pirates will win the series 2-1. I see FAU winning the first game on their home turf, and then ECU bouncing back with 2 straight wins. Coach Cliff Godwin has had the team in great form as of lately, making it possible to sweep the weekend series, but I ultimately see them falling in the first game.

BASKETBALL

continued from A1

a knee injury, averaging 9.8 minutes and 2.2 points

per game. In 2022-23, Bayela started seven of 24 games and averaged 3.6 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. Junior guard Quentin Diboundje was

ECU baseball sets their sails for Boca Raton

East Carolina University’s baseball team (20-6, 4-2 American Athletic Conference) heads down to Florida Atlantic University (16-9, 4-2 AAC) for their third conference series of the campaign.

It’s the first time the two teams have met since a lone series in 2014, when both programs were members of Conference USA.

ECU took that series in Boca Raton after dropping game one.

Junior catcher Ryan McCrystal remains hitting at a very hot clip, batting .390 on the season. He’s sitting on a nine-game hit streak, with 11 RBI in that span.

ECU’s bullpen as a whole has settled in in a big way, with several solid outings within the past couple weeks. Junior righthander Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman leads the way with an ERA of 0.93, which ranks No. 4 in the country. Lunsford-Shenkman still sits top 10 in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings, with 50 under his belt.

He remains one of the most dependent arms in the American, with an ERA of 3.04.

ECU’s starting rotation recently saw a little bit of a shakeup, as freshman Ethan Norby made his first college start in a weekend series. Norby was excellent in game three against University of Alabama at Birmingham (12-15, 1-5 AAC), going four no-hit innings with six strikeouts, before being removed with a large lead.

Junior righty Trey Yesavage is sixth in the country with 63 strikeouts, which is the most in the conference. He owns an ERA of 2.18, with opponents batting only .174 against him. Sophomore lefthander Zach Root owns the best ERA of all three starters, sitting 1.98. Both Root and Yesavage rank among the top arms in the conference, and among the country.

Senior righthander Danny Beal still owns the most appearances in the conference, with 15.

The Pirates are back in action Tuesday as they host Elon (11-16, 1-5 Coastal Athletic Association) for a midweek back in Clark-LeClair. First pitch for that game is set for 6 p.m.

next, choosing to transfer for the second time in his college career, first leaving the University of Tennessee with Schwartz, and now ECU. Diboundje’s season was also riddled with injuries, as he dealt with an ankle injury most of the season and was in and out of the lineup towards the end of the season.

Diboundje averaged 6.8 points and 2.4 rebounds over 17 games. He had eight starts. Diboundje had a career-best performance against Georgia Southern University on Nov. 20, making 7-of-10 three-pointers and scoring 27 points. Diboundje had two further double-digit games this season, scoring 13 at George Mason and 13 at FAU, before his injury.

Former Iowa State University guard Jaden Walker was the next Pirate to enter the transfer portal this offseason. Walker appeared in 32 games for the Pirates this season, playing both at point guard and off the ball. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound player started 12 of the final 14 games of the season, averaging 5.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Walker has one year of eligibility remaining

TEC March Athlete of the Month: Carter Cunningham

everything that I do is through him, it’s nothing that I’m doing.”

Senior outfielder Carter Cunningham, of East Carolina University baseball team (20-6, 4-2 American Athletic Conference) has been named The East Carolinian’s Athlete of the Month for his hitting performances in the month of March.

Cunningham has absolutely filled up the statsheet for the No. 15 ranked Pirates, leading ECU in runs, hits, doubles, triples, homeruns, runs batted in (RBI), total bases, batting percentage and slugging percentage.

Cunningham, the fifth year senior has been a Pirate for three years, transferring over from Florida Southwestern State University back in 2021.

Cunningham had a strong month, with 21 of his 30 RBI’s coming in the last month. He had back to back home runs in a matchup against Saint Louis University that the Pirates lost.

In the month of March, Cunningham recorded 24 hits in the 18 games ECU played that month. Cunningham’s bat has been on fire this month, as he leads all qualified batters with a .396 batting average.

“I know that God has ordained my game already,” Cunningham said after the Pirates swept Columbia University. “I just trust in his plan and trust in the Lord’s timing and

The 6 ‘4 211 pound senior has hit the ball out of the park four times in March, with two of them coming in one game against Southeastern Louisiana University (18-10, 3-3 Southland Conference) when the Pirates lost 11-9.

Cunningham has come across home plate a total of 20 times for runs in March, reaching a season high three runs in a game twice against SLU and the University of North Carolina Wilmington (17-11, 6-0 Colonial Athletic Association).

Along with leading the team in total bases with 67, Cunningham has been getting extra bases with three stolen bases in March.

Ashleigh Cash TEC STAFF

Jacob Jenkins-Cowart practices his swing before stepping up to the plate to hit.

Senior guard Benjamin Bayela followed suit, entering the portal after spending the previous two seasons at ECU. He appeared in only 12 games this season due to

Quentin Diboundje

Jaden Walker