The Sunflower: Aug. 24

SUN FLOWER

the

Students take a break to illuminate campus for a glow party | PAGE 4

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2015

Ongoing recreation renovations to accommodate disabled LEVI YAGER

REPORTER

@sunflowernews

Wichita State’s Heskett Center continues making changes to make it easier for everyone to use it.

The upgrades from last school year include new weight room equipment, new paint in the Wiedemann Natatorium, new flags and lane lines in the pool and a couple of renovated bathrooms, one of which has been converted to a gender-neutral shower room.

Campus Recreation paid for the new recreation equipment, while the university’s Physical Plant paid for the cosmetic upgrades.

“In the fiscal year of 2015, we were able to initiate a number of different upgrades throughout the Heskett Center,” said Eric Maki, director of Campus Recreation.

“The first was the purchase and installation of over $100,000 worth of new weight room equipment from Cybex International. We were the first university in the country to install their new Cybex Eagle line.”

Three new pieces of equipment are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act due to a partnership between Campus Recreation and Disability Services.

VOLUME 120, ISSUE 5

THESUNFLOWER.COM

Lake Afton Public Observatory attempts to stay open uner new hands JESSICA GREEN

REPORTER

@jesserca9

The Lake Afton Public Observatory was filled over the weekend with visitors hoping to catch the last program before the building — with its 16-inch reflecting telescope — closed down for good.

But the observatory might stay open after all, just under different hands.

The Kansas Astronomical Observers is working to take over operations

in a partnership with Sedgwick shifted.

County, which would lease the land “We want to keep LAPO operating and building. as a public attraction for those The group, made up of telescope interested in astronomy and space and astronomy enthusiasts, took action science,” said Harold Henderson, a over the summer when Wichita State spokesman for the Kansas Astronomiannounced it would close the observa- cal Observers. tory due to smaller crowds and KAO’s mission is to “actively dwindling resources. pursue the aesthetic and intellectual About 30 volunteers took interest in enjoyment of astronomy,” according to saving the observatory, but they are its website. now waiting on word from the university if operations will be entirely SEE LAKE AFTON • PAGE 3

What’s visiblie in tonight’s sky?

Sagittarius

SEE RENOVATION• PAGE 3

Scorpius

Abdujaleel “Jalil” Alarbash

Resolution honors student killed in terrorist attack TJ RIGG

REPORTER

@tj_rigg

Preethika Kumar, associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science, remembers Jalil Alarbash fondly as a student in one of her classes last spring.

Abduljaleel “Jalil” Alarbash was killed in May at a mosque in Saudi Arabia during an ISIS terrorist attack. He was reportedly attempting to prevent a suicide bomber from entering the mosque when a device the bomber possessed exploded, killing Alarbash, his cousin and two others.

During the first fall meeting of the 58th Session of Wichita State’s Student Government Association on Wednesday, Student Senate read a resolution to honor Alarbash and his actions. The resolution passed unanimously.

Alarbash was an electrical engineering student at Wichita State, according to a news release from the university released after he died. He was in Saudi Arabia, his home country, to get married.

Kumar said she was able to spot many of his qualities despite having only one class with Alarbash as a student “He was really friendly, very sweet and a good person,” she said.

SEE JALIL • PAGE 2

Photo by Celeste Thompson

Viewers look at the surface of the moon through the Lake Afton Public Observatory’s 16-inch telescope Saturday night.

Wednesday, August 26

On the lawn in front of the RSC

#WSUKegger | wichita.edu/Kegger

THE STAFF:

EDITORIAL

Editor-in-Chief Shelby Reynolds

DONALD TRUMP WORD VOMIT

Candidate too radical, true to himself

Managing Editor Danielle Prewitt Multimedia Editor Kevin Brown Sports Editor Reece Burns Opinion Editor Alex Perry Special Sections Editor Amanda Hansen

“W h e n M e xico sends its people, they’re not sending th e ir best.

They’re se nding peop le that have lots o f pro bringing dru blems ... they’re gs, they’re bringing crime. The y’re rapists .”

Copy Chief TJ Rigg

ADVERTISING

Advertising Manager Jordan Becker Advertising Representatives Tri Nguyen Jon Snider

BUSINESS / ADVISING Business Manager Robbie Norton Faculty Adviser Jessica Bertapelle Advertising Consultant Madeline McCullough

The Sunflower is published by student-employees on Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. During the summer session, the paper is printed once a month, with exceptions for holidays and finals.

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One copy may be taken for free. Additional copies must be purchased for $1 each. The Sunflower is also partially funded by the Student Government Association at WSU. The opinions expressed in The Sunflower editorials, columns, guest columns, reviews, advertisements, letters, Yik Yak posts and editorial cartoons are not necessarily those of the staff, publications board, student body or university. The Sunflower reserves the right to edit or reject any submission.

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MONDAY, AUGUST 24

PAGE 2 | OPINION

Cartoon by Jillian Clough

What is it about Republican Presidential Candidate Donald COLUMN BY Trump?

VICTORIA HENDRICKS I’m going to be honest and say that he will fail to clinch the Republican nomination in the 2016 race for the White House, and if for some reason he did, he certainly wouldn’t win the White House.

He’s too extreme. Too radical.

But he’s also a heck of a lot of fun.

As a registered Democrat myself, repulsive comes to my mind when I think of the billionaire entrepreneur (which, by the way, is what he is: an entrepreneur, not a politician).

And yet, when a story comes on about his latest word vomit, I cannot help but stop and pay attention to CNN commentators’ coverage.

So, like I said — what is it about Donald Trump?

Talking to friends of mine, and garnering opinions from social media websites, there seems to be a common likeness:

the guy has a backbone. He’s not afraid to say what he thinks, no matter how ridiculous it is. He has confronted arguments and problems that other candidates seem to shy away from.

He’s also paying for his campaign with his own billions rather than relying on corporate sponsorship.

He is, in his own strange way, a man of conviction and candor.

And he may be the best thing to happen to the Democratic Party in a long time, but that’s another story.

Even if his thoughts are ludicrous, they get people talking. While he doesn’t have my vote, I can respect one thing about Trump — he doesn’t apologize for what he believes in.

Whether it comes from him or Hillary Clinton or anyone in between, that can be something respected across the board, especially during a time when people can’t live how they want or love who they please without being ostracized.

In the words of Trump (the only time I’d ever utter those words), let’s “make America great again.”

‘Putting words into action’

Students seek accountability from administration Statements by community leaders like ‘isolated incident,’ ‘random act of violence’ and ‘the campus is safe’ are starting to sound like a broken record to students at Wichita State.

They need action, not empty words, and WSU has finally started to respond.

In light of continued violence around Wichita State, administration has started to take accountability for students’ safety.

On Aug. 19, university and community leaders hosted a forum to discuss campus safety in the CAC theatre, just three days

after a vigil was held for four victims of recent gun violence, one of them being Rayan Ibrahim Baba, an engineering student at WSU. It is easy to say ‘the campus is safe,’ but students want to see action, changes and improvements. Violence continues to happen from a man shot in his car last September in a neighborhood south of Wichita State, to the sexual assault of a woman in Fairmount Park last November to multiple shootings this month.

Each act of violence is making the ‘campus is safe’ campaign less

legitimate.

In a news release from the university, Bardo said that safety on campus is a top priority.

Leaders are starting to recognize their words are doing little to make students feel safe, and the forum is a good start to showing students that Bardo might mean what he said.

However, that is just the beginning.

Ted Ayres said it best.

“It’s easy to say, ‘Yes, I support this,’ but we need to translate that knowledge that we care into a demonstration that we care,”

Ayres said.

Ayres, retired WSU general counsel and now chair of the “Enough is Enough” task force, said the real problem will be putting words into actions that are both meaningful and relevant.

Obviously improvements can be made. Talk of adding lights around campus is great, but will it actually happen?

Hosting a forum is a good step in the right direction, but it is fruitless unless it is a catalyst for solving problems and taking action.

— Editorial Board

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JALIL

FROM PAGE 1

Kumar said she was stunned by the news of Alarbash’s death, but was not surprised by his actions.

“I was shocked that he was dead, but I was not surprised because I could totally see him do that,” she said.

The resolution states SGA will “join in honoring [Alarbash] for his courage, bravery and his commitment of service and protection to others.”

Student Body President Joseph Shepard said the resolution was an important one to read and pass during the first meeting.

“We really wanted to take this time to let his friends know, to let his family know that his life was not in vain,” Shepard said.

“The work that he contributed to this university will not be forgotten.”

In addition to the resolution, Shepard said several people have approached him asking for other ways to honor Alarbash. Those tributes could be a plaque, a statue on campus with Alarbash’s likeness, or a tree planted in his honor, Shepard said.

For Kumar, a tribute in the engineering building, where many of Alarbash’s classes were, is ideal, but she said she is fine with any tribute as long as Alarbash is remembered.

“You want to remember him because he’s a role model for us,” she said. “It shows that heroes don’t have to be someone in a book or something like that. It could be you and me, just everyday life and doing the right thing.”

During the SGA meeting when the resolution was passed, several friends of Alarbash’s sat in the audience. Some of them wore shirts with the phrase “Our Hero Jalil” across the front.

Hassan Aleid said he was a close friend of Alarbash for three years.

“I appreciate them,” he said of SGA. “They were good enough to talk about Jalil and I thank them for what they’ve done.”

File photo by Tarun Bali

A student volunteer lights a candle at a vigil June 5 held for Abduljaleel Alarbash, a WSU engineering student who died while trying to prevent a terrorist attack in Saudia Arabia. Alarbash was honored last week at an SGA meeting.

Picture this

Photo by Xavier Mortenson

Novices and enthusiests alike gathered to see classic cars such as the 1931 Ford “A” Victoria Leatherback featured at the BlackTop Nationals car show. BlackTop Nationals, one of the largest classic car and motorcycle shows in the nation, was in downtown Wichita near Century II displaying a wide selection of vehicles from Friday through Sunday.

The event is dedicated to raising funds for charities on a local and national level.

www.thesunflower.com

PAGE 3 | NEWS

MONDAY, AUGUST 24

THE DAILY

YAK This is a collection of Wichita State students’ yaks. This is what you think about, talk about and wonder about. Enjoy.

Is there a smash bros club Anyone else wanna get yik yak jakects??

I saw you in the RSC. I couldn’t just walk by and not say hi, but I did.

The bookstore was robbed of $4500 of merchandise. The culprit was seen taking 3 text books and a sweatshirt Ima start putting a pillow on both sides of my bed so it doesn’t matter which way I lay down when I’m druuuunk I hate bras I love my roommates hella much they walked me to my dorm even though I stole redi whip from a party… thug lyfe

Photo by Celeste Thompson

Viewers gather Saturday as they wait to enter the Lake Afton Public Observatory, which held its last program over the weekend with Wichita State as its operator.

LAKE AFTON

FROM PAGE 1

“I’d like to see a 20 percent increase in attendance from year to year,” Henderson said. “We want to add interactive, engaging exhibits and displays, some focused on the technology used in space exploration, others showcasing the latest information from current and future astronomy programs.”

With WSU as its operator, LAPO provided more than 250,000 people the opportunity to see the moon, Saturn and other celestial objects, the news release said.

WSU’s Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education has operated the observatory for the last 34 years, but because patron attendance declined, funding dwindled.

“After 34 years of working with community partners, especially Sedgwick County, to provide

astronomy education to our community, the decision to withdraw WSU support from the Lake Afton Public Observatory was extremely difficult,” said Ron Matson, dean of Fairmount College, said in the release.

A growing digital age may also be a consequence, said Greg Novacek, director of LAPO. “For many people, easy access, via the Web, of pictures taken by the Hubble Space Telescope as well as other telescopes and space probes have satisfied their

curiosity about space,” Novacek in the release.

For now, Henderson said KAO has a few activities scheduled in case it takes over operations, such as a lunar eclipse viewing Sept.

27 at Wichita Northeast Magnet and “Spooky Science” Oct. 23 and 24 hosted by Exploration Place.

KAO schedules a speaker or presentation at each meeting on the third Friday of every month.

The meetings are open to the public.

Pulling up a map on google after you meet people from all over the U.S. and world and realize you know nothing about geography outside of you home region I could finish my homework… or I could finish the latest season of the walking dead on Netflix…and frankly post apocalyptic zombie slaying skills will be more beneficial in the future.

Can I use my shocker card to pay for laundry?

Just found my yak in the Sunflower paper

HESKETT FROM PAGE 1

“They have a feature on them that allows somebody who might be wheelchair-bound to pull a pin and slide a chair out of the way so they can roll in with their wheelchair,” Maki said. “That allows them to do some strength and conditioning workouts.”

Campus Recreation also bought a $6,500 piece of cardiovascular equipment from a company called “NuStep.”

“It allows users that, again, have a physical challenge or limitation to still be able to get some type of cardiovascular workout,” Maki said.

The new workout equipment has been well received by students.

“I think there was a good improvement,” senior Pablo Weller said. “[The new pieces of equipment] look better. They help you work out better — especially back muscles.”

Weller said he would like to see something new involving the tennis courts. Three of the six tennis courts to the east of the Heskett Center are closed because cracks on those courts pose a safety hazard to players.

Maki said he recognizes the need for improvements in that area.

“The life of those courts is about 10 years before you’d have to resurface them. So, we are still trying to speak with Physical Plant about how we can partner to really restore all of our courts.”

Another outdoor recreation area may also be updated soon. The Paracourse — an obstacle course made of wood near the entrance to the Heskett — was taken down in March because it was falling apart after so many years of use, said Grady Landrum, director of

Disability Services.

The Paracourse, donated in the late ’80s, was made to be accessible to people using wheelchairs.

“Over the years, the material deteriorated,” Landrum said.

“When it started getting toward the base of the wooden posts that went into the ground, we decided that it would probably be best to tear it down.”

A new Paracourse would cost about $90,000, Landrum said, and the project may last over a six-year period as the university adds to the Innovation Campus.

Photos by Xavier Mortenson

It’s not just students who are getting a fresh start since the Heskett Center has recently renovated areas of the building.

Visitors find new equipment in training rooms and a newly renovated swimming pool.

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MONDAY, AUGUST 24

PAGE 4 | NEWS

www.thesunflower.com

A glowing start to the year Clash of the Colleges, light party kick off fall semester

Photo by Xavier Mortenson

Students gathered outside the Rhatigan Student Center on Friday to dance the night away with music and glow sticks. Before the glow party, students competed in the Clash of the Colleges.

EMILEA FINLEY

T

REPORTER

@elmochamp24

he Wichita State College of Engineering brought home the Clash of Colleges title and bragging rights for the school year Friday in an inaugural competition between all the university’s colleges.

Students and faculty battled in human foosball, inflatable volleyball and several other activities.

The Office of Student Success and Campus Recreation sponsored the event, and all six colleges — the College of Education, Engineering, Health Professions, Fine Arts, Business and Liberal Arts and Sciences — participated.

“It was a great turnout, and we hope to make this a tradition,” said Kim Sandlin, director of the Office of Student Success. “This was a great opportunity for students to connect socially with their academic college. The deans took part in the event, and they really wanted to make that connection with their students.”

Besides competing to be the overall winner, teams also fought for the spirit award. While College of Engineering took home the bragging rights, the Health Professions students won the spirit award because they delivered the most hype, sportsmanship and spirit throughout the competition.

“What really made me feel good was seeing the orange-shirt

students not just wanting to win but (having) a good time,” said Sandra Bibb, dean of the College of Health Professions. “I hope we do this again now that we have more experience … Our college is like a family … I hope that even more faculty will bring their kids next year.”

The night concluded with music and dancing at the Glow Stick After Party, which was hosted by the Student Activities Council.

“It’s a night to celebrate that everyone’s survived the first week of school,” said sophomore Terence Truong, programming chair of Students Activities Council.

Alan Kempke, a freshman studying aerospace engineering,

Photo by Xavier Mortenson

Students dance during the Clash of the Colleges glowing after party Friday night. The event was sonsored by Student Activities Council.

said Clash of Colleges was a good way to take a break from studying.

“Thus far, I’ve been anxiously

awaiting college,” Kempke said.

“This event was a nice break from calculus and chemistry.”

Leadership honor society hoping to prove existence AMANDA HANSEN

REPORTER

Benefits of joining the National Society of Leadership and Success:

@mandabri4

With a Wichita State emblem on the front, Katie Wiggins, a sophomore in biology, eagerly rips open an envelope.

The letter inside requesting $85 ruins the appeal for her.

“I just finished paying for books, and I just finished doing all the financial aid to make sure my tuition was paid for,” she said.

“I’m just kind of tapped out of money and impatient with being charged more.”

The invitation, sent out by the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) or Sigma Alpha Pi, attempts to recruit qualified students to join the organization.

According to the NSLS website, the organization is a nationwide leadership honor society aimed at helping members discover and achieve their goals. Its main objective is to link students to important resources on campus and nationwide.

NSLS has 500 chapters consisting of more than 500,000 members. At Wichita State, there are nearly 1,000 members with 200 members joining this fall.

The Wichita State NSLS chapter is hosting “Password 4 Pizza” from noon to 1 p.m. Monday on

File Illustration by Kevin Brown

The National Society of Leadership and Success is trying to break the cycle of students thinking an invitation to the group is a scam.

the Rhatigan Student Center north patio. Members of NSLS received a password to get a slice of pizza in an email sent out by the organization earlier this week. For non-members to receive a slice, they must listen to Kieu Nguyen, president of NSLS, talk about what the organization has to offer.

“We want our members to know that we do care and that this organization does exist,” Nguyen said. “So we are kind of putting ourselves out there.”

NSLS sends out an invitation to all students that have completed 30 credit hours and have at least a 3.0 GPA.

« IF YOU GO:

SEE SOCIETY • PAGE 5

• Scholarships • Access to an online job bank • Résumé enhancements • Leadership opportunities • Discounts on books, computers and insurance • Letter of recommendation from the founder of NSLS

Password 4 Pizza Time: Noon to 1 p.m.

Date: Monday

Place: Rhatigan Student Center north patio

Members get free pizza; nonmembers learn more about NSLS

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Wednesday, August 26 On the lawn in front of the RSC

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PAGE 5 | NEWS

MONDAY, AUGUST 24

Sigma Lambda Beta calls on WSU community to aid low-income youths BRENNEN SMITH

REPORTER

@brennen19_26

Wichita State senior Felipe Lopez had a Thomas Edison-like moment for an idea to help the Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity start off the school year.

“A light switch went off in my head,” said Lopez, a former president and current community service chair for the fraternity.

Lopez’s idea was to donate school supplies to one of the Child Start schools, Fingerprints Head Start, just east of the WSU campus.

“Child Start is a nonprofit charitable organization providing early childhood development services that prepare children for lifelong success,” said Alicia Sanchez, director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Sanchez said Child Start works with low-income families, sometimes offering free services to help children from birth to five years old prepare for kindergarten and further schooling. Child Start also offers resources and training for childcare providers.

Head Start provides services

for more than 1,200 infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

“We just know there’s a need for this kind of stuff,” Lopez said.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion offered Sigma Lambda Beta use of its office as a central location to drop off supplies, and Sanchez helped increase awareness about the idea through WSU Today and Shocker Blast.

Initial advertising for the drop-off site was minimal because Sigma Lambda Beta didn’t expect many donations, but eventually donations built momentum, and, so far, the drop box —which is a large moving box — has been filled twice with the help of faculty, staff, students and members of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority.

“For members of Sigma Lambda Beta, it’s important that they are continuously promoting their mission and principles of the fraternity,” Sanchez said. “They want to be a catalyst to better serve the needs and wants of all people.”

Community service is also one of the four pillars on which Sigma

Courtesy Photo

Large boxes wait in the ODI office, ready to be filled with school supplies.

Donations are being accept through Saturday.

Lambda Beta was built, and when they have an opportunity to give back to the Wichita community, especially low-income youths, they do, Sanchez said.

“The whole goal behind this is to give kids hope,” Lopez said.

“We just came up with this idea and wanted to see where it went.”

Donations to Child Start can be dropped off in the ODI office — Room 208 of the Rhatigan Student Center — through Saturday.

Fill the boxes:

16-count regular Crayola crayons Glue sticks Pink erasers Small, solar-powered calculators 24-count Crayola crayon boxes Crayola markers Elmer’s Glue, 8-ounce size Notebook paper

Kindergarten First Grade

12-inch ruler Watercolor set, Crayola #080 (yellow, green, brown, blue, black, red, orange and violet) Fiskars scissors 70-page spiral notebook, No. 2 writing pencils Backpacks Boxes of facial tissue

Second Grade Third Grade

Fourth Grade Fifth Grade

Drop off donations for Child Start can be found in Room 208 of the RSC through Saturday Infographic by Jillian Clough

SOCIETY

FROM PAGE 4

In the NSLS invitation, students are asked to pay a one-time $85 fee to activate their membership. The fee goes toward benefits, partner discounts and a lifetime membership.

Nguyen said the fee isn’t the only requirement to be inducted as a member.

Students must attend an orientation, a leadership-training seminar, three motivational speaker broadcasts and three Success Networking Team (SNT) meetings.

Once the requirements are met, the student earns lifetime membership and no further participation is required.

“This year, we’re planning events for them to attend so they feel like they’re in a group,” Nguyen said. “I want them to stay and be active and participate. I don’t want them to just stop because they got

NEWS IN BRIEF New dining option in RSC opens Wednesday Erbert and Gerbert’s Bistro will open Wednesday in the Rhatigan Student Center, a new choice for dining in the food court.

The restaurant will serve sandwiches and soups, and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.

The restaurant will be the first of its kind to open in Kansas.

For more information and to see an online menu, visit to erbertandgerberts.com School of Performing Arts announces 2015-16 season Wichita State’s School of Performing Arts has announced its lineup for the 2015-16 season.

The season opens Sept. 24 and features performances from WSU’s departments of dance, theater and musical theater. The schedule includes musicals, theatrical performances, music and more.

Performances scheduled for the 2015-16 season are: • “Smokey Joe’s Café,” musical, Sept. 24 through 27 in Wilner Auditorium • “Light in the Piazza,” musical, Oct. 29 through Nov. 1 in Miller Concert Hall • Kansas Dance Festival, dance, Nov. 13 and 14 in Miller Concert Hall • “Wrong Window,” theater, Nov. 18 through 22 in Welsbacher Black Box Theatre • “Redux,” film, date and location to be determined • Children’s Dance Festival, dance, Jan. 31 in Wilner Auditorium • “The Roaring Girl,” theater, Feb. 18 through 21 in Wilner Auditorium • “The Leftovers,” theater, March 9 through 13 in Welsbacher Black Box Theatre • “Les Indes Galantes,” opera/ dance, March 31 through April 3 in Miller Concert Hall • “Chicago,” musical, April 21 through 24 in Wilner Auditorium Ticket prices for opera and music theatre performances are $16 for general admission, $14 for seniors and $6 for non-WSU students.

Tickets prices for theater and dance performances are $10 for general admission, $8 for seniors and $6 for non-WSU students.

Students can pick up one free ticket with Shocker ID at the Box Office.

For ticketing assistance, call the Fine Arts Box Office at 978-3233, email fastickets@wichita.edu or visit wichita.edu/fineartsboxoffice.

— TJ Rigg

“

their requireThis year, we’re ments done.” planning events Nguyen said for them to there are many attend so they benefits offered feel like they’re to members of in a group.

NSLS including scholarships, KIEU NGUYN access to an WSU SENIOR online job bank, résumé enhancements, leadership opportunities, discounts on books, computers and insurance, and a letter of recommendation from the founder of NSLS. Wiggins said if she were invited again, she’d be more likely to join.

“I’d be interested,” she said. “I’d ask them to ask me to join again if that’s possible. I didn’t know what it was and didn’t have the resources to look into it at the time.”

For more information about NSLS contact shockernsls@gmail.com.

* Excludes Holidays. $10 for 3D. Does not include Directors Suite.

353 North Mead Street • WarrenOldTown.com

** $8 for 3D. Does not include Directors Suite.

A striking investment PAGE 6 | SPORTS

www.thesunflower.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 24

$1.02 MILLION generated for tuition

$1.44 MILLION direct cash to the university (tuition, books, housing)

$4 MILLION in advertising

File Photo

An Economic Impact Report indicates that the Shocker bowling program has brought in $7 million in revenue to the university. The report came after the 2014-15 season resulted in a men’s national championship April 18.

Wichita State bowling team produces impresive monitary contributions EVAN PFLUGRADT

REPORTER

@evpflu

Wichita State literally bowls for bucks.

Nearly $7 million, to be exact.

Head Coach Gordon Vadakin said the bowling program continues to generate steady revenue for Wichita State, according to a recent report.

The Economic Impact Report showed revenue of $6.74 million from 2014-15 season, which resulted in a national championship

for the men’s team.

The report showed a $200,000 increase from the previous year. “[The report] has stabilized in recent years, but if we went back any further we would see even better improvement for Wichita State and the city of Wichita,” Vadakin said.

Vadakin said the reason for the report was to show the dollar amount the program has contributed to WSU. The reputation for the WSU bowling program has long been of financial value to the

university, he said.

“The report shows how unique we are,” Vadakin said. “This season alone we have brought in student athletes from more [than] 10 countries.”

Vadakin said from an international perspective, the program at WSU is viewed as an elite training center.

“If you are looking to improve your bowling game, get a college degree, or if you are looking to represent your country’s national team or the U.S. team, you have to

Shocker softball adds two new coaches JESSICA GREEN

REPORTER

@jesserca9

The Wichita State softball team has two new coaches in the lineup for this year’s season.

Wichita Wingnuts manager Kevin Hooper will return to his alma mater as volunteer assistant coach, and Ryne Stefankiewicz, former graduate assistant at Auburn University in Alabama, will begin as the new assistant softball coach.

Hooper, a former Shocker baseball player, will continue to manage the Wingnuts while helping the Shockers.

Stefankiewicz has a master’s degree in adult education and assisted head coach Clint Myers for the Auburn Tiger’s softball team.

Stefankiewicz’s 2015 season at Auburn University was full of achievements, which included a second place, regular season finish and winning the Southeastern Conference Tournament, the regional and the Super Regional.

This made Stefankiewicz and the Tigers reach their first appearance at the Women’s College World Series.

At Division I colleges, Stefankiewicz has helped coach some of the best young players for the Echoes Elite Gold 18U team,

where they qualified for the ASA Gold Nationals, twice.

“I love pitching, so I’m excited to work with the pitchers,” Stefankiewicz said. “Being a part of Wichita State is exciting in that the administration, first of all, supports you and, secondly, the expectation is to win conference championships.”

Bredbenner said she is excited about a fresh perspective from Stefankiewicz.

Last season, the WSU softball team finished with a 34-23 record overall and a 16-11 record in the conference.

While Stefankiewicz has only been in Wichita for about two weeks, he said it’s nice to be able to go out and be anonymous rather than being recognized everywhere outside of WSU. “In Auburn, everywhere you went everyone knew who you were,” he said. “Here at Wichita State, coaches can blend into the crowd, and at Auburn, that wasn’t an option.”

Hooper, to the contrary, is well known for his time at WSU and with the Wichita Wingnuts and brings something different to the table.

Hooper led the Wingnuts to six winning seasons, five division titles and three straight berths in the American Association Cham-

look here,” he said. “This is the place where the best players come out of.”

There’s been no shortage of exposure for the program, which won its 20th program title this past season. The men’s team has been rated the No. 1 program for 42 seasons, and the women’s team has stayed in the top 10 for the past 37 consecutive seasons.

“The history of the program is real good, but we never stop working at it,” Vadakin said.

Vadakin said the hard work that

Volleyball ranked first in MVC preseason poll MEGAN LOOPER

REPORTER

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Photo by Jessica Green

Ryne Stefankiewicz was recently hired as an assistant coach for the Wichita State softball team.

pionship Series.

Overall in his career at WSU, he maintained a .358 batting average and ranked in the top 15 in Shocker history with runs, hits, doubles, triples and walks. He also contributed to the 1996 College World Series team.

Stefankiewicz and Hooper will debut with the team during its first fall game. The game is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sept. 19 a C. Howard Wilkins Softball Complex.

“Coach [Clint] Meyers always said, ‘Greatness is a way of life,’” Stefankiewicz said. “Having greatness here at Wichita State is something that I plan to continue.”

goes into training the players and the newly renovated facility in the Rhatigan Student Center complement each other. He said he is ready for the season to start and to challenge his new players and returning champions.

The thrill, he said, is to have players who are willing to learn.

“You ask what makes us successful and we’ve been innovative,” he said. “We’ve challenged ourselves to stay on the cutting edge of training and technology.

We’re evolving as a program.”

The Wichita State volleyball team secured the No. 1 spot last week in the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Coaches Poll.

The Shockers were among 10 other conference teams.

The team was awarded 97 points in the poll, and received seven first-place votes from coaches on the voting committee, 10 points ahead of the second-ranked team, Missouri State University, and 21 points in front of No. 3, University of Northern Iowa.

Wichita State sophomore

Abbie Lehman, middle blocker, was voted onto the preseason all-conference team along with five other MVC competitors.

Last season Lehman produced 270 kills and 12 solo blocks.

With six returning starters coached by Chris Lamb, the Shockers come from a 2014 season record of 13-5 in the MVC and 20-10 overall, making it their 12th consecutive season with 20 wins.

Wichita State volleyball opens their 2015 season at the Rainbow Wahine Invitational Friday in Honolulu, Hawaii against Oregon State.

2015 MVC Preseason Coaches Poll Team (First Place Votes) Points 1. Wichita State (7) 2. Missouri State (1) 3. UNI (1) 4. Southern Illinois (1) 5. Illinois State

97 87 76 72 63

6. Indiana State 7. Loyola 8. Drake 9. Evansville 10. Bradley

50 43 25 22 15