The Sunflower v. 129 i. 3 (September 5, 2024)

SWINGING INTO THE SEASON

2024 Fall Sports Guide

WHAT’S INSIDE

Pg 2 | Why AAU basketball damages players’ health

Pg 4 | Meet a Croatian basketball player

Pg 6 | Previewing Wichita State cross country

SPORTS

How AAU basketball increases risk of injury for young athletes

BY EVAN TONG evantong3@gmail.com

The basketball athletes of today are training with more structure than in the past. Instead of playing at a public park for a pick-up game, they can be found at facilities like Wichita Sports Forum or Wichita Hoops.

Stories of famous athletes like Tiger Woods or the Williams sisters can encourage athletes to start training young. At an increasing rate, children are specializing in one particular sport, sometimes year-round in hopes of improvement.

According to Ashtin Meerpohl, Wichita State basketball’s director of sports performance, this specialization and specificity could be putting players at risk of injury.

“I do think there is a risk that there might be some overuse injuries because you’re doing the same type of activity over and over and over,” Meerpohl said.

Meerpohl said that 15 years ago, the conventional wisdom was to expose athletes to other sports during their primary sport’s offseason. That changed when organizations such as the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) allowed some of the best athletes

WHAT DOES AAU MEAN?

The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is an amateur sports organization that sponsors competitions for 9 to 18 year old athletes. While participation in AAU is often crucial to earn attention from scouts, some criticized the organization for specializing and overworking young athletes.

around the nation to compete outside their region and sport’s season.

Players are at a higher risk of overuse injury if they focus on playing only one sport throughout the year. Playing different sports in the offseason allows players to work different parts of their bodies and allow the overworked parts to rest.

With players being as talented and specialized as ever, there is an onus on younger athletes to train harder than everyone else to set themselves apart.

“If you want to make it to the big leagues and get your name out there, and, you know, make some money doing what you love, then you know what you have to sacrifice,” Wichita State freshman guard TJ Williams said.

Williams stuck to basketball

during his prep years but did track his senior year at Wichita Heights until it conflicted with his AAU schedule starting in the spring.

Although playing multiple sports can reduce the risk of injury, Meerpohl says what happens outside of the games is just as important. Not every school has the ability to hire a dedicated sports performance coach.

“They’re teaching a class, they’re coaching on the field, and they’re coaching in the weight room,” Meerpohl said. “It’s just a lot to ask of one person.”

The top AAU teams are given the best facilities in the world, but often ignore other wellness needs. AAU players often travel across the nation, which can disrupt sleep patterns due to time zone differences.

“I would have a flight Friday morning, so I would always be gone,” Williams said.

Meerpohl argued that sleep is just as important as any good workout facility.

“You can do everything right in the weight room … But if you’re not sleeping, you are putting yourself way behind,” Meerpohl said. “A lot of studies show when you’re on a lack of sleep under four hours, even under six hours,

in some cases, can raise your risk of injury significantly.”

According to Williams, AAU tourneys can have athletes playing up to three games a day. They typically play the entire weekend, Saturday to Sunday, potentially playing around four to six games within the span of two days.

For Williams, AAU was one of his best chances to get noticed by scouts. Not everyone can make it to college, and an even smaller number manage to go pro.

“You just can’t take too long off, getting back to the grind,” Williams said. “You’re definitely going to be tired, but that just comes to you. Just put in the work and keep your body reassured, keep it good, fresh and try to keep it as best as possible.”

BY JACOB UNRUH sports@thesunflower.com

On a July night in Augusta, Kansas, Wichita State hitter Jaden Gustafson stepped up to the plate to face off against Wichita State pitcher Drew Iverson, with Wichita State coaches sitting behind home plate. However, the Shockers weren’t competing in the game.

Gustafson, representing the Hutchinson Monarchs, a summer baseball team in the Jayhawk Collegiate League, smashed a home run off Iverson to give the Monarchs the lead over the Kansas Cannons.

“I still haven’t heard the end of it, honestly,” Iverson, a sophomore, said.

It’s just one quirk of summer league baseball, where players from around the country get placed on various traveling teams to get playing time, practice their technique and have some fun.

FINDING A TEAM

On May 26, the Shockers played their final game of the season, a loss in the AAC Championship game in Florida. Less than a week later, the Jayhawk Collegiate League began play for the summer.

Between that time, players decide where they will play during the summer. Most often, coaches suggest teams based on the best fit given the level of competition and playing time available. Gustafson played for the Monarchs after his freshman year and said it was obvious he would return.

“It’s kind of different for everybody,” Gustafson said. “Some people already have theirs predetermined before the season even started. Some people don’t know until really late. I just kind

of knew that I was going back to Hutch.”

For players with less familiarity about the team they’re joining, like Iverson, the transition can be more difficult.

“If you know everyone’s name by the first game, then you’re working hard at it, you’re doing really well,” Iverson said. “So that was definitely something that I had to get used to, just not having the time of getting to know someone before we start our games.”

The pitcher and catcher connection is a deeply personal one, often taking weeks or months to fully click. During summer league baseball, players don’t get that luxury. Iverson said he threw just once with a Cannons catcher before his first game.

“First game was pretty much just a test run,” Iverson said. “It was kind of just (to) see how much communication we had right away. And I thought it was pretty good to be honest with you, but I think that’s just how it is. Everywhere in the summer, you’ve got to learn quick. You got to jump right in, put your feet in the water and get to work.”

NEW TECHNIQUES, NEW ROLES

Both Iverson and Gustafson had strong summers. Gustafson hit .391 and added four home runs, although he pointed out that the competition level isn’t the same as at Wichita State. Instead, he said summer is a time for experimentation.

“I think summer is kind of a time to try new things if you’re not happy about how your swing is,” Gustafson said. “I decided to change a few things with my swing in July, (to) hit for more power. And, you know, it helped me a lot.”

His season culminated in a loss at the National Baseball Congress

(NBC) World Series Championship in Eck Stadium. Gustafson said that home-field advantage gets him “fired up.”

“The City of Wichita really loves baseball, and that summer baseball, it’s really fun to just bring your family out and have a good time,” he said.

Iverson performed well for the Cannons, allowing a 2.45 ERA and 2.5 walks per nine innings, compared with 6.5 in the spring for WSU. He said that improvement in control was a point of emphasis in the summer.

“I think that’s definitely going to help me carry over into this fall,” he said.

Iverson was used as a reliever with the Shockers, but in Augusta, he was a starting pitcher. He said he’ll keep using some of his new pregame stretching techniques when he returns to a relief role.

“I probably should have done more of it as a reliever, but I think I got so caught up in the fact of being a reliever that I had to be go, go, go, and be ready right away,” Iverson said. “There’s some stretches that I was doing as a starter. I was like, ‘Wait, that took like two seconds. I could easily do that as a reliever.’”

FRIENDS AND ‘FRIENDLY BANTER’

In summer baseball, spring teammates can face off in-game. As one would expect, this can lead to some extra bragging rights.

“If something happens, like when we play, spike ball or something, and someone wants to start trash-talking, you can bring up the summer,” Iverson said.

In the case of his homer off Iverson, Gustafson admitted to giving the pitcher “some crap the first few days after the game,” but otherwise took the high road.

“He likes to bring it up more than I do, honestly,” Gustafson said

after a laugh. The WSU coaching staff also like to rib the players on their summer league performances.

“The very next day, when I showed up to the weight room here, all the coaches … I just heard, ‘(Gustafson) hit a home run,’” Iverson said. “I was like, ‘Yep, thanks. What about me going seven innings with one run?’ I didn’t hear anything about that, but everyone wanted to talk about (Gustafson’s) home run.”

In the end, Iverson called it “friendly banter.”

“As soon as we step foot back on campus, it’s back to being teammates,” he said.

Summer baseball isn’t just about friendly rivalry. For spring teammates who end up on the same summer roster, it can strengthen friendships. Gustafson said he hung out with Monarchs and Wichita State teammate Camden Johnson every day during the summer.

“It’s just cool building up those bonds with your teammates,” Gustafson said. “And you go into the next year of college and, obviously, I still know a lot of dudes

from last year’s team, but it’s just cool having that guy that I just went through the whole summer with.”

‘NEW CONNECTIONS’

Overall, Gustafson said he enjoys the “laid back” feel of summer baseball.

“Summer ball is designed to help you grow and just have fun playing baseball after the spring season,” he said. “And that’s kind of what happens, you know. Team chemistry-wise, I feel like it gels pretty quick, just because, I mean … we’re all there to improve, obviously, but we’re all there to have fun for the most part.”

Iverson called summer baseball “good for you” and for the sport.

“You just meet so many people, new connections … You can learn so much from other people,” he said. “And you never know where those people are going to be at in the next five to 10 years. And, you know, being on a summer team, you guys are together a lot … And when we play other teams that have a guy on that team from the Cannons or something like that, we go say ‘hi.’”

Illustration by Cameryn Davis / The Sunflower

Jaden Gustafson hits for the Hutchinson Monarchs over the summer. | Photo courtesy of Andrew Carpenter / Digital Fox Photography

BY MYA SCOTT mds.200624@gmail.com

This year is special for the Wichita State rowing team as the group celebrates 50 years of rowing, racing and paddling.

The team kicked off its season with the seventh annual S’mores and Oars event on Aug. 28, offering activities such as boat riding, yard games, and of course, s’mores.

To celebrate the 50th-anniversary milestone, Shocker Rowing will host special events such as an alumni weekend in April when they will host the regional championship. Rowing head coach Calvin Cupp said that weekend will allow alumni to come in and see what the team has become.

“Traditions connect people across generations,” Cupp said. “We (at Wichita State) have some good traditions, and we also don’t have some things. And so when you have programs like ours

that have been around this long, there’s a long-standing tradition, there’s a connection with alumni there. There’s a sense of pride.”

Some current rowers seem to feel that “sense of pride,” such as sophomore varsity rower Dakota Widen. Widen was inspired by her cousin to try rowing and said she was addicted within weeks.

“I didn’t really like the early mornings,” Widen said. “So I talked to coach Cupp, and he convinced me, but it’s been worth it ever since. It’s changed my life.”

Widen, who has undergone four hip surgeries, said she was pleasantly surprised she could still find a sport to compete in.

“I’ve always wanted to be a collegiate athlete,” Widen said. “I never thought it would be possible until I came into rowing.”

Even though the season has just started, some athletes have already made memories.

“Signing (day) was hilarious,” freshman novice rower Kendal

Marian said. “I signed my life away, as we like to joke. We were laughing our heads off most of the time.”

Cupp said he hosts S’mores and Oars to give students a reason to stay at Wichita State. To Cupp, it’s just one more resource on campus that students can get involved in, even if they haven’t

played a sport since middle school.

“People tell me, ‘I’m too busy,’” Cupp said. “Everyone’s busy. When you look back at college, you got to ask yourself, ‘What did I do?’ Everybody talks about the stories. Everybody talks about what they did. And so what did you do?”

in loss at No. 13 Kansas

Wichita State volleyball had its worst offensive performance of the season in a road loss against the No. 13-ranked University of Kansas on Wednesday evening. The Shockers made 36 kills, 22 attack errors and hit .130 as a team en route to a 3-0 loss (25-17), (25-21), (25-19), against the Jayhawks. With the loss, Wichita State’s record dropped to 2-2 overall while Kansas remained undefeated at 4-0. Junior right-side and middle hitter Brooklyn Leggett made two kills in the early going of the first set, helping the Shockers take a narrow 3-2 advantage. The Jayhawks made a quick turnaround, scoring four unanswered points, 6-3. Kansas didn’t look back once it took the lead in the first set.

In a back-and-forth second set, the Jayhawks answered an early WSU lead with a four-point turnaround to retake the lead, 6-5.

Leggett made her fifth kill of the game to give the Shockers a 13-10 advantage. Kansas quickly closed the gap, tying the game at 15. Wichita State went up 21-20 but after a replay review, the point was awarded to the Jayhawks, giving them the one-point lead instead. Although the Shockers made more kills than Kansas, the Jayhawks made two more service aces and three more blocks to help them win the second set.

Leggett made her seventh kill of the match to score the opening point for Wichita State in the third set. The set went point-for-point as the teams tied for the lead 10 times.

Two attack errors by Kansas gave the Shockers their last lead of the set, 6-4. Later, a service error by the Jayhawks resulted in the last tie of the set, 15-15.

Kansas went on a 5-0 run that ceased all of Wichita State’s momentum, 20-15. The game was capped off with an attack error by senior libero Annalie Heliste and a kill from the Jayhawks’ senior opposite hitter London Davis. Redshirt freshman middle blocker Allie Paulsen made her first start and first game with more than a set played. She ended with six kills and led the Shockers in hitting percentage at .364. Junior outside hitter Emerson Wilford led the team with 10 kills and 12 digs. Wichita State volleyball will prepare for the Wooo Pig Invitational, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, from Friday, Sept. 6, to Saturday, Sept. 7.

BY OWEN PROTHRO owenprothro@gmail.com

Wofford College’s second alltime leader in blocks and hitting percentage for volleyball has recently transferred to Wichita State for her fifth year and last dance on the court.

Sarah Barham — a middle blocker and Summerfield, North Carolina, native — said this is her first extended period away from home. Wofford is just under a three-hour drive from her hometown.

“I was born and raised in the same town,” Barham said. “And I just kind of got lucky with Wofford being so close. It was definitely intimidating coming all the way out here, but I was excited to come.” Because Wofford does not offer graduate programs to its students, Barham knew she wanted to transfer for her fifth year.

“(The coaches) were super understanding of my desire to further my education and not just be at Wofford taking extra classes for a bachelor’s degree I didn’t really need,” Barham said.

“It’s not like I was leaving a bad environment,” Barham said. “I wanted to try and find a place that embraced me as much as Wofford did.”

When deciding to commit to Wichita State, Barham said she liked the offense’s game plan because the coaches “really value

what a strong middle game can bring to a team,” which opens up multiple avenues for attacking.

“I thought it was really encouraging to hear that I would be brought in to make an impact,” Barham said. “Or at least try to make an impact, and not just be kind of like a space filler or somebody that's just out there to be out there.”

Barham said another deciding factor was familiarity with WSU assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Katie Zimmerman.

“Zimmerman knew some of the coaches that I used to play for at Wofford,” Barham said.

“Because she spent some time in South Carolina as well. So I just dove in and saw how strong of a program (Wichita State is) and watched them win (the) NIVC.”

After last year’s top middle blocker Natalie Foster transferred to Southern Methodist University, WSU head coach Chris Lamb said he needed to find “someone who was a good blocker and good in transition.”

When Lamb saw the tape of Barham, he said “watching Sarah run around is exactly what I kind of look for.”

“We played very different with (Foster),” Lamb said. “But, Sarah has the experience and the IQ.

So, we just felt like we could find somebody that can kind of come in here and touch a lot of balls and get up for a lot of balls.”

On the court, Barham said some of her strong suits are in her transition game, getting in the air and being available for the setters as much as possible.

“That’s definitely something that has been drilled into my head since I was a very young volleyball player,” Barham said. “I’ve had success in the past as a blocker. Just getting my hands on stuff if it doesn’t go down …

Senior Kiara Bruzonic smiles while assembling her s’more. Each attendee had the opportunity to create their own s’more and hang out around the bonfire.

Middle blocker Sarah Barham prepares to hit the ball over during a practice scrimmage against Kansas State on Aug. 15. |

Photo by Cheyanne Tull / The Sunflower

For the second year in a row, tennis’ Arenui

Luethi

is playing in a new city. This time, he’s a Shocker.

BY OWEN PROTHRO owenprothro@gmail.com

Once men’s tennis player

Arenui Luethi decided to leave Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina, after his freshman season, he started reaching out to colleges across the country. Within 30 minutes of contacting Wichita State men’s head coach Darragh Glavin, the two set up an interview over the phone.

“On the call, I talked about myself and he talked about himself,” Luethi said. “And he had the offer right away. That was amazing (on) his part. Then the ball was on my side (of the court).”

Luethi waited two weeks after his first contact with Glavin to “see what was the best opportunity” before deciding he wanted to be a Shocker.

Now, he is adjusting to a new environment for the second year in a row.

Luethi, a Buchs, Switzerland, native decided to come to the United States to continue his studies and showcase his skills on the court.

“In tennis, either you go pro … or you go (to) college,” Luethi said. “I feel like college tennis is playing (at) a high level and I thought it

would be a good idea for me.”

After being selected for the Atlantic Sun Conference AllFreshman team with Queens, Luethi said he wanted to look “for new opportunities (and) new challenges to step up my game.”

“I couldn’t see myself at Queens one more year,” Luethi said. “They transferred to (Division 1) and they were struggling with the budget and everything and I was looking for a good, competitive (Division 1) college.”

When Luethi arrived in Wichita, he said the biggest difference between Charlotte and his new home was the size of the cities.

“(Queens) was a small university, only like 1,000 students,” Luethi said. “But the benefit was it was close to the big city. Here, it’s not like a big city, right? But, just a good, big community and good staff and good people.”

Luethi said he liked the Midwest hospitality he was shown after he arrived in Wichita.

“What stood out for me is just how (welcoming) the people are, how friendly they are,” Luethi said. “They’re always here to help.”

Glavin didn’t know anything

about Luethi until he reached out. Once they met, Glavin checked results and looked for how he could fit in with the team, saying he needed to get to know Luethi, “his goals and how he’s looking to develop.”

“He’s played some teams that were in our conference and matches that we played, so we had results we could compare to guys that we have,” Glavin said. “So that kind of (stood) out for us right away, and then just seeing some video footage, too, like the athleticism and potential that he has stood out to us even more.”

Glavin praised the energy and play style that Luethi brings, comparing him to Spanish tennis great Carlos Alcaraz.

Luethi said he’s an “aggressive baseliner, looking to get close to the net,” which puts pressure on his opponents.

“I don’t mind going to the net and just (playing) hard with my serve and forehand,” Luethi said.

Glavin said fans of Shocker tennis can be excited for the “new, young talent.”

“It’s going to be a good year,” Glavin said. “We got a good group of guys and a lot of talent, so (I’m) excited to see it all come together.”

Basketball player adjusts to life, game across the pond

BY OWEN PROTHRO owenprothro@gmail.com

Matej Bošnjak, the final addition to men’s basketball’s 2024-25 roster, has arrived in Wichita, and, for the past two weeks, has been adjusting to life in the United States both on and off the court.

“You can see him making strides every single day,” head coach Paul Mills said. “His best attribute right now is, one, he wants to learn and then, two, he works his tail off.”

ADJUSTMENTS ON AND OFF THE COURT

Bošnjak, a Zagreb, Croatia, native, had never been to the United States prior to committing to Wichita State. From learning what food to eat to operating American appliances, Bošnjak said he has felt plenty of culture shock so far.

“The guys in the staff, the guys in the team, especially (Ognjen Stranjina), have helped me a lot,” Bošnjak said.

Bošnjak said the biggest adjustment on the court for him will be the shot clock.

“Players over here are much quicker, more athletic,” Bošnjak

said. “So that’s going to be a little bit of an adjustment, but that’s the least of my worries. But, I mean, the shot clock is 30 seconds. That’s a big, big difference. I can already feel it after three practices.”

The shot clock Bošnjak is accustomed to is 24 seconds. He said the extra time on the clock in America messes with his muscle memory.

“In my mind, I know what 24 seconds is, in the time period,” Bošnjak said. “So when we’re on defense, I can feel 24 seconds pass in my mind. It’s like ‘Okay, the play is kind of over now,’ and then you look at a shot clock and it’s seven

set stood out to him the most.

“If you know anything about European basketball, the one thing you’ll take away is how physical it is,” Mills said. “This is a situation where I just loved his physicality, his ability to play through (contact).”

Mills praised Bošnjak’s passing, ball-handling ability and skills on the perimeter, comparing him to the NBA’s reigning MVP, Nikola Jokić.

“You’re looking at a guy who could play out of short roles and play in the high post. But, you can give the ball to (him) one-onone around the rim and feel very comfortable with (him) being able to make the right decision.”

The feedback and energy that Wichita State’s coaching staff gave Bošnjak during recruiting ultimately helped him decide to take his talents to the court in Koch Arena.

or six more seconds. I think I’m going to need a little bit of time to adapt to that.”

RECRUITING PROCESS

When recruiting Bošnjak, Mills said that his physicality and skill

A NEW ERA

“I saw it as a place where I have all the tools to get better and to further my basketball career to the highest level I can be, to grow as a person,” Bošnjak said. “This is my first time leaving home. So to grow to be more independent, that’s what I saw.”

According to Mills, recruiting a player internationally is not an easy task. Mills said there are “three boxes” that go into whether a player from Europe is able to compete in the NCAA.

“Can you play, where are you academically and then what’s your contractual obligations to the team?” Mills said. “Once we felt very comfortable about (Bošnjak) being eligible, we knew that we could kind of pursue this.”

After the staff confirmed Bošnjak’s academic standing, they had to look into his contract to make sure it didn’t “exceed living expenses” and that Bošnjak hadn’t “triggered professional status.”

“Fortunately, clubs (in Europe) are able to provide them with living expenses; food and housing,” Mills said. “But it can’t be … $10,000, $20,000, $30,000 over that.”

Mills said when looking through Bošnjak’s contract, they needed a translator because it was not written in English. The team had to pay attorney fees for someone with the credibility to read through the contractual obligations in order to make sure he was eligible.

Once cleared and eligible to play, Bošnjak had to enroll in classes and go through transfer paperwork. Mills said the men’s basketball director of athletic academic services, Gretchen Torline, and Stranjina were by Bošnjak’s side to guide him through the process.

Bošnjak is majoring in international business and said he’s taking classes in operations management, business management and math.

“And I have one history class, in World War II,” Bošnjak said. “That’s the class I’m most, like, happy to go to.”

ROLE WITH TEAM

Because of Bošnjak’s age, Mills said this is not an adjustment year for him.

“He’s a 22-year-old who plays against older players,” Mills said. “Because of that, you understand that this isn’t somebody who’s adjusting (from) high school to college. This is a guy who’s played against other guys his age or a bit older … he’ll be able to make an impact.”

The impact he’ll make, Mills said, will be in his ability to shoot, especially around the perimeter.

“Very respectable in that regard,” Mills said. “But his ability to handle, his ability to see and his ability around the rim as well. I would tell you he has a ton of versatility on the perimeter as well as the interior.” Mills said fans of Shocker basketball will be excited to see Bošnjak play.

“I think Wichita State fans appreciate good basketball players,” Mills said. “Guys who are really invested, who care about making an impact on the school during their time here. And you’re going to get everything out of Matej. Matej is a full-fledged Shocker. He has embraced everything.”

Sophmore Arenui Luethi warms up during team practice on Sept. 4, 2024. | Photo by Muhammed Ghais Saleem / The Sunflower

BALLIN’

Shockers bring paint into the sports scene

BY GRAYSON WEATHERS

Last semester, a new club appeared on campus. It all started at Edge Paintball Adventures in north Wichita, where a few players realized they were all students at Wichita State University. With the realization that the university didn’t have a club for something the students loved to do, they took it into their own hands by creating a club for paintball. With the help of another paint baller, Cayden Hertel, they took it up with the university.

“We just happened to all be college age,” said Tanner Radford, president of the WSU paintball club. “We just decided to start our divisional team.”

The club isn’t just people coming together and shooting each other, though. One of Radford’s goals is for his team to compete.

The club plays against teams across the country with university funding. Through the National

Collegiate Paintball Association (NCPA), they send 10 guys to different states to play against other schools.

This semester, Radford wants to grow the club even more. He knows how close the community is to him and wants people to witness it themselves.

“The community out here is fantastic,” Radford said. “So far, people have been really receptive.”

The club is open to whoever wants to join or just play paintball. It doesn’t matter if someone has years of experience or if they are a beginner and want to start paint balling. The club wants to see people having fun with each other despite the experience gap.

“We just keep talking to people, and we’ll get big groups (that come) out here every now and then,” Radford said. “We’ll have like eight people randomly show up, and they’re like, ‘Hey, we’re going to play some paintball,’ and we’re like, ‘OK.’”

Understanding the financial

WSU Disc Golf Club off to a flying start

BY SOPHIA BEST

The grass is wet, the air is humid and Cessna West Park is full of athletes trying out for the Wichita State University Disc Golf Club. This year was the largest turnout for disc golf tryouts since its initiation as a student organization in 2014. Twenty-one new and returning players met on the final Saturday of August to play through the 18 holes the park had. The players separated into five groups, creating an environment of casual, supportive fun. There were new and running jokes and tips and tricks for different putts.

“It’s a great way to socialize, make friends, and have a good

time,” said Kyle Schluben, the club president.

While there is a fun atmosphere, the team is still competitive. After final cuts, the club will have three competitive teams with 12 players. They’ll play in five tournaments this semester, including a regional tournament in Emporia, Kansas, that will go toward qualifications for the national championship tournament in the spring.

Despite the varying ages, experiences and skill levels, most players consistently shared one sentiment, summarized by player Logan Herrington.

“Come out and try disc golf,” Herrington said.

For more information about the club, send an email to wushockdiscgolf@outlook.com.

burden of being a college student, Radford said he makes sure the club doesn’t have any fees or class requirements.

“With everyone already paying tuition, having to work and bills, it’s something we don’t want to impose on people,” Radford said. “We really just want people to get together and not be afraid to come out here.”

Once the games are over, win or lose, everyone goes back to talking and having a good time with each other.

That’s what the club wants to push the most: people can compete and shoot each other, but they don’t have to worry about someone being upset at them when the games are over.

“(Paintball) is not like other sports,” Radford said. “Everybody talks to each other. It is really one big family no matter where you go.”

Those interested in learning more about or joining the paintball club can email Radford at tgradford1@shockers.wichita.edu.

Meet Wichita State’s baseball club

The club has been playing for two years and players say it’s all about having fun

BY AINSLEY SMYTH news@thesunflower.com

If you happen to pass by Eck Stadium in the evening, you might notice a group of men pulling into the parking lot and trickling into the indoor practice field.

They’re a group that has met there once a week for the past two years, playing the game they love.

Collin Dugan, president of Wichita State’s baseball club, started the organization during his sophomore year. Dugan said he played baseball for most of his life but after high school, he no longer had a team.

He started playing catch with a friend between classes. It gave him the idea to see if there was a club on campus where they could play baseball for fun.

“I emailed the adviser,” he said. “I was like, ‘Hey, is there a baseball club?’”

When the answer came back, “No,” Dugan decided to start one.

“It was pretty easy to get it up and going,” he said.”It was just getting people to show up is what was the hard part.”

Dugan said they had “maybe four or five guys” in the club’s inaugural year. Gradually, the group grew.

“Last year, it was a bit better,” he said. “We had enough guys to have a team.”

Juan Rangel, a senior industrial engineering major, found out about the club from a flier while living on campus. He’s been going to most of the practices ever since.

“I enjoy baseball, and I enjoy these guys,” Rangel said. “They’re always really fun. They don’t make

it feel like I have to be the best at baseball to actually enjoy myself.”

Last year, the team started playing against clubs from other universities.

“We played (Kansas State) twice last year,” Dugan said. “We didn’t win, but it was still fun all the same.”

They also played a team from the McConnell Air Force Base.

“It was weird, because they were all, you know, (in their) 30s, 40s, and they were throwing pretty hard,” Dugan said. ”But it was a lot of fun because they were … really just messing around and trying to have a good time.”

Now a senior, Dugan takes all his classes online. He said the baseball club helps him stay connected to campus.

“I can come here and … still have good friends and all that stuff,” he said.

The group has been playing on the indoor field almost since they started. Dugan said while they’ve been welcomed by many of the baseball staff, they’ve also dealt with some misunderstandings over the years.

“We’d run into the baseball team sometimes, and they wouldn’t give us a schedule,” Dugan said. “And I kind of pushed them for one, and eventually they were like, ‘You guys can come after 8 p.m.’ But we’ve been kicked out before when we … had it reserved.”

Dugan said he buys most of the club’s equipment himself. He and the club’s vice president, Keegan McFarland, also run their own custom printing business and make jerseys for the team.

“There’s nothing that I’d rather spend my money on,” Dugan said. “It’s something I really enjoy, and, you know, if I have to spend some of my money for everyone else to have a good time, I will.”

This year, Dugan said the club plans on playing Kansas State again and the University of Kansas for the first time. He, McFarland and Rangel will graduate this year.

But Rangel said he thinks the club will continue. At least, he’ll try to make sure it does.

“I’m pretty sure I’m going to be coming back here as a grad student, so I will try to continue it,” Rangel said. “My hope is that we get to play more games against other teams, and, you know, hopefully win a few games.”

Senior Cody Griffin kneels, aiming to take out the enemy. The paintball club hopes to make a bigger presence on campus, welcoming everyone who wants to join and have fun in the upcoming year.

Senior Tanner Radford, the founder of the WSU Paintball Club, lines up to take a shot. The club began with just four members and has since grown to nearly 100. | Photos by Aubri Baker / The Sunflower

Brayden Schmidt throws a disc at Disc Golf Club tryouts on Aug. 31 at L.W. Clapp Park. | Photo by Monique Bever / The Sunflower

Safari Marema warms up in the bullpen during baseball club practice. | Photo by Mi’Kyala Goodman / The Sunflower

CROSS INTO THE UNKNOWN

Season preview: Unpredictable Shockers look to make strides while avoiding injuries

BY JACOB UNRUH sports@thesunflower.com

Wichita State cross country head coach Kirk Hunter said his “mind is jumbled” thinking about the upcoming season. With many new runners and returners who could step up, it’s hard to guess who will be the team’s top performers this year.

“When you get in a race … and seeing how they actually shake out, each week, you find out something new,” Hunter said.

Last year, the men’s team placed fourth at the American Athletic Conference championship and the women placed fifth. With the top runners from that meet either not returning or battling injuries, it’s anyone’s guess who will lead the pack for the Shockers this year.

WOMEN’S TEAM

Hunter said the top runner “by far” on the women’s side is senior Lucy Ndungu, who placed second at the AAC championship meet last year and made the all-region team by finishing 22nd at the NCAA Midwest Regional.

He said Ndungu is in “incredible shape.” However, she has a history of injuries, which might limit her to only running at the most important meets like the conference and NCAA championships.

“Where we’re going to race her, and when we’re going to race her, we don’t know,” Hunter said. “... If they’re high level, you try to be careful, because if you’re not careful, you lose them.”

Hunter said Ndungu is driven to win the individual conference championship and place top-10 in

the NCAA championships. To do so, she might need to prioritize the bigger picture.

“When they’re older like that, they don’t have the experience,” Hunter said. “They don’t necessarily need the race as much. You can pull them out of a race and they’ll be okay. It isn’t always ideal, but a healthy Lucy is better than an unhealthy Lucy. That’s all there is to it.”

Ndungu said staying healthy is the number one priority for the team. Behind her, she said “everybody has improved” on the women’s side.

“You can really tell who’s really putting in the work,” Ndungu said. “When nobody is seeing, who’s really dedicated to running when you’re not being told what to do. Because over the summertime you’re on your own, you’re doing your own thing … So you will see who really pushed themselves.”

Senior Miranda Dick made the all-conference team last year after a seventh-place finish at the AAC championship. Similarly to Ndungu, Dick is dealing with some injuries that might hold her back before this year’s AAC competition.

Senior Sarah Bertry is also returning to the team. Bertry made the all-conference team her sophomore year but missed out last season.

Aside from that trio of women, Hunter said he’s been “impressed” with the freshmen runners.

“I thought that the newcomers that came in, they did one of the best jobs of the freshman group that I’ve seen,” Hunter said. “Which is hard for a freshman to do that because they don’t know what’s coming or what to expect.”

MEN’S TEAM

On the men’s side, the top of the pecking order is less defined. None of last year’s four top runners at the AAC championship — Jackson Caldwell, Zander Cobb, Adam Rzentkowski or Trey Rios — are returning for the Shockers.

That void isn’t new for Hunter, who said he’s graduated three to four top men’s runners every year for the past half-decade and came back “either a little better or just as good.”

“That’s because the guys that were here, that didn’t graduate or leave, they’ve accepted that role, that now they have to be the ones to step up,” Hunter said. “And we’re in that same boat again. It’s just how it is.”

Hunter highlighted junior Adrian Diaz Lopez as the most likely “top guy” this season. Lopez made the all-conference team during his sophomore year in 2022 and redshirted last season.

“We’re not going to race him early, but hopefully he’ll be the guy that’s racing at top form by the end of the season,” Hunter said about Lopez.

Hunter also named junior Yared Kidane as a potential top runner. Kidane was born in Eskilstuna, Sweden, and ran his first two years at Iowa Central Community College. After joining the program but running unattached last year, he’ll make his first uniformed appearances as a Shocker this fall.

Finally, Hunter said junior Riley Vandaveer has “stepped up the most right now.” Vandaveer set a season-best in the AAC championship last year, but finished 71st.

“I don’t know how much he’ll

contribute, if he’ll be a contributor to the level that we hope he is,” Hunter said. “But, I mean, he made massive improvements over the summer. I mean, it was unbelievable.”

HOME MEET

For the first time since 2020, the AAC cross country championships will take place in Wichita. Hunter said “everybody’s super excited” to run the important meet at home.

“It should boost them dramatically,” Hunter said. “I mean, you don’t have to travel. Got your own bed, you got all your fans, you know the course. I mean, you’ve got all the advantages in the world … And we need it. We need it because the conference is so good.”

Ndungu said running at home “brings more energy.”

“It helps a lot,” she said. “Having people to encourage you, like, especially (when) it’s hot out … and your mind is just going crazy. But being able to hear your friends and family pushing you, it gives you more extra boost.”

Hunter said it’s difficult to set expectations with how unpredictable the season is, but a “really good year” would be a topthree finish for both teams at the conference championship.

Ndungu, meanwhile, has a warning for the teams competing against the Shockers.

“Watch out for the girls,” she said.

The WSU cross country team runs the JK Gold Classic on Saturday, Sept. 7 at the Clapp Cross Country Course in Wichita. The men’s 6k will start at 8 a.m. and the women’s 5k at 9 a.m.

CROSS COUNTRY SCHEDULE

JK Gold Classic Wichita, Kansas Sept. 7, 8 a.m.

Gans Creek Classic Columbia, Missouri Sept. 27, 8 a.m.

Bradley Pink Classic Peoria, Ilinois Oct. 18, 3 p.m.

AAC Championships Wichita, Kansas Nov. 2

NCAA Midwest Regional Peoria, Ilinois Nov. 15

NCAA Championships Madison, Wisconsin Nov. 23

Inexperienced runners manage top finishes in season-opening ‘practice meet’

BY JACOB UNRUH sports@thesunflower.com

According to Wichita State head cross country coach Kirk Hunter, the first collegiate race for many new Shockers was a “practice meet to get better for the end of the year.”

On Friday night in Hutchinson’s Terry Masterson Twilight Classic, the Wichita State women’s team finished first in a field of mostly regional community colleges. The men’s team went home with bronze.

“Our women took care of business, and they did exactly what they were supposed to,” Hunter said.

Hunter didn’t take many experienced runners to compete at the event, instead allowing the younger Shockers to get their feet wet against collegiate competition. Of Wichita State’s 13 runners, nine were racing their first meet for the team.

WOMEN’S RACE

Freshman Faith Ekart took home WSU’s top finish, placing third in the women’s three-mile run at 18:35.71.

“I wasn’t really pressuring myself to do a certain place or time, just kind of running to see how I felt,” Ekart said. “So I was really happy with how I ended up and how I finished.”

In her first collegiate race, Ekart said she enjoyed chasing other runners after spending her time in high school pacing the field.

“It was kind of fun to have people that actually can go fast and people that I can try to keep up with,” Ekart said.

Sophomore Isabelle Hartnett, one of the few returners who ran the meet, finished just behind Ekart in fourth at 18:38.18. Hunter said he wanted Hartnett to be the “leader of the group.”

“Her goal was just to pull them, pull them, pull them, pull them,

pull them,” Hunter said. “And she did a really good job with that.”

MEN’S RACE

On the men’s side, six Wichita State runners finished between 12th and 19th place. Those tight placings were by design.

Hunter said he wanted the young Shockers to avoid wearing themselves out early, by trying to keep pace with the faster runners, instead building speed and consistent pace as a pack.

“I wasn’t concerned about team placing necessarily,” Hunter said.

Redshirt freshman Ian Schram made his first uniformed collegiate race. He said the viewing the meet as a practice workout calmed his nerves — even though it was difficult to fight the impulse to keep up with the faster runners.

“Going into it, knowing you’re running for them, not just for yourself, kind of helps propel you forward,” Schram said.

Freshmen Kalyn Willingham and Emily See run in a pack with sophomore Isabelle Hartnett during Friday’s season-opening cross country meet. WSU head coach

Kirk Hunter said Hartnett did a good job pulling the younger Shockers with her to the finish. | Photos by Jacob Unruh / The Sunflower

Redshirt sophomore Colin Graham rounds a bend at his first cross country meet on Friday night. Graham came in 18th at 21:09.42, within the pack of WSU runners.

Sophomore Jonah Allison runs the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic in Hutchinson, Kansas. Allison placed 14th in the men’s four-mile in 20:48.73.

SGA delayed allocating student organization funding. Here’s why.

BY AINSLEY SMYTH news@thesunflower.com

Student organization representatives crowded into the Student Government Association’s meeting on Wednesday night to argue for their funding. The evening mirrored a similar situation the year prior.

Wichita State’s Student Senate was expected to vote on how much each organization received, but that decision has been put off as more funding became available. It could be at least another week until a final decision is made.

Each year, student organizations wanting to receive funding from the Student Government’s portion of student fees must submit a request and go before the association to explain what the money will be used for. SGA then determines organization funding based on the requests and how much funding is available.

The Senate voted to pull $75,000 out of a special projects fund, which was created last spring to allow SGA to pay for projects such as renovations to the Rhatigan Student Center and any other projects that fall outside of normal funding. It is funded by student fees like most of SGA’s budget.

Student Body President Kylee Hower said the fund currently has around $2 million including the $75,000 that will be pulled for appropriations.

Hower encouraged the senators to vote in favor of the additional funding.

“Every year, we try to work with what we have in the appropriations process, and the harsh reality is that most organizations don’t leave happy,” Hower said, addressing the Senate. “The hope is always that at the very minimum, these organizations can have enough funding to operate, but we

cannot always achieve that.”

Most student organizations that visited the meeting said the recommended funding for their organization was insufficient.

Last year, the Senate faced a similar deficit and pulled $15,000 from SGA’s reserves to supplement the funding.

Hower argued that the additional money was necessary to allow the organizations to operate.

“I implore the members of this body to remind yourselves why you are sitting in these seats here now,” she said. “Is it to serve your own personal agendas, or is it to serve the students who elected you and represent your constituencies?

Although the Senate decided to allocate the extra money, not all senators were in favor of the idea. Sen. Kian Williams, who uses they/them pronouns, argued that the decision was not enough to fix a larger issue in the process of dividing up funding.

“I won’t be sad if this does pass, but I’ll be voting against this bill for many reasons, primarily due to what I consider to be a largely failing process,” Williams said. “There are many issues communicated during the process of deliberating and finalizing appropriation and recommendations, and I cannot justify adding an additional 75 grand to a process that is simply not functioning properly.”

Williams said that appropriations commissioners were not given the proper time to prepare and make their decisions

“At this point, I am calling for a full independent audit of SGA and SGA-related finances,” Williams said. “For too long, SGA discretionary funding has been out of control and hidden from students.”

The livestream of the meeting can be viewed at tinyurl.com/48vetj3h.

‘Shock factor’: How Catholic missionaries at campus church are adjusting to Wichita

BY CAMERYN DAVIS, JACOB UNRUH AND GRAYSON WEATHERS

cdanielle0513@gmail.com, sports@thesunflower.com and graysonweathers2023@gmail.com

The first thing Adriana Lazalde diThe first thing Adriana Lazalde did after being assigned to be a Catholic missionary at Wichita State University was “figure out where Kansas is on the map.”

Less than two months ago, Lazalde, along with Jose Gonzalez, Alexis Cherveny and Kayla Fleming, were strangers going through missionary training in Nebraska.

After receiving a collective assignment to work at WSU, the four were told to move to Wichita and work in the St. Paul Catholic Student Center on campus. They’ve been living in Wichita for four weeks and are already acclimating.

“It’s kind of like a shock factor at first, but then you kind of grow as friends,” Cherveny said.

For the next year, Gonzalez, Cherveny, Fleming, and Lazalde will lead a Bible study at the student center, while fundraising for rent and other living expenses.

“All missionaries have to fundraise an entire salary, a year’s worth salary, through what’s called mission partners, so people who are walking with us on mission, providing us with financial support,” Gonzalez said.

TRAINING

The four missionaries come from across the country — Gonzalez and Lazalde are from California, Cherveny from South Dakota, and Fleming from Nebraska.

They work for the Fellowship

of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), a Catholic outreach program targeted at college students. After participating in FOCUS throughout college and graduating last year, they all signed up for training and were assigned to Wichita State University at the beginning of this summer.

“The organization that we work for, they take a lot of time to pray for each new hire (that) … it’s an area they would thrive in, or that they would do helping the students there very well,” Cherveny said. “And so just through tons of conversations with higher-ups and prayer, they decided that we would be a really great team here in Wichita. It’s been amazing.”

During training, missionaries go through an interview process and psych evaluation to ensure they’re prepared to lead the students at their university. Ryan Haskell, who has been a FOCUS missionary on campus for two years, said the most important skill is having good relationships with others.

“If you’re not able to have a conversation, not able to just say hi or smile as a person, you’re not going to listen to it,” Haskell said.

“So just being able to value the person that’s in front of you … That is one of the easiest and one of the best goals.”

ADJUSTING TO WICHITA

None of the four new missionaries have lived in Wichita before. Their adjustment period is still ongoing, including learning about local crops.

“I was like, ‘What is that? A bushel of wheat?’” Lazalde said.

Fleming comes from a small town. She said she was initially intimidated by living in a big

city but quickly discovered that Wichita doesn’t feel like a stereotypical metropolis.

“I’m surprised that Wichita has felt like a big, small town,” Fleming said.

Lazalde said the people in Wichita are nicer than in California. That applies to personal interactions and at the wheel.

“The other day, I was driving, and I turned on my blinker, and someone just let me in,” Lazalde said. “And I’m like, ‘What is that?’” Gonzalez said his hometown looks similar to Wichita, with plains and farmland. The weather, however, is a little different.

“There’s a lot more thunderstorms out here than in California,” Gonzalez said. “We have thunderstorms, but they’re not like this … You see lightning, and you’re hearing it all the time, and that’s just been great.”

MOTIVATION AND MISSION

To give up outside life and be assigned to become a missionary on a college campus requires a deep belief in the mission of the church. Fleming said St. Paul’s is a place to be seen and heard by others.

“This is a place that you can come and be completely yourself, but also find that relationship that you were also created for, which is the Lord,” she said. When asked what motivates her to continue with missionary work, Cherveny had a simple answer.

“We love God,” she said. “We believe that God has something greater for every single person, and we’re here to make that known.”

SGA leaders discuss increasing engagement, student org funding

BY AINSLEY SMYTH news@thesunflower.com

Leaders from the three branches of the Student Government Association shared their goals for the coming year on Wednesday night.

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Lesly Hernandez, Speaker of the Student Senate Victoria Owens and Student Body

President Kylee Hower also talked about their experience in student government and what SGA has done since last spring.

Here’s what each had to say.

KYLEE HOWER, STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT

Student Body President Kylee Hower discussed the discrimination that women in SGA have faced in the past, highlighting the fact that women now lead all three SGA branches.

“While it’s joyful to celebrate this, it still breaks my heart to think that even today, with so

much progress made at this university, women in student leadership still struggle with these issues,” Hower said. “I have been disappointed by actions of members of this association, in the past and recently, and I’m here to say, as a president of this association, I will not stand for this.”

Hower also discussed initiatives that SGA is working on, including increasing student engagement in athletics, reviewing issues related to parking and sustainability, and revamping the campus community garden.

She said SGA is working on increasing engagement with its social media and will be launching a new form for students to submit questions or concerns.

Hower also addressed concerns about appropriations, the process where Student Government divides up funding to student organizations. Last week, representatives from organizations raised concerns

about the funding they were expected to receive and a senator called for an examination of the appropriations process.

“I’m announcing the formation of a task force on SGA funding whose primary role will be to investigate the policy behind SGA funding to ensure that we’re set up better for the present and future,” she said.

LESLY HERNANDEZ, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT

Hernandez talked about the role of SGA’s Supreme Court and encouraged students to pay attention to its decisions.

She highlighted some of the court’s functions including making decisions related to the SGA constitution and hearing appeals of decisions made by lower courts such as traffic and parking disputes.

Hernandez shared some of her goals, including increasing the

court’s accessibility to students, encouraging students to advocate for themselves and promoting equity in the court’s decisions.

“It is crucial for our resources to be user-friendly, and I vow to ensure our system does not impede a student’s desire to make their voice heard by the court,” Hernandez said.

VICTORIA OWENS, SPEAKER OF THE SENATE

Speaker Victoria Owens introduced the Senate’s new chairpeople and shared their goals for the year.

Owens said SGA will introduce new training for senators and encourage them to speak with constituents.

“I call upon the members of this association to put our best foot forward and continue serving as pioneers for this university,” Owens said.

The Student Government Association will reconvene next Wednesday, Sept. 11, to discuss the

Adriana Lazalde, Kayla Fleming, Alexis Cherveny and Jose Gonzalez table outside the St. Paul Catholic Student Center, handing out cookies and providing information about the fellowship program. | Photo by Mi’Kyala Goodman / The Sunflower

Abdelkarim Jibril represents Students for Justice in Palestine at the Student Government Association meeting on Aug. 28. The organization requested additional funding for an event it’s planning to host with a five time Nobel prize nominee speaker. | Photo by Garima Thapa / The Sunflower

Kylee Hower, the student body president, delivers the State of the Student Body address. Hower spoke Wednesday night about discrimination she’s faced as a woman in leadership, the duties and responsibilities of Student Government and unfinished Senate business. | Photo by Garima Thapa / The Sunflower

OPINION

Want to go on an autumn hike without all the dirt? Play ‘Firewatch.’

Sascha Harvey Design Director REVIEW

You know that feeling when your wife has early onset dementia and you take a job in the woods because you don’t know how to process your emotions? You don’t? “Firewatch” can give you that feeling.

Every fall, as the leaves shift from green to brown and orange and yellow, “Firewatch” is in my thoughts. A story game created by entertainment company Campo Santo, the story of “Firewatch” spans a temperate summer in 1989, although the crisp leaves and color palette are more emulative of a Kansas autumn.

Released in early 2016, an era that I have deemed the golden age of indie games, “Firewatch” draws players in with its stunningly simple visual identity and then breaks your heart after less than five hours.

Although it’s classified as a mystery game, one could argue it’s a walking simulator. Its character development and open-world exploration give “Firewatch” the ability to remain relevant almost 10 years later.

This year, though, as the mornings get cooler (not as much as I’d like), “Firewatch” crosses my mind even more. This previous summer was my last summer off. A faint panic of time running out was my song of the summer. Am I experiencing this enough? Am I taking advantage of the summer before time runs out?

But time ran out, and another countdown has started.

This is my last year in school, my last autumn walking through campus and crunching on as many leaves as possible. My last fall semester, meaning my last year wearing a hoodie to my 8 a.m. class only to shrug it off by lunch time. The resounding feeling of time running out, of reminiscing on the past while still experiencing it, is one of my main takeaways from “Firewatch,” and it rings true in a different way with every playthrough.

Being active is something that is important in life, for both physical and mental health.

Despite the importance of staying physically active, I am not a sporty individual. I find it very hard to play and enjoy sports, so, oftentimes, I feel like there is no way for me to be active in my everyday life.

Over the years, though, I have found some exercise methods that don’t include playing a sport. For those who are in the same boat as me, check out these other ways to stay active without a gym

THE GAME

Firewatch starts with, alongside a beautiful composition by Chris Remo, a heartbreaking sequence reminiscent of a visual novel.

Campo Santo walks you through the genesis of your relationship with your wife, Julia, as well as her descent into early-onset dementia.

Through the eyes and voice of Henry (played by Rich Sommer, who I recognized as Pam’s art school friend in “The Office”), you distance yourself from your wife and your identity as her caretaker and ultimately take a new job for the summer: a fire lookout in Wyoming.

Throughout “Firewatch,” your interactions with other people are incredibly limited. The only sign that you’re more than a floating set of hands is your hand radio.

Buzzing from the hand radio is the voice of a fellow lookout at a different station within the park, Delilah. Delilah is voiced by Cissy Jones, who has a list of TV shows and movies she’s voice acted for with “The Owl House” being her most notable.

The game plunges you into the Shoshone National Forest, a real park that spans more than two million acres in northwestern Wyoming. Shoshone is a pivotal part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, but for our purposes, it’s the perfect setting to accompany grief, loss, longing and most of all, change: both current and impending.

THE ART

The video game’s call to fame is the art style. You’ve likely seen it before: multi-layered rigid levels that bring a distant fire lookout tower into view. The style was so coveted that a Ford dealership stole the art for an ad campaign.

The world is at once cozy and intimidating, diving toward each end of the spectrum based on how the music sets the mood. Watch the sunset and feel like you’re being watched. Take pictures of your beautiful route with a film camera and watch as a shutter flashes in the distance. Find (and name) a cute turtle and find

membership or joining a sports team.

To stay active at home, you can:

- Stretch - Do some yoga or at-home workouts

- Dance (Make a playlist and go crazy)

- Play some interactive games, like charades or “Pokémon GO”

- Deep clean (I’m sure there are some areas of your living space that could use a touch-up; I know I have some)

For those who work from home, there are ways to stay active for you, too:

- Take a walk during long phone calls

- Stand while sending some emails

abandoned camping gear.

“Firewatch” has a lot of extra elements that appeal to both the achievement hunter and the casual player. These little touches give “Firewatch” its charm, while the art and the story give it the ammunition to back it up.

“Firewatch” is far from a traditional open-world game with no set paths, but the exploration aspect sets the story into stone. You do really feel like a fire lookout in Shoshone — well, as much as you can when you’re sitting in the comfort of your bedroom with a headset on.

Between objectives, Henry is free to explore wherever he pleases, with more and more sections becoming available as the player finds more tools. As Delilah tells Henry early in the game, “It’s a long summer. You can explore later.” Time runs out, though, and you’re left wishing you had more. Sound familiar?

THE STORY

The game starts slowly, as all good games do, but quickly spirals. What seems like a cut-anddry fire lookout simulator with no overarching plot becomes a complex and compelling narrative

- Find some under-the-desk pedal machines, from Amazon, Walmart or Target - Use an exercise ball as a yoga chair when doing desk work

You can also stay active while doing simple tasks like:

- Yardwork or gardening

- Climbing the stairs

- Carrying groceries into the house

In the Wichita area, there are several free trails and parks to visit that encourage staying active. My personal favorite is Swanson Park in west Wichita; I've seen several deer and other wildlife while walking the trails. It can be hard to find the motivation to be and stay active, but sometimes, something as

about love and loss.

What you learn about Henry is formed through your interactions with Delilah. Certain aspects of Henry’s temperament are your choosing, but his core motivation remains the same: a need to get away from his life. No matter what dialogue options you choose, nothing can change this fact. If you took away Henry’s profound grief, the entire story would unravel.

As you embark on various quests throughout the park, watching the two-dimensional distance dissolve into stylized yet effective renderings of nature, your relationship with Delilah grows, as does the core mystery of the game.

With every step Henry takes in the forest, he gathers more information about previous fire lookouts, such as two friends who interacted with each other through notes and a negligent father who illegally brought his son out on the job with him.

The mystery is actually the least interesting thing about “Firewatch,” although you might believe it is at certain points. There are tons of opportunities for chaos throughout the story, but Campo Santo steers in the complete opposite direction. It’s charming and reminiscent of the lingering

paranoia you feel in the woods. Unlike other mystery games, there are no opportunities for failure to collect data or clues. There are no branches with different endings. Although this aspect of the storyline is intriguing for sure, the characters are what pack a punch. Despite chances to create various interactions, “Firewatch” is fairly linear. At the beginning, Henry arrives in the woods. And in the end, no matter how you play your cards, he leaves. It’s a metaphor for just about everything you go through in life. And I cry every time.

Following the success of “Firewatch,” Campo Santo was bought out by Valve, the distributor and software developer of game franchises such as “HalfLife,” “Left 4 Dead,” “CounterStrike” and “Team Fortress.” This buyout paved the way for Campo Santo to begin development for their next project, “In The Valley of Gods.” Updates have been few and far between, with many speculating that the project has been shelved due to the Valve acquisition, but I’m willing to wait for a game that will make me feel the smallest fraction of how “Firewatch” did.

simple as keeping track of your progress and being active while doing things you enjoy is enough to get that motivation flowing. Now get out there (or stay inside) and get active.

Students need 24-hour access to Ablah Library

Piper Pinnetti Reporter COLUMN

At Wichita State, the Ablah Library is a cornerstone of academic life, providing essential resources for students navigating the demands of their coursework.

While the library offers a small 24-hour study room, the rest of the facility remains inaccessible during late hours. It is time with WSU to reconsider this policy to make the rest of the library available 24/7. Currently, students have limited access to a cramped 24-hour study room located at the main entrance of Ablah Library. This

space, while useful, is far from adequate. According to WSU’s website under the library spaces section, the study room “includes a restroom, vending, seating, and computer lab.”

While this is true, it falls short of meeting the diverse needs of our student body.

One of the primary reasons the library should be open 24 hours is to accommodate the varied schedules of WSU students. Many of us juggle jobs alongside our studies, often leaving little time during the day for academic work.

A student working late-night shifts at a restaurant or an early morning shift at a retail store might find that the only time available to study is late at night. For these students, the current

limited access is a significant hindrance.

Certain majors, like business, require evening classes that can stretch well into the night. After attending these classes, some students prefer to tackle their assignments immediately.

But without access to the full library, they’re forced to choose between waiting until the library opens again or completing their work with limited resources. In a time when gas prices are high, making multiple trips to campus just isn’t practical.

While the 24-hour study room is a step in the right direction, it’s not enough. The glass walls of the study room can make students feel exposed, like they’re on display, especially late at night. No

one should feel uncomfortable or unsafe while studying. The room’s resources are limited. With only a handful of computers and seating that’s often fully occupied, students are left scrambling for a place to study, adding unnecessary stress to their already hectic lives. As student body enrollment increases, so should our study spaces.

The study room’s amenities, such as the single, frequently occupied restroom, and expensive vending machines, further highlight the inadequacy of this space.

Although I am appreciative of the vending machines when campus dining is very limited to specific hours of the day, I am not paying more than $3 for a small snack. For a university that prides

itself on innovation and student success, this situation is far from ideal.

WSU has an opportunity to better support its students by extending the library’s hours to 24/7. This change would ensure that all students, regardless of their schedules or circumstances, have access to the resources they need to succeed. In a world that increasingly demands flexibility, it’s time for Ablah Library to keep pace. The university’s commitment to student success should be reflected in its facilities. By making the entire Ablah Library accessible 24 hours a day, WSU can demonstrate its dedication to providing a supportive and inclusive environment for all students.

Maleah Evans Reporter COLUMN

Illustration by Cheyanne Tull / The Sunflower

Illustration by Makenzie Miller / The Sunflower

NFL, THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

NFL games are exaggerated for your entertainment

The business of entertaining doesn’t mean legitimate, nor does it necessarily mean fair. Entertainment means showmanship, and in the sports world, this is everything.

For ages, NFL fans have engaged in an ongoing debate about whether the NFL is rigged, with one side proclaiming that there is no technical way to rig a football game while the other analyzes a game down to the last second, stringing together pieces of evidence to declare the opposite.

The one thing I will agree on with anti-rigged theorists: it is almost impossible to technically and systemically rig an entire game because, as we will delve into later, the cost isn’t worth the “rig.”

I won’t give them much, though, because the entire way this debate is framed is wrong. Instead of using “rigged” to describe an unfair phenomenon, let’s instead use the word “entertain.”

Avid fans on both sides of the debate should be less concerned with the fact that the NFL is rigging games and more concerned with how they are making the games more entertaining, at the

cost of fairness.

There is one thing that all sports fans alike can agree on: they like a good show, and apparently watching football players tactically fight each other provides the best one.

Despite the amount of uproar and unsettlement that happens after a bad call, fans will continue to watch the next game — but why?

Sports writer Mike Freeman put it well in a USA Today piece, saying “Blown calls, as in years past, are everywhere. Complaints about them are everywhere. Owners, coaches, fans, media, all hate the officiating. It’s been that way for decades and will probably be that way for years to come.”

He argues one critical point: we tolerate it.

“The NFL, at least in part, loves the fact that officiating generates massive amount of controversy and even hatred,” Freeman wrote in the column.

He goes on to argue that, despite the fact that poor officiating has been deeply entrenched in the NFL’s system, we are complacent in the fact that we don’t want to do anything about it because it feeds the gambling universe.

Over the years, the NFL has sold a combination package of tension and sparked controversy

that increases viewership.

In 2022, the NFL accounted for 82 of the 100 mostwatched American television broadcasts. That number was 75 out of 100 in 2021.

Do you remember back in 2017 when it was a huge sigh of relief when the NFL relaxed its touchdown celebration regulations? Well, according to Pavement Pieces sports writer Zachery Devita, the once-nicknamed “No Fun League” viewership rose up by 5% in 2018.

baseless, it is no stretch to say that these opinions have kept the fire alive among NFL fans.

This is what the media loves — when the NFL is fun, and when there is something to spark a conversation about and create tension between team fans.

One video on X proclaimed, “These games are purely entertainment and the NFL gets every matchup they want. Players don’t have a choice, they’re athletic actors making millions keeping secrets.”

While this claim was entirely

Fifty years later, Title IX still has a positive impact on sports equality

Title IX, a landmark federal civil rights law enacted in 1972, has been transformative in ensuring gender equality in educational programs, particularly in sports.

Despite ongoing debates, it is clear that Title IX’s requirement for equal distribution of scholarships between men’s and women’s sports is essential, even if it means fewer sports teams overall.

Title IX, part of the Education Amendments of 1972, prohibits sexbased discrimination in any school or education program that receives federal funding.

This law has played a crucial role in leveling the playing field for women athletes by mandating that schools provide equal opportunities in sports.

Athletic programs are considered educational programs and thus fall under the purview of Title IX, ensuring that women athletes receive the same opportunities as their male counterparts.

One of the most significant title aspects of Title IX is its requirement for proportional spending in athletics through scholarships.

This means that if male and female athletes participate at equal rates, scholarship funds must be distributed equally between them.

This provision has been instrumental in increasing the number of female athletes in schools and

universities across the country. It ensures that women have the financial support necessary to pursue their athletic dreams, just like men.

Critics argue that this can lead to a reduction in the number of sports teams, particularly men’s teams, as schools strive to comply with the law. This perspective misses the larger picture. Title IX is not about taking away opportunities; it’s about ensuring fairness and equal opportunity.

The law does not require identical sports programs for men and women but rather equal opportunities for participation. This flexibility allows schools to tailor their programs to the interests and abilities of their students while still upholding gender equity.

The Biden administration’s 2024 updates to Title IX further strengthen these protections, promoting accountability, fairness and support for students and families.

The goals of the updates are to ensure that schools take swift and effective action against any form of sex discrimination.

It has been over 50 years since Title IX came into play, and it is important to recognize the progress that has been made in achieving gender equality in sports.

The law has empowered countless women athletes, providing them with opportunities that were previously unavailable or difficult to manage. While there may be challenges in balancing sports programs to comply with Title IX, the benefits of ensuring

equal opportunities outweigh the drawbacks.

Title IX is not just a law, but a commitment to fairness and equality in education and sports. It is the equipment for generations of athletes to compete and thrive.

TITLE IX AND SPORTS

Under Title IX, male and female athletes must have equal opportunity to participate in sports and equal access to financial aid.

While universities do not need to spend the same amount of money on male and female athletes, they must allocate scholarship funding proportional to the participation of male or female athletes.

Additionally, both male and female athletes must have comparable or equal access to benefits and services including:

- Locker rooms

- Coaching services

- Support services

- Medical facilities and services

- Athletic equipment and supplies

- Training and competition facilities

- Scheduling of games and practice times

- Travel and daily allowance

- Housing and dining facilities and services

- Publicity and promotions

- Recruitment of student athletes

Being actors of the sports world, NFL players have won the hearts of millions of fans. The world swooned when Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift got together.

Kelce and Swift’s impact on the NFL world proves the game was never necessarily rigged to be more in favor of Kelce. But the narrative that the NFL built up surely generated a branch of football watchers.

The NFL wanted the Kelce

brothers to play against each other in Super Bowl LVII — why? Not because it is rigged but rather because it was more entertaining.

With the recent change, the NFL has now opened up private equity in ownership of teams. This will completely change the name of the game as corporations have the opportunity to turn the tables on the financial infrastructure of the game.

So what do you think? Is the NFL rigged, or is it just the greatest showman?

As Wichita State University continues to expand its campus, the decision to demolish and relocate the relatively new pickleball courts near the Heskett Center has raised some critical concerns, and I can’t blame those bringing them up.

These courts, which have only been in place for a few years, are well-situated, well-used and should not be moved.

The pickleball court relocation is a small part of a large plan. The Wilkins Stadium has a $17.5 million project beginning this October for renovations.

Instead of uprooting existing facilities, WSU should focus on enhancing them. Currently, the plan is to move the courts between Hubbard Hall, Lindquist Hall and Heskett Center, but moving them here would inconvenience students and faculty who use the area to walk to their classes or to the dining hall or those who like to lounge in the grass.

The current location of the pickleball courts is ideal. Positioned next to the Heskett Center and centrally located among the dorm buildings, these courts are easily accessible to students.

It is between both main athletic buildings, with the YMCA down the street.

The court is also next to a main campus street and parking lot which allows for a short walk back after a long game.

The location strikes a balance

between being close to athletic facilities while still being within reach for all students. Moving the courts to the opposite side of the building will cause a lot of extra noise and construction. There is no need to disrupt student and faculty life.

With the planned site on the older side of campus, beautiful, perfectly healthy and mature trees will need to be removed to make way for the courts as well.

Even if WSU plans to replant new trees, it doesn’t justify uprooting and killing established trees that have been part of the campus landscape for decades. Why not enhance the green space by planting additional trees rather than cutting down the ones that are already thriving?

The construction to relocate the courts is scheduled to begin in early fall, a time when the courts are still in high demand. The fall weather in Wichita is often perfect for outdoor activities when the peak heat of summer has left and cool air circles around the early mornings and late evenings. It seems that every year, without fail, there’s another project disrupting the flow of campus life. The noise, the detours and general inconvenience are wearing down the student body.

Students should be able to enjoy the courts during these months, not be sidelined by WSU’s continuous pursuit of construction. And trust me, the student body is growing increasingly frustrated with the constant construction on campus.

We’re here to learn, not to navigate construction zones like a level of Subway Surfers on the way to class.

The Wichita State pickleball courts on Sept. 12, 2023. Most nights, the court was packed with casual players and teams. | Photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower

Piper Pinnetti Reporter OPINION

Piper Pinnetti Reporter OPINION

Illustration by Savanna Nichols / The Sunflower

Illustration by Emma Wilks / The Sunflower

DECADE OF YARN BOMBING

Members of Sip and Stitch, a group that makes fiber art projects, commemorated 10 years of “yarn bombing” on Aug. 27 by adorning the Millie the Millipede sculpture with knitted, crocheted, cross-stitched and embroidered works.

Jane McHugh decorates Millie the Millipede, a sculpture by Wilner Auditorium by artist Tom Otterness. | Photo by Cheyanne Tull / The Sunflower

A community member looks through the binoculars after they’ve been yarn bombed. | Photo by Mya Scott / The Sunflower

Millie the Millipede decked out in her new sweater attire on Aug. 30. The sculpture, created by Tom Otterness, was yarn bombed starting on Aug. 27.

| Photo by Mya Scott / The Sunflower

Sip and Stitch member and Shocker alumna Roshelle Ford works on the yarn bombing of Millie the Millipede, a sculpture by Wilner Auditorium created by artist Tom Otterness. Several current and former Ulrich employees, as well as Sip and Stitch members, gathered to yarn bomb the sculpture on Aug. 27. | Photo by Cheyanne Tull/ The Sunflower

Shocker alumna and Sip and Stitch member Pam Cornwell and Ulrich Museum of Art gallery assistant Maddie Bowron work on the yarn bombing of Millie the Millipede. | Photo by Cheyanne Tull / The Sunflower

Community members observe Millie’s new sweater on Aug. 29. Yarn bombing has been a tradition within the Sip and Stitch club since 2014. | Photo by Mya Scott / The Sunflower

Jane McHugh works on yarn bombing Millie the Millipede. | Photo by Cheyanne Tull / The Sunflower

DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK

She’s a busy woman, her bangs lie perfectly above her light blue eyes and she was on that espresso over the summer getting her next album ready for old and new fans.

Sabrina Carpenter returns with her sixth studio album, “Short n’ Sweet,” which was released on August 23 via Island Records.

Following her previous project “Emails I Can’t Send,” this album sees Carpenter embracing her pop roots while dabbling into new stylistic territories.

With a runtime of 36 minutes and 15 seconds, the album is a tight, playful collection of catchy hooks, witty lyrics and jokes.

My favorite tracks of the originally released album include “Juno,” “Good Graces” and “Slim Pickins.”

The instrumental breaks in “Juno” are immaculate. If your volume isn’t already turned up all the way it is best played on blast for maximum enjoyment.

“Good Graces” has a sassy

“don’t care” attitude. Carpenter reclaims her power while simultaneously passing on her confidence to anyone listening.

She warns in this song to not mistake her niceness for naivety, which she has previously pointed out in the music video of her hit song “Feather” from 2022.

“Slim Pickins” can arguably be considered an autumn pop tune. The country-tinged ballad has comedic and unfortunately, some relatable lyrics.

Play this song on the way to go pumpkin or apple picking for peak fall vibes.

Carpenter took to social media this past Thursday to announce that she was releasing two more songs. Despite her announcing that they would only be available until midnight that evening, they were still up for purchase the next day.

Fans purchased the extended

“Short N Sweet(er)” that includes new tracks “Needless to Say” and “Busy Woman.” Both songs were co-written with Jack Antonoff and Amy Allen.

The girly-pop songs were written and finished after the submission of the original album,

but the star still wanted fans to hear the work.

“Busy Woman” is, by far, the highest on my favorites list. The album as a whole is played without interruption and I did not skip a single song.

The album’s lead singles, “Please Please Please,” and “Espresso,” were perfect teasers for what was to come. These tracks, which dominated summer playlists, set the stage for an album filled with infectious, unserious pop anthems. Carpenter’s signature charm and humor are evident throughout, making for a listening experience that is both lighthearted and memorable.

While “Short N’ Sweet” is primarily a pop album, there are hints of other genres that add depth and variety. Tracks like “Slim Pickins” feature a slight country twang, though it’s more likely a reflection of Carpenter’s Pennsylvanian accent than a fullblown genre shift.

The album also flirts with 2000s pop and even touches on disco, revealing Carpenter’s wide range of musical influences. Carpenter, who has been in the public eye since her debut single

“Can’t Blame a Girl for Trying” in 2014, continues to evolve as an artist. Now 25, she’s crafting some of the most engaging and relatable music of her career. Her humorous, self-aware approach is evident on tracks like “Please Please Please,” where she playfully pleads with a partner not to embarrass her again. It’s

Photo courtesy of Island Records

Senior Elycia Nesbitt performs, showing off the Sigma Gamma Rho hand sign. The sorority was chartered at WSU on April 3, 1970.

Senior Dacaria Harris leads the group to start their performance. “We prepared over the summer by sending videos back and forth, doing FaceTime calls, and started in-person practice on the first day of classes, with practices scheduled every day up until the yard show,” Harris said.

Senior Ke’Auna Edmondson, a member of Zeta Phi Beta, performs a roll call. The Mu Nu chapter was chartered on campus in 1939 and reactivated on July 10, 1987. | Photos by Aubri Baker / The Sunflower

Senior Isaiah Hubbard displays the Phi Beta Sigma hand sign. The frat was founded at Wichita State on Sept. 4, 1982. Junior Cameron Woodard, senior Chai Savage and senior Marshall Underwood shimmy during the yard show. Woodard shared his experience when preparing

Women’s Soccer Club preps for season

UPCOMING EVENTS

FOOD FOR FINES

THURSDAY, SEPT. 5

All day

Rhatigan Student Center

Support Shocker Support Locker while paying off your parking and traffic violations. Contact seb@wichita.edu for more information.

KEEP IT COOL ICE CREAM AND POPSICLE SOCIAL

THURSDAY, SEPT. 5

11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Grace Memorial Chapel patio

Hosted by Phenomenal Women and Men of Excellence, this event is aimed at helping students form meaningful connections and gain new perspectives.

MEET YOUR MATCH

THURSDAY, SEPT. 5

5 - 7 p.m.

Shocker Hall Courtyard

With a game of Ships and Sailors, meet new friends and interact with Shockers at this SAC event.

ARTIST TALK AND STAGED FIELD DEMO WITH RANDY REGIER

THURSDAY, SEPT. 5

Reception at 5:30 p.m., program at 6 p.m.

South of Geology Building, adjacent to “The Celestial Mechanic”

Sculptor Randy Regier will give a staged demo beside his 2018 sculpture, “The Celestial Mechanic.” Regier will give an exclusive look at his work while explaining how it ties to his archeological theories.

GUESS ARTIST: TRIPTYCH TRIO

THURSDAY, SEPT. 5

7:30 p.m.

Wiedemann Hall

Guest artists James Barger, Evgeny Zvonnikov and Sarah Rushing, known collectively as TripTych, are bringing their skills on saxophone, violin and piano to Wichita State. The event is free for students.

OPENING RECEPTION: IT’S BEEN A WHILE FRIDAY, SEPT. 6

6 - 9 p.m.

Harvester at The LUX 120 E. 1st St. N. Presented by Wichita State’s School of Art, Design and Creative Industries, this exhibition features work by current MFA students.

BIG BINGO

FRIDAY, SEPT. 6

8 - 10 p.m.

Charles Koch Arena Practice Gym

Win big prizes at big bingo. Admission is free.

EMPTY BOWLS WICHITA: COMMUNITY BUILD A BOWL

SATURDAY, SEPT. 7

1 - 3 p.m.

Henrion Hall, rooms 106 and 107

This free event allows participants to create a personalized ceramic bowl using wheel-throwing or handbuilding techniques assisted by the WSU Ceramics Guild. Your bowl will be donated to the Empty Bowls Chili Cook-off fundraiser in October.

WRITING NOW | READING NOW: POETRY READING BY ADAM SCHEFFLER

TUESDAY, SEPT. 10

Reception at 5:30 p.m., program at 6 p.m.

Ulrich Museum of Art

Assistant professor of creative writing and MFA Faculty in Poetry member Adam Scheffler conducts a reading of his works. Scheffler, who recevied his doctorate in English from Harvard, has two published award-winning books of poetry.

HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED?

CONTACT THE ARTS EDITOR: arts@thesunflower.com

CONTACT THE NEWS EDITOR: news@thesunflower.com

Rachel Cisneros, the goalkeeper and captain of the women’s soccer club, blocks the ball from Caitlyn Menezes. The club practices at the Metroplex soccer field. |

Photos by Garima Thapa / The Sunflower

Rachel Cisneros, the goalkeeper and captain of the women’s soccer club, catches a ball at practice. The Wichita State women’s soccer club will compete against Maryville University on Sept. 7.

Abby Rea practices soccer on Sept. 4. The club is preparing for regionals in October.

Trysten Prophet helps women’s soccer team practice kicks on Sept. 4.

Abigail Dubroc kicks a ball during soccer practice on Sept 4. Dubroc is a member of the women’s soccer team at Wichita State.

Omnia Thompson kicks the ball during soccer practice. The women’s soccer team has their first game on Sept. 7.