The Sunflower v. 124 i. 16

/The Sunflower WICHITA STATE’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896

MONDAY, OCT. 7, 2019

@sunflowernews

VOL. 124 • ISSUE 16

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University post office manager retires after 22 years

BY LINDSAY SMITH

Mike Sperlazza, Wichita State University’s manager of postal services, has retired after 22 years of service.

“It’s been great,” Sperlazza said of his years of work at WSU. “I’ve enjoyed my time here.”

Sperlazza’s retirement was celebrated Friday afternoon at a reception in the Rhatigan Student Center. University postal services closed early Friday to allow employees to attend the event.

Sperlazza is originally from Houston, Missouri, where he attended community college before serving in the military. Sperlazza retired from service in 1997.

He said he was first drawn to the job at WSU because of its convenient location.

“The only reason I came here was because it was close to my family that I had,” Sperlazza said.

“I had family in Kansas City, and my wife had family in the Kansas area.”

While location was the driving factor behind his coming to WSU, Sperlazza said he ended up loving the job — something he for which he considers himself lucky.

“Most military [members], after they retire, take a job, then a different job, until they find a job they like,” Sperlazza said. “I retired in April, then came here in May — that tells you how quick it was. And I’ve been here ever since.”

Sperlazza said the highlights of his time at the university were the co-workers and students he worked with.

“The people and the students [are my favorite part of the job],” Sperlazza said. “I’ve enjoyed them. I’ve had a lot of international students work for me. I’ve learned from them, and they’ve learned from us.”

Having been at WSU for over two decades, Sperlazza has fostered deep, personal connections with many campus community members.

“Some still come by to see me,” Sperlazza said.

The former students who come to see him are not all strictly from Wichita, he said, and many travel from as far as California to visit.

Association of Hindu Students in America holds annual event MORGAN ANDERSON AND DYLAN HARMON/THE SUNFLOWER Top, Bhoomi Savant, a senior studying business at Wichita State, dances with Garba Night attendees in Beggs Ballroom in the RSC on Saturday. Garba is an Indian folk dance festival. Second row left, Tejendra Mistry lights candles on the Aarti plate. Right, Vanita Rathod dances with others during Garba Night.

SVO moves inside for chili cookoff; plans suicide awareness project

BY DANIEL CAUDILL

Despite the cold rain, the Student Veterans Organization helped keep students and faculty warm Friday afternoon at its annual chili cook-off.

Now in its second year, the event was originally planned to be held outside the Rhatigan Student Center. But with storms on the forcecast Friday, the SVO moved the cook-off indoors to its headquarters inside Grace Wilkie Hall.

“We like to do it around fall because the cold weather’s coming in, so it’s nice to have chili [and] warm up,” said SVO President Levi Schenk.

Schenk said the SVO created the cook-off last year as a way to bring people together across campus. Anyone can enter their chili free of charge.

“We want to give back to the

community — especially as veterans,” Schenk said. “This community has been longtime supporters of us, so we want everyone to enjoy their time here.”

The cook-off received three spicy and three “regular” entries, but none in the vegetarian category.

Judges were SGA co-advisor Gabriel Fonseca, aerospace professor and former provost Tony Vizzini, and competitive sports coordinator Austin Sanderson. They tasted all entries and selected winners in each category. The winners both received an Amazon gift card.

Schenk estimated that about 35 to 40 people attended the event.

While attendees could eat chili at no cost, SVO raised just over $135 in donations. Those donations will help fund initiatives that the group has planned for the semester,

including a project to raise awareness for suicide among veterans and military service members.

The Suicide Awareness Flag Hunt will place 22 flags across different spots on campus for 16 days, starting Oct. 26 and leading up to Veterans Day on Nov. 11.

The daily rate of 22 is meant to represent the approximate number of veteran suicides per day. The total of over 350 flags is meant to reflect the approximate number of active-military suicides this year.

“Suicide is something that everyone can experience. It happens in all cultures,” Schenk said, “So while we’re focused on bringing awareness to what we relate to, we want everyone to connect to it.”

Students who find a flag on campus are asked to take a photo with it and share it on the SVO’s

DANIEL CAUDILL/THE SUNFLOWER

Student Veterans Organization member Drew Edwards, right, serves chili to aerospace professor and former Wichita State provost Tony Vizzini Friday at the SVO’s annual chili cook-off.

official Facebook page. Those who submit will be entered in a raffle.

As part of the awareness campaign, SVO will also host a number

of speakers from WSU, McConnell Air Force Based, and other organizations Nov. 8 at the flagpole outside Grace Wilkie Hall.

WHAT’S INSIDE MORE CHILI

SHIFTSPACE

NO SHAME

SCRIMMAGES

Empty Bowls Chili Cook-Off raised money for the Kansas Food Bank

The WSU art gallery had its grand reopening.

Stop making fun of the things girls like, columnist Olivia Babin writes.

The men’s and women’s basketball teams held intersquad scrimmages Saturday.

SEE NEWS • PAGE 2

SEE ARTS • PAGE 3

SEE OPINION • PAGE 4

SEE SPORTS • PAGE 6

NEWS

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Empty Bowls

THIS WEEK’S NEWS IN BRIEF

BY DANIEL CAUDILL

FOOD FOR FINES RETURNS THIS WEEK Students will have the opportunity to pay off certain parking citations this week with donations to the Shocker Support Locker.

The Shocker Support Locker is a community food and hygiene pantry sustained largely by donations. SGA’s “Food for Fines” initiative will allow anyone with a current WSU ID to cover up to three citations from the last two months.

Fines $30 and under require seven donations to be forgiven.

Fines from $31 to $50 require 14.

Students can apply for the initiative by turning in a completed Food for Fines form from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Monday through Friday at the SGA office, RSC 219.

Forms and more info about Food for Fines can be found at wichita.edu/studentadvocate.

CAMPUS SAFETY WALK RESCHEDULED

The Empty Bowls Chili Cook-off at Wichita State raised money for the Kansas Food Bank Saturday

SGA will host its annual campus safety walk Tuesday after inclement weather canceled the previous date.

At the event, students and faculty will cross the main campus at night with a group of Wichita State police officers to identify areas that pose potential safety concerns. Students are asked to brainstorm solutions for the unsafe spots, and those solutions are sometimes implemented as changes.

The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. outside the Rhatigan Student Center. It is expected to last no longer than two hours.

The safety walk is a partnership between the SGA safety and student services committee, Wichita State University Police Department, and WSU Facilities Planning.

ALUMNUS LECTURER WILL DISCUSS CODE SWITCHING The Office of Diversity and Inclusion will host a free lecture on code switching Thursday as part of its Diversity Lecture Series.

Los Angeles native Harold Wallace III, who earned a bachelor’s degree in ethnic studies from WSU, will define code switching and discuss the everyday struggles that accompany it in his lecture.

After graduating from WSU, Wallace earned his master’s degree in college student personnel from Arkansas Tech University. He later worked as the assistant director of student diversity programs at Pittsburg State University.

“Harold was a first-generation college student and navigated his path through undergrad with very little help,” reads a university release. “This led him to become passionate about being the person for his students that he did not have for himself.

The lecture will begin at 6 p.m. at the CAC Theater.

KHANH NGUYEN/THE SUNFLOWER Top Left, Brittany Nuqui scoops chili into a bowl for guests. The Empty Bowls Chili Cook-Off event was held on Saturday at the John Bardo Center. Top Right, Professor Robert Bubp enjoys the Empty Bowls Chili Cook-Off event with his wife. Middle Left, Empty Bowls is an international, artist-driven movement to help end hunger.

During the Empty Bowls Chili Cook-Off, guests are presented with hundreds of bowls made by artists and community members in which they can be served chili.

Middle Second to the Left, Matthew Ho gets a bowl of chili during the Empty Bowls Chili Cook-Off event. Middle Right, Chance Rice enjoys chili in a ceramic bowl which he picked out. Bottom Left, Students from Choreography III, instructed by Cheyla Clawson, perform during the Empty Bowls Chili Cook-Off.

Local black journalists share their stories at BSU panel

BY EDUARDO CASTILLO

Wichita State’s Black Student Union hosted a panel Wednesday for local black journalists to share their perspectives on working in the news industry.

The panel was comprised of several local reporters, producers, and anchors, including KSN’s Kendra Douglas and KWCH’s Mayo Davidson, Felicia Rolfe, Braxton Jones, and Angela Smith.

Each panelist explained the challenges they’ve faced as racial minorities in the news industry.

Jones, a news and sports reporter for Channel 12, said the most difficult thing was finding the right place and time in which to fit his stories.

“I think a [specific] story is absolutely a great deal, but not everybody does,” Jones said. “You have to realize we’re not only serving the Wichita-metro area, but also the farmer in Dodge City.

“Not everyone is going to have the same opinion as you, so you have to learn where you can feature your stories.”

Now a digital reporter and content producer, Davidson started out as an intern at KWCH in 2017.

At first, she said she was intimidated by not seeing a lot of people who looked like her. Smith, the station’s digital content manager,

The Sunflower, founded in 1896, is the student-run newspaper covering Wichita State University. The print edition is published Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters and twice over the summer. The staff publishes daily online at www.thesunflower.com.

MISSION The Sunflower — both in print and online — will be a timely resource of information about the Wichita State University community. It will report on news, issues, activities, academics and athletics, in addition to offering a forum for discussion, reviews and commentary. It will also be an effective learnig experience for students, who will have the final authority over what is published.

made her feel welcome.

“Having talked to Angela [Smith], and then having Braxton [Jones] come in, they really encouraged me,” Davidson said. “I would say it’s important to encourage and lift each other up.”

The entire panel stressed the importance of having minority representation in the news media industry.

When she first started nearly 13 years ago, Smith said she was one of the only black people at KWCH. She has since pushed for minority representation in the newsroom.

“We went from being a station who had all blonde women as reporters, to a more diversified newsroom staff,” Smith said.

She said it’s important to have people from minority communities in the media industry so their stories are not going untold.

“You hear the saying, ‘If you’re not at the table, you don’t have a say,’” Smith said. “If you’re not in the newsroom, then you don’t get to control what is put on air.

Rolfe, a weekend morning anchor and reporter for KWCH, said she remembers when each station only had one racial minority if any. But she says the diversity is more visible now.

Having returned to Wichita recently after a few years in Houston,

The opinions expressed in The Sunflower editorials, columns, guest columns, reviews, advertisements, letters and editorial cartoons are not necessarily those of the staff, publications board, student body or the university.

The Sunflower is a member of Kansas Collegiate Media, the Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Association.

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Rolfe said she was shocked how much the stations had improved in terms of diversity.

“I’ve seen it just evolve into really making a change with the diversity at stations across the board.

You now see more minorities on TV,” Rolfe said.

Douglas, a sports reporter and anchor for KSN, recalled being the only black woman reporting at a Kansas City Chiefs Game. She said it was important to be confident and establish herself.

“One thing that I did and learned from other individuals was to just start talking, interacting, and making it known who I was,” Douglas said. “I’m not just some cameral girl or communications person in the background on TV.

Meet the Staff EDITOR IN CHIEF Kylie Cameron

OPINION EDITOR Kevin Benavides

MANAGING EDITOR Matthew Kelly

PHOTO EDITOR Easton Thompson

NEWS EDITOR Daniel Caudill

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Eduardo Castillo

SPORTS EDITOR Marshall Sunner

ADVERTISING MANAGER Madeline Deabler

FEATURES EDITOR Emily Dulohery

FACULTY ADVISER Amy DeVault

LEGAL One free copy of The Sunflower is available to members of the WSU community. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 in the newsroom, Elliott Hall 019. The Sunflower is private property and unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable. The Sunflower is funded by a combination of print and online advertisment sales and student fees allocated by the Student Government Association.

EDUARDO CASTILLO/THE SUNFLOWER

Felicia Rolfe, Kendra Douglas, Braxton Jones, Mayo Davidson and Angela Smith pose at the “Black in Media” panel hosted by the Black Student Union.

FIRST AMENDMENT Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

STAFF Morgan Anderson Olivia Babin Selena Favela Karen Galindo Brogan Gillmore Kamilah Gumbs Dylan Harmon Ben Jacobson Audrey Korte David Leon Sean Marty Khanh Nguyen Drake Robinson Nathan Schale Austin Shaw Lindsay Smith Maddie Spurlock Jeromiah Taylor Becca Yenser

Corrections The Sunflower is committed to accuracy in its publications. If you find an error in any of its publications, please email the editor at editor@thesunflower.com immediately.

Corrections and clarifications will be printed in this space.

I am the weeknight sports anchor, and that’s a big deal.”

The panel comes as a second black journalist in Kansas City was let go from their job after accusing their TV station of race discrimination. Last month, KSHB 41 Action News Sports Anchor Dee Jackson’s contract wasn’t renewed after he sued the station for race discrimination and retaliation.

The first lawsuit against KSHB was filed in 2016 by Lisa Benson Cooper, who worked at the station for 14 years. The court ruled against her claims of racial discrimination but in favor of her retaliation claim, according to KCUR. Jackson’s jury trial is scheduled for February 2020.

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A&E

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ShiftSpace shifts spaces Wichita State’s student-run art gallery moves into a new, larger space

BY BECCA YENSER

S

KHÁNH NGUYỄN/THE SUNFLOWER

Top, Foundation 3D design student Che Littlefield showcases his wearable sculpture design during the re-opening of WSU ShiftSpace on Friday.

Bottom, The WSU ShiftSpace grand re-opening features “This Must Be the Place....,” a gallery by Tim Fey and Hugo Zeleda.

hiftSpace, Wichita State University’s student-run art gallery, celebrated its grand reopening on First Friday to a warm reception. The evening was a visual feast, featuring dance, design, and photography. The gallery, previously housed in the Commerce Arts District, is now stretching its legs in a much larger space at Groover Labs in Wichita’s Old Town District.

The festivities kicked off with a dance performed by students in Choreography III. Dancers included Natalie Ashbrook, Sara Boehm, Summer Brandley, Haydee Carlson, Megan Pierson, Randi Reinert, and Abby Tyson. The modern dance, performed in pairs, was inspired by the poetry of local poet April Pameticky.

3D Design students paraded their attire in front of the seated crowd. Instructor Hallie Linnebur said her students were dressed in “wearable art” of their own creation. The theme for their costumes was “interpretations of protection.”

Linnebur went on to describe the costumes as “sculpture in motion.”

Her 30 students exhibited a wide range of interpretations, some wearing spiked clothing, chains, or body armor made of various materials. One student shuffled with cardboard boxes on her feet.

Another wore small balloons that were painted to look like googly eyes.

Yet another was a colorful squid.

Linnebur wore a costume

designed by a student, Zane Wheeler, who wasn’t able to attend.

His ‘wearable art’ was a crab warrior, complete with one long red claw.

“I’m always trying to get students out in the community,” Linnebur said, commenting on how pleased she was with their work.

Marissa Ray, a sophomore art education major, said her design was inspired by insects.

“I had a vision of a bug with a protective shell,” she said.

It took her three weeks to create the elaborate costume.

You can’t be an artist in 2019 and not be interdisciplinary.” ­— Hugo Zelda-Romero, vice president of ShiftSpace

Additionally, ShiftSpace unveiled a photo exhibit by WSU Guild Members titled, “This Must Be the Place…” featuring work by photographers Hugo Zelada-Romero and Tim Fey. The series addresses the Groover Lab before WSU moved into the building. Some photos depict the deconstruction, while others show the space as it previously appeared, when Printing, Inc. was housed there.

Fey and Zelada-Romero, vice president of ShiftSpace, are both studio majors with concentrations in photo media. “[Groover Lab] asked us to

document the place,” ZeladaRomero said, “Our approach was in the Minimalist style.”

The prints offer a straightforward interpretation of the building’s structural elements. ZeladaRomero added that he was inspired by the photographer Ed Ruscha, who is known for his deadpan depictions of objects typically not thought of as aesthetically pleasing.

Acknowledging the mood of the evening, Zelada-Romero remarked on the dynamic future of arts.

“You can’t be an artist in 2019 and not be interdisciplinary,” ZeladaRomero said.

ShiftSpace’s new space promises to allow for more student involvement in all phases of gallery life. Under the tutelage of Gallery Manager Kristin Beal, it appears the students will now have more room for accomplishing the program’s goals, including gaining experience in curating exhibitions and coordinating community outreach.

ShiftSpace’s physical move is accompanied by a rebranding effort, including a new logo, new font, and a gold and black color scheme that nods to the university’s official colors. This new visual identity was developed

by Nicklaus Lawrence, a graphic design student and ShiftSpace Student Group member.

The next event at ShiftSpace will be for First Friday on Nov. 1.

The gallery is located at Groover Labs, 344 N. St. Francis Street. The event is free.

4 | MONDAY, OCT. 7, 2019

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Opinion

HAVE AN OPINION? contact The Sunflower’s opinion editor, Kevin Benavides opinion@thesunflower.com

Quit making fun of girls for existing I used to be a massive fan of One Direction. I am not ashamed to say that anymore.

When I first fell in love with One Direction, I was 13 years old and insecure (don’t know what for). “What Makes You Beautiful,” One Direction’s first mega-hit, just really resonated with me and made me feel good about myself.

I watched all their video diaries from the X-Factor. I listened to all their music and religiously followed their social media. I was a superfan. Honestly, I still know way more facts about them than the average fan.

I started to realize that the boys around me were making fun of One Direction. Slowly, the girls began to make fun of them too. I was already a pretty uncool kid, so I decided to stop liking them.

I joined in on hating them to make myself seem cooler while secretly, I was still reading all their

OLIVIA BABIN COLUMNIST

stuff and jamming to their music.

I did the same thing with Justin Bieber, The Jonas Brothers, 5 Seconds of Summer, Twilight, Starbucks, Ugg Boots, and more. I even got a black iPhone just to avoid being called a “basic white girl.”

The “Basic White Girl” was the VSCO girl of my middle and high school years, and I was terrified to be one. I didn’t want to be made fun of.

Society hates teenage girls.

Whenever teenage girls start liking something, it automatically

becomes uncool or “girly.”

Even some of the artists who are now considered some of the best to have ever lived experienced this phenomenon. Elvis Presley and the Beatles were two of the first artists to be considered “pop stars,” but more so, they were teenage girl fantasies.

Elvis and the Beatles were treated the same way Justin Bieber, N*SYNC, One Direction, the Jonas Brothers, etc. were treated.

People didn’t like them simply because teenage girls were obsessed.

At the height of the Beatles’ popularity, Paul Johnson wrote for the New Statesman, “Those who flock round the Beatles, who scream themselves into hysteria, whose vacant faces flicker over the TV screen, are the least fortunate of their generation, the dull, the idle, the failures.”

People will say it’s the “hysteria”

of the girls that makes them so stupid for liking something. It’s because they are so excited they cry, or they scream.

It’s their expression of joy that turns people so negative. Yeah, that thing you do when you’re happy? Stop it, it’s weird. It’s a medical condition. It makes you look like an idiot.

Feminist writer Bailey Poland cites the 19th and 20th-century definition of female “hysteria.”

“There’s an underlying assumption that teen girls are not in control of their emotions or interests and become overly excited or upset for no reason,” Poland said. “When the reality is that teen girls are often very intentional about what they’re interested in and aware of the social influences behind those media products, and they deliberately use excitement and passion as the foundation for community-building and

empathetic development.”

All the mocking of these things reinforces the idea that things created by and for women are unimportant and stupid.

I saw a Tik Tok the other day of a man talking about how a school shooting would be sad, but at least there wouldn’t be any more VSCO girls. The comments said he was a teacher.

Could you imagine? Your teacher hates that you wear SCRUNCHIES so much that they would be glad if you were dead?

Quit making fun of girls for liking things. Don’t be ashamed to like those things too. Like what you want and don’t put other people down for liking things.

It’s ignorant and hurtful.

No one should be ashamed of enjoying things, and they definitely shouldn’t be receiving death threats — even if they are called “just a meme.”

Traffic is a nightmare Down, not up: Making the legal age to purchase tobacco products 21 is bone-headed At the ripe age of 18 years old, I voted in the 2012 general election.

That same year, I visited cigar shops and hookah bars, but only on occasion. Only a year later, I joined the United States Air Force.

I was given the great honor of being able to serve my country the only way I knew how at the time.

KEVIN BENAVIDES OPINION EDITOR

I wasn’t able to drink though. In fact, it wasn’t until I turned 21 that I was legally allowed to taste the devil’s elixir.

Newton recently came the latest Kansas City to raise the smoking age from 18 to 21. While the change hasn’t been made statewide, there are 18 states and over 500 localities that have banned the purchase of nicotine and tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21.

According to KSN, Newton was coincidentally the 500th city to do so.

This now affects about half the population of the United States.

Well, half the population and anyone who shops at Walmart.

While these states and businesses think they are serving the public good, I believe they are making the problem even worse.

The fact of the matter is, the criteria that defines an adult in the U.S. is becoming less and less clear.

There have been cases in the U.S. where children as young as 13 have been tried criminally as adults.

While most states set the limit at 16, that only bolsters the theory that the guidelines that determine an adult in this country are arbitrary, nonsensical, and bone-headed.

If we as “adults” can vote at

FILE PHOTO BY SELENA FAVELA/THE SUNFLOWER

the age of 18, but can be tried as adults as 16, but can’t even drink or smoke until 21, then what exactly makes us adults?

I propose, then, that we cannot be tried in court as adults until we turn 21. We also shouldn’t be able to vote until then either. If we can’t be trusted with what we put in our bodies, we obviously have even less bearing on the legal or political systems.

See how ridiculous that looks?

It is highly important for new users of alcohol and tobacco to be familiar with the effects of both.

I’ll take it further and say that new users of any mind- or body-altering substance should be made well aware of the effects before consuming them. When the age to drink is so high, there comes an increase of “pregaming,” or drinking before going to the actual event.

This means that some minors are getting drunk and then hitting the road, not totally conscious of the total, delayed effects of alcohol.

It’s not just alcohol. Not long after Colorado legalized recreational marijuana, the rate of marijuana-related ER visits rose dramatically. This is not because marijuana is inherently dangerous; it’s almost

Opinion

impossible to overdose by smoking cannabis. It was because new users were not fully aware of the effects it would have on them. How could you, if you’ve never had it before under safe conditions?

Some states are aware of the danger that comes with a lack of education about these substances.

Some states allow minors to drink alcohol under their parents’ supervision and consent. Kansas is not one of those states.

While tobacco and nicotine products are not generally good for the human body, it’s hypocritical for politicians to rally behind limited government regulations and then propose further regulations banning the sale of nicotine vape products when the real danger comes from bootleg THC cartridges — cartridges that have no real regulations because they’re prohibited in this state and many others.

This trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down either. Prohibition is the essence of a too-big, over-regulatory government.

The only solace I currently have is that I am old enough to legally make mistakes.

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Traffic is the curse of the commuter.

Sitting for hours in our cars as we try to get from point A to point B — sometimes in the morning, sometimes at night, but always in a rush. Therefore, when traffic turns into a jam or someone cuts you off, it can feel like one of the most infuriating things in the world — nearly as enraging as the “Game of Thrones” series finale.

We live — at least most of us ¬— in the great city of Wichita.

There were 390,000 people living here in the 2010 U.S. census. Now, I’m going to hazard a guess that Wichita has grown a bit in the last nine years, but we still aren’t at the level of Portland, Austin, or Denver. We’re not even to the size of Kansas City, yet the traffic can feel just as bad.

That’s a ridiculous thing to think about — that Wichita’s traffic is as bad as the closest major metropolitan area.

Driving shouldn’t be such a difficult thing. For example, yield signs mean that you stop if there is oncoming traffic. It doesn’t mean stop because you got it confused with a stop sign. Obvious, yes, but too many times, I’ve had to stop at 21st Street and Hillside Avenue when turning right towards campus while running late to class because of it.

On top of that, when you’re trying to get onto the interstate, you have people that won’t get up to speed on the ramp or you have other people that won’t slow down or speed up to let you merge.

Other people can be jerks when they drive, or just plain negligent, and it’s annoying and anxiety-inducing. And sometimes you make a mistake. I know I’ve had plenty of times where I’ve quoted comedian John Mulaney, saying “I also don’t want me to be doing what I’m doing,” but some people are just garbage drivers.

Garbage drivers — and not the people driving garbage trucks — make the morning commute more infuriating than it needs to

BROGAN GILMORE COLUMNIST

be. That shouldn’t be how things are, or at least it shouldn’t be as prevalent as it seems to be.

The only way to possibly remedy the early-morning coffee spills is for people to pay attention to the road, its rules, and the fact that you aren’t the only one there.

The guy who cuts you off after speeding through the turning lane does it primarily because he doesn’t care about other drivers. Bad drivers are focused on themselves, while we’re focused on wanting to beam them in the head.

It’s easy to get self-absorbed.

You’re by yourself in a tiny mobile house blasting your favorite Taylor Swift album. It can be pretty easy to forget about everybody around you while enjoying “Shake It Off.” But other people are around you, and they are trying to get home just as fast as you are.

Another issue that Wichita has goes back to the fact that we have roughly 390,000 people and are continuing to grow.

Maybe Wichita’s traffic issue isn’t just bad drivers, but also an infrastructure that can’t handle changes like a Trader Joes in Bradley Fair or an REI on Greenwich Road.

I’d hate to suggest more construction in Wichita, but larger roads and some roundabouts do sound nice.

But, unfortunately, there’s not a lot that can be done about traffic, other than yelling into the void as you’re stuck in the one lane of traffic on Kellogg that decided to come to a standstill.

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Sports

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HAVE A STORY IDEA? contact The Sunflower’s sports editor, Marshall Sunner sports@thesunflower.com

WEEKEND WINS

IF YOU GO UPCOMING SPORTING EVENTS TUESDAY, OCT. 8 Softball: WSU vs.

Seminole State 5 p.m.

Wilkins Stadium THURSDAY, OCT. 10 Softball: WSU vs.

Arkansas Tech 5 p.m.

Wilkins Stadium FRIDAY, OCT. 11 Softball: WSU vs. Kansas 6 p.m.

Wilkins Stadium Volleyball: WSU vs.

Houston 7 p.m.

Charles Koch Arena SATURDAY, OCT. 12 Baseball: Fall World Series Game 1 1 p.m.

Eck Stadium

EDUARDO CASTILLO/THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State sophomore Neleigh Herring swings at a pitch during the game against Crowder on Saturday at Wilkins Stadium. The Shockers won the game 17-5.

Shockers sweep fall weekend against Crowder, Emporia State

BY DAVID LEON

Wichita State softball improved their fall season record to 4-1 over the weekend with victories over Crowder Community College and Emporia State. The Shockers topped the Roughriders 17-5 Saturday and dispatched of the Hornets 5-1 Sunday.

The Shockers’ lone loss of the fall season came at the hands of Oklahoma State last week.

After Saturday’s win, Head Coach Kristi Bredbenner said she’s encouraged by her team’s depth.

“I just think we got a lot of different spots covered depth-wise. You know, we got a really solid-hitting outfielder, we got a good pitcher, two good middle infielders, a great catcher.” Bredbenner said.

She said the team will only get

I just think we got a lot of different spots covered depth-wise.” ­— Kristi Bredbenner, head coach

better as they continue to hone their potential.

“You see the growth, the potential in their future,” she said. “To me, the best thing about it so far — in just a couple weeks, they’re already starting to look a little bit better.”

Freshman Bailey Urban hit a two-run home run in the first inning against Crowder, adding another RBI in the next inning as the Shockers jumped out to a 5-0

Athletics campaign aims to up student buy-in, get ‘older folks’ out of student section in Koch Arena

BY MARSHALL SUNNER

Kylee Sorrells, a marketing and game day operations assistant for the Wichita State athletics department, spoke to the Student Government Association Wednesday to explain why the school’s student section is undergoing a rebranding campaign.

Last week, the department announced a student section-naming contest for students only.

“We want the student body’s voice to be heard,” Sorrells said.

“When we decide the top five, we will hold a table vote in the RSC, and online as well, so the students can decide what their favorite name is.”

Sorrells said decreased student involvement during volleyball, and men’s and women’s basketball games has spurred a need for more student buy-in.

She said the campaign is also an effort to limit the lower half of the student section to just students, citing the presence of “older folks” in the area that it is “tailored to the students.”

“I don’t know if you’ve been to a basketball game here, but for example, there are a lot of older folks that start coming to games in that lower section,” Sorrells said.

“Students feel uncomfortable being rowdy and getting into the game because they don’t want to disturb the people who are sitting behind them or next to them.”

The goal is to designate the bottom half of sections 116 and 117 in Charles Koch Arena as strictly for students. According to Sorrells, that will enhance the overall student experience at sporting events.

The department is trying to get the campaign finalized by Nov. 5, which means printing banners and T-shirts for the men’s basketball regular season home opener against Omaha. Final polling for the student section name will take place on campus from Oct. 21-25.

Sorrells announced during the meeting that the person who submits the winning name will receive a reward, but the reward has not yet been decided.

“There will be a reward for the winner,” Sorrells said. “We haven’t determined what it is going to be, but we are leaning towards a gift card for the Shocker Store or an apparel outlet to get that Wichita State gear.”

The deadline to submit a name was Oct. 4. The final names are yet to be announced.

advantage.

“Bailey Urban, who gets up there in the first inning and just crushes one out of the ballpark — you’re pretty excited about that, because you know that she still has four years left of work,” Bredbenner said.

Urban is no stranger to big hits. During her high school career at Millard South in Omaha, Nebraska, Urban tallied a total 115 hits with 16 home runs.

After Emporia State put the first run on the board Sunday, Shocker pitchers Bailey Lange, Mckenzie Weber, and Erin McDonald combined to hold the Hornets in check on the way to the 5-1 victory.

“I think they are all here and ready to learn,” Bredbenner said. “They are all brought into what Wichita State softball is all about and where we need to be.”

SUNDAY, OCT. 13 Volleyball: WSU vs.

Tulane 1 p.m.

Charles Koch Arena MONDAY, OCT. 14 Baseball: Fall World Series Game 2 1 p.m.

Eck Stadium TUESDAY, OCT. 15 Baseball: Fall World Series Game 3 1 p.m.

Eck Stadium

DID YOU KNOW? All students get into Wichita State-sanctioned sporting events with a valid student ID.

Takeaways from Wichita State’s annual Black and Yellow basketball scrimages

BY MARSHALL SUNNER

Fans were able to witness basketball for the first time this school year inside Charles Koch Arena on Saturday at the annual Black and Yellow Scrimmage, which featured both the women’s and men’s basketball teams.

Here are three takeaways from this year’s scrimmage: INJURIES AND ABSENCES

The scrimmages were the first time all year that fans were able to see the new rosters for both teams.

But some players from both teams were unable to participate in the event.

On the women’s side, junior college transfer Mariah McCully was seen limping onto the court during her first-ever introduction as a Shocker. She didn’t play in the event and no further details were given regarding an injury.

Other women that didn’t play include freshmen Vendela Danielson and Ashlei Kirven.

On the men’s side, freshman guard Noah Fernandes came out onto the court on crutches and in a boot after suffering a bone bruise in practice.

“He (Fernandes) should be good to go in about 10 days,” Marshall said.

Sophomore Erik Stevenson also missed playing in the scrimmage due to taking a midterm test.

TROUBLED SCORING

Both the men’s and women’s teams struggled to score in their portions of the scrimmage.

The women combined for a total of 41 points in 20 minutes.

The men also provided a low-scoring affair, combining for just 40 points in their 20-minute segment.

About two minutes into the scrimmage, Marshall called a timeout, brought everyone together and started lecturing.

“I didn’t think it was very good today in the scrimmage,” Marshall said. “I don’t know whether they’re hitting a little wall now. Maybe some of the new guys were a little nervous about being out there doing this, but that’s just the progression you go through as a new player.”

As a whole, both men’s teams combined shot a low 31% from the field. From three-point range, they combined for 29% shooting, another low mark.

POTENTIAL REPLACEMENTS

Both squads lost key scorers from last season. The WSU women lost Sabrina LozadaCabbage, who tallied 8.6 points per game, good for second-best on the team.

Now-senior guard Ashley Reid blossomed during this year’s rendition of the Black and Yellow Scrimmage, recording a team-best eight points.

As a veteran player (Wade) that we brought in to try to have some immediate impact, I thought he did a pretty good job.” ­— Gregg Marshall, head coach

“Ashley was real aggressive in attacking the basket,” Head Coach Keitha Adams said after the scrimmage. “When you work hard, go hard every day, good things happen.”

On the men’s side, junior college transfer Trey Wade showed glimpses of what Markis McDuffie provided the team with last season.

Wade finished the scrimmage shooting 50% from the field and recorded a game-high eight points.

“As a veteran player that we brought in to try to have some immediate impact, I thought he did a pretty good job,” Marshall said.

Wade also impressed Marshall with his defense on potential breakout star Dexter Dennis. He held Dennis to just three points on 1 for 6 shooting from the floor.

“He was guarding Dexter Dennis, and he did a pretty good job there,” Marshall noted.

SPORTS

6 | MONDAY, OCT. 7, 2019

SQUAD GOALS

EASTON THOMPSON/THE SUNFLOWER

MARSHALL SUNNER/THE SUNFLOWER

MARSHALL SUNNER/THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State sophomore Morris Udeze goes up for a shot over sophomore Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler during the Black and Yellow Scrimmage on Saturday inside Charles Koch Arena.

Top, Wichita State sophomore Seraphine Bastin attempts a layup during the Black and Yellow Scrimmage. Bottom, junior Trey Wade euro-steps during the Black and Yellow Scrimmage.

Wichita State men’s and women’s basketball kick-starts season with annual Black and Yellow Scrimmage

BY SEAN MARTY

For the first time this season, the Wichita State men’s and women’s basketball teams played in front of fans at the annual Black and Yellow Scrimmage.

Last season, both teams were marked with inexperience and each lost seniors heading into the offseason.

Here’s a recap of what was seen at the scrimmage: WOMEN

WWW.THESUNFLOWER.COM

After a disappointing 2018-19 season, in which the team struggled to score the basketball, the Shockers have placed a focus on tempo and adding more offense.

Their part of the event started off with a series of drills, including a three-point contest in which Carla Bremaud was victorious over teammate Maya Brewer.

In the scrimmage portion, the yellow team came out victorious by a score of 22-19. Despite having more experience, the black team, which included returners Ashley Reid, Seraphine Bastin, and Carla Bremaud, struggled to get much going offensively.

Despite the struggles offensively, Head Coach Keitha Adams said she liked how aggressive the trio was in getting into the paint.

Reid, who is coming off a knee injury two years ago, said she

MARSHALL SUNNER/THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State senior Ashley Reid attempts a three-pointer during the three-point contest as part of the Black and Yellow Scrimmage.

feels healthy and more confident heading into the season.

“I worked really hard in the summer — I still need to work a little harder, but I think I’m in better shape,” Reid said. “I’m more confident in my knees and my shot, so I’m really excited to be out there playing again.”

On the yellow side, Maya Brewer, Trajata Colbert, and Shyia Smith each tallied five points and combined for 12 rebounds.

The team will kick off their season on Nov. 4 against Missouri Southern State.

MEN

The Wichita State men ended

last season on a hot streak, advancing to the NIT semifinals and winning 14 of their last 18 games.

This season, the Shockers welcome the most-heralded recruiting class in the school’s history to go along with seven returners from a year ago.

One of the newcomers that caught Gregg Marshall’s eye was junior college transfer, Trey Wade.

Wade recorded eight points, six of which came off of three-pointers.

“As a veteran player that we brought in to try to have some immediate impact, I thought he did a pretty good job,” Marshall said. “To me, it’s energy. When he plays with a lot of energy and it’s

just flying around, that’s when he’s at his best.”

Sparked by Wade’s play, the yellow team came out victorious, 21-19. Asbjørn Midtgaard and Jamarius Burton combined for 13 of the black team’s 19 total points.

WSU’s offense was never able to consistently get going, but Midtgaard said he feels confident the team can sort it out before the time the season starts.

“The games don’t start for a couple of weeks,” Midtgaard said.

“We’ll address it in practice, watch film, and just go from there.”

The Shockers will kick-start their season on Oct. 29 against Northeastern State.