VOL. 100 – ISSUE 11
THE TRUMPET
FEBRUARY 4, 2021
WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
WLU’s Student News Source
New year on the Hilltop brings a new President: Dr. W. Franklin Evans - pg. 3 Sports granted access to compete Spring 2021 pg. 8
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WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
THE TRUMPET
NEWS
COVER BY: WLU MEDIA RELATIONS
CULTURE
SPORTS
Photo Credits: Anna Johnston
Photo Credits: Dr. Criniti
Dr. Stephen Criniti selected one of five finalist - pg. 5
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Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
Spring Organization Fair features West Liberty Clubs - pg. 8
Charleston and W. Va. State Basketball Review - pg. 14
THE TRUMPET
The Student Voice on the Hilltop
The Trumpet’s mission is to provide WLU students of all majors an opportunity to learn how to gather and present news information to the campus community, and to serve the WLU community with fair and accurate reporting on matters of significance and interest.
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Editor-in-Chief Annalise Murphy Online Editor Creed Kidney News/Copy Editor Intern Lizzy Griffith Culture Editor Morgan Kafana Opinion Editor Haley Blakemore Sports Editor Intern Anna Johnston Graphic Designer Intern Kate Roberts Sports Writer Maxwell Fiedorczyk News/Culture Writer Emma Beatty Faculty Adviser Danielle Mehlman-Brightwell
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NEWS
FEBRUARY 4, 2021
NEWS
Editor-in-Chief: Annalise Murphy
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- anmurphy@westliberty.edu
New year on the Hilltop brings a new President: Dr. W. Franklin Evans erty community and campus safe for in-person classes and sports to continue.
On Nov. 19, 2020, Dr. W. Franklin Evans was named West Liberty University’s 37th President. Assuming the presidency on Jan. 1, 2021 and journeying his way to the Hilltop three days later, Evans became the university’s first Black president in 183 years of West Liberty history.
Evans was led to apply for the open presidency for several reasons including one of his life goals of wanting to work at a predominantly white institution and wanting to get back into a state system. “The other thing is my career has been in the south. From Ga., to AL., Tenn., Va., N.C., and S.C. So, I really wanted to get out of the south – that was another draw to West Liberty. I wanted to learn and expand my base in a different region,” he shared. Furthering his explanation, Evans was impressed with the family feel of the institution. “That is one of the good things about West Liberty. It is such a family environment here. So, I felt like I would fit right in. I’ve got to tell you, what I like about being here is the friendliness of people,” he said. The President shared, so far, he is finding West Liberty intriguing in the fact “each and every day is something different.” Evans mentioned the importance of students staying vigilant of COVID-19 as we work as a team to keep the West Lib-
“First, I want to say that students need to take this virus seriously. Everyone, students, staff, and faculty, needs to be wearing their masks, sanitizing, and washing their hands,” Evans commented. As of right now, there are no plans to add in any new COVID precautions to West Liberty’s current way of combating the spread of the virus. “I always say if a plan is working, don’t mess with it,” Evans said. Emphasizing the importance of surveillance testing, mask wearing, and social distancing, he feels confident West Liberty can remain a safe campus as long as the Hilltopper community continues to take the above precautions seriously. Even though the pandemic has put a huge distance between human activity and interaction, being able to have connections with the student body is a value Evans continually mentioned he personally found important to any institution’s success. “Students are our reason for being here. And, if we ever lose sight of that, then we need to find another profession. We need to find another job,” Evans said. He went on to explain the importance of the college experience and the responsibilities of administrators to ensure the experience is as meaningful as possible for students. He continued with, “I want students
Photo Credits: WLU Media Relations
to see me as a student-oriented president.” Certainly, South Carolina is a much different region than West Liberty, and Evans jokingly commented on how much snow he has been experiencing on the Hilltop in the little time he has been here. “I have experienced more snow here in the last two days, then I have seen in the last ten years combined,” said Evans. Evans was born in Augusta, Ga., and is the father of two young children. According to a press release sent out by the University, the new president will be “…staying at the alumni house, Liberty Oaks Bed and Breakfast, just next door while minor renovations are made to his future home.”
Prior to West Liberty, Evans was the president of Voorhee’s College, and has over 25 years of experience in education at several other institutions throughout the southern region of the U.S., which can be viewed in detail via this link. The Trumpet staff extends their warmest welcome to Dr. W. Franklin Evans as he continues to get comfortable in his new home and new position as President here at West Liberty University. Any further questions pertaining to Dr. Evans can be directed to the university’s Director of Media Relations, Maureen Zambito, at maureen.zambito@ westliberty.edu.
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FEBRUARY 4, 2021
NEWS
West Liberty Alumnus, Dr. Norman Moyes dies at age 89 tion he had to the Hilltop. Moyes was inducted into the WLU Alumni Association Wall of Honor in 1992. According to Angie Hill, executive director of the West Liberty University Foundation, Moyes served as a member of the WLU Foundation Board of Directors from 2011 to 2020.
West Liberty University Alumnus Dr. Norman B. Moyes age 89 of Brighton, MA, passed away on Nov. 17, 2020 while in hospice care. Moyes was originally from Wheeling, W. Va. where he graduated from Wheeling High School in 1949; afterward, he went on to attend West Liberty State College and graduated in 1953 with an undergraduate degree in English.
An active participant in meetings, he always brought valuable perspectives and donated over $26,000 to various universities activities including the Marching Hilltoppers, the Annual Fund, and scholarships as claimed by Hill.
After his time on the Hilltop, Moyes attended West Virginia University, earning a master’s degree in journalism. Ron Witt, executive director of alumni relations, talked with former West Liberty President, Dr. Clyde Campbell (a really good friend of Dr. Moyes) and learned upon completing his master’s degree, Moyes returned to the Hilltop for about three years to
Photo Credits: WLU Media Relations
teach English and help supervise “The Trumpet” publications. Clyde also claimed a West Liberty professor, Dr. Wayne Wenger, encouraged Moyes to pursue a doctorate degree. He then went to Syracuse University, where he earned his doctorate in communications. “He taught at Syracuse for two or three years and then began a teaching career at Boston University.
also a great photographer. Campbell said to Witt, “during his student days at West Liberty he was known as “scoops” because he always carried a pocketful of flashbulbs for his camera and was continually taking pictures. Young coeds were his specialty!” According to Moyes obituary, his career began as a photographer for the Wheeling News Register before becoming a United States Army combat photographer.
Witt states one of Moyes most famous photographs of John F. Kennedy (standing on a chair outside Rogers Hall, addressing the During his students, faculty, and administration) tenure at Boston, is proudly displayed on the first he also wrote floor of Shaw Hall and can be found for the Boston in WLU pictorial history books. Globe newspaper. Dr. Moyes “I have two large photo had journalism in albums full of Norm’s black & white his blood as his photos in my office that I will always father worked treasure. Every time I see one of for the Wheeling his photos I can’t help but think of News Register Norm’s smiling face and recall one for many years.” of his vivid stories of his days on the said Campbell. Hilltop,” Witt fondly shared.
Photo Credits: WLU Media Relations
In addition to his career as a reporter and teacher, he was
Through all of his life adventures and challenges, one lifetime dedication always remained close to Moyes heart, the love and dedica-
“He was one of those alumni who came back to campus at every opportunity and was a very involved alumnus. The biggest thing I will always remember about Norm are the stories he told about his time on campus,” shared Hill. Moyes was loved by many as a student, an educator, a scholar, a photographer, but most importantly, a friend. “Dr. Norman Moyes was a cheerful, sincere, dedicated friend to all he knew. He had a most pleasing personality, and it was an honor to call him “friend”. He loved his work, his students, and most significantly, West Liberty,” shared Dr. Campbell. Surely, his lifelong dedication and loyalty to West Liberty will not go unforgotten. The slogan “Hilltop is Home” is often used among student’s today, and while the saying rings true for many, it especially rang true for Dr. Norman B. Moyes. He will be missed sincerely by the entire West Liberty community. For more information regarding this article, please email Annalise Murphy at anmurphy@ westliberty.edu.
NEWS
FEBRUARY 4, 2021
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Dr. Stephen Criniti selected one of five finalist for West Virginia Professor of the Year Photo Credits: Dr. Criniti
This year Dr. Stephen Criniti, an English professor at West Liberty, was selected as one of the five finalists for West Virginia’s Professor of the Year. An interview was held via Zoom on Jan. 26 which asked Dr. Criniti questions about his style of teaching, approaches to specific topics, teaching methodologies, and his attitude towards his job and students. Interestingly enough, Criniti wasn’t the one to decide to apply for this award saying, “Dr. Jeremy Larance and Dr. Sylvia Senften came up with the idea to nominate me for the award back in the fall. I then put together a nomination packet to send to the selection committee and learned of being named a finalist in late January.” Dr. Criniti attended Wheeling Jesuit University to obtain his bachelor’s degree in 2000 in English and professional communications. Two years later, he then attended the University of Dayton where he received his master’s degree in English followed by his
doctoral degree in 2008 at the University of Cincinnati for English and Comparative Literature. After earning his degree, Criniti began teaching at West Liberty in 2008, making this his 13 year on the Hilltop. He currently teaches courses in 20th century American literature, American ethnic literature, contemporary literature, and composition studies. In addition, Criniti also serves as the primary coordinator as well as advisor for the English Education Program.
He is also very active in serving the university community through his committee work which includes the curriculum committee, University Retention Action and Advisory Committee, employee engagement committee, and several others. In 2019, Criniti was awarded the Faculty Excellence in Service
Award. A year prior in 2018, he won the Student Government’s choice for the College of Liberal Art’s Professor of the Year. Then in 2016, Criniti received the Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award. The West Virginia Professor of the Year Award is a way for the public to honor the exceptional achievements of educators. Each year, a $10,000 award is received by the candidate that is selected to be Professor of the Year. According to wvnews, a banquet is traditionally held in the spring, and finalists are then honored where the Professor of the Year is announced. “Personally, I don’t think of what I do in the classroom as award-worthy. I think of what I do as simply what I do. But, I’m honored to know that my colleagues here at WLU and a statewide selection committee find something noteworthy about the way I approach my job,” said Criniti.
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FEBRUARY 4, 2021
NEWS
West Liberty University, W. Va., COVID-19 Updates an earlier date within the past 90 days. The final two results were deemed inconclusive; retesting has since then taken place. Kicking off this exceedingly strange school year’s spring semester, West Liberty University carried out some 1,600 COVID-19 tests (rounded up from Vault Laboratories’ [the provider of the free COVID-19 saliva based tests] testing registration number of 1,569).
43 students with active cases of COVID-19 are currently being monitored by the university, this includes those who tested positive during the original mandatory mass testing that took place from Jan. 19 through 22. 33 students have been quarantined.
The tests were part of an overall mass-testing and safety protocol initiative to better facilitate and monitor the health of the hilltop’s faculty and student body carried out between Jan. 19 - 22.
To further keep the safety and health of the overall student population here on the Hilltop at a securely strong level, weekly testing will continue to be carried out on a weekly basis beginning on Feb. 2.
Of those tested, only 40 results came back positive, five of which were employees; three of the remaining 35 positive student results were from students who had previously tested positive at
This testing method allows 10 percent of the student body to be tested weekly on an alphabetical level; students will be notified by email when their testing date approaches. Along with this initiative, surveillance testing will continue throughout the semester from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Tuesdays in Blatnik Hall gym; this will be carried out through the saliva based testing method, so students must refrain from eating or drinking for 30 minutes prior to taking their test.
Graphic Provided by: Student Life
As West Liberty stands as a role model for other schools, universities,
and communities to follow in these unprecedented times, where concern for health and safety are at an all time high, so too does the state that our Hilltop, and many of our students, call home. Beginning in late 2020, the roll out and administration of the COVID-19 vaccine was still shrouded in much hesitation and anxiety; but since it’s very start, the state of West Virginia, like our own university, has led the nation in successful vaccine administration and documentation and stood as an unlikely role model among the chaos of this past year. While vaccination numbers climb, the rate of active COVID-19 cases diminish, and everyday we seem to grow a little bit closer to returning to a more “normal” world. While West Virginia also had relatively fair success in carrying out it’s stay-at-home orders, citing the reinvigorated interest in outdoor activities like hiking, hunting and fishing, and a boom in tourism of our many national parks and forests, that the pandemic brought to our state, many professionals and scholars illustrate the close, tightly knit nature of our small state that led to such success with the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine. As well as having the third oldest populations in the nation, making vaccinating it’s citizens an utmost priority, many of these vaccinations were being handed out by
Photo Credits: WLU Media Relations
local, family owned pharmacies and clinics, the owners of which were people that everyone in their communities knew and had interacted with before. So, the anxieties that might come for some of going into a medical facility that could seem cold and systematic for a vaccination, for West Virginians it just felt familiar - everyday even; just another chance to show the nation how our state can come together in times of hardship to make a change for the better.
Still have COVID-19 Questions?
If you still have questions regarding the univeristy’s COVID-19 protocols, please email covid19@westliberty. edu. Thank you!
CULTURE
CULTURE FEBRUARY 4, 2021
Culture Editor: Hanna Perry - heperry@westliberty.edu
Dental Hygiene Program shines despite the odds coverings, and gloves, students and others have had to add a KN-95 mask under their normal mask. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, dental hygiene students have had to adjust to new restrictions while meeting requirements for their coursework. When West Liberty University was required to be completely remote in Spring of 2020, many students, particularly seniors, were nervous of how they would catch up on lost time. Stephanie Meredith, Program Director for Dental Hygiene, said “…senior students have risen to the occasion and have completed all their missed requirements from last spring, plus all their requirements from the fall, and are where they need to be going into their final semester of the progrom. Senior students have been in the clinic three days a week since August, and our first-year students will begin treating patients in March.” This has not been an easy feat by any means. Meredith goes on to explain many of these classes require students to be handson and collaborate with each other, but due to COVID-19, this has been severely limited. Dental hygiene students have also had to make changes to the personal protective equipment (PPE) worn by following the guidelines put in place by the Center for Disease Control and American Dental Association. In addition to the usual disposable gowns, glasses, face shields, hair
This acts as another layer of protection against potential exposure from being in close contacts with patients. As Meredith explained, the pandemic has made obtaining PPE for the program’s 70 students troublesome as it has been primarily allocated to those on the front lines. Another adjustment has been to the program’s patient protocol. There is now a pre-screening questionnaire regarding COVID symptoms and exposure that must be filled out beforehand. Temperatures of students, staff, and patients are recorded as well. Clients must wait in their cars before appointments as no visitors are allowed in the clinic if they are not being actively worked on. Meredith also commented, “we hope for an uneventful, yet very successful, remainder of the semester. We are very proud of our students and their dedicated and strict compliance with all COVID protocols during this time. Our clinic welcomes patients so if anyone is interested in scheduling an appointment, they can stop in the DH department or call 304-336-8633.” For more information about this article, email Emma Beatty at ejbeatty@westliberty.edu.
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FEBRUARY 4, 2021
CULTURE
Spring Organization presents opportunites to get involved with campus life After a semester interrupted by COVID-19 restrictions, West Liberty clubs and organizations are once again able to meet in person. This week, students have had the opportunity to find out more about the different groups on campus at the Spring Organization Fair in the Alumni Room in the College Union. Groups have been participating in the fair since Monday, but there are still two days left to go and learn about the vast variety of clubs that West Liberty offers. Doors are open from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m... The Spring Organization fair is usually held inside the ballroom with around 35-40 of the Hilltop’s 50-plus clubs and organizations present. This year the fair has taken on a slightly dif-
ferent appearance to keep students and staff as safe as possible while attending. Kate Billings, Director of Student Activities at West Liberty said, “Five to six groups can sign up per day to table in the Alumni Room! This will let us monitor the number of people in the room at the time…We also expect many groups to table after this week on their own in the Ballroom as it may fit better with their schedule.” After almost a year of activities and meetings become increasingly remote, it is more important than ever to get involved with campus life and return to a somewhat of a normal routine. Although Zoom provides a great alternative, nothing can replace meeting with a group face-to-face. “Getting involved and connected is super important! Enrollment is up at WLU this term, so we definitely have first time students and transfers joining us, who are also looking to see what campus offers!” said Billings. “For each
person involvement looks different, and our office wants to make sure we are communicating all those opportunities about clubs, leadership positions, and social events in person and virtually to all students so that they can take advantage in their own way!” The fair presents an opportunity to discover what is on offer on the Hilltop. With such a variety of organizations, there is a very large chance that something fits your interests, and if not then you could try setting up your own club. Charli McConnell, West Liberty’s Political Science Club President, said
Photo Credits: Anna Johnston
“The organizational fair is a great place to put yourself out there because it gives students the opportunity to see just what clubs there are available on campus. Also, it gives students the chance to find a club they are interested in and in turn would allow them to become
Photo Credits: Anna Johnston more involved on campus. Joining new clubs and organizations on campus provides a way to make new friends with similar interests.” Although in-person meetings are able to resume this semester, all West Liberty clubs must adhere to the university’s COVID-19 guidelines to avoid outbreaks as much as possible. Club attendees must be socially distanced at meetings, masks must be worn at all times, and rooms are limited to half capacity. For a full list of all of West Liberty’s clubs and organizations go to this link to find out more about joining or setting up a new club, email studentlife@westliberty.edu to get started. For more information or questions about how to get involoved on campus, please email Kate Billings at billings.kate@westliberty..edu or the author of this article at acjohnston@ westliberty.edu.
CULTURE
FEBRUARY 4, 2021
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Thinking about going Greek? Read below to learn more about West Liberty’s Sororities! Zoom. The first was “Plant a Seed with Alpha Xi Delta.” Those who joined in picked up a succulent in the Student Union and then planted them while talking virtually with the sisters of Alpha Xi Delta. On Jan 26., the sorority held “Let’s Taco ‘Bout Our Philanthropy” where they ate nachos and discussed the organization’s affiliations.
Spring Recruitment for West Liberty’s sororities kicked off on Jan. 22. Chi Omega, Lambda Psi Sigma, Alpha Xi Delta, Beta Rho Epsilon, and Delta Theta Kappa are all searching for potential new members. Chi Omega, national sorority, began their week by hosting “Collage with ChiO” over Zoom. Members and potential new members (PNMs) picked either a red or yellow bag with color coordinated photos to form a collage. The next event was Taco Tuesday on Jan. 26. At this event, they ate tacos in a bag and discussed their philanthropies and involvements with the community. On Thursday, Chi Omega painted old records with their “Off the Charts” event in the Alumni Room. Their philanthropies include Make A Wish and Owl Pals with Madison Gals. Lambda Psi Sigma, local sorority, had their first even on Jan. 22 with “ZOOMba.” Using screen share, participants followed a YouTube video that showed them a dance. Their second event was “Making Valentines with the sisters of Lambda Psi Sigma’’ on Jan. 25. Those who attended used paper and pre-made cards to make Valentines for their friends and sisters. The third event was “Game Night” where an intense Kahoot! competition took place. The week wrapped up with a “Spa Night” on Wednesday and “Show and Tell” on Thursday. Lambda’s philanthropies include local animal shelters and St. Jude’s. Alpha Xi Delta, national sorority, had all their events over
Their main philanthropy is Autism Speaks. The last event they held was “It’s Fun to be an Alpha Xi” where participants made necklaces over Zoom. Above Graphic Provided by: Creed Kidney
Beta Rho Epsilon, local sorority, started their events on Jan. 26 with a “Game Night.” Their second event, making friendship bracelets, was on Jan. 28. Beta Rho Epsilon had both virtual and in-person options for their events. Their philanthropies are Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) and Child with Cancer Project. Delta Theta Kappa, local sorority, had one event during the week of Jan. 25. On Jan. 28, this consisted of tie-dyeing masks. They plan to hold three more events next week: Game Night on Feb. 2, “Pro-Bono Night” on Feb. 3, and “Cocoa with the Cast” on Feb. 4. Each of these events are at 6 p.m. in Main Hall. Delta Theta Kappa’s philanthropies are The Multiple Sclerosis Society, Breast Cancer Research, and Ronald McDonald House. Most of the sororities are continuing their events into the week of Feb. 1. If you are interested in going Greek, make sure to attend and check out each sororities’ social media! For more information, Collage Created By: Emma Beatty please email the author of this article.
FEBRUARY 4, 2021
OPINION
OPINION
PAGE 10
Celebrating many firsts in 2021: Kamala Harris is the first Female, Black, and Asian American Vice President sent you a clear message: Dream with ambition, lead with conviction and see yourselves in a way that others may not, simply because they’ve never seen it before. But know that we will applaud you every step of the way.” Sydney Bridges, a senior at WLU, thought this way too. Bridges said, “When I heard Kamala Harris was going to be vice president, I was overwhelmed with joy. Not only do we have another person of color in office for the 2nd time, but it’s a woman this time!” There are young women across the country sharing this joy and excitement.
Black History Month is celebrated throughout February every year. This February, a special focus turns to an important woman to the American people. On Jan. 20, 2021, Kamala Harris was sworn in as America’s first woman, first African American, and first Asian American Vice President. This event changed lives across the country. Women and young girls saw that a woman can hold such power, and women of color saw that they can do anything. In Harris’s inauguration speech, she said, “American Aspiration is what drove the women in this nation, throughout history, to demand equal rights.” For some students at West Liberty University, Harris is an inspiration and dream. Tasia Stauntan, a third-year student at
“When I heard Kamala Harris was going to be vice president, I was overwhelmed with joy. Not only do we have another person of color in office for the 2nd time, but it’s a woman this time!” - Sydney Bridges WLU Senior
WLU expressed her feelings about Harris in office. “When I found out that Kamala Harris was going to be Vice President, it was almost like a feeling of relief. I felt a weight be lifted off of my shoulders. Kamala Harris being a woman of color, holding such a powerful title, is completely life changing for Black women, especially young Black girls.” Harris has set the bar high for women of color and has shown them not to be afraid.
Photo Credits: Wikipedia Commons people. Harris has made it clear that she believes she represents the possibilities for women, especially women of color. In Harris’ first speech after being named the elected winner, she said, “Because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities, and to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has
Kamala Harris has made history and will continue to do so over the next four years. She plans on working with President Biden to get America back on track. Harris has proven herself in just a few months, and there’s no telling what she will do over the next few years. The first Madame Vice President is truly a woman that will be recognized for years after her time in office, and she will serve as a symbol of hope and power.
In an interview with Vogue, Harris explained some of her plans she has during her time in office. “She says that she wants to help high-crime neighborhoods deal with the causes of crime: “Triple Title I funding” to low-income school districts, and stop funding public schools solely from the tax bases of communities, which hurts poor kids the most.” No matter where you come from, there will always be young students who don’t get the same education due to lack of funding for their school systems. Harris views education to be very important, especially to young
Photo Credits: Google Creative Commons
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FEBRUARY 4, 2021
OPINION
Local Zumba Classes to help you stay fit in 2021 classes, I am just having fun.
Have you been looking for a new way to get in shape for the new year? There are other things to do besides the usual weight lifting and running. Beverly Thomas Reid is an owner of two fitness studios in the tri-state area. Her two studios are in Wintersville, Ohio and Weirton, W. Va.. Zumba studios like the ones previously mentioned have helped countless people work towards their weight and become the best versions of themselves. Not only do the classes provided help maintain a fitness goal, they also make people feel better and have more energy.
Above Graphic Provided by: Creed Kidney
Beverly Thomas Reid started as a student in 2012, and worked her way up to get certified in November of 2013. She is Zumba certified, but also teaches other classes like BeatBoxing, her own creation, and weight classes. Zumba is a dance fitness class built from Latin dance. BeatBoxing is a “fun kickboxing class mixed with easy to follow hip hop dance choreography” said Reid. She created this workout in 2015. “Both are fun and feel like a party rather than working out,” says Reid. I personally have been to many of these classes since she has started and seen my own progress. I don’t even feel like I’m working out when I’m doing the hour long
After asking Reid about her classes, she says that many things motivate her to continue to teach. Her biggest motivation is seeing all of the results in the valley. “It works and it helps people.” she says, “It gives us all something to look forward to.” Another motivation is that her oldest daughter, Haily Prantil joined her business with her in 2015. Prantil is a co-business partner for the Weirton studio, aside with being Beverly’s daughter. Prantil got certified in 2015 for her birthday and has been continuing to teach since. Beverly’s advice for anyone wanting to start their own business is to, “...do it with your heart and you will succeed. Put passion in your classes. If you are having fun, so will your students!” If you’re not looking to start your own fitness studio, then try to come to the classes! Beverly says if you are nervous about coming to a class, “Just come and have fun! We all start at the beginning so there is no reason to be nervous. We keep it simple and fun. The Atmosphere is friendly and supportive.” These classes can definitely make your mind and body feel so much better. If you are thinking about coming to a class, the studios are located in Wintersville, Ohio and Weirton, W. Va. There is a page on Facebook called “Fit Fun and Fabulous” to see schedules and addresses.
Photo Credits: Kate Roberts
FEBRUARY 4, 2021
OPINION
PAGE 12
Taylor Swift: A New Decade
As 2020 came to an end, Taylor Swift released her second album of the year in December, Evermore, a sister-album to Folklore which was previously released in July. Swift has had a record-breaking year for her music and continues to surprise her fans.
broke the world record of Spotify streams in one day for a female artist, streaming over 80 million times in just one day. Swift’s album also stayed at number one on the Billboard Top 200 chart for
production of new music, but Swift didn’t back down from a challenge. Critics from Variety on Swift’s album said, “[The album is] A fully rounded collection of songs that sounds like it was years in the interactive
The album made it to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Chart, making it Swift’s eight album to make it to that spot. She was also the first woman to hold two No. 1 albums on the Billboard Charts of 2020. Although both albums experienced similar amounts of success, some critics say that Evermore had more variety and got more experimental.
Both albums took a different route than Swift’s previous albums. Swift is known for writing songs based on her personal experience, but Folklore and Evermore were more fictional. Swift said she wrote stories based on images she saw in her head. In an essay explaining her eighth studio album Folklore, Swift said, “I found myself not only writing my own stories but also writing about or from the perspective of people I’ve never met, people I’ve known, or those I wish I hadn’t.”
Photo Credits: Lizzy Griffth
Folklore includes 18 songs on the deluxe album. Each song tells a story which serves as escapism for its listeners.
When releasing the album, Swift gave no prior promotion other than an Instagram post announcing the new album. The album’s initial release broke many records. According to an Entertainment Weekly article, the album
Swift collaborated with various artists including Bon Iver, HAIM, and The National. According to the Rolling Stone, “… on Evermore, she’s just as good at curating these more detailed production flourishes, all with the same contouring and meticulousness as she does with her best lyrics.” Songs from the album have continued to stay in the top of the Billboard charts for multiple consecutive weeks. The album also became Swift’s third album within 16 months to sell over a million copies in the first week of release. Swift continues to release music that breaks her own records and surprises everyone.
Although the current pandemic put a halt on touring and events, it didn’t stop Swift from creating not just one, but two new albums.
The songs “betty” and “the last great American dynasty” left fans scrambling to piece together who these songs could be about. Swift left a lot up to the imagination because, although her songs are fictional, there may be some truth behind it from personal experiences, though, we may never know what’s real or just a fairytale.
another surprise announcement that her sister record would be released at midnight. Evermore includes 17 songs on the deluxe album. Swift’s album broke even more records this time.
Considering the current pandemic, it’s hard to say when Swift will start touring again or be able to perform her music live. 2020 ended with two spectacular albums that were produced during a quarantine.
six consecutive weeks, which tied her with female artist Whitney Houston. It was clear that Swift had yet another successful album that would continue to break charts’ records and win awards The current pandemic forced musicians to stop the routine
making, not the product of a quarter-year’s worth of file-sharing from splendid isolation.” The album left fans and critics full of excitement for Swift’s new alternative era. It came to no surprise that her sister album, Evermore, produced the same reaction.On December 10th, Swift gave
Swift set the bar high for other musicians. Fans and critics are left wondering what’s next for Swift, but it’s safe to say that it will be something memorable and magical. For more information on this article, please email the author, Lizzy Griffth, at elgriffth@ westliberty.edu.
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SPORTS FEBRUARY 4, 2021
Sports Editor: Anna Johnston
SPORTS
- acjohnston@westliberty.edu
Sports granted access to compete Spring 2021 Spring 2021 sees sports return to the Hilltop after an almost year long hiatus due to COVID-19. This semester virtually all of West Liberty’s athletics teams are back in action with Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, and Wrestling already at the midway point of the season, volleyball at the start of their season and all other sports set to begin in the coming weeks. After winning the MEC title last year, WLU’s Men’s Basketball currently holds a 5-3 record hitting the midway point of the 16-game season with an unusual three game losing streak before breaking the trend with a home win against Glenville State University. Head Coach Ben Howlett’s squad are aiming to recreate last year’s success and hold their position as Mountain East Champions. The Women’s Basketball team are aiming to improve on their win to lose ratio from the 2019/2020 season (12-17). The Lady Toppers have won two of their eight games so far in their shortened season. At this halfway point, the Ladies will be looking to build on this in the second part of their MEC competition. WLU’s Wrestling team entered the season with early success with several squad members gaining a national rank as well as the team gaining high praise across the country. West Liberty have won all four of their scored competitive meets and performed well in all others. “[The] season has gone really well up to this point considering all the variables that we have
faced. We have high expectations of ourselves with one of them being to meet all challenges head on! We have done that on a consistent basis which has put us in position to finish on a high note,” said Head WrestlingCoach Daniel Irwin.
With the MEC championship and National Qualifiers coming up, the team are heading towards a strong finish to the 2021 season. “We have been putting the work in to win both, but ultimately our goal is to be the last team presented with a NCAA Team Trophy in March!” said Irwin. February adds Volleyball, Cross Country, Men’s Tennis, Men’s Soccer, and Women’s Soccer to the mix making this month an intense one for West Liberty Athletics. Volleyball had their first competitive match on Tuesday away to Notre Dame in Ohio (please check Hilltopper Sports for the final score. The Lady Toppers are back in action again this Friday away to Alderson Broaddus University at 7 p.m. then have their first home fixture of 2021 on Tuesday, Feb 9 against Fairmont State University in the ASRC. In 2019, the squad held a
record of 17-15 and qualified for the MEC Championship. This is the teams first go around with Riley Schenk taking the reins returning as Head Coach after aiding the Ladies in 2018 and 2019 as Graduate Assistant Coach under Kayla Mull. Cross Country season starts on Feb. 13 in Louisville, Kentucky for the “Chille in the Ville” event. West Liberty’s cross-country runners have been pushing to improve personal bests over the last semester during the COVID-19 hiatus. The team have seen significant improvements across the board and are looking to hit the season with a flying start in just under two weeks’ time. Men’s Tennis have their season debut on Feb. 20 with a few new additions to the squad. Four out of seven of the team hail from countries other than the United States including Germany, France, Uzbekistan, and Japan. Hilltopper Head Coach Ronald Hulewicz (who is also an education instructor at West Liberty) returns for his second season as head coach after his first was
Graphic Provided by: Hilltopper Sports
interrupted by the pandemic.
Both Men and Women’s soccer kick-off on Feb. 28. Head Coach Sean Regan’s Men head to last year’s conference winners University of Charleston for a challenging season opener. Regan said “We are very excited to get the season underway, it’s been a long 15 months since our last match and the boys are really looking forward to getting going… This is still a very young program and every day we are growing stronger as a squad, I’m really looking forward to watching the guys play and seeing the hard work pay off.” This will be Regan’s second season at the helm of the Men’s soccer program and the first year his recruits will have seen action. “We have a very talent freshman class backed by a solid group of returning players. Our goal for this season is to build on what we did in 2019. We finished above wheeling and Concord and if we can finish one place higher or get one more win then we have taken steps forward.” West Liberty’s Women’s Soccer traveled up to the cold of Notre Dame College (Ohio) for their season opener who tied the Lady Toppers 0-0 in their last two meetings in 2019. Head Coach Barry Christmas’ team is looking to improve on the 2019 season and qualify for this year’s MEC tournament competition. The ladies will play eight games by April 16 including two matches against Ohio Valley Rivals, Wheeling University. In March, Softball, Baseball, Acrobatics and Tumbling, Football and Golf all have their first competitions. The first 13 days of the month go by without a break in action for WLU Athletics as the various teams compete, hitting full flow in their respective seasons.
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FEBRUARY 4, 2021
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Charleston and W. Va. State Basketball Review forward, Erykah Russell who was a standout for the Golden Eagles, boasting an impressive 31 points.
Contributing Writer: Mark Donnelly
No. 9 West Liberty got back on track after putting an end to Glenville State College’s unbeaten streak. West Liberty’s men’s basketball team (5-3) got back to winning ways this week in their 115-98 win against Glenville State College (5-1). The Hilltoppers were coming off the back of a 74-78 loss against Charleston which came as their third straight defeat, an usual pattern for the reigning MEC Champions. Now holding a 5-3 record so far this season, West Liberty gave an impressive performance in what was a run away win against the previously undefeated Pioneers. The Toppers extended their impressive record against Glenville, having won the last 13 matches between the two. A fourth game in eight days for the hilltoppers quickly follows as they travel to 2-4 Davis & Elkins on Wednesday, to round off what has been a very packed week. WLU, who are undefeated in conference play against the Senators, will be hoping to build on this victory and continue their momentum as the second half of a condensed 16game season quickly approaches. Coach Ben Howlett will have been pleased with the energy and work rate shown by his players just over 48 hours after their last game. Key players Dalton Bolon, Will Yoakum and Pat Robinson III helped West Liberty rediscover their offensive abilities which has seen them average over 100 points per game over the past two seasons. The trio combined for 64 points while sophomore Bryce Butler and freshman Elijah Watson each finished with 10 points on the night. It was a much more
Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports productive night for the Toppers’ bench who added 39 points in comparison to just 14 in their last outing. It was also a memorable night for senior guard Luke Dyer who had a career high of 12 assists and zero turnovers in only 21 minutes on the court. West Liberty will now look towards Wednesday night when they take on the struggling Davis & Elkins. They will be aiming to start the second half of the season with a win and continue their momentum towards the upcoming MEC Championship. Lady Toppers look to start second half of season with a win Following Saturday’s away defeat against the undefeated University of Charleston (8-0), Ben Cooper’s West Liberty (2-6) aims to improve on their record with a win against Davis & Elkins (1-7) this Wednesday. The Lady Toppers struggled to recover from a scoreless five minute stretch in the first quarter which saw UC put up 14 points and take control of the game with a 15-point lead. With 20 turnovers, the away side struggled to gain any real momentum in a game commanded by senior
As they begin the second half of their 16-game season, WLU will be hoping to get back to winning ways as they take on the struggling Davis & Elkins, who come off the back of four straight defeats. They will need strong performances from senior guards Olivia Belknap and Audrey Tingle if they are to win their third game of the season. Belknap averages over 17 points per game while Tingle holds an impressive eight rebounds and seven assists per game.
Photo Credits: Hilltopper Sports
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FEBRUARY 4, 2021
2021 WLU Women’s Volleyball Preview After finishing the 2019 campaign with a record of 1715, the West Liberty University Women’s Volleyball team looks forward to the new beginnings the 2020-21 season hopes to bring. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has without a doubt given the women’s volleyball team unprecedented adversity throughout the past year, the team looks forward to pushing on with many familiar faces. One prominent familiar face is senior middle blocker Madison Clayton, from Roseville, Ohio. This small senior class also brings spotlight to senior outside hitter Emily Reedy, from Grosse Ile, Michigan. Standing at five-foot-six Reedy is known for her defensive specialties and is yet another key player vital to the team’s success. Finally, five-foot-seven senior setter Renee Lemke, out of Centerburg, Ohio, looks to make major strides this season, all while hoping to cement herself as a prominent team
captain. To round out the junior class, six-foot outside hitter Jenna Caskey, and five-foot-eleven middle blocker Mackenzie Daub, look to play important support roles to aid West Liberty’s success.
SPORTS
WLU Wrestling team continues to dominate the MEC
With upwards of ten underclassmen, the West Liberty Women’s volleyball team is primed to use their youth this season as a building block for years to come. These underclassmen include five-foot-eleven middle blocker Nina Billotto, five-foot-eleven setter Kirsten Bogunovich, fivefoot-eight defensive specialist Faith Hayes, five-foot-ten outside hitter Ashton Wronikowski, five-footeight outside hitter Katelynn Fritz, five-foot-five setter Laura Gamel, five-foot-six libero Nyia Setla, sixfoot-one right side Braidyn Reed, five-foot-nine outside Hitter Kaija Sydlowsk, and five-foot-ten middle blocker Ruby Countryman. Head Coach Riley Schenk is undoubtedly excited for the season opener, with the team’s first five matchups coming from Notre Dame College of Ohio, Alderson Broaddus University, Fairmont State University, Frostburg State University, and Notre Dame College of Ohio once more.
Pictured above: Jacob Simpson Photo Credits: Daniel Irwin
While some sports are still waiting to take action on the Hilltop, such as volleyball and football, the West Liberty University Wrestling team continues to show their dominance, especially throughout the Mountain East Conference. The Hilltopers have quickly jumped to a 4-0 record, including victories over teams such as Glenville State College (37-12), Alderson Broaddus University (38-10), Fairmont State University (25-18), and Glenville State College (33-21). These team leaders have not only seen massive success for their team, but they also have been successful individually. Graduate Student Logan Kemp (197 pounds) out of Centerville, Ohio, is one of the team leaders the Hilltoppers have laid anchor on.
Photo Credits: Riley Schenk
Being a veteran for the Hilltoppers, he has undoubtedly helped set an example of the team’s standard, and one of which Kemp hopes is continued on after his departure. Joining Kemp as a Graduate Student is 165 pounds Christian Rivera out of Orlando, Florida. Perhaps
what is most unique of this Hilltoppers wrestling team is the family ties seen throughout the roster. The first brother duo contributing heavily to the team is the Morgan brothers. Out of Ripley, West Virginia, Chase Morgan (165 pounds), and Chance Morgan (174 pounds) are both slotted in the starting lineup. Furthermore, the Morgantown, West Virginia natives Matt Simpson (133 pounds) and Jacob Simpson (141 pounds) have been working off one another throughout their careers, all with the intent of becoming a champion while wearing the black and gold. The Mazik brothers, Miles and PJ out of Mingo Junction, help the Hilltoppers in more ways than one, but specifically through their nonstop motor. Finally, Weirton, West Virginia natives, Alec Cook (149 pounds) and Garrett Cook (184 pounds) have taken their success from high school and translated it to the college level. With how deep this Hilltoppers roster is, it is understandable that the Hilltoppers are primed for success for this year’s campaign. With the MEC Championships taking place on Feb. 6th, expect the Hilltoppers to make some noise.
