Western Courier | March 22, 2019

Opinions: Why take Gen-Eds?

Sports: Evaluating the Western Illinois Men's Basketball team.

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Friday, March 22, 2019 - Vol. 119 Issue 67

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Administrators address student concerns at SGA meeting

By Marc Ramirez edge editor

josh purnell/ courier staff

Western Illinois University administration answer questions at the Student Government Association Special Session to address concerns students have regarding the school's state.

The Student Government Association held a General Assembly Special Session Tuesday evening for students to voice concerns to Western Illinois University administration members in attendance.

University President Jack Thomas, Director of Residential and Auxiliary Facilities Joe Roselieb, Interim Provost and Academic Vice President Billy Clow, Associate Provost for Budgeting, Planning and Personnel Russ Morgan and Bill Polley, Interim Vice President for Administrative Services were all in attendance.

“The purpose of today is to give students the opportunity to ask questions and ask important questions,” Aaron Steele, SGA Speaker of the Senate said. “The other purpose of today is to give administrators the opportunity to provide important and relevant information to students leaders.”

The forum began with administrators introducing themselves followed by questions from students leaders.

“As you all know, we went two years without a budget here in the state of Illinois, Thomas said. ”That meant that we didn't get any funding for two years and prior to that since 2002 we have lost, not only Western Illinois University, but all institutions, about 48 percent of our state appropriated funding and we’ve had reductions since 2002 and when we got a budget after the budget impasse, we still got about 15 percent less than what we got in 2015.”

This year, the University was given a two percent increase, which was still eight percent less than what was given in 2015. On top of this,

the decrease in enrollment caused a crisis of confidence in students leaving the state of Illinois. This put the state second behind New Jersey in the amount of students seeking higher education out of state.

“I wanted to set the stage for this conversation when you start asking questions about what we have done and why we had to do that,” Thomas said. “We have to make ends meet and we have to make sure that the University is viable and that’s what we have done as administrators. It is not our fault, no one did this, it’s just that the state did not come through and we’ve been dealing with this for a number of years, even prior to my arrival here at Western. No one thought that we wouldn’t get a budget for two consecutive years.”

Thomas continued by adding that the newly elected Governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, announced that he will be giving institutions a five percent increase in addition to giving more in MAP funding and AIM HIGH funding. Thomas explains that this, however, will still not be enough.

Next to the podium was Roselieb. He oversees the the University Union and housing and dining facilities.

“I am here to answer any questions about housing and dining, the Union and student services in general,” Roselieb said.

“”

"It is not our fault; no one did this, it’s just that the state did not come through and we’ve been dealing with this for a

number of years, even prior to my arrival here at Western,"

-Jack Thomas University President

SGA page 2

2

NEWS

SGA

from front page

Following was Clow introducing himself as Interim Provost and Academic Vice President as well as the Dean of Fine Arts and Communication. Morgan, Associate Provost for Budgeting, Planning and Personnel, works with budgets, planning with academic affairs and personnel issues across the University. He also oversees the Human Resources Office in addition to being a psychology professor and a contract administrator.

Polley, Interim Vice President for Administrative Services, deals with the

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Friday, March 22, 2019 Business Office, facilities, OPS, human resources and purchasing. He also serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Western.

“If anyone has questions about the overall University finances I can try and answer those for you,” Polley said.

After introductions, students lined up behind the microphone to ask questions to the various administrators in attendance. The first question was asked by Colton Markey, Director of Academic Affairs for SGA. “How did you decide which programs got cut,” Markey asked.

Clow explained that programs that were decided to be eliminated were pro-

posed by the Academic Program Elimination Review Committee. The committee goes forth and does lots of information and data review on majors across the board in order to find low enrolled programs that have less than 40 people enrolled in the major and produces less than 10 graduates a year. It starts as a recommendation and is presented before the Board of Trustees for final decision. The report is determined over a five year span so if a program consistently doesn’t reach numbers, they will end up on the list for elimination.

Next to the podium was Minerva Diaz who asked if administration and uni-

versity officials attempted to negotiate with faculty and staff who were let go to adjust salary in order to minimize layoffs.

Morgan said that if students remember, the university was in a long negotiation UPI to settle contracts.

However, negotiations were not enough to keep the University viable without making cuts.

Over the course of the meeting, several students had questions as to why their programs or staff and faculty within the programs were cut. The administration repeatedly responded with the explanation that the APER report was the main factor and hard deci-

sions needed to be made in order to keep the University afloat. It was also explained that specific people were not eliminated, their positions were. Chairs and Deans were responsible for deciding what needed to be cut within their department in order to ensure that the program could still run successfully. Seniority also played a huge role in who was able to stay at the University due to contract agreements with the UPI. If students have more questions or concerns, they can voice them to Thomas. He will be able to point students in the right direction by giving them the best answers possible.

City Council approves downtown renovations

By Steven Barnum news editor

felicia selmon/courier staff

felicia selmon/courier staff

Kristin Terry (above) and Kristen Petrie (below) discuss downtown improvement projects.

WC Located on the third floor of the Heating Plant Annex on the south end of campus across from Sherman Hall.

Mail: 1 University Circle, WIU, Macomb, IL 61455 Phone: 309-298-1876 Fax: 309-298-2309 Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays E-mail: micour@wiu.edu Member: Illinois College Press Association, National Association College Press

In addition to approving Sunday liquor sales and the transportation budget, the Macomb City Council also discussed downtown renovations during Monday’s meeting.

Chris Trotter, who now owns part of the property at 133 W Jackson St., is seeking to replace windows in the structure. The lowest bid for the project was $37,625, according to Downtown Development Director Kristin Terry. After last week’s committee discussion, city officials decided that they will pay Trotter $20,000 once the project is completed.

Six aldermen voted yes on the reimbursement and Alderman Annette Carper abstained.

The city of Macomb recently awarded Trotter, a local entrepreneur, with the downtown building. The structure is in need of significant renovations, which Trotter plans on completing and then making it available for rent.

In a separate downtown renovation decision, the city council approved a project at 133 S Randolph St. The renovations will include the replacement of 24 of the building’s windows and will cost $31,500. Terry said that the owners will also be eligible for a $20,000 reimburse-

STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu news editor Steven Barnum

proofreader Amanda Wandachowicz

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A-Wandachowicz@wiu.edu

opinions editor Allison Young

photo editor Becca Langys

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sports editor Bradley Piros

assistant photo editor Sara Remar

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assistant sports editor Chris Bean

production manager Jimmy Pierson

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edge editor Marc Ramirez

business manager Faith Rucker

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copy editor Brie Coder

advertising manager Jacob Day

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JD-Day@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu

ment and that she is pleased with the work they have done recently.

“We were honored to give them grant money the last couple of years,” Terry said.

Moved by Alderman Tom Koch and seconded by Alderman Gayle Carper, the council approved the renovation and reimbursement. The building’s renovations will be complete once the windows are replaced on the north side of the property.

The West Central Illinois Art Center will be able to serve alcohol during its upcoming fundraising event.

The event will take place April 13 from 6 to 10 p.m. at 25 East Side Square in Macomb.

City Attorney Kristen Petrie said that planners submitted all of the important paperwork and information about the fundraiser and that she does not see any potential issues.

After last year ’s success, the council decided to approve the liquor license for the event. The council also waived the second reading for the ordinance, which will save the non-profit organization money they would otherwise have to pay the state in a liquor license application.

“Every little bit counts,” an organizer of the event said, “so we appreciate it. We anticipate that this will be a very PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION

The Western Courier is published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the regular school year, excluding holidays, finals week and semester breaks. The WC updates the website weekly during the summer. All content reflects the editorial discretion of the students operating the newspaper and must be interpreted as unofficial university communication. While every attempt is made to determine the validity of advertising contained herein, the advertising in the WC is not to be construed as endorsements of any specific products or services. The WC assumes no responsibility or liability resulting from the content of paid advertisements. Subscription price is $36 per year mailed third-class bulk rate from Macomb.

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fun event.”

During next Monday’s meeting, the city council will consider reducing the late fee for late rental registration and adding a motor fuel tax to generate additional funding to maintain streets and highways.

Mayor Mike Inman reminded the public that curbside yard waste pickup would begin this Monday. The city will not require stickers until May 2.

In Aldermanic reports, Inman said that he traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark with a group of 20 students from Macomb High School last week. It was the 17th year that the exchange program gave students the opportunity and Inman wasn’t disappointed with the trip.

“It was a really nice opportunity and I congratulate the students who were able to attend,” Inman said. “We represented the community really well.”

Elsewhere in the community, Alderman John Vigezzi welcomed students from Western Illinois University and Macomb High School back after spring break and City Clerk Melanie Falk said that she was pleased with the first annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade that the city of Macomb organized last week.

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CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS The WC needs your help to maintain accuracy. If you find a factual error, call the WC office at 309-298-1876 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Please ask to speak to an editor to ensure the inaccurate information can be corrected as quickly as possible.

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Friday, March 22, 2019

NEWS 3

Western fraternity offers help in Georgia communities

By Steven Barnum news editor

Eight men from Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity traveled 13 hours to Rutledge, Ga. for spring break to help people with disabilities through recreational development. There, they met with seven other brothers from across the country to tackle tasks that camp staff needed assistance with over the course of the week.

Members of the fraternity at Western Illinois University tackled projects like tearing down an amphitheater and constructing a new one, creating a wheelchair-accessible ramp so that handicapped individuals can make it around a lake, and planting over 700 flowers to aestheti-

cally contribute to the camp.

In addition to flowers, the group also replaced potato, garlic and other herbs in an area farm. Camp staff informed the volunteers that all the planting they finished in one week could have easily taken them a month. All crops grown on the farm are directly turned into food for the camp as they sustain their own food source. In addition to this, they fixed the fencing that was destroyed by a storm, but according to one member of the fraternity, that wasn’t the only highlight of the trip.

“The most important and amazing time was spent at night with the campers,” Tate Dowell said. “To me, helping people and helping out

through the Ability Experience is something I plan to do until the day I die.”

The Ability Experience is a national philanthropy that aims to improve the lives of those with disabilities. Pi Kappa Phi started the philanthropy in 1977, and they are still the only fraternity in the United States that runs its own philanthropy. Dowell recognizes its ability to make a difference in the world.

“It has allowed me to give back to people and help put a smile on the faces of people who need some joy in their life,” Dowell said. “We realize how lucky we are and the Ability Experience gives us a chance to give back to those who don’t have as much as we do.”

When it comes to offering a helping hand to those in need, Dowell doesn’t hesitate to recommend joining a fraternity.

He said that the groups on college campuses like Pi Kappa Phi offer a chance to form long-lasting relationships. He also said that anyone who has some extra money should consider donating in order to impact lives like he has been able to do. Phi Kappa Phi gave a $7,500 grant to Camp Twin Lakes.

“I always feel like you should give back whenever you can,” he said. “Giving back to those in need is what truly makes our world so great.”

Through his experience, Dowell said that both he and other members of the fraternity felt gratification from tak-

ing part in the mission.

“I was impacted by these campers and that week will change my live forever,” Dowell said.

However, volunteering is nothing new for this group of men. This past year they were awarded the Thomas Sayre Award for most volunteer hours completed per man across the country. This award is given to one of the 187 chapters from across the nation. Through the Ability Experience, Pi Kappa Phi will also be sending four members to participate in their national philanthropy events Journey of Hope and Build America, where the men will give up their summers to bring awareness and support to those living with disabilities.

Tate Dowell/courier staff

Tate Dowell/courier staff

courtesy of phi kappa phi

courtesy of phi kappa phi

4

OPINIONS

Friday, March 22, 2019

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General Education Courses are a waste of time and money JIMMY PIERSON/PRODUCTION MANAGER

General education courses should not be required for college students. For many, they are a waste of time and money that could be better spent elsewhere.

Students should not be forced to take classes that cover materials they have already been familiarized with at some point in high school. General education courses mostly rehash concepts and skills that the majority of students already possess or will pick up in other courses

throughout their academic careers. By the time most people get to college, they know how to write and organize an essay or have spoken in front of a classroom before. All of these required speech, communication and math courses are redundant and unnecessary. For example, a student like me who is majoring in law enforcement should not be required to take a math class on functional notation because, although I am not 100 percent certain what job I want to pur-

sue upon graduating, I am sure of the fact that it will not be math related. Many of these classes, not just math courses, are rather useless since they probably have absolutely nothing to do with one's major. While some math classes dealing with financial planning could be useful, many of these skills can be learned through life experience.

For the most part, students should be able to focus solely on their major during their time at college. The fact is that most students don't approach these courses with the same sort of devotion as they do with classes they see as being useful. Professors, however, tend to teach the material as if everyone taking the class is planning on major-

ing in the subject. As a result, many students' grades suffer, sometimes to the point of lowering their grade point averages so much that they are unable to get into the major they planned on pursuing. It would be much more beneficial to spend your time at college studying more thoroughly for your major rather than wasting your time worrying about your grades for general education courses. Also, taking general education classes costs a lot of money. According to WIU's website, a year of college tuition at WIU for an undergraduate is estimated at $12,889.

After two years of taking classes that, for the most part, are just review sessions of things you have learned in high school, you

have spent $25,778.

College is so expensive that it is hard to justify taking classes that ultimately do not help you in your career. Upon graduating, most students are faced with the daunting task of paying off all of their debt accumulated through student loans. It would be much easier to do this if the four years and thousands of dollars were spent cultivating skills that are essential to the student's ability to pursue his or her intended career path.

College should be a time spent focusing on and learning about what you're going to do for the rest of your life, not frantically trying to learn bits and pieces of every possible subject on campus.

Single-gender education is more beneficial

For the sake of fully understanding my point, I’m going to ask you to place yourself into a scenario.

Imagine you are about 9-years-old, sitting in a third grade classroom. The teacher is asking various questions regarding your multiplication tables. The teacher calls on you and you feel perfectly comfortable answering the question, even in front of 20 or so peers. Do you have the image in your head? Now go back in and change all of your peers to whatever gender you associate as. In many schools throughout the world, this is a reality. If you are unfamiliar with single-gender education, this may come as a shock to you. I, on the other hand, am quite familiar with this way of educating students. When I was in eighth grade, I made the decision to attend an all-girl high school.

If you are like most people I encounter, you will probably be wondering why on Earth anyone would ever want to subject themselves to that sort of torture? Well, after four

years of academics, social events and extracurriculars, I am luckily able to confirm that single-gender education is not torture; it is beneficial in every way.

Rather than the drama that everyone told me would come with an all-girl school, I experienced a feeling of sisterhood and togetherness.

With no boys to argue about, we focused on helping each other succeed and becoming friends with everyone. My high school was the definition of “Empowered women empower women.”

My experience is not a unique one. Studies show that singlegender education helps educators target specific learning styles, address learning gaps early on and enable students to be more active and confident participants in the classroom. It is a known fact that boys and girls learn in different ways, so why have we been educating them exactly the same for such a long time? Girls oftentimes learn more effectively when they are given assignments

that require cooperation and collaboration, whereas boys tend to learn more effectively when given tasks that enable them to compete with their peers. Another benefit of single-gender education is that in all organizations, teams and leadership roles, the students are one gender. I often found it empowering to see that our student body president, star athletes, musicians, math team and fan section were all comprised of females.

Likewise, at the all-boy high school nearby, the performers, artists, athletes, broadcasters and leaders were all males.

In either situation, stereotypical gender roles were shattered. If no boys sang in the choir, there would be no choir.

If girls did not step into the leadership roles, there would be no leaders. The benefits are clearly visible when you take a look at SAT scores and college acceptance rates in terms of all-girl high schools and coed schools; the girls at all-girl high schools score around 30 points better and almost 100 percent of them go on to college. It’s really simple to see that students thrive when placed in a single-gender environment. The future looks bright for single-gender education and for the success of students everywhere.

OPINIONS 5

Friday, March 21, 2019

@WesternCourier

Is Beto a serious 2020 canidate?

When Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke announced that he was challenging Texas Senator Ted Cruz for a second term in the 2018 midterm election, many observers and analysts saw O’Rourke as a long shot candidate and unlikely to unseat a politician like Cruz.

Cruz had attained a considerable following as a Tea Party Conservative who would do whatever it took to oppose former President Barack Obama’s policies even if it meant shutting the government down, which he did. As a presidential candidate, Cruz gained more name recognition in the Republican primaries, especially when it came to his confron-

tations with Donald Trump.

Cruz may be disliked by his colleagues and embody what people don’t like about politics, but compared to O’Rourke, he had everything going for him, and then things quickly started to change.

As the polls in Texas started to tighten, the more O'Rourke was given national media coverage, the more people started to support him. Towards the end of the race, O’Rourke had raised more than $80 million, more than any other Senate candidate in history, with most of it coming from small dollar contributions. Unfortunately, O’Rourke lost to Cruz but came within two percentage points;

for a Democrat to be that competitive in Texas just showed how effective O'Rourke really was. Now O’Rourke is riding that momentum all the way to 2020.

After constant speculation about O'Rourke's future plans, he officially announced his candidacy to run for president in 2020 on March 14. Within 24 hours, O’Rourke’s campaign raised more than $6.1 million dollars, edging out presidential candidate Bernie Sanders’ 24hour record. When O’Rourke was running against Cruz, a mass amount of people were behind him, but now that he’s running for national office, O'Rourke is being held to a higher standard than before and rightfully so.

Unlike other presidential candidates, O'Rourke has enjoyed pleasurable media coverage since his Senate race; he’s had an HBO documentary made

about him and before announcing his candidacy, Vanity Fair did a cover saying, “I’m just born to be in it.” But that's the problem; while O’Rourke seems very likeable, it's statements like these that just come across as very arrogant for a man in his position. Many argue that O’Rourke has consistently been given the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his controversies such as his burglary arrest and DUI charge in the 1990s, which was given very little negative attention. Many have labeled this as “white male privilege,” and even O’Rourke admits to having privileges that other candidates may not have.

Aside from controversies, O’Rourke has also been criticized for not presenting any substantive and specific policy proposals. O'Rourke has praised the Green New Deal for its efforts to combat climate change and has addressed his

concerns to combat health care costs in the U.S., but with no specifics. Even as a three-term Congressman, O’Rourke was not known for introducing major legislation that was enacted into law and has been criticized for his past voting record, in particular to favoring fossil fuels. So far, O’Rourke has been lacking an agenda for why he should be elected president.

O'Rourke, within a matter of two years, has garnered considerable following that may result in securing him the Democratic Party’s nomination and even possibly becoming president.

If O'Rourke thinks he can rely solely on his charm and charisma to help him win, he’s sadly mistaken. In a field of likely 20 or more presidential candidates, O’Rourke will have to lay out an agenda that shows people he's serious and not just full of platitudes and inspirational speeches.

Right Here at Home for Summer School Western’s 2019 Summer Session offers numerous classes to fit your schedule and your major!

Advance registration for currently enrolled students is April 1-19.

Open registration begins April 22.

Stay on track ... or get ahead ... through a variety of classes in general education and undergraduate and graduate degree programs, delivered in face-to-face, online or extension formats.

Additional summer opportunities include youth summer camps, internships and study abroad.

Visit wiu.edu/summer for more information.

Write for Opinions

Contact Allison Young

AN-Young@wiu.edu

6

Friday, March 22, 2019

SPORTS

Track and field look forward to outdoor season opener at Southern Illinois

By Titus Perez sports editor

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Western Illinois University men's and women's track teams will be back in action for the first time since the indoor championships. They are hoping for a good showing at the Southern Illinois University Invitational.

This meet will be the team’s first outdoor competition of the season. They are coming off several successful indoor championships, where they took home three medals.

Junior Josh Kirby won third place bronze in the 60-meter hurdles, while junior Bo Brasseur performed a second place finish in the long jump, taking home the silver medal. Junior Michaela Busch also earned a silver medal in the pentathlon. The three medals helped the Leathernecks finish sixth overall in the event, which helped them gain steam heading towards the outdoor season.

Freshman Sierra Long had a solid outing as well, running a 57.79 in the 400-meter dash and qualifying for the finals of the event, where she placed eighth. She is also one of the core members of the 4x400 relay team that placed well at the Eastern Illinois University Invitational earlier this year. The

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outdoor season is a new beginning for the team. With that, Western fans will get to see for the first time football standout Isaiah “Zeek” Lesure at the outdoor track invite. LeSure and the team hope his leaping ability and speed he used on the field will translate to the track; if it does, it will be a big boost for the Leathernecks.

He’s already shown his promise, winning an event at EIU’s Invitational in the high jump.

Kirby and Brasseur hope to lead their team as well toward a successful outdoor season. Brasseur is involved in several events, including the 4x400 relay team; this could give the Necks a chance to score plenty of points. Nine other Division I schools will be competing at this meet.

However, Western's toughest competition will come from the University of Purdue Boilermakers and University of Illinois as each of them compete in the powerhouse Big-10 conference. If the Purple and Gold can perform well against these two schools, then head coach Diana Wholey should feel comfortable going into The Summit League Championships. The SIU Invitational is set to begin today at 3:30 p.m. and wrap up late Saturday evening.

Josh Kirby practicing for the 60-meter hurdles race.

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

CLASSIFIEDS

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For Rent

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Spacious 2-5 bedroom homes for rent. 10 month lease available. Great locations, close to bus stops, plenty off street parking, all new windows, AC, energy efficient furnace, hardwood and ceramic tile floors, free washer/dryer. Well maintained (24 hrs.) by local landlord.

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Houses for Rent 2016/2017: A&D Real Estate has several 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses for rent, all with at least 2 bathrooms, recently rennovated and located close to campus. Call for a tour or visit our website at www.wiucollegerentals.com. Local landlord with a focus on clean and updated housing with personal service for your college housing needs. 309-313-1122.

FALL INTO SAVINGS with Charleston Boulevard Apartments! Now offering SPECIAL RATES through Dec. 2017! Call for specific details 309-833-4545!.

NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2016-2017 Our houses have hard wood floors, ceramic tile, central air, washer and dryer and are close to campus with plenty of parking. We offer a ten month lease so you don’t pay for the months you aren’t here. Please call 309-255-1959 for a showing.

Now showing for 2017 & 2018 year 2, 3, and 5 bedrooms homes all close to campus. Call 309-331-4565.

Westen Investments: Leasing season has officailly begun, and we’re showing properties now! 1-5 bedroom houses close to campus are ready to be leased for this upcoming school year! Call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule an appointment! Stay updated with us on Twitter @Western_Invest STC Investments now leasing for the 18/19 school year. We have 1-6 bedroom apartments/houses ready for you to call home! Check out our selection at www.stcinvestments.com.

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LARGE STUDENT RENTALS 5 and 6 Bedroom Homes are still available!! Ask for our $1000.00 Discount program! First come first serve for the last large homes that are open for the fall.

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Westen Investments: Are you looking for an apartment? We are now showing our beautiful 1-3 bedroom apartments for this upcoming school year! Don’t like paying for utilities? Ask about our ALL UTILITIES options, and be sure to check out our website (westerninvest.com) to see our listings! Schedule an appointment with us today at 309-833-5995.

The nicer apartments are going fast, excellent service- 24 hour emergency maintenance. Reasonable prices. Studio, 1-3 bedrooms, locations on/off campus available ‘18-’19 school year. Check us out at rentcollegepads.com. If interested, please call F & H Rentals 309/837-1705.

RATES $5.50 per issue (open rate) $4.00 per issue (campus rate)

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Semester leases offered. Call 309 837 4369 and leave your phone number if not there. Email: MandKhousing@gmail.com ALL APARTMENTS - ALL INCLUSIVE Get control of your budget. Know exactly what you are spending each month. Each apartment includes free a/c, free heat, free electricity, free water, free cable tv, free hi speed internet, and free off street parking. Laundry on site.

No noise policy. Bus stop across the street. Close to campus. Well maintained. Studios are $460/mo, One bedrooms are $620/mo. Call Doug at 309-255-8179 for an appointment.

For Rent: Little Swan Lake, 30 min from campus. 2br, 2bth, heated double car garage with work area. $600 per mo.

(309) 335-2206 after 6:00 pm, may leave message anytime.

Spacious 3 Bedroom Upper in Duplex close to campus and Jackson St. All utilities furnished and appliances Includes cable and internet 18/19 school year $375.00 per Br Ph 309 255 8086 Please leave message Still have some nice large locations available at reasonable prices. Excellent service- 24 hour emergency maintenance. 1-8 bedrooms, locations on/off campus available ‘18-’19 school year. Pets at some locations. Check us out at rentcollegepads.com. If interested, please call F & H Rentals 309/837-1705.

Looking for 2 roommates to share a 3-bedroom furnished house beginning in August for 2018-19. 10- to 12-month contract. New carpet, air, garage w/ storage, laundry. $300 each per month, plus utilities. Call Sharon at 309-338-3888.

Friday, March 22, 2019

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Sports 7

Leathernecks impress in Leathernecks vs. the classroom, Summit disappoint on the court League Christopher bean assistant sports editor @cre_bean

MACOMB, IL — Western Illinois’s men’s basketball team finished 10-21 overall and 4-12 in the Summit League finishing eighth out of ninth overall in the conference this year. They have finished seventh or worst in 13 of the last 14 seasons, with the exception of their outstanding 2012-13 season, going 22-9 and falling one win short of the NCAA Tournament.

Head Coach Billy Wright came to Western in 2008 as an assistant coach.

After the 2010 season, he became the associate head coach until 2013, when he left for one year to become an assistant coach at Ball State. About a year later, Wright became the 20th head coach in Western Illinois history on April 15, 2014. In his tenure as the Leatherneck head coach, he is 48-94 overall and 19-59 in the Summit League. A huge factor for the bad record is they are 9-59 on the road and 1-4 on neutral courts.

In his first year they didn’t win on the road, but in his second season, they started the year upsetting the defending national runner-ups Wisconsin 69-67 in Madison. However, they have played well at home going 38-31. The biggest issue in his tenure is the lack of overall success, even though the talent has improved on a year to year basis. Let’s take a look at how this year’s team was a perfect example of that.

On this year ’s roster, every player was recruited by Wright and his staff.

Starting with “The Machine from Spring Green” Brandon Gilbeck. His seven-foot frame is hard to ignore, and so are his stats. He led the NCAA in blocked shots this year and is a two-time Summit League defensive Player of the Year. He is the individual season record holder for Western with 106 blocks. This was the first high caliber player that Wright recruited. “You have to have guys come in and build the culture and help move the program forward and Gilbeck has been a big part of that.” Wright said. But

it’s been his recruiting in the past few years that has been most impressive.

Next comes Kobe Webster. Out of Indiana, Webster is a player that is an explosive scoring machine. He is on track to be in the top-five for career points at Western and third for total career assists. He was named captain this year and will be a huge leader for the team moving forward. He was also named MVP along with Gilbeck. Wright said Webster, “best represent our program philosophy of All In. Be the best person you can be, be the best student you can be and be the best basketball player you can be.”

This year ’s biggest roster talent improvement came freshman Young and Ben Pyle, who both implemented themselves into the starting line-up. Zion Young was an ESPN three-star recruit from Simeon High School in Chicago.

He improved consistently from gameto-game and shot a prolific 45 percent from deep.

Pyle was determined to determine to not be out-done. Mr. Basketball of Kansas came to Western to be “Mr. Basketball” of Macomb. He averaged 8.5 points per game and was a key factor in the win against South Dakota State University in The Summit League Tournament. Along with these four great athletes, Wright still brought in decent supporting captains C.J. Duff and Jeremiah Usiosefe.

He also brought in guard Isaac Johnson, who started 21 games this year and 11 his freshman year.

The talent is clearly here, and Wright has done a superb job of collecting it.

However, this no improvement in the Summit League standings or on a year to year basis. Wright said issues that play a part.

“There are so many variables that can impact winning. That often go unnoticed unless you’re in the trenches,” Wright said. “We try to do our best within our program, within our staff, the

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way we do things to minimize, reduce and eliminate distractions. Especially the ones that we can control. And then we have to find a way to stay focused, stay energized and stay on task. And sometimes that can be challenging. I think things happen during the course of the season that’s behind your control, whether a player has a death in the family, or a player has an illness or an injury.

And we don’t harp on those things, but those things are very, very real.”

Distractions can lead to the inconsistency the Leathernecks have had, but Wright said.

“The thing we have to work on moving forward is just being consistent.”

The Leathernecks did show a spark at the end of the season when they defeated No. 1 seed South Dakota State in the Summit League, 79-76. However, two days later they lost to North Dakota State 76-73. A team that defeated them three times this year. They finished with a 10-21 record, but the year before they finished 12-16, Wright’s best year as a head coach.

Wright takes a holistic approach to coaching. He understands that when a high school athlete commits to Western, they do so to come here for more than just basketball. He encompasses the AllIn mentality. He is all in on all aspects of the program. He helps raise these kids into adults. He puts a priority on health, both mental and physical, academics and personal success for the studentathletes. Just like a college program should be ran. Wright was very proud about the academics his players uphold.

“We had our best team GPA in the fall semester it was a 3.24. That’s the second highest in the history of the program.” Wright said.

Wright has exceptional players in the classroom and on the court.

Unfortunately, it hasn’t shown up on the court. There is no doubt that academics are important. That’s why college athletes are called student-athletes.

But, if he can get his players to perform the way they do in the classroom, the Leathernecks will be a force to be reckoned with in the Summit League, and maybe one day we'll get to see them play in March Madness.

4-12 record 71.9 points per game Last in Summit League

11.0 assists per game Last in Summit League

35.2 rebounds per game Fifth in Summit League

12.5 turnovers per game Fourth in Summit League

4.9 steals per game Sixth in Summit League

46.6field goal percentage Fifth in Summit League

Baseball looks to bounce back against NDSU Bison

By Christopher Gibson courier staff

JOSH PURNELL / COURIER STAFF

Bailey Montgomery stays focused while batting.

JOSH PURNELL / COURIER STAFF

Steve McShane keeps his eye on the ball in the batter's box.

This weekend, the Western Illinois University baseball team looks to sweep a three-game series against North Dakota State. The Leathernecks (6-12) take on the Bison (2-11) at Alfred D. Boyer field on Friday at 3 p.m., and both Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Leathernecks are 1-2 in conference play this season after a homestand against South Dakota State over spring break. Hoping to turn things around, the Leathernecks will need senior Bailey Montgomery to stay hot with the bat. In their last game, Montgomery went three for three at the plate, scoring three times for WIU, and managed to steal a base as well.

This will be something that the Leathernecks will hope that not only Montgomery manages to replicate, but the entire line-up as well.

The Leathernecks had no problem last game putting the ball into play as they won a decisive victory over Iowa

Wesleyan, 16-3. Wesleyan got out in front early, scoring one run in the top of the first inning. This would be their only lead of the game. The first two men reached base for the Leathernecks, leaving men on first and second when Montgomery came up to the plate and singled to center field. This single scored the man on second, Kevin Raisbeck. Montgomery went on to steal second a couple of batters later, right before he was driven in by a single to the left side by CJ Schaeffer.

Schaeffer would end up scoring along with Steve McShane on a Drue Galassi triple down the right field line. That was the last time for scoring by either team, until the Leathernecks added on three more runs in the bottom of the third, one more in the bottom of the fourth, three more in the bottom of the fifth and five more in the bottom of the sixth. The game was called in the seventh inning by mercy rule.

The Bison, on the other hand, are coming off of a three-game series against Omaha that saw

the Bison on the losing end of all three games. After managing to put up six runs in their first game, the team only managed a combined one run between the two other games.

This will be something that our Leathernecks should look to take advantage of.

After starting out the season 2-7, our Leathernecks have managed to turn things around, going 4-5 in their last nine games. Two of those losses were to nationally ranked Arkansas and another loss was a close game with South Dakota State, who’s sitting one spot above the Leathernecks in the conference at third. With the Bison sitting with only two wins, our Leathernecks should look to sweep all three games this weekend. While they can’t go into the game with a laid-back mentality, this series should help us get back towards the top of the standings in the conference. With a lot more games left in conference play, three wins here should boost the team’s confidence and help gain momentum towards the season.

Men's and women's soccer continue spring season

By Brendan Reidy courier staff

MACOMB, Ill. — Soccer is not just a fall sport. For the Western Illinois soccer program, play in both the fall and the spring. Though their main season for The Summit League conference takes place in the fall, the spring season is very important for the development of the players in the soccer program.

The men’s team kicked off their season on March 2, against IUPUI. It was the Leathernecks' first game of the season, and they were looking to start off the season on a high note. However, in their first road game, they did not win or lose. Instead, the match ended with a 1-1 tie. The Purple and Gold are coming off a very disappointing fall season. They finished the fall season with a 4-10-3 record and a 1-3-1-conference record. Obviously, there are plenty of things the team can improve on, but it all comes down to the development of the team’s young players.

Western Illinois will have 20

returning players for next season. The Leathernecks will be trying to grow as a team first and foremost. During the spring season, records don’t necessarily have much meaning. These games are all exhibition contests, but the team will look to develop their chemistry. Chemistry is really important in all sports, but more importantly sports like soccer. Knowing where your teammates are at all times and developing trust will be what the team will be looking to create in these upcoming games.

The women’s soccer team started off their season against the University of Iowa Hawkeyes on March 2. The game took place on the road in Iowa City. The Leathernecks were hoping to start off their season on a positive note, after a very rocky start in the fall campaign in 2018. However, Western Illinois lost in a very onesided matchup against the Hawkeyes. The Leathernecks lost by a score of 7-0. Though the team failed to get on the scoreboard, it was still only the first time they have

played together since the fall.

This is a very young team that is only getting better.

Just like the men’s squad, the spring season will be a period of time where they look to grow not only as individuals, but as a team.

Western Illinois will be losing senior forward Madeline Edwards next season, as she is set to graduate in May. The Leathernecks will look to hand over the keys to some of the young players in the program, and a name to keep an eye out for will be the sister of Madeline, Laurel Edwards. The freshman was off to a very promising start during her first season until she was taken out at the end of the season with an injury.

The Leathernecks will try to rebound from a 3-14-1 season and the man in charge with the task in doing so is coach Director of Soccer Eric Johnson.

With the surplus of young talent Johnson has, it is going to be very fun to watch these two teams develop into potentially the best teams in The Summit League.

Twitter: breidytv

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

A Western Illinois University goalkeeper makes a diving save.