VOLUME 103, ISSUE 16
www.UniversityStar.com
THURSDAY
SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
Defending the First Amendment since 1911
SPORTS | Page 7
OPINIONS | Page 4
Conference play begins: Texas State volleyball will start conference play Friday with the best home record in the Sun Belt.
The Main Point: Texas State dining halls would do well to partner with local businesses rather than fast food giants.
POLITICS
Place 2 councilman seeks reelection
Texas State received
in royalties from the CLC last year.
Special to the Star
Councilman Jude Prather, Place 2, is hoping to continue serving the San Marcos community by running for reelection Nov. 5. Prather, a Texas State alumnus, said his main goal if reelected is to continue improving the infrastructure of the city by keeping finances sound, increasing the quality of the city’s roads and sidewalks and continuing city development. Several entities have endorsed Prather including Protect San Marcos, San Marcos Neighborhood Pact and San Marcos Board of Realtors. Prather said his voting record on development, including his dissenting vote on Cape’s Camp, shows both his versatility and attention to the city’s natural areas.
It is currently ranked 68th in the CLC’s top-selling universities and manufacturers list. The University Bookstore’s most popular licensed items are rainbow tees. Jude Prather
“I take each vote case by case, and I do what I think will be wise for the city,” Prather said. “I’m not one to build apartments right one the river. The river is the soul of our city.” Prather said along with ongoing road construction, the city is working on other things like replacing piping. “Orange cones are com-
See PRATHER, Page 2
CONSTRUCTION
Overpass construction on schedule following environmental study By James Carniero
Assistant News Editor
Construction on the Loop 82 Overpass will begin on schedule despite the fact that environmental studies on the project took more time than predicted to complete. According to the project proposal on the Texas Department of Transportation’s website, department officials are working with the City of San Marcos to construct an overpass on Aquarena Springs Drive, also known as Loop 82. The overpass will be built over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, allowing drivers to bypass delays from trains, the proposal says. The goal of the project is to eliminate traffic and improve safety in the area of San Marcos, said Chris Bishop, public information officer for the Austin TxDOT district.
Madelynne Scales | Staff Photographer
$258,166.90
By Alexis De La Garza
of time was because the San Marcos River is an environmentally sensitive area containing critical habitats, so extra precautions were taken. Bishop said TxDOT’s previous construction projects in San Marcos were run with “due diligence” and have never caused any damage to the environment. Garcia said residents should expect to start seeing construction activity in the near future, but “full-blown bridge construction” will not begin until next year. The diversion of traffic away from the construction site will not happen until later next year as well, he said. Bishop said the estimated time for construction to begin is winter 2014. The construction will last about 24 months before being completed. The contract for the project will be “put out for bid” in May 2014, Bishop said.
University reaches all-time high in merchandise, licensing sales By Rebecca Banks News Reporter
T
he Colligate Licensing Company (CLC) announced Texas State ranked 68th out of 75 institutions on its list of top selling universities and manufacturers for the 2012-13 academic year. Bill Nance, vice president for Finance and Support Services, said the CLC rankings are determined by the reported merchandise sales from the university and different vendors licensed to sell Texas State products. The university received $258,166.90 in royalties from the CLC based on the amount of total merchandise sales last year. “(This year’s ranking is) the highest (one) we’ve had and I have been here 22 years,” Nance said. The CLC helps universities manage and protect its brand and logos on the market, said Bryan Miller, director of Athletics and Marketing and Promotions. The company works with vendors to permit licensing rights for logo printing on items. “Definitely the University Bookstore plays a role in that because they sell a lot of merchandise for the university and on campus,” Miller said. “That is just one retailer out of everybody who sells for us, so there is (also) Academy, HEB, Walmart and Walgreens.” The University Bookstore collected $1,302,918.58 in total
sales during the last fiscal year, which occurred Sept. 1 through Aug. 31, said John Root, director of Auxiliary Services. Miller said any vendor that wants to sell merchandise with the university’s logos will need to first become licensed through the CLC. Once a vendor is licensed, they are able to produce and sell items with Texas State logos through retailers and report sales to the licensing company. All designs by the vendors are also required to have approval from Miller and the licensing company, he said. “Improving our brand, increas(ing) enrollment, becoming an FBS program and working with CLC to increase the number of licensees and retailers for places that carry our products is probably the reason for the increase (in Texas State’s ranking on the CLC list),” Miller said. Root said an estimated $60,000 of merchandise was sold at the Texas Tech opening weekend last season, which coincided with the opening of the Strutters Gallery and the Fan Shop. “The Tech game last year had the most fans we ever had come to a game, so there was a lot of enthusiasm and that game alone is probably the reason why we had our best year (with the CLC ranking),” Root said. Miller said the university hosts events throughout the year to inform retailers of Texas State merchandise sales in areas sur-
rounding San Marcos. “We will work with New Braunfels—there is a Dick’s Sporting Goods that opened up there,” Miller said. “We work with Academy. There is an Academy location here, but there is also another one in south Austin.” Root said the Supercat logo is the most desirable merchandise as well as the “rainbow T-shirts” in the university bookstore. Students are able to select from about 32 different colors such as pink or green opposed to the traditional maroon and gold colors. “Students like simple (items,) and that shirt is just Texas State,” Root said. “It seems like they don’t like the things that are all gaudy—they just want it simple.” “Bobcat Day” and summer orientation are some of the University Bookstore’s biggest times for merchandise sales, Root said. “We had our best summer orientation this year,” Root said. “We had more student orientations, which gave us more opportunities to sell to more people.” The university sells more merchandise during the football season, summer and graduation periods compared to other times during the year. The university’s merchandise extends to every item that has the trademarked logo such as class rings, apparel, paperweights and mouse pads, Miller said.
RESIDENCE LIFE
Higher number of freshmen living on campus By Nicole Barrios News Reporter
Star file photo
The Loop 82 overpass will begin construction as scheduled in winter 2014. Environmental studies on the project began in August 2011 to ensure the project would not cause harm to the environment, Bishop said. The studies were completed last month and have taken longer than expected, Bishop said. Project Engineer Rey Garcia said it took two years to complete environmental tests for the project because of various government agencies the city must work with. Each agency has its own particular process for projects, he said. Garcia said the tests also took an extended amount
The “window” for preliminary construction on the overpass to begin is three months after May 1, 2014, Garcia said. Bishop said the estimated construction cost for the overpass will be $2 to $3 million. Garcia said the city’s financial contribution to the overpass construction is still being negotiated, but will probably be a small percentage of the total funds required. He said the final costs will “hopefully” become available to the public within the next couple of months.
See OVERPASS, Page 2
As enrollment continues to rise, the number of freshmen living in dorms has grown as well, with an increasing amount of local students choosing to live on campus. This year approximately 5,000 freshmen, or 92 percent of the freshmen class, live in residence halls, according to Rosanne Proite, director of Housing and Residential Life. Last year approximately 4,000 freshmen lived on campus, she said. “That’s just incredible numbers,” Proite said. Proite said for the last three to four years, between 90 to 92 percent of freshmen have chosen to live on campus. She said the percentage this semester is not a “record high,” but the number of freshmen students living in the halls is. Proite said the housing requirement states if a student lives within a 50- or 60-mile radius of the university with a parent or legal guardian, they are not required to live on campus. “And what we found is that more and more of our local students want to live on campus,” Proite said. “And we think part of that is both parents and students have begun to understand the benefit of living on campus.” Proite said Texas State requires freshmen to live on campus because university officials believe there is an “educational benefit to residing on
Star file photo
campus.” “They want our students to have that significant edge,” Proite said. Joanne Smith, vice president of Student Affairs, said parents have increasingly wanted their students to live on campus and take advantage of the resources available. She said the university tells parents that students who live on campus tend to have higher GPAs and better utilize available resources. Proite said students who begin school living on campus “persist all the way to graduation in larger numbers” than those who began school off campus. She said this is trend does not just occur
See DORMS, Page 2
2 | The University Star | News | Thursday September 26, 2013
WILD ART
PRATHER, continued from front monplace around San Marcos right now, and a lot of people think the construction is bothersome,” Prather said. “But I know it will be worth it when we still have working pipes and roads in 50 years.” According to Prather, San Marcos is among the fastest growing cities in the United States. “The most important thing is for the city to be able to keep up with that growth,” Prather said. If reelected, Prather says he hopes to continue making the right choices for San Marcos residents and students. “My main goal is to keep improving the infrastructure of the city and to keep finances as great as they are,” Prather said. “I want to be able to look back in 2016 and see a better San Marcos than when I was first elected.” In addition to serving on the San Marcos City Council, Prather has been the Hays County Veteran Services Officer since 2011. Prior to that, Prather
served on the San Marcos Planning and Zoning Commission and the Hays County Veterans Task Force from 2009 to 2010. He is also an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, served with the 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry Regiment from 2008 to 2009. It was through his work with the Hays County Veterans Task Force that he met Aggie Lopez, a San Marcos resident of 40 years. “(Prather) has done such great work in this city,” Lopez said. “He’s held both (his city council position and his job as Veteran Services Officer) tremendously well. His work here has been so outstanding.” Prather said another goal is to keep serving the people of San Marcos. “Every day I help people,” Prather said. “I feel like I’ve done a lot of good these past few years, and I hope to keep serving it with a smile on my face. (My time on city council) has been very rewarding.”
DORMS, continued from front
Reynaldo Leaños | Staff Photographer Nathaniel Goldblatt, sound recording technology junior, practices electric guitar before performing with his worship band for Crosstalk Christian Student Ministry on campus.
at Texas State, but is seen on a national scale. Proite said part of the overall advantage of living on campus is that students are able to live with their peers. She said living with other students encourages studying, especially among those in learning communities. Violeta Parada, English freshman and Brogdon Hall resident, said she heard from a friend that students who live in residence halls have higher GPAs, which was a major factor in her choice to live on campus. “I was interested in receiving higher grades and living here really does help because everyone is focused,” Parada said. Parada said the convenience of living on campus is “the best part” of residence hall life and helps her make it to class on time. “Everything is about five minutes away, so it does play a big role in choos-
ing Brogdon,” Parada said. Parada said although she prefers to have her own bathroom, the community style hall in Brogdon is clean and “it works out.” Proite said over the last five years “large scale renovations” have been done in Beretta, Brogdon and Laurel Halls. She said because of the renovations, she believes the traditional style halls will remain popular. “We’ve really been working hard at making sure our facilities have the kind of amenities (students) need to help them be successful,” Smith said. Proite said Blanco Hall currently has the most residents with 703 spaces filled of the 715 available. She said this year the suite-style halls tend to be the most requested on campus. The average occupancy rate for all residence halls this year is 98 percent, which provides some flexibility for roommate changes, Proite said.
OVERPASS, continued from front “Now that we have cost estimates in place, we can see how much we can contribute,” Garcia said. The money San Marcos officials will use to fund the city’s portion of project expenses will come from different sources within the local government. Garcia said money will come from sources like the city’s general, water utility and electrical funds as well as from federal funding. He said these areas of funding were all “bucket(s) the city (is) drawing from.” Bishop said TxDOT officials plan to make minimal impact with
construction in San Marcos. He said lanes will only be closed at night to make driving more convenient for residents. “The plan is to affect traffic as little as possible,” Bishop said. Garcia said city officials will be doing their best to provide detours and alternative lanes for residents to drive around the construction, though the process will not be perfect. “With all construction, stuff gets backed up,” Garcia said. “Making things flow as best as possible” will be the city’s main focus during the construction,
Garcia said. Bishop said TxDOT officials coordinate with the city to make projects successful, and held discussions with residents because of the impacts these projects will have. On March 21, TxDOT representatives held a public hearing in conjunction with the city to discuss plans for the overpass, according to the city’s website. During the hearing, five people commented about environmental issues pertaining to the overpass, according to a report from the hearing. The concerns from residents included potential threats
to endangered species, impacts to wetlands, sediment runoff into the San Marcos River and the accumulation of exhaust from idling cars. TxDOT officials said during the meeting their staff had determined no ill effects were likely to happen to wildlife and an improved filtration system could be built to keep sediments from entering the river. The improved mobility of the new overpass could keep cars from idling and therefore reduce the accumulation of exhaust, according to TxDOT representatives’ comments at the meeting.
The University Star | Thursday September 26, 2013 | 3
TRENDS
UniversityStar.com
PRESS RELEASE
Theatre department presents film noir parody The Texas State Department of Theatre and Dance will be presenting the musical “Adrift in Macao” beginning Oct. 8 and running through Oct. 13. Set in 1952 in China, “Adrift in Macao” is a loving parody of film noir movies. With a drop-dead funny book, shamefully silly lyrics by Tony Award-winning playwright Christopher Durang and a lethally catchy score by Peter Melnick, this musical parody is bound to please audiences of all ages. A talkback dialogue will be featured with Durang Oct. 11-12. Durang was educated at Harvard University and the Yale School of Drama before receiving a Tony Award for Best Play for his musical, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.” Durang has won various grants and honors including a Rockefeller, a Guggenheim, a Lila Wallace Playwriting award, the Sidney Kingsley playwriting award, the Harvard Arts Medal and the 2008 William Inge Distinguished Achievement Award. Since 1994 he and Marsha Norman have been co-chairs of the Playwriting Program at the Juilliard School. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild’s Council and lives in Pennsylvania. The award-winning playwright will discuss
Courtesy of Sydney Roberts
the musical and his writing process. The show’s audience will have the opportunity to ask Durang questions. Kaitlin Hopkins, director and head of the Texas State Musical Theatre Program, will moderate the dialogue. The performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. with the talkback immediately following the show. Ticket prices range from $8 to $18. Students presenting a valid Texas State ID will receive the lowest advertised price.
“Adrift in Macao” by Christopher Durang and Peter Melnick
—Courtesy of Texas State University
7:30 p.m. Oct. 8-13 Talkback with Christopher Durang Oct. 11-12
Tickets $8-$18
LEARN TO DEFEND YOURSELF GAMES FOOD& PRIZES Visit the URL below for event details and register to play Capture the Flag.
LBJ Student Center Ballroom OCTOBER 8, 2013 10 a.m.-3 p.m. security.vpit.txstate.edu/training/csad_2013.html
4 | The University Star | Thursday September 26, 2013
OPINIONS
UniversityStar.com
THE MAIN POINT
Chartwells should partner with local food vendors
T
exas State dining halls would do well to partner with local businesses rather than corporate fast food giants. Texas State and Chartwells officials should be commended for working closely with local farmers for variety in selections at on-campus buffets. Furthermore, university officials should work to join forces with San Marcosbased and Texas-owned eateries instead of aligning themselves with chain stores like Pizza Hut and Panda Express on campus. Texas State currently hosts seven national chains on campus—Freshen’s, Chick-fil-A, Pizza Hut, Einstein’s Bagels, Panda Express, Blimpie’s and Starbucks. A partnership with small businesses would not only put money back into the San Marcos economy, but it would create a more direct link between producers and consumers, which could strengthen customer loyalty. According to a study by the New Economics Foundation in London, for every dollar spent at local businesses, twice as much is generated and given back to the city’s economy. When businesses are corporately owned, money leaves the community with every transaction. If a restaurant is based in San Marcos, university and business officials could work more closely together to ensure quality and customer satisfaction through a campus partnership Whitewashing the campus with ubiquitous chains found along every highway in America is not productive for the San
Marcos community. Our area and culture is a rich one, and expanding San Marcos’ flavor onto campus would be an exciting prospect for students looking to immerse themselves in local practices. While it is true that some businesses are particular about their brand’s image and services, proximity to the university would allow them to monitor their franchiser and deliver immediate feedback. Jones Dining Hall used to be home to Stubb’s BBQ, an Austin-based barbeque restaurant. The Jones location closed in 2011 due to underperformance, said Leslie Bulkley, former Chartwells resident district manager, in a Sept. 2011 issue of The University Star. Bulkley said there was “not proper equipment to cook food on location.” This could have played a significant factor in the reason Stubb was unsuccessful on campus. Afterward, a Chartwells-owned frozen desserts counter replaced Stubbs. A San Marcos ice cream vendor such as Rhea’s could have potentially replaced the barbeque vacancy, but it does not appear any alternative local eateries were approached. Even a Texas-owned chain such as Blue Bell could have been a good replacement for Stubb’s. Instead, students got a generic Chartwells chain in place of a local venue. Texas State should explore bringing San Marcos businesses on campus for the good of both Bobcats and residents.
Breanna Baker | Star Illustrator
Food has traditionally been seen as a cultural unifier, and the addition of local and Texas-based chains would be a welcome change for our campus. Chartwells officials should think about getting in touch with local businesses when considering new venues for campus.
The Main Point is the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. Columns are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the full staff, Texas State University Student Media, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Texas State University.
DIVERSITY
Retail outlets should diversify available products for minorities
Brandon Sams Special to the Star Journalism freshman
hile San Marcos is a generW ally hospitable town, full of friendly people and natural beauty, much can still be done to make non-white residents feel more at home, especially in regards to product offerings. Being an African-American,
there are more than a few notable physical differences between me and my mostly non-black classmates. African-Americans tend to have fuller lips, broader noses, darker skin tones, bigger buttocks, and different hair than other races. And how could I forget the hair? My hair needs as a black person are substantially different from those of a white or Asian person. I cannot use Garnier Fructis and Pantene—I mean I could, but the result would not be the same. Imagine my shock going into the stores of San Marcos and there not being products for people like me. I am not delusional. I do not expect an entire aisle dedicated to me and people
like me. Is one shelf too much to ask for, though? One shelf seems fair to me. It is just good business to be as inclusive as possible. In general, businesses should try their best to not exclude an entire group of consumers. Walking up and down an aisle, seeing nothing but product after product featuring grinning white women or men on their labels staring at me is disheartening. Products for straight hair just do not work for my kinky hair. It is just not happening. I am not entirely condemning San Marcos, however. All I am saying is that black people do exist in this town and have needs currently unfulfilled by local businesses. Imagine the hoopla that would ensue if businesses only
carried black hair products or even worse only had makeup for people of caramel skin or darker. Texas State is a campus that prides itself on its diversity and inclusivity. Businesses bordering campus are the main suppliers of products to Bobcats living on campus, many of whom do not have access to businesses beyond the Square. San Marcos businesses, especially those close to campus, should make sure to supply products for a variety of different races, ethnicities, and colors. Naysayers may insist that this lack of product diversity is a non-issue, that it is only hair, so why get so worked up? The lack of diverse hair products is just a symptom of the overall oblivi-
ous sentiment of the town and powers that be. The assumption of businesses that what is white is universal is the issue at hand. The majority gets the majority of business outreach—I get that. However, when over a third of the population is considered a “minority,” they deserve a portion of the pie piled on the plate of the majority. Diversifying products is a small step towards diversifying the town at large and making the people that live here feel more at home. I am not saying that all businesses should have to cater utterly and entirely to minorities, but offering at least a few options would go a long way in making all residents feel more comfortable in San Marcos.
Put them away Electronics in the classroom are too distracting to be useful. Typing notes may seem faster than writing them by hand, but learning a shorthand style of note taking increases speed and forces students to focus more on the content. For many students, the temptation to open Facebook or browse cute kitty pictures is just too great, and most of the lecture goes completely ignored. Laptops can divert the attention of surrounding students. I have witnessed people sitting in
front of me browsing the internet or even playing games, and found my own attention caught on their screens. Although some students may possess the self-control to limit their computer use to note taking only, most seem to lack this talent. The same rings true for cell phones. Unless a professor enacts a strict no-cellphone rule, nearly every desk or lap has a phone perched on top. Almost every class period I hear either buzzing or the quickly repressed
ringtone of a mobile device. Just glancing around, I can usually catch somebody texting during class. Sometimes a quick text may be necessary, but many of these conversations seem to go on for the duration of the entire lecture. Since electronic devices these days have so many different functions, it may seem necessary to allow them in the classroom for learning purposes. Unfortunately, it is so difficult for students to keep themselves
TALK IT OUT Molly Block Opinions Columnist Journalism senior
The University Star 601 University Drive Trinity Building, Room 101 San Marcos, TX 78666 Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708
Although many class policies say the opposite, Texas State students should have the option to use electronics in the classroom. While some students misuse their laptops or other devices and create distractions for peers, many Bobcats use devices responsibly to aid in studying or note taking. Some students are unable to keep up with handwritten notes while a professor is talking, and may find typing on a laptop makes note taking easier
Editor in Chief................................................Caitlin Clark, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor..........................Liza Winkler, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu Letters..................................................................................starletters@txstate.edu News Editor............................................Taylor Tompkins, starnews@txstate.edu Trends Editor.............................................Amanda Ross, startrends@txstate.edu Opinions Editor..................................Savannah Wingo, staropinion@txstate.edu Photo Editor.......................................Austin Humphreys, starphoto@txstate.edu Sports Editor.......................................Odus Evbagharu, starsports@txstate.edu Copy Desk Chief................................Lesley Warren, starcopychief@txstate.edu Video Editor........................................................Alex Peña, starvideo@txstate.edu
Design Editor.................................................Lee Moran, stardesign@txstate.edu Web Editor.........................................Anthony Garza, starwebeditor@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................................Catie Brossard, starad3@txstate.edu Account Executive.................................Blakely Knowles, starad4@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................................Hannah Wilson, starad5@txstate.edu Media Specialist................................... Chris Salazar, chris.salazar@txstate.edu Advertising Coordinator...........................Kelsey Nuckolls, starad1@txstate.edu Publications Coordinator.......................................Linda Allen, la06@txstate.edu Publications Director...........................Bob Bajackson, stardirector@txstate.edu
Ashley Trumps Opinions Columnist Journalism senior
Electronics in the Classroom
Use them
and less stressful. Some students have sloppy handwriting that is nearly illegible when rushed. Being able to type out notes on a laptop or other electronic device can help greatly with improving legibility. Students can use their laptop to access online materials that professors may have made available. Following along with powerpoints or other materials can especially help students with less than stellar eyesight. All in
from straying to the entertainment or social aspects, and often note taking tools of such devices go unused. Unless a student specifies that they have special needs requiring an electronic device, these items are best left put away until lecture ends. Social media, gaming and Internet browsing have us plugged in most of the time outside class. During class, students should put their devices away and fully engage in learning.
all, students that can write down notes more quickly and have access to online have a distinct advantage. Additionally, if students have an electronic rather than physical copy of their textbook, they should have the right to access that material during class. Often, e-books are significantly cheaper than physical textbooks, and many students may not be able to afford anything else. These students should not be penalized
for their decision to purchase cheaper, more environmentally friendly textbooks by not being able to use them during class. Many Texas State professors are too unwilling to change and refuse to acknowledge that electronics have in many cases become necessities, even in classroom settings. Although students should adhere to the rules of a classroom, professors need to realize that not every student learns the same way.
The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University and is published every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of the spring and fall and every other Wednesday in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 6,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Copyright Thursday, September 26, 2013. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor in chief. The first five issues of each edition of the paper are free. Additional copies of the paper can be purchased at 50¢ per copy. Contact The University Star office at (512) 245-3487 to purchase additional copies.
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The University Star | Thursday September 26, 2013 | 7
SPORTS
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FOOTBALL
SOCCER
Bobcat defense seeks to stop efficient Wyoming offense at home Saturday
Texas State to begin conference play against Troy, South Alabama
By Samuel Rubbelke
By Kirk Jones
39.3 points per game. This year’s ball club is scoring 41.8. During Joe Tiller's 1996 term as coach of the Cowboys, Wyoming set the school record for total offense, averaging The Texas State football team is looking 498.9 yards per game. Now, the ball club is to have red zone success against Wyoming averaging 556.2 yards each game. This season the Cowboys have scored 34 when the defense encounters a high-ranking offense this Saturday during family week- points or more in every game. The 1996 season was the last time Wyoming scored end. Wyoming Coach Dave Christensen runs 30 points each game in four consecutive apa fast-tempo offense that ranks in the top 25 pearances. Texas State has yet to score 30 nationally in four categories. The Cowboys points in a single game this year. “Our mindset is on the defensive end,” rank second in first downs, eighth in total offense, 13th in passing offense and 21st in said senior safety Justin Iwuji. “Whatever situation we’re in, we’re just trying to make scoring offense out of 124 FBS teams. “This is a good football team,” said stops, get takeaways and make plays. If we Coach Dennis Franchione. “My prediction can score as a defense, that’s always a goal is they'll be in postseason play. Their quar- too.” Last week against Texas Tech, with two terback is really good, and this may be the chances to capitalize from turnovers, the best offensive line we've faced this year.” The Cowboys’ 56 points last week was Bobcats failed to convert for a touchdown the most for the team in a single game since in the red zone. Senior quarterback Tyler Sept. 6, 1997 when they defeated Iowa State Arndt threw an interception on the one56-10. The Bobcats have accumulated 57 yard line in one of those opportunities. Bobcats were denied again on fourth points total in the three games this season. Wyoming’s offensive unit is on track to and one in the second quarter after Iwuji break school records. When Paul Roach was returned an interception to the 11-yard line. at the helm in 1988, the Cowboys averaged This broke Texas State’s perfect conversion rate in the red zone for the fall semester. The Bobcats were 4-for-4 in the red zone in their first two games this season, all of which were rushing touchdowns. “We didn't execute very well,” Franchione said. “We didn't block very well—we got whipped at the point of attack. We didn't find the seam if there was one, and we didn't get enough helmets on bodies to move things around well enough to get the ball in the end zone.” Texas State was able to contain the Red Raiders’ offense in the first half, but Texas Tech came out firing in the second half much like the Cowboys did during the matchup in 2011. In the Cowboys’ game two years ago, the Bobcats were down 14-10 at halftime, but Wyoming went on to score 31 unanswered points in the second half. Confidence still remains in the Bobcat locker room. The defensive players understand they need to sustain their effort for both halves to help keep the offense out on the field. “We’re still confident,” Iwuji said. “We weren’t able to win last week, Kathryn Parker | Staff Photographer but we’re confident going into this week. We feel like we can go in there Senior defensive specialist Ryan Williams warms up the and make plays. It’s going to be a Texas State football team as it prepares for Saturday’s home hard fought game. We just have to game against Wyoming. find a way to win.” Assistant Sports Editor @SamuelRubbelke
Sports Reporter @kirk_jones11
The Texas State soccer team has been shut out in five of its nine matches this season and looks to turn the trend around against South Alabama and Troy this weekend. The Bobcats are looking to rebound from a loss against Texas last Saturday as they plan for a team in South Alabama that has a similar style of play to their own. “They resemble a lot like what we try to do,” said Coach Kat Conner. “That is keeping possession through the thirds and trying to work through the end lines or change the point of attack. It will be interesting. I’ve never faced a team that plays almost exactly the way we do.” South Alabama has a 7-3-1 record for the year and is 4-0 on its home field. The Jaguars lost two games in a row last weekend heading into this Friday’s matchup after being shut out in both contests. Texas State has struggled in nonconference play and will head into the upcoming game on Friday with a 3-51 record. The team looks to improve play starting with South Alabama. “We have some work to do from our non-conference games,” said senior midfielder Sydney Curry. “We are confident on what has to be done. I’m excited because I am one of the only players that have played in three conferences in three years. It’s nice to play someone new because there’s no precedent for them.” The Jaguars have a 36-10 opponent goal ratio for the season compared to Texas State, which has an opponent goal ratio of 11-13. The Bobcats have a 52 percent on goal ratio against South Alabama’s 47 percent. After playing the Jaguars, the Bobcats will head 176 miles north from Mobile to take on the Troy Trojans for a Sunday afternoon game. The Trojans are 4-6 overall in non-
Star file photo
conference play and are led by Necee Jennings. Jennings has a team-leading five goals for the season. Troy is 3-1 at home this season with a 2-1 record in its past three games. Troy’s only game this week is Sunday. This will give the Trojans time to rest while the Bobcats hit the road for an extended day of travel. Texas State players are preparing to face any obstacles that stand in their way. “We don’t have a travel partner this year,” Conner said. “That means we go to South Alabama, and Troy doesn’t have a game Friday night, so that means we are going to have to pull our socks up and come prepared mentally.” The Bobcats have been outscored 4-0 in their last two contests, losing both. “We are just going to try and focus on our style of soccer, which is serve and collect, use each other and then try to capitalize (scoring),” Curry said. “We have been a little shallow in that area, and we are definitely looking to win big at these Alabama games.”
VOLLEYBALL
Louisiana schools come to San Marcos to open SBC competition By Bert Santibanez Sports Reporter @BertSantibanez
Texas State volleyball will begin conference play with the best home record among Sun Belt Conference opponents this season. Texas State plays at Strahan Coliseum Friday against Louisiana-Lafayette and against Louisiana-Monroe Sunday. The Bobcats have outscored their opponents a combined 365-309 points with the home court advantage. The LouisianaLafayette Ragin’ Cajuns are 3-3 on the year in away games, winning two out of their previous three games on the road. Louisiana-Lafayette is currently ranked second in the conference standings behind Western Kentucky with an overall record of 10-4. The Ragin’ Cajuns place atop conference standings in opponent hitting percentage, restricting opposing teams to an average of .140 from the court. There have been four occasions during the season in which Texas State has failed to average a hitting percentage below .140. “I’m really excited to begin conference play,” said senior middle blocker Ashlee Hilbun. “I know the team’s really excited too. We’re ready to get going. We’re going to be more goal-orientated when practicing drills, getting a certain goal in practice accomplished. We’re really go-
ing to be focusing on the specific team we’re going to be playing that week.” The Bobcats place third in the SBC standings with a 10-5 record. Texas State comes into the game following a win against the UTSA Roadrunners, where Hilbun tallied a career-high 24 kills in the game. Hilbun is second on the team in most kills, totaling 135 on the season, with an average of 2.60 kills per set. Hilbun has the best hitting percentage on the team with an average of .355. Freshman outsider hitter Shelby Vas Matt recorded a double-double in the contest, with 13 kills and 12 digs. Vas Matt earned Sun Belt Conference’s Freshman of the Week honors for her performance. Vas Matt has 106 kills on the year, averaging 1.93 per set. “I was really excited to win the award,” Vas Matt said. “I really think the decision was made to highlight some of the good things the team was doing overall.” Texas State will then battle LouisianaMonroe Sunday, a team ranked last in the conference standings with a record of 3-13 for the season. The Warhawks are last in team hitting percentage, averaging a collective .131 from the court. Louisiana-Monroe allows the highest hitting percentage from their opponents, with teams averaging .228 against them. Junior defensive specialist Marcela Araya leads Louisiana-Monroe in digs, averaging 4.27 per set, which places her
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fourth in the conference. Araya is the only player on the team who ranks within the top five of all other major statistical categories. Coach Karen Chisum discussed her outlook for the rest of the season and the fusion of the team’s chemistry. “We divide the season into three parts,” Chisum said. “There’s pre-conference, conference and post-
conference. After the first part of the season is over, I think we’ve really found our 14 to 15 players. These are the players that we’re really going to rely (on) as the next part of the season proceeds.”
8 | The University Star | Advertisement | Thursday September 26, 2013
