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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 25, 2020 VOLUME 109 ISSUE 22

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DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911

BLACK HISTORY AT TEXAS STATE

In May 2018, 107 years after the founding of The University Star, Carrington J. Tatum became the paper's first black editor-in-chief.

FULL-TIME IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY SEARCH CONTINUES

TEXAS STATE ESPORTS QUEUES UP FOR 2020

BOBCATS CLAIM SOLE POSSESSION OF SECOND PLACE IN FINAL HOME GAMES

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CHINA ABROAD TRIP CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS

By Chase Rogers News Editor Texas State canceled a planned summer 2020 education abroad trip to China Jan. 30 in response to growing cases of the novel coronavirus in the country.

The university joins Texas Christian University, The University of Texas and Texas A&M University in taking precautionary steps in response to the outbreak. The press release issued by the university states the cancellation is in accordance with the Texas State University System travel policy.

According to the Texas State University System travel policy, students cannot undertake official travel to regions under

advisory level 3 or 4 by the U.S. Department of State. The U.S. Department of State upgraded its travel advisory toward China to "Level 4 Do Not Travel" Feb. 2.

Associate Director for International Affairs Isis de la O said the cancellation of the program was to ensure the safety and well-being of the prospective study abroad students.

"The health and safety of our students is our top priority," de la O said. "Texas State will continue monitoring updates from the Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Department of State and will

collaborate with a third-party travel security specialist that advises on the risks associated with travel to different areas around the world." de la O said students were offered to move to another program and full refunds were issued.

The coronavirus disease 2019, officially designated COVID-19 by the World Health Organization, is a respiratory disease in the coronavirus f a m i l y.

ILLUSTRATION BY CLAIRE PARTAIN

BARBECUE

COVID-19 causes symptoms akin to influenza, or the flu, including runny nose, sore throat, cough and fever.

San Marcos Premier ER Medical Center Medical Director Dr. Robert Barnwell said study abroad opportunities add additional risk of spreading infection, though the risk is still low.

"I think any colleges are a little unique in having study abroad programs. Of course, if someone has studied abroad in China, then there is that potential," Barnwell said. "But there's been only 14 cases in the United States and you

SEE STUDY ABROAD PAGE 3

BASEBALL

Freshman pitching duo helps Bobcats clinch series win

By Colton McWilliams Assistant Sports Editor

GroovyQ owner Paul Dickson prepares beans inside the family-owned food truck Friday, Feb. 14, 2020, on Chestnut Street.

PHOTO BY ISABELLA LOPES

Food truck brings new groove to San Marcos

By Isabella Lopes Life & Arts Contributor The familiar smell of barbecue often brings people together in the Lone Star state. Lovers of barbecue can rejoice with the recent opening of GroovyQ BBQ food truck.

Located on 801 Chestnut St., GroovyQ BBQ is one of several food trucks in Red Bus Food Park opening next week. The park will feature over six food trucks and a 40 foot red bus,

Eight runs in the first two innings and a freshman pitching duo put the Bobcats over the edge in their 8-7 win against Lamar on Sunday to clinch the weekend series.

The win improves Texas State’s record to 5-3.

Head Coach Steven Trout said the series-winning game was an important victory for the 'Cats.

“That was a big win,” Trout said.

“That’s a really good team over there and (Lamar) is going to win a lot of baseball games this year."

Texas State freshman pitcher Cameron Bush winds up to pitch to a Lamar player, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020, at Bobcat Ballpark.

PHOTO BY KATE CONNORS

which the space gets its name from, which has been converted into a dining area. The red bus has an air conditioner, a heater, a TV and Wi-Fi. The red bus gives the food truck customers an opportunity to eat comfortably in spite of fluctuating Texas weather.

The family-owned food truck was started by Jerry and Johnny Warren, who are brothers, and their friend and food lover Paul Dickson. The trio are now sharing their knowledge of smoking meats and serving a

SUNDAY Despite allowing a two-run home run in the top of the first inning, the Texas State offense bounced back in the bottom of the first with a six-run inning, including a two-run single from senior infielder Jaxon Williams.

Lamar responded in the second inning, however, scoring four runs and tying the game up at 6-6 before Trout pulled senior starting pitcher Wes Texas State freshman pitcher Tony Robie Engle out of the game. pitches to a Lamar player in the sixth Engle handed the ball to redshirt inning of a game between the two teams, freshman Cameron Bush, it was up to Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020, at Bobcat Bush to stop the bleeding.

Ballpark.

Trout said that Engle was pulled PHOTO BY KATE CONNORS

SEE BARBECUE PAGE 5

SEE BASEBALL PAGE 9

The University Star

2 | Tuesday, February 25, 2020

NEWS

Chase Rogers News Editor starnews@txstate.edu

MINOR Trinity Building 203 Pleasant St. San Marcos, TX 78666 (512) 245 - 3487

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(Front to back) TeraLynn Steele, Breana Miller and Najha Marshall hold their fists up, a gesture symbolic of black unity and solidarity, while getting their photo taken, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020, at the 36th Annual MLK Commemoration Celebration in the LBJ Ballroom. Students involved with the Pan-African Action Committee, such as Marshall, who serves as president, played a pivotal role in the creation of the black studies minor.

PHOTO BY JADEN EDISON

African American studies minor to expand

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New courses, a prospective name change and co-curricular activities could be coming to the recently-added African American studies minor.

Introduced fall 2019, the minor features a set of core courses where students take two required African American studies courses: introduction to African American studies and global perspectives on the African diaspora, along with a select group of electives to supplement the curriculum, called cocurricular activities.

Plans to grow the African American studies minor include new courses rooted in African culture and history as well as a name change from African American studies to Black studies.

The Pan-African Action Committee, lead by president Najha Marshall, microbiology junior, was instrumental in the creation of the African American studies minor.

Marshall said the shift from African American studies to Black studies broadens potential curriculum to more than just African Americans, expanding the minor to include all black cultures.

"African American studies limits the range of studies to only blacks in

America," Marshall said. "We would like to broaden our studies as much as possible."

Director of the African American studies program Dwonna Goldstone believes students of all backgrounds and ethnicities should explore having more deliberate conversations about race, and that these courses are an excellent way to do that.

"I think people are afraid to talk about race. Hopefully, (the expansions) will open up a dialogue and a space," Goldstone said. "It's a way to talk about where we were and where we're going."

Goldstone said the minor is complementary to majors such as English, education and anthropology.

Co-curricular activities will also be included with the coursework.

Goldstone recently created a new course, blacks, film, and society, that will be included within the African American Studies minor.

"I'm still learning and seeing what students want to take. Next year I will add more classes," Goldstone said. "For now, there will be three classes. Only (introduction to African American studies and global perspectives on the African diaspora) will be required."

The Pan-African Action Committee collectively pushed for the minor's

implementation at Texas State after noticing many other universities offering African American studies courses, including The University of Texas.

Marshall and Goldstone both agree the implementation and further expansion of the minor brings opportunities for new cultural experiences and different perspectives for all students, including how society deals with certain racial stigmas.

“The only way people will deal with the issue of racism is if people start talking about it,” Goldstone said.

Cristina Avila, psychology sophomore, sees the minor as a way to bring diversity and inclusivity to Texas State. As a member of the black student population, Avila said she believes in more opportunities to share diverse historical and cultural perspectives.

“I think (the African American Studies minor) is a good addition to Texas State. Most of the history taught here is focused on white people. Having more cultural opportunities would be better for students,” Avila said.

For more information regarding the African American Studies minor, please visit http://mycatalog.txstate. edu/undergraduate/liberal-arts/centerdiversity-gender-studies/african-americanstudies-minor/.

ATTORNEY

Full-time immigration attorney search continues

By Sandra Sadek Senior News Reporter Texas State hosted a panel presentation with three potential candidates for the full-time immigration attorney position which has been vacant since Oct. 8, 2019.

The three candidates each gave individual 20-minute long presentations, Feb. 18, Feb. 19 and Feb. 21, about a topic pertaining to law of their choice.

The remainder of the hourlong discussion was reserved for questions between the members of the immigration attorney search committee, put together by the Dean of Students Margarita Arellano and each candidate.

The first candidate, Adriane Jaeckle Meneses, St. Mary's University School of Law graduate, founded her own law firm Buzgova, Meneses and Wellington Smith, LLP, where she works as an immigration attorney.

Meneses' experience ranges from working as a legal assistant at the Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center to working at

the St. Mary's School of Law's Immigration and Human Rights Clinic.

"I think that at my core, I enjoy more of a nonprofit background," Meneses said. "I really miss being able to be in an environment where someone's ability to pay is not a factor."

The second candidate Ethan Chou, University of Texas School of Law graduate, works as a legal secretary and is a practicing attorney for the University of Texas' Legal Services for Students.

During his time at Legal Services, Chou has advised and counseled over 400 students annually on topics such as immigration, consumer law, insurance, debtor and creditor laws.

"Often I have to tell students, unfortunately, legally, they don't have a whole lot of options...

But of course, always leaving them feeling heard, letting them know that they have someone who empathizes and knows what they're going through and leaving them with something so they can try to get to a better place," Chou said.

The third candidate, Nicholas Buttry, graduated from the Ave Maria School of Law and currently works as an attorney at law for the Cynthia V. De Los Santos Law Office.

In his capacity as an attorney at law, Buttry represents clients in Travis, Hays and Comal counties in criminal defense, personal injury and probate matters.

Buttry said he also has experience working as a law clerk for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

"As an attorney, I like to help people and I like to figure out problems," Buttry said. "Working in private practice, you get to do that but then you also have to worry about getting paid. You have a little bit more to it than just the service aspect."

According to the Dean of Students Immigration Search Committee, a final decision should be made in the coming weeks. The selected candidate will have to go through a background check and accept the position before the final pick is publicly announced.

NICHOLAS BUTTRY

ETHAN CHOU

ADRIANE MENESES

The University Star

Tuesday, February 25, 2020 | 3

NEWS

Chase Rogers News Editor starnews@txstate.edu

CENSUS

2020 Census: What, when, how and why

By Audrey Garcia News Reporter Invitations to participate in the 24th U.S. Census will be delivered to households March 12-20, and Hays County is urging residents—including students—to respond.

The census is a historical convention that occurs every 10 years and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution in Article 1, Section 2. The census is a basic headcount of every resident in the U.S. The data gathered is used by the federal government to determine how resources should be divided among the states and cities.

The census count determines how many congressional seats are divided between the states. Seats in the House of Representatives are assigned or removed based on a state’s population data from the past decade.

Texas has consecutively gained seats in the House of Representatives for the past seven decades, gaining two seats in 2000 and four seats during the last nation-wide census in 2010. The state is set to add more seats to its 36-member delegation according to population estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2019.

Texas' tendency to add congressional seats during times of the census shows a continued pattern of populations moving from northern to southern states according to data presented by the Bureau.

The census data is also used to determine how $675 billion in federal funds will be distributed among all 50 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands).

Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra said a complete count is necessary for the county to receive adequate federal funding.

“A complete count of our residents – which includes homeowners, renters, undocumented residents, students and the homeless – is critical in ensuring that Hays County gets its fair share of the $675 billion the federal government sends out for major infrastructure projects, healthcare, education and more," Becerra said.

Texas State students travel through the Alkek walkway, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, university students are among the most difficult groups to attain accurate information for.

PHOTO BY KATE CONNORS

"A COMPLETE COUNT OF OUR RESIDENTS IS CRITICAL IN ENSURING THAT HAYS COUNTY GETS ITS FAIR SHARE OF THE $675 BILLION THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SENDS OUT FOR MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION AND MORE."

-RUBEN BECERRA,

HAYS COUNTY JUDGE

Texas has received more than $59 billion in federal funds annually since the 2010 census. The Counting for Dollars 2020 Project, a recent study by the George Washington Institute of Public Policy, estimates the distribution of federal dollars based on census data.

An undercount of just 1% of Texas’ 29 million population would cost the state at least $300 million annually for a decade.

Becerra said Hays County created a new Complete Count Committee, or CCC, Jan. 28 to ensure all residents living in the area are counted in the upcoming U.S. Census.

“We formed the Hays County CCC to assist in the thorough identification, education and representation of our

diverse and underrepresented population in the 2020 census, and we’ll be working in partnership with all other CCCs in the county and in neighboring counties," Becerra said. "Our task is to encourage our residents to participate in the census and educate them on the methods they can use to answer the census survey."

The committee, formed fall 2019, will work closely with the new Census Coordinator Jessica Mejia. Hays County's CCC is seeking to gather data that accurately represents Hays County’s growing population.

Anita Collins, executive assistant to Judge Becerra, said the Hays County CCC created task forces to encourage the county to spread the word.

“Our CCC includes representatives

from throughout the county and has already set up task forces to encourage participation from nonprofits, businesses, the education community and others to help get the right information to our residents,” Collins said.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates approximately 25-30% of Hays County’s 2018 population live in “hardto-count” neighborhoods such as rural areas, student housing, areas populated by renters and non-English speaking residents, as well as the homeless population.

University students are among the hardest groups to account for in the U.S. Census according to the Bureau, as students may be confused about whether they should be counted as part of their previous household. The Bureau states where a citizen resides as of April 1, 2020, indicates where they should be counted.

The Bureau will send out census takers April 1 to gather data from people living in group quarters such as university student housing, assisted living centers and correctional facilities. These census takers will also make home visits to those who may have not answered the questionnaire by April or to ensure accuracy in the census data.

There will continue to be no citizenship question on the census, as the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional June 2019.

Hays County has set aside $50,000 for Census-related needs, and United Way has awarded the county an $8,000 grant for “Get out the Count” push.

Travis County also administered a $59,000 grant for a media campaign to promote census participation in Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson counties.

Some of the programs that rely on a complete count of the population include the Federal Pell Grant, Highway Planning & Construction, CDBG Disaster Recover Grants, Historic Preservation Fund, Small Business Development Grants, Emergency Food Assistance Program, Assistance to Firefighters Grant and Violence Against Women Grants.

For more information on the U.S. 2020 Census, visit its website. https://2020census. gov/en.html

FROM FRONT STUDY ABROAD have 320 million people here. So the risk (of spreading) is pretty low."

As of Feb. 21, the Centers for Disease Control has confirmed 14 cases of the virus in the U.S., classifying 12 as "travel-related" and two as "person-to-person spread" respectively.

Reported cases in College Station and Waco came back negative after testing, with three confirmed "travel-related" cases in San Antonio. Affected individuals are currently being held in Lackland Airforce Base.

Of the 75,204 confirmed global cases, 924 cases have been confirmed outside of China, according to a Feb. 19 WHO report.

Central Texas Medical Center Registered Nurse and Infection Preventionist Eileen Haag said older persons and those with comorbidities, or two or more pre-existing conditions, are more susceptible to the

virus. However, she said students should still take preventative measures.

"Students should always take precautions with respiratory etiquette, meaning staying home when you're sick, avoiding sick people and cleaning your hands," Haag said. "But this particular virus has not really impacted young people. This has more of an impact inn older people or people with different comorbidities."

Coronaviruses are commonly found in animals, including camels, cattle, cats and bats. In the past, animal coronaviruses have infected people and spread between people, examples being MERS-CoV in 2012 and SARS-CoV in 2003.

The complete genetic sequence of COVID-19 has already been mapped out by researchers, signaling a prospective vaccine could be available in the coming months, according to Barnwell.

"Within about two weeks of the case, scientists in China were able to sequence the entire genome of the virus when it took four or five months before SARS was sequenced," Barnwell said. "All of the researchers can now make the vaccine from that... it usually takes years to decades to make a vaccine but now, with the technology they have and with genetic sequencing, they can make it in months."

No Texas State students were on official education abroad trips in China at the time of the announcement.

More information on COVID-19 can be found on the CDC's website and WHO's website. Students can schedule an appointment at the Student Health Center by calling 512.245.2161.

Premier ER was an advertising partner with the University Star in 2019.

The University Star

4 | Tuesday, February 25, 2020

LIFE & ARTS

Laura Figi Life & Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu

ESPORTS

Texas State esports queues up for 2020

By Samuel Cravey Special to The Star Texas State students are turning their hobby into a career by proving themselves as elite gamers that are a cut above the rest. Texas State now has an esports team of its own looking to get on the action.

As of August 2019, after only two semesters, Texas State esports is now an officially recognized sports club on campus. Students who are interested in playing online games competitively can join the group.

Club president Micah Cavender was part of The Summoners, Texas State's former "League of Legends" gaming club, up until 2018 when the last president of the club left. Cavender met a community he was proud to be part of while in The Summoners. From the ashes of the old club spawned a new esports club—Texas State esports.

“After the old president peaced out, I was like, ‘I’ll make a club,’” Cavender said. “It’ll be esports and we can get other games involved, so it’s not just League of Legends. It’ll be more active and won’t die out.”

Texas State esports members compete against other universities in gaming tournaments such as Battle4Texas, College League of Legends and the Collegiate Star League as an official college team.

Texas State esports competes in the south-central brackets for all video game titles they play. Last year at the Battle4Texas "Overwatch" tournament in Arlington, esports played against 16 different teams including The University of Texas at Arlington, Baylor University,

The Texas State Esports Overwatch team prepares to compete on stage at the Battle4Texas Overwatch® tournament, Saturday, Sept. 21 2019, in the Esports Stadium Arlington. So far this year, Texas State Esports has not traveled to compete in any competitions.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICAH CAVENDER

Sam Houston State University and The University of Texas.

Cavender said competitions usually depend on the title of the game because there is no set bracket for esports collegiately. Every video game normally has tournaments set up through their parent company for college teams to compete in.

There are six different titles, or games, that esports plays, including, "League of Legends," "Overwatch," "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate," "Rocket League," "CS:GO" and "Rainbow Six Siege."

About 50-60 Texas State esports club

members make up the rosters for these games, which includes both varsity and academy (junior varsity) teams.

One of the most popular games esports plays is "League of Legends."

"League of Legends," or 'League' for short, is a multiplayer online battle arena game, in which two teams of five battle against each other to win the game by destroying their opponent’s nexus (base).

Enrique De La Torre, history freshman, has been playing for esports' varsity "League of Legends" team since fall 2019. As the team’s jungler, De La Torre is responsible for creating chaos

for the enemy team from the shadows of “The Jungle,” any area of the map that is not a lane or part of either team's base, while securing strategic objectives to leverage a win.

De La Torre said last season the esports league team competed against 11 teams in the Collegiate Star League and finished with a record of eight wins and three losses. The team did not make it into playoffs despite their positive record, but De La Torre is already looking forward to next season.

“Even though our season is pretty much over, the next season starts early fall—hopefully we can get this team into playoffs then,” De La Torre said.

Chelsea Payton, esports event coordinator, said the organization is a community at Texas State for students who share an interest in playing video games.

The club also plans monthly events for paid members. Payton said every time the club gets together in person, they want to do it again and are planning more events to socialize.

“We’re simple; we are just a bunch of gamers that like to hang out,” Payton said. “That’s why I joined when I first got to Texas State.”

Currently, Texas State's esports team has over 500 members on its Discord channel, which is a free voice call program popular amongst gamers. All that is required to join the Discord channel is to be a student at Texas State.

For more information about Texas State esports and upcoming events follow them on Twitter @TXSTEsports and on their Discord server, discord.gg/txstesports.

UPCYCLING

The eco-friendly way to utilize art and fashion

By Trinity Dayton Life & Arts Contributor As the gray, dreary days of winter slowly morph into a sunshine-filled spring, old sweaters can be transformed into upcycled pieces, saving money and the environment.

Upcycling is a creative way to convert items into completely new products and prevent the excessive use of material.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in 2017, 11 million tons of fabric were dumped into landfills. Materials in landfills do not decompose, instead, they sit in harsh weather conditions and accumulate diseases and toxins that leak into water systems and surrounding land areas.

Amy Kirwin, community enhancement initiatives manager of the Resource Recovery Department for San Marcos, manages the amount of waste going into the environment and practices environmentally cautious habits in her own life.

For her upcoming wedding, she said she wants to steer away from buying a one-time wear wedding dress made of synthetic material. Instead, she plans to upcycle curtains for her wedding dress.

“Upcycling limits the need to grow more cotton by keeping it cycled, you are changing the purpose, so you don’t have so much virgin material,” Kirwin said. "People have really not paid attention to their purchasing power because when you are buying recycled content, you are saying this is the demand, and we want this to happen."

In the fashion world, fast fashion is the action of seasonal trends popping up in major chains, that dispose of the mass quantity of material after it is out of style.

Conner deGraffenried, fashion merchandising senior, first became interested in upcycling when she learned about the negative aspects fast fashion has on the environment.

“I figured I might as well start changing how I dress and the way I get my clothes to have a better impact for all,” deGraffenried said. “Seeing the fashion industry from the business side and seeing it also from the environmental side, (there is) a lot of negative impact buying from fast fashion companies instead of buying second hand.” deGraffenried said she mainly shops at thrift stores, not only because it saves fabric from ending up in a landfill, but it is cost-effective and sometimes clothes are made of a higher quality.

Local thrift shops and owners are at the forefront of the rise of upcycling; people who upcycle pieces tend to use thrift stores to save money and reuse vintage items that would have seen the end of its life cycle.

David Marrs, owner of Vagabond Vintage, located

A rack of vintage garments hang outside of Vagabond Vintage Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, on North LBJ Drive. Owner David Marrs said worn clothes provide opportunity to rebrand, upcycle and modernize clothing and also help the environment.

PHOTO BY BRIANNA BENITEZ

at 320 N LBJ Drive, has witnessed the very beginning of upcycling. Marrs said, he fell into the business of reselling antique clothing by collecting articles of clothing as a teenager.

With the rows of leather fringe jackets dated back to the 80s and crop tops that are sprinkled throughout the shop, Marrs said some items in the store are products of upcycling he had to do in order to save the product value. For example, for pieces that are damaged or worn-out, Marrs said he bleaches the materials or cuts them into more fashion-forward pieces.

He said some of the benefits of upcycling are the environmental impact it has and the monetary beneficiary of selling items and purchasing them at a low price. He said he appreciates the condition of the A collection of vintage boots border the wall inside of aged clothing, knowing it will remain the same when it Vagabond Vintage, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, on North has left the store.

LBJ Drive. The vintage shop provides consumers with a "Buying something from a thrift shop is a guarantee fashionable way to practice upcycling. that it will be in the same condition as how you bought PHOTO BY BRIANNA BENITEZ it," Marrs said.

For more information on environmental resources in the Environmental-Health.

San Marcos area visit, https://www.sanmarcostx.gov/483/

The University Star

Tuesday, February 25, 2020 | 5

LIFE & ARTS

Laura Figi Life & Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

Alumnus teaches life lessons through taekwondo in children's book series

By Mia Estrada Life & Arts Reporter Warming the hearts of readers, an alumnus and his granddaughter are sharing valuable life lessons in their children's book.

Alumnus Steve Doherty and granddaughter Olivia Dybik co-author a series of children books based on taekwando-loving tigers that teaches readers valuable life lessons while having fun.

Doherty graduated from Southwest Texas State in 1972 with a degree in biology. Doherty is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and author of historical fiction books. With the help of his granddaughter, Doherty is reaching all audiences, new and old, with his “Little Tiger” book series.

Doherty said he never saw himself writing any sort of novel, let alone children books in his lifetime. He has written four World War II based fictional action novels and most recently, two “Little Tiger” series children's books.

"I want to change the world one child at time," Doherty said.

The inspiration for the books is rooted in Doherty’s connection to a group of children at a taekwondo studio in New Albany, Ohio where he also lives since his retirement in 1993. Doherty personally trains children 5-9 years old at the studio. As a trainer, Doherty has learned most about children's lack of knowledge about respect, life, discipline and self-control.

"I came to the realization that these kids weren't getting what they needed from their parents, school or anything else which gave me the initial idea for the

books," Doherty said.

"I CAME TO THE REALIZATION THAT THESE KIDS WEREN'T GETTING WHAT THEY NEEDED FROM THEIR PARENTS, SCHOOL OR ANYTHING ELSE WHICH GAVE ME THE INITIAL IDEA FOR THE BOOKS." -STEVE DOHERTY,

CO-AUTHOR OF "LITTLE TIGER" SERIES In 2017, Doherty earned his black belt in taekwondo when he was 67 years old and became an instructor after afterward. He became motivated to teach his own students, as well as all children, important life lessons in a manner that would get the message across in a fun way.

The first book, “Little Tiger: Respect,” was published November 2019 and

FROM FRONT BARBECUE

Feb. 14, 2020 - (Top) Chicken and ribs cook inside GroovyQ's Southern Pride smoker. The smoker can hold over 14,000 pounds of meat. (Left) GroovyQ owner Jerry Warren checks on meat smoking inside the family-owned food truck. (Right) Seating area inside the 40 foot bus at Red Bus Food Park located at 801 Chestnut St. The bus is heated and cooled for customers dining at any food truck in the park.

PHOTOS BY ISABELLA LOPES

community with barbecue lovers in the Texas Hill Country.

Jerry and Dickson met working at a Waffle House in Fort Worth before Jerry franchised with Waffle House in Phoenix, Arizona, and Dickson franchised with Pizza Hut in Wisconsin. Johnny has always been in Texas with his family, competing in barbecue cook offs. Now, the Warren brothers and Dickson are making what they love to do a full-time job.

The GroovyQ food truck was designed in Florida and features a red, white and blue tie-dye look. The truck houses a southern pride smoker, which can hold over 14,000 pounds of meat.

Different meats offered include sliced or chopped brisket, sausage, pulled pork and ribs.

Dickson said inspiration for the design derives from the Warren brothers and Dickson's own groovy look since they often wear tie-dye shirts.

“When we saw it, I thought, that’s groovy,” Dickson said. “That’s cool.”

In his tie-dye shirt, Johnny has been smoking meat for over 30 years and

competing in barbecue competitions all around Texas. Dickson and Jerry would occasionally visit and participate in the barbecue competitions, all wearing their signature look—tie-dye.

With his experience, Jerry is meticulous when it comes to the right temperature for the meats and proper detailing, according to Dickson.

“They say do what you love, and you’ll never work another day in your life,” Jerry said. “Now I know that’s true.”

Since Johnny has always been in Texas, they collectively agreed their barbecue location would be in the Hill Country.

With different meats to choose from, GroovyQ offers different plate orders, including meats with sides, sandwich plates, mac and cheese bowls and ribs.

GroovyQ also offers smoked chicken thighs on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Sides include smoked beans, coleslaw, mac and cheese and potato salad.

GroovyQ BBQ is open five days a week, Tuesday-Saturday from 11 a.m.3 p.m. The official grand opening of the Red Bus Food Park will be Feb. 24-29.

personifies tigers who are training in taekwondo. In the book, the tigers learn proper respect in the studio and in their everyday lives.

"Our goal is to teach life principles to kids," Doherty said. "Olivia and I have written a total of 10 books in order for kids to learn more valuable lessons."

The second book, “Little Tiger: Guardian of Peace,” was published December 2019 and teaches children to be peacemakers instead of fighters, just like in the first lesson of taekwondo.

Doherty asked Dybik, his 13-year-old granddaughter, to look at the books to see if she liked them. Dybik sat at the computer, read the books and had a few suggestions for her grandfather.

“Papa Steve, you can’t write to a first grader like you would a college student,” Dybik said.

After reading the books, Dybik rewrote the books in less than two hours and from then on she was Doherty’s very own co-author for the entire series.

Dybik was happy to spend valuable time with her grandfather and also see her talents and accomplishments come to life in the words and animations of the “Little Tiger” books.

“It is so hard to put into words," Dybik said. “It is an honor to be a co-author with my grandpa at such a young age.”

Doherty and Dybik have written a total of 10 “Little Tiger” books, which will be published one by one throughout the next couple of years. The third book in the series, “Little Tiger: Disciple,” is set to be released June 2020.

Camrie Pipper, administrative assistant in the Texas State philosophy department, was thrilled to hear about the important lessons the “Little Tiger”

Co-authors of "Little Tiger" Series, Olivia Dybik, 13, and Steve Doherty showcase their books, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019, at the St. Matthew's Hometown Bazaar in Gahanna, Ohio.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GABRIELLA GERMANN

books teach children. Previously working in elementary schools has allowed Pipper to see the importance of early childhood development.

“Recent studies have demonstrated that children who read five books a day will enter kindergarten having learned about 1.4 million more words," Pipper said. “This number is striking and reading books such as "Little Tiger," the readers will be able to add ‘extra-textual’ talk to reinforce new vocab words.”

Publishing prices for the books has set Doherty back from releasing more books from the series. He has since started a GoFundMe page to raise money in order to finish the series in the next two years.

For more information about the various works Doherty and Dybik have published visit their website https://steve-dohertybooks.com/.

The University Star

6 | Tuesday, February 25, 2020

OPINIONS

Laura Nunez Opinions Editor staropinion@txstate.edu

Opinions expressed in The University Star are not necessarily those of Texas State University’s administration, Board of Regents, School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Student Publications Board.

ENVIRONMENT

GUEST COLUMNIST

Texas State should increase the Environmental Services Fee

Lifting the Weight of Student Loans: Progress Update & Road Ahead

By Toni Mac Crossan Opinion Columnist Each student contributes $1 toward the Environmental Services Fee, or ESF, with their Texas State tuition and fees payment. Increasing the fee would give the Environmental Services Committee, or ESC, who disburses the funds collected from the fee, more money with which our campus could be improved.

Since 2004, the ESF has raised thousands of dollars for projects allowing Texas State to become a greener campus.

The ESF has provided campus with several features many students take for granted, such as energy-efficient LED lights in the Student Recreation Center, water bottle refill stations integrated into water fountains across campus and maintenance from the Bike Cave. Whether students know they were only made possible through the ESF or not.

Still other projects, like biology graduate student Rebekah Rylander's campus nest boxes for cavity-nesting birds, likely go completely unnoticed despite their role in research. These funds can be used for a wide array of services from recycling to research grants to employment in sustainability monitoring roles.

The projects paid for by the ESF are not a one-time purchase. Many of them require more funds for periodic upkeep—even energy-efficient lights need to be changed and replaced.

Money collected by the committee, which could go toward new projects on campus, is often put toward the continuation of existing projects.

Much of the funding provided by the ESC goes toward the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, which since 2012 has provided critical education about water and environmental stewardship for our central Texas communities. In 2018, the ESC granted the Meadows Center funds for a garden to feed monarch butterflies, and the signage seen around Spring Lake was created using ESF money.

Increasing the ESF for students would not be a burden any more significant than our regular tuition increases.

Other universities, like Texas A&M, charge as much as $5 per student per semester to fund similar programs.

Increasing the ESF to that extent would quintuple the ESC's available funds, allowing them to have ample funds for new projects as well as for maintenance of established ones.

By U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett

ILLUSTRATION BY REBECCA HARRELL

Even increasing the fee to $2, as proposed by student body presidential and vice presidential candidates Cody DeSalvo and Eduardo Camargo, would double those funds.

As of Feb. 12, their opponents ValentinisDee and Florence won the election and will lead the next Student Government administration.

Valentinis-Dee and Florence never addressed the ESF during their campaign. However, it is important to note that no candidate for any student body office could make such a promise alone.

According to Texas Education Code § 54.5111, an increase in the ESF would require a majority vote in an election voted in by at least 1,000 students.The law states that that fee may be increased all the way to $6 per student per regular semester— though starting small may be a more realistic way to go. Raising the ESF to $3 would give a much-needed boost to campus sustainability initiatives.

After 16 years, our campus has grown from about 22,000 students to nearly 40,000 students—it is only logical that our ESF should increase to support a larger campus population.

Many students already support causes like the Meadows Center, and a single glassbottom boat ride costs roughly the same as the maximum amount Texas State students could be paying in fees every semester to support the Meadows Center and other green projects in our community.

Working together, our Student Government could put an ESF increase on the ballot in our next election—it is the best choice to keep our campus sustainable.

- Toni Mac Crossan is a biology graduate student

As with so many issues, there is no one perfect solution to solve the student loan burden that far too many students face and which weighs down the promise of an economy that works for us all.

But, with an ever-growing student debt crisis, we cannot afford to ignore it—nor to skip investments in institutions that provide opportunity for everyone.

I still find the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) too complicated and underutilized; I’ve been working for over a decade to streamline the process and allow more students to tap into more financial aid resources.

Also fundamental to increasing access to education are Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) like Texas State. Roughly 700 college and universities serve almost 30% of all undergraduates and 40% of underrepresented students, providing post-secondary opportunities to a collective student body of nearly 5 million.

With a student body that is 36 percent Hispanic, 11 percent Black and 4 percent other minorities, Bobcats should take particular pride in the diversity of this university, which reflects our state’s diversity.

The FUTURE Act, signed into law this December, restored and made permanent $255 million in critical annual funding for HBCUs and other MSIs. In addition to getting this funding over the finish line, we managed to improve the aid process itself for students and graduates nationwide. The FUTURE Act contained provisions from a bill I authored, the Student Aid Simplification Act, to require the Department of Education and IRS to do the heavy lifting for students by securely sharing the taxpayer information needed to complete much of the FAFSA. Doing so will greatly simplify the FAFSA by

U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LLYOD DOGGETT

eliminating up to 22 questions for most filers and make the process more secure.

This also makes strides for graduates repaying student debt: The law eliminates the burdensome annual certification process for the roughly seven million graduates in income-driven loan repayment plans. This will protect borrowers at risk of removal from these plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Whether it’s speaking up on policies regarding student debt, expanding health care for all, protecting immigrant rights, shielding LGBTQ rights from attacks, standing up for climate action now, or ending the scourge of gun violence, our democracy needs your voice. Because some would limit your participation, your involvement is particularly demanded.

In the midst of unprecedented turnout for early voting in 2018, the LBJ Student Center voting location was closed. Thanks to a united effort from Bobcat leadership, Texas Civil Rights Project, MOVE Texas, and from my office, that decision was reversed. This year, it is open for early voting and on election day. Local early voting locations are available here.

Bobcats, your vote is your voice.

Especially in these difficult times, let’s never give up and never give in.

- Rep. Lloyd Doggett, represents Texas' 35th congressional district

STREAMING

Students should actively support their favorite musicians

By Thomas Dunlap Opinion Columnist College students who are subscribed to any paid music streaming service should find an alternative way of repaying some of their favorite musicians for the hours they have listened to their music.

On Texas State's campus, students walking to class can be seen listening to music. Because of the extreme ease and convenience of streaming services, students can—and will—listen to music in almost any situation.

With over 47 million monthly users, Spotify is America’s second-most popular music streaming service. Users aged 18-24 make up 26% of college aged subscribers the second largest demographic in Spotify’s user base.

Many college students take advantage of Spotify’s premium student plan, which is an affordable $4.99 a month and allows students to listen to millions of songs offline and ad-free. For less than the price of an album, subscribers are given near unlimited streaming power.

Unfortunately, musicians receive a very small amount of money per stream, making it difficult for many of them to support their musical work. This is why any avid music listener should make an effort to support their favorite artists by either attending their concerts, buying their merchandise or purchasing physical copies of their music.

Musicians make the majority of their money while on tour, so an easy way to help support them would be to simply attend their live performances. San

Antonio and Austin are popular stops on many artists’ tours, making it rather convenient for Texas State students to see their show.

While at the show, students should purchase some of the artist’s merchandise. It is common for musicians to sell fashionable shirts, sweaters, tote bags and other accessories for a somewhat reasonable price, and they often receive a larger return on these items.

Students should also consider purchasing a physical copy of their favorite albums.

Not only does this practice reimburse the musician for their hard work, it enables the student to avoid some of the disadvantages of music streaming services.

When a student owns a physical copy of music they do not need to worry about

having internet connection to stream their music library.

Spotify boasts a music library of over 50 million tracks and three million artists. But according to Quartz, Spotify only pays out $0.006 and $0.0084 to musicians for every stream. Musicians very rarely receive 100% of the money generated from their streams, usually dividing the profits with their record label, publisher and other various entities.

At this rate, an artist would need to accumulate over 400,000 streams to earn an amount similar to the average monthly minimum wage.

Students who utilize such an inexpensive service have no excuse to not have room in their budget to help support one or two of their favorite musicians.

Thanks to the revolution of music streaming services, today’s college students consume music at a higher rate than ever before. The average Spotify subscriber listens to music through the service for over two and a half hours each day, accumulating to 75 hours spent on the app each month.

However, despite the technology to listen to music at almost any time and place, it is clear musicians receive very little to almost nothing for their work. Because of this, students who find themselves frequently listening to music should make a meaningful effort to help financially support a few of their favorite musicians.

-Thomas Dunlap is a journalism senior

ILLUSTRATION BY JADEN EDISON

The University Star

Tuesday, February 25, 2020 | 7

OPINIONS

Laura Nunez Opinions Editor staropinion@txstate.edu

Opinions expressed in The University Star are not necessarily those of Texas State University’s administration, Board of Regents, School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Student Publications Board.

MAIN POINT

The Main Point: Defend the First, don't pervert it

By The Editorial Board The First Amendment, as integral as it is to our democracy and morality, must not be used as a springboard for responding with equally-sensationalized actions toward provocative public speakers.

Students are held captive by ridiculous claims that are intended to offend and incite a negative reaction on public college campuses across the nation. The reactionary impulses from society serve to give attention to those who hunger for it and only ensures the cycle continues.

People must recognize that verbal affronts merit a strictly verbal response, nothing more.

On Feb. 12 Texas State students fell victim to brash reactionary conduct with the infamous Sister Cindy and Brother Jed. The pair are two of many regular campus disturbances who thrive on students' reactions to their absurd claims in hopes of gaining attention and inciting rash behavior.

In elementary school, students were told, 'if you ignore your bully, they’ll stop bullying you.' The same concept

applies to this situation. If students were to pay no attention to Sister Cindy and advocates like herself, they would find their efforts at Texas State unrewarding and would not return to campus.

Texas State students should refrain from reciprocating irrational behavior when faced with inflammatory campus visitors. Instead of engaging in a one-sided dialogue with these public provocateurs, who will not change their beliefs, students should minimize their reactions in an effort to prevent their eventual return.

Some students take it upon themselves to debate the logic of the claims made

by Sister Cindy and Brother Jed in an attempt to open or change their minds, but this practice proves to be pointless.

Other students resort to more belligerent behavior by angrily shouting, mocking and harassing the visitor. A few students even decided that stripping down to their underwear was an appropriate reaction. This unacceptable behavior only serves to reinvigorate and reinforce her campaign as a "campus evangelist."

Another recent example of adverse

discourse in protesting on public universities is the"Kent State Gun Girl" Kaitlin Bennet's recent visit to Ohio State University, provoking seemingly universal rejection from students.

Students' fervor in reaction to Bennet would be understandable if not for what garnered the situation national attention—Bennet was struck with rolls of toilet paper, doused in discarded beverages and berated with expletives for simply asking students questions.

Bennet undoubtedly asks these questions to provoke the public, not to hear out the answer. However, anyone that holds the First Amendment in high esteem should understand that verbal altercations are just that—verbal.

These students' behavior, while gratifying in the short-term for those who know of Bennet and her abhorrent content, must be criticized for its selfdefeating nature.

Know this—provocateurs like Bennet are fueled by these extreme reactions.

The attention they receive feeds their views, likes, retweets and shares; it cements their longevity in their circles.

To react with physical force, like those at

MAIN PO NT

O

Ohio State, is to ensure their return.

In fact, Bennet has sworn to return to Ohio State with gun-wielding open carry activists. Additionally, she netted over 55,000 followers on Twitter only days after the Feb. 17 incident.

Ironically, the negative outcry from Ohio State students gave Bennet exactly what she craves—a platform.

The students who engage with visitors like Sister Cindy and Kaitlin Bennet get unnecessarily upset during their interaction. No one's beliefs or mindset will be altered after their interaction, so any dialogue exchange ends up being completely worthless.

As long as students continue to react in hate and reciprocate hate, they will directly support the return of the selfclaimed advocates and their outrageous statements.

Texas State and other public campus grounds are required to give Americans the right to speak on any platform they deem desirable; that privilege is upheld and defended by the First Amendment.

Unless the concept of peaceful assembly is respected, the cycle of hate will never end.

MINDSET

Mediocrity is not a shameful pursuit

By Jacob Montgomery Opinion Columnist American society has wrongly shunned mediocrity as being a symptom of laziness or apathy. Students are expected to strive for A's throughout college resulting in immense pressure and inevitably burnout.

Mediocrity has been abandoned by Americans in exchange for “grinding.”

Grind culture can be defined as a promotion of the mentality that if one is not consistently working toward achievement or some larger ambition, they are unmotivated or lack personal pride.

To be clear, one is perfectly justified in pursuing large goals or endeavoring to bring about large change. Those who are working diligently to create cures for the various illnesses plaguing our time are not being lectured or talked down to as busybodies who should give up their pursuits, but one should ask whether or not a society that functions from the standpoint of consistently grinding is one that is benefiting the vast majority of people.

Most are not working toward curing cancer. Most are not pursuing anything of any large-scale importance, nor would they likely achieve it. There is nothing wrong with that.

Statistically, using the power law distribution model, most people lie somewhere along the right portion of

the graph, usually below the mean for performance but occupying most of the population. On the left side of the curve we have someone like Steve Jobs.

On the right, we have someone whose contribution is much lower. Both sides of the chart are extremes. These people are exceptions to the rule.

The vast majority, which could be called mediocre, lie within the middle, but below what would be called average.

Using the Steve Jobs example, this person may be talented and tech savvy, but they are not necessarily going to create another Apple, Inc. The idea that one must pursue excellence in all one does is foolish and ignores the many factors that restrict one’s actions.

The parent who works must still attend to their child’s needs but may be pulled away from their child because of the demands of their job. This does not make them a bad parent or a bad worker, they are simply choosing mediocrity in both aspects of their life for the sake of maintaining another.

To overwhelm people with ideas of needing to be grinding toward excellence, usually related to their job, severely limits their choices in life. Different people prioritize different aspects of their lives and this is natural and should be embraced.

Human beings retain many different identities, some of which come into conflict with one another. To adhere to

ILLUSTRATION BY JADEN EDISON

grinding as being our default mode of operating is detrimental to our ability to manage our lives.

Mediocrity, does not denote pursuing mediocrity as the end goal, but in viewing mediocrity as a possible and valid result of one’s effort. This distinction gives a much more flexible approach to managing one’s life.

Doing one’s best is no longer a means to an end with that end always being great achievement but is now an end in itself.

Borrowing from Black Feminist philosopher Audre Lorde, in her interview with Carla Hammond in 1981, one must learn to embrace our contradictions, that is, learn to embrace one’s decision to remain mediocre as a justifiable result of one’s choice to prioritize another aspect of their lives.

- Jacob Montgomery is a philosophy senior

The University Star

8 | Tuesday, February 25, 2020

SPORTS

Claire Partain Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu

MEN'S BASKETBALL (Left)Texas State senior forward Eric Terry celebrates after the Bobcats' win over Georgia State on Senior Night, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at Strahan Arena.

(Right) Texas State senior forward Nijal Pearson attempts a layup against Georgia State, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at Strahan Arena.

PHOTOS BY KATE CONNORS

Bobcats claim sole possession of second place in final home games

By Cade Andrews Sports Reporters The Texas State men’s basketball team (19-10, 12-6 Sun Belt) rose to second place in the Sun Belt as they defeated Georgia Southern 70-55 on Thursday and Georgia State 86-76 on Saturday for their last regular-season home games at Strahan Arena.

The Bobcats' win against Georgia State broke the tie for second place in the Sun Belt Conference, giving the team sole possession of second place with just two games left in the regular season.

Before the game, seniors Nijal Pearson and Eric Terry were recognized on Senior Night for their final regular-season game in Strahan Arena.

Terry matched his career-high in scoring for his final home game, including a clutch three-pointer in the final two minutes of play. The senior forward has started in every game for two consecutive seasons for the 'Cats and shot 69.3% from the field in 201819, putting him at No. 2 in the singleseason record book.

Pearson has risen above the rest in Texas State program history. This season, Pearson hit 1,885 career points, giving

him the title of all-time leading scorer for the Bobcats and No. 9 in Sun Belt scoring history. Pearson has now eclipsed 2,000 points and is the first Bobcat with three consecutive 500-point seasons.

To start the seniors' final game, the ‘Cats came out the gate hot and jumped out to a quick 18-5 lead.

The Texas State offense clicked on all cylinders as they racked up 46 points throughout the first half, outscoring Georgia State 46-38.

Georgia State was able to tie the game with 3:27 left in the second half behind shooting from junior guard Kane Williams. The Bobcats were able to pull away to finish the game, however, with key buckets from both Terry and Pearson.

Terry finished with a career-high 20 points and four rebounds, while Pearson put up 18 points and grabbed nine boards.

Terry said his focus was not on senior recognition, but on Georgia State as a competitor.

“I wasn’t even thinking about Senior Day,” Terry said. “I was thinking about this game and playing possession by possession. I wasn’t too big in the moment because I was still laser-focused

about Georgia State.”

Head oach Danny Kaspar said he was pleased with the two seniors' level of play in their final home game.

“Eric Terry had a monster game,” Kaspar said. “I’m so happy for him. He’s been through some adversity this year but it’s just good to see him have a great final game as a senior. It’s a very nice feeling to see that happen.”

Despite the big win, Pearson said the team needs to stay focused for remaining games.

“We know if we take care of our business, everything will fall into place,” Pearson said. “One game at a time. We can’t worry about anyone else. Whatever happens anywhere, it’s none of our concern. We can only win the games in front of us.”

Before Saturday’s crucial victory, the Bobcats came out on top against Georgia Southern with a 70-55 win on Thursday.

The ‘Cats got out to a hot start, jumping to a 19-6 lead after the first 10 minutes of play and reaching up to a 22-point lead just before halftime.

The Bobcats continued their high level of play in the second half and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the half to take the win.

Kaspar said that the team performed better in their final matchup against the Panthers.

“We’re playing harder and smarter and rebounding the ball better than the first time we played,” Kaspar said.

Pearson led the Bobcats with 20 points on 7-of-13 from the field. Junior guard Marlin Davis stepped up for injured sophomore guard Mason Harrell and scored 16 points, including 3-of-4 from the three-point range.

Davis finished the game shooting 6-of8 from the floor and said he developed confidence by practicing consistently before the game.

“Just repetition in practice, a lot of reps this week and shots by myself (prepared me)," Davis said. "That’s where confidence is built.”

The Bobcats will look to stay hot and continue their win streak on the road against disputed rivals University of Texas-Arlington on Friday. The last time these two teams met, the Bobcats fell short by two points on a potential buzzer-beating three that bounced off the back iron of the rim. The game will be broadcasted on the nationallytelevised ESPN2 channel for the first time this season.

SOFTBALL

Bobcats knock down No. 17 Minnesota, Tulsa at Baylor Invitational by knocking down No. 17 Minnesota in a 3-2 upset on Friday.

Bell began the scoring run for the 'Cats, bringing in sophomore outfielder Molly Damiani with a double to center field before scoring herself off of a McCann single to give Texas State a 2-0 advantage in the second inning.

A sacrifice bunt by MacKay finalized the 3-0 lead for the Bobcats in the third inning, but Minnesota responded in the same inning as the Gophers' MaKenna Partain scored a single-run homer.

Both teams went scoreless until the Gophers attempted a last-second comeback in the seventh inning, narrowing the lead to 3-2 before McCann kept the inning to two hits and managed her first save of the season.

By Claire Partain Sports Editor Texas State softball went 2-3 in the Baylor Invitational Friday-Sunday against Big 10 and Big 12 opponents, including a win over No. 17 Minnesota to kick off the tournament on Friday.

Following Friday's win, the 'Cats took a 1-0 loss to Illinois to conclude the doubleheader and went winless against Minnesota and Baylor on Saturday before ending the tournament with a 2-0 victory over Tulsa on Sunday.

The Bobcats are now 9-5 overall.

SUNDAY TEXAS STATE 2, TULSA 0 The Bobcats and freshman pitcher Tori McCann finished the tournament as they started on Sunday, with McCann pulling off her second save of the season to give the Bobcats a 2-0 win over Tulsa.

Texas State kicked off scoring in the top of the first inning as junior infielder ArieAnn Bell hit into a fielder's choice and brought in senior infielder Hailey MacKay for the 1-0 lead.

A hit-by-pitch and three consecutive walks allowed sophomore infielder Samara Lagway to hit home plate for the Bobcats' second and final run of the game.

Senior pitcher Dalilah Barrera performed a shutout game, allowing just one hit and six strikeouts in five innings to set up McCann. McCann kept the Hurricanes scoreless for the final two innings, securing the win with her second save of the tournament.

SATURDAY The victory came after a winless Saturday for the Bobcats as they faced Division 1 giants Illinois and Baylor.

(Top) Texas State freshman Tori McCann pitches in a rematch against Minnesota, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, at Baylor University.

TEXAS STATE 0, ILLINOIS 1 (Left) Texas State senior outfielder Despite keeping Illinois to one run Christiana McDowell goes up to bat against Minnesota, Friday, Feb. 21, 2020, throughout the game, the Bobcats were at Baylor University. unable to get their bats going as they fell PHOTO COURTESY TEXAS STATE ATHLETICS

back as they rematched against No. 17 Minnesota early Saturday, forcing a 3-0 deficit by the third inning. Texas State attempted a comeback with two runners on base by the bottom of the sixth, but a strikeout and two pop flies followed by a Minnesota home run in the seventh sealed the deal with a 4-0 Gopher victory.

McCann kept the game scoreless for the first three innings before allowing four hits and three runs with four strikeouts in four innings. Barrera finished off the game, allowing one run, two hits and cleaning up with six strikeouts in three innings pitched.

TEXAS STATE 1, BAYLOR 2 The 'Cats then took on tournament hosts Baylor, with both teams fighting to TEXAS STATE 0, MINNESOTA 4 break a 1-1 tie for seven innings until the Two throwing errors set the Bobcats Bears took the 2-1 victory.

Texas State kicked off scoring early as Bell brought in senior outfielder Christiana McDowell off a single to left field. The Bears retaliated in the same inning to mark a 1-1 standoff that would last until the final inning.

The 'Cats managed to advance to second in the seventh inning, but Baylor finished the game with a final push of their own as two doubles and a single landed the Bears the win.

Junior pitcher Meagan King kept the game to one run for four innings pitched, allowing six hits and four strikeouts before McCann took the mound to allow one run off of three hits for the final two innings.

in a 1-0 shutout to conclude their Friday games.

An Illinois homer in the second inning was enough to clinch the win for the Fighting Illini as the Bobcats only mustered one hit by MacKay throughout the game.

Barrera took the mound for the first 4.1 innings of play, allowing one run off of five hits and a strikeout, while McCann finished the last 2.2 innings by allowing zero runs, one hit and two strikeouts.

PREVIEW Texas State will head to California for the first time on Saturday, facing West Coast opponents Sacramento State, Utah State, UC Davis and St. Mary's as part of the Capital Classic.

The 'Cats will kick off the classic FRIDAY against co-tournament hosts Sacramento TEXAS STATE 3, MINNESOTA 2 State at 4 p.m. on Friday in Sacramento, The Bobcats kicked off the tournament Calif.

The University Star

Tuesday, February 25, 2020 | 9

SPORTS

Claire Partain Sports Editor starsports@txstate.edu

FROM FRONT BASEBALL because he was affected by the weather and Lamar's solid hitting.

“Wes got off to a bad start,” Trout said.

“He was out of the strike zone. You are going to give up runs on days like today when the wind is blowing out. The biggest key is to not give up any free 90s and unfortunately he was doing that.”

Trout said that Bush had a strong start in his college debut.

“What a great first outing in (Bush's) college career," Trout said. "Right there and coming in to keep pitching and keep pitching and get the win. Couldn’t be more proud.”

After Texas State added two more runs in the bottom of the second inning to break the tie at 8-6, Bush followed up with 3.2 innings pitched and allowed one hit, zero runs and two strikeouts for his first win in his collegiate career.

With Bush coming out in the sixth inning, freshman Tony Robie, who won his first game last Sunday against Stony Brook, came in for relief, going 2.0 innings and allowing two hits, one run and two strikeouts.

Coming in for his second save of the season, junior Tristian Stivors pitched 1.1 innings, allowing one hit and zero runs to seal a 8-7 win for the Bobcats.

Though the offense had seen its struggles this week, the Bobcats seemed to finally hit a groove on Sunday, scoring eight runs- the most in one game this season- including six in one inning, which marks the most runs in a single inning this season.

“I thought (their offensive performance) was great,” Trout said. “Anytime (Lamar) can score two runs in the first, you never know how you are going to respond and be able to come back and score six… a lot of it is confidence and a lot of it is coming back into the groove of things.”

“Innings through three and eight I thought we lost a lot of baserunners out there and our approaches were a little loose on the plate but overall we are heading in the right direction as a offense,” Trout said.

The win came after a 4-3 walkoff win Saturday and a 3-1 loss on Friday.

SATURDAY Junior John Wuthrich had the gamewinning hit on Saturday, sending a shot over center field to tie the series at 1-1.

Wuthrich and three other Bobcats had multiple hits, including senior Will Hollis's 5-5 performance with a home run, a triple and two runs scored.

FRIDAY Junior infielder Justin Thompson's RBI was not enough for a Bobcat comeback in the ninth inning on Friday as the 'Cats fell 3-1 to start the series. Lamar managed two runs in the first inning to set the tone for the game as senior Zachary Leigh allowed two runs off three hits in seven innings played.

Texas State comes back on Wednesday to battle Rice at Bobcat Ballpark before traveling to Houston to take the Cougars in a three game weekend series.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Texas State's winning streak snapped by UTA

By Caleb Howell & Claire Partain Sports Reporter & Editor The Texas State women’s basketball team's two game winning streak came to an end as the Bobcats fell to the University of Texas- Arlington Mavericks on the road on Saturday.

The 69-49 loss put the Bobcats 3-11 in conference and 10-15 overall as they fight for enough wins to reach the Sun Belt Championship Tournament.

The Bobcats started the game sluggish as the Mavericks started the game on a 10-0 scoring run. The empty runs, combined with weak spots in rebounding—with 29 rebounds to the Mavericks' 45—turned out to be a recurring theme as the 'Cats struggled to gain a lead throughout the game.

UTA formulated a game-plan to combat the Bobcats, going under ball screens and forcing the 'Cats to shoot the ball. As a result, Texas State shot an inefficient 30.4% from the field and 20% from the three-point range.

The 'Cats were down 11 points heading into the half, but a shootout to start the third quarter of play put the Bobcats at only a seven-point deficit. The Mavericks recovered from their lull however, and pulled away with a 10-3 scoring run to close the quarter. Texas State was outscored 14-20 in the final quarter to finish out the game with a 20-point loss.

With eight freshmen and sophomores and only senior guard Brooke Holle with previous starting experience, Head Coach Zenarae Antoine said that success will take time.

"A lot of players haven’t seen the true game time so far within their young careers, so if you take that in with the fact that we’re pretty youthful, it’s going to take time," Antoine said. "My favorite mantra for this team is 'quitters never win and winners never quit'. They’ve been winners through all of this because all of them practice hard and that is great to see. Their record doesn’t reflect how much fun I've been having."

The Bobcats were led in scoring by sophomore guard Kennedy Taylor's 15 points, followed by sophomore forward Da’Nasia Hood who scored 14 points.

Head coach Zenarae Antoine said that Hood has had great scoring performances as of lately and is now scouted by competitors as a triple-threat shooter.

"Da'Nasia, for us, her role has been defined by her ability to score," Antoine said. "To see her evolve just within her sophomore year into someone who demands a scout presence, meaning people have to figure out how to defend her, is really neat. She’s a kid who can score on all three layers."

Junior forward Jayla Johnson once again provided a spark off the bench for the 'Cats, recording nine points, four blocks and three offensive rebounds.

Despite the tough loss, there is still hope for Texas State’s season, according to Antoine. Antoine said that adding situations in practice has given the team a leg up as they rose from their eightgame losing streak to go 3-3 in the last six games.

"We’ve adjusted practice in the last three weeks and we add a lot of situationals," Antoine said. "We put our team in a variety of different situations where they have to be able to respond, whether we’re up or we’re down or the game is tied, and I really think that that’s helped with some of the stress and anxiety that was occurring (at the beginning of conference play)."

Next week, the Bobcats will play both the two most important games of their season and their final two home games.

Texas State currently stands at 11th in the Sun Belt Conference standings. If the Cats’ can pull off wins in both of these games, they could be back in contention for the postseason tournament.

The team may be fighting for a last chance shot, but Antoine said it's important to keep it one game at a time as they conclude regular season play.

"IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU TAKE IT GAME BY GAME, TO APPROACH EACH GAME AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET BETTER, AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO." -ZENARAE ANTOINE,

HEAD COACH

"It's important that you take it game by game," Antoine said. "You don’t want to add a lot of stress, especially on a team that’s younger. I think it’s important to approach each game as an opportunity to get better, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do."

The 'Cats will hit Strahan Arena two more times to take on Georgia Southern (6-9), who currently stand at ninth in the Sun Belt Conference, at 11:30 a.m.

Thursday, followed by a game against 10th-place Georgia State (5-10) 2 p.m.

Saturday.

10 | Tuesday, February 25, 2020

The University Star

02/18 ANSWERS