March 8, 2022

TUESDAY TTuesday, March 8, 2022 VOLUME 111 ISSUE 22 www.UniversityStar.com

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911

San Marcos activists stand up for transgender children SEE PAGE 2

Opinion: Gas prices are one of many ways car dependency hurts Americans

Bobcats flame out in quarterfinals for second straight year

Steve Holeman looks to bring new strategies to Texas State soccer

SEE PAGE 6

SEE PAGE 7

SEE PAGE 9

GENDER EQUALITY

WOMEN IN SPORTS

Opinion: Women’s sports deserve an equal share of investment

By Dillon Strine Opinion Editor staropinion@txstate.edu

Texas State public relations senior Gabriella Salzillo works as a camera operator for ESPN+ during the spring football game, Saturday, April 24, 2021, at Bobcat Stadium.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

Breaking the Glass Ceiling:

Women empower each other in Texas State sports media internships

By Vanessa Buentello Assistant Multimedia Editor

Growing up, Gabriella 'Gabby' Salzillo remembers staying up late watching Boston Red Sox games with her dad.

These late nights ignited a love for sports that she continued to carry with her throughout her life.

After graduating high school in 2016, she wanted to go to college with the true intention of doing something she loved. With a passion for sports, she was inspired to pursue a career in sports media.

Salzillo, along with other women in Texas State's sports media program, is challenging the status quo of the male-dominated field as they take on student internships covering the Texas State Bobcats.

Since August 2020, Salzillo has been an ESPN+ production assistant where she broadcasts games for Texas State. Some days Salzillo finds herself working behind the scenes in the control room while other days she’s on the sidelines filming a game as a camera operator.

“I really do enjoy being on camera,” Salzillo, a public relations senior with a concentration in sports media, said. “I like to be in the arena or on the field. I feel like a part of the game.”

While Salzillo also works for the Spurs Street

Team and previously co-hosted the podcast “She Talks Sports Like a Girl,” she said her role at Texas State with ESPN+ has given her the most learning experience and growth opportunities.

“Our past producer is constantly still sending us jobs and rooting for us,” Salzillo said. “I think the leaders in the [Texas State ESPN+] program are exactly where they're supposed to be as leaders because they really just set us up for success and give us all the tools that we need.”

Salzillo said one of her favorite things about working with Texas State's ESPN+ program is the number of women involved with the organization.

Sometimes the control room will be purely full of women, or some games will have only women working as camera operators. Being surrounded by women also in sports media gives her motivation to defy the odds.

“I tend to say I definitely don't feel alone, but obviously in the bigger picture of the sports industry, [women are] still a minority,” Salzillo said. “But I feel like it's really cool to just do what I want to do, even though it is in a male-dominated industry.”

From claims that no one watches women’s athletics to its limited profit capability, has anyone thought to try and put these top-tier athletes in prime time and on center stage like successful men’s leagues?

Rather than creating another failed football league in this country, of which there have been six and counting as the United States Football League (USFL) will attempt, yet again, to not implode like the numerous before in April, investors should instead invest in athletics with years of history and success. With proper funding and media attention, women's sports leagues could fill an entertainment gap that portions of the population have been seeking.

For a sports league to thrive, it needs proper exposure, and most importantly, investment. This can come not just monetarily, but also with resources, time and coverage.

Last year the country was put on notice about the unequal "swag bags" women student-athletes received at their respective NCAA basketball tournaments. This, compounded with what the women’s weight rooms lacked, forced the NCAA to address what it is doing to fix the gender-equity gap that plagued it last year.

It became no surprise to me that almost a year later, Sports Illustrated put out a piece about the problems with ownership in the WNBA as well. The article focuses on how to create equity for women’s athletics and WNBA's current shortcomings when it comes to

SEE GENDER EQUALITY PAGE 6

SEE WOMEN IN SPORTS PAGE 9

SUSTAINABILITY

Woman-owned, eco-friendly business opens in Tanger Outlets

By Marisa Nunez Life and Arts Contributor

One of Tanger Outlet's latest storefronts seeks to minimize waste and create an environment where women can feel their best with clean, natural bath products.

Lather, which opened its doors on Feb. 9 next to Charlotte Russe, was established by Sherri Wilson, who set out to create the company after becoming frustrated with the amount of waste she contributed using plastic shampoo bottles. Additionally, she was simply tired of using products on her hair and skin that had a long list of ingredients she didn't know about.

“I like natural things. I feel like I want to do something that's going to be beneficial to the environment," she said. "I want something that if I take a shower, that’s not going to dry my skin

I LIKE NATURAL THINGS. I FEEL LIKE I WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL TO THE ENVIRONMENT. I WANT SOMETHING THAT IF I TAKE A SHOWER, THAT’S NOT GOING TO DRY MY SKIN OUT, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAVE A BUNCH OF CHEMICALS AND STUFF IN." SHERRI WILSON, OWNER OF LATHER out, that's not going to have a bunch of chemicals and stuff in."

Lather’s products are sold in-store

by Sherri herself such as shampoos, bath bombs, shaving cream, bath salts and more. Each vendor at Lather is handselected by Sherri to ensure the brands are all woman-based or woman-owned companies with organic, all-natural and clean products.

Other accommodations at Lather include free samples on the weekend, shaving soaps packaged in re-used mugs and cups as well as an in-store mix-bar.

At the mix-bar customers can make their own personalized bath salts and shampoos by selecting the color and scent. Their product is then handmade in front of them.

Prior to Lather's opening, Sherri and her husband, Richard Wilson, who helped her create the brand, owned various restaurants in several states and cities including San Marcos.

and online. At the shop's storefront, customers can purchase products from SEE SUSTAINABILITY vendors as well as goods made in-store

PAGE 4

The University Star

2 | Tuesday, March 8, 2022

NEWS

Arthur Fairchild News Editor starnews@txstate.edu

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Protestors sit and hold signs at the Stallions during the March for Trans Youth, Wednesday, March 2, 2022, at Texas State. The march was organized in response to Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent order directing state officials to handle gender-affirming treatment to minors as child abuse.

PHOTO BY LILIANA PEREZ

San Marcos activists stand up for transgender children

By Arthur Fairchild News Editor A crowd of several dozen San Marcos activists met outside the Hays County Historic Courthouse on March 2, protesting for the rights of transgender children. The protestors stood in a line shouting in unison for the protection of trans kids as onlookers inevitably took sides, often calling back in support or opposition of the protest.

The protest is in response to a recent initiative spearheaded by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who ordered the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) on Feb. 22 to investigate parents whose adolescent children have undergone gender-affirming care. The Texas governor is pushing the agenda that gender-affirming care in the form of medication or surgery is to be considered child abuse.

Last week, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services opened its first investigation into the family of a transgender teenager who received gender-affirming medical treatment.

The action from the Texas governor has sparked nationwide controversy and protests for and against gender affirmation in children.

At the courthouse, the group of protesters was confronted by an individual arguing that transgender people already have rights and don't need more. For San Marcos resident Bryson Greene, that kind of verbal abuse happens often and forces the trans community to learn to pick and choose their battles.

"It's pretty common to experience [verbal abuse] as a queer individual you know, people saying whatever and however they feel coming up to you saying all kinds of rude things," Greene said. "We have to pick and choose our battles, and everyone has their limits."

The organizers of the protest purposely remained anonymous, allowing the message to spread through word of mouth and social media. Despite the demonstration's large turnout, another is yet to be planned.

Lilly Bogue, a resident of San Marcos, attended the protest and is a vocal advocate for the transgender community. Bogue, who identifies as transgender, knows the importance of a supportive family.

"So personally, I've had very supportive parents," Bogue said. "They were a little bit slow on the uptake about terminology and everything, but that's fine. The important thing is that they're making an effort."

Protestors continued their demonstration to Texas State's campus, where they continued to encounter both support and disapproval from fellow students. Bryson Greene hopes students on campus who disagreed with the protest can see the debate from another perspective.

“What if it was you, you know, what if there was something about you in your regular average everyday life that the rest of society felt was not okay and not appropriate,” Greene said.

A protestor holds a sign during the March for Trans Youth, Wednesday, March 2, 2022, at the Hays County Historic Courthouse. The march was organized in response to Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent order directing state officials to handle gender-affirming treatment to minors as child abuse.

PHOTO BY LILIANA PEREZ

A protestor holds a sign during the March for Trans Youth, Wednesday, March 2, 2022, at the Hays County Historic Courthouse. The march was organized in response to Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent order directing state officials to handle gender-affirming treatment to minors as child abuse.

PHOTO BY LILIANA PEREZ

The process of gender-affirmation care refers to treatments, ranging from surgery to speech therapy. The treatments are intended to support a transgender or nonbinary person in their gender transition. Transition looks different for each person. But the overall goal of gender-affirmation care is to help a person’s outward traits match their gender identity.

The initiative from Abbott puts parents and guardians of transgender children in a difficult situation and is likely to take away the freedom of choice to support a child in their transition.

The governor is pushing a form of vigilantism, asking members of the public to report instances of genderaffirming surgery to state officials for possible prosecution.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argues that gender affirmation care is experimental and that children are too young to consent to such care. In an open letter released by the Attorney General’s Office, Paxton made his stance clear to the Texas public.

“There is no doubt that these procedures are ‘abuse’ under Texas law, and thus must be halted,” Paxton said in his

letter. "The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) has a responsibility to act accordingly. I’ll do everything I can to protect against those who take advantage of and harm young Texans.”

Nationally recognized health organizations have come out in support of gender affirmation care in transgender children and argue that it is necessary for the healthy raising of a transgender child. Organizations include the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association.

As the fight for transgender rights continues, individuals at the protest want people to be okay with asking questions if they have them. San Marcos resident Ryan Patrick calls on residents to ask questions and stand up for the transgender youth.

“Show up and speak out. If you don't understand something, ask questions," Patrick said. "Be there to support your friends and your loved ones and your community. That's what life is all about."

The University Star

Tuesday, March 8, 2022 | 3

NEWS

Arthur Fairchild News Editor starnews@txstate.edu

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers preserve local environment in 37th Annual Great Texas River Cleanup

By Madelyn Weirich Assistant News Editor

Over 750 volunteers gathered across San Marcos to collect trash throughout 10 different watershed locations on March 5 at the 37th Annual Great Texas River Cleanup.

Student and citywide organizations, along with local families and individuals passionate about keeping San Marcos beautiful, donned gloves and grabbed trash bags to do their part to maintain the city's natural beauty.

The event involved coordination from the city and a variety of local businesses and organizations, including the Greater San Marcos Partnership, SurPowr Battery and the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce.

Jesse Garza, who does geographic information system work for the city's public services complex, participated in the cleanup for the first time this year.

Garza helped facilitate the cleanup at the Sink Creek watershed location.

While the area isn't located near the San Marcos River, trash and debris ultimately end up in the river due to rainfall and runoff, so it was equally important to keep the area clean.

"What goes here flows here," Garza said. "I was surprised that we're out here [so far from the river], but I guess everything technically flows back to the river. We can't see all the stormwater infrastructure."

Hula hoops, harmonicas and even horseshoes were found littering the city.

One group even found an entire animal skeleton in a neighborhood park.

Litter and pollutants not only affect the beauty of the river, but the water quality as well. One of the main perpetrators of deteriorating water quality is microplastics. Microplastics are less than five millimeters long and occur when larger plastics, such

STAR FILE PHOTO

as wrappers, plastic bottles, tires and even polyester fabric, break down into smaller pieces.

These pieces are often too small to see and easily end up washed away into rivers and other waterways. A large presence of microplastics can harm aquatic ecosystems and the endangered species within them.

"If you have fibers that are 100% cotton, 100% hemp or whatever plantbased, they will degrade naturally. But you want to look into it if you have polyester, meaning some type of plastic fiber," Sustainability Coordinator at Texas State Emma Parsley said. "When you wash your clothes, these fibers will come off, and eventually, these microplastics around polyester, which is just one example, will end up leading into waterways. Because they're so

small, they're hard to capture in water sanitation centers."

Much like washing clothes, rainfall erodes plastic and carries it into streams.

Because of the damage this causes to natural habitats, organizations and volunteers work to remove as much excess plastic from the environment as possible through river cleanups.

Grace Vitale, an exercise and sports science sophomore, participated in the cleanup with the Pre-Physical Therapy Organization, a campus club she's been a part of since the fall of 2020.

Vitale and nine members in the organization joined volunteers at the Cottonwood Creek watershed located near the Tanger Outlets, where they found Styrofoam, beer bottles and discarded clothing. While the terrain of the location provided some difficulties

for the group, Vitale enjoyed the experience overall.

"I was getting scratched up and bit by fire ants, and it was very muddy, but it was a great experience bonding with my organization," Vitale said. "We were all very tired, but we don't get a lot of opportunities to have events like this where we're really doing good while also socializing."

The Great Texas River Cleanup occurs each year in the spring. Other river cleanup opportunities in San Marcos also take place throughout the year led by organizations such as the San Marcos River Foundation and the City of San Marcos.

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4 |Tuesday, March 8, 2022 Sarah Hernandez Life & Arts Editor starlifeandarts@txstate.edu

FROM FRONT SUSTAINABILITY The couple previously owned Maroni's Pizza Kitchen on the Square, which due to the pandemic, was shut down after the business ran into obstacles with employees and customers. After leaving the restaurant business behind, they opened up Lather. Having lived in San Marcos for the last six years, they saw great potential for opening the shop at the Tanger Outlets.

Their inspiration for creating Lather came from another business the duo discovered in Houston. Sherri enjoyed the concept of the business and loved that it was filled with all-natural, zerowaste products.

Last fall, Sherri and Richard set out plans to create Lather. Once the idea of creating the business was in their heads, they hit the ground running in December with preparations and the creation of products they would sell.

“As we collaborated together, Sherri actually already had a design. She also had what she wanted to do, you know, as a woman-based business, and then I [supported] that, and so she kind of just laid it out, and then we brainstormed, and then we saw it starting to take shape," Richard said. "It was exciting to be able to see what she envisioned and then here we are standing at it and people are coming in and they, you know, they're purchasing the products."

From the products on the shelves to the decorations on the table, Lather's physical atmosphere also embodies the brand's purpose of sustainable, natural living.

“If you look at everything that's in here, you know, from the tables, it's repurposed," Richard said. "So, it's all repurposed. And so that was kind of the concept to show [how the store is] organic. It's, you know, it's the real stuff."

Melanie Brandt, an employee at Lather, loves working at the shop as she gets to socialize with people. Her favorite part about her job is helping people feel good which, in turn, makes her feel good too.

Brandt previously knew Richard from her church as he is also her pastor. After hearing about the Wilsons' plans to open a business and the store's concept, she was eager to join the crew. Since starting at Lather, she has especially enjoyed seeing children get excited about the store's products.

“I just love it. I love people [and] here I get to be around people," Brandt said.

"This is the funnest job. I love doing it.

And I love kids and kids love it in here … [they] come in here and they are so excited to get bath bombs. I had fouryear-olds in here wanting bath bombs and it’s just so great to see everybody happy."

In the future, Sherri looks to expand Lather through franchising and opening additional storefronts in surrounding areas like Kyle and Buda. After growing Lather to a point they're satisfied with, Richard said they would like to support other women entrepreneurs who want to franchise off Lather and support them throughout their growth.

LIFE & ARTS

Sherri Wilson arranges soap bars in her store, Monday, March 7, 2022, at Lather.

PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

Lather's in-store display of bath bombs, Monday, March 7, 2022, at Lather.

PHOTO BY NATALIE RYAN

“I think it would be cool to be able to help young women get started in something like this, where they're entrepreneurs, they can grow it and then eventually, you know, the main company is able to help them define it, what the financial responsibility to start it, and then to be able to give them the option,” Richard said.

Through Lather, Sherri has accomplished her goal of creating a space that is not only eco-friendly and all-natural but also a place where women can feel good about the products they use every day.

"I just thought, 'What better way to reach women?' As a woman, you know, we're always talking about [how] we

want good beauty products," Sherri said.

For more information on Lather or to shop its products online, visit https://www. latheronline.com/ or its Instagram @ latheronline.

COMIC BY MADISON WARE

The University Star

Tuesday, March 8, 2022 | 5

The University Star

6 |Tuesday, March 8, 2022

OPINIONS

Dillon Strine Opinion Editor staropinion@txstate.edu

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

TRANSPORTATION

Gas prices are one of many ways car dependency hurts Americans

By Tiara Allen Opinion Contributor If you're a frequent driver, you may have noticed that gas prices are on the rise. As much as we complain, most of us are unable to do anything besides make space in our budgets for the rising cost of gas, whether that means cutting back on other purchases, charging to a credit card, borrowing money or asking friends for rides.

That is because Americans are dependent on their personal cars to get from place to place, despite gas costs or, to the nuisance of students, the costs of a parking permit.

Unfortunately, this dependency is causing a host of problems for Americans, including increasing inequality, worsening mental and physical health and damaging the environment.

Car dependency widens economic inequality. Those who cannot afford a car and all the maintenance it requires find their employment options limited to what they can reasonably access by foot or public transit.

This is less of an issue in areas with excellent public transportation, but in Central Texas, the public transportation system is spotty at best. That leaves marginalized groups, such as the poor and the disabled, to not have greater access to better jobs and needed services.

Reporting by Brookings, a nonprofit public policy organization, revealed that nearly all zero-vehicle households live in areas with public transportation systems.

However, the routes those systems travel to only provide access to 40% of jobs within a 90-minute commute.

In addition, car dependency adds greatly to the phenomenon of food deserts, which affect 23.5 million people. Food deserts are areas that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods. People who live in food deserts often have lower incomes and, as a result, are unable to purchase and maintain a car.

The ability to afford a car and purchase nutritious foods are often intricately linked. While some organizations are working to offer solutions, such as bus stop farmer's markets, these solutions are not widespread yet and often do not solve the systemic issues created by this epidemic.

Also, car dependency has a negative effect on mental and physical health.

Commutes are an often reviled part of

ILLUSTRATION BY AFAAF ALNAHAS

American work life. Those who discuss their distaste for their commute often find things such as traffic, expensive parking and time spent away from their families to be a drain.

The commute and its downsides are reflected in our health. TIME Magazine reports commutes as short as 10 miles each way are associated with higher blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure along with greater tendencies of experiencing depression, anxiety and social isolation.

The construction of our roads in America often leads to poor or nonexistent sidewalk placement for those who walk. This results in hazardous conditions for pedestrians, and these conditions are only worsening. The Governor's Highway Safety Association found that pedestrian fatalities per billion vehicle miles traveled saw a 21% increase in 2020, rising from 1.9 deaths in 2019 to 2.3 deaths in the following year.

Additionally, pedestrian fatalities between the years 2010 and 2019 increased by 46%, in comparison to a 5% increase of all other traffic deaths. The Governor’s Highway Safety Association also believes better infrastructure for pedestrians and safer road crossings will reduce these accidents, but until then, the risk involved in walking on unsafe roads encourages most Americans to invest in cars, which will only worsen

many issues experienced by drivers.

Furthermore, American car dependency has taken a toll on our environment. Since 2017, driving has been America's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. This statistic is worsened by the fact that more than 75% of Americans drove alone to work, which results in more cars on the road, and more greenhouse gas emissions, as each car emits an average of 4.6 tons of CO2 a year, which is roughly the same as the total yearly emissions of someone living in France.

Americans also lag behind electric car sales; in 2020, 2% of new cars sold in America were electric, in comparison to 73% of new cars in Norway. America's car habits are not only making Americans sick, but it’s also making the planet sick.

Many European countries are significantly less dependent on cars.

While there is a multitude of reasons for this, ranging from America's urban sprawl to Europe's better-funded public transit system, numbers show that European countries even have a higher rate of children walking or biking to school than the U.S. However, some American cities are experimenting with changing the usage of cars on their streets. In 2020, over two miles of Market Street in San Francisco was made "car-free." The hope of the implementation of a car-free street was

to improve pedestrian safety.

American car dependency is arguably not the fault of consumers, but of zoning issues, urban sprawl and underfunded privatized public transit systems. However, some may think our dependency on cars is not an issue at all and believe having a car is a symbol of freedom and independence.

However, the degree to which we rely on cars in America is the opposite of freedom. Drivers are subjected to sudden changes in gas prices, random traffic occurrences, the ever-changing availability of parking spaces and other uncontrollable variables they must buy into.

While I do not think the solution is to abandon cars entirely, I believe reducing car usage in exchange for increased funding for public transit and zoning for walking and biking will offer a wider range of options that will provide Americans their true freedom in regard to transit.

- Tiara Allen is a marketing senior.

The University Star welcomes Letters to the Editor from its readers. All submissions are reviewed and considered by the Editor-in-Chief and Opinion Editor for publication. Not all letters are guaranteed for publication.

FROM FRONT GENDER EQUALITY attaining necessary resources.

The focus of the Sports Illustrated article is the rule in the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement that does not allow its owners to have their players fly on charter flights. The league fined New York Liberty owner Joe Tsai $500,000 for violating this rule in the second half of last season, even though Tsai has brought up solutions to having the entire league's flights chartered by attaining a sponsor.

For the WNBA specifically, it is a league and sport whose offseason, to the surprise of many, has players play overseas. After Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner was arrested in Russia, some were discovering for the first time that Griner has played in Russia for the last seven winters. Additionally, former Texas State basketball player Taeler Deer was also playing overseas in Ukraine before having to evacuate to Finland at the start of the Russian invasion.

These athletes would benefit from a league with more stability to keep them playing in the U.S. and having a proper offseason so they would not need to rely on other sources of income.

One of the biggest falsities surrounding women’s sports is that there is not an audience for it. However, not only is there an audience, that audience is growing. Last season, WNBA received record viewership in the league's inaugural 25th year. The highest-rated game of the season was on a dog day in the summer, Aug. 15, 2021; 755,000 viewers watched a matchup between the Chicago Sky and Seattle Storm on ABC. Basketball is also not the only women’s

ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH HERNANDEZ

pro sport setting viewership records, as soccer has seen great growth in the National Women's Soccer League. Being that they were one of the first pro sports to return to action post-pandemic, sports fans craving live-action tuned in, breaking records by nearly 300%.

With professional sports leagues' main source of revenue being TV rights and deals, women’s basketball and soccer seem like a sound investment to make if investors are looking for an upfront return on investment. This is not to mention yet the other main

revenue stream of ticket sales, which the National Women's Soccer League thrived at.

The Portland Thorns FC saw 14,391 average fans attend games in its 2021 campaign. And in the WNBA, the Phoenix Mercury had on average of 5,849 fans fill the stands in 2021. The Phoenix Mercury ended up making a trip to the WNBA’s finals on the heels of the pandemic.

The product is not the problem, despite the decreasing number of kids identifying as sports fans and their loss

of interest in participating in organized sports. There needs to be a concerted effort to invest in not just professional, but also youth sports if we are to pump proper equity into the future of women’s athletics.

There are a lot of unknowns which is what allows people to shy away due to what they consider a risky investment.

The reason investors try and try again for spring football leagues is due to how profitable the sport is; the NFL made more than $15 billion dollars prepandemic in 2019.

But all worthy investments come with risks, as the late great Jerry Buss made plenty of risks along his way to owning the Los Angeles Lakers and creating a dynasty and globally recognizable brand.

Not everyone can understandably invest large sums of money, but it is easy to become a fan of a women’s athletics team and just support them with your time.

If we invest and improve an already improved product more opportunities for these sports will come about for putting these events in a larger spotlight, which in turn will continue to grow the games.

- Dillon Strine is a journalism junior The University Star welcomes Letters to the Editor from its readers. All submissions are reviewed and considered by the Editor-in-Chief and Opinion Editor for publication. Not all letters are guaranteed for publication.

The University Star

Tuesday, March 8, 2022 | 7

SPORTS

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Texas State senior forward Isiah Small (1) attempts to break through the Ragin' Cajuns defense during a game against the University of Louisiana, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats won 72-68.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

Bobcats flame out in quarterfinals for second straight year

By Dillon Strine Sports Contributor

Texas State men's basketball (21-7 overall, 12-4 Sun Belt) lost to Louisiana at Lafayette (15-14 Overall, 9-9 Sun Belt) 79-72 on Saturday in the Sun Belt Conference tournament, failing to reach the big dance.

With the loss, the Bobcats' season is not over just yet as they will make an appearance in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The team will be seeded on March 13, with the first round of the tournament on March 1516.

The Bobcats came into Saturday's game as the number one overall seed after winning the regular season title for the second season in a row. But offensive shooting struggles and failure to defend well enough in the paint lead to their demise.

Texas State came out ready to play on rested legs, causing deflections on defense and playing at a fast pace. That was until the Bobcats hit a scoring drought in the final eight minutes of the first half which created a 31-25 deficit at the half. The shooting woes would carry over into the second half as well, shooting 24-67 from field goal range for the game.

The Ragin’ Cajuns slowed the pace down as the ‘Cats had no answers in the first half for sophomore forward Jordan Brown, who had 12 points in the half, in combination with junior guard Greg Williams Jr., who hit all three of his threes in the first and finished with 15 points.

Many of these points came in the paint as the Cajuns had 16 of their 31 first half points in the painted area and outscored the ‘Cats 32-28 for the game.

Brown was occupying the paint with fellow big man junior forward Theo Akwuba, who had three of the teams five first half blocks and finished the game with five total blocks.

"Credit to them, those guys had hot hands and you know, they blocked a couple shots and had us thinking a little more than we typically do," Head Coach Terrence Johnson said in the postgame press conference.

With the combination of Brown and Akwuba affecting shots closer to the basket, the Bobcats shot just 28% from the field in the first half. The ‘Cats, who came into the game leading the Sun Belt in all categories of shooting efficiency, had no double-digit scorers through 20 minutes of play; senior guard Caleb Asberry led Texas State with just eight first-half points.

"Louisiana had way more energy than us throughout the whole game, consistently," Senior guard Shelby Adams said in the postgame press conference.

The Bobcats were getting a rude awakening to March Madness as they would have to overcome a deficit that ballooned to as much as 16 with just over 14 minutes left in the game. Senior forward Isiah Small responded for a stretch and finished with a doubledouble, 14 points and 11 rebounds. The Bobcats would fail to capitalize on his scoring stretch as on defense they could not get the necessary stops to start a run.

Texas State senior guard Caleb Asberry (5) attempts to get past a Ragin' Cajun defender during a game against the University of Louisiana, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats won 72-68.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

They would cut it to eight on a transition three-pointer by senior guard Mason Harrell that he was falling forward on. A three-point attempt by junior forward Tyrel Morgan rimmed out after going halfway down with 4:01 left would cut the deficit to five at the time.

That would be as close as the Bobcats would get as the Cajuns would close out the game with the help of Brown’s career-high 31 points on 12-20 from the field, 1-2 from the three-point line and 6-8 from the free-throw line.

"When it comes down to it this is

bigger than basketball, but its amazing the life lessons you can learn from the game of basketball, everything don't bounce your way and sometimes things do rim out in life, but can you rebound, can you bounce back," Johnson said.

Texas State may not be going to NCAA tournament but its earned its way to a postseason tournament and will bring Johnson's perspective into it in hopes of an NIT title.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Bobcats unable to shake off cold start, end their season against Louisiana

By Xavier Zamarron Sports Contributor

Texas State women’s basketball's (1514, 9-7 Sun Belt) season came to an end on Friday night as it fell to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (18-6, 10-4 Sun Belt) by a score of 71-46.

The Bobcats had a miserable start to the game, going scoreless for the first eight minutes before they managed to get on the board with a three-pointer from graduate forward Gabby Standifer.

However, by then Louisiana had already gone on a 12-0 run.

The Ragin' Cajuns were clearly focused on bottling up senior forward Da’Nasia Hood after her 33 point performance on Wednesday. Louisiana did a great job of denying passes inside and preventing Hood from getting any good post looks.

The Bobcats knew their season was on the line though and continued to claw back. A pair of triples from graduate guard Jo’Nah Johnson helped Texas State go on an 11-2 run in the second quarter to cut the lead to just three. The game was still in reach despite such a

Texas State redshirt senior guard Tianna Eaton (23) goes up for a three-pointer during a game against the University of Louisiana, Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats won in OT 72-71.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

cold start, something the Bobcats would surely take.

However, that’s as close as the game would get. Louisiana finished the first

half on a 7-0 run to take a 25-18 halftime lead.

After a three-pointer from sophomore guard Sierra Dickson brought the score

to 32-27 at the 4:37 mark in the third quarter, the Ragin' Cajuns went on a 13-0 run to pull away and essentially seal the game.

Senior guard Kennedy Taylor was the leading scorer for the Bobcats with 12.

Hood cracked double digits with 11 points but did so on 12 shot attempts.

Sophomore guard Makayia Hallmon led the way in scoring for Louisiana with 19 points, including three makes from distance. Freshman guard Lanay Wheaton wasn’t far behind with 18 points of her own on 8-11 shooting.

After the game Head Coach Zenarae Antoine lamented the loss, but also commended her team’s fight and perseverance throughout such a tough season.

“I thought this team was resilient,” Antoine said. “I thought that we had our peaks and valleys but at the end of the day, we had mostly peaks if you take a look at February. My biggest takeaway from this team in this second wave of COVID is that they’re resilient and that is something that anyone can carry with them whether it’s in the workplace or the basketball court.”

The University Star

8 |Tuesday, March 8, 2022

SPORTS

COMMUNITY

San Marcos Runners Club fosters companionship through fitness

By Xavier Zamarron Sports Contributor With the weather beginning to warm up, students and locals alike will start gravitating to life outside where they may pick up hobbies that seek to strengthen their physical and mental health like running.

While running is a simple enough exercise, the endorphins it provides keep people chasing that runner’s high.

For some runners, it’s nice to have a partner who can come along to share the journey. Some runners like to talk to each other, some feel safer with a partner beside them and some just like the accountability having a running buddy brings.

Brigitte Payne is someone who could relate to those sentiments, which is why she joined the San Marcos Running Club 16 years ago. Now, she holds the title as the organization's president.

As president, Payne has been tasked with getting the group up and running again after the pandemic forced it into a bit of a hiatus. The group met back up for the first time on Feb. 10 and has since maintained a consistent meeting schedule.

“We haven’t really been able to meet much these past few years with COVID and everything,“ Payne said. “This is our third run of the year so we’re just trying to get a feel for things right now, but there’s been good turnout.”

Payne is a New Orleans native and moved to San Marcos in 2006 following the wake of Hurricane Katrina. She’s been a runner all her life and wanted to find a community of people that shared her interest here in San Marcos. Luckily for her, she found out about the club and has been a member ever since.

Another longtime member of the club is Mark Brendalen. He joined the club around 2008 in an effort to meet new people. He’s happy to report 14 years later that he’s done just that.

“I really enjoy the social aspect, just getting to be a part of a group,” Brendalen said. “I actually even met my wife here, which is amazing.”

The San Marcos Runner's Club community is something many of the members expressed their appreciation for. Running is an activity that can be done alone, but it’s clear that people have a want for companionship when they go out on runs together.

The group is open to anyone interested in joining and is welcoming of all experience levels. While running is in the name, walking is perfectly acceptable too as the group understands everyone must start somewhere.

To join, those interested must submit an application online. Those in the organization also have access to a few perks.

The club is currently partnered with AquaBrew, which has hosted the group’s meetings this year. After every meeting, members are entitled to one free beverage from AquaBrew as a reward.

Members are also eligible to join the Moe Johnson Mileage Award Program, named in honor of the club’s founder, Moe Johnson. The award program incentivizes members to run as much as they can and keep track of their miles.

Once they reach 250 miles, they’re awarded a plaque specially designed by Payne herself.

Getting new members is something Payne is eyeing for the future. Currently, the group has 15-20 members show up at each meet. She said it’s been hard to keep the group together through the

Members of the San Marcos Runners Club pose for a photo on Thursday, March 3, 2022, in front of AquaBrew, These members are winners of the Moe Johnson Mileage Award Program.

PHOTO BY XAVIER ZAMARRON

pandemic, but she’s hopeful that life can return to normal so the runner's club can too.

“I’d like to expand the group more once we get things going again,” Payne said. “Once we get a rhythm going we’d like to get more people to come out … there’s been a few professors at Texas State who’ve been a part of the club. It'd be nice to get some students out here as well.”

One potential new member is Carmen Rios. She just recently moved into the San Marcos area from Pflugerville and has been having trouble finding someone to come out and run with her.

“I just recently moved into the area, and I was looking for people to run

with,” Rios said. “I had a running buddy before the move and sometimes my kids or my husband would come run with me, but not all the time, so it was really nice to find a group like this."

The San Marcos Runner's Club meets at 5:30 p.m. every Thursday in front of AquaBrew. Members run a three-mile route together that loops back to AquaBrew where everyone is encouraged to socialize after the run.

For more information on the San Marcos Runner's Club visit http:// sanmarcosrunners.org/ or the group's Facebook page.

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The University Star

Tuesday, March 8, 2022 | 9

SPORTS

FROM FRONT WOMEN IN SPORTS Joining Salzillo in bridging the gap in a male-dominated industry is Jill Williams who previously worked for Texas State Athletics’ Marketing and Promotions Department. Williams, a finance senior, is currently a photographer for the Sports Information Department and works for ESPN+ in marketing along as a broadcast production assistant.

“It’s kind of funny, because a lot of the people [I work with] are public relations or digital media majors, and I’m just a business major,” Williams said. “I’ve never been able to meet people in the field, especially women.”

Although Williams is getting her degree in finance, her past experience as the editor of her high school's yearbook team introduced her to sports photography. Following graduation, she took senior graduation portraits and came into Texas State wanting to continue to grow her photography skills.

Williams thought sports photography would stop for her after high school as she knew how much the field was dominated by men. Now, after being involved in various assets of the industry, her mindset has changed as she continues to see more women in the field.

“There's so many of us doing it now,” Williams said. “I see [women photographers] more than I see the [male] photographers I was used to seeing. So, it really is time for this evolution.”

Women continue to dominate sports at Texas State, and in Jillian Slaughter’s case, both on and off the court.

In January, Slaughter, who is also a middle blocker for Texas State volleyball, started a role as a marketing and promotions intern for Texas State Athletics where she takes photos at sporting events and posts live coverage on Texas State Bobcats' social media accounts.

Her job also entails office hours where she creates spreadsheets of weekly digital content and social media analytics.

“Some days, it does get hard,” Slaughter, a public relations senior, said. “[Being a student-athlete and sports media intern] takes a lot of time management and scheduling.”

A typical game day for Slaughter consists of morning workouts with the volleyball team, heading to class all day until about 4 p.m., and then rushing home to grab her equipment before heading back to campus to photograph a sporting event.

Slaughter's interest in photography

Texas State public relations senior Jillian Slaughter records the crowd for the Texas State Bobcats' Instagram story during a men's basketball game, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, at Strahan Arena. Slaughter was joining her volleyball teammates on the court as they threw free t-shirts to fans.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

Texas State finance senior Jill William works as a camera operator for ESPN+ during a women's basketball game, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, at Strahan Arena.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

spiked three years ago after getting her first camera. She’s currently minoring in art and has had the opportunity to take photography classes. Previously only taking travel and marriage proposal photos, she was interested in expanding her skills.

“I liked the idea of sports photography, and I like sports,” Slaughter said. “So, I was like, ‘let’s put these two together.”

After playing sports for the majority of her life, Slaughter said she never realized

the lack of women in the sports media field until she began her internship.

“Growing up in sports, I’m just always surrounded by women,” Slaughter said.

“So, I guess getting into [sports media], I'm coming to the realization that it isn't always like that.”

However, Salzillo, Williams and Slaughter, have not let the maledominated industry of sports media get in the way of their goals.

“Just because you’re a girl, doesn’t

mean we can’t do anything,” Slaughter said. “And just because it's sports, doesn’t mean you can’t be as good as men.”

With graduation approaching for the three seniors, they hope to continue their passion for sports media and make a career out of it. This fall, Salzillo is looking to move forward with the opportunity of a social media job in the NFL. Williams is hoping to have a career in sports photojournalism and eventually transition to a career in sports business. For Slaughter, she has her sights set on a job in sports media that would allow her to continue working with college athletics.

“The odds are always in your favor when you're doing what you want to do,” Salzillo said. “You can never lose with good and pure intentions. No matter if it's a male-dominated industry or not ... if sports is something that excites you, and you're a woman .... do it.”

SOCCER

Steve Holeman looks to bring new strategies to Texas State soccer

By Sophia Somoza Sports Contributor

Texas State soccer will be under new direction this season with Head Coach Steve Holeman who has taken over as the second-ever head coach in program history.

Prior to accepting the position at Texas State, Holeman served as the head coach of fellow Texas State University System school Lamar University from 2016-2021. During his term, he led the Cardinals to their first NCAA Division One Conference.

“I spent six years at Lamar and had some success there. Won four championships and then with the opportunity here at Texas State it seemed like a really good chance to kind of move up so here I am,” Holeman, who was named a two-time Southland Coach of the Year, said.

Holeman has been playing and coaching the sport for several years.

In college, Holeman played for Wake Forest University in North Carolina and in 1993 earned his first coaching job at Auburn University where he served as the program's interim head coach for one year, driving the program to a 7-6-3 record that season.

“I was fortunate enough to do really well as a youth and played at Wake Forest University which was a very strong program in the [Atlantic Coast Conference] and so we had a lot of success there,” Holeman said. “I was fortunate to become a division one

Texas State Soccer Head Coach Steve Holeman breaks out the team after the spring game against Texas, Saturday, March 5, 2022, at Bobcat Soccer Complex.

PHOTO BY VANESSA BUENTELLO

coach at a very young age and coach at Auburn University.”

He spent the next 20 years continuing his coaching career at several Southern Eastern Conference (SEC) schools including the University of Mississippi (1994-2009) and the University of Georgia ( 2010-2014).

When offered the job at Texas State, Holeman said he had no hesitation and was more than ready to be surrounded by the culture of San Marcos.

“When the position came open and the administration contacted me, I just learned a lot more about the school and the program and I really think there's

potential to do some great things here,” Holeman said.

Since Texas State soccer's inception in 1999, the program was led by former Head Coach Kat Conner who retired in November 2021 after 23 seasons.

Conner led the team to five regularseason conference championships and five conference tournaments. Shortly before Conner's retirement, Texas State soccer concluded its 2021 season 7-8-2 overall.

Going into his term, Holeman seeks to change the team's atmosphere by bringing in additional success while also maintaining high expectations from

current and incoming players. Joining the team this season are seven recruits from throughout the state.

“I'm still trying to evaluate the recruits that are coming in so as we build the program, I think we're going to be able to attract some high-level players,” Holeman said. “I want Texas State to be a national brand women’s soccer team.”

The Bobcats recently began their spring season and played their most recent game on March 5 against the Texas Longhorns. As he continues his term with Texas State and the Sun Belt Conference, Holeman has high hopes of gearing the team up to be strong competitors.

“Being in a strong conference in the Sun Belt and you know with the addition of four teams, the conference is getting stronger and stronger, but I think there's an opportunity to be very successful here,” Holeman said.

Soccer's official season will begin later this fall. Holeman said he expects nothing but great things from the team and looks back to getting Texas State on a winning streak.

“I know they've won several championships here historically. We kind of want to get back to the peak.

We want to be the team to beat in the conference and I think we want to you know get to the NCAA tournament and compete to play beyond the first round,” Holeman said.

Texas State's next spring match-up is set for 7 p.m. on March 26 against St. Mary's University in San Antonio.

10 |Tuesday, March 8, 2022 Natalie Ryan Multimedia Editor starmultimedia@txstate.edu

A protestor holds a sign during the March for Trans Youth, Wednesday, March 2, 2022, at the Stallions. The march was organized in response to Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent order directing state officials to handle gender-affirming treatment to minors as child abuse.

PHOTO BY LILIANA PEREZ

Zack Moreno replaces Texas State banners, Wednesday, March 2, 2022, outside Butler Hall.

Moreno works for Noble General Contractors, a construction management company that frequently works with Texas State.

PHOTO BY LILIANA PEREZ

The University Star

MULTIMEDIA

Texas State theater sophomore Sophia Jovanovic (left) and theater senior Zoë Barkhurst sand down a wooden prop to be painted, Wednesday, March 2, 2022, at the Theatre Center.

Barkhurst is doing this as part of her lab for a stagecraft and stage lighting class, and Jovanovic is volunteering.

PHOTO BY LILIANA PEREZ

Creighton Coyne (left) and Mango Carson of Elephant Ears perform while the crowd dances along, Friday, March 4, 2022, at Wake The Dead Coffee House.

PHOTO BY STEVEN PHIPPS