9-4-14

The Oracle THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2014 I VOL. 52 NO. 7

Inside this Issue

M A N A G I N G

Comic books for new readers.

Page 4

E D I T O R

In recent weeks, the images of police using rubber bullets, tear gas and flash grenades against pro-

testers in Ferguson, Missouri have brought the issue of police militarization to the forefront.

A recent records request by the collaborative news site MuckRock. com found over 100 college cam-

Montage

SP O RTS USF to face much more difficult opponent in Week 2. BACK

Oracle online Follow The Oracle on Twitter @USFOracle or take a photo of the QR code below with a QR reader app on your smartphone.

classifieds..............................................7 Crossword.........................................7 sports............................................................8

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Police militarization, equipment exchange program under fire on college campuses

By Roberto Roldan

LI F E STYLE

www.usforacle.com

The Index

News.................................................................1 Lifestyle......................................................4 Opinion.......................................................6

A military Humvee, such as the one owned by University Police, is one of many pieces of equipment local police departments can receive as part of a federal exchange program.

ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU

puses nation-wide currently participate in a federal program that gives campus police military grade weaponry, showing the issue is not just limited to city or county police.

USF University Police (UP) Public Information Officer Chris Daniel said UP has acquired a military Humvee and $2,000 worth of defense-grade assault rifles through a federal exchange program.

“All of our acquisitions are done with the intent of helping the community and dealing with emergency issues that arise,” Daniel said.

USF UP is not alone. FSU’s police department acquired a Humvee about a year ago and Florida International University has 50 M16 rifles and a mineresistant vehicle.

When asked why a mostly commuter school would need such equipment, an FIU Police Communications Manager Deanna Sydnor declined to comment.

The University of Florida also participates in what is called the Department of Defense Excess Property Program (1033 program). USF obtained its military equipment through a similar federal exchange program.

These programs not only provide local police departments with weapons, but they also provide them with everything from office equipment to generators.

Critics of the program are weary however, of the police rhetoric that the weapons and equipment acquisitions are for protecting the community.

The issue of police militarization has made its way to Capitol Hill recently with Georgia Rep. Hank Johnson unveiling a proposed bill that would stop the transfer of specific military equipment to local law enforcement.

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul also criticized police militarization in an op-ed he wrote for TIME magazine in late August, writing “the images and scenes we con-

n See POLICE on PAGE 3

USF studies virtual reality for patient rehabilitation

By Nataly Capote A S S T .

N E W S

E D I T O R

When first stepping onto the Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN), the user feels as though they’re standing inside a video game. When the screen lights up with the image of a cobblestone pathway and the split-belt treadmill begins to move, the user is thrust into a virtual reality with as many obstacles as everyday life.

CAREN, developed by a European medical company called Motek, is a physical rehabilitation machine that creates artificial environments to help test and treat patients.

Housed in the REED Lab at USF Health, it’s the first of its

kind in the state of Florida.

William Quillen, director of the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, said CAREN serves as the computerized version of old rehab methods such as traditional treadmills and external resistance weights, while capturing data about anything from a patient’s balance to their postural control.

“We’re just beginning to explore the potential, much less the limits, of the technology,” he said. “The ability to simultaneously treat and gain data on someone so as to be able to optimize programs for rehabilitation; that’s really the exciting forefront.”

The platform can change its

n See VIRTUAL on PAGE 2

The Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN) aids injured patients in the REED Lab at USF. ORACLE PHOTO / NATALY CAPOTE

2

T H U R S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 4 , 2 0 1 4

VIRTUAL

Continued from PAGE 1

slope and speed to match its environment or the patient’s capabilities. There are five virtual worlds built in so far, including a cobblestone path with flying birds as obstacles and a boat that patients can steer using sensors on their shoulders or by stepping on the force plates in the treadmill.

USF researchers are working with the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital and Draper Labs on campus, and the machine has already been used on patients with prosthetics, primarily below-theknee amputations, to help them return to their normal gait.

Stephanie Carey, a USF research professor in the College of Engineering, said she hopes they can treat patients with traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.

●

T H E O R AC L E

“We’re going to challenge (patients) by providing different obstacles within this virtual system,” said Seok Hun Kim, an assistant professor in the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences.

“We can help them to be ready to face different dynamic environments at home or at work.”

Those involved are working on writing research proposals to get students from engineering, physical therapy and clinical psychology involved, and some students are already working on developing hightech canes and prosthetics.

USF assistant professor Kyle Reed said CAREN significantly broadens the possibilities for treatment.

“It makes the testing of ideas significantly faster, and the whole virtual environment adds realism,” Reed said. “A lot of previous systems don’t have that realism. If you can make them feel that they’re in the right environment, it may have a better rehabilitation aspect.”

The Oracle needs news writers and photographers.

Contact

oracleeditor@gmail.com

T H U R S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 4 , 2 0 1 4

POLICE

Continued from PAGE 1

tinue to see in Ferguson resemble war more than traditional police action.”

Gage Lacharite, a member of USF Students for a Democratic Society, said local activists see police militarization as a response to the popularity of mainstream activism over the last couple of years.

“There is no new threat,” Lacharite said. “If you look at Occupy Wall Street or Ferguson, they are mostly peaceful protesters that they are using these things on.”

Adam Williams, a junior majoring in interdisciplinary social sciences, said he feels more intimidated than protected by the upgraded firepower of campus police departments.

“If you look at the history of crime at USF, it is more about sexual assaults … and drugs,” Williams said. “I don’t understand why we would need to respond to those things with more force.”

According to FSU Police Chief David Perry, the point of the program is not to scare students at all.

Perry, who is also the president

●

T H E O R AC L E

of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, said when the program is used in a responsible manner and by a responsible agency, it enhances the ability of the police to do their job.

“The 1033 program has assisted law enforcement agencies … in obtaining needed supplies, furniture, vehicles, officer protective apparel and tactical equipment that they would not otherwise be able to acquire,” Perry said.

Daniel echoed Perry’s sentiment and said USF’s police department has only used the military Humvee for operations such as pulling out people stuck in their cars after the campus flooded during a graduation ceremony in March.

According to Daniel, +UP specialty response officers are trained to use all the military equipment acquired from federal exchange programs.

“I understand the concern when you see stories about agencies who have this equipment they really have no need for and are using it improperly,” Daniel said.

“But as long as the agency at their particular institution is handling the equipment safely, students shouldn’t be concerned.”

3

Lifestyle

4

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

●

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 4 , 2 0 1 4

●

T H E O R AC L E

COMICS TO GET NEW FANS FLYING With legendary comic book companies Marvel and DC Comics setting cinemas alight with big budget blockbusters on what appears to be a regular basis, the once obscure world of comics is becoming much more mainstream.

By only watching the movies, film fans are missing out on the vast world of comics.

Since the 1930s, comic books have been delighting fans with story arcs such as the “Batman Detective” comics and “Marvel’s Civil War.” With digital comics and nifty smartphone and tablet apps, comic books have never been more accessible, making now the best time to go back to sneaking comics in class.

“The Amazing Spider-Man” Teenage genius Peter Parker has been slinging webs since the 50s, long before Andrew Garfield donned the iconic skin-tight suit. Spider-Man was created to appeal to the teenage crowd and the famous friendly neighborhood wall crawler has been through a lot since being bitten by that radioactive spider. Most recently he swapped bodies with his nemesis, Doctor Octopus, and ended up nearly dead. Now Peter is back in his suit and ready to once again defend his world.

The newest rendition, created by Dan Slott, Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba and Edgar Delgado, comes with a lot of refreshers into SpiderMan’s origin story making it a great place for newer Spidey GRAPHICS SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

fans to start.

— Commentary by Courtney Combs “Hawkeye” “The Avengers” made quite the splash when it hit theaters back in 2012. Now, with “The Avengers: Age of Ultron” in the works, fans of the films might do well to check in on one of the Avengers who doesn’t have his own films. “Hawkeye” premiered in August 2012 and was an instant hit among critics and fans everywhere.

The comic tells the story of what Clint Barton, the greatest sharpshooter known to man, does while he isn’t helping the Avengers save the world.

The series features stories by Matt Fraction and the art of David Aja and includes swift introductions to the major players of Clint’s entourage including the other Hawkeye, Kate Bishop, while not delving too far into Clint’s long and complicated past.

— Commentary by Courtney Combs “Batman” While Bat fans may be two years away from seeing Ben Affleck don the cowl in “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” the wait can be eased by picking up a copy of the current Batman run. With stories by Scott Snyder and pencils by Greg Capullo, the series has gotten the attention of fans as one of the most well executed, ongoing titles today. The reason Batman is consistently in the top five selling comics every month has to do with the way in

which Snyder is faithful to the history of Batman while still taking risks and exploring stories never before told, all of which is impressive for 75-year-old character.

The series is a perfect starting point for new readers and a new six-issue arc, “End Game,” will begin with Batman #35 in October.

— Commentary by Adam Mathieu “Rocket Raccoon” This summer, the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie stood out as the generally unheard of heroes became the highest grossing film of 2014. The Guardians are easy to adore and it is hard to pick a favorite, but the aggressive and foul Rocket Raccoon surely got the most laughs. The current series, written and penciled

by Skottie Young, manages to work in the same light and humor-heavy tone as the film, while skipping origins and thrusting readers into the bright-colored, fast-paced alien high jinks of Rocket. While other Guardians make cameos, it is Groot’s supporting role that contributes to the joy of picking up the series.

The humor and colorful art of the book allows the series to be enjoyed even by those who have never picked up a comic and want to escape into a fun space adventure with the gunwielding raccoon they enjoyed in “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

– Commentary by Adam Mathieu

T H U R S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 4 , 2 0 1 4

●

T H E O R AC L E

5

Opinion

6

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

●

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 4 , 2 0 1 4

●

T H E O R AC L E

Leaked photos raise questions Technology distracts about iCloud security in the classroom

Nataly Capote COLU M N I ST

accessible online.

Last Tuesday, Apple released a statement saying that the release of celebrity nude photos has nothing to do with a security breach, but the multinational corporation has several issues that are precisely what users are now questioning. For example, the limitless password attempts available through the “Find My iPhone” service. Still, an article recently published by TheBlaze TV stated Apple wants to emphasize the importance of “stronger passwords.”

The question now is whether these celebrity victims made things too easy for hackers or if Apple’s security measures are deeply flawed.

Fueled by the release of these photos, the FBI is taking the theft and distribution of these illegally obtained images more seriously — especially if one is a celebrity. That’s why a Forbes Magazine article written by Joseph Steinberg suggests users who aren’t celebrities need to be “even more careful,” because the privacy of civilians is treated far differently from that of celebrities.

Solutions to this problem include, for obvious reasons,

a stronger password. Apple users should also realize that in today’s world of information, nothing is 100 percent secure or trustworthy through iCloud, or on the Internet for that matter.

For reference, watch the movie “Sex Tape” featuring Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel. In the film, a couple accidentally uploads a sex tape to iCloud and can’t remove the video afterward. In the words of Segel’s character: “Nobody understands the cloud! It’s a f--ing mystery!”

This illustrates the number of people who don’t know how the Cloud works, but still use it. One could make the argument that, with the increase of technology and online storage availability, there comes an increase in the number of people who blindly trust storage services with sensitive information because everyone else is doing it.

As the Slate article mentions, “clouds are wispy and ephemeral, the very opposite of secure.”

Perhaps it is called “iCloud” for that very reason.

It is not uncommon to walk into a college classroom and find laptops open, tablets glowing and the occasional smartphone out.

However, one Dartmouth professor has had enough and requested technology be banned in the classroom.

Technology in the classroom is a constant distraction, and with a new generation of students who have never lived without a computer in their home, interaction with digital stimuli has made them more prone to distraction, according to the New York Times.

A study published in the journal Computers & Education found that technology not only distracts the user, but classmates as well.

Nataly Capote is a The study quizzed students who freshman majoring in were taking notes with a pen and mass c o m m u n i c a t i o n s. paper, while some students were sitting next to laptop users and others were not. The study found that the students sitting near comthe University of South Florida’s student newspaper since 1966 puters scored 17 percent less than The Oracle is published Monday through Thursday those who were not. during the fall and spring semesters, and twice weekly, Monday and Thursday, during the summer.

Editor in Chief: Alex Rosenthal ............................ oracleeditor@gmail.com Dan Rockmore, a colleague of the protesting Dartmouth profesThe Oracle allocates one free issue to each student.

Managing Editor: Roberto Roldan .................. oraclemeditor@gmail.com Additional copies are $.50 each and available at the sor, is one of many instructors Oracle office (SVC 0002). who have a personal technology News Editor: Wesley Higgins ......................... oraclenewsteam@gmail.com

BY PHONE ban in their lectures, stating he Sports Editor: Vinnie Portell ........................ oraclesportseditor@gmail.com Main . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 974-6242 feels there is no benefit. Aside Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

974-5190 from being a distraction, the eduLifestyle Editor: Courtney Combs .......... oraclelifestyleeditor@gmail.com News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 974-1888 cational advantages to in-class Sports ................

974-2842 tech use are limited, suggesting Opinion Editor: Brandon Shaik .......................... oracleopinion@gmail.com Lifestyle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 974-2398 Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . .

974-2620 there is no place for computers in Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

974-6242 the classroom.

Copy Editors: Grace Hoyte, Grace Korley Website: usforacle.com A recent study from Princeton Facebook: facebook.com/usforacle Multimedia Editor: Adam Mathieu compared the results of a lecture Twitter: @USFOracle quiz between students who took Graphic Arts Manager: Chelsea Stulen notes using a computer and those CORRECTIONS The Oracle will correct or clarify factual errors. who took handwritten notes. The

It’s nothing new: celebrity nudes have been leaked plenty of times before. The recent exposure of actresses such as Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton and Kirsten Dunst, have started a debate over the security of Apple’s iCloud, a service that has over 320 million users.

Articles around the Internet are blaming the corporation for being untrustworthy; Slate Magazine writer, David Auerbach, claims that Apple is “misrepresenting the security it can offer to its users.”

Though users are asked to answer a slew of questions if they forget their passwords, in the case of most celebrities, the answers to questions such as “name of first car” are easily

the Oracle

Contact Editor in Chief Alex Rosenthal at 974-5190.

Brandon Shaik COLU M N I ST

study found that students who handwrote their notes performed better, explaining that typing notes encourages verbatim transcription instead of processing the information.

Though some professors strongly suggest students not use laptops in class, Education Portal, a website that provides online courses through universities, suggests if students must use computers during lecture, they should only utilize the programs relevant to the course and learn to multitask better.

U.S. students pay an average of $22,826 a year in tuition and fees at public universities, a high price tag for scrolling through Facebook in a classroom instead of at home.

In 2008, the University of Chicago Law School retaliated against the technology revolution by cutting off the Wi-Fi, claiming they were encouraging students to engage in discussions.

Campus-wide computer bans might seem a little brash when initially introduced, but the advantages outweigh the loss, which lasts the length of a lecture. Students should be willing to devote their time to being present and engaged while in class, and they will reap the rewards of their investment. While having the Internet may seem like having the world at the click of a mouse, real-life communication provides more opportunity to learn.

Brandon Shaik is a senior majoring in psychology.

Classifieds UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

To place a classified ad go to ANNOUNCEMENTS Prove You Are A Rock!

OrangeTheory - fresh ideas is looking for: + Marketing Intern + Graphic Design Intern + Interactive Designer OrangeTheory - fresh ideas provides unique training opportunities and an internship with real world experience. Upon leaving, you will be well on your way to a career is marketing and digital media!

All internships have a flexible schedule and last for a semester. For more information, please email us at info@otheory.com

PETS AND ANIMALS The Lodge at New Tampa, an upscale boarding and daycare facility for dogs needs parttime employees to work mornings or afternoons/evenings.

Must be able to work weekends. Great job for preveterinary students to gain animal experience.

Job entails cleaning, exercising and possible daycare duties. Job requires a person who is not afraid to work hard. Application available on our website, thelodgefordogs. com under Contact Us. Fill out application and bring to The Lodge in person. 15403 Morris Bridge Road Thonotosassa. Approx. 10 miles from campus.

APTS & HOUSES FOR RENT Condo For Rent Sunridge Palms Condo, 3/2.5, across from campus on 50th St. Available immediately, reasonable rent.

Call (727) 793-5154

●

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 4 , 2 0 1 4

http://www.usforacle.com/classifieds HELP WANTED

Veterinary Tech/Assistant Veterinary Tech/Assistant or Receptionist needed for animal hospital close to campus.

Part-time or full-time.

Experience a plus, but will train.

Email resume to acahhiring@gmail.com.

Email acahhiring@gmail.com Part Time x 4 positions Customer Service/Social Media /Webmaster /Inventory Manager About us: We are a young and vibrant startup, operating a busy International Online store. We have over 250k FB fans, 4k+ twitter followers and 1M+ Youtube channel views. We are headquartered in Tampa and have branch/sales offices in California, Georgia and in India. Our Tampa office is 5.6 miles from USF and easily accessible using public transport.

About the Position: Social Media Manager: 20hrs a week. Pay $8-$12/hr Webmaster: 20hrs/week, Pay $10+ Inventory Manager: 20hrs/week, Pay $8+ Customer Service Agent:. 20-30hrs a week, Pay $8+ Please email your resume to hello@happybirdsinc.com Math tutor needed for grades K-12.

Starts at $8.25/hr. Email resume, name of last completed math class, and schedule to newtampa@mathnasium.com (813) 644-7282

Part Time Medical Assistant Needed!

Looking for a part time medical assistant near the USF area. Training will be provided.

10-15 hours per week, $9 per hr., Must have Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday availability! Spanish speaker preferred.

Please call, (813) 932-5389.

FRONT DESK STAFF WANTED PART TIME FOR FRONT OFFICE OF A COSMETIC SURGERY CENTER AND MEDISPA IN TAMPA. MUST HAVE EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS, PLEASANT PHONE SKILLS, AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL. MUST BE BILINGUAL. SALES EXPERIENCE A PLUS. PLEASE FORWARD RESUME TO USFRESUMES@YAHOO.COM

Crossword

WEBMASTER WANTED FULL TIME FOR A COSMETIC SURGERY CENTER AND MEDISPA IN TAMPA TO MAINTAIN AND PROVIDE SUPPORT ON INTERNET SITE. IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL BE ABLE TO EMAIL, PROMOTE CLIENT WEBSITE ONLINE, AND BE COMPUTER SAAVY. FORWARD RESUME TO USFRESUMES@ YAHOO.COM

AVILA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Seeking a part-time, outgoing, and positive individual to work in the tennis pro shop and perform light court maintenance.

Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 3pm-8pm Saturdays 8am-5pm.

813-968-6792 or tennis@avilagolf.com LAB TECH ASSISTANT Needed.

FT/PT positions. Near HCC Brandon Campus. Gain science experience and work around classes.

Experience not necessary. Work minimum 20 hours M-F, 8 am - 5 pm. $9/hr. E-mail resume with work schedule availability to hr@randglabs.com.

CHILD CARE EXPERIENCED BABYSITTER Part time nanny needed. Education/childhood development students are preferred.

References are required.

Please call: 813-786-2180

●

T H E O R AC L E

7

Sports

8

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

●

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 4 , 2 0 1 4

●

T H E O R AC L E

Football

Men’s Soccer

USF faces tougher task in Week 2 Bulls aim for upset

By Jacob Hoag A S S T .

S P O R T S

E D I T O R

As the confetti settles in the locker room of USF, coach Willie Taggart and his team know that a win’s a win, but they have a much harder task ahead of them in Week 2.

After their 36-31 victory over Western Carolina, the Bulls have gained confidence that their program is on the rise after finishing last year with an abysmal 2-10 record.

“I’m really proud of our players and how they responded to a tough first half,” Taggart said. “I’m sure it probably felt like last year, but the sidelines didn’t feel the same way as last year, which was encouraging for me.”

Though the Bulls have the nation’s leading rusher on their team, they have major struggles that need to be fixed heading into their matchup with the Maryland Terrapins.

The most glaring issue is the inconsistent passing game. In USF’s season opener, sophomore quarterback Mike White was rushing his throws, not setting his feet and not making the simple throws he made confidently in practice earlier that week.

“I was watching the film over and over with the coaches and it looks like I just didn’t get the chance to get my feet set and get comfortable,” White said. “I didn’t get into a groove until the second half.”

This was in part to senior wide receiver Andre Davis leaving the game before halftime. Davis could miss this week as well, listed as “day-today” with a bruised sternum.

Davis’ injury could result in increased opportunities for the other components of the offense. Players like sophomore transfer Rodney Adams and senior Deonte Welch would likely have more targets and would be expected to fill the void if Davis can’t go.

The Bulls narrowly escaped

By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S

Sophomore safety Nate Godwin said the defense is expecting Maryland’s offense to be similar to that of Western Carolina. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU last week’s game with a win against a subpar team. This week, the Bulls go up against a team that defeated James Madison 52-7 last week.

“They’re a spread team similar to Western Carolina … they run the zone read and the quarterback will (keep) it,” sophomore safety Nate Godwin said. “The quarterback probably isn’t as athletic as Western Carolina’s, but they’re similar in that way.”

While these offenses may be similar, the Terrapins’ defense is what makes them the much tougher opponent.

Anchoring the defensive front is senior Andre Monroe who leads returning FBS players in sacks per game (.63).

Monroe had a team leading 9.5 sacks for the Terrapins last season.

On the offensive side, Maryland has been excellent at sustaining drives, a task USF was unable to do against Western Carolina.

The Terrapins averaged eight

plays per drive against James Madison, converting 50 percent of their third downs.

For USF, the offense will lean on its three-headed rushing attack. Taggart hasn’t named a starter for Week 2, but he said seeing freshman Marlon Mack as a starter, along with sophomore Darius Tice and freshman D’Ernest Johnson, isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

“We said coming in it was running back by committee, but we see something special in (Mack) and we’d be a fool not to continue to use him,” Taggart said.

Mack, who rushed for a record-tying 275 yards last week, has made a name for himself early on in his career.

He was able to start after Tice, the projected starter, wasn’t able to play. Mack may have stolen the show Saturday night, but he wasn’t the only new Bull to make an impact in the win.

USF’s leading rusher (Mack), tackler (Nigel Harris), receiv-

er (Adams) and interceptions leader (Jamie Byrd) were all players who were not on the Bulls roster in 2013. The Bulls have brought in great talent that could help them win more games this season.

One of the key matchups in Week 2 will be senior cornerback Chris Dunkley, who has only started one game at the position, against Maryland receiver Stefon Diggs.

Entering his third season as the primary receiver, Diggs has had 88 receptions and nine touchdowns for the Terrapins.

“We left (Dunkley) over there on an island a lot, but I think he held up,” Godwin said. “They kept throwing some great throws, but he came up and made some great tackles.”

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:35 p.m. Saturday at Raymond James Stadium. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

E D I T O R

USF opened its season Friday with a 0-2 loss at Florida Gulf Coast University. Today, the men’s soccer team will look to win its first match of the season when the team hosts Akron in the home opener.

Akron is receiving votes to be ranked in the top 25 teams in the nation according to the NCAA coaches’ poll, but the Bulls don’t let rankings intimidate them.

“We don’t pay too much attention to that,” senior defender Wesley Charpie said.

“Any team we play, we have the same mindset. Coach reiterates that every day in practice, but it does mean a lot because we want to beat a good team and show everyone what we’re about this year.”

Akron has advanced to seven straight NCAA tournaments, establishing a strong history of success. But this season, the team is off to a rough start having lost both of their exhibition matches as well as the first match of the season.

Senior midfielder Lucas Baldin said the team will be amped up for their first home game and the home-field advantage could give the team the spark it needs to defeat Akron.

“This is a great atmosphere we have at Corbett,” Baldin said. “I’m excited to see our fans packing the stadium. To play in our home field with our crowd is the best feeling anyone could have.”

While Charpie said the team tries not to pay attention to rankings, he admitted his teammates are ready to take advantage of the opportunity.

“It means a lot, it’s a big game,” Charpie said. “It’s a good team and we want to make a statement.”