Basketball Preview

THE ORACLE

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U N I V E R S I T Y O F S O U T H F L O R I DA

Sanders shows support of Gillum’s gubernatorial campaign

By Alyssa Stewart A S S I S T A N T

N E W S

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Despite a shirtless protestor’s better efforts, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) stuck to his message of the importance of voter turnout when he campaigned in Campus Recreation, showing his support of Tallahassee Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum.

Although Gillum was not present, fellow Democratic candidates, including his running mate Chris King and attorney general candidate Sean Shaw, assisted Sanders in stressing to the crowd of about 700 people the importance casting their ballots.

Out of the 857,266 Hillsborough county active registered voters, 2,265 have cast their votes so far for early voting, creating a 28.53 percent voting rate, according to the unofficial turnout form

on the Hillsborough County website.

Shaw led a small group of people after the rally to the early voting polling location at The Yuengling Center.

Phones were raised high to take pictures of Sanders, but he wasted no time for publicity when he approached the platform stating, “Let me get to the point, how’s that?”

Sanders spoke to the USF crowd stating that the current generation of young people is the most progressive generation in the history of America.

“Your generation is leading this country in the struggles against racism, in the struggle against sexism, and the struggle against homophobia, religious bigotry, and your generation understands what (President) Donald Trump does not — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) led a rally on campus Wednesday in support of gubernatorial candidate which is that climate change is

Andrew Gillum. ORACLE PHOTO/THOMAS PRETTYMAN

No fly zone?

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Members of the Women’s and Gender Studies Department are mobilizing efforts that call for the cancellation of “I Believe I Can Fly” singer R. Kelly’s on-campus concert.

By Jesse Stokes E D I T O R

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R. Kelly is a Grammy-Awardwinning R&B artist, known for hits like “I Believe I Can Fly” and “Bump N’ Grind,” is set to perform at The Yuengling Center on Nov. 10.

He also has a troubled record

of alleged sexual misconduct.

That is where some of the individuals in the Women and Gender Studies Department take issue.

Of them is Aisha Durham, a professor in the Communication Department, who also teaches some Women’s and Gender Studies courses.

Durham and her peers have mobilized a campaign calling for the cancellation of R. Kelly’s concert on campus. Their petition to do so has already received over 100 signatures of their 500-signature goal.

“I think that R. Kelly is the Bill Cosby of black American music,” Durham said. “I am

saying that, in this moment, whether we are talking about #MeToo, #TimesUp or just thinking about hate speech in general, R. Kelly’s songs, while they report to be love songs, are really melodies of misogyny.”

Some of the past allegations against Kelly include him having relations with a 14-year-

old girl, grooming young women for a “sex cult” and an arrest at his Polk County home in 2002 where he was charged, and later acquitted of, 30 counts of child pornography.

The allegations do not stop there, however. Just earlier this

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The Oracle THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1966

Editor in Chief Jesse Stokes @JesseStokes813

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Maria Ranoni @ByMariaRanoni

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Opinion Editor

Aida Vazquez-Soto

Staff Writers

Matthew Cutillo Alyssa Stewart Brian Hattab

Graphic Artists Avery Dyen Jessica Thornton

Advertising Sales Skyler Nickols Katelyn Williams

The Oracle is published Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and once weekly, Wednesday, during the summer.

The Oracle allocates one free issue to each student. Additional copies are $.50 each and available at the Oracle office (SVC 0002).

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SG hoping to turn a profit after funding a $35,000 conference

Student Government is funding a leadership conference in March, which is being initially funded by student fees.

By Maria Ranoni N E W S

E D I T O R

Student Government (SG) is currently awaiting approval of another recently passed unallocated cash request that will fund a conference hosting SG members from around the country.

The request totals $37,100, which includes a 6 percent overhead charge of $2,100.

This passed Senate on Oct. 16 with 28 voting yes, zero voting no and five abstaining — due to being absent from the room during the discussion period — after a presentation given by Senate President Pro Tempore Yousef Afifi.

This money will come from the Activity and Service (A&S) fee unrestricted reserve account.

The A&S fee is included in every student’s tuition — it totals about $12 per credit hour and $7 per semester. This means that a student taking 15 credit hours in a particular semester would pay about $188 in The conference will require non-USF students who wish to participate to pay a registration fee of $200, total for this fee. which is where SG expects to make a profit. ORACLE FILE PHOTO The conference, Suncoast Student Government Summit days in the Marshall Student Center request from other requests that is much less restricted in terms (SSGS) — named this because (MSC), charges for a 50-block have come before us,” Afifi said. of what we can and can’t utilize Tampa is in the Suncoast region reservation at the on-campus Afifi said if this conference funding for,” Afifi said. of Florida — is slated to take place Embassy Suites and transportation is something that SG decides to Dean of Students Danielle March 7 to 10 and is intended to for attendees from the hotel to the continue, this profit can be used to McDonald said that she and SG host SG members and advisors MSC. fund it in the future. want this conference to be planned from a wide geographical area. This However, Afifi said he does not “I recognize that I’m here talking well so it is the best use of funds and area stretches from Philadelphia expect to have to pay for any hotel consistently about why our budget would help USF’s reputation. to Florida to just west of Texas, charges because it only needs to be is tight, why we should clamp down “We’re still waiting to get some according to Afifi. paid if a certain percentage of rooms on certain things, make very cost- of the details to see if this is being Given this large area, Afif said are not booked. effective decisions,” Afifi said. “You planned in the best way possible for at the Oct. 16 Senate meeting that Non-USF students that choose might have those same concerns this year, or whether it’s something about 300 people will be invited to to attend SSGS will be charged about this conference right here. we need to spend a little bit more attend SSGS. $200 and because of service fees All I’ll tell you is, even though the time working on,” McDonald said.

“It gives a boost in terms of the that will be applied, SG will actually budget is tight, this is not like other As per A&S funding guidelines, fact that we’re preeminent,” Afifi make $192 per person. This means requests, because this is one request this event will be open to all said. “It’s really good momentum that if 300 people go, SG will make that we’re making money off of.” students and Afifi said some of the to feed off on. It highlights our SG.” $57,600, a $20,500 profit when However, this potential profit programming will be geared toward Afifi said that $13,350 of this the unallocated cash request is is not guaranteed and depends on non-SG students. money will go toward paying for five deducted. attendance. If a profit is made it According to the tentative meals for a potential 300 attendees “Even if we don’t make money would go into Senate’s auxiliary programming schedule, there are — based off a quote provided by off this, the actual attempt to garner account. panels that will discuss resume tips Aramark — promotional items, a profit in itself differentiates this “Our auxiliary is something that and conflict resolution, along with booking fees for 13 rooms for three

more SG-specific panels.

However, the current dates that SSGS will be held fall on the Thursday through Sunday right before Spring Break begins on March 11.

According to McDonald, as long as the topics presented at the conference are ones that any student could benefit from, then this would be an appropriate use of A&S funds.

“It depends on the program, and that’s something I’m waiting to see before I can pass any judgment on whether it meets the qualifications of what an A&S fee should be used for,” Mcdonald said.

Afifi has not reached out to other university’s SGs yet since the details are not finalized, but he said he did talk to some schools informally while at a conference at the University of Florida and it was received well.

Student Body President Moneer Kheireddine has signed off on the request, but he told The Oracle that he is still discussing with Senate whether or not this event is feasible and whether it will actually be moving forward at this point.

In an interview this week, Afifi said there are no issues in regard to the feasibility of the event as opposed to what Kheireddine said.

Vice President of Student Affairs and Student Success Paul Dosal still has to approve or deny the request, however, since it exceeds $25,000.

This is a new procedure that was added this semester.

Afifi said that Dosal endorses the conference but Dosal said in an email to The Oracle that he would “consult with a few key stakeholders” before making a decision on whether to approve the cash request.

“We’re a premier SG in the United States,” Afifi said. “We just don’t get recognized or known for that. This will definitely put us on the map in that regard.”

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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) greets members of the crowd in attendance at Wednesday’s rally. ORACLE PHOTO/THOMAS PRETTYMAN very real,” Sanders said.

However, Sanders was not impressed with the low USF polling results so far, stating that it is “pathetic.”

“Your views do not mean anything unless you participate in a political process and come out to vote,” Sanders said.

“Your generation is the one that is going to be the most impacted by the decisions that are happening today.”

Sanders said four years ago, the U.S. had the lowest voter turnout since WWII, which meant that almost two out of three Americans did not participate in the election.

Sanders said he supports increasing teacher’s salaries and reducing student debt instead of reducing the tax bracket for billionaires, which he states Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis is promoting.

“Andrew (Gillum) and I believe that in America, you should not be punished for getting a higher education,” Sanders said.

Women raised “Women for Gillum” signs high when Sanders said it should not be a governmental decision to alter women’s rights.

Sanders delved further into politics stating that it is an “international embarrassment”

that America does not guarantee healthcare and subsequently stated that Gillum would move the state in that direction.

Coincidentally, Trump was also campaigning in Fort Myers on the same day.

“You guys have the potential to make history, the entire country is looking at Florida — that is the reason why Trump is here today,” Sanders said. “The Republicans are deathly afraid that Gillum is going to win and our job is to bring about their worst nightmare and elect Andrew Gillum.”

When speaking about his views on immigration, the criminal justice system and healthcare, Sanders said it is no secret that he disagrees with Trump on virtually everything.

“What Trump is trying to do in this country today for a president is unprecedented,” Sanders said. “Your sacred duty as a president is to bring the American people together.”

Sanders said America has suffered too much in all forms of discrimination, but he plans on moving forward, instead of backward.

“Tell them you are sick and tired of hearing jokes about Trump, this is no time for jokes,” Sanders said. “This is a time to stand up, fight back and vote.”

R. Kelly is currently slated to perform at The Yuengling Center Nov. 10. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE year, Kelly’s ex-wife, Andrea Kelly, said in an interview on The View, that years of alleged abuse at the hand of her husband left her suicidal at times.

Durham said her experience as a “hip-hop feminist” and survivor of sexual misconduct legitimize her stance.

“I want to emphasize what I am saying, not just as some old auntie professor who is say, ‘stop that music,’” Durham said. “This is coming from someone who identifies as a survivor, from someone who has done not only grassroots work in terms of my research as a hip-hop feminist, but also as a communication educator, knowing the power, significance and consequences of words.”

Durham said that she hopes members of the USF and Tampa Bay communities realize that though popular culture and musicians have the power to “illuminate,” they also have the power to “oppress.”

“In some ways, when we are saying ‘yes’ to R. Kelly coming to USF, we are also saying that it is OK to spew hate and to create an

environment that makes people who are already vulnerable more susceptible to other forms of violence,” Durham said.

Durham said that even though The Yuengling Center is being rented out to the South Carolina-based Victory Promotions and BenHated, LLC, she still feels that they, and the university, hold some of the responsibility for who performs in their space.

“I think that if the Yuengling Center, in association with USF, agrees to have the concert of R. Kelly, then USF and the Yuengling Center are saying that we are open to any speaker, regardless of the hateful messages that any speaker or artist promotes,” Durham said.

“I think it is affirming hate speech.”

However, University Spokesperson Adam Freeman said in an email to The Oracle that the university has nothing to do with who is booked at The Yuengling Center and deferred all questions to The Center’s management company.

“The organization that

manages the Yuengling Center, Tampa Bay Entertainment Properties (TBEP), is responsible for overseeing and managing the facility’s operations, including event bookings,” Freeman said in the email. “The university does not actively participate in booking events.”

However, after repeated attempts via email, officials at TBEP did not respond to The Oracle’s request for comment.

Regardless, Durham stood by her message and said that a college campus of any kind should not welcome someone with the track record of Kelly.

“R. Kelly has had repeated sexual allegations about misconduct, in terms of grooming girls and battering young women, and I just don’t think that our campus should be hosting and should be welcoming a person who basically cultivates an environment that makes it vulnerable for girls and women, and particularly, girls and women of color,” Durham said.

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Laksa brings world-class experience to USF

Kitija Laksa returns for her senior season at USF and could set a scoring record for the Bulls. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/GOUSFBULLS

By Brian Hattab S T A F F

W R I T E R

Kitija Laksa does not come from a traditional basketball country.

Yet, basketball has been around the Riga, Latvia, native her whole life.

“My dad played professionally, now he’s a youth coach,” Laksa said. “My mom used to play as well. She’s a youth coach … my brother plays professionally as well now, in Spain. There was no pressure for me to play basketball. But it was just there — available and around.”

While Latvia may not be considered a basketball powerhouse by most Americans, Laksa said it’s gradually getting there.

“It’s growing,” Laksa said. “I come from a small country — we have less than two-million inhabitants — and the territory is smaller than Florida. All of that together, for people in the United States, it’s just hard to imagine, ‘How’s it even possible?’

Some big [American] cities have two million inhabitants.

“For us, we are not as many.

But even in the sports and the things we do, we’re pretty good

at [them]. We have top athletes in every single sport.”

For her part, Laksa has become one of the top athletes in USF’s program history. She is sixth all-time in scoring with 1,715 points, second in all-time field goal percentage and first all-time in free throw percentage. Laksa needs 687 points to tie Jessica Dickson for the most all-time points in program history.

Despite the obvious implications of setting such a record, Laksa has her eyes on the bigger picture.

“It would mean a lot, but that’s definitely not something

I’m focusing on,” Laksa said. “I’m not focusing on me right now.

I have done me — I have made shots, I have broken some kind of records personally...I want to win games. I want to kind of take the next step toward going deeper in the NCAA tournament.”

While Laksa represents her country every day at USF as one of the most prominent Latvian students on campus, she’s also had numerous chances to represent her country on Latvia’s national teams. Prior to coming to USF, Laksa already had experience playing for Latvia’s senior national team in addition to playing on Latvia’s U16, U18 and U20 national teams.

Most recently, Laksa participated in the FIBA World Cup in September. Latvia’s appearance in the tournament was its first in what is considered the premiere international basketball tournament.

“It means a lot to me, definitely,” Laksa said. “The pride is the first thing. And just being grateful for the opportunities that I’ve gotten.

I’ve played in a couple of European championships and this one was my first World Cup. For me, my country — men’s or women’s basketball. So it does mean a lot to represent my country, put that uniform on and sing the national anthem before every game. It means a lot.”

Latvia lost all three games in its inaugural World Cup appearance, though two of them were decided in the dying seconds of the game.

Laksa put up 31 points over 77 minutes during the three games, third-best on the team in both categories.

“It was an amazing experience that I would not change for

anything,” Laksa said. “Of course, we did not end up playing as well as we wanted to.

Losing the first two games in the last couple of seconds — that hurts. That hurts a lot. And the last game against USA was just there to enjoy because we were pretty much done after the first two losses.”

Laksa’s experiences are definitely appreciated by her teammates.

“It’s awesome,” said redshirt senior Laura Ferreira, who has international experience playing for Portugal’s national team. “Playing with a top player every day, working hard with her, learning stuff from her, it’s awesome. I like it.”

When Laksa first joined the Bulls for the 2015-16 season, she was the youngest player on the team at age 19. Now a senior, Laksa is still not the oldest member of the team — that honor goes to the redshirted Ferreira — but she is the clear face of the team.

Her face appears on all of USF’s marketing posts and on almost every page of this year’s media guide. It’s been a wild ride to the top for Laksa.

“I’ve learned so much. I’ve grown so much. I’m not even talking about school and basketball. It’s just, as a person, I’ve developed,” Laksa said.

“Definitely all this experience I’ve had here at USF, I wouldn’t change it. I would not go to a different school … [USF] has made me realize how things work and how to become a better person, a better basketball player and it has been just about growth here.”

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Collins looks to others for inspiration, set to be a leader for USF

By Jeremy Johnson

C O R R E S P O N D E N T

Growing up, David Collins always looked up to his family for influence. His mother, Dorothy Collins, is the alltime leading scorer for both men and women’s basketball programs at Youngstown State University. His sister, Doriyon, also played basketball through college.

He was inspired by his family.

“My sister was pretty good and so was my mom,” Collins said. “I just always aspired to be a good basketball player like them.”

Collins was named to the AAC All-Rookie team last season after he averaged 10 points per game, shot nearly 50 percent from the field and had a 41.7 percent three-point average. The only players who scored more than him were graduate transfers Stephan Jiggetts (12.5) and Payton Banks (11.4). They’ve both used up their NCAA eligibility and aren’t playing for USF anymore.

Collins recognizes that he will have to step up this season. Some players might see themselves in this position and try to emulate some bigname basketball players.

Instead of looking up to Lebron James, Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, Collins said he was impacted by players he knows personally.

“In high school, I had a friend named Mark Hughes, he was the first person I saw

with a similar story to me.

People didn’t think much of him,” Collins said. “He ended up playing at a division one school. After that, I felt like I could do it for sure.”

Collins said he and Hughes practiced together every day and that his teammate was another inspiration in his basketball career.

Hughes plays for Wright State, which was a No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament last season. He scored 340 points last season — Collins scored 269.

After playing basketball at Youngstown Ursuline High School for three years, Collins transferred to First Love Christian Academy in Washington, Penn. for his senior season where he met yet another teammate who inspired him — Prince Oduro.

According to Collins’ high school coach at First Love, Khayree Wilson, the pair would push each other to be better.

“They thrived off each other,” Wilson said. “They held each other accountable to a high standard, which I think trickled down to the rest of the team. That team was very special that year, we went 24-3. We were a great team all around, it wasn’t just about basketball.”

Oduro plays for Siena College in New York and scored 283 points his freshman season.

After his final high school season, Collins found himself thriving in a different

David Collins was the third-highest scorer for USF last season. This year, he’s poised to step up as a leader on the team. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/GOUSFBULLS environment at USF with another group of players who helped make him better.

“We had a lot of older guys last year, so I was just trying to learn. I wanted to get what I could get from them,” Collins said. “I was trying to find my way and find a place that I fit in at. I think that helped, because we had [Jiggetts] and he was a good guy who is very smart. [Banks] as well as some other players helped, too.”

It’s likely that Collins will find someone on his team this season who will help

him thrive, just like he has since he was in high school.

He might even find players on the team to emulate like he did his mother and sister in eighth grade. It’s also possible that, for the first time, Collins becomes the leader at USF that other players can learn from.

“We are really young, so some people are going to have to take up the leadership roles and help the young guys,” Collins said. “It’s not like we are too much older than them.

We are all still learning, but we

are taking it step-by-step.”

Collins’ and USF’s goal for this season is to change the culture for USF basketball and to lead by example.

Collins wants to play a part in improving the program.

“We want to change the culture here and bring the culture up, we have to lead by example. We can’t be one foot in and one foot out if we really want to make a change,” Collins said. “I always try to win, the competitive nature of the game fuels me.”

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With his own batch of recruits, Gregory looks to turn men’s basketball around

By Steven Gerardy

C O R R E S P O N D E N T

Coach Brian Gregory enters his second season at the helm of the USF men’s basketball team.

With hard work and discipline, he anticipates stacking yet another block onto the foundation that he started building last season.

For Gregory, the only way to continue building the USF men’s basketball team is through constant high-energy days on and off the court.

“If the coaches and myself aren’t bringing it, it’s hard for the guys,” Gregory said. “The good thing for us is that we have a team that plays with a lot of energy and intensity. Practice for me has to be intense, has to be fun.”

Teaching is important to Gregory. He learned how to impact lives growing up in Mount Prospect, Ill., from his parents, who still live in his childhood home. Gregory knew that leading people in a positive way was going to be a life-long road for him to travel on, impacting young people’s lives, just like his parents.

“I come from an educated family,” Gregory said. “My father was an educator, my mother was a counselor. I grew up watching my parents change people’s lives.”

He took his background in education with him throughout his own scholastic career.

After averaging 17 points and seven assists per game during his time at Hersey High School, Gregory went to the Naval

Academy, played on an Elite Eight team, and had the chance to play with NBA Hall-of-Famer David Robinson.

“When I got to the Naval Academy I realized I was in a very special place,” Gregory said.

“There are very few things that happen on a daily basis that don’t go back to something during my one year at the Academy.”

Gregory transferred to Oakland University after his freshman year at the Naval Academy where he graduated with a degree in secondary education. Gregory’s attention-todetail teaching philosophy took shape at Michigan State under Jud Heathcote and alongside the current coach Tom Izzo.

Gregory finally got a chance

to put his passion for teaching to use.

“I owe Jud [Heathcoate] everything,” Gregory said. “He gave me the opportunity of a lifetime.”

The preparation, work ethic and intensity that Gregory was surrounded by at Michigan State were the key components, he said, that build long-lasting success. Gregory speaks to his players about a way of living life on and off the court.

“If we do things with a disciplined lifestyle, that’s not just in practice, that’s everywhere, it’s going to give you a good chance to be successful,” Gregory said.

Gregory won a national title at Michigan State in 2000. He moved onto Dayton as the head

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coach in 2003 and coached in the NCAA tournament twice, winning an NIT title in 20092010. Before taking the job at USF, Gregory coached for five seasons in the ACC at Georgia Tech.

Gregory has a young team.

The squad has only four upperclassmen and nobody in the program has been with the team for more than 16 months.

He calls this year’s roster his “first class and a half of recruits.”

“Those guys like LaQuincy [Rideau], T.J. [Lang], Justin Brown and David [Collins], those guys that said yes to us in the spring when we got the job, that’s a unique group,” Gregory said.

Gregory is hoping to build

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Brian Gregory is finally able to fill a team of his own recruits in his second season. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/GOUSFBULLS

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the foundation of a sustainable program that he says, “special young men are a part of.”

“The next class with Xavier [Castaneda], Mike Dorr, Madut [Akec], and Rashun [Williams], those guys said yes without any proof of what we were doing was going to work,” Gregory said.

“Those guys are special because they bought in sight unseen.”

The Bulls do have some experience to mix with the youth.

Lang, a redshirt senior, seeks his first action in a Bulls uniform after transferring from Auburn, playing in 87 games in the SEC. David Collins returns this season as the only player from last season to average double digits in points with 10 points per game last year. Gregory and the Bulls expect Collins to help carry the offensive load this season.

Collins “is not allowed to pass up an open shot,” according to

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Gregory.

In an office on the other end of The Yuengling Center, USF coaching legend Jose Fernandez has been keeping up with Gregory’s efforts. “[Gregory] has won everywhere he’s been...he turned Georgia Tech around and he’s going to do the same thing here,” Fernandez said. “I think he’s really had the opportunity to recruit his guys... right now, people have just got to be patient.

The Bulls continue to build and lay the foundation for the future, one block at a time.

Gregory knows his young team will put their hard hats on and get to work.

“I have been through this before”, Gregory said. “When the first recruiting class gets to be juniors and seniors, then you’ve put yourself in a position to take a really big step.”

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Men’s Basketball schedule Date Nov. 6 Nov. 12 Nov. 21 Nov. 24 Nov. 28 Nov. 30 Dec. 9 Dec. 15 Dec. 18 Dec. 21 Dec. 29 Jan. 2 Jan. 5 Jan. 9 Jan. 12 Jan. 19 Jan. 22 Jan. 26 Feb. 2 Feb. 7 Feb. 10 Feb. 13 Feb. 16 Feb. 23 Feb. 27 Mar. 3 Mar. 6 Mar. 10

Time Opponent 7 p.m. vs Alabama A&M 7 p.m. vs Austin Peay 7 p.m. vs Florida A&M 2 p.m. vs the Citadel 7 p.m. vs Stetson 8:30 p.m. vs Colgate 2 p.m. at Charlotte 1 p.m. vs Appalachian State 7 p.m. at Florida International 7 p.m. vs Alcorn State 1 p.m. vs Fairleigh Dickinson 8:30 p.m. vs UConn 6 p.m. at Tulsa 7 p.m. vs Tulane 2 p.m. at Temple 8 p.m. vs Houston 8 p.m. vs Wichita State 4 p.m. at Eastern Carolina noon vs Memphis 9 p.m. at SMU 5:30 p.m. vs Eastern Carolina 7 p.m at Central Florida 6 p.m. vs Temple 6 p.m. at Houston 7 p.m. vs Central Florida noon at UConn 8 p.m. at Tulane 4 p.m. vs SMU

Men’s Basketball roster No. 0 1 2 3 4 5 10 11 13 14 20 22 23 34 41

Position Guard Guard Guard Guard Forward Guard Forward Guard Guard/Forward Guard Forward Forward Guard Forward Center

Name David Collins Xavier Castaneda Ezacuras Dawson III Laquincy Rideau Michael Durr Rashun Williams Alexis Yetna Mark Calleja Justin Brown Ron Lubin Mayan Kiir Madut Akec T.J. Lang Antun Maricevic Nikola Scekic

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Women’s Basketball schedule Date Nov. 9 Nov. 15 Nov. 18 Nov. 30 Dec. 9 Dec. 15 Dec. 17 Dec. 30 Jan. 5 Jan. 8 Jan. 13 Jan. 19 Jan. 23 Jan. 26 Jan. 30 Feb. 3 Feb. 6 Feb. 10 Feb. 16 Feb. 20 Feb. 23 Feb. 27 Mar. 2 Mar. 4

Time Opponent 7 p.m. vs University at Albany 7 p.m. vs Bethune-Cookman 2 p.m. vs Oklahoma 6 p.m. vs New Hampshire 2 p.m. vs George Washington 3:30 p.m.vs Grambling State 7 p.m. vs University of Vermont 4 p.m. at Louisiana State 3 p.m. at Temple 7 p.m. vs Central Florida 1 p.m. at UConn 1 p.m. vs Tulane 7 p.m. vs University of Memphis 1 p.m. at Southern Methodist 7 p.m. vs Cincinnati 1 p.m. at Central Florida 8 p.m. at Tulane 2 p.m. vs University of Houston 1 p.m. vs Tulsa 7 p.m. at Eastern Carolina 7 p.m. vs Wichita State 8 p.m. at University of Houston noon at Cincinnati 7 p.m. vs UConn

Women’s Basketball roster No. 0 3 4 10 11 21 23 24 30 31 33 34 54

Position Guard Point Guard Point Guard Wing Wing Center Post Guard Forward Center Wing Forward Post

Name Enna Pehadzic Sydni Harvey Elisa Pinzan Laura Ferreira Makaela Kestner Shae Leverett Tamra Henshaw Iris Tsafara Janeta Rozentale Beatriz Jordao Kitija Laksa Silvia Serrat Alyssa Rader

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T H E O R AC L E

Maintaining a perennial powerhouse with coach Fernandez

By Sam Newlon S P O R T S

E D I T O R

USF women’s basketball has earned NCAA Tournament berths each of the past four seasons. The Bulls have been hailed as one of the top teams in the nation, earning the No. 22 spot in the preseason AP Poll.

But, it wasn’t always that way.

Coach Jose Fernandez is entering his 19th season at the helm of the USF women’s basketball program. The team’s record in Fernandez’s first season was 4-24, last year, the Bulls went 26-8.

“To be at a place for 18 years is special,” Fernandez said. “I’ve seen this university grow and change for the better, going from Conference USA to the Big East and now to the American.”

Fernandez took control of the women’s basketball program in the 2000-2001 season, which is the same year USF System President Judy Genshaft got her job. While Fernandez has only seen just one system president, he’s seen USF change in a lot of other ways.

USF is now on its fifth men’s basketball coach in Brian Gregory, and the fourth athletic director while Fernandez has been coaching.

He feels that USF is still heading in the right direction even under new leadership.

“There’s a lot of coaches I’ve worked with, a lot of players I’ve coached,” Fernandez said.

“We’re under great leadership

now with a new athletic director in Michael Kelly, he was here when I was building this program.”

Another face that has been at USF while Fernandez was building the women’s basketball program was USF softball coach Ken Eriksen, who is entering his 23rd season for the Bulls.

“We’re the Last of the Mohicans,” Fe r n a n d e z laughed. “We talk a lot during the year and bounce a lot of different ideas. I usually have [Eriksen] come over and say a few words to our team because he’s been very successful not only with this program, but with USA Softball.”

Before Fernandez got his job at USF, he was the top assistant coach for Barry University where he helped coach the Buccaneers to a 22-8 record, which still stands as one of the program’s three 20-plus win seasons.

Even outside of USF, Fernandez has been coaching for a long time. He knew he wanted to be a coach when he graduated from high school.

Fernandez was offered a student assistant coaching position at Miami-Dade College, then got promoted as a full time assistant when he graduated with his associate’s degree in 1991.

“My high school coach, Tom Moore, was a huge influence for me and the gentleman that hired me at Miami-Dade, then I worked with him at Barry University, who passed away a couple years ago, Cesar Odio, those were the two mentors

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Coach Jose Fernandez is entering his 19th season leading USF. The Bulls have earned four straight NCAA Tournament appearances. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/GOUSFBULLS that prepared me and led me on this path,” Fernandez said.

“I’m very thankful for the influence that they had on me, not only as a coach, but as a person.”

When Fernandez got his opportunity to coach at USF, it was a chance for him to turn the program around. He took over a team that, by most accounts, was not winning for various reasons. Fernandez led the Bulls to their first Women’s National Invitation Tournament in 2004.

“When you’re turning a

program around, it’s easier to turn it around,” Fernandez said. “It’s harder to sustain it.”

Since then, USF has been involved in a postseason tournament in all but one year. The Bulls have played in six NCAA tournaments and eight WNIT, which they won in the 2008-2009 season.

Fernandez has found a way to sustain his own program at USF and, while he may have kept some of his tactics a secret, he said finding the right players for the program is a key factor in producing

success.

“There’s no special formula or anything,” Fernandez said.

“We talk about our kids, we don’t rebuild, we just reload.

We continue to recruit kids that fit your style of play and fit your culture. We don’t take any shortcuts on character or work ethic or any of that stuff.

“Right now, we pick and choose who we want to coach.

We turn away more than we take. I’m very thankful for the guys that trusted us and took a chance on us a long time ago to get this thing going.”

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Community members rally with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) in support of gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum (D)

The line into the venue, Campus Recreation, included students and members of the communities surrounding USF. ORACLE PHOTO/THOMAS PRETTYMAN

Supporters of all ages and backgrounds showed up to rally for Gillum, including those who voted early. ORACLE PHOTO/THOMAS PRETTYMAN

Though he was not actually present at the event, Gillum supporters still waved signs in support of his candidacy. ORACLE PHOTO/THOMAS PRETTYMAN

Nathaniel Sweet, president of College Democrats, welcomed on-lookers to the event. ORACLE PHOTO/THOMAS PRETTYMAN

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OPINION

U N I V E RS I T Y O F S OU T H F L O R I DA

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SG is acting fiscally irresponsible ●

By Zoe Zbar

O P I N I O N

C O R R E S P O N D E N T

It’s 2018 and USF is glowing.

Students, professors and alumni alike are celebrating preeminence and what it means for our relatively young and modern university.

However, one group in particular is attempting to reboot its image, with new programming and recognition building events.

In the last month, Student Government (SG) has funded two big ticket items with big ticket hopes.

Senators are hoping that a $37,100 It is time SG acts with fiscal responsibility and student well-being in leadership conference and an $8,200 mind. ORACLE FILE PHOTO Correspondents’ Dinner will create entrance and expect to see a profit the positive image they’ve been sorely power.

At last check, 138 people have from the conference. missing since they delivered harsh Using A&S fees to profit or cuts to department budgets and confirmed their intention to attend attempted to create an endowment and 30 people are unsure. The Senate fundraise, even for charity, is during the 2017-2018 the Activity Pro Tempore Yousef Affifi claims he explicitly prohibited in Title 8, SG’s and Service Recommendation plans to invite between 100 and 150 finance code. Student organizations more people to attend. who fundraise using A&S fees risk Committee (ASRC) cycle.

As it stands, the per person their accounts being frozen and their As a former Senator and member of ASRC, I can say that SG is being allocation is almost $60 per head. eligibility for future A&S funding.

Student organizations are allocated SG doesn’t tell student wasteful and hypocritical.

The amounts being allocated are $4 per head for the first 200 people organizations they can fundraise as exorbitant, the return on investment and $2 per head for the last 200 long as they can distinguish between is lacking and it sends any message people, capping their funding at students and non-students. SG but one of stewardship and fiscal $1,200 per event. It is delusional to flatly bans all fundraising. For SG to even hope that the cost per head of explicitly break their own funding responsibility.

In the 2017-2018 term, ASRC the Correspondents’ Dinner will be regulations is duplicitous and selfstruggled to deal with impending close to reasonable. It goes without righteous.

SG can’t behave as if the only time budget shortfalls, claiming a number saying that the $7,000 difference in of factors were threatening the fiscal funding is excessive and unjustified. money is spent responsibly is when solvency of the Activity and Service ASRC regularly cut budgets with it’s spent by them.

While their hearts might be in (A&S) Fee. In response, SG spent the high per-person spending, arguing spring of 2018 deliberating where to that the allocations were inflated the right place, their votes are not. compared to their low turnout.

It is a hard face SG must wear if cut.

The fact that Senate approved this they wish to claim financial struggles Programs including Homecoming and University Lecture Series saw event, while departments struggle to all while funding over-priced events direct cuts totaling over $50,000 and makes ends meet and their accounts and cutting services that students departments like Campus Recreation hardly flounder in the green, speaks overwhelmingly use.

The core of the Senate is being and the Marshall Student Center to an out-of-touch and fiscally stewards of the A&S fee; it is time were forced to cut operating hours. irresponsible governing body.

The Suncoast Student they start acting like it.

These services directly impacted the student experience more than any Government Summit is an equally bad decision, toeing legal lines on the Aida Vazquez-Soto is a senior single dinner ever could.

The Correspondents’ Dinner is use of A&S dollars. SG reported that majoring in political science. an egregious abuse of SG’s funding they plan to charge non-students for

T H E O R AC L E

Anti-Semitism should be addressed more often

By Aida Vazquez-Soto E D I T O R

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The hate continues.

Following the horrific synagogue shooting this past weekend in Pittsburgh, antiSemitism is finally a topic of conversation.

For so long, hate crimes involving religion have been swept under the rug and pushed away from headlines. Why did 11 have to die and six have to get injured in order for Americans to ultimately start talking seriously about anti-Semitism?

Merriam-Webster defines anti-Semitism as “hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.”

The fact that we have a specific word to describe hate toward people of a religion is disturbing.

According to the AntiDefamation League, 1,986 antiSemitic incidents occurred in the U.S. in 2017. That number rose by over 700 in one year.

Being Jewish and going to a large public university with such diversity is a beautiful thing most of the time. Learning about other religions and backgrounds is something that not many people have the privilege to do in their daily lives. We are in the perfect setting to embrace our differences and learn from one another.

But instead we turn away from people who are unlike ourselves and close our minds to beliefs other than ours. Why is that?

Try to remember the last headline you saw about hate against the Jewish people before this past week. These acts — that happen every single day — tend to not be addressed due to topics that are seen as more

important. The truth is, these are just as necessary for the public to know about as anything else happening in our country.

Do we see headlines about the Swastikas written on Jewish people’s property? Do we see headlines about headstones being destroyed by prejudicefilled people in Jewish cemeteries? Do we see headlines about Jews being harassed online?

Although Jews only make up around two percent of our population, according to The Denver Post, we account for more than half of the Americans targeted by hate crimes committed due to religious bias.

The most disturbing part about our society is that shootings bring important topics to light.

It took the Parkland shooting to address gun control, mental health and school security. It took the Synagogue shooting to address anti-Semitism.

How many more massacres have to occur for us to see the topics that need to be focused on in society?

Anti-Semitism is finally rising to the forefront of conversations.

The fact that it took a shooting to make this happen says something extremely concerning about our country.

It is time we all have conversations about our religious affiliation. Embrace your beliefs and share your differences. We need to educate one another in order to embrace our distinctions and diffuse hate.

Zoe Zbar is a junior majoring in marketing.

SOCCER

FOOTBALL

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The Bulls will face off against ECU in the AAC semi-final Friday. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/ GOUSFBULLS

Brown said. “We have the Goalmouths — they’re like this amazing fan group. Not many female soccer college teams have a great fan base like we do, with the supporters that come out.

They’re there for us game in and game out.

“It’s our locker room. We have our strength coach — it’s our training room. The familiarity, I think, helps with the triggering [of ] mental success.”

In the process of securing the No. 1 seed in the tournament, the Bulls enjoyed a record-setting season from junior forward Evelyne Viens.

Viens, the conference’s leading scorer, broke the program’s alltime goal record Oct. 14 against Memphis and the single-season goal record Oct. 21 against SMU. She finished the regular season second in the nation with 18 goals, two behind Boise State’s Raimee Sherle.

“That’s the difference [when making a run in the tournament], you need a goal scorer that’s giving you like between 15 and 20 goals in a season,” Schilte-

Brown said. “When you have a goal scorer like that, then your team has a chance to win.”

Freshman goalkeeper Sydney Martinez has been a breakout star, recording six shutouts and allowing only 10 goals in 14 games.

“I did expect Sydney to be great,” Schilte-Brown said. “She was a highly recruited athlete and we followed her early. We were really excited to get her and I think we knew the talent we were going to get. She’s just getting started.”

No. 4 ECU beat No. 5 SMU in penalty kicks Wednesday night. The Bulls will take on ECU on Friday at 7 p.m. The Bulls defeated both teams from Wednesday’s match at home during the regular season by a combined score of 9-1.

Still, Schilte-Brown isn’t taking anything lightly.

“There’s a bias because you’ve played a team,” SchilteBrown said. “There’s a bias in how they’re going to perform and what they’re going to do and what to expect. And you

want your team to understand that can be a positive, because you can kind of remember what they did and you can learn from your previous video. But, there’s never a guarantee that they’re coming out in the same system and they’re never the same team twice after you’ve beaten them once.”

A win against ECU on Friday would put USF one more victory away from sweeping the AAC championships — both regular season and tournament.

“What an exciting moment for the program,” Schilte-Brown said. “I think I was here one year when the men’s program did it.

They won the regular season and they won the conference championship here. And it was great for the school and for the kids.

“If I still remember it from a couple of years ago, I know what a great moment and memory that was for USF. So, I think it would be a true gift.”

Antoine started the season playing on defense, but has started playing more on offense at wide receiver. ORACLE PHOTO/SAM NEWLON

to defense this season was a change of pace, but hasn’t been an issue.

“Every day, he comes out to work,” Clerveaux said. “He doesn’t really complain about a lot of stuff. Just goes out there and does what he’s got to do.”

Still, Antoine is excited he’s been playing more snaps on offense as a receiver than he did at the beginning of the season.

“I love being back on offense,” he said. “It’s good being on the side of the ball that you enjoy making plays on with your teammates.”

In last weekend’s loss to Houston, Antoine caught three passes for 40 yards and a touchdown. He’ll look to have another solid performance this weekend against Tulane (3-5, which has shown a tendency to play a man-coverage defense.

Antoine is excited to use his speed to get open downfield.

“We’re going to run faster than them,” he said. “I feel like

we’ve got better athletes on our side of the ball, but we’re going to prepare for them just like any other team. We’re not going to overlook them. Right now, they’re the most important game coming up.”

This week in particular, Antoine said he has been working on coming off the ball with speed and getting on his defender as quickly as possible.

Basically, he’ll run his route as fast as he can as soon as the ball is snapped, using his natural speed to his advantage.

The way he plays Saturday, Antoine said, will speak for itself.

“I’m not a really big talker,” he said. “I just let my actions do the talking for me.”

As for his flashing smile — don’t expect the grill to go away anytime soon.

“It’s some good stuff,” Clerveaux said. “I’m glad he plays with it.”

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Football

Antoine’s flashy smile is back on offense

By Sam Newlon S P O R T S

E D I T O R

He’s probably got the brightest smile on the field.

Junior Deangelo Antoine takes a lot of pride in the gold grill he wears over his teeth at almost every USF football game.

“The grill is what puts me in my comfort zone,” he said. “You go out there and look good, you play good.”

The on-field swag is more than a fashion statement, though. Antoine emulates Chris Johnson, the No. 24 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Johnson grew up in Orlando, just like Antoine. According to Antoine, Johnson played at ECU, always wore a grill and grew his hair out to shoulder-length dreadlocks, which also inspired Antoine.

“My favorite player was [Johnson] grouping up,” Antoine

said. “I always wanted to grow my hair out, so when I finally got to that age, I asked my grandma... and she said yes.”

Antoine does more than just borrow style from Johnson.

Teammate Ronnie Hoggins said in preseason camp that Antoine possessed “natural quickness.”

Wide receiver Stanley Clerveaux called Antoine “explosive.”

Antoine is fast, just like Johnson, who set a then-NFL Combine record 4.24-second 40-yard dash.

Antoine is listed as a defensive back on USF’s roster and started working with the Bulls’ secondary on defense at the beginning of the 2018 season.

Last season, which was cut short due to a leg injury, Antoine lined up as a wide receiver where he caught 11 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown. The switch Deangelo Antoine wears a grill during almost every USF football game. He gets his inspiration from

n See FOOTBALL on PAGE 7

NFL speedster Chris Johnson. ORACLE PHOTO/SAM NEWLON

Women’s Soccer

No. 11 USF looks to keep momentum entering AAC tournament

By Brian Hattab S T A F F

W R I T E R

After a regular season where it lost only two games and finished on a seven-game win-streak, No. 11 USF women’s soccer (132-0, 8-1-0) will look to keep the good times rolling in the AAC Tournament this week.

The No. 1-seed Bulls host the tournament for the first time since the AAC’s inception in 2013, after coming close a few times.

The most notable close-call came last year, when USF needed a win against UCF and wound up drawing with the Knights, sending the 2017 tournament to Orlando — where USF won the AAC tournament title.

“It feels good,” coach Denise Schilte-Brown said about winning the regular season title.

“It’s always an accomplishment.

We’ve been runner-up like four times. It’s a really nice thing for

a coach, because the tournament title is great … but the regular season, it’s such a grind. You really can’t falter.”

The magnitude of playing a few more games at Corbett Stadium, a site where USF has not lost to an AAC opponent since Sept. 29, 2016, is not lost on Schilte-Brown’s Bulls.

“It’s Corbett Stadium — we have great supporters,” Schilte-

n See SOCCER on PAGE 7

USF women’s soccer takes the field at Corbett Stadium again Friday as the top seed looking to defend its AAC title. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/GOUSFBULLS