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February 13, 2017 Vol. 54 No. 38

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The Village housing concepts open for student viewing Page 3 Bill Nye makes return Page 4

Succulents: The new ‘it’ plant Page 6

USF shutout by No. 4 Florida Page 10

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the Oracle the University of South Florida’s student newspaper since 1966

Editor in Chief Jacob Hoag oracleeditor@gmail.com Managing Editor Miki Shine oraclemeditor@gmail.com Assistant News Editor Chelsea Grosbeck Sports Editor Vinnie Portell oraclesportseditor@gmail.com

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Graphic Artists Destiny Moore Mark Soree Advertising Sales Alyssa Alexander Ashley Bazile Destiny Moore Dylan Ritchey

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).

Lifestyle Editor Nicole Cate oraclelifestyleeditor@gmail.com

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News Briefs Dam in Oroville, CA springs a leak

news

The Village housing concepts open for student viewing UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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Rep. Kathy Castor to tour new USF College of Nursing

SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

Residents of Oroville, California ,as well as neighboring towns were told to evacuate Sunday after a hole was found in the Oroville Dam emergency spillway.

According to the Los Angeles Times, officials are attempting to plug the hole using bags of rocks to reduce the amount of water flowing through.

However, they emphasize that the situation remains dangerous. The amount of damage is not currently known.

KKK imperial wizard found dead Ku Klux Klan leader, Frank Ancona was found dead near a rural river in Missouri Saturday, according to the New York Daily News. Ancona was the self-proclaimed “imperial wizard” of a KKK chapter near St. Louis. The cause of death was a gunshot to the head.

Police are still investigating and have been questioning his wife, who said he was filing for divorce after he returned from a business trip that his employer said he was never sent on. Additionally, the safe inside the couple’s home was bashed in with a crowbar and its contents taken. Ancona’s car

Rep. Kathy Castor

By Breanne Williams A S S O C I A T E

The Village will offer both traditional and suite style housing with slight variants to the pre-existing styles.

SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

By Abby Rinaldi S T A F F

W R I T E R

The buildings can be seen sprouting up on the north side of campus, cranes hoisting pieces into place as the The Village begins to take shape.

Students interested in USF’s new housing village will be able to view floor plans and design boards for the new dorms tonight at 7:30.

The event will be held in the Argos study lounge next to the Housing and Residential Education office, located above the Fresh Foods dining hall.

In June, students will be able to register to live in two new residential buildings, Summit Hall and Beacon Hall, which are scheduled to be completed by fall of 2017.

“We think that (the) Village is really going to transform the on-campus experience and we’re looking forward to it being a great community gathering

space,” Assistant Vice President of Housing and Residential Education Ana Hernandez said.

The new buildings are part of the new housing village that is replacing the old Andros Complex.

The housing project will cost about $135 million, according to Hernandez. She said she expects demand for the two new halls opening in the fall to be high, and encourages those who want to live in the village to apply early.

Summit Hall will house the Honors College LLC upon its completion.

Both halls will offer both traditional and suite-style living, but with a slightly different look.

The new traditional living spaces will include four communal bathrooms to a floor instead of just one. That puts eight students to each bathroom instead of 32, Hernandez said.

The new suite-style also has a different bathroom style. Instead of two rooms, each with two people living in them, sharing one

bathroom, each space with two people living in the same room will have its own bathroom.

“What it is, is that we were looking to provide a different type of housing on our campus,” she said. “We are all about options …

We’re really trying to make sure that students have the right type of space that fits with what they’re looking for and there was some desire to have increased privacy.”

The housing website has posted floor plans and rates for both of the new halls. The new dining hall in The Village, The Hub, is also set to be completed by fall 2017, with the new wellness center, The Fit, coming soon after, Hernandez said.

According to the housing website, a double in the traditional style in either hall is $852.50 a month, while a single is $1,098.75 a month. For the suite style, a double is $1,032.50 a month and a single is $1,248.75 a month.

Single options in Summit or

n See VILLAGE on PAGE 9

E D I T O R

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor is coming to USF Monday to tour the newly renovated USF College of Nursing George & Marian Miller Center for Virtual Learning and to speak on her support for the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act (NWRA).

The center reorganized the 5,466 square-foot simulation lab during the renovation over winter break, the first renovation since the creation of the building in 2006. The assessment and computer lab were converted to replicate 12 patient rooms in a modern hospital.

There are also four new simulation rooms with “control rooms for observation, a skills lab with 10 beds, a community health room and a lab classroom that seats 40,” according to USF Health.

Castor plans to speak on her support of the NWRA, which reauthorizes federal funding for nursing workforce initiatives, which currently is “the largest source of federal financing support for nursing

n See CASTOR on PAGE 9

Opinion

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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Bill Nye attempts to ‘save the world’

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What you said Associate Editor Breanne Williams asked students if Bill Nye influenced their views on science.

“I wouldn’t say he influenced my views on science, but he did make science easier to enjoy.”

- Keely Ricketts, a freshman majoring in public health

Netflix will release a new show April 21 titled “Bill Nye Saves the World.” SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

By Breanne Williams C O L U M N I S T

Bill Nye is back and, thanks to Netflix, millions will be able to watch the quirky scientist debunk myths across the globe in a show titled, “Bill Nye Saves the World,” which airs April 21, the day before Earth Day. The timing of the show could not be more perfect.

The U.S. is currently facing an onslaught of fake news, alternative facts and glaringly obvious lies.

Nye is waltzing in with his sarcastic wit and thirst for unveiling the truth in a 30 minute segment that will undoubtedly have just as many adults watching as children.

“Each episode will tackle a topic from a scientific point of view, dispelling myths, and refuting antiscientific claims that may be espoused by politicians, religious leaders or titans of industry,” Netflix said in a statement.

The 13 episodes will address topics such as sex, global warming, GMOs, technology and alternative medicine, examining the substance behind each issue as well as misconceptions held regarding the topic.

Nye has never shied away from debate on controversial topics, like the famous Creation vs. Evolution debate in 2014 where Nye and

Ken Ham, the creator of Answers in Genesis, had an ultimate battle of wits.

The debate was watched live by 500,000 viewers and the YouTube video has nearly 6 million views.

He also toured the Ark Encounter, another of Ham’s creations, where Nye calmly, respectfully, but altogether savagely tore apart the science regarding Ham’s belief of a 6,000-year-old earth.

Nye, though often blunt, is not a bully. He often practices restraint regarding issues like climate change or evolution. He doesn’t disparage or resort to belittling those who refuse to accept facts as truth. Instead, he continues to drown out their arguments with tsunami-sized waves of scientifically proven facts.

“As good as it might make us feel to call other people names, it’s probably not in our medium- or long-term interest,” Nye said in an interview with the New York Times. “Optimism may be counter to divisiveness.”

Our society would be wise to adopt that mindset.

It seems the current answer for diverging opinions is to drag each other through the mud without pausing to consider how that viciousness promotes their own argument.

Nye taught us as children that there are truths, a foundation of

proven beliefs upon which we can construct our understanding of the world.

As we matured, he began joining national discussions on controversial topics and we listened — and quietly chanted his name — as he, always calmly, would inform his opponent exactly why they were wrong with a scroll full of facts proving his stance.

He taught us how to think critically, and because of that, many of us are capable of watching the arguments taking place in the world today and realizing they are a complete, albeit clever, fabrication.

Nye is bringing on a team of sidekicks to help him “save the world” including Karlie Kloss, Emily Calandrelli, Joanna Hausmann, Derek Muller, Nazeem Hussain.

Guest stars like Tim Gunn, Donald Faison and Wil Wheaton will join the scientist as celebrity guests His devoted fan base and the abundance of high profile guests lined up for the show will guarantee it will be a huge hit. Hopefully, an immersion in true, non-alternative, facts will help bring some level of optimism back into the lives of those of us who feel we are constantly surrounded by falsehoods.

Breanne Williams is a senior majoring in mass communications.

“He made science very conversational and that, along with the song at the end, drew me into his videos.”

- Alfredo Peguero, a graduate student studying chemistry

“He made science fun, and I plan on watching the new show.”

- Heather Nguyen, a junior majoring in cellular and molecular biology

“I don’t agree with his views, but I remember him from TV and I thought he was funny.

Once he got more political though, I didn’t agree with his views.”

- Kerry Miller, a freshman majoring in business marketing

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LIFESTYLE

Succulents: the new ‘it’ plant UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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The USF Botanical Gardens offers several workshops over the course of the year, in- USF alumna Sarah Sanford teaches multiple workshops at the USF Botanical cluding beekeeping and succulent wreath making. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/SARAH SANFORD. Gardens, including one on succulent wreath making. ORACLE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ.

By Nicole Cate L I F E S T Y L E

E D I T O R

When it comes to interests and hobbies, the millennial generation is notorious for adopting passions that their parents and grandparents held and bringing them back to the forefront of contemporary culture, such as Polaroid cameras and vinyl.

However, there is one current obsession that’s unlike these others.

Enter the succulent.

Known simply as a plant that stores water, the succulent has quickly gained popularity among young adults. Last year, pictures and videos of succulent-themed cakes, bouquets, accessories and events flooded the internet.

Sarah Sanford, a high school science teacher at Thomas Richard Robinson High School in South Tampa, worked at the USF Botanical Gardens from 2008 to 2011, when she was a masters student majoring in

biology.

She comes back occasionally to teach workshops, including two succulent wreath-making ones this past Saturday, and has noted a definite increase in interest toward these plants.

“Our classes prior to this year were typically 15-20 people, and we would run a single class,” Sanford said. “This year we booked two full classes of 30 people each and had to turn people away.”

The USF College of Arts and Sciences made a Facebook event for the first session of the class at the beginning of January and announced that session was full by the 18th.

They opened the second session that day, but that one was filled 24 hours later. The original Facebook event showed that 700 people were interested in attending.

Laurie Walker, the director of the Botanical Gardens, said this was unexpected and attributes the enthusiasm

to the College of Arts and Sciences’ social media promotion. However, Sanford also has another theory.

“Pinterest has really brought stuff like this to a wider demographic,” she said.

“Where this kind of used to be an old biddy thing to do, an old lady craft. Now that we have things like Facebook and Pinterest that are really broadening exposure, more people are interested.”

She associated the changing demographic of the succulent’s fascinated fans to this as well.

“I’ve had more young people in today’s two classes than I’ve probably had over the past eight years combined, and I think it really just is because people are more aware of what’s going on,” she said.

Jamie O’Berry, who has coowned O’Berry’s Succulents with her father Dan since 2012, has been teaching succulent workshops for the past

three years.

“I had so many people ask me to teach them how to do it correctly, because there is a science to it,” O’Berry said.

“It started from there. I did one and then people asked me when I was going to do another. Now I do them once a month and they almost always sell out.”

O’Berry has done other succulent workshops as well, including a wine bottle centerpiece, a succulent tiara, a vintage planter and even a kokedama.

“It’s moss that you wrap around succulents,” she said.

“It’s inspired from an old Japanese tradition of them not having enough money to have planters for their bonsai, so they’d wrap it with moss and string.”

While Sanford has only done wreath-making workshops for succulents at the Botanical Gardens, she has plans for other workshops in the future.

“I’d like to do a living wall.

The issue with that is the materials can be kind of big,” Sanford said. “We’re talking about pallets, so people have to have a way to get it home.

We tend to stick with projects that are portable.”

Both Walker and Sanford said that because of the large interest shown in these workshops, the Botanical Gardens will be offering more. They don’t have an exact date; however, they suggest students keep a watch on their Facebook page.

The general public fee for the workshop was $30, while garden members paid $25.

A workshop taught by O’Berry’s Succulents averages $60, and students can find them at St. Pete Indie Market, held on the first Saturday of every month, and Indie Flea, held on the last Sunday of every month. Students who are interested can find out more at www.oberryssucculents.com.

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CROSSWORD

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CASTOR

Continued from PAGE 3

education,” according to a press release from Castor.

The tour coincides with Bull Nurses Week, hosted by the College of Nursing in collaboration with the Nursing Student Association, which runs Feb. 13-17. The week will kick off with a breakfast, as well as a hygiene supply drive for Syrian refugees, the March of Dimes fundraiser and an expert nurse panel.

There are more than 2,000 students in the College of Nursing and “students provide more than 500,000 clinical hours, yearly to the Tampa Bay community,” according to the press release.

Castor will begin the tour at 11 a.m. and will speak with Dr. Donna Petersen, dean of USF College of Public Health, Interim Dean of USF College of Nursing; Dr. Teresa Gore, Director of Experiential Learning, USF College of Nursing and Dr. Victoria Rich, Interim Associate Dean, Academics Affairs.

SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

VILLAGE

Continued from PAGE 3

Beacon are more expensive than any other hall offered in the traditional or suit styles. For suitestyle, singles in The Village are the most expensive, with doubles in The Village the second-most expensive.

The next cheapest suite-style is a single in the hall of the old Andros Complex, Iota, Kappa, Lambda, Mu and Theta, which is $950.00 a month for 2017-18.

This is $298.75 cheaper than a single suite-style in Summit or Beacon. It’s $82.50 cheaper than a double in suite-style in the two halls.

The double for suite-style in Summit of Beacon is $427.50 more expensive than the cheapest suite-style option, a double in the old Andros halls. The single suitestyle in the new halls is $643.75 more expensive.

As for the traditional style, the doubles in The Village are $97.50 cheaper than singles in Castor Hall, but $157.50 more expensive than the cheapest option, doubles in Castor and Beta halls. The Castor and Beta doubles are $695 a month for 2017-18.

These comparisons are all based on the 2017-18 rates released by housing.

Neither of the new halls will offer apartment style options.

Hernandez said the apartments on campus are enough to fit the need that students currently have.

As far as possible delays, housing isn’t concerned about the buildings not being ready by the time fall comes around, according to Hernandez “From a delay perspective, we were very diligent in selecting a partner that has a very good reputation for delivering on time, and so we are expecting everything will be delivered on time in the fall of ’17,” she said. “… We always make contingency plans so that we’re not caught off guard, but all indicators at this point are that we will be ready to welcome students in for the fall of 2017.”

In the past, USF St. Petersburg put students up in hotels when its dormitories were either unfinished or overbooked, as reported by The Oracle.

As far as the fact that students in Beacon and Summit will be living in a construction area, she said housing will notify students about early morning construction.

The halls will be located on the northwest side of the construction site.

“Living next to a construction zone is always difficult,” she said.

“We try to keep people really

informed and we have great partners with the construction team that’s working on the project and so if it’s necessary that they’re doing really early morning work, they let us know and we let the students know that are in that immediate area.”

The higher prices for the new dorms combined with the noise of construction has some students raising eyebrows. Sarah Elmallah, a sophomore in health sciences, said she thinks the dorms are expensive. She also said she thinks construction should be limited to the summer because it will become annoying for residents.

“Or they should just pick good timings,” she said.

Ivana Djokovic, a graduate student in Instructional Technical Education, said the cost is for the location and not needing a vehicle, but just down the street, students are living for hundreds of dollars cheaper a month.

“That’s a big difference,” she said.

Her husband, Anthony Wendling, disagreed with Djokovic on the pricing, saying the proximity and the newness are certainly positives, noting that residents of new dorms “don’t have to worry about last year’s brother in there who didn’t shower for a couple weeks.”

“I think (the pricing is) pretty

standard for most colleges,” he said.

Hernandez said it has been an interesting process watching the new buildings go up. The big change, she said, is when the outside is constructed. Now, most of the construction is being done on the inside, and while it might not be impressive from the outside, for those who get to see the inner construction, she said the progress is easy to see.

“You see the walls going up and the plumbing going in and the electric and etc.,” she said.

The construction for the building is precast, meaning the outer pieces are made at the construction company, in this case FINFROCK in Orlando, and then transported to the site.

For students who may be interested in seeing this process, Hernandez said housing has a trip planned to take students to tour the plant in Orlando on Feb. 24. The link to apply for the trip can be found on the housing Facebook page. The tour leaves at 8 a.m. and returns at 5 p.m., with transportation and lunch provided.

The next halls to open up will come in fall of 2018. Those halls will be called Horizon, Pinnacle and Endeavor. The grand opening for Summit and Beacon is Aug. 17.

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Sports

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

The Rundown Outside USF

USF announces 2017 football schedule Week 1: Sat. Aug. 26 at San Jose State, San Jose, Calif.

Week 2: Sat. Sept. 2 Stony Brook, Tampa Week 3: Sat. Sept. 9 at UConn, Hartford, Conn.

Week 4: Fri. Sept. 15 Illinois, Tampa Week 5: Thur. Sept. 21 Temple, Tampa Week 6: Sept. 30 at ECU, Greenville, N.C. Week 7: Bye week Week 8: Sat. Oct. 14 UMass Homecoming, Tampa Week 9: Sat. Oct. 21 at Tulane, New Orleans, L.A. Week 10: Sat. Oct. 28 Cincinnati, Tampa Week 11: Sat. Nov. 4 Houston, Tampa Week 12: Bye week Week 13: Sat. Nov. 18 Tulsa, Tampa Week 14: Fri. Nov. 24 at UCF, Orlando Week 15: Sat. Dec. 2 AAC Championship game (home field of regular season conference champs)

MORE COVERAGE ONLINE

USF men’s basketball breaks losing streak with win over East Carolina on Saturday.

Read it at USFOracle.com

Softball

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Women’s Basketball

Gators pitcher throws ‘special’ No. 22 USF game in shutout win over USF grits out 20th win

Though sophomore Kitija Laksa led the Bulls with 21 points, she said guard Laia Flores is the ‘heart of the team.’ ORACLE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ

By Josh Fiallo

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S T A F F

Florida pitcher Kelly Barnhill held USF to one hit through six innings Sunday afternoon at the USF Softball Stadium in what USF coach Ken Eriksen called the best in his 32-year career. ORACLE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ

By Jacob Hoag E D I T O R

I N

C H I E F

As the ball flew past USF freshman AnaMarie Bruni and into the catcher’s mitt, the game was complete.

Despite losing the perfect game in the fourth inning, Florida pitcher Kelly Barnhill pitched a masterpiece in the eyes of USF softball coach Ken Eriksen.

To Eriksen, it was the best pitching performance he’d seen in his 32-year career.

“I was sitting at the thirdbase line thinking, ‘This is special, I hope you’re enjoying what you’re seeing.’ Today was special,” Eriksen said of Barnhill, who he coaches on the U.S. National Softball Team.

Barnhill pitched six shutout innings, allowing one hit with 12

I was sitting at the third-base line thinking, ‘This is special, I hope you’re enjoying what you’re seeing.’ Today was special.

USF coach Ken Eriksen on Florida pitcher Kelly Barnhill

strikeouts in the 8-0 win for No. 4 Florida over No. 25 USF on Sunday evening in front of a bright blue and orange crowd at the USF Softball Stadium.

Whether it was the spin, the variety, or the sheer velocity of her pitches, Eriksen hadn’t seen anything like it at the collegiate level.

”

“Her curveball had so much movement, late breaking stuff and velocity,” Eriksen said. “When you’re throwing 73 and 74, you have to respect the velocity, and then she throws the movement at the end. It’s unfair.

“Fortunately I was able to face

n See GATORS on PAGE 11

W R I T E R

No. 22 USF women’s basketball cruised to yet another AAC victory Sunday, keeping them securely in second place in the conference.

Spreading the wealth all afternoon, four Bulls starters scored double-digit points in the Bulls’ 66-56 victory over Tulane (15-10, 6-6) at the Sun Dome.

With a possible trip to the NCAA tournament on the line, the Bulls understand the importance of playing for each other, and not just for themselves in order to be successful.

Guard Laia Flores is the perfect example of this.

Nursing a sprained ankle, Flores was on the bench for the entire first half against East Carolina last week. After seeing her team go down at the half, she stepped up and played the entire second half,

n See WIN on PAGE 11

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Club Sports

Ice Bulls fall in championship game of SCHC tournament

GATORS

Continued from PAGE 10

relative stuff in the men’s game like that. For us, you just go back to the hotel room at night and go, ‘Hey, maybe tomorrow she won’t be that good.’ Today she was unreal.”

Junior Astin Donovan, who drilled the Bulls’ only hit through a hole between the first and second basemen, said the team had trouble tracking the pitches, making it hard to put balls into play.

“We weren’t trying to chase, although unfortunately, that happens,” Donovan said.

Barnhill’s pitching, paired with power hitting from Florida’s Amanda Lorenz, paved the way for the Gators’ eight runs in the game’s final four innings, which ended the game in a mercy rule.

Lorenz opened the scoring in the third inning with a three-run homer over the center field wall.

An inning later, she drove in two more with a two-out double to the gap in center field.

The final three runs came in

WIN

Continued from PAGE 10

Though USF defeated top-seeded FGCU, the Ice Bulls lost 6-3 to the Tampa Spartans in the SCHC tournament championship game. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/ROB BRIDENSTINE

By Josh Fiallo S T A F F

W R I T E R

Hosting the Southern Collegiate Hockey Conference tournament, the Bulls fell just short of winning it all, losing to the University of Tampa in the championship game.

Playing in their conference playoffs, the Bulls found success on their home ice, defeating both Miami, as well as top-seeded FGCU. Those wins landed USF a spot in the conference championship game Sunday morning, where they fell 6-3 to the University of Tampa Spartans.

The Spartans came out flying to start the game, scoring two quick goals in the first two minutes of play. UT added another just three minutes later, going up 3-0 on USF, who simply were not themselves in the early minutes of play.

One possibility for the Bulls slow start could be the games’ early start time. During the regular season, USF played a majority of its games at night, but Sundays’ championship

game started at 9:45 in the morning – the first morning game of the year.

Freshman Kenny Weightman said the early scheduling definitely had an effect on the Bulls, contributing to their slow start to the game.

“It definitely threw us off some,” Weightman said.

“We’re so used to getting to wake up late, and getting here during the day, and hanging out before our game. Today wasn’t like that.”

With a conference title on the line however, the Bulls looked to rally back quickly from their 3-0 deficit, scoring their first goal just nine seconds after the Spartans’ third.

UT scored its fourth goal in the first period, but the Bulls again quickly answered back. This time the score came via the freshman duo of Wes Moon and Alex Rhoads.

Despite a valiant effort in the last two periods, the Bulls simply could not recover from the early 3-0 deficit.

Defending their lead, the Spartans excelled on the pen-

alty kill, killing 6-of-8, and notching a shorthanded goal on their way to victory.

Though the tournament is over, the postseason may not be over for the Ice Bulls just yet. After making it to the championship game, team captain Danny Hoeflich said the Bulls have a good chance at being selected for regionals.

“I do think we have a shot to make regionals. We’ve got some big wins these past couple of days” Hoeflich said. “I think that it’s in our favor, but it’s not my decision.”

The decision of who is, and who isn’t selected for regionals is made by a coalition of “unknown rankers,” who select the top ten teams in the region to compete in a tournament for a chance to make nationals.

The Bulls were ranked No. 13 entering the tournament over the weekend, and are likely to move up after defeating the No. 1 team, FGCU. The rankers will release who is in their top ten rankings Friday.

despite her injury.

Her efforts ultimately thrusted the Bulls to a 10-point victory in a game that Fernandez described as “must win.”

Still battling that injured ankle, Flores put her team before herself once again Sunday against Tulane, playing a full 40-minute game, and leading the Bulls to a win.

“I’m proud of Laia. She’s battling an injury, and she’s our only point guard because everybody else is hurt,” forward Kitija Laksa said. “She’s the heart of our team. She’s a playmaker and we need her.

We’re proud of her, and we’re supporting her through (her injury.)”

When asked about her injured ankle after the game, Flores wasn’t concerned.

“It’s sore, but I’m fine. We won, so I’m fine,” she said.

Coach Jose Fernandez also commented on the chemistry between the girls, and the Bulls’ team mentality.

“It’s a close-knit unit this group has. They care for one another, and have respect for one another,” Fernandez said.

“When you’re playing for each other, for the guy next to you, that means a lot. That goes a

the top of the sixth inning on a homer from Gator second baseman Nicole Dewitt.

Despite Sunday’s loss, USF exited the weekend with a 3-1 record, including a 6-4 win over No. 6 Michigan on Saturday.

It was the first time USF had beaten a ranked team in three years, with USF going 2-17 against top 25 opponents prior to Saturday.

The highlight of the game for USF was a two-run inside-the-park homer from junior outfielder Juli Weber in the bottom of the third to pull the Bulls within one run.

Coming out of its opening weekend a season ago against essentially the same opponents, USF was 1-4 with 11-2 and 11-1 losses to Michigan and Florida, respectively.

“That’s a move in a positive direction,” Eriksen said. “There’s no doubt I’d rather be 3-1 than 1-4. It’s nice to be at least above .500 and not trying to run uphill.”

USF will next play at home against Wisconsin on Wednesday night at 6. long way.”

The Bulls hope their team play can carry them past the second weekend of March, and into the regional rounds of the NCAA tournament, a feat the USF women have fell just short of accomplishing the past two seasons.

“They talk about the disappointment of not making it past the second weekend the past two seasons. That’s something they’ve taken personal.”

Fernandez said.

By earning the rank of a four seed or higher, the Bulls would be guaranteed to have the first two rounds of the tournament played in the Sun Dome, a place where the Bulls have lost only two games all season long.

Laksa expressed her love for playing at home following Sunday’s win.

“It’s great to be home and finally play in front of our crowd again,” Laksa said. “The fans show a lot of support and we appreciate it because the atmosphere on the road is totally different. We love our fans.”

The Bulls look to keep their momentum rolling on Valentine’s Day for a ‘War on I-4 Showdown’ against the UCF Knights (15-9, 5-6) at 7 p.m.

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