6 15 16

The Oracle

W E D N E S D AY J U N E 1 5 , 2 0 1 6 I V O L . 5 3 N O. 6 4

w w w. u s fo r a c l e. co m

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

WE STAND UNITED

USF, Bay area honor the victims of the Pulse shooting in Orlando

By Jacob Hoag and Jackie Benitez O R A C L E

S T A F F

One by one, 159 carnations were gently placed on the hard stone of the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial on USF’s campus.

Slowly, the bright and colorful flowers lined the dark granite in remembrance of the 49 people slain and 53 injured — some left in critical condition — inside the popular Orlando gay nightclub, Pulse, early Sunday morning.

The procession, led by USF System President Judy Genshaft, included faculty and staff, students and other Tampa residents who came together in solidarity to stand in remembrance of the victims and support their families.

“As members of the USF community, we must stand together in happy times of celebration, but also the sad times of tragedy because we are each other’s support group,” Daniel Cruz-Ramirez de Arellano, an openly gay instructor in the USF department of chemistry said to a crowd of nearly 200 at Monday’s vigil.

USF’s ceremony was one of several held throughout the Bay area.

Two candlelight vigils were held in Ybor City that amassed crowds of over 3,000 people including speakers who had lost friends and loved ones. Hundreds more gathered at St. Petersburg City Hall to pay their respects.

Tampa area blood banks — as well as those across the country — have been filled to capacity, but people are still filing in to try and help any way they can.

Following the tragic event, the Tampa Bay Rays will also dedicate its Pride Night to the Orlando victims during this Friday’s game against the San Francisco Giants.

n See UNITED on PAGE 3

USF students and faculty placed 159 carnations along the MLK Memorial on Monday to honor those lost and injured in the Pulse nightclub shooting early Sunday morning. ORACLE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ

2

W E D N E S DAY J U N E 1 5 , 2 0 1 6

Suit-A-Bull expands after year in SVC

At a Dress for Success event in March, Suit-A-Bull staff dressed students and took professional headshots free of charge.

SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

By Abby Rinaldi C O - N E W S

E D I T O R

After a year in its new permanent location, Suit-A-Bull (SAB), an on-campus resource that provides free formal attire rentals for students, has grown in inventory and usage while setting a goal to grow even more in the year to come.

In the summer of 2015, SAB stopped being the service run out of closets, moved around from year to year for eight years. It got its own shop on the second floor of SVC and consistent hours. A year later, Enactus at USF President Priyeshwar Sodhi said he felt the service has expanded greatly.

“It was a big leap coming from just a small closet space in the bookstore to its own 700-squarefoot space next to the Career Services with a modern, sleek layout,” Sodhi said.

SAB was the brainchild of Enactus at USF, a student organization that uses entrepreneurship to do community outreach projects. One such community outreach project is SAB, a partnership between Enactus at USF and Career Services.

In 2007, USF was considered by employers to be one of the most underdressed universities at career fairs, which sparked the idea for SAB. “It’s actually a true solution to the problem,” Sodhi said. “In the last two years, career fair employers when asked again say there (has) been a drastic improvement

over the years for USF students and they see that improvement not just in their attire but in their professionalism.”

Before the permanent location in SVC, Sodhi estimated inventory at around 50 to 70 suits. Now, he estimates that number at more than 500 suits, including men’s and women’s.

This increase was largely due to the drive SAB held upon securing the SVC location, the Deans and Vice Presidents Challenge, in which competing colleges and divisions donated suits for points.

The College of Behavioral and Community Sciences won the competition with 21,400 points.

As SAB has grown into its storefront, student use has also expanded. According to a SAB Student Satisfaction Report provided by Communications and Marketing Officer for Career Services Peter Thorsett, approximately 190 students used SAB services during Spring Career Fair Week in February.

The largest group of those users consisted of freshman students, at 38.8 percent.

“We’re starting to see with more freshmen and sophomores using the career fairs and the internship fairs and the part-time job fairs to secure employment earlier in their college careers so that they’re getting the right experience for their resume, it’s driving a need for more of this kind of service, more of this kind of apparel,” Thorsett said.

According to Thorsett, SAB

n See SUIT on PAGE 4

●

T H E O R AC L E

W E D N E S DAY J U N E 1 5 , 2 0 1 6

●

3

T H E O R AC L E

Victims of Pulse shooting At the time of publication, of the 53 injured at the gay nightclub Pulse early Sunday morning, six remain in critical condition. After the shooting, 44 patients were admitted to Orlando Regional Medical Center — where 26 have been operated on — ­ and 11 went to Florida Hospital Orlando. Dr. Michael Cheahan of Orlando Regional Medical Center said Tuesday that he would be surprised if the death toll remains at 49, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Below are the names and ages ,released by the FBI, of the 49 victims.

Multiple vigils were organized around the Bay area in response to the Pulse shooting. At USF, students, faculty and staff signed a banner that read #USFLovesOrlando. In Ybor City, those gathered lit candles to remember those who passed. ORACLE PHOTOS/JACOB HOAG AND JACKIE BENITEZ it has begun to spark a new mindset when it has come to Continued from PAGE 1 the LBGTQ community.

“I am definitely devastated,” Each of the currently unsold said Winter Harbison, a USF tickets will sell for $5 with senior majoring in education. all proceeds going toward the “It makes you want to feel GoFundMe account set up to like you have to fear going help the families affected. The anywhere. But you can’t live in fund has reached $3.9 million fear, because this is something by the time of publication, worth fighting for. It makes Daniel Cruz-Ramirez de Arellano shattering the crowdfunding you want to hide, but it’s your Instructor in the USF department of chemistry site’s record of $2 million. Its home. I feel the need to be goal is to raise $5 million. more vigilant and to do more whelming support from the President Montana Swiger, Despite the nearly 90-mile to help everyone around me.”

Bay area, some members of insecurity is a part of daily life. gap between Tampa and the It took a tragedy, but society the LBGTQ community con“I think, like all of us in scene of this horrific event, the came together, held candles, tinue to cope with the fear the LBGTQ community, you’re support received by the LBGTQ walked in marches and supcommunity has been immense of being themselves, which always kind of watching what ported one cause. Although the Rosario said has escalated you’re doing,” Swiger said. during these tragic times, givlives of those sons and daughsince the shooting.

“You double check where you ing hope to its members. ters, musicians, teachers and “I’m scared,” Rosario said. are; ‘Is this a safe place?

Can “For me it’s really heartpeople of all different back“Leaving the house, I’m always I be myself 100 percent in this warming to know that you grounds were lost, the support looking over my shoulder.

Even area?’

(The Pulse shootings) have a lot of support,” Synth generated by this senseless coming into work today, I was have just kind of nailed that in Rosario, president of USF killing continues to grow and terrified to leave the house.

I a bit more.”

P.R.I.D.E Alliance told The make an impact for a commujust know a good amount of And this feeling stretches Oracle on Tuesday. “Even nity in desperate need. my friends are shaken up and far beyond the LBGTQ comthough there’s one really bad “It was a very sad experiscared right now. munity, which was hit hardperson, there’s tons of support ence, but also a very nice expe“But our lives can’t stop est.

Students from all walks even around the world. of life are beginning to look rience because you can just “People in Tampa are sup- because of one bad person.”

It’s a feeling of safety some over their shoulder in light feel the love and support cirportive. Even if we didn’t know take for granted, but for othof the continued prevalence culating,” Swiger said. “It was it before, now we do.” ers, like USF P.R.I.D.E Vice of these mass shootings. But really beautiful and touching.”

But sadly, despite the over-

UNITED

“As members of the USF community, we must stand together in happy times of celebration, but also the sad times of tragedy because we are each other’s support group.”

Stanley Almodovar III, age 23 Amanda Alvear, age 25 Oscar Aracena, age 26 Rodolfo Ayala, age 33 Antonio Davon Brown, age 29 Darryl R. Burt II, age 29 Jonathan Camuy, age 24 Angel Luis Candelario-Padro, age 28 Omar Capo, age 20 Simon Carrillo, age 31 Luis Daniel Conde, age 39 Cory James Connell, age 21 Tevin Eugene Crosby, age 25 Anthony Luis Laureano Disla, age 25 Deonka Deidra Drayton, age 32 Leroy Valentin Fernandez, age 25 Mercedez Marisol Flores, age 26 Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, age 22 Juan Ramon Guerrero, age 22 Paul Terrell Henry, age 41 Frankie Hernandez, age 27 Miguel Angel Honorato, age 30 Jimmy De Jesús, age 50 Javier Jorge-Reyes, age 40 Jason Benjamin Josaphat, age 19 Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, age 30 Christopher Leinonen, age 32 Alejandro Barrios Martinez, age 21 Juan Chavez Martinez, age 25 Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, age 49 Kimberly Morris, age 37 Akyra Murray, age 18 Geraldo Ortiz-Jimenez, age 25 Joel Rayon Paniagua, age 31 Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, age 35 Enrique L. Rios, age 25 Eric Ivan Ortiz Rivera, age 36 Jean Carlos Nieves Rodriguez, age 27 Xavier Emmanuel Serrano, age 35 Christopher Sanfeliz, age 24 Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, age 24 Edward Sotomayor Jr., age 34 Shane Evan Tomlinson, age 33 Martin Benitez Torres, age 33 Juan Rivera Velazquez, age 37 Luis Vielma, age 22 Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, age 37 Jerald Arthur Wright, age 31 Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, age 25

W E D N E S DAY J U N E 1 5 , 2 0 1 6

●

SUIT

Continued from PAGE 2

services reached more than 650 students during the 2015-16 academic year.

Even with improvements, SAB is not without challenges.

Staff members are most often Enactus members, so keeping membership up is necessary to keep up with use and demand.

SAB is looking to hire in the fall to keep up with hour expansions. As of mid-Spring 2016, work-study students can now be employed at SAB. Laundering costs can also present problems, as SAB is a nonprofit organization. Suits are laundered after every use, which means with increased servicing, dry cleaning bills can start to stack up.

However, new partnerships, such as the financial support of Northwestern Mutual that SAB recently acquired, can help diminish those costs.

Thorsett attributes much of the success of SAB to the Enactus students and also Graduate Assistant Kristofer Stubbs who helped run the operation.

Currently, SAB is lacking in

4

T H E O R AC L E

smaller sizes for women’s suits and larger sizes for men’s suits, which will be the goal of the new Corporate Challenge drive, whose confirmed participants include Northwestern Mutual and Enterprise Rent-A-Car so far.

The processing component of accepting donations takes a long time, which is why SAB does not accept donations throughout the year. Instead, SAB holds large drives in order to divert manpower to sifting through donations for a smaller window of time.

Keeping SAB up and running and in a position to continue to thrive is important to not only Thorsett and Sodhi but those students who depend on the service.

When a student goes to SAB, a staff member will help them put together full formal attire catered to the occasion, which the student rents for 24 to 48 hours. Students can also rent individual formal pieces.

Sodhi said the program often has repeat customers who use the service for career fairs and job interviews.

“The team has been so helpful and so welcoming with these people that they know when they come in what suit they want, who they want to talk to, so it’s kind of

like, they just come in, get the suit and they don’t even have to try it on because they’ve been there so many times,” Sodhi said. “They know that that’s their suit.”

In the SAB Student Satisfaction Report, 80 percent of users surveyed who received an interview or presentation with a potential employer said they believed that SAB helped them secure a job.

The goal in the upcoming year, according to Sodhi, will be to further expand SAB’s services, hosting more events, like Dress for Success where students are given advice on formal attire and have professional headshots taken, in order to bring in more students and get them excited about the program and Enactus. Sodhi said the hope is to make Dress for Success a monthly event.

“We want to provide students the (freedom) in their mind that whenever they need professional attire … they can just come to us and we’ll be there to help them out in any way that we can,” Sodhi said. “The goals of Suit-A-Bull (are) to expand to the surroundings, be able to provide the service … and make sure that anyone who needs professional attire doesn’t go unnoticed.”

W E D N E S DAY J U N E 1 5 , 2 0 1 6

●

ATHLETICS

Continued from PAGE 8

held a 7-0 record with a 2.32 ERA in 87 1/3 innings. Her win in the NCAA Regional was the Bulls’ sole postseason win this year.

With AAC Pitcher of the Year Erica Nunn graduating, Eriksen and the Bulls will once again begin the year with a new ace on the mound. Replacing her conference-leading 27 wins and 1.71 ERA will be difficult, but Eggens will likely have to step up to help fill the void.

In Transition Men’s Tennis: Under coach Matt Hill, the USF’s men’s tennis team has risen to new heights, as they won a third-straight AAC Championship and climbed as high as No. 17 in the national rankings this season.

X-Factor in 2016: With four of the team’s nine players graduating last season — including No. 1 player Roberto Cid — Hill and the Bulls will need players such as seniors Sasha Gozun and Vadym Kalyuzhnyy to become team leaders.

Both Gozun and Kalyuzhnyy

5

T H E O R AC L E

competed in the NCAA Doubles Championships, but will need to improve their singles play if they are to keep the Bulls nationally ranked.

Baseball: The Bulls reached the NCAA Tournament in coach Mark Kingston’s first season at the helm in 2015, but stumbled to a 24-33 record in 2016. USF began the season with a mere five seniors on its 33-man roster and by the time the season was done, only two remained healthy.

X-Factor in 2017: Catcher Levi Borders. With the first year of USF baseball’s rebuilding project, the Bulls saw flashes of talent from several newcomers, but the most important piece to the team may be someone who’s been there the longest.

Borders was granted another year of playing eligibility after being shut down due to a bacterial infection in 2016. Going forward, Borders will likely be an integral part of the middle of USF’s lineup and a reassuring presence behind the plate.

Trending Down Men’s Basketball: Two years into coach Orlando Antigua’s

stint with the Bulls, he has given little to be hopeful for in the upcoming 2016 season. USF finished 8-25 in 2015-16 and saw two highly recruited players dismissed from the team in guard Roddy Peters and forward Chris Perry.

X-Factor in 2016: Jahmal McMurray. The undisputed leader of last season’s squad, McMurray will look to improve on an impressive freshman campaign in which he averaged a team-leading 15.2 points per game.

If the Bulls are to push for a better record in the 2016-17 season, Antigua and USF will need McMurray to take another step forward in his growth as a player.

Volleyball: The USF volleyball team, which hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since the 2002-03 season, struggled again in 2015. The Bulls finished the year with an 11-21 record.

X-Factor in 2016: Joli Holland.

With team-leader Dakota Hampton graduating at the end of last season, Holland will have to fill the void at outside hitter.

The junior ranked second on the team in several categories including kills, blocks, service aces and points.

RAYS

Continued from PAGE 8

2013, so I talk to him a lot and ask how he goes about things.

I’ve played against a bunch of kids who have been drafted already, and I stay in touch with a lot of them.

“Last year, I wanted to fix all this so I got in touch with them, and they helped me with a few things here and there.”

The junior pitcher went to work in the offseason, adding strength to help improve his velocity and endurance in games, which Kingston said he noticed upon Lawson’s return to the team.

Lawson’s improved physique was what coaches first noticed when he returned to campus, but he said the most notable improvement took place in his own head.

“Going into summer ball, I kind of looked back and asked myself, ‘What do you really want to do?’” Lawson said. “’Do you just want to be a college baseball player and end your career here, or go to the next level like you’ve always told yourself you would?’

“So, I worked on a lot of things. I got my body in shape

more than it had been before.

But, I really worked on my mental aspect of the game more than anything else. Just how to handle adversity and control it when things don’t go your way and not let things keep getting worse from there. That’s really what I worked on this year.”

Lawson, whose quick success in 2016 came as a surprise to the coaching staff, was promoted to the role of Saturday starter by the second week of the season and blossomed into one of the best pitchers on the team.

He finished the season with a 5-5 record and a 2.50 ERA in 101 innings pitched, leading the team in starting pitching categories such as strikeouts, innings pitched and ERA. “Brandon has matured a lot over his three years of college, but especially this year,” Kingston said. “When he knew we needed to count on him a lot as a weekend starter, we definitely saw his maturity grow.”

Lawson signed his deal with the Rays on Monday and will begin playing for the Hudson Valley Renegades of the Class A Short Season League in Fishkill, New York when the season begins Friday.

Opinion

6

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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

●

W E D N E S D AY J U N E 1 5 , 2 0 1 6

●

T H E O R AC L E

Aftermath goes far beyond Pulse’s walls

Editor in Chief Jacob Hoag oracleeditor@gmail.com News Editors Miki Shine Abby Rinaldi oraclenewsteam@gmail.com Sports Editor Vinnie Portell oraclesportseditor@gmail.com Opinion Editor Breanne Williams oracleopinion@gmail.com Lifestyle Editor oraclelifestyleeditor@gmail.com Multimedia Editor Jackie Benitez Copy Editor Grace Hoyte

Nearly 400 people gathered outside Metro Wellness and Community Centers in Ybor City on Sunday to honor the victims killed and injured in the Orlando shooting that occurred early Sunday morning. ORACLE PHOTO/JACOB HOAG

Graphic Artist Jessica Thomas

Miki Shine

Advertising Sales Alyssa Alexander Lauren Alford Destiny Moore Dylan Ritchey

COLU M N I ST

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).

BY PHONE Main . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sports ................

Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . .

Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Website: Facebook: Twitter:

974-6242 974-5190 974-1888 974-2842 974-2620 974-6242

usforacle.com facebook.com/usforacle @USFOracle

CORRECTIONS The Oracle will correct or clarify factual errors.

Contact Editor in Chief Jacob Hoag at 974-5190.

The events of early Sunday morning have left a jarring mark on the LGBTQ community, one that will never fully heal but will push us toward a better tomorrow.

Over 100 people were shot by an angry and hateful man — a man whose name we will probably see in the media far more than that of any of the victims — who targeted the LGBTQ nightclub Pulse in Orlando. Nearly half of those shot have already passed away.

I grew up in Orlando as a member of the LGBTQ community. I have been marching in Orlando Pride since 2007, and my parents have been doing so even longer.

My sisters have visited Pulse.

I always knew the risk of being out of the closet in high school. LGBTQ youth are twice as likely to be assaulted at school, and 92 percent say they have heard negative messages about the community particular-

ly at school or online, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

Despite the numbers, I always did my best to be open about my sexuality and my gender identity. I always thought the best way for me to combat homophobia was to show that I wasn’t afraid of those who wanted to use it as a weapon against me.

This is a view that I continue to hold.

But I lived in a delusion. I wanted to believe those numbers were exaggerated and there couldn’t be that much hate in the world.

As a younger member of the LGBTQ community, I’ve mostly seen the positive results of those who came before me in this battle for equality. I’ve seen a lot of progress in my lifetime, as our country is slowly becoming more accepting of all of its citizens.

I wasn’t alive for the Stonewall Riots of 1969 that are commonly regarded as the beginning of the gay rights movement in the U.S. I don’t remember when homosexuality was listed as a mental disorder treatable by electric shock.

I don’t even remember the teenage boy who was attacked walking in downtown Orlando just for looking gay in 2005.

I do remember the repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ which forced members of the community to remain in the closet while serving in the military.

I remember — a small triumph, really, but impactful to me — when young adult novelist Rick Riordan had a coming out scene for one of his most popular characters in the sixth book he’s featured in.

Most importantly, I remember almost a year ago when the U.S. Supreme Court made marriage equality legal in all 50 states.

While I was aware of the previous events, their reality never truly sunk in for me.

But this massacre against my home has changed things. My illusion of safety has been shattered. If the goal of this attack was to strike fear, it worked. But that fear will not keep our community silent. If anything, it will make us louder.

The events of this weekend will mark a new era in the fight for equality. This is a battle that

our parents cannot fight for us.

And unlike those who seek to lash out against us in anger, we know guns and weapons are not the answer to ending this bigotry.

Instead, our weapons need to be compassion, acceptance and love. Fighting hate with hate will only end in more senseless bloodshed on both sides.

We have to be above those who wish ill on us. There are days when it will feel impossible, but to stoop to the level of those filled with hate makes us no better than them.

Like Martin Luther King Jr. fighting for equality with peaceful marches and unifying rallies or Ghandi protesting the oppressive British Empire with the Salt March, we will unify this nation without taking the coward’s way out and resorting to meaningless bloodshed.

We have been battling for decades for the simple right to love and now we must use that love to show the world we cannot be stifled.

Miki Shine is a sophomore majoring in mass communications.

Classifieds UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

To place a classified ad go to ANNOUNCEMENTS

Teacher Assistant Science Scope’s mission is for kids to “have a blast while learning science!”

We are looking for an assistant teacher to travel to schools and assist with hands on and fun science classes for early childhood and elementary students.

We are looking for employees that enjoy working with children.

Background check will be required.

Email sciencescope@ icloud.com CHILD CARE

tutor/childcare Seeking intelligent,energetic and kind individual to care for 14 year old child Transportation to and from school,take out to eat, and daily excursions Help with homework and online classes Must be available some weekends for local travel Must be nonsmoker,have clean driving record and own reliable car, comfortable with pets Special education training is a plus Will be opportunity to study or take online courses when child is in school Located in Odessa area Job starts July and extends through academic year Email lantzimaging@gmail. com

●

Crossword

W E D N E S D AY J U N E 1 5 , 2 0 1 6

http://www.usforacle.com/classifieds

●

T H E O R AC L E

7

Sports

8

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

The Rundown

●

W E D N E S D AY J U N E 1 5 , 2 0 1 6

Rays make USF pitcher’s dreams a reality

By Vinnie Portell

Outside USF

Rays to hold annual Pride Night In light of the recent shooting in Orlando, the Tampa Bay Rays are dedicating their annual Pride Night to the victims of this tragedy.

Remaining open seats for Friday’s game against the San Francisco Giants will be sold for $5 and proceeds will go to the Pulse Victims Fund.

Those in attendance will receive a “We Are Orlando” T-shirt.

1.

USF Baseball closer Tommy Eveld and right fielder Luke Maglich joined pitcher Brandon Lawson as the only three Bulls selected in the MLB Draft. Eveld was taken in the ninth round by the Arizona Diamondbacks and Maglich was drafted in the 34th round by the Philadelphia Phillies.

2.

USF athlete Matthew O’Neal completed his historic career at USF when he finished third in the triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Friday.

3.

USF women’s golf coach Marci Kornegay was relieved of her duties by athletic director Mark Harlan on Tuesday. Harlan cited a need for new leadership and competitiveness as his reasons for letting the coach go.

T H E O R AC L E

Baseball

S P O R T S

What you missed

●

Former USF pitcher Brandon Lawson emerged as one of the Bulls’ best pitchers in 2016, leading all starters with a 2.50 ERA in 15 games. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU

E D I T O R

Since he first began playing baseball at a young age, Brandon Lawson dreamt of being drafted by an MLB team.

Lawson’s dream became a reality Saturday when the former USF pitcher was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 12th round of the 2016 MLB Draft.

“It was definitely the greatest moment of my life thus far,” Lawson said. “This thought has been going through my mind ever since I started playing baseball.

“Now, I’m playing professional baseball and there’s still many more levels to go, but it’s a step in the right direction and a dream come true.”

While his aspirations for professional baseball were realized Saturday, Lawson likely wouldn’t have even been drafted if not for the adjustments he made prior to the 2016 season.

In 2015, Lawson appeared in

15 games for the Bulls, earning a 1-3 record along with a 6.35 ERA. In one start against Florida State that season, Lawson surrendered 10 runs on 10 hits in only four innings of work.

“No, I don’t think Brandon would have been drafted (without adjustments),” coach Mark Kingston said. “The corrections and improvements he’s made have allowed him to turn into a 12th round pick.”

Lawson, who was a threetime all-county pitcher in high school, navigated his way past his disappointing 2015 season with the help of some professional advice.

“I really tried learning more about the game and how other people go about it when these things happen,” Lawson said. “I just tried to pique professionals’ minds on how they go about things.

“My high school buddy Christian Arroyo was drafted in the first round by the Giants in

n See RAYS on PAGE 5

USF Athletics: A look back at ‘15-16

By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S

E D I T O R

When USF’s Matthew O’Neal finished third in the triple jump event at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USF’s up-anddown athletic season came to a close.

USF, which had recently become a school known for its smaller sports, saw continued success from many of those teams coupled with the unexpected rise of its football team in the past year.

As USF enters its second full school year under athletic director Mark Harlan, the Bulls will look to other sports such as men’s basketball and baseball to follow in the footsteps of USF’s 2015 football team.

Trending Up Football: Following three los-

ing seasons in which the Bulls combined for nine wins, the team took a dramatic step forward, winning seven of its last eight games of the 2015-16 regular season to qualify for the Miami Beach Bowl.

The Bulls (8-5) fell to Western Kentucky in their bowl game, 45-35, but the hype surrounding the team has never been higher, evidenced by increased season ticket sales and several national pre-season magazines predictions for the Bulls to take the East division of the AAC in 2016.

X-Factor in 2016: Quinton Flowers. The Team MVP from last season was the first quarterback to start every game of the season under coach Willie Taggart’s tenure with the Bulls.

Coming off a record-breaking season in which Flowers accounted for 34 touchdowns, USF will need a similar type of season from the dynamic, dualthreat junior to contend for the

USF Football, led by coach Willie Taggart (right), is one of the teams trending up in USF Athletics following its first bowl game appearance since the 2010 Meineke Car Care Bowl. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM

MATHIEU

AAC title.

Softball: After starting the season with a 2-7 record, coach Ken Eriksen pushed his team to bounce back. The Bulls would go on to finish 43-9 from that

point on to close the regular season before falling in the NCAA Regional to South Carolina.

X- Factor in 2017: Cheyenne Eggens. The freshman pitcher

n See ATHLETICS on PAGE 5