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September 8, 2016 Vol. 54 No. 6

A passion passed down Page 10 USF defender Jordyn Listro’s love for

soccer was instilled by her late grandfather

Recreating the red planet Page 3

Fight to end sexual assault still ongoing Page 4

Apple unveils new iPhone changes Page 6

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

Editor in Chief Jacob Hoag oracleeditor@gmail.com

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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Contact Editor in Chief Jacob Hoag at 974-5190.

Opinion Editor Breanne Williams oracleopinion@gmail.com Lifestyle Editor Nicole Cate oraclelifestyleeditor@gmail.com Multimedia Editor Jackie Benitez Copy Editor Grace Hoyte Graphic Artists Destiny Moore Jessica Thomas Advertising Sales Alyssa Alexander Jessica DiLiello Destiny Moore Dylan Ritchey

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News Briefs

Green Party candidate charged with vandalism

news A year on Mars, sort of Genshaft highlights UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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FALL ADDRESS

USF professor works on Mars simulation research team

recordsetting year for USF

By Morgan Blauth S T A F F

SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

Green Party candidate Jill Stein was charged with vandalism and criminal trespass after she allegedly wrote, “I approve this message” on a bulldozer using spray paint, according to BBC World News.

The alleged vandalism took place at the North Dakota oil pipeline protest, as the pipeline intrudes on Native American land. BBC World News reports that a warrant has been issued for Stein’s arrest.

NBC hosts presidential forum NBC held a forum Wednesday night in which Matt Lauer of NBC News posed questions to presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Questions were asked by veterans in the audience. The forum discussed sexual assault in the military, ISIS, the candidates’ stances on the Iraq War and more candidate-specific issues such as Trump’s praise of Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Clinton’s leaked emails.

While the forum featured both candidates, it did so separately.

The first official televised debate will be Sept. 26 at 9 p.m., according to the Commission on Presidential Debates.

conducting these debriefs.

“The goal is to gather data on the eight-month crew and the 12-month crew and compare them to see how the fluctuations and cohesion are similar or different among the two crews over time and then,” she said.

“If those patterns that we

President Judy Genshaft took the stage of the Marshall Student Center (MSC) Oval Theater amid thunderous applause to deliver her fall address on Wednesday afternoon.

With over 700 students and faculty in attendance and still more watching the event online, according to USF spokesman Adam Freeman, Genshaft sought to highlight USF’s growing status in the Tampa Bay community and beyond.

Her speech spoke of the achievements of current students. According to Genshaft, the 2016 freshman class has the highest average standardized test scores and GPA in the history of the university.

“USF (is) attracting highquality students more than ever before,” she said.

The Morsani College of Medicine enrolled its largest class this semester. More than 6,000 students applied for the 183 spots in the College, according to Genshaft. The accepted students have an average score of 34 on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

Genshaft said USF’s is the highest average MCAT score of all Florida institutions, public or private.

Additionally, she said, the university also received a record $458,506,047 in research funding this year.

Genshaft said that USF is in the top 25 American public

n See MARS on PAGE 5

n See GENSHAFT on PAGE 5

Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation built a habitat on the side of the Mauna Loa volcano to house the crew for their 12-month stay. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/HI-SEAS

By Abby Rinaldi N E W S

E D I T O R

Red soil and an empty landscape were the views offered to the six-member crew inside the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) habitat during their year-long stay inside of the little dome.

It was the surface of Mars — well, an Earth-bound equivalent.

Located 8,000 feet above sea level on the barren side of the active volcano Mauna Loa in Hawaii, the multi-level, approximately 1,000-square-foot habitat was the home of the first year-long Mars simulation mission conducted by the research team of HI-SEAS, according to the HI-SEAS website.

Last week, the crew emerged from the habitat. They had a media event and a night’s rest before they began their debriefing with another member of the HI-SEAS research team, USF professor of psychology Wendy Bedwell.

Debriefs, some conducted after the crew did team activities like simulation walks on the “surface,” are part of the data USF professor Wendy Bedwell is collecting. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/HI-SEAS The HI-SEAS project is part of a research grant from NASA. Her role in the research is focused on collecting data from debriefs that will then be analyzed to study the fluctuations in team cohesion throughout the mission’s duration. HI-SEAS has previously conducted eight-month missions.

This past week, she was in Hawaii

W R I T E R

Opinion

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Changing the cultural mindset on sexual assault

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

The miniscule sentence Brock Turner served has caused people across the country to fly into a rage. However, it will take more than a few Facebook posts to elicit real change in this country.

Yana Mazurkevich, a student from Ithaca College, released a photo series titled “It Happens” in protest of convicted rapist Brock Turner’s miniscule three months in jail after being charged with three felonies related to sexual assault.

Mazurkevich worked in collaboration with the sexual assault advocacy group Current Solutions to demonstrate that rape can happen to “anyone, anywhere, anytime, without warning and without reason,” according to the post on the Current Solutions page.

She told BuzzFeed News this is her way of saying, “Look. Look at this and don’t even try to ignore it because it’s right there in front of you to stare at.”

The photos include graphic depictions of sexual assault with the victim frozen staring straight into the camera. Each image is accompanied by a quote about sexual assault.

Mazurkevich hit the nail right on the head. Sexual assault is not taken seriously in this country because people would rather pretend it doesn’t exist than get their hands dirty and push for actual change.

Out of every 1,000 rapes, 994 perpetrators go free, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). The main issue is that, of those 1,000 cases,

only 344 are ever reported to the police.

The list of reasons why victims choose to not report the crime is too extensive to cover here. But the victim-blaming culture that has permeated our society is inarguably a leading factor in their silence.

Thankfully, we are beginning to see that mindset change. Starting in the late 60s and early 70s with Secondwave feminism, rape was reexamined and slowly began to work its way into public conversation.

However, the fight for reforming cultural outlook on the issue didn’t truly take wing until the last decade.

Within the last few years, we have seen cases saturating the media of victims speaking out against their aggressors.

Whether it was Bill Cosby facing trial for being accused of sexual assault on over 50 women, Lady Gaga performing “Til It Happens To You” at the Oscars and revealing she too was a victim of sexual assault or a college athlete being caught in the act behind a dumpster, the conversation is making its way into homes across the country.

The issue is no longer simply getting people to recognize sexual assault, it is breaking down the notion that “victims” are helpless or loose women and that “rapists” are shadowy figures in dark alleys.

Sexual assailants are often acquaintances, classmates or significant others, and victims are often simply unable or afraid to stop their aggressor.

Rather, it is taking the awareness and transitioning it to judicial reformation.

Out of 344 cases reported to the police, 63 would lead to

Protesters gather to speak out for victims of sexual assault as part of the movement to end rape culture. ORACLE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ arrests, according to RAINN. Of those 63, only 13 would be referred to a prosecutor. When it’s all said and done, only 7 cases will lead to a felony conviction and merely 6 rapists will be incarcerated.

Six out of 1,000 is not a statistic we can afford to accept. Yes, it is a positive step to protest the laughably lenient prosecution of Turner.

However, focusing on one case and remaining blind to the hundreds of others currently in court is hypocritical.

Frustrated citizens signed a petition to have Turner’s judge removed from the bench, and under pressure, he has chosen not to hear criminal cases for the time being.

It was a minor win but has in no way reshaped the face of the U.S.’s Justice Department.

The problem so often with movements in this country is people will be passionate in the heat of the moment but refuse to continue the fight for any extended period of time.

Reforming a society’s way of thinking is not something that can be done overnight.

Look up cases currently under ruling and use the same passion dedicated to the Turner case to demand justice for those victims across the country.

When lawyers, judges and politicians see the public refusing to tolerate this crime, refusing to turn a blind eye to

the traumatizing offense that effects one in five women, they will begin pushing for true change.

Continue to protest, continue to fight, and soon rapists who “just so happen” to be swimmers or CEOs of major media networks who sexually assault employees won’t be able to serve a few weeks in jail and be released or pay off their victims without any major repercussions.

If we’re diligent, soon victims will receive the justice they deserve.

Breanne Williams is a senior majoring in mass communications.

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MARS

Continued from PAGE 3

see continue in those extra four months, or if there’s kind of new patterns that emerge, and if we see new patterns, then that will be indicative of the fact that … the longer the duration of the mission, the more we’re learning about how cohesion operates within a crew.”

This research is important, she said, because it is collecting data on team cohesion in a very specific, isolated context that could change current perceptions on proper team composition and training. It could also help NASA in the development of a manned mission to the real red planet.

The debriefing process involved interviews with members of the crew, which are recorded. The debriefs usually last for an average of 3 1/2 hours and are composed of open-ended questions, some dealing with job delegation during the mission and others focusing more on interpersonal interactions.

She also had data from debriefs the crew gave after simulated space walks and other team activities.

“So I can kind of look at how they were interacting with one another and see how that changed throughout the duration of the mission,” Bedwell said.

The reliance on technology for

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research universities and that USF is on the forefront of technology innovation and new medical drugs and products. She put it in the top six percent of national universities that convert research into results. “(USF is) raising the bar of student achievement,” Genshaft said.

Also noteworthy, she added, is USF declaration as an emerging ‘preeminent’ state research university.

The distinction was earned from the Board of Governors in July. She explained that this status makes the university eligible for millions more dollars in state funding.

These dollars will allow for “state-of-the-art facilities, better rewards for faculty and staff, and better resources for students,” Genshaft said.

She believes preeminent status will also allow USF to become nationally recognized

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the data collection presented some problems, as technology can be unreliable and the crew had to manage their power usage in the confines of the habitat.

According to Bedwell, creating the simulation environment and crafting a crew were also challenging. The crewmembers had to meet requirements correlating with those for NASA astronauts, including an educational level of at least a master’s degree. The crew is also designed to be diverse.

Challenges aside, Bedwell said the research has been very rewarding.

“The opportunity to do this type of research is really amazing for me,” she said. “The whole reason that I became a psychologist in the first place is because I wanted to do research that had impact, and I feel like this research is really impactful.”

The astronauts also had to give up a year of their lives and live in the habitat.

Bedwell was required, along with the other researchers, to spend one night in the habitat along with seven of her colleagues.

She said she didn’t take too much of a liking to life in the dome, as she is a very outdoorsy person.

“That was plenty of time in the dome for me,” she said. “I like studying this but I would never volunteer to be one of the participants.” and to recruit and retain the best students, faculty and staff.

“The USF System has never been stronger,” Genshaft said.

“Our sense of purpose has never been clearer. Now is the time to focus on the future, and now is the time to claim our destiny.”

USF is the youngest university currently eligible for preeminent status.

The university was established 60 years ago, but it is already a “leading higher education system,” Genshaft said.

For all of the excitement about preeminence, Genshaft said “preeminence is about a mindset, not just metrics.”

“The search for new knowledge and truth is always paramount,” she said. “But so, too, is our obligation to foster diversity and promote free and civil discourse, especially on difficult topics and in challenging times.”

Genshaft said that USF’s growth would not occur without students’ personal and professional growth.

“As we uplift our university, we uplift each other,” she said.

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Apple Event: iPhone 7 loses headphone port

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

E D I T O R

Tim Cook reached into his bag of wonder and produced a stunning lineup of brand-new Apple products to make a fan’s mouth water.

At Wednesday’s Apple Special Event, the CEO unveiled the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, Apple Watch Series 2, and AirPod wireless earbuds, as well as several software updates.

After months of anticipation, consumers were finally able to see the changes made to the new iPhone and confirm rumors surrounding the headphone situation.

In what has widely been considered the most radical change, Apple got rid of the formerly standard 3.5 mm headphone jack.

If users still wish to use headphones, though, they can do so with the use of a converter that plugs in to the Lightning port that is otherwise used for charging the phone.

However, to pair with the loss of the headphone jack, Apple revealed their new AirPod wireless earbuds.

They will not be available as the standard earphones for the iPhone 7 but, will sell separately for $159.

They will become available in late October.

Other changes to the iPhone are the new water-resistance of the 7 and 7 Plus models.

Apple is behind in this respect, as the first waterproof smartphone was Sony’s Experia Z, which was released in early 2013, and Samsung released their first waterproof model, the Galaxy S5, a year later.

Another big change is the presence of dual-cameras on the iPhone 7 Plus. This update is intended to be useful for its better zoom capabilities and long-range pictures.

Apple also announced smaller changes, such as new jet and matte black colors, along with the usual silver, gold and rose gold.

Huge changes were also made to the Apple Watch’s successor. The devices will now be also waterproof, but more so than the iPhone. The timepiece can be submerged up to 50 meters, which will be coupled with the new swimming tracker on the Activities app.

The smartwatch, which is the most popular of its kind, also has a new processor, which makes it 50 percent faster. Apple made the display twice as bright as the last one, which makes the screen the brightest display ever made on any Apple product.

The pre-order for the new phones and next generation of smartwatch begins Friday, and the devices themselves will be available on Sept.16.

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Backups ready to take over backfield Football

By Chuck Muller S T A F F

W R I T E R

As a matchup with Northern Illinois on Saturday looms, it appears the Bulls could be without one of the most prolific rushers in program history.

Junior running back Marlon Mack, who only needs 290 yards to surpass Andre Hall as USF’s alltime leading rusher, left Saturday’s win against Towson with a concussion early in the second quarter.

Coach Willie Taggart later confirmed that Mack is going through concussion protocol.

At Wednesday’s practice, Mack was seen in a red non-contact jersey, with backups Darius Tice and D’Ernest Johnson splitting the majority of snaps with the first team.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Tice said. “Mack has been practicing,

but if we have to carry it alone, we’ll be OK because we’re a threeheaded monster. If one can’t finish, that’s what we’re here for.”

Back to Basics

Following a season in which the Bulls were 14th in the nation in turnover margin (+10), USF forced four turnovers Saturday to pick up right where they left off.

After his first game at the helm of the “Bull Sharks,” defensive coordinator Raymond Woodie said improvements can continue to be made to an already productive squad by just getting back to fundamentals.

“I see us continuously getting better,” Woodie said. “But we have to work on the basic fundamentals and techniques of football, and not get away from that. Because when you get away from that, now it’s

all about schemes and you don’t really see the improvement you want to see from week to week.”

Selvie Returns Home

Former USF great and NFL free agent defensive end George Selvie attended Wednesday’s practice to encourage current Bulls while checking in to see firsthand what may be one of the most talented teams USF has had since Selvie’s ’07 team rose to No. 2 in the nation.

For current Bulls like Johnson, seeing alumni like Selvie return is added motivation to cement a legacy at USF and beyond.

“It’s great to see them boys come back and support us,” Johnson said. “It’s always good just to see them back. Once I make it to the NFL, I want to come back and support the Bulls.”

Darius Tice showed off his big-play ability Saturday when he caught a 43-yard touchdown pass for USF’s first score of the game. ORACLE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ

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Classifieds UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

To place a classified ad go to

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 6

http://www.usforacle.com/classifieds

HELP WANTED

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Kennel Cleaning Staff

Hiring part time swim

The Lodge at New Tampa,an upscale dog boarding and daycare facility located on Morris Bridge Road, approximately 20 minutes from Campus, needs a person who is interested in working with dogs. Duties include cleaning, exercise and daycare duties. Two shifts, 7am to 2pm and 2pm till 7-8 pm. Great for person interested in a veterinary degree and working with dogs. Apply in person, 15403 Morris Bridge Road Thonotosassa ( 1/2 mile south of the Croos Creek Blvd/Morris Bridge Road intersection. 813-986-2226 Email GritsDVM@aol.com

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Know the Foe: Northern Illinois

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Football

USF (1-0) vs. NIU (0-1) • Raymond James Stadium • Sat. 7:00 p.m.

By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S

E D I T O R

Nearly 20 years ago to the day, USF football held its firstever practice. At the time, current Bulls coach Willie Taggart was a 20-year-old sophomore at Western Kentucky University.

He recalled hearing the news from family back home in the Sarasota-Manatee area as they spoke of excitement over the prospect of college football finding a home in Tampa Bay. “I remember calling back home, hearing all the hype about football in Tampa other than the Bucs,” Taggart said.

“It was pretty cool to see that first game, how packed the whole stadium was.

“Again, that’s proof that we can pack that place. We just have to get them back and we will.”

In the time since the Bulls’

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one.

“Part of our program’s goal is to get kids back to their hometown … to play in front of their hometown crowd,” USF coach Courtney Draper said. “I think that it helps in the recruiting area, as well, knowing that if you come play for us that we’re going to hopefully get back to the closest Division-I university (near your hometown) that we can compete with.”

Draper credits a number of factors for her team’s early

inaugural game on Sept. 6, 1997, the program has seen its fair share of ups and downs, from being ranked second in the nation in 2007 to posting a 14-34 between 2011 and 2015.

Since becoming the head coach of USF in December 2012, Taggart has undertaken the task of kick-starting the rebirth of the Bulls.

Saturday, the Bulls will host their first FBS opponent of the season during a year that could mean as much to USF as ever before — from conference re-alignment to awakening a somewhat dormant fan base.

Northern Illinois enters Week 2 fresh off a triple-overtime loss to Wyoming, which ended at 2:30 a.m. after a lengthy lightening delay.

“After coming off a loss like that, the next week you always want to rebound no matter what,” defensive back Devin

Abraham said. “But they’re definitely going to come out with some energy, and we’ll be ready for them.”

Taggart said the distractions NIU had to deal with Saturday — weather delays, a late start time and a long road trip — played a big role in their loss.

When the Huskies travel to Raymond James Stadium this weekend, Taggart said the Bulls are preparing to face a versatile offense like the one they watched against Wyoming.

“They’ve always been a team to run it, but last week they threw it,” Taggart said.

“I think their quarterback is really smart with the ball. It’s going to be a challenge for us, but it’s a challenge we’re up for.”

NIU senior quarterback Drew Hare, who is coming off a torn Achilles last season, threw for 329 yards on 24-of-39 passing

for three touchdowns and no interceptions. Hare also added a rushing touchdown despite losing six yards on 11 carries.

Next to Hare, senior receiver Kenny Golladay was the motor behind NIU’s offense.

The 6-foot-4, 213-pound receiver had 10 receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns. He even led the team in rushing with 82 yards and a score on six carries.

Despite Golladay’s impact on offense, defensive coordinator Raymond Woodie said he’s not changing his game plan to focus on a single player.

“Anybody can catch balls or run balls,” he said. “I think with Deatrick (Nichols) and the rest of the DBs, they have to understand that we are a defense that every week has to get better with our fundamentals and our technique. We can’t get caught up with too

much of the schemes.

“What happens is you put pressure on one guy and you forget about the other ten.”

Both Taggart and Woodie compared NIU’s offense to something similar to what Memphis does with its presnap adjustments.

“Yes, a lot of (pre-snap movement),” Woodie said. “It’s good that they go against an offense like ours in practice because they do a lot of stuff like that, too: play with your eyes, get you off your keys, then — bam — they hit you.”

When USF (1-0) hosts Northern Illinois (0-1) on Saturday at 7 p.m., the Bulls and Taggart will have an opportunity to take one more step toward recapturing the magic that was born 20 years ago when college football found a home in Tampa.

success — a winning streak that defies the Bulls’ predicted ninth place finish by AAC coaches.

She sees great value in the relative abundance of seniors, whose mix of six distinct personalities have made for competitive practices that have translated into the six straight victories. “ D a ko ta ( H a m p to n ) has obviously been hot on offense,” Draper said. “Elyse Panick passing and digging, and her back row play — as well as her blocking — but particularly her back row play, has kept us at the top of our

game.”

Hampton, Panick and senior transfer T’ara Austin all have roots in either Chicago proper or a nearby suburb. Moreover, Panick and Hampton have a close personal tie with a member of their first opponent in the DePaul Invitational.

“One of my good friends that I used to play with on my club team (DePaul middle blocker Jasmine King) with me and Elyse Panick, she’s going to be blocking us, so that’s going to be really, really fun,” Hampton said. “I’m from Chicago, and I’m going to have about 30 people there

watching me and my team compete, so I’m really excited for DePaul.”

However, with a tight schedule including an 8 p.m. contest Friday against DePaul and two Saturday matches (11 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.) there is not going to be much time for Hampton, Panick and Austin to give their teammates a tour of their home city.

Aside from planned dinners at Panick’s and Hampton’s respective family homes, the DePaul Invitational falls strictly into the category of “business trip,” according to Hampton.

Draper is originally from Chicago herself, making this trip a special one for her, as well.

The goal is to come out victorious against all three opponents, but Draper admits the anticipated support from friends and family will help their cause.

“Opening with DePaul is definitely going to be a challenge, their athletes are pretty physical, I think we are similar-type teams,” Draper said.

“I would expect that we would have a pretty nice crowd, even though we’ll be the visiting team.”

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Women’s Soccer

USF senior Jordyn Listro carries on her grandfather’s love for soccer

By Sam Mire C O R R E S P O N D E N T

Senior USF defender Jordyn Listro is borderline fanatical when it comes to her dedication to the game of soccer.

At age 5, she began her journey as a member of the Wexford Soccer Club in her home province of Toronto, Canada.

Her love of the game was sparked even before she was able to dribble the ball or win a header.

It started with family — in particular with her maternal grandfather, Ross Borgh, whom she called “No-Nno,” an Italian nickname.

Her attachment to the sport was in no small part due to her unique relationship with the small, Italian man who instilled in his granddaughter a love of not only the sport, but of her Italian heritage as well.

“All of my grandparents are from Italy and soccer is huge there,” Listro said. “So every time I’d go to his house, he’d have the professional Italian league on and we’d just watch and talk.

“Whenever Italy plays in the World Cup, it’s just a really big deal for my family. He loved the game, and he loved being a part of my journey.”

The love of “the beautiful game” that was imported from Italy to Toronto and passed from grandfather to granddaughter only served to strengthen their bond once Listro grew serious about the sport and began playing consistently in increasingly competitive circuits.

She largely credits the competitive nature of the provincial soccer programs in Canada for elevating the passion and aggressiveness with which she approaches the sport.

She even started playing hockey after her father, John, and her

Bulls aim for historic start Volleyball

Senior Dakota Hampton is one of three Bulls with Chicago roots. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU

By Sam Mire C O R R E S P O N D E N T

USF women’s soccer senior Jordyn Listro inherited her love of soccer from her grandfather and continues to remember him through her play on the pitch. PHOTOS COURTESY OF PATRICIA LISTRO coaches said she had to disre- the family, with Listro insisting the ever-present glue that gave gard her tendency for gentleness that they stop by his house on a Listro and her No-Nno even more for others if she wanted to take near daily basis so she could give reason to gather, chat and grow the next step toward her soccer- him the long embrace that was so close. related goals. indicative of the “special bond” As Listro was in the running for “I was more of a finesse player, her mother Patricia said the two a spot on Canada’s U-17 World and actually my parents used to shared.

Cup team, which was set to comget mad at me because I used to “He was at every high school pete in Azerbaijan beginning in be a forward and I wouldn’t tackle game, most of — if not all — of my September 2012, it seemed a the goalie when I came close to club soccer games,” Listro said. given that her grandfather would scoring a goal,” she said. “(The “As much as he could, he was be watching, one-way or another. provincial program) was a very there.”

So, when Borgh was unexpectcompetitive environment, so you Patricia remembers fondly her edly diagnosed with cancer and either competed or you were get- father attending each and every given only months to live just ting cut. So I knew I had to change one of those soccer games, proud- before the U-17 World Cup was to my mentality, and my coaches ly — and loudly — saying, “that’s start, the family was devastated. drilled it in my head that I needed my granddaughter” any time Despite being distraught upon to be physical or I wasn’t going to Listro would score a goal or make hearing the diagnosis, Listro did make it further.” a play. not drop out of the competition Encouraging her all along her Though blood was the unbreak- or even show many signs that the path was her No-Nno, who lived able bond that initially brought man who had helped propel her only a few minutes away from them together, soccer served as n See PASSION on PAGE 11

USF volleyball enters the weekend one victory away from tying the record for consecutive wins to open a season, set by the 2000 squad.

With the Bulls set to travel to Chicago for the DePaul Invitational beginning Friday, what would seem like a road trip for the Bulls will provide a chance for some of their Illinois-based recruits to play in front of friends and family.

The Bulls open the weekend tournament at 6-0, having swept their first three opponents at the season-opening Charlotte Invitational. They then went on to beat Western Carolina, New Mexico, and Stetson — all home games — by a combined margin of nine sets to

n See HISTORIC on PAGE 9

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to the World Cup-level athlete she was, would possibly not make it to see her play on the grandest stage of her career.

He would not live to see her compete in Azerbaijan, as he passed away at the age of 83.

According to Patricia, Listro held her grandfather as long as she could, even after he had let out his last breath, spending every possible moment, gripping the man who had brought her so much joy and largely introduced her to the sport that would come to define much of her young life.

“Right when (his passing) happened, I knew that he would want me to obviously pursue the dream that I was chasing for a while,” Listro said. “Obviously I was devastated, my whole family was devastated, but I just knew that is what he would want me to do, so I just kept my emotions in tact as best as I could.”

Still, she admits that playing in the U-17 World Cup with such a heavy heart was far from easy.

“There were times when it was very hard and I knew that … I wish it was different. I wish he was still here for this (World Cup), but

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I just tried my best to (keep on),” Listro said.

Still, she had a constant reminder of her beloved grandfather — a pair of his sandals that she wore during her time in Azerbaijan — a pair of her No-Nno’s footies that, according to her mother, fit the similarly sized Jordyn as if she had picked them out from the store herself.

Listro’s mother describes her oldest daughter quite simply, and this sentiment is echoed by her coaches and teammates.

“She’s very kind, responsible, hard-working for sure, and one that has always cared about others,” Patricia said.

Specifically, she remembers catching an early glimpse of her daughter’s selfless nature when she observed her interaction with others during a pick up game on the playground.

“A girl wanted to play with them, and one girl told her that she couldn’t,” Patricia said. “Jordyn said, ‘If she can’t play, then I won’t either.’”

As she began her career with the Bulls, she kept mementos of her grandfather as daily inspiration and reminders of all the lifelessons he had imparted upon her.

“He had cancer, and seeing

him struggle and try and overcome while being strong about it inspired me so much,” Listro said.

“So I keep a bunch of pictures of him in my room and bathroom and in my locker and I just sometimes glance at them and I’m like, ‘OK, I’m doing this for him.’”

One of those precious reminders is a Build-a-Bear, which features a recording of Borgh’s voice saying, “I love you, Jordyn” that she keeps to this day.

During her four years at USF, Listro has played in at least 20 games each season, starting all 22 as a midfielder for the Bulls in 2015.

Part of that constant sense of self-improvement meant involving more weight-intensive drills to her already cardio-heavy workout routines.

“Coming into USF, I wasn’t big on lifting, I was big on running,” she recalls. “My cardio has always been there but when I was introduced to lifting I love [it], I love eating healthy, so I’ve kind of adopted that type of lifestyle.”

The strong, silent demeanor that helped Listro endure the loss of her grandfather has not gone unnoticed by her USF coaches and teammates.

In particular, her transformation

from a finesse forward into the aggressive defensive stopper of the team has garnered the admiration of her teammates, with fellow Canadian Leticia Skeete witnessing this evolution first-hand.

“I’ve known Jordyn since she was fourteen, and she’s definitely evolved as a player,” Skeete said.

“Now she brings her technical finesse on the ball as well as her demand to be the hardest player on the field, which is awesome because if she’s not that (intense), we don’t win games.”

That hardened style of play Skeete attests to is evident every time 5-foot-6 Listro makes an aggressive tackle or goes up for a contested header with fearlessness-bordering-on-reckless abandon.

“I like to make a tackle early because I feel like it sets the tone for the game,” Listro said. “It helps the players around me … realize that this is the college level and you do need to be physical if you’re playing college soccer, so I hope that I can impact the players around me to be just as physical, and I think we’re doing a great job of it already.”

The young Canadian, who insisted her parents bring her to games an hour early to get men-

tally and physically prepared, has brought that work ethic to the Bulls for four years. With such a freshman-laden roster, her tendency to lead by example — as well as her mental and physical fortitude — has become invaluable to USF. “There’s never a moment where I look and think, ‘Jordyn isn’t working hard,’” Skeete said.

“She’s always putting in 100 percent, which everyone can look up to and say, ‘If Jordyn’s working that hard, if she’s playing 90 minutes almost every game, then I can do it too.’”

Aside from setting the tone for the defense and team as a whole, Listro has recorded 44 shots on goal, 2 assists, and 63 total games in her first three years as a Bull, remaining a reliable and tenacious force that made an instant impact as a freshman.

One for constant self-evaluation, she has put ample time and effort into her progression as a player and leader, with greater ambitions beyond her achievements at USF and as a member of the U-17 Canadian World Cup team.

“If the Canada (National Team) doesn’t work out for me, I still have hopes of playing for the Italian National team, having somewhat dual-citizenship,” she said.

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