The Prospector 10 19 2021

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Welcome aboard our new Arts & Culture editor!

UTEP celebrates LGBT History Month

UTEP Miners prepare for the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Owls

VOL. 107, NO. 5 OCTOBER 19, 2021

Assayer of Student Opinion

theprospectordaily.com

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO

Events in El Paso just in time for spooky season ELISHA NUNEZ The Prospector

As Halloween nears, events and festivities are making a comeback in the borderland, and the rest of the country. Last year’s Halloween was cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic; preventing any large gatherings or activities.

However, this year, events in El Paso are returning to deliver plenty of fun and frights for the Halloween season. The events for this month vary from markets to tours of a cemetery, with admissions varying as well.

As Oct. 31 nears, here are the attractions that are coming soon or already here. One of the major events for the season is the Halloween Market at the Upper Valley Artist & Farmer’s Market on Oct. 31.

This event hosts vendors selling goodies, along with other items available for purchase and trick-ortreating. Along with this event, the city is also home to the Halloween Town Art Show & Market, located at 9530 Viscount Blvd., Saturday, Oct. 23. Like the other Halloween market, this one will also introduce vendors with artisan goods, it will also provide local art, a costume contest, and live music with local performers.

Straying away from markets and public venues comes Boo at the Zoo, located at the El Paso Zoo, Oct. 23. This event will celebrate the El Paso Zoo animals accordingly with a Halloween theme.

Another event for the season is The Ridge El Paso Trunk or Treat on Oct. 24. This organized event will be hosted by The Ridge El Paso and located in the parking lot in front

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANABELLA MIRELES

The Beth El Bible Church Pumpkin Patch is one of many Fall/Halloween activities in the city and is located on 6440 Montana Ave. and open 9am-8pm.

of the building. Like a trick-or-treat event, this Halloween appearance is more child-oriented and will feature plenty of sweets for families who attend.

In opposition to the more familyoriented events, The 4th Annual Halloween Bar Crawl is one event for older UTEP students. This event will be at the RockStar Burger Bar, located at 217 N. Stanton St. This bar crawl will feature a $1,000 grand prize costume contest, two free drinks or shots, exclusive drink specials, amazing local food, waived

cover at all venues, and a professional photographer. Other crawl locations include: B-17 Bombers Oyster Pub, Chiquita’s Bar, Dillinger’s Bar, El Paso Brewing CO., Epic Bar and Grill, Ocho y Medio Bar, Sun City Distillery, and The Tool Box Bar. Some events manifest the feeling of Halloween, one of them being the Concordia Cemetery Zombie Walk. This local event hosts guests dressed up as zombies in the famous Concordia Cemetery, Friday, Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m.. Admission for

this haunting attraction costs $10 per person, since it’s a fundraiser for the Concordia Cemetery. The Paso Del Norte Paranormal Society and KISS FM are inviting people to dress up as their best, most undead zombie. There will also be a best dressed undead competition s including: Best female zombie Best male zombie Best zombie couple Most unique zombie see SPOOKY on page 4

PAGE 2 · OCTOBER 19, 2021· THE PROSPECTOR

Opinion

Julian Herrera, editor in chief

The evil evolves! History and Halloween JULIAN HERRERA The Prospector

Halloween has become the second biggest retail event of the year, trailing only Christmas. Despite its increasing popularity, overall intrigue in the holiday by both children and adults for a variety of reasons and the social conversations surrounding costumes and practices, many may not know how deeply history is embedded in the traditions and monsters we celebrate.

Folklorists most often associate Halloween with Samhain (pronounced sah-win), a Celtic festival that propagated pagan practices prior to the assertion and dominance of Christianity.

The bridge between the two that possibly eased the transition (or assimilation) from one practice to another is the belief that before the solstice and transition of the seasons, the veil between the world of the living and the dead grows thinner, inviting the spirits to return.

Despite the popularity of the holiday in the U.S. today, it was not recognized as a major holiday until the 19th century with the influx

PHOTO BY ALBERTO SILVA FERNANDEZ

of Irish and Scottish immigrants, and it did not exist in its current recognizable form until the early to mid-1900s. Regardless of how much time has passed, however, religious dogma asserts that the celebration of Halloween is the invocation of the devil, or evil in general, despite some of the activities being earlier incarnations of the same religious rituals practiced by Christians. Trick-or-treating is an evolution of souling — going door to door to sing songs and prayers

for the dead in exchange for soul cakes — which itself evolved from guising and mumming.

Religious matters aside, while many creatures of myth and legend that have become iconic since their debut originate from classic gothic literature and variations upon old tales, it is interesting to see how many of these creatures were popularized mythical manifestations of stereotypes, prejudice and social inequality.

Witches as they areknown today are the design of a shallow and possibly insane man named Heinrich Kramer who, after being banned from preaching due to his erratic nature and strange obsession with the sexual habits of convicted heretics, wrote the “Malleus Maleficarum,” often translated as “Hammer of Witches.” This book vehemently argued the belief that witchcraft and sorcery were real, and insisted that confessions of witchcraft should be obtained through means of gruesome torture and prosecuted with the same penalty as heresy, most commonly being burned at the stake. His ram-

blings about magic, overt misogyny and description of his perverted obsessions is what gave rise to what we know today as the hideous, large nosed and evil witch that dances naked with the devil.

While many monsters share similar roots in prejudice, none are quite as interesting of a cultural corruption as the zombie. The dragon’s hoard of zombie content is incomprehensibly large, and the beings themselves have found success through various iterations, with some more terrifying, gruesome and inescapable than others.

However, the idea of a zombie itself comes from a misconception and perversion of Haitian Vodou. Vodou, not voodoo, is an African diasporic religion that is a synthesis of traditional beliefs, which amalgamated over the course of the Atlantic slave trade, and Roman Catholicism. There are a number of rituals that must be performed according to their beliefs in order to properly mourn the dead, lest their spirits return to cause misfortune. It is also believed that malevolent spirits are capable of possessing the bodies of

the dead and using them for their bidding. However, Vodouists do not fear zombies as creatures of the night; rather, it is a grief at the thought that an individual could involuntarily lose their agency and be subject to enslavement, much like they were in life. The exile of many practitioners also influenced these beliefs, and it was ultimately the misconception and twisting of their religious beliefs and its sociopolitical undertones that gave us the brain-eating monsters we know today.

All of this is not to say we should be ashamed of enjoying Halloween, in fact quite the opposite. I encourage everyone to delve into the rich and fascinating history of things we once believed to have just been made up around a campfire, and immerse yourself into an entirely new realm of understanding these creatures — or, the perversions and demonization of the natural world, the ill-meaning interpretations of life, and the monsters that corrupt our understanding, as it were.

Julian Herrera may be reached at prospector@utep.edu

New Arts & Culture editor seeks to embrace the borderland‘s culture VICTORIA RIVAS The Prospector

Entertainment is part of everyone’s life. Individuals gather to build unforgettable memories through these events by sharing laughs, tears, excitement and celebrating arts and culture.

I come from a family that likes to learn, celebrate and embrace the culture of the borderland. My parents always say El Paso is unique and beautiful and that I should always focus on embracing my roots.

Therefore, as the new entertainment editor, I plan to embrace the unique and rich culture of UTEP and the El Paso community.

Most of my college experience has consisted of virtual tours, concerts, and constant Zoom meetings.

Therefore, as more activities and gatherings open for the public, I will bring UTEP students along

PHOTO BY ALBERTO SILVA FERNANDEZ

for the ride, and hopefully make their college experience fun and unforgettable.

As I start a new chapter in my education and career path, so is The Prospector. I’ve decided to change the entertainment section’s name to arts and culture. This change will VOL. 107, No. 5

EDITORS & STAFF

ADMINISTRATION

VIDEOGRAPHER

Julian Herrera, Editor in Chief Hugo Hinojosa, Designer Victoria Rivas, Entertainment Editor Maria Luisa Guerrero, Web Editor Alberto Silva Fernandez, Photo Editor Anahy Diaz, Multimedia Editor Emily Autumn Velasquez, Sports Editor Maria Salette Ontiveros, Audience & Engagement Editor Itzel Giron, Staff Reporter Daniel A. Lopez, Staff Reporter

Veronica Gonzalez, Director Tracy Roy, Assistant Director Amy Bocanegra, Administrative Assitant Isabel Castillo, Accounting Specialist Vacant, Account Executive Victoria Almaguer, Advertising Coordinator

Monica Chavarria

PHOTOGRAPHERS Connor Martinez Annabella Mireles

CONTRIBUTORS Alyson Rodriguez Beatriz Velazquez Eduardo Flores Eli Nuñez Julia Lucero Katrina Villareal Kristen Scheaffer Levi Carlos

bring an exclusive look at UTEP activities and events, represent the borderland’s culture, and highlight the artwork and performances by local and international artists.

I thank all my mentors who have helped me throughout this journey and for always believing in my journalistic skills, integrity and ethics.

I previously worked at The Prospector as a contributor and staff reporter, writing about the LGBTQ+ community, campus news and events, politics, culture and women’s rights.

As I enter my new role as the entertainment editor, I would like to thank the current editor-inchief, Julian Herrera, and former editor-in-chief, Anahy Diaz, for allowing me to lead The Prospector along their side and for mentoring me every step of the way. Without their constant support and trust, this position would not have been

possible.

UTEP’s Communication Department and The Prospector have helped me build my journalism portfolio and have granted me several opportunities and an excellent education.

It’s my pleasure to mentor students at Borderzine.com as the City/Multimedia editor and sharing with fellow students the skills I learned as an investigative news reporting intern at KVIA. As the new entertainment editor, I hope to increase student engagement, Miner’s pride and successfully mentor the future leaders of The Prospector.

The arts and culture section will unite the UTEP and El Paso community by providing readers with complete coverage of the borderland’s lifestyle and culture.

The section will cover events that celebrate the unique bicultural

traditions of El Paso, including local artwork, exhibitions, festivities like Day of the Dead, and the rich history of the borderland.

I plan on showcasing the talents of UTEP students and artists and present students with information about the resources that UTEP provides to build an inclusive and positive campus environment.

The section will also feature inspiring stories of students’ success and the journeys of local people who make El Paso proud.

I look forward to seeing students, faculty, and staff unite by picking up a copy of The Prospector’s biweekly newspaper or visiting our website to stay informed and engage in local activities.

Victoria Rivas may be reached at propsector@ utep.edu; @VicRivas_18 on Twitter.

SP E A K YO U R M IND! …and submit a letter for publication. Please include your full name, street address, telephone number and e-mail address, as well as your student major, classification and/or titile if applicable. Write us to 105 E. Union, prospector@utep.edu, call us to 747-516, or send a fax to 747-8031.

Personal information (phone numbers and address) will be used for identification only.

Letters are subject to editing to fit available space, clarity and brevity.

The Prospector is published by the Student Media and Publications Board, 105 Union East, 500 W. University Ave. El Paso, Texas, 79968. The Prospector appears in print once per week on Tuesdays during the fall and spring semesters. The newspaper is not printed during holidays and when classes are not in session. The Prospector does provide news online at www.theprospectordaily.com.

The Prospector is provided to students through student fees. First copy is free. Any additional copies, if available, must be purchased for $1 through the Department of Student Media and Publications. The Prospector is not responsible for claims made by advertisers. Additional policy information may be obtained by calling the Prospector at 915-747-5161. Opinions expressed in The Prospector are not necessary those of the university.

THE PROSPECTOR · OCTOBER 19, 2021

NEWS Page 3

UTEP students’ ghouls and goblins stories JULIA LUCERO The Prospector

With Halloween right around the corner, UTEP students were asked to share some of their spookiest stories.

Junior Zach Johnson said last summer is when he experienced his scariest ghostly encounter. Zach said he noticed late at night that the air purifier outside his room started to sound muffled, as it usually does when someone walks in front of it. Only this time, his mom and brother were asleep, and his dad was working a graveyard shift, Johnson said.

He went to check to see what was causing the muffled noise only to

find nothing there. Knowing he wouldn‘t be able to fall back asleep, he stayed up to do some dishes, Johnson said.

“As I was doing them, I heard a knocking noise,” Johnson said.

“And that whole time, I felt that I was being watched.”

Junior Claudia Guillen says her experience happened at around the ages of 9-10.

Her house alarm went off at 2 a.m. during a dark and stormy night. When her parents went to shut off the noise, it went off again moments later. When they finally turned the alarm off, she heard footsteps coming up the stairs next to her bedroom, Guillen said.

“It was really weird, and I’m still scared to this day,” Guillen said.

Junior Ivan Bernal says he‘s believed in ghosts ever since he was a child.

When Ivan was 11-years-old at a sleepover with his cousins, the door of the bedroom he was sleeping in slammed shut, and the lights suddenly turned on. Knowing everyone else was asleep in a different room, he ran out, Bernal said.

“There‘s a whole bunch of stuff that I have grown up with, and I have experienced,” Bernal said.

Ivan says that in his previous home and in his current one he hears people walking inside when no one is home.

“At one of our older houses, I remember seeing a lot of instances where people would pass by, but no one was home,” Bernal said.

Junior Valeria Prieto says two years ago, during a night in Ruidoso, she heard footsteps walking towards her as she grabbed her backpack from the car, but there was no one outside when she looked around. “I think I’ve been able to remember it for so long because I was alone and it was dark and cold and I never had something like that happen to me,” Prieto said.

Senior George Macias says his parents have experienced scary moments with him when he was younger.

Macias said when he was around 2-years-old he would never stay in his room for more than a couple of minutes. The few times he was, his parents would hear him talking to someone even though no one was in the room. One day, Macias’ parents asked him why he didn‘t like being in his room, to which he replied, “The lady always tells me to be quiet.”

“At this time, my little brother wasn‘t born yet, so it was just my parents and I. So for me at that age to be scared of my own room without knowing the idea of ghosts existing really freaks me out,” Macias said.

Julia Lucero may be reached at prospector@utep.edu

El Paso embraces return of Halloween traditions LEVI CARLOS The Prospector

El Pasoans are getting ready to celebrate Halloween in the border city with parties and trick or treating in full swing this year. This October, costumes and candy are making a comeback in a big way.

UTEP students are drawing inspiration from popular Netflix shows such as “Peaky Blinders” and “Squid Game” for costumes this fall. Many students plan to attend Halloween festivities, from house

parties to the UTEP campus ghost tour on Oct. 29.

Though many are struggling to find an original costume, some are getting creative with ideas, such as Sabrina from “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” or Rory from the show “Gilmore Girls.” Others are planning to go with some of the more classic Halloween costume ideas.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF) the top three costumes for adults this year are a witch coming in at number one,

vampire at number two and ghost at number three. These are some of the simpler ideas that do not take very much planning. Even though these ideas are simple, they are nonetheless staples at any costume party.

Others are taking more consideration into their costumes. UTEP student Santiago “Sonny” Contreras plans to dress up for a Halloween party with his girlfriend, as Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer’s see TRADITIONS on page 4

PHOTO BY ANNABELLA MIRELES/THE PROSPECTOR

Costumes such Jason from Friday the 13th, are very popular and can be found at Spirit Halloween.

WANT TO SHAPE TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY? APPLY FOR A PRESTIGIOUS STUDENT LEADER POSITION!

The UTEP Student Government Association is currently soliciting applications for two state-level positions.

Current UTEP students who will be enrolled again next year and are in good academic standing may apply:

Student Representative to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) The Student selected for this non-voting position will serve alongside members of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Student Regent for The University of Texas System The UT System Student Regent has the same rights as regularly appointed board members, except the right to vote or be counted towards a quorum for official board business.

Are you interested and in good academic standing?

The UTEP SGA recruitment sites have the timeline and only online applications submitted through Minetracker will be accepted. The application for each position is available through Minertracker. For additional information, contact SGA at 747-5584, email sga@utep.edu, or stop by Union East Building, Room 304.

Deadline to apply through Minetracker is Monday, November 1, 2021 at 5pm MST.

THE PROSPECTOR · OCTOBER 19, 2021

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TRADITIONS from page 3

characters from “Scarface” (1983).

Most UTEP students plan to dress up in costumes and go to Halloween parties on the weekend of Oct. 31. According to data collected by NRF, the most common celebration plan is to stay at home and pass out candy followed by putting up decorations. The third

most common celebration plan is dressing up in costumes.

In 2020 trick or treating was not permitted in El Paso due to the risk of COVID-19. This year, with a high city-wide vaccination rate, trick or treating is back on. In the spirit of Halloween, it seems that more people are willing to spend more money and partake in the

Halloween festivities than they were last year.

According to data provided by the NRF, the percent change of spending by Halloween category from 2020 to 2021 was notable.

Spending on costumes increased by a 27%, decorations increased by 22% and on candy it increased by 24%.

Even though some people are going all out on their costume ideas, others are simply happy to be returning to celebrating Halloween with friends and dressing up in simple costumes. Classic costumes such as cats or pirates are topping the charts as some of the more popular costumes. In any case, it is not so much the costumes that

make Halloween so enjoyable as much as it is the pleasant company and the spooky atmosphere.

More information about national Halloween retail statistics can be found here: https://nrf. com/media-center/press-releases/ halloween-spending-soars-celebrations-near-pre-pandemic-levels Levi Carlos may be reached at prospector@utep.edu

Unearthing an El Paso legend lost to time JULIAN HERRERA The Prospector

In El Paso, Texas, campfire tales of famous urban legends tied to the predominate Mexican culture and campus ghouls that stalk the halls long after their untimely demise have remained claims to fame for the city, making it onto national “most haunted” lists and keeping rowdy children obedient at bedtime. Chilling tales are staples of any city around long enough to see tragedy, but history does not recognize anomalies equally.

Some stories simply fell through the cracks when they stopped being scary. Others were simply too gruesome for the public to speak, fearing they might evoke the spirit and fall victim to it themselves. This is one such tale.

As the gnarled fingers of the Rio Grande cottonwood trees grew bare in the autumn, circa 1890, Douglas E. Milton struck wood beneath stony dirt in one of the recently occupied plots of Concordia Cemetery. There were valuables that adorned the earthly vessels of those wealthy enough to buy out sections of the cemetery for their own denomination, but even more

money to be made if their inner workings could be accessed within an hour or so of being committed to the soil.

As grotesque as this practice is, it was considered vital after laws were passed outlawing the use of corpses in anatomical studies. Considering the exponential growth of medical schools in the 19th century, many feared a decline in quality of education for those studying to cure ailments through orthodox methods if they did not have access to cadavers.

“The body is reunited with the soul during the resurrection according to Christian doctrines, and you can’t very well unite with a butchered husk,” said Craig Ziemann, a local talisman crafter and archivist of North American urban legends.

“What happened to Milton, well, there’s just no putting that back together.”

Desecration of the mortal body was considered one of the worst punishments to be sentenced to.

Accounts of trials during the period detail that some of the persecuted did not react to being sentenced to death but lost all sensibility if permission was granted to perform dissection, as it was essentially de-

termining on earth that their soul could not be saved. As more people began voicing their disgust of the practice, grave robbing was eventually considered far too inhumane and a violation of dignity. This did not stop it from occurring, naturally, as demand for cadavers increased and people were likely to turn their eye if the body was of an impoverished or criminal individual.

However, under the cover of a moonless night, Milton could not see and mistakenly violated the grave of a child who succumbed to tuberculosis. The father of the child, Francis Strozzare, was standing not 100 yards from the grave smoking when he heard the noise.

Upon discovering Milton in the grave, he promptly pulled him out of the hole by his neck. Strozzare dragged Milton a short distance away as he pleaded for his life through gargled screams, promptly taking his digging tools and smashing every bone in Milton’s body.

As legend has it, Milton did not die. Each blow dealt by Strozzare was enough to shatter the bones, but never broke through skin. So, there he lay, no one found him as he swelled and throbbed in agony until he passed due to the heat,

starvation, or both.

“It does not surprise me no one wants to remember this. It’s nasty, and who wants to take the risk of being related to him?” said Leo Arzt, Ph.D. “The story is bad as it is, but I think it’s fallen out of story circles because of the implications of knowing about the story at all.

You become conscious of things that were once innocuous, and that stays with you for life.”

Just like any other restless spirit of a violent, untimely death, Douglas E. Milton is said to wander the streets of the city in perpetual suffering, and it may explain a number of strange noises that residents report throughout the year. Milton’s spirit, a manifestation of his corpse left to rot, walks on splintered legs, a mangled spine and waves his pulverized arms around in a crooked dance through alleys and residential areas, looking for his place of rest that does not exist.

Have you ever thought it strange that firecrackers popped in the distance out of season? Or perhaps your neighbor shifts gravel and glass at odd hours of the night, but you never look, fearing they’ll spot you peeking through the curtains?

It may be neither of those things,

and you just blissfully ignored the stumbling sack of flesh and bones that is Douglas E. Milton.

Arzt’s response refers to the supposed curse of telling the story itself. The tale has largely been buried in the annals of El Paso history because it is believed to bring death upon those that hear it. The sounds of his spirit are largely dismissed as noise pollution among the many odd occurrences in the night, but knowledge of his existence makes it impossible to ignore. To some, he is a harbinger of suffering and unrest, often appearing to those that are soon to lose a loved one or as a messenger that their recently deceased has not accepted their own demise and shake violently beneath the earth to be let back up into the world of the living.

Regardless of what you believe, now that you are aware of his presence, there is nothing you can do to tune out the sounds. May mercy be upon those that are unfortunate enough to face... DEM bones!

This is a work of fiction. Any relation to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

Julian Herrera may be reached at prospector@utep.edu

SPOOKY from page 1

If you’re interested in any of these attractions, make sure to contact the parties responsible for organizing the events.

Elisha Nunez may be reached at prospector@utep.edu

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANABELLA MIRELES

The Beth El Bible Church Pumpkin Patch is one of many Fall/Halloween activities in the city and is located on 6440 Montana Ave. and open 9am-8pm.

LISTEN TO THE PROSPECTOR PODCAST ON SPOTIFY! New Episodes every two weeks.

THE PROSPECTOR · OCTOBER 19, 2021 · PAGE 5

Arts & Culture

Victoria Rivas, editor

UTEP celebrates LGBT History Month

BY KRISTEN SCHEAFFER The Prospector

UTEP’s Student Engagement and Leadership Center (SELC) and the Inclusion and Advocacy program are celebrating Queer History Month by hosting Queertober events.

“Queertober is the way that we celebrate Queer History Month, which is October, at UTEP. We were trying to find ways to engage queer students, teach them about different topics, as well as having some fun,” said Daisy Marquez, Leadership Inclusion and Advocacy Coordinator and Event Planner for Queertober.

The program kicked off with a photobooth event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday, Oct. 11, at the Union Plaza, to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of National Coming Out Day. Tuesday, Oct. 26, at 12 p.m.

SELC will host a panel, Coming Out or Allowing People In, at the

Tomas Rivera Conference Center, Union East 3rd Floor. The panel will consist of three Queer Student Alliance (QSA) members speaking about how to change the narrative and have the power to open up to others.

“Coming out is a very special time in a queer person’s life, it’s a big moment. However, I feel like, slowly, we’re getting to the point where we allow people in,” said Marquez.

On Oct. 27, there will be a few activities taking place at the Union Plaza: from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., they will be hosting Queernival, a collaboration with Campus Engagement. The tabling event which will feature Borderland Rainbow Center, Queer Student Alliance at UTEP, Frontera Folx, ASP Cares, and Sun City Pride. At 12 p.m. they will host a drag show, featuring confirmed performers Lavender Thug, Gagaboy, Melina DeAcero, Salem Ofox, Fish the Clown, and Rosita according to Marquez. They

will also offer HIV testing at the event for anyone interested.

“My goal with Queertober is to create a safe space for queer students on campus, whether they may be out or not, it’s allowing them to know their university cares for them,” Marquez said.

For students seeking resources, UTEP has the Queer Student Alliance, a supportive group, and the Counseling Center in the Union.

In El Paso, you can find resources for the LGBTQ community at Borderland Rainbow Center, Sun City Pride, ASP Cares, and Frontera Folx, all of whom will be tabling during Queernival.

“It is our opportunity to celebrate queer students, educate queer students, or anybody who would like to learn a little bit more about the queer community,” said Marquez.

The Inclusion and Advocacy program will host a Rainbow Miner Graduation 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 11, at the Tomas

PHOTO BY ALBERTO SILVA FERNANDEZ /THE PROSPECTOR

UTEP’s SELC hosted a photobooth event on National Coming Out Day

Rivera Conference Center. The event is a cording ceremony that celebrates students of the LGBTQ community that are graduating.

The event is open to all graduating students, members of the LGBTQ-

IA2S+ community, and their two guests. For more information, visit the event listing on Minetracker.

Kristen Scheaffer can be reached at prospector@utep.edu

Mystery at Miner Manor campus tour

BY ALYSON RODRIGUEZ The Prospector

Celebrate spooky season with a few UTEP alumni... dead alumni.

BUWAH HAHAHAHAHA! The Student Alumni Association (SAA) is hosting its 14th annual haunted campus tour. Come hear all about the spooky stories that encompass UTEP’s history. Don’t miss out on one of UTEP’s most anticipated events of the year.

UTEP’s SAA promotes UTEP Miner pride throughout the community, on or off-campus. They bridge the gap between current students and alumni and help facilitate networking between each other. Anyone can join the group; the only requirement is being a student. The group hosts many different events throughout the school year, one of them being the haunted campus tour.

“The haunted campus tour is basically like a haunted house but here at UTEP. We talk about real ghost experiences and supernatural occurrences that UTEP students and faculty have had on campus.

We also offer fun spooky activities for people of all ages,” said Xitllali Aguirre, a sophomore majoring in digital media production and event coordinator for the SAA. This year’s theme is the “Mystery at Miner Manor,” the tour is being held from 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, and is open to everyone in the community.

Tickets for the event are on sale

The haunted campus tour is basically like a haunted house but here at UTEP. We talk about real ghost experiences and supernatural occurrences that UTEP students and faculty have had on campus.

Xitllali Aguirre, UTEP SAA event coordinator.

ILLUSTRATION BY ALBERTO SILVA FERNANDEZ /THE PROSPECTOR

The UTEP Haunted Campus tour is happening on October 29, 2021. .

right now for $6 and will be $10 the day of the event. The tour begins in Centennial Plaza and will be going on throughout the night.

While waiting for your tour, enjoy the Halloween activities in the plaza and the tables of other UTEP organizations.

“It’s not only SAA who does haunted campus, but also other UTEP organizations to either table or to volunteer. Organizations can still let the SAA know if they want to sponsor a table,” said Robyn Jordan, an SAA event coordinator

and a sophomore majoring in communications.

On the tour, participants will learn the history of the UTEP campus and the backstory of some of the oldest buildings, such as Cotton Memorial and Old Main.

Guests on the tour will also learn about supernatural occurrences that have happened at each building.

Stories date back to the early years of the campus up to as recently as 2018.

One of these stories takes place in a dormitory row, consisting of

the old dormitory building which has been converted into classrooms and offices. The tale recounts one fateful night when a student who wasn’t very popular was dared to jump from one building to the next.

The student wanted to be accepted by his peers, so he took the leap of faith — literally. But sadly, he did not make it and fell to his death.

You can still hear his last screams to this day.

“I’m excited to get people scared and for them to learn about the history of some of the buildings,

as well as understanding that there are other alumni who have stayed with us even after the grave,” said Aguirre.

To buy tickets for the tour or to sign up to volunteer, visit www. alumni.utep.edu/saa . In case you miss the tour, you can listen to the UTEP’s SAA 13th annual haunted campus podcast on YouTube.

Alyson Rodriguez prospector@utep.edu

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THE PROSPECTOR · OCTOBER 19, 2021

Page 6 NEWS

Chucky returns to USA Network and SyFy

EDUARDO A. FLORES The Prospector

After seven films and a 2019 remake, Chucky returned Tuesday, Oct. 12, to terrorize viewers for the Halloween season as a new TV series airing on SyFy and USA Network.

The creator and executive producer, Don Mancini of Child’s Play, expanded the story of the horror icon Chucky that initially appeared in 1988 to a new teen drama set up.

The first eight-episode season series cast includes classic actors

such as Jennifer Tilly, Christine Elise, Alex Vincent, Fiona Dourif, and the titular voice character of Chucky, Brad Dourif.

During a Television Critics Association panel interview, Mancini explained that the Chucky series would answer unanswered questions from previous films.

“Exploring Charles Lee Ray’s origins has been something that the fans have wanted to see and have been asking for literally for decades now,” said Mancini. “And one of the reasons I was excited about tak-

ing the franchise into the medium of television was because having so much storytelling real estate, eight hours of Chucky, that provided such a great opportunity for exploring that stuff, among other stuff.

But, yeah, so one of the things I was most excited about doing with the show was exploring Charles Lee Ray’s origin.”

During the first episode titled “Death by Misadventure,“ the plot followed middle-schooler Jake Wheeler (Zackary Arthur), a teenager struggling with bullying, his

sexuality, and alcoholic father Luke (Devon Sawa), who lives in the small New Jersey town of Hackensack, the birthplace of Charles Lee Ray, whose soul inhabits the Good Guys doll.

The arrival of characters from the past threatens to expose the truth behind the killings and the origins of Lee Ray, first known as a seemingly ordinary child who somehow became a serial killer.

The Child‘s Play franchise is one of the best known long-running franchises in horror, which is

inspired by Robert the Doll from a Florida painter named Robert Eugene Otto.

According to Ghost and Gravestones of East Martello Museum, Robert the Doll was given as a gift to Otto in 1903. The gift came from a servant woman who worked for his family. The woman was reportedly abused and thus used the art of voodoo to get her revenge.

Robert the Doll is currently on display at the East Martello Museum in Key West and is claimed responsible for car crashes, disease, divorce, and even death. Visitors are supposed to ask Robert for his permission before they take any picture and then thank him afterward; otherwise, they can experience misfortunes.

The area surrounding his display features letters from people begging Robert‘s forgiveness for failure to follow the rules.

Chucky can be viewed in the United States each Tuesday at 10/9c through USA Network and Syfy. The series will premiere Wednesday, Oct. 27 through the Star Plus streaming platform for audiences in Latin America.

New episodes of “Chucky” will be streaming in the U.S. on Hulu with Live TV, FuboTV, YouTube TV, and Sling TV subscriptions.

Eduardo A. Flores may be reached at prospector@utep.edu

COURTESY OF SYFY

A scene from the series “Chucky”

Burger King new ghost pepper chicken nuggets

BY BEATRIZ VELAZQUEZ The Prospector

The American fast-food chain Burger King announced two new menu items including Ghost Pepper Chicken Nuggets and Impossible Nuggets for a limited time.

Burger King is known for delighting their customers with delicious meals and new menu items, celebrating different holidays during the year.

Ahead of Halloween, Burger King launched Ghost Pepper Chicken Nuggets, available nationwide since Monday, Oct. 11.

The meal consists of a 4-piece or 8-piece chicken nuggets, made with white meat chicken that perfectly balance flavor and heat. The meal can be purchased in different sizes. As an entrée the 4-piece is $1.00 and the 8-piece is $1.49. The 8-piece Ghost Pepper Chicken Nuggets small meal costs $3.99, the medium meal is $4.49, and the large meal is $4.99. Also, customers can add their favorite dipping sauces like BBQ, honey mustard, ranch zesty, buffalo, and sweet & sour dipping sauce, according to the Burger King website.

Customers are able to try the limited menu item by ordering through the Burger King app.

“I had purchased the Ghost Pepper Chicken Nuggets before it came out through the Burger King

app. The nuggets don’t necessarily smell hot or anything like spicy, and everyone else that does spicy it’s not super spicy, but those nuggets are hot,” said George Valenzuela, a former UTEP student. “And they made these nuggets fresh, so it tastes pretty good. You can combine it with any sauce; I had chosen ranch dressing, and the taste is very delicious.”

The breading texture is crunchy; the nuggets have a light flavor and are seasoned so that the nuggets can be eaten with or without dipping sauce. The white meat is smoked and finely ground.

Another new item on the Burger King menu is the Impossible Nuggets, made of plant-based chicken.

The Impossible Nuggets will not be available nationwide. This meal will only be available to customers for a limited time in Des Moines, Iowa, Boston, and Miami.

Burger King will test Impossible Foods meals nuggets in several markets, making it the first fast-food chain to offer the company’s new chicken alternative, according to CNBC.com website.

This is not the first time that Burger King released their Impossible Foods. Burger King also offers the Impossible Whopper, a plantbased and protein-filled patty, which was released August 2019.

Beatriz Velazquez can be reached at prospector@utep.edu.

THE PROSPECTOR · OCTOBER 19, 2021

ENTERTAINMENT Page 7

In Review: ‘No One Gets Out Alive’

BY ITZEL GIRON The Prospector

Released on Sept. 28, 2021, the Netflix Original “No One Gets Out Alive” tells the story of Ambar, an immigrant who seeks shelter in a rundown Cleveland boarding home. Unaware of what has occurred in the boarding home prior to her arrival, Ambar takes refuge with landlord brothers Red and Becker.

The film starts with a montage of what seems to be men digging up some box along with moths being seen across the screen, which later indicates the unwanted presence in the room. We then see a random woman who stayed in the boarding home prior to the arrival of Ambar.

We do not know who this woman is besides living there prior and possibly being the first victim at the brother’s hands in the home.

Throughout the movie, Ambar struggles with maintaining a job and trying to forge an identification to avoid any trouble with law enforcement. From discovering strange sounds and hallucinations of sorts, Ambar becomes suspicious of the brothers and the disturbances she is enduring.

At this point in the film, it is shown that Ambar has lost her mother, and her death becomes Ambars’ hallucination caused by

little sleep due to the disturbances in the home. From unknown crying coming from an old neighbor’s room to Becker banging on her bedroom door late at night, Ambar starts to find herself having nightmares of her mother, and the stone box seen in the beginning credits.

Here, the plot begins to slow, and two other roommates enter the home and storyline: suggesting the two will later be killed or sacrificed.

After Ambar loses her job and is desperate to leave Cleveland, she finds herself experiencing first-hand the presence of two unlikely visitors, Mary, who later is revealed to be the mother of both Becker and Red, and an unknown woman.

After leaving the boarding home in fear for her life, she contacts her distant cousin, who we meet earlier, in the film, in hopes of finding refuge with him. After being told he cannot help at that moment, she looks for Red to get her deposit back to seek help elsewhere. Ambar speeds across town looking for help and she is later eventually found by Red at a diner.

He convinces her to drive back to the boarding home for her money back, which is just a trap to have her be there for the ritual Becker wants to accomplish with Ambar and the other two women living in the home.

COURTESY OF NETFLIX

A scene from the movie No One Gets Out Alive.

With Becker and Red successfully starting the ritual with one of the two other women, they attempt to sacrifice Ambar. Ambar lays on a stone block and dreams of her mother, like she has done many times throughout the movie, where the ‘demonic’ entity crawls out of the stone box seen again throughout the movie.

The tense scene raises eyebrows and tension as this caterpillar-like creature crawls towards Ambar as she continues to dream of her mother, which is the ‘demon’ but in the form of her mother, to trap her in a trance and eventually eat her

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head off.

Breaking out of this trance, Ambar escapes and finds Becker and Red preparing the next victim, where she then defends herself, kills Becker, and sacrifices Red to the unknown demonic creature. She then leaves home with a sense of power from killing her captors and letting go of the past.

Overall, the movie is another attempt at reminding viewers you should never dig up things you do not know about. It is not the best movie, but for the price you pay monthly for a Netflix subscription, it will keep you entertained,

all while asking a lot of questions.

The plot has many holes and leaves much to think about, specifically why Becker and Red are connected to this box and why their father dug it up.

With little to no jump scares, the movie will not traumatize you but will make you feel unsettled and question all the stone boxes you may see; the unsettling tone is the scariest thing next to that demonic entity.

Itzel Giron can be reached at prospector@ utep.edu; @itzel_anahi_16 on Twitter.

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THE PROSPECTOR · OCTOBER 19, 2021

Page 8 ENTERTAINMENT

‘Halloween Kills:’ Curse of the middle sequel JULIAN HERRERA The Prospector

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS AFTER SECTION INDICATED “Halloween Kills” is the sequel to the lauded reboot-sequel “Halloween” (2018), starring Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, Anthony Michael Hall as Tommy Doyle, Judy Greer as Karen Nelson, and Andi Matichak as Allyson Nelson.

James Jude Courtney (and sometimes Nick Castle) reprise the role of Michael Myers as he leaves a trail of corpses on his path to his childhood home with hordes of people out to kill him.

“Halloween Kills” is a continuation of the night at the end of the first film, although it detours for about 20 minutes to establish what happened to Michael on that Halloween night in Haddonfield 40 years ago through flashback, simultaneously explaining the role of new characters and re-introducing old ones. Tommy Doyle, the boy Laurie Strode babysat that night, has resolved to fight against the evil that has plagued the town and his indignation towards Michael inspires groups across the town to take up arms and kill Michael at any cost.

Unlike its predecessor in 2018, “Halloween Kills” is grotesque in its use of gratuitous violence that is glorified rather than suggested, and story takes a backseat to Michael’s killing spree and the full-throttle gore-factor without time to process emotions or repercussions outside

COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL

A scene from the movie Halloween Kills

of a few select lore establishment scenes. This film can’t help but suffer from the fact that it is the middle part of a trilogy, lending some resolution to previously unanswered questions but posing even more, and with a franchise based off such a simplistic concept, there is inevitably a divide between viewers that want more to digest and those that just want violence that gives you indigestion. Overall, a solid entry into a once nearly direct-to-DVD franchise, but it will not sit well with everyone and might feel hollow without any prior context.

SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON. Interestingly, this film somehow lacks a plot even more than the original 1978 film. Though this could be attributed to the fact that it is the second film in a trilogy, it does very little to progress the overarching story and instead meanders around cameos, returning characters and references. Ultimately, the only thing the film accomplishes is establishing how vile and unrelenting Michael is, teetering the brink of supernatural strength but never claiming it outright and setting him

up as the insurmountable enemy for the next film.

We learn through officer Hawkins, who was stabbed and dying at the opening of the film, that he is the reason Michael is still alive.

The flashback to 1978 reveals that Michael escaped back to his own home after being shot off the balcony by Dr. Loomis (who briefly appears, portrayed by look-alike Tom Jones, Jr.). After a confrontation with Hawkins and another officer, Hawkins accidentally kills his partner (which is covered up by another officer) and the Shape slips away, only to be surrounded by cops. However, Hawkins stops Loomis from shooting Michael in the head, and thus he blames himself the recent murders.

Tommy Doyle receives a fair amount of screen time, acting as an exposition vehicle, a crowd-pleasing return, and inciting the mob that plunges the town into mass hysteria. It can be difficult to take him seriously during certain scenes due to excessive amounts of cringe-inducing one-liners and occasionally sounding like Hank Schrader from “Breaking Bad.” Many of the people he takes along on his hunt are knife

fodder, and while it is eye-rolling when the entire town rallying behind him annoyingly slings “evil dies tonight!” more than 20 times throughout the film, it at least forces everyone to reconcile with the fact that the malice Michael embodies exists within everyone.

This also emphasizes the remorse of officer Hawkins, who represents the humanity that remains, furthering the divide between evil and what can be salvaged of the town ravaged by hate and fear.

One thing fans of the franchise will appreciate are the ways the film reconciles decades’ worth of complex storylines into homages or references while firmly establishing itself as its own distinct timeline. There is no curse of Thorn or mysterious man in black with a cult driving Michael’s rage, but Tommy Doyle has remained friends with Lindsey throughout the years.

Many were confused and upset by the seemingly pointless twist in the 2018 film where Dr. Sartain puts on Michael’s mask and acts erratically for a few minutes before being promptly killed — however, we are told that it was the doctor’s obsession with Michael’s behavior that brought him back to Haddonfield, not any internal factor or motivation, effectively doing away with the “sister Strode” storyline and making his killing even more terrifyingly indiscriminate and senseless.

On the topic of past films, there were plenty of callbacks and easter eggs. The children that were temporarily stalked by Michael were all wearing Silver Shamrock masks from “Halloween III: Season of the Witch.” There is the iconic Michael head tilt, masked breathing and theme music composed by John Carpenter, but a keen detail is that Michael is old and shown to have a stab in the neck and a missing eye when his mask is removed, scars of his initial confrontation with Laurie. He also sets up gruesome displays with the corpses of his vic-

tims much like he did with Lynda in 1978, and there is a neat role reversal towards the end when he is hidden in the closet.

The cinematography is not spectacular, but it is very effective for the film itself. Michael is going for sheer brutality in his kills throughout the film; it is never just to get the job done, it is a coordinated torment. While there are certain scenes where characters struggle against him and the cuts are sputtered and shaky to the point of being distracting, it is made up for by the slow panning, long takes and static shots that really draw out the helplessness of the situation and present him as a looming, unstoppable figure with the form of a regular being. There is also a pointof-view kill and creative subversions of typical hack and slash death tropes. The grain and deep shades of black and blue during the 70s flashback also look great and add a nostalgic touch.

The motifs are heavy handed and introduced within the first few minutes with explicit emphasis in cheesy conversation about a bedroom window and reflections.

Throughout the film, Michael is almost constantly shown in a reflection or through glass, an even once in a stream, but particularly while he is killing. Sure enough, it is while looking through the window at the closing of the film that Karen is stabbed by a seemingly indestructible Michael, and he turns to face his reflection.

Overall, “Halloween Kills” is the most killer a filler movie can be. It is a fun time, if gawking at demented slaughtering is your idea of fun… but no one will judge you, it is a slasher after all. Michael remains one of the most elusive and intriguing horror icons to gore the mainstream even after decades of less than stellar films, and “Halloween Kills” is a solid entry to get viewers anticipating the next installment.

Julian Herrera may be reached at prospector@utep.edu

THE PROSPECTOR · OCTOBER 19, 2021 · PAGE 9

Sports

Emily Autumn Velasquez, editor

Miners bulldoze past the Bulldogs UTEP Miners bowl eligible for the first time since 2014

BY EMILY AUTUMN VELASQUEZ The Prospector

The UTEP Miners improved to (6-1, 3-0 C-USA) after beating the LA Tech Bulldogs Saturday night at the Sun Bowl. This win makes the Miners 3-0 in Conference USA play for only the second time ever and 6-1 for the first time since 2005.

This win also means the Miners are eligible for a bowl game for the first time since 2014. This win against LA Tech ended an eightgame losing streak against the Bulldogs and was their first victory against them in El Paso since 1939.

After LA Tech won the toss and decided to defer, the Miners offense was put to work. Early on, the Miners were faced with a fourth and one, electing to go for it. After a quarterback sneak play from Hardison, they were successful in getting a first down. This gave the Miners offense momentum and helped set up the 16-yard touchdown by running back Deion Hankins to put the Miners up 7-0.

The defense came out strong right away and forced the Bulldogs to go three and out on their first offensive drive, putting the Miners offense right back to work.

ANNABELLA MIRELES /THE PROSPECTOR

Running Back Deion Hankins runs past Bulldog defenders during the game against Louisiana Tech Oct. 16.

It was on this drive that Hankins was able to record his second touchdown of the night from four yards out to increase the Miners’ lead to 14-0. This is the fourth time in Hankins’ career that he has multiple rushing touchdowns in a game, and the first time this season.

The Miners defense came up strong by stuffing the rush on a fourth and one when LA Tech was driving and in the red zone late in the first quarter to keep the Bulldogs off the board.

The Miners offense struggled to move the ball downfield to start the second quarter, resulting in their decision to punt the ball. UTEP’s Joshua Sloan punted the ball 62 yards to set LA Tech up on their

own two-yard line. On the very next play, the Miners defense was able to not only stuff the run but come out with a safety, increasing the Miners lead to 16-0.

LA Tech finally managed to get a field goal on the board, which would be their only time scoring this game, with 6:56 remaining in the second quarter.

At halftime, the Miners were up 16-3.

While UTEP’s offense struggled in the second half to move the ball downfield due to some turnovers, the defense was very effective in forcing turnovers.

However, with 5:07 remaining in the third quarter, UTEP kicker Gavin Baechle sent a ball down

the middle for 41 yards to increase their lead 19-3.

In the fourth quarter alone the Miners defense managed to record three interceptions, their first time doing so in a game since 2012 at East Carolina.

The Miners won the game with a final score of 19-3.

The Miners defense held LA Tech to only a field goal, which is LA Tech’s fewest points scored ever in a Conference USA game.

“The performance by the defense might be the best I’ve ever seen in a football game that I’ve been involved in,” UTEP head coach Dana Dimel said after the game.

The Miners won a game with four turnovers for the first time since

2006, while also recording a safety in back-to-back games for the first time in school history.

UTEP defensive end Jadrian Taylor was named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week on Monday after his dominant performance during the Miners’ 19-3 win over the Bulldogs on Oct. 16 in the Sun Bowl. The 2021 C-USA Players of the Week awards are presented by Surf & Turf Golf and are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.

“I’m really proud of the defense and really proud of the way the offense took it to them early,” Dimel said.

While most of the points scored offensively came early, there were some notable statements made by the offense.

Redshirt quarterback Gavin Hardison threw for 283 yards, the most he has ever thrown against a C-USA opponent. Jacob Cowing went over 2,000 yards for his career with 166 yards receiving against the Bulldogs, while also posting his 10th 100-yard receiving game of his career, tied for the fourth-most in school history.

This week the Miners have their second bye week of the season but play an away game against Florida Atlantic at 4 p.m. Oct. 30. UTEP’s next home game will take place at 2 p.m. Nov. 6 against UTSA. Stats provided by UTEP’s department of Athletics.

Emily Autumn Velasquez is the sports editor may be reached at prospector.utep.edu; emilyautumn20 on Twitter.

ALBERTO SILVA FERNANDEZ /THE PROSPECTOR

TOP LEFT: Fullback Forest Mckee celebrates after a win against the LA Tech Bulldogs on Oct. 16.

BOTTOM LEFT: Offensive lineman Zuri Henry celebrates after a win against the LA Tech Bulldogs on Oct. 16.

TOP RIGHT: UTEP wide receiver Jacob Cowing catches the ball to secure a first down for the Miners.

THE PROSPECTOR · OCTOBER 19, 2021

Page 10 SPORTS

UTEP dominates against Southern Miss

Miners volleyball record back to back sweeps

BY KATRINA VILLAREAL The Prospector

UTEP volleyball (15-4, 4-2) defeats Southern Miss (10-12, 2-6) over the weekend in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in a four-set match on Friday, Oct. 15 and a five-set match on Saturday, Oct.16.

On Friday, Oct. 15, in a four-set match, the Miners got the win against Southern Miss; 25-20, 2522, 23-25, 25-16. The Miners hit .336, recorded 11 blocks, and had four service aces over the Golden Eagles.

In the victory on Oct. 15, the Miners had three players reach double digit kills: junior outside hitter/middle blocker Alianza Darley recorded 10 kills, senior outside hitter Serena Patterson recorded 16 kills, and junior middle blocker Vittoria Price recorded 11 kills.

Senior setter Kristen Fritsche led the team with 29 assists and sophomore setter Hande Yetis recorded 17 assists. Senior outside hitter Paulina Perez Rosas and sophomore defensive specialist Alyssa Sianez racked up 13 digs each.

Freshman outside hitter Mia Wesley recorded a season high of 25 kills in the 2021 season for Southern Miss, along with a hitting percentage of .333. Junior setter Kenzie Smith had 43 assists and 10 digs, while senior outside hitter Lauren Talbert recorded 11 kills and 11 digs.

On Saturday, Oct. 16, in a five-set match, the Miners were able to come out with a win against Southern Miss; 28-26, 15-25, 25-16, 22-25, 15-9. The Miners recorded eight service aces, 11 blocks, and hit .354 with its second-most assists of 66.

“It was stressful,” said head coach Ben Wallis in a post-game interview on Saturday. “Southern Miss played a lot harder today and served it a lot tougher. We didn’t handle their service pressure very well for long stretches, but we battled and took a couple punches.”

In the victory on Oct. 16, the Miners had a repeat of Friday’s game where they had three players reach double digit kills once again.

Senior outside hitter Serena Patterson reached a career-high of 25 kills, senior outside hitter Paulina Perez Rosas recorded 16 kills, and freshman outside hitter Ema Uskokovic recorded 12 kills.

Once again, senior setter Kristen Fritsche led the team with a personal best of 33 assists and sophomore setter Hande Yetis recorded 20 assists. On defense, sophomore defensive specialist Alyssa Sianez

PHOTO CREDIT: ACE ACOSTA (PICKS UP)

UTEP Volleyball team gathers up in a huddle before facing off against their opponent.

ranks first on the team with 15 digs and three service aces. Fritsche and Perez Rosas achieved a double-double with 12 and 10 digs each.

For Southern Miss, freshman outside hitter Mia Wesley recorded 29 kills, beating the season high she recorded on Friday, making it the most kills by any Golden Eagle in the 2021 season. Senior outside/ middle hitter Kinsley Hanback recorded 12 kills with a hitting percentage of .417 and junior setter Kenzie Smith recorded 54 assists and six kills.

“It got kind of chippy between the two teams and luckily my team was a little bit more veteran and composed,” Wallis said in a postgame interview on Saturday. “That just shows that we decided we were going to hit the ball hard and be more physical. That’s why we got the victory.”

The Miners face off against Conference USA rival, the University of Alabama at Brimingham (8-10, 3-3) at the Memorial Gym on Friday, Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 23 at 12 p.m. Both matches

will be streamed on CUSA.tv, with live stats available.

All stats and quotes for UTEP provided by the Department of Athletics Strategic Communications, and UTEP Athletics official website utepathletics.com.

All stats for Southern Miss provided by southernmiss.com.

Katrina Villareal is a contributor and may be reached at prospector@utep.edu.

UTEP comes up short against MTSU Miners soccer team looking to improve

BY DANNY LOPEZ The Prospector

The UTEP soccer team (3-10, 1-5 C-USA) fell short to Middle Tennessee University (8-5, 4-2 Conference USA) 2-0 Friday night despite holding a 7-4 advantage over MTSU. Most of the night the Miners got close to the net to score but couldn’t connect and were unable to win this contest.

Freshman forward Peyton Depriest and freshman midfielder Lykke Kristine. Freshman goalkeeper Hannah Suder also accounted for six stops and a save on a penalty kick.

Redshirt goalkeeper Mariah Scott for the Miners had two saves in this contest.

The Lady Miners got some offense going in minute nine, when junior forward Jojo Ngongo tried to get a shot in from outside the box, but nothing was able to fall inside the net due to Suder making a diving stop.

MTSU junior forward Elizabeth Slavinsky tried to get past Scott, but Scott was able to block Slavinsky, counting it as a save.

The Miners and MTSU battled for possession with both teams trying to create scoring opportunities as the half went on. Solid passes set up senior forward Jackie Soto to score a goal at 29 minutes but was denied by Suder at 31 minutes.

When sophomore midfielder forward Eleanor McGough came close to scoring a goal, Scott blocked her shot attempt to keep the contest scoreless.

DePriest broke the scoreless tie by scoring a goal at 39 minutes by sneaking a shot past Scott into the net for a 1-0 lead.

Soto tried to score for the Miners, but once again the shot was stopped by Suder.

With 30 seconds remaining left in the half, UTEP gave up another goal to Kristine, making the contest 2-0.

The Miners came out with good energy to start the second half. The Miners earned a penalty kick two minutes into the contest. However, junior forward Ayana Noel’s try was stopped by Suder. UTEP then had another shot from freshman midfielder Cayman Tamez but that was blocked at 51 minutes.

UTEP had another opportunity at minute 63 with Ngongo beating Suder with the shot only to have the ball rattle off the crossbar. The Lady Miners got a corner kick at minute 70, but they couldn’t score a goal to put themselves within arm’s

ALBERTO SILVA FERNANDEZ /THE PROSPECTOR

UTEP forward Kam Fisher prepares to pass the ball to a teammate against a UTSA opponent on Sept. 24.

reach of this contest.

At minute 85 of the contest, redshirt junior forward midfielder Vic Bohdan kicked the ball from the top of the box, but Suder smothered the shot. Three minutes later, it was Molly Sutherland who was

streaking up the left wing. However, Suder made a diving stop to seal the 2-0 win for MTSU. The Lady Miners next matchup is against Southern Miss on Friday Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. Their game against the Golden Eagles will be

the Miners’ last home game. Live stats and a live stream will be available for UTEP’s senior night.

All stats provided by UTEP Athletics.

Danny Lopez is a staff reporter and may be reached at prospector@utep.edu

THE PROSPECTOR · OCTOBER 19, 2021

SPORTS Page 11

UTEP Miners prepare for the FAU Owls

BY DANNY LOPEZ The Prospector

The Miners continue their second half of a tough schedule against Florida Atlantic University (FAU) on Saturday Oct. 16 int Florida at 7 p.m. The Owls are a team that has the potential to present problems for the Miners on both sides of the ball. However, if the Miners want to pull out this victory and stay on top of the conference, they are going to have to limit their mistakes on both sides of the ball.

Offensively, the Miners must try and start fast and not stall out on drives while running the ball more effectively. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Gavin Hardison is having a solid season and is doing his best to help the Miners win.

The Miners ground game is also very effective thanks to redshirt junior running back Ronald Awatt and freshman running back Deion Hankins. The Miners rushing attack can cause problems for defensive lines and the passing game can-do damage through the air with their receivers, especially with sophomore wide receiver Jacob Cowing.

But the Miners could struggle against an offense like the Owl’s defense, as the Owls defense ranks 49 in the country and their redzone ranks eighth overall in the nation as

they only allow a 63% conversion rate in the endzone. If they want to be efficient in this game, UTEP must establish a run game and pass at a balanced rate to keep an aggressive defense like the owls on their toes.

This season, UTEP’s defense has been a saving grace whenever the offense struggles to move the ball.

UTEP’s defensive line has been wreaking havoc and turnovers on other teams’ offensive lines. As of right now, the Miners have a top 40 defensive ranking in the country and have a top 30 redzone defense.

However, the Miners have a tall task against FAU ‘s offense and can the Owls wide receivers may be a problem for this defense. The Owls average 429.9 yards per game and average 26.2 points per game. The Owls are led by quarterback graduate transfer N’Kosi Perry. Perry is a quarterback who can be rattled with pressure if the defensive line can get home.

UTEP’s corners must try to play at their best as they can occasionally give up the long deep ball.

Another player that has the potential to make the Miners on defense struggle is first-year wide receiver Lajohntay Wilder. In his previous game against the University of Alabama at Birmingham, he averaged 13.4 yards on five catches.

If the Miners want the best chance

ALBERTO SILVA FERNANDEZ /THE PROSPECTOR

Darius Baptist runs onto the field alongside his teammates on Sept. 25, 2021.

at beating the Owls on Saturday, the Miners must stick to the gameplan and have a balanced offense against this aggressive like defense that the Owls present in this match

up. The Miners defense must keep applying pressure and work to get to the quarterback this match up as well as they’ve done all season.

The Miners face the Owls Satur-

day Oct. 30 at 4 p.m. at Howard Schellenberger Field at FAU in Boca Raton, Florida.

Danny Lopez may be reached at prospector@utep.edu

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THE PROSPECTOR · OCTOBER 19, 2021

Page 12 SPORTS

‘Your stories, our history’ Union Gallery hosts exhibit that highlights the history of Student Media and Publications

BY VICTORIA ALMAGUER The Prospector

To commemorate the hard work previous and current staff members have put into The Prospector, Student Media & Publications will showcase its work throughout the decades. It has been more than a century since The Prospector published its first story from what is now known as Vowell Hall, one of the first buildings of the Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy. Now, located at Union East, the newspaper has turned into an award-winning publication that provides hands-on experience to aspiring reporters, on top of covering top stories concerning the UTEP and El Paso community.

Throughout the decades, Student Media & Publications has gone through various changes, such as the addition of its yearbook Flowsheet, El Burro, and Minero Magazine. It has paved the way for recognized journalists such as Ruben Salazar, whose work at El Burro led him to later work at the Los Angeles Times; journalist Alfredo Corchado, who continued to prosper at the Wall Street Journal and Dallas Morning News; and Diana Washington Valdez, who became a multicultural international awardwinning multimedia journalist. It is Salazar’s work, “This Shot World,” where you first see his activism self-expressed in his reporting. His quote, “This Shot World has loved The Prospector for a long time. Too

long. And like all love affairs both sides have hurt each other unintentionally,” is actually an inspiration for The Prospector staff. Every reporter who previously worked for this publication, like Salazar and Corchado, has inspired the next generation to come as they pursue the same level of accuracy, truth and commitment to journalism.

When the idea of making an exhibit was presented, I was unaware of how far these stories would actually impact my view of The Prospector and Minero Magazine.

After endless hours inside of what we call “the morgue,” looking for archives to showcase in this gallery, it has been an eye-opening experience to read and physically touch old issues of The Prospector

and Flowsheet yearbooks. Going down memory lane through these stories demonstrates how rapidly journalism has changed, alongside the changes our student reporters have adapted to in order to produce weekly content. Many are unaware of the countless hours that go into investigating a piece, only to come across a brick wall and start over again, or the time our editorial staff puts into production day to have our newspaper out on time. It is a parallel that I viewed while going through old newspaper clippings and our current stories. To demonstrate this, specific pieces have been handpicked from countless stories to give a glimpse of the Student Media & Publications trajectory.

The exhibit is especially called

“Your Stories, Our History” not only to celebrate the stories that previous reporters have worked on, but also to include the immeasurable number of students, alumni, and sources that have made these stories true.

Please join us for the exhibit’s opening reception 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 26, at the Union Gallery, second floor of the Union Building East. The exhibit will run through Dec. 10 and will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. We cordially invite everyone to join us and continue making history.

Victoria Almaguer is a graduate student at The Prospector who served as a contributor during her undergraduate studies. She also helped re-launch The Prospector podcast in 2019-2020. She may be reached at valmaguer@miners.utep.edu.

- Union Gallery

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