The Vanderbilt Hustler 1-14-15

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VOL. 127, ISS. 2

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Rape trial begins Prosecution’s narrative and defense team’s strategy emerge in opening statements PAGE 4

OPINION

It’s all Greek to me As first-years join IFC and Panhellenic organizations, four seniors share varied perspectives on Greek life at Vanderbilt

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LIFE

From Sarratt to Snapchat Vanderbilt alumna Emily White takes her fine arts degree to Silicon Valley as COO of Snapchat

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SPORTS

High-flying freshman Riley LaChance has distinguished himself as a sharpshooter in the SEC in his short time at Vanderbilt

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campus What’s next for VSG Academic initiatives

CAMPUS STAT Percent of students surveyed who did not know that the Vanderbilt rape trial began this week

At the start of the new semester, Speaker of the Senate Jackson Vaught updates The Hustler on the status of initiatives on VSG’s agenda

By Alex Montesantos, News reporter

Community enrichment

Expansion of reading days

Inaugural VSG Student Leadership Summit

• The project to expand reading days has been in progress since last summer, but it won’t come to fruition for another two to three years.

• The initiative is particularly challenging because academic calendars are created years in advance, and expanding reading days means changing the entire calendar.

• This will be the first Student Leadership Summit VSG has ever held. More than 100 student leaders have been invited to attend this daylong summit on Feb. 8.

• These student leaders will be treated to two keynote speakers and will focus on two main topics: collaboration among organizations to better assist one another in common goals and student leaders’ ability to appropriately balance their own opinions with representing their organization’s members while discussing sensitive topics.

• VSG has worked with the Center for Student Professional Development and the Center for Student Leadership in holding this summit.

“For those of us who are not graduating this year, this is something we are very dedicated towards pursuing.”

Incentive system where professors upload course syllabi to YES • Another initiative in the works since last fall is a proposal by Vaught and Chair of Academic Affairs Leslie Bruce that would incentivize all professors to upload their course syllabi to YES prior to the enrollment period.

• Vaught and Bruce have met with various deans from all four schools in their drafting process and plan on formally proposing this initiative to the senate in the next few weeks, in hopes of seeing full implementation by next fall.

“The idea is that if students can see their course syllabi ahead of time, it will better their preparedness in picking their classes and help them make better decisions about their classes. The idea is to help students balance.”

Creation of upperclassman seminars • These upperclassman one-credit seminars would be similar to the Commons Seminars students were able to take their first year. They would exist for all upperclass students.

• This initiative is still in the process of being drafted and will likely take several years to fully implement.

“This is something similar to reading days, insomuch as that’s not going to happen this year, but we hope we are laying the groundwork for this to happen in the next two to three years.”

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TYLER BISHOP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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“Right now is a very vibrant time at Vanderbilt and there are a lot of ‘hot topics’ being discussed. We want to address how you as a student leader navigate those and balance your personal views, while respecting the positions you hold to ensure you are representing the people of your organization in the best way.”

The Gold Cups Initiative • Gold cups will be placed at different locations in each of the dining halls on campus. If you place a gold cup next to you, that means you’re willing to allow anyone to come sit next to you.

• The openness students have in welcoming others and introducing themselves to new people seems to fade after the first few weeks of each school year; the idea behind these gold cups is that this openness will be welcomed again, something that VSG sees as part of community enrichment.

• This initiative is planned to roll out this spring.

Getting more rehearsal space for performing arts groups and establishing a shared student organizations lounge • VSG has worked with Housing and ResEd to get more rehearsal space for performing arts groups.

• The initiative for a shared student organization lounge seeks to enhance the space student organizations have to meet or store items. VSG hopes to see this initiative completed one to two years from now.

Nashville engagement City Serve Day • City Serve Day is an initiative still being discussed.

This day would be an event where Vanderbilt partners with other area colleges (Belmont, Lipscomb and Tennessee State universities) to join in a day of service, much like the 9/11 or MLK days of service, to help enrich the greater Nashville community.

• VSG hopes to start a precedent with the first City Serve Day this spring to make this a major campus event that many students participate in several years in the future.

“Hopefully four or five years down the road, this can be a major thing on campus that a lot of students participate in.”

—All quotes are attributed to Jackson Vaught.

“It may sound kind of silly, but when you first come to Vanderbilt and first move into the Commons for the first two to three weeks, it is very acceptable for you to eat with anybody and introduce yourself to all these people, but at some point that stops being ok.

The idea is to make that ok again, and to really focus on that community enrichment.”

KELLY HALOM — CO-NEWS EDITOR ALLIE GROSS — CO-NEWS EDITOR PRIYANKA ARIBINDI — LIFE EDITOR MOLLY CORN — OPINION EDITOR ALLISON MAST — SPORTS EDITOR SAARA ASIKAINEN — MANAGING EDITOR KARA SHERRER — WEB EDITOR SOPHIE TO — CHIEF COPY EDITOR

BOSLEY JARRETT — PHOTO DIRECTOR JENNA WENGLER — ART DIRECTOR PHIL DANTA — CHIEF WEB DEVELOPER MADDIE HUGHES — FEATURES EDITOR ANGELICA LASALA — SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR BEN WEINRIB — ASST. SPORTS EDITOR KAREN CHAN — ASST. ART DIRECTOR QUEEN STEVENSON — ASST. OPINION EDITOR

DESIGNERS

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ZACH BERKOWITZ ZOE SHANCER KATHY ZHOU HAN DEWAN AADITI NAIK CHRISTOPH SPROUL SHARON SI BRIANNA GALGANO

ALEXIS BANKS ANDREA BLATT RACHAEL GRAHAM WESLEY LIN KATHY YUAN

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CAMPUS

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High-profile trial set in motion Opening statements delivered in what is a rare instance of a campus sexual assault progressing to a public criminal trial

By TYLER BISHOP and ALLIE GROSS Editor-in-chief and News editor --------------------

Trigger warning: The following includes content pertaining to a specific campus sexual assault. It may be triggering to some readers.

Nearly 4,000 new undergraduates have started school at Vanderbilt in the 18 months since police first accused four former football players of sexually assaulting a student in a Gillette Hall dorm room.

The case has teetered in and out of the national spotlight as prosecutors, defense attorneys and the media have battled both in and out of the courtroom, raising questions about the prevalence of rape on college campuses, victim privacy vs. the court’s ability to limit free press, the role of alcohol and drugs — and the guilt of the accused.

And Monday, after months of delay, the trial phase began.

Judge Monte Watkins called court into session shortly after 9 a.m. Monday morning with a pool of 100 potential jurors, which, after hours of questioning from both the prosecution and the defense teams, was narrowed to the final jury of 14, who will decide the fate of Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey, the two defendants currently on trial.

The jury is composed of nine women and five men.

Two of the women are black, six are white and one is Persian. Three of the men are white and two are black.

Watkins told the the jury he expects the trial to last nine or 10 days.

32 witnesses appear on the prosecution’s witness list, including a Vanderbilt University Police Depart-

June 23: Incident occurs

2013

The alleged victim is carried into a dorm room in Gillette Hall and allegedly sexually assaulted early in the morning.

ment (VUPD) officer, three other Vanderbilt officials, 11 Vanderbilt students, the two others facing rape charges — Brandon Banks and Jaborian McKenzie — and the alleged victim.

Despite the attention the case has received, when the second day of court adjourned on Tuesday evening, out of a few dozen students surveyed, one in five hadn’t heard about the trial at all. Fifty percent of those who had heard of the case did not know that the trial began this week.

Prosecution’s opening statement In his opening statement, the state’s chief prosecutor and Assistant Attorney General Tom Thurman painted for the jury a picture of a night that began the same way many nights do for Vanderbilt students. He described the alleged victim — at the time an incoming senior — excited about a typical college night going out to bars with friends.

But Thurman said that night turned into her “worst nightmare.”

Thurman said she met up with Vandenburg, who gave her multiple drinks — including a “California Long Island iced tea.” Receiving that drink was the last thing she remembers, according to Thurman.

The prosecution says it will present evidence that shows that she and Vandenburg went to her apartment, where he got the alleged victim’s keys and drove her car back to Gillette Circle, where they met three other football players, Batey, Banks and Mckenzie.

The four then brought her inside Gillette Hall. “Within two minutes, she was sexually assaulted,” Thurman said.

He said Vandenburg provided condoms to the others, and described the graphic details of the alleged assault, which, according to the state, included oral and anal penetration carried out by Banks and Batey. Thurman alleged that Vandenburg filmed some of it and sent it to others as

June 26: Metro gets involved VUPD contacts Metropolitan Nashville Police Department’s (Metro) sex crimes unit. For criminal cases involving sex crimes, VUPD is required to work with Metro.

VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY

June 25: VUPD notified Vanderbilt University Police Department (VUPD) is notified of “concerning behavior” by four individuals seen by university housing officials on surveillance footage. The university only noticed the incident when reviewing footage for an unrelated incident.

June 28: Athletics department announces suspensions Vanderbilt announces that four football players, all undergraduate students, have been suspended from the team for a violation of team rules.

June 29: University announces suspensions Vanderbilt announces that the same four individuals have also been placed on interim suspension from the university.

July 15: Suspects identified The names of the football players suspended from the university are released by Vanderbilt prior to the beginning of the 2013 SEC Media Days.

July 17: Tin Roof banned by Vanderbilt Athletics Vanderbilt notifies student athletes that the popular bar Tin Roof is off-limits. Tin Roof is the bar that Vandenburg and the alleged victim — and multiple witnesses — visited prior to the incident, where both consumed alcohol, police say. Some servers at Tin Roof were known by many to have given Vanderbilt players free drinks.

REVIEW OF THE CHARGES Cory Batey, Brandon Vandenburg, Brandon Banks and Jaborian McKenzie face five counts of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery. Vandenburg additionally faces tampering with evidence and unlawful photography charges.

Banks and McKenzie were severed from the case against Vandenburg and Batey a few months after being indicted. They are expected to testify during the trial, likely in exchange for a lesser penalty.

Potential penalties: Aggravated rape: 15 to 60 years* Aggravated sexual battery: 8 to 30 years* Unlawful photography: 1 to 6 years Tampering with evidence: 3 to 15 years *Aggravated rape and aggravated sexual battery are “100 percent” crimes, which means that if convicted, the defendant will serve the entire term they are given

it was happening.

Thurman said Vandenburg called teammate Chris Boyd to help begin a cover-up, moving the alleged victim into Vandenburg’s bed, where she awoke the next morning with no idea where she was. The four accused developed a story to explain to the alleged victim what had happened, according to the state.

“And they almost got away with it,” Thurman said.

Aug. 10: Vandenburg and McKenzie arrested Vandenburg and McKenzie are taken into custody by Metro Nashville Police, with bonds set at $350,000 for Vandenburg and $50,000 for McKenzie.

Aug. 9: Suspects indicted All four of the accused are indicted on five charges of aggravated rape and two charges of aggravated sexual battery by a Davidson County grand jury.

Vandenburg is additionally charged with one count of tampering with evidence and one count of unlawful photography.

Batey is taken into custody with bond set at $350,000.

Aug. 11: Banks arrested Banks is taken into custody by Metro Nashville police with bond set at $250,000.

Aug. 13: McKenzie pleads not guilty McKenzie pleads not guilty to all charges against him, waiving his option for an arraignment hearing.

Aug. 16: Chris Boyd charged with accessory charges Chris Boyd, a standout receiver on the football team, is charged with one felony count of being an accessory after the fact. The university announces that he was suspended from the team.

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Have not heard about the case Know that the trial began this week

—Data derived from a random survey of 67 students.

But a few days later, Vanderbilt housing authorities investigating vandalism from a separate incident happened to come across suspicious surveillance footage of the alleged victim on the floor of a Gillette hallway and the alleged assailants taking photos in ways that were “concerning.” According to Thurman, this same video, as well as witness testimony and physical evidence, will prove the defendants’ guilt.

But the defense directly disputed many claims in the state’s theory.

Defense opening statements Attorney Fletcher Long delivered the opening statement on Vandenburg’s behalf by asking the jury to hold the prosecution accountable for a number of inaccuracies in its opening statement that he said the evidence will not corroborate. He said that Thurman had misrepresented some facts of the case in an inflammatory way “right off the bat.”

Long also emphasized that the conviction of his client would need to be derived from criminal responsibility — requiring that the accused intentionally, knowingly or recklessly acted to assist or promote the offenses — which he insists that the evidence will not show.

He made clear that the defense is not pleased with the state’s plan to call two of the other accused — Mckenzie and Banks — to the stand. Given that the state is likely to offer plea deals for the two, Long wants the jury to consider their motivation to give testimony more favorable to the state.

Aug. 17: Boyd taken into custody Metro police announce that Boyd has been taken into custody with bond set at $25,000.

Sep. 4: Vandenburg released from jail on bond

SAM SIMPKINS / THE TENNESSEAN

Fletcher Long, defense counsel for Brandon Vandenburg, delivers his opening statement.

“Mr. Vandenburg was only responsible for Mr. Vandenburg,” Long said.

Long also painted Vandenburg as a young man with no previous record and a bright future. But he said Vanderbilt failed to live up to its promise to “protect their boy.”

Warrick Robinson, who represents Batey, told the story of his client as a talented athlete who worked hard at his Nashville high school to earn a scholarship to play football at Vanderbilt.

The “proof in the case,” according to Robinson, will show that Batey then walked into a culture at Vanderbilt that was much different from his experiences growing up. Unlike what he had experienced in high school, Batey became surrounded by a culture that encourages and “glorifies” promiscuity, alcohol consumption, sexual freedom and experimentation.

“It was a culture that encouraged sexual promiscuity, but not just alone,” said Robinson. “There was also a culture of alcohol and alcohol consumption. And alcohol that changed him, changed others and changed several people on the morning of June 23, 2013.”

According to Robinson, the prosecution’s narrative only represents one side of the story of what happened in that dorm room.

On that night, he said, Batey was just doing what “every college student does,” party hopping to different dorms on campus. He emphasized that Batey’s drunken state will be demonstrated in videos: “You’ll see stumbles, wide turns, laughing, giggling because he doesn’t appreciate really what it is that’s going on.”

That night, Robinson said Batey received a text from Banks asking if he wanted anything from Qdoba. Batey

In a court discussion, prosecutor Tom Thurman announces that McKenzie and Banks have been separated from the case against Vandenburg and Batey, though they still face charges. Commentators begin to speculate that they will exchange testimony for a lesser penalty. An initial court date of Aug. 11, 2014 is set for the Vandenburg/Batey trial.

Aug. 21: Defendants plead not guilty

Sept. 13: Prosecutor says drugs and alcohol involved in incident; Chris Boyd pleads All four defendants waive guilty their right to appear at an arraignment hearing.

Instead, their attorneys filed their not guilty pleas in court.

April 29: Attorneys file for case dismissal again

Oct. 11: Initial court date set, prosecution severs case

Chris Boyd pleads guilty to attempted accessory after the fact. Commentators speculate that he struck a deal to testify in the case against his former teammates. At the same hearing, prosecutor Tom Thurman says Vandenburg claimed to have used alcohol and cocaine in text messages that will be presented as evidence.

2014

81% 19% 50%

Know about the case

Vandenburg’s defense team files a motion for case dismissal, claiming that vital evidence — including various text messages and social media posts from various individuals involved in the case, police notes, video evidence and other information — had been withheld or destroyed by the prosecution.

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asked for a quesadilla, then met up with McKenzie and Banks — who would later run into Vandenburg outside Gillette. It was there that surveillance footage presented as evidence begins.

Robinson said evidence will show that Batey “ had a black out” that night — which he will pose against the law’s requirement of criminal responsibility.

He acknowledged that there will be graphic evidence presented by the state, and told the jury that they will ask “why?” just as everyone else who has seen it has. But he wants the jury to look at the evidence only for what it is, as well as what he said is not present: Batey’s DNA, fingerprints or a report to the police from the alleged victim.

He additionally said the video evidence will not show that Batey did what the state says he did — and that the jury will not have enough to convict.

Witnesses The prosecution began questioning witnesses, starting with former Vanderbilt student Katie White, and two current Vanderbilt students, one of whom is a football player. All three were present at Tin Roof on the night of the incident.

These witnesses were all questioned about seeing the alleged victim and Vandenburg at Tin Roof that night.

White confirmed that she and the alleged victim had drank together at a “pregame” before arriving at the bar.

Their testimony was followed by witness Lieutenant Donnie Harville of VUPD’s criminal investigation division, who explained Vanderbilt’s surveillance system and walked the jury through the footage from Gillette Hall cameras.

The Vanderbilt Hustler will be in the courtroom throughout much of the trial and will post updates via Twitter @vanderbilthuster and on vanderbilthustler.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE The Vanderbilt Hustler will never name a victim or alleged victim of sexual assault — or otherwise provide identifying information about them — without her or his consent. In our coverage, we additionally will not name fellow students who are involved in the case without their consent.

Aug. 11: Trial postponed to Nov. 3

March 24: Attorneys demand case dismissal

Nov. 4: Trial postponed to January

Attorneys for Vandenburg file a motion, claiming that video evidence was manipulated and requesting that the case against Vandenburg be dismissed.

With jury selection set to begin, Worrick Robinson, Batey’s defense attorney, asks the court to delay the trial again due to an injury that would require invasive surgery. Judge Monte Watkins sets the new date for Monday, Jan. 12.

Oct. 8: GL Black, James Franklin testify Former Head Football Coach James Franklin and G. L. Black, assistant dean and director of the Office of Student Accountability, testify in a pretrial hearing.

2015

STUDENT AWARENESS

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Jan. 12: Trial begins

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life

QUOTE OF THE DAY “If I could create a genre for (my music), I’d call it ‘late 60s Beatles meets Radiohead meets Vampire Weekend,’ but iTunes won’t let me write my own.”

ROSS NICOL, JUNIOR

Q A Sarratt &

EMILY WHITE

By PRIYANKA ARIBINDI Life editor --------------------

After Emily White graduated from Vanderbilt in 2000 with a degree in fine arts, she headed straight for Silicon Valley. With stints at Google as employee No. 230, Facebook as director of mobile partnerships and Instagram as director of business operations, she settled in as the COO of Snapchat in January 2014.

The Hustler caught up with White to hear about her journey from campus to cyberspace

From to

Snapchat The Vanderbilt Hustler: Vanderbilt isn’t a school that’s typically associated with tech startups and the Googles/Facebooks/Snapchats of the world. What was it like going into that kind of field and environment after coming out of Vanderbilt?

Emily White: Many students don’t go to college knowing what they want to be when they grow up, and some may leave college still not knowing what they want to be when they grow up. This was definitely the case for me. However, I did know that the tech industry was taking off. Even just through my coursework, I could see how technology was playing an ever-increasing role in our world.

And while I wasn’t an engineering major in undergrad, I certainly left Vandy with a core set of skills that served me well in the business environment — tech or otherwise.

VH: Do you feel that Vanderbilt adequately prepared you for your line of work? As a fine arts major while you were in school, what type of work did you think you would be doing now?

EW: The summer after my junior year, I thought I wanted to be a lawyer — what else do you do with a fine arts major? Kidding! I interned at a law firm in Silicon Valley and was put in the corporate securities department — the department that, among other things, was helping tech companies grow and eventually go public. It was during that summer that I realized that I wanted to be on the other side of the table — at the tech companies, helping build the business from the inside. There are a variety of jobs at tech companies — engineers and designers but also lawyers, recruiters, salespeople and marketers, among others. I was lucky to graduate senior year with a job in Silicon Valley that allowed for a more general educational background and way of thinking. Once

PHOTO COURTESY OF BUSINESS INSIDER

I was in Silicon Valley, that’s when my tech education really began.

VH: What was Vanderbilt’s culture like when you attended? Did you find the things you were looking to do to be unique as opposed to what other Vandy grads were going into at the time?

EW: Like many schools, Vandy was a nice blend of hard work and a lot of fun. I have a feeling it’s the same way now! I found the professors supportive and willing to go the extra mile with students — something that I appreciated and that kept me in contact with some after I graduated. I was the only one of my friends who landed in tech immediately — most likely given (that) I am from the Bay Area/Silicon Valley and had the advantage of spending summers and holidays at home and seeing the development there firsthand.

VH: Is the element of photography associated with your current and previous jobs at Snapchat and at Facebook/Instagram something that you chose to be around because of your background in the arts, or was it something that just happened coincidentally?

EW: I have always been a visual learner and have been attracted to fields and companies that have a strong visual element. It hasn’t been the only or predominant factor in my job choices, though. I actually attribute a lot of credit to the fact that I’ve been at the right place at the right time and known when to say “yes” to opportunities. This is generally overlooked and undervalued, but knowing when to act on the right opportunities plays a significant role in one’s eventual outcome. I also graduated at a particularly exciting time in the tech world. Of course, I worked really hard, but (I) also had a lot of doors open and opportunities come my way. Not every field

or company affords the same opportunities.

VH: You’ve shared your story of “leaning out” with LeanIn.org, and your recent move to Snapchat seems to be “leaning in” once again, so you’ve done both in your career.

Do you have advice regarding that balance for college-age women?

EW: Life is a little like a 401k: The more you invest in the beginning, the more you have at the end. Putting in hard work usually pays off, especially if you choose the right opportunities to dive into. From an early age, the phrase “delayed gratification” was drummed into my head by my dad, and I thought a lot about that early on. I believe in hard work and sticking with things — seeing them through, learning from the good and the bad. That said, I generally don’t love the “balance” question because life isn’t always in “balance.” And if it is, it can be hard to truly focus on your priorities and actually make them happen. Some phases of my life, my priority has been work (and) putting everything I have into it. Other times it’s been family. I took four months of maternity leave when I had each of my kids. Sometimes you have to make hard choices and work around the parts that you aren’t optimizing for at the time.

VH: What’s your relation to Vanderbilt now?

What do you say to the idea that college is the best four years of your life?

EW: If it’s the best four years of your life, what do you have to look forward to?! Maybe it was the best four years up until that point, but I actually think life just keeps getting better. I haven’t been back to campus in a while, but I do stay in touch with friends — my best friend and roommate from college is actually still my best friend!

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The Hustler’s picks: Full-body workouts

Boxing

Boxing is an intense workout that works just about every muscle you have while letting you blow off some steam at the same time. Not only do you get in some great cardio, you’ll torch tons of calories in a short amount of time. (I’m talking anywhere between 420 and 650 in an hour!)

The Hustler’s pick: Hotbox Hotbox is well-known in Nashville, and with good reason: Their reputation is based on their ability to give you the results you want quickly, without the traditional gym experience. Expect an exciting atmosphere with loud music and instructors there to encourage you to push harder and to guide your form, which is especially beneficial for first-time boxers. Though their classes are only available for purchase through monthly contracts, they offer enough variety to keep clients coming back.

Photo courtesy of Hotbox

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With the new year upon us, it’s safe to say many of us have included ‘get back in shape’ on our list of resolutions. Luckily, if you’re willing to take a quick trip off campus, Nashville has a lot of options when it comes to getting in a sweat By Mackenzie Smith, Life reporter

High-intensity strength training Even though it’s often forgotten about, weightlifting plays a key role when you’re trying to lean down and tone up, and one session will keep you burning calories continuously throughout the day. By adding some intensity to your weight training routine, you’ll work up a sweat and see results even faster.

The Hustler’s pick: Krank Nashville Located in Green Hills, Krank is the perfect option if you’re looking for a high-intensity, full-body strength class. Be prepared to use all kinds of equipment, from dumbbells to sandbags and even TRX bands, that allow you to utilize your own body weight as resistance. Krank has a reputation as a spin studio as well, and if you want the perfect balance between what they have to offer, try a 30/30 class — 30 minutes on the bike followed by 30 minutes on the floor — for the best of both worlds.

Photo courtesy of Krank Nashville

Yoga

Barre

We’ve all heard of the numerous health benefits you can get from partaking in a few yoga classes. It serves as a relaxing, stress-relieving workout that helps target those muscles that you may not be able to work otherwise. Flexibility is key as you twist, turn and stretch in ways that can push you a little past your comfort zone. And guys, don’t be shy — this option is for you, too!

Think a dancer’s workout is easy?

Think again. Ballet barre workouts have gained popularity as an efficient way to tone up your body, and though the exercises involve a series of small movements, they can have huge results. Beyond utilizing the barre itself, classes involve small inflatable balls, light weights, bands and the resistance of your own weight to systematically work every muscle group in the body.

The Hustler’s pick: Shakti Power Yoga Find your flexibility and some much-needed peace in Shakti’s power and vinyasa yoga classes that are conveniently located right down the street from Commons. With tons of class options to choose from, you’re sure to find the practice that suits you best, and with the $30-for-30-days promotion, beginners will be able to try out all of Shakti’s offerings to find which suits them best.

Photo courtesty of Shakti Power Yoga

The Hustler’s pick: Barre3 The Barre3 franchise recently arrived in the Gulch, and in the time since, it has become a fast favorite of Vanderbilt students and the Nashville community alike. Classes are an hour long and the workout is fairly consistent across different trainers — something that other studios don’t always deliver.

Classes target your glutes, abs, thighs and arms to give you a full-body workout, and with the emphasis on incorporating yoga elements, you’ll get all those benefits too.

Photo courtesy of Barre3 Nashville

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LIFE

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Bringing ‘A California & Collection’ to Nashville

ROSS NICOL Junior Ross Nicol takes advantage of all Music City has to offer

by taking his education in Music, Media and Enterprise out of the classroom to record an EP, ‘A California Collection’

By MOLLY CORN Opinion editor --------------------

The Vanderbilt Hustler: Tell me about your sound — where do you see yourself fitting in genre-wise?

Ross Nicol: It’s difficult to say what genre I fall into because I have been trying to learn new styles of guitar-playing this past year, but I would put it in the genre of rock music.

If I could create a genre for it, I’d call it “late 60s Beatles meets Radiohead meets Vampire Weekend,” but iTunes won’t let me write my own.

VH: How long have you been playing and writing music, and how did you get into it?

RN: I have been playing since I was 10 and writing since I was 13. My brother had just bought a guitar for a class in middle school and I borrowed it whenever I had the chance. Soon, all I wanted to learn to play was “Stacy’s Mom.” VH: How did you make your connections with Andrija Tokic, Billy Bennett and John Baldwin (producers and sound engineers who have worked with Alabama Shakes and MGMT)?

RN: In August my dad sent me an NPR article about Andrija and his work with Alabama Shakes, and as a big fan of the band, I sent an email to Andrija with a few demos of my songs, and we set up a time to meet. We met at his studio, which is this great, pink-colored house in East Nashville retrofitted with vintage guitars, amps and keyboards. The

space was so comfortable and appealing at the same time, so I made a gut decision, and I’m glad I did.

VH: Two of the songs on your EP, “New Streets” and “In Between,” featured other Vanderbilt students — Caroline Saunders and Nate Banks. How did you guys decide to collaborate?

RN: Yeah! Nate and Caroline made the album sound so great. Nate and I were actually in Deanna Walker’s songwriting class last year, and for our final assignment we co-wrote “In Between.” We recorded it together last spring, so I wanted to include it with this album. Then, this fall, Caroline and I wanted to write a song together, so we started working on “New Streets.” Caroline is an incredible writer, so she mostly did lyrics for this song and I wrote the music. Nate and

Caroline are actually heard on the rest of the record singing backup parts too, if you listen closely! Both of them really helped make the record what it is.

VH:.You’re studying abroad right now, but what do you think is the next step for you?

RN: When I return to the States in May, I plan on spending time in Nashville and LA for the summer writing and recording wherever I can get the chance. And next fall, I will be starting my senior year, and I hope to play a few shows in Nashville. By then I plan on having a full album ready to share!

“A California Collection” is available on iTunes, on Spotify and at http://acaliforniacollection.com.

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opinion It’s all Greek to me

The Vanderbilt Hustler encourages students to air their voices and opinions in our opinion section. Letters to the editor and inquiries about writing can be directed to

opinion@vanderbilthustler.com

As many first-years accept bids into IFC fraternities and Panhellenic sororities, seniors with experiences that go beyond pamphlets and information sessions provide perspective on a community that accounts for more than 40 percent of the student body Editor’s note: Perspectives from individuals in NPHC organizations are not included in this feature because the timeline for these organizations’ intake is separate from that of IFC and Panhellenic.

FROM SKEPTIC TO LEADER

A

COLLIN LABAK is a senior in Peabody College and was the first elected President of Delta Tau Delta.

He can be reached at collin.m.labak@ vanderbilt.edu.

mid horrific news stories of sexual assault, hazing-related deaths and other scandals that plague Greek life on a national level, I can sympathize with those who find the system to be detrimental to institutions of higher education.

Through my first year at Vanderbilt, I was one of those individuals. I did not understand (hated) the idea of paying some fixed amount of money per semester to engage in acts of buffoonery with a homogeneous group of individuals. These things are antithetical to what college is supposed to be all about. Perhaps, if I had researched Vanderbilt better prior to paying my matriculation deposit, Greek life would have been the factor dissuading me from attending.

My first year began as the incredible experience I had seen in Vanderbilt marketing materials prior to attending. As my friends around me rushed, pledged and became active members of their respective fraternities, however, I remained in

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KELLY HALOM

PRIYANKA ARIBINDI

NEWS EDITOR news@vanderbilthustler.com

LIFE EDITOR life@vanderbilthustler.com

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ALLISON MAST

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my Commons dorm room, becoming increasingly isolated as my friends assimilated into their various chapters. Although the year was my most academically successful, it was also my loneliest. I was dying to get involved in a purposeful organization and to connect with others who shared a passion for that purpose, but I was convinced that fraternity life was not for me.

Fall semester of sophomore year rolled around, and somehow, I was convinced by one of my few remaining friends to listen to the recruitment pitch of a brand-new fraternity. The initial meeting came with promises of a values-based organization, one that strived for diversity and inclusivity, one that opposed hazing. My interest was piqued, but I remained skeptical that this, too, would be just another fraternity on campus. I took the leap of faith — after all, if I didn’t like it, I could always quit. At the beginning of my experience, of course, there were struggles with this new

organization, ranging from internal commitment to external skepticism of our mission on campus. As we worked through these problems, I only further became a champion of the cause — this was to become the thesis of my undergraduate career.

Over the past three years, the experience entirely transformed me for the better. Yes, I gained the leadership experience that most people talk about when attempting to defend Greek life. I helped make measurable impact on this campus, being a part of both Lights on the Lawn — which raised $106,000 for victims of power-based personal violence — and the introduction of an Inclusivity Agreement for all IFC chapters. But the lessons I will take with me into life are not so easily measured. I learned how to talk about racial and sexual identity, because dialogues on these topics happen regularly within my brotherhood. I became aware of the many forms of power-based personal violence, and how these forms might

The Vanderbilt Hustler Opinion page aims to stimulate discussion in the Vanderbilt community. In that spirit, columnists, guest columnists and authors of letters to the editor are expected to provide logical argument to back their views. Unreasonable arguments, arguments in bad faith or arguments in vain between columnists have no place in The Hustler and will not be published. The Hustler welcomes reader viewpoints and offers three methods of expression: letters to the editor, guest columns and feedback on vanderbilthustler.com.

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rear their ugly heads on campus.

I’m not saying that everyone’s Greek experience is this enriching, but that is no reason to decry the system itself. Trying to describe the entire Greek system based on a single chapter is akin to basing your opinion of Vanderbilt athletics on a single team — baseball and football leave very different impressions. I am, however, vouching for the fact that it is possible to create a Greek experience that impacts the individual, and thereby his environment, as much as mine has. The tricky component of this creation is getting more conservative Greek organizations to accept and eventually adopt a true commitment to inclusivity, openness among members and a truly values-based way of existence.

Call me a dreamer, but if we can get there as an international community, you will no longer be seeing those sensationalist Rolling Stone or Huffington Post articles popping up on a regular basis.

reserves the right to edit and condense submissions for length as well as clarity.

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DEAR POTENTIAL NEW MEMBERS,

I ELIZABETH KING is a senior in the College of Arts and Science and a member of Alpha Delta Pi. She can be reached at elizabeth.a.king@ vanderbilt.edu.

have never quite known what to think about being in a sorority. I suppose I would call myself a reluctant sorority girl. Although I matched with the sorority I liked best during recruitment as a first-year student, I resisted the matching outfits and the events designed to promote “sisterhood.” I hesitated to wear my sorority T-shirts around campus, fearing that professors and other students would make snap judgments about me based on a few Greek symbols pasted onto my shirt. I got the sense that just being Greek diminished my individuality, and I had problems with many aspects of Greek life. Chapter meetings and social events competed fiercely with premed classes for my time. I missed a number of chapter events and went only reluctantly to a few, citing my high volume of science homework as an excuse. As a result, I felt awkward and out of place at the events I did attend, affirming my belief that I did not belong in a sorority.

If you are going through recruitment right now, you can learn from my experience. First of all, you don’t have to join a sorority. There is no shame in quitting at any point during recruitment or afterward if you aren’t happy or feel overwhelmed.

This campus offers infinite opportunities for involvement, and you can make meaningful connections and friendships in organizations outside of Greek life. Part of me still wishes I had chosen this path. However, if you do decide to go through recruitment and join a sorority, make a conscious effort to enjoy the experience and get to know your sisters. College is too short to be a part of an organization you passively despise, as I initially did. I was often too caught up with resenting my sorority for tearing me away from schoolwork, or worrying about having my individuality stamped out, to take the time to get to know many of my sisters. If I had embraced sorority life from the beginning instead of halfheartedly attending a handful of events and calling my parents every few weeks to tell them I was quitting, my experience may have been better from the beginning.

And if you are a new member who loves sorority life from the start, make an effort to befriend the girls who seem to be having a harder time fitting in. An invitation to get dinner or go out could mean the world to them. You will hear a lot about sisterhood from the sororities you visit during recruitment. Ready-made sisterhood is

a myth — sisterhood must be created, and that requires a certain degree of effort on your part.

When I joined my sorority, I waited for sisterhood to come to me when I should have been actively seeking it out. I eventually found it in a sister who helped me decorate my room for Christmas when I was going through a rough time. And in another who rented a tandem bicycle with me that we used to ride around East Nashville for a day (without crashing!). And in another who writes an amazing fashion and lifestyle blog I read religiously.

As a senior, I still don’t wear my letters around campus, and I would prefer that my professors not know I am in a sorority. I think the fact that sororities are held to a higher standard than fraternities (no alcohol is allowed on sorority property, while it is the main event for every fraternity party) is absurd. And I will always believe recruitment is a shallow and sad process. But that doesn’t change the fact that the women in my sorority have added value and meaning to my time at Vanderbilt, and that they were very much worth getting to know.

Best, A Reluctant Sorority Girl

TO THE FIRST-YEAR GUYS:

O

TYLER BISHOP is a senior in the college of Arts and Science, a member of Phi Kappa Psi and the editor-in-chief of The Vanderbilt Hustler.

He can be reached at tyler.l.bishop@ vanderbilt.edu.

ver a third of the class of 2018 will likely accept a bid into an IFC fraternity or Panhellenic sorority this week. Regardless of how you want to frame it — a faculty senate task force reviewing Greek life calls it “disrupting the Commons experience” while the Greek office calls it “fostering new lifelong friendships” — and regardless of whether you are personally joining, chances are that your social circles will look a little bit different in the coming weeks.

My own unique experience with Greek life at Vanderbilt has allowed me to see this happen from a number of different perspectives. Particularly, joining a fraternity late (as a sophomore) allowed me to see how fraternity pledging affects first-year groups as someone not joining, then again as a member of the IFC community.

Prior to coming to Vanderbilt, I had no idea what collegiate “Greek life” was. In fact, when I first visited Vanderbilt in 2010, I saw the Greek office and was astonished that there was such a large population from Greece at the school that it warranted its own office. So when I arrived on campus as a first-year, I was intrigued by the idea of fraternities and sororities and joined many of my friends in rushing. I paid the IFC registration fee, started getting the emails from fraternities and went to the rush events — both official and unofficial. I made connections with a number of upperclassmen who decide the fate of who would join their fraternities and who would be cut.

I had fun during the rush process, but by October I was convinced that joining a fraternity was not worth the time and effort for me. So I stopped responding to text messages and email invites and was eventually taken off of the rush lists. From my conversations with friends, I expected that many of them would be joining fraternities come January. What I didn’t — couldn’t — expect, however,

was how different the first half of the spring semester would be for me as opposed to those who joined.

During “pledge season,” new fraternity members are subject to a number of rules requiring them to spend long hours and late nights on Greek Row and follow rules that limit their interactions with those outside of their fraternity. One of the many outcomes for most new members is a crop of new close friends — brothers. And, whether intentional or unintentional, they often take the place of friendships that had previously been formed.

I want to avoid characterizing this phenomenon as negative, because I do not think that is necessarily the case at Vanderbilt. Cheesy as it may sound, those who join fraternities really are given the opportunity to foster support groups, gain access to helpful networks and have a great time while doing it — all of the stuff you might read in the Guide to Greek Life.

But at the time, I was well on my way to overcommitting myself (much like many Vanderbilt students tend to do), so my ultimate fate of joining a fraternity was unlikely. However, a friend of mine invited me to go to some events at a fraternity that had recolonized on campus the previous year. When I finally decided to stop by an event, it was what I wasn’t expecting that made me want to come back: the opportunity to join a genuinely close group. It’s not that I hadn’t witnessed this kind of brotherhood at other fraternities while rushing in August and September; it’s that I failed to recognize it.

But as I developed friendships with the guys who are now my brothers, I was able to recognize it and realize that, for me, it was worth sacrificing some time to make joining as a sophomore the following semester work. I was one of a few dozen

students who went through the six-week pledge process during the fall semester as a sophomore, an option offered by most IFC fraternities.

For all the positive I’ve highlighted, I’d be remiss to not recognize some particularly relevant negative perceptions of the IFC community. In groups that are rooted in exclusivity based on the values of its existing members, pockets of lingering racism, homophobia and other issues are bound to arise — and we’re kidding ourselves if we pretend that these pockets don’t still exist in Vanderbilt Greek life. I’ve seen and heard examples firsthand. But it is important to remember that, even though it may be easy to see the Greek community as one entity, it is made up of individual people and groups carrying their own — very different — agendas. It’s the reason why efforts like IFC’s recent Inclusivity Agreement can bring about recognition of the need to right past wrongs — though the question now is whether the sentiment of inclusivity will trickle down from the leadership to those problematic pockets that drive negative perceptions of the community.

Regardless, in the midst of these ongoing dilemmas, a new crop of Greeks will emerge at Vanderbilt in the coming weeks, and after my nearly four years on this campus, there are a few statements I’m comfortable putting out there for first-year students: For those joining now, embrace it and make the Greek community better. For those who haven’t joined but are considering, have more conversations and meet more people to find your answer — this is a very real option for those who, like me, needed a better grasp on what they were doing. For those not interested in joining at all, more power to you — seriously. But for everyone, expect some things to change in your social circles.

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OPINION

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REFLECTIONS ON GREEK LIFE AND ‘COMING OUT’

D

ear overeager freshman self, I know that you think this is your chance.

Your chance to finally be “normal” after being an outsider in high school. However, in case you haven’t noticed, nothing about Vanderbilt is completely normal. Excelling in all parts of life — academics, social life and relationships — does not exist in the real world. Joining a sorority will not auMADELINE tomatically earn you friends, inclusion or “normaliGOOTMAN ty”; it just gives you a tote bag with letters. You think is a senior in the the cloth means something desirable and powerful College of Arts and — the chance to fit in, have fun friends and meet Science and an the frat boys that you still haven’t figured out. associate member What that bag will give you is the need to feel like of Kappa Delta. She you have to keep up with 200 beautiful women. You can be reached at madeline.a.gootman@ will feel like the answers lie at the bottom of the shot glasses that you and your new gaggle of pledge vanderbilt.edu. class sisters chug for a pregame. As time goes on, you will find that you think the answers lie in his bed. The answers do not lie there. The fault is not all your own.

I had to learn that I was trying to fit myself into a mold formed partially by my own assumptions and partially by the way Greek organizations operate.

The mold, already foreign to me, as I was a product of a working-class background where collegeeducated women and Greek involvement were not exactly the norm, would have to stretch to fit me

CHRISTOPH SPROUL is a junior in the College of Arts and Science. He can be reached at christoph.s.sproul@ vanderbilt.edu.

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In the wake of the tragedies related to Charlie Hebdo in Paris, now is a powerful time for us to recognize the importance of all forms of expression in building a community that betters itself by embracing the freedom for its members to actively air their opinions. The same policies that govern written opinion pieces will govern editorial cartoon submissions. Published cartoons do not reflect the opinion of The Vanderbilt Hustler.

in a way that it usually does not stretch at Vandy.

My sorority girl mold, as beautiful and blonde and perfect as I had imagined it, was going to have to stretch to fit a lesbian.

I came out my sophomore year as bisexual, but by junior year, I came to realize that I was really attracted only to women. I was naive to think that my newfound identity and subsequent happiness would be well-received on campus. Girls shot mean glances toward me and my girlfriend at our first date party together. People gossiped, and asked if my sorority was going to kick me out, telling me to “drop the bullshit because they knew I would end up with a guy.” I was devastated by the negative reaction to my coming out; in my mind, all of these kids giving me a hard time were from Chicago and New York, liberal enclaves in comparison to my cloistered Mississippi hometown.

However, I soon learned that people can say one thing and act in a completely different manner, especially when social capital is controlled mainly by frat boys. My life became different from that of my sisters; I did not want to go to straight bars, spending the entire evening telling men, “Yes, I know look ‘straight,’ but I really do not want to sleep with you or indulge your lesbian porn fantasy.” Greek life reinforces heterosexuality at every turn — single-sex organizations in a heteronormative world — why

was I surprised? Eventually I distanced myself from the chapter, and learned my most significant lesson of college: Self-actualization cannot come from a group, no matter how cute the Lilly print.

It was not my Greek life experience that helped me to define who I am as a person, though that isn’t to say it didn’t help. I learned who I was by coming out at a school that is described as “gay-friendly” mainly by straight people. I learned about myself by overcoming the awkwardness and loneliness that I had tried so ardently to resolve by forging relationships with guys. Working at the Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center, throwing myself into my studies and spending time with friends — these were the experiences in college that helped me grow.

While my sorority might have played only a minor role in that experience, and perhaps even a negative one, the women in my chapter were some of my most ardent and often confused supporters. Yes, their terminology and assumptions about LGBT+ people made me cringe sometimes, but they were there immediately when I was dumped by my first girlfriend. They celebrated with me when my family took small steps toward accepting me, and were some of the first people who started to see me as Maddie, an awesome person who was queer and not just “the lesbian” in the room.

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sports

THE BIG STAT Number of points scored by freshman guard Riley LaChance during his career at Brookfield Central High School, making him the all-time leading scorer

1,643

Taking a chance on Riley 2DRILL MINUTE

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Georgia vs. Vanderbilt preview

ZIYI LIU / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER

By JOSH HAMBURGER Sports reporter --------------------

Coming off of arguably their toughest game of the season against No. 23 Arkansas, Vanderbilt looks to add a second SEC win against the University of Georgia. At first glance, Vandy’s 11-4 record appears far superior to Georgia’s 9-5. However, Georgia’s losses have come from two top 25-ranked teams, tough opponents in Minnesota and LSU and also Georgia Tech, to whom Vandy lost as well.

To date, both teams have been averaging 72.9 points per game, with Vanderbilt’s being led by center Damian Jones and freshman standout Riley LaChance.

The Bulldogs’ attack has more of a balance among the starters, with forward Marcus Thornton and guard Charles Mann atop the leaderboard. With Georgia averaging 3.9 more rebounds per game than the Commodores, the effectiveness of Jones and James Siakam to box out Thornton and Mann’s dominance inside will be especially important. While Georgia is below Auburn in the rankings, Vanderbilt will face a Georgia team much more similar to Arkansas in terms of overall ability and performance.

What the Commodores need to take advantage of is their shooting, where their .501 shooting percentage ranks No. 7 in the nation and clear best in the SEC. Siakam is third in the nation at .676, and Jones has been shooting at .554, which has come as a result of their rebounding and power inside. If Vanderbilt can set up inside well, this will open up opportunities for others, especially Riley LaChance on the outside. Last game’s poor shooting performance in the first half created a large deficit, although Vanderbilt outrebounded Arkansas during that time.

However, they flipped skills after the break, and the Commodores dominated shooting, but lost their touch on rebounds, while committing a season-high 22 turnovers. In order for Vanderbilt to take down Georgia, they must start off shooting well, primarily with LaChance; they cannot lose the inside at any point; and they must figure out a way to hold on to the ball.

A conference win this early in the season is highly valuable, as it can provide the confidence and positioning within the standings. Vanderbilt looks to remain atop the better half of the SEC, while Georgia looks to move up out of the bottom ranks after a tough schedule and some close losses. Georgia looks to avenge two close SEC losses, including a double overtime one to LSU, while Vanderbilt seeks a start of a new winning streak. A win obviously isn’t a makeit-or-break-it situation this early on, but this game can set a tone for either team with the schedule’s remaining load of all-conference play.

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Riley LaChance makes an immediate impact on Vanderbilt’s offense after a breakout career at his Wisconsin high school

By DANIEL GERBER Sports reporter --------------------

Freshman guard Riley LaChance has perhaps shone the brightest mong the many bright spots during the Vanderbilt men’s basketball team’s 11-4 start to the season.

While much of the attention coming into this season was focused on standout sophomore center Damian Jones, LaChance has earned his share of the spotlight with a string of stellar shooting performances.

Currently shooting a scorching 41.7 percent from three-point range, LaChance has made the most of his numerous opportunities in his first season as a Commodore. Not only has he been lights out from deep, but he has also already been named SEC Freshman of the Week twice and nailed an impressive

23 free throws in a row last week.

“Coming into this season, myself and the other freshmen knew that we had a great opportunity in front of us to come in and contribute,” LaChance said. “That’s something that we were all very excited about.”

Vanderbilt was equally excited when LaChance committed to play for the Commodores. In an impressive senior campaign, LaChance averaged 23 points per game en route to a 24-1 record and a selection to the Associated Press All-State first team for the state of Wisconsin. As if this weren’t enough, he finished his high school career as Brookfield Central High School’s all-time leading scorer with 1,643 points, and to top it all off, he posted an unfathomable 48.6 three-point percentage as a senior.

The eye-popping statistics don’t stop there, however. Perhaps even more impressive than his current three-point shooting percentage is his status as the leading scorer among all SEC freshmen at 12.9 points per game.

This is no small feat when one considers the plethora of young talent that teams like Kentucky possess.

Yet, despite his early successes, LaChance recognizes that his transition from high school to Division I basketball is not quite finished.

“I think the biggest adjustment for me was getting used to the speed and physicality at the Division I level,” LaChance said. “Everyone here is the best, the biggest, the strongest or the most physical. You realize that you’re going to have some bad days, but in the long run you just have to keep working at it and keep your head up.”

While LaChance has flourished in his freshman campaign, the Commodores have followed suit in compiling an 11-4 record thus far. However, just as LaChance expects more from himself, he also believes that this squad, which features three freshmen and two sophomores in its starting lineup, can make equally large leaps in quality.

“I think that we have a lot of room for improvement,” LaChance said. “I think that we can especially get better on the defensive end, and as the year goes on, we’ll gain more experience, which will be crucial. We really enjoy playing together and I believe that the experience will only benefit us.”

Only time will tell just how much larger of an impact Riley LaChance and the Vanderbilt men’s basketball team will make this year. With a crucial SEC matchup on the road against number one-ranked Kentucky looming, LaChance and the Commodores may have to speed up their maturation even further.

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JOHN JENKINS (FRESHMAN '09-'10)

WEDNESDAY,JANUARY 14, 2015

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Formidable freshmen Guard Riley LaChance received his second SEC Freshman of the Week award of the season on Jan. 5. Only three other Vanderbilt players have earned this honor more than once. Guard Kevin Bright won the award twice, while guard John Jenkins and center A.J. Ogilvy won the award three times during their respective freshman seasons KEVIN BRIGHT (FRESHMAN '12-'13)

A.J. OGILVY (FRESHMAN '07-'08)

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SPORTS

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DOUBLE

DUTY

After a disappointing season, Head Coach Derek Mason takes charge of the defense, naming himself defensive coordinator

By PATRICK GIVENS Sports reporter --------------------

After weeks of searching for a suitable candidate to run his defense, Vanderbilt Head Football Coach Derek Mason realized that the right man for the job was already on campus — himself.

“After weeks of deliberation and conversations with many coaches, I’ve decided to call our defense,” Mason said. “No one knows our defense and what we can accomplish with this defense more than I.” Several notable college football coaches, including Steve Spurrier at South Carolina, Jimbo Fisher at Florida State, Gus Malzahn at Auburn and Dan Mullen at Mississippi State call their own plays on the offensive side of the ball. Each of these four coaches’ offenses finished in the top 40 in the country in scoring offense, which begs the question — why isn’t defensive play calling by head coaches more common? The simple answer probably lies in a numbers game. Of the 14 coaches currently leading SEC programs, only four have their backgrounds on the defensive side of the ball: Mason, Nick Saban at Alabama, Bret Bielema at Arkansas and Mark Stoops at Kentucky. Another caveat is that, even though these coaches are calling their own plays, each staff has an offensive coordinator to handle the day-to-

GRADY LYNCH / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER

Above: Derek Mason argues a call during the 34-31 win over UMass early in the season. Right: Alabama’s Head Coach Nick Saban, one of the four SEC coaches who have a background in defense. day operation of running the offense. From all indications, Mason intends to handle the defense both in practice and on the field.

There’s no denying that Mason is a defensive expert. His defenses at Stanford ranked in the top 20 in total defense, top five in rushing defense and top 11 in scoring defense in both of his years at the helm.

Mason’s specialty at Stanford was shutting down the read-option offense, which he demonstrated in holding Oregon, the nation’s best, to 14 and 20 points in their two meetings. ESPN certainly agrees, inviting Mason to be a part of their “ESPN Film Room” for the college football national championship. This broadcast features coaches breaking down the game as it happens, and, with Oregon in the game, that certainly seems like a plausible reason for Mason’s inclusion.

This brings us back to the original question: Will Mason’s foray into double duty as a defensive play caller and head coach be condemned as a failed experiment or lauded as innovative? Mason’s detractors would argue that the Commodore head man already has enough on his plate trying to rebuild a program that plummeted from nine wins in 2013 to only three in 2014.

Mason himself disagrees, and perhaps he’s correct. There really is no replacement for experience, and Mason already has a year of experience under his belt interacting with the current players. At times, it was said that Mason seemed uncomfortable with his role as head coach of an SEC football program.

Perhaps returning to his roots as a defensive strategist will free him up to be a better overall manager of the program.

Although we can’t say for certain how this experiment will play out, there is a small sample that indicates it may trend favorably. The Tennessean reported that Mason handled the defensive game plan in the final game of the season against Tennessee, and the Commodore defense responded with one of its best performances of the season.

Mason’s defense held the Vols to 92 yards through the air while giving up only 17 points, both SEC season bests.

Success or failure, we’ll find out soon enough as Western Kentucky brings the nation’s top passer in Brandon Doughty to Vanderbilt Stadium to kick off the 2015 season. While it’s tough to predict just how next season will unfold, here’s one vote that Derek Mason chose the right man for the job.

PHOTO COURTESTY OF MCT CAMPUS

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Women’s basketball upsets undefeated Mississippi State

By PATRICK GIVENS Sports reporter --------------------

There were three undefeated teams in women’s college basketball going into Sunday. That total dropped to just two thanks to the Vanderbilt Commodores.

The previously unblemished Mississippi State Bulldogs took the court at Memorial Gym with an 18-0 record and impressive numbers on both sides of the ball. They left Nashville with their first loss, by the final score of 78-62.

The No. 14 Bulldogs weren’t the story, however. Sunday’s game was all about Vanderbilt getting back to Commodore basketball as the team turned its season around.

After opening SEC play with three consecutive losses and being held under 50 points two games in a row, most would expect the Commodores to play tired basketball in the squad’s third game in six days. That was not the case. For the first time since Christina Foggie and Jasmine Lister graduated, Vanderbilt played with the energy, passion and skill that this program has consistently displayed in all 12 years of Coach Melanie Balcomb’s tenure to beat the nation’s most surprising team.

The Commodores shot 63 percent from the field and held MSU to a meager 33 percent shooting, while keeping the Bulldogs

well below their 81 point per game average and maintaining a sizable lead all the way to the finish.

The fact that Vanderbilt did not trail the entire afternoon is even more impressive since Mississippi State attempted two free throws before a second came off the clock.

The team’s pregame pep talk went so long that the Commodore lineup was turned in too late, and an administrative technical foul was assessed, awarding MSU a pair of free throws before tipoff. Those extra minutes in the locker room proved to be worth the foul, as Victoria Vivians missed both free throws and Balcomb’s message to play as a team came through loud and clear.

The Commodores’ bench was shortened from eight substitutes to four in the win, benefiting the team. “We haven't played together really as a team all season,” said junior forward Morgan Batey. “So for us to do that and fight for each other was huge."

A Vanderbilt player picked up an assist on 18 of 22 field goals, and the team put on a strong display of pristine passing all game long. Mississippi State had no answer to the ultimate team game.

While perfecting their team game, the Commodores also excelled at the most individual aspect of basketball: free-throw shooting. The team shot 33-for-42 from the free throw line, setting season highs in both free throw attempts and makes. Sophomore guard Rebekah Dahlman was 11-15 from

the line, and freshman guard Rachel Bell made nine of 10 from the charity stripe. The Commodores made 26 of 31 free throws in a second half that could’ve easily gotten away from them if not for sustained success from the line.

The suddenly well-rounded Commodores also excelled on the defensive end. Mississippi State freshman phenom Vivians could only muster 12 points against a stout man defense. Vivians put up 21 points in the Bulldogs’ previous game against Arkansas, but made just five of her 16 field goal attempts on Sunday.

With their mojo back and a functional rotation in place, the Commodores will hit the floor against non-conference opponent Alabama-Huntsville Thursday night at home, looking to seize the opportunity to perfect their game before facing more challenging SEC rivals. “We just need to get more consistency and build off what we did well against Mississippi State: getting into transition, playing great defense and just playing together as a team. So this will be a good time for a nonconference game,” said junior forward Heather Bowe.

Starting next Sunday, five of the team’s 12 remaining games will come against ranked SEC opponents, including a rematch against Mississippi State in Starkville, a shot at undefeated No. 1 South Carolina and a chance for revenge on the road in Knoxville to close out the regular year. Vanderbilt hasn’t missed

BOSLEY JARRETT/ THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER

Junior Morgan Batey attempts a layup. the NCAA Tournament under Coach Melanie Balcomb and, with a newly rediscovered swagger and a signature win over an undefeated rival, all signs are pointing towards a return to the madness for the Vanderbilt women.

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