Vol. 79 Iss. 22

FAME artwork p. 4

AM Volume 79 Issue 22

March 22, 2013

AGERPTeacher job fair p. 2

www.asurampage.com

If athletic director Sean Johnson thinks finding one new basketball coach will be difficult, he’ll have his hands full finding two.

Sally Brooks announced that she would not return to ASU for the following basketball season as the women’s head basketball coach on Saturday, March 9.

Brooks made her deci-sion after the ‘Belles were bounced out in the first round of the Lone Star Conference tournament with a 61-36 loss to West Texas A&M University.

In the week prior to the tournament, ASU decided that they would not retain men’s head basketball coach Fred Rike af-ter a 7-19 season.

The ‘Belles under Brooks managed to become the sixth seed in the tournament after a 14-13 regular season that included winning their last six games in a row.

No one in the basketball department has been available for comment.

Brooks ends her tenure at ASU after 13 years as head basketball coach.

Before ASU, Brooks was the head bas-

ketball coach at the University of the Incarnate Word for nine years, so she will walk away with 22 years as a head coach under her belt.

Brooks’ career coaching record is 406-234 with a split of 251-128 at ASU.

During the 2013 season, the ‘Belles defeated Eastern New Mexico Univer-sity 54-47, which gave Brooks her 400th career win as a Division II women’s basket-

ball coach.The Brooks-era at ASU has had mo-

ments of dominant success with Brooks coaching her teams to seven consecutive trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament from 2002-2008.

Brooks also led her team to four Lone Star Conference South Division titles (2001-03; 2005) and three Lone Star Con-ference Tournament Championships (2002, 2004-05).

Brooks was recognized for her work, and was named the Lone Star Conference Southern Division Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2005.

Era ends after 13 years with the ‘Belles

Stephen CoganStaff Writer

A break worth remembering

Photo courtesy of Communication and Marketing

The Center for Student Involvement sent six students to New Orleans during spring break; the students participated in an effort to help the city rebuild after the destruction from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Project Spring Break aims to aid the city of New Orleans in their quest to reconstruct the massive amounts of damage suffered from the hurricane eight years prior. The students resided in the Lower Ninth Ward Village as they contributed to their cause, experienc-ing the culture and community of New Orleans first-hand.

Taylor Ball, graduate assistant to the group of students, claims that this op-portunity for service was life-changing.

“This was a great learning experi-

ence for me,” Ball said. “I had been on volunteer trips before but never to an area that needed help as badly as this. This trip to me was the most meaning-ful thing that I have ever done-- I will be going back to the Lower Ninth Ward Village to volunteer as soon as I can.”

The students lived, worked, and gave back to the community of the Lower Ninth Ward, an area greatly affected by the hurricane.

“The streets are in disrepair, there are no schools for the children to at-tend, and there are no public agencies located there,” Ball said. “There are also very few shops and no grocery stores in this area either. With a community lacking these essential things, what is there that would draw homeowners back in? There are no jobs to be had and no schools for students to attend. It was heart breaking to hear the stories from the people that live there and see-ing it firsthand.”

The week of service brought a new sense of hope to the community and,

not surprisingly, to the students them-selves. Ball encourages others to sign up for the trip next year.

“The feeling that you get from help-ing others is something that is amaz-ing,” Ball said. “I got to help deserving people while being in one of the most fun cities in America. I took a week that is typically saved for superfluous festivi-ties, and gave back. Everyone meshed and worked well together every day. We had the time of our lives and I would do it all again, twice!”

Freshman Karina Quintana said the scenery in New Orleans was different from life in West Texas.

“My favorite part of the trip was prob-ably learning about Katrina,” Quintana said. “I was told a tremendous amount of details that will stay in my mind for-ever. What touched my heart the most was how everyone is still so positive. You have people with broken homes and broken hearts but they still live in a positive aspect and it grows throughout the community. Everyone is smiling and

waving and you have no idea who they are.”

Quintana said one positive message she took from this trip was a quote given to the group by Mack, one of the guys they helped.

“He said ‘Find something that drives you more than money,’ and I love it be-cause most people depend on money too much,” Quintana said.

Students rebuild New Orleans and learn life lessons

Adrianna DabrowskiStaff Writer

Sally Brooks steps down Rock climbingcompetition approaches

See Page 2

Photos courtesy of CSI Six students spent their spring

break working in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, an

area that was destroyed in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina. Students learned important life lessons about giving back to the com-

munity. The six students who went on the trip were Taeseong

(Jack) Gwon, Jon Meadows, Misharee Hight, Kara Edwards,

Megan Benjamin and Karina Quintana. Each evening the stu-dents reflected on their experi-

ence while enjoying the New Orleans cuisine and culture.

Friday, March 22, 2013 NEWS

Events CalendarGet involvedon campus!

Here’s what’s going on this week.

Friday March 22

Baseball: ASU at University of Incarnate Word. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. @San Antonio.

Softball: ASU at Midwestern State University. 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. @Wichita Falls.

Saturday March 23




Sunday March 24


Monday March 25

ALL DAY: Pre-registration begins for all currently en-rolled Sophomores.

ALL DAY: Golf: ASU at Hardscrabble Country Club, Fort Smith, AR.

Tuesday March 26

ALL DAY: Golf: ASU at Hardscrabble Country Club, Fort Smith, AR.

WTMA Distinguished Lectureship in Science featuring Dr. Edward B. Burger. The presentation begins at 2 p.m. in the C.J. Davidson Center.

UCPC Weekly Meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the UC 203-204.

Civil War Lecture Series: An Evening of Civil War Music. The lecture will begin at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium lo-cated in the Administration building.

WTMA Distinguished Lectureship in Science featuring Dr. Edward B. Burger. The presentation begins at 8 p.m. in the C.J. Davidson Center.

Wednesday March 27

Pre-registration begins for all currently enrolled Fresh-man. SMART workshop: Social Networking and Your Future. The presentation begins at 6 p.m. in the Academic Building 119.

Thursday March 28

Last day to drop a class or withdraw from the university. Please see the Registrar’s office for more information.

ALL DAY: Track and Field at Texas Relays in Austin.

Women’s History Month Celebration will show women’s contributions to history, culture and society. The cel-ebration begins at 11:30 a.m. in the UC Lobby.

SMART workshop: Critical Thinking. The presentation begins at 6 p.m. in the Academic Building 119. Softball: ASU vs. West Texas A&M University. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. @Home.

Baseball: ASU vs. West Texas A&M University. 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. @Home.

30th Annual Talent Show will showcase the unique talents of ASU students. Marcus the Comedian will host the show beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the C.J. Davidson Center.

The Planetarium weekly showings continue with one returning show and two new shows. Saturn Jewel of the Heavens begins at 7 p.m., Stars at 8 p.m. and Cosmic Journey: A Solar System Adventure at 9 p.m.

Submit event requests by 5 p.m. Tuesday for Friday publication to [email protected]

Dr. Edward Burger will deliver the 37th annual West Texas Medi-cal Associates Distinguished Lec-tureship in Science in honor of Dr. Roy E. Moon at the University Center on Tuesday, March 26.

Burger’s first lecture will be at 2 p.m., which is entitled “Zero to Infinity: Great Moments in the Evolution of Numbers,” and the second lecture will be at 8 p.m. entitled “Monkeys, Mathematics and Mischief: What are the Life-long Lessons of Education.” Both will be in the C.J. Davidson Center.

“The monkeys talk is all about what math and other subjects of-fer us that will stay with us after we forget all the facts from the tests,” Burger said. “‘Zero to Infinity’ is a historical talk all about how num-bers came to be.”

Not only will students gain in-sight from the lecture, they will receive a deeper understanding of science, which benefits the com-munity as a whole, Dr. Paul Swets, dean of Arts and Sciences said.

“First, this kind of partnership with West Texas Medical Associ-ates strengthens the university’s relationship with the community at large,” Swets said. “The WTMA generously underwrites this Lec-tureship, which in turn allows the university to attract the kind of speaker you will see on Tuesday.

We expect several hundred com-munity members who are not di-rectly associated with the univer-sity to attend one or more of the events surrounding the Lecture-ship. That kind of community/university interaction benefits both the Concho Valley and An-gelo State.”

Burger, currently serves as a member of the Francis Christo-pher Oakley Third Century Pro-fessor of Mathematics at Williams College in Williamstown, MA., and is recognized as one of the top mathematics educators in the country.

Recently Burger was selected as the new president of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.

“It’s an enormous honor and op-portunity,” Burger said. “My hope is to continue to inspire the inno-vation that has been going on at Southwestern for quite some time and see if we can offer an even more profound liberal arts experi-ence that transforms lives.”

Dr. Paul Swets, dean of Arts and Sciences, said that this is a great opportunity for students to exam-ine science, as the lectureship is designed for students.

“Students receive an opportu-nity to interact with a world-class scientist,” Swets said. “Since its inception in 1977, this Moon Lec-tureship series has brought some of the world’s greatest scientists to West Texas for engaging and fre-quently provocative visits on top-ics ranging from asteroid impacts to brain research to biomedical ethics. The opportunity to meet and listen to a Nobel Laureate or other world-class scientist is one

that not many students in West Texas might otherwise be able to have.”

Burger became one of the first makers of instructional mathe-matics videos that were accessible to a broader audience through CD-ROMs through the Internet in 1997. Over the last 16 years Burger has created more than 3,000 vid-eos targeting groups ranging from elementary to college level.

In addition to his work with CD-ROM and Internet-based ma-terial, Burger has also published 12 books and produced numerous video textbooks and video lec-tures. In 2012, Burger developed the Fuse Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II—the first school-level core apps for Apple’s iPad.

Swets has known Burger since his days as a college student in the 1980s at the University of Texas, where Burger was a mathematics graduate student.

“He was in a course I took,” Swets said. “I also attended a couple of the seminars he gave and ever since that time I’ve had the distinct pleasure of watch-ing his remarkable career unfold as a research mathematician, as an educator of mathematics, as an author, a speaker and now as President-elect of Southwestern University in Georgetown.”

Burger is the first mathemati-cian to give a lecture at the WTMA lectureship, and was invited be-cause of his lively lectures.

The lecture is free to the pub-lic and was originally created as a tribute to San Angelo obstetri-cian and gynecologist, Dr. Roy E. Moon, who passed in 1976.

Math and science to be topics of lectureship

Adrianna DabrowskiStaff Writer

Competition returns for second year

Outdoor Adventures will host its annual Angelo Rock Climbing Competition on Saturday, April 6.

The mixed rock climbing competition, which began in the spring of 2012, consists of recreation, intermedi-ate and advanced levels of competition.

ARCC is open to any college student taking a mini-mum of six credit hours.

Early registration costs $20 before March 22, late registration cost $25 before April 5 and walk-ins the day of the competition will cost $30.

Adventure Education Supervisor and junior Josue Rodriquez said OA wants students to come out and try it.

“We want to market our program and for it to grow and be bigger,” Rodriquez said. “With the rock climb-ing competition, it helps us to do that.”

Floor staff member and sophomore Sarah Riojas said last year was a success and OA is looking for a re-peat.

“There was a bigger turnout than what I was expect-ing [last year],” Riojas said. “It was so much fun and I could tell the participants had a blast and were really

excited. We are definitely looking to get more partici-pants. That is our number one [goal] right now.”

According to Riojas, OA staff members are getting new ideas for the competition from surrounding areas.

“Some of our staff have been going to different [climbing] competitions themselves and coming back with information from those to better our competi-tion,” Riojas said. “We have a lot of new ideas we are going to try to put in for this year.”

Registration and check-in will be at 10 a.m. on April 6, and students can pre-register online at www.angelo.edu/adventures.

Payments are currently only accepted in person dur-ing normal business hours in the Center for Human Performance, room 112. Cash, credit/debit, and checks made payable to Angelo State University are all accept-able forms of payment.

Rodriquez said the competition helps to get more people involved with events on campus.

“We want people to show up and not just be sitting in their rooms,” Rodriquez said. “We want them to ex-perience college and the fun things that are around. When you leave college, you want to look back and say I did a lot of things differently and experienced a lot of things and not just parties.”

In preparation for ARCC, the climbing gym will begin to have limited availability Tuesday, March 26 through Saturday, April 6 and March 29-31.

First mathematician to lecture

Students test their climb-ing abilities at competition

Adam SaucedaStaff Writer

Teacher Job Fair

Photos by Nadia Sabroso

Education students receive informa-tion from different booths while at the Teacher Job Fair March 20. Students were given pamphlets and flyers that would help with career searching in their future.

Terrence CainStaff Writer

NEWS Friday, March 22, 2013

www.depts.ttu.edu/[email protected]

The Graduate Studies Program now offers a Master of Science in Athletic Training with the first set of classes beginning this summer.

“We are transitioning to a master’s program be-cause that is the way athletic training is moving to-wards,” Athletic Training Education Program Direc-tor Kristi White said. “In the past you used to be able to become a physical therapist with just a bachelor’s degree, and then they changed it to a master’s. Now it is a [Doctor of Physical Therapy]. It is kind of what athletic training is doing too. Right now it is a bach-elor’s degree and we are transitioning to the master’s degree. We are being a little bit proactive. We are not waiting until the last minute to start the program. We are getting a jump on it and being at the forefront of making that transition.”

Lecturer Sara Meadows said White has worked on this program for about two years from start to finish and it has been quite the process.

“I think it is a really great thing because athletic training as a profession is becoming more and more distinguished every year just because we are needed in more high schools, universities and clinics for the simple fact that athletes will be athletes,” Meadows said. “[Athletes] really need someone who will guide them to recover from injuries. This is definitely a

move in the right direction. Not only do [students] have a bachelor’s degree in their choosing, they will have a master’s degree in athletic training which will set them apart from someone who just has a bach-elor’s degree.”

The athletic training program is a two-year 44 credit hour program, White said. The program is de-signed to help individuals pursue certification and licensure as an athletic trainer.

“It will be strictly athletic training classes that the students will be taking,” White said. “When they come in the summer, they will be taking classes such as advanced anatomy imaging class, an emer-gency management skills class, and then have a basic clinical skills class. [The students] get to play with stimulation, ultra sound and laser equipment. They will have research class. The students will have ad-ministration classes and rehabilitation classes to help them set up rehabilitation programs for injured people.”

In order to be eligible for the program, candi-dates must have a confirmed baccalaureate degree in something other than athletic training with a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Candidates must also have completed the following courses: one semes-ter of biology (with lab), one semester of chemistry (with lab), one semester of physics (with lab), two semesters of anatomy and physiology or equivalent (with lab), exercise physiology, general psychology, statistics, nutrition and biomechanics.

“The difference between these courses is that they are at a graduate level so the intensity will be pumped up a little bit,” White said. “Instead of [com-

pleting the program] in four years they will do it in two years.”

Because athletic training is a hands-on profession, there will be in-class sessions with minimal online work students will have to complete, White said.

“One thing that we experienced in the past is we have lots of student athletes who want to do athletic training but it is very difficult for them to get the clin-ical experience because they have their commitments to their sports,” White said. “It is a good opportunity for people to learn more about what athletic train-ing is and who athletic trainers are. The population is becoming more active and there are always injuries with that so I think this is going to be a new opportu-nity for people to do.”

White said there is some in-house recruiting with-in the physical therapy department because people don’t understand what athletic training is, and what the athletic trainers do.

“People think we stand on the sidelines at high school and college games but really 30 percent of all athletic trainers work in a clinic or hospital,” White said.

Admissions will be open until June, and the class pursuing the degree this summer should graduate May of 2015, White said.

“In the future, we want our cutoff date to be about March 1 for applications so we can get our classes set,” White said. “Since we are a brand new program it is kind of a challenge to get the word of mouth out. We expect our first cohort to be pretty small. That is usu-ally what you see with graduate programs. They start out small, and then increase in size.”

Admissions for the hands-on program will end in June

Allison PriceManaging Editor

New master’s degree to give students an edge

...The perfect cure

2 1 0 0 W . B e a u r e g a r d 3 2 5 - 9 4 2 - 1 6 4 7

How important is March 28?

• LastdaytodropaclassorwithdrawfromtheUniversity• LastdaytoapplyforMay2013graduation

Friday, March 22, 2013 FEATURES

midnightrodeosanangelo.com

$2 Coors Light Drafts$3 Enchanted Rock Vodka$3 Rebecca Creek Whiskey

Wooden Sculptures Photos by Adam Sauceda

FAME Collage Concert

“Seated Woman” by Michael Reyes

“ZT” by Linda Martinez

“The Wanderer” by Jennifer Wilson

Photos by Nadia Sabroso The annual FAME (Friends of Art and Music Education) Collage concert featured music, art, and theater students and faculty in performances Tuesday, March 19. FAME is a fundraiser for scholarships for students majoring in the arts. (Above)- Junior Cassie Stefan, Senior Stacy Mata and Sopho-more Gabree Torres put final touches on their artwork they dis-played at the concert. (Right)- Senior Horacio Casillas throws a clay vase while at the FAME event.

OPINIONS Friday, March 22, 2013

PUBLISHING POLICYPublished every Friday and available to students, one copy per student, the student newspaper of Angelo State University is a public forum, with its student editorial board making all decisions concerning its contents. Unsigned editorials express the views of the majority of the editorial board.Ram Page welcomes all letters. Please include your name, classification/position and a phone number and/or e-mail ad-dress for verification purposes. Letters must be signed and be no more than 350 words. The paper reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and clarity, and all letters are subject to laws governing obscenity, libel and privacy. Deadline is 5 p.m., Monday. Submission does not guarantee publication. Letters may be mailed, e-mailed or submitted at the newspaper’s office, Room 324 on the third floor of the Porter Henderson Library. Opinions in letters are not necessarily those of the staff, nor should any opinion expressed in a public forum be construed as the opinion or policy of the administration, unless so attributed.

Ram Page Staff

2012-2013A n g e l o S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y

Editor: Mariah PowellManaging Editor: Allison PriceCopy Editor: Rachel RiggsOnline Editor: Riley MashburnStaff Writer: Stephen Cogan Staff Writer: Terrence CainStaff Writer: Adrianna DabrowskiStaff Writer: Adam SaucedaCirculation Manager: Mariah PowellPhotographer: Nadia Sabroso Photographer: Adam SaucedaAdvertising Manager: Kaitlynn Glendinning Adviser: Dr. Cathy Johnson

Ram PageASU Station #10895

San Angelo, Texas 76909-0895

Editor: [email protected] Advertising: [email protected]

Newsroom: (325) 942-2323 Advertising: (325) 942-2040 Fax: (325) 942-2551 Member of

The Texas Tech University SystemAssociated Collegiate Press

Texas Intercollegiate Press Association

“Visiting New Orleans, I loved the atmosphere and the scenery they have.”

“Visiting my family.” “Going to Austin, TX and visiting my

family.”

“Going to the beach in Miami and meeting new

people.”

“Taking a roadtrip with some of my

friends.”

Min-a ChoiSenior

Young Eun KimSenior

Austin LopezSenior

Jerrica ThomasJunior

Michelina PercocoJunior

What was the most exciting part of your spring break?

AM AGER PNow accepting applications

for 2013-2014 Editor-in-ChiefApplicants must:

• be a junior, senior or graduate student in the 2013-2014 academic year

• be a journalism/mass media major or minor, or have the equivalent undergraduate courses in journalism/mass media

• have been enrolled full time @ ASU at least two consecutive semesters prior to application

• have served on the Ram Page staff in some major capacity for at least one year

If no applications are received, exceptions may be considered.

A letter of application and supporting information must be submitted to Dr. Jeff Boone, head of the Department of Communication/Mass Media, 3rd Floor Library, B309

Application Deadline: March 28, 5 p.m.

To a number of students spring break equals partying and getting wild and drunk on an island, but I have re-alized that spending quality time with my family is more important.

I have never been interested in the friendly bonding trips, maybe be-cause I stayed to myself for so long. In fact, I was never interested in even hanging with my family as much as I do now, but I am glad I have ventured

out of my shell. Still, the party life is not for me.

After being away from home for years, I learned to be independent and have grown immune to the distance, but getting the chance to simply re-lax four and a half hours away from school and work is a great feeling.

For me, going home means rest-ing and not worrying about a single thing. Since I had my daughter Sani-yah, last January, rest has been a thing of the past, but when I go home she can run wild with my siblings or ride around with my mom while I get sleep or shop. Family is a very important as-pect of my life and I feel it is only right that my daughter knows her family well.

Last spring break she was still a newborn, but I am glad she is walk-ing and pouncing around this year. Thanks to the great weather Texas was blessed with last week, Saniyah expe-rienced going to the park for the first time. In the beginning of course she was afraid to play but quickly caught on. I like that she gets excited when she sees other children, since she doesn’t go to a day care, but the hard part is keeping her from chasing them and trying to kiss or hug them. And

the Dallas/Fort Worth area was a per-fect play place for her. There, we actu-ally know other children for her to be around.

Saniyah was able to go to Six Flag and walk around this year; although she is not nearly tall enough to ride anything, viewing the rides made her excited. She would stand as close as she could to all of the entrance gates with her hands up screaming with joy, which made me happy.

I did not realize that quality time with the family would eliminate bed time for my one year old, but it was like she eliminated it for herself. Stay-ing up until 1 or 2 a.m. playing is not normal for little tots, but Saniyah ob-viously believes that she is a college student as well. Thankfully, getting her back on track has been a little eas-ier than I thought it would be.

But I did not value spending time with my family when I was in high school, so it’s new and fun for me. Be-ing the oldest of four children, I get a chance to come home and create the fun for my siblings, and seeing them smile is a great thing.

I love my friends and when they have fun and take trips I wish the best, but when I have an awesome daugh-

ter it’s a lot easier for me to keep life simple, still be thankful for the oppor-tunities I receive and have fun.

Mariah Powell Editor

Family over island parties any, and every day

Saniyah checking the meter to see if she was tall enough to ride anything at Six Flags.

Friday, March 22, 2013 SPORTS

The ‘Belles’ season has resembled a Richter scale reading with some ups and downs over the past month and a half.

The ‘Belles started the season with an 8-1 record on the road and then opened at home where they went 1-4 and were run-ruled in consecutive games.

Instead of panicking and losing con-fidence, the team managed to collect itself, and since then it has managed to win 11 of the last 14 games. They now stand tall with a 20-8 record with a 5-1 mark against conference opponents.

Their next test will be against the 20-6 Midwestern State Mustangs in

Wichita Falls.“They are hitting .400 as a team, and

they’ve got three kids hitting over .500, and we’re 30 games into the season, so that’s pretty amazing right there,” head coach Travis Scott said. “We’ve got our work cut out for us.”

The ‘Belles are coming off a 1-1 home series split against St. Edward’s where the ‘Belles lost the first game 6-3, but won the second game in dramatic, classic softball style with a walk-off RBI single by senior outfielder Lauren Smith.

However, the play of the game be-longed to senior catcher Kacie Easley and her rocket arm.

The ‘Belles jumped to a 4-0 lead ear-ly in the game and were on cruise con-trol when St. Edward’s battled back in the sixth inning.

Junior pitcher Sandra Serna was touched up for three runs off of five hits, but a fielder’s choice and a popup made it two outs with runners at first

and third.Up at the plate for St. Edward’s was

junior Lauren Brode, who had a .380 batting average and already had two hits off of Serna.

Nothing could make the situation better for St. Edward’s until they de-cided to get greedy.

Senior Marissa Thome, the runner on first, decided to try and steal sec-ond and took off for the bag on Serna’s pitch.

Easley caught the pitch and fired a laser towards freshman second base-man Ambra Hill.

Hill caught the ball that was per-fectly placed just over the second base bag and applied the tag on the sliding Thome.

The second base umpire signaled the call; Thome was the third out and the inning was over with the ‘Belles still in the lead.

“In the first and third situation, they’ve got team speed so I was kind of

expecting a steal,” Easley said. “Ambra did a great job of covering the bag and putting a tag on her.”

St. Edward’s managed to tie the game anyway in the seventh inning, but Eas-ley wasn’t done making great plays.

Junior Morgan Spearman started the inning with a base hit up the middle and freshman Maddy McGarity made a sacrifice bunt that moved Spearman to second.

Now Easley was at the plate with one out and she drove the first pitch to right field that moved Spearman to third and set up the walk-off hit that Lauren Smith made that gave the Rams the 5-4 win.

If the ‘Belles keep playing like they did in the second game against St. Ed-ward’s, the .400 hitting Mustangs won’t be able to say they are better than the ‘Belles.

The first game starts on Friday, March 22, at 7 p.m. in Wichita Falls.


Slumping Rams to face Incarnate Word

‘Belles to take on Midwestern State Mustangs in conference showdown‘Belles hang on to confidence for upcoming competition

The reigning Lone Star Conference champion Rams kicked off their Lone Star Conference schedule at home with four games against Texas A&M-Kingsville University over spring break.

The Rams went 1-3 in the series and are looking to end their slump in San Antonio against the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals this weekend.

The Rams are 15-9 on the season and still have sev-eral things they need to work on.

“[We were] pretty average,” head coach Kevin Brooks said about the team’s overall performance so far this year. “We played good in spurts and haven’t been able to maintain a level of high play consistently, and that’s something we’ve been shooting for and striving for.”

Now that the conference season is here, Brooks said that the competition level gets higher because these are the Rams’ conference opponents.

Brooks said he doesn’t think that overconfidence and cockiness is the reason why the team has been struggling.

“I think confidence plays a part,” Brooks said. “But I think that’s just the course of the season; you go through some down spots at some points during the season.”

Consistency is what the Rams want, and they haven’t had that from their pitching staff.

“We have got to get more consistent starting pitch-ing,” Brooks said. “We’ve got to find an answer out of the bullpen.”

Sophomore starting pitcher Bryce Zak has been awarded the Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week honor in consecutive weeks earlier in the season, but in his last start, he gave up five earned runs in one in-ning of pitching.

The team’s batting as a whole has been great at times, but they are in the top 5 in strikeouts, which is never a good statistic to be leading in.

“We start out each game well,” junior shortstop Christian Summers said. “We get our runs early and then we kind of shut it down. We get in cruise mode and we need to have a sense of urgency in every in-ning; not just 1-3 or 7-9.”

Summers, who transferred from the University of Texas, is hitting .339 with two home runs, three triples, and eight doubles.

The Central High School alumnus has started 19 games, scored 16 runs, and is second in the conference with a .661 slugging percentage.

The Rams’ first game against the Cardinals is on Fri-day, March 22, at 6:30 p.m. in San Antonio.

Rams continue to work on season after series loss.


Photo by Adam SaucedaSenior Andrew Lacombe keeps his eye on the ball as he swings hoping to get a run.

Photo by Adam SaucedaFreshman Ambra Hill slides into home plate before her opponent can tag her out.

Vol. 79 Iss. 22

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Transcript of Vol. 79 Iss. 22