The Shepherd University Picket issue 66

The Picket

Student Voice in the University Community Since 1896

S h e p h e r d U n i v e r s i t y

115th Year No. 60 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2012 First Issue Free

INDEX | NEWS 2 | COMMENTARY 5 | ARTS & LIFE 7 | COMICS & GAMES 9

KRISTINA [email protected]

The future look of the Shep-herd University campus was open for discussion by students, faculty and mem-bers of the Shepherdstown community over four fo-

week of classes on campus.The Master Plan Commit-tee, in charge of develop-ing a 10-year Master Plan, hosted the forums as an opportunity to share ideas regarding the university’s development. Suggestions would later be discussed by the committee and pos-sibly incorporated into the 10-year Master Plan. The plan would then be pre-sented to the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) by June 30, 2013, for review. Suggestions to improve parking, getting around campus and accessibility were just some of the top-ics covered in the forums.An e-mail blast went out a week before classes began requesting participation at one of the four meetings. Shepherd forums of this nature in the past sepa-rated them, with one ses-sion for the community, one for students, and one for faculty. The committee decided to take a different approach and allow for all parties to attend the forum most convenient to them. Dr. John Sherwood, chair-man of the Facilities Mas-ter Plan Committee, stated that the idea was to hear from as much of the com-munity as possible. Allow-ing the community to have a voice in this matter is a way of creating an environ-ment of stewardship and builds better relationships, according to Sherwood.Sherwood stressed that the main objective in their planning is for Shepherd to be “better, not bigger.”

President Shipley and SGA president Elizabeth Greer were among those that performed the ribbon cutting ceremony for the underpass

on January 7th 2012. The project, which cost roughly $5.3 million and took seven months to complete, is aimed to cut down on danger-

ous pedestrian conditions by replacing the old crosswalk on Route 480. Photography by Ryan Franklin

KRISTIN [email protected]

Loss. Mother. Illegal. Those were some of the words mov-ing through the Bryd Center for Legislative Studies on Jan. 15 as students and fac-ulty attended “Motherless: A Legacy of Loss,” presented by the WV Free organization.WV Free is a reproductive justice organization working to help increase education and birth control options in West Virginia. Spon-sored by the Appalachian Studies Program and the Student Government Asso-ciation (SGA), the program featured a documentary and follow up discussion.Charles Sullivan, a student at Shepherd, declared he attended the presentation

because “having an inter-est in women’s rights, I at-tended to help aide in rep-resenting women’s choices.”Dr. Sylvia Bailey Shurbutt, professor of English and co-ordinator of the Appalachian Studies Program, thought it heartening to see Shep-herd students so thoughtful.Shurbutt said, “Programs such as this allow our students opportunity to think critically about is-sues that touch their lives.”The documentary pre-sented, entitled “Mother-less,” opened with a series of emotive black and white photographs showing the faces of young children and their mothers. The

-nial clips featuring both adult women and men after touching on a brief history

of the restriction of repro-ductive rights in America.The audience is told per-sonal tales of last memo-ries that these people hold of their mothers and sto-ries of becoming mother-less. These were not tales of mothers lost to illnesses or accidents. These were sto-ries of mothers lost to un-safe and illegal abortions.Tim Leonard, campus rela-

said, “It is relevant be-cause regardless of your stance, you may have or know someone who has

“Motherless” was pro-duced and directed by Bar-bara Attie, Janet Goldwa-ter, and Diane Pontius.

www.watchmotherless.org

KRISTIN [email protected]

College life can lead to a

melding of cultures and

ideas never before mixed.

It can give way to cranki-

ness from lack of sleep and

caffeine or short tempers

from homesickness. A thriv-

-

tesy and politeness may

seem a distant thought.

A polite and respectful cam-

pus, however, is the goal

of Shepherd University’s

Civility Response Team.

Joseph Jefferson, director of

cooperative education and

chair of the CRT, stated that

the Civility Response Team

was co-founded on campus

in 2005 by Dr. Tom Segar

and Dr. Richie Stevens.

Their goal was to create

an organization that served

as an outlet for Shepherd

community members that

had experienced incivility.

Members of the CRT strive

to aid the community with

a variety of options to assist

with responding to incivil-

ity. Their mission is to pro-

mote respect, value diver-

sity, advocate and educate

the Shepherd community.

The CRT is available at new

student orientations and res-

idential assistance trainings.

The members also attempt

to respond to incidents of

incivility within the campus

by offering their services to

facilitate discussions, work-

shops or forums to voice

concerns of the community.

BRUCE [email protected]

Moving to Shepherdstown from New York City might not be the move of choice for some native New York-ers, but it is a welcome change for newly hired Po-lice Chief John McAvoy.Shepherd students can rest assured that McAvoy arrives to his new perma-nent position with all those years of experience honed on the busy streets of New York City ready and able to better protect and serve students, staff and faculty of Shepherd University.McAvoy’s experiences range from collegiate policing to

criminal investigations. He now manages Shepherd’s safety and security, with all his prior learning and law enforcement experience helping him to improve cam-pus safety and the welfare of our entire community. His most recent position as the assistant director of campus safety at Herkimer County Community College in Her-

his dedication to improving the lives of college students.McAvoy was tested almost immediately upon arrival in Shepherdstown. One of his

hate crime that occurred on Dec. 3, 2012, just two days af-ter his arrival. This trial-by-

-

diately involved in a detailed criminal investigation, all while attempting to settle into a new position with a new staff in a new town. McAvoy picked Shepherd-

place to raise a young child, and he called the crime “un-Shepherd-like” and out of character from what he knew about the university and community. He said that one reason he picked Shepherd was due to its “impression of being a diverse liberal arts university that welcomes everyone without any res-ervations about gender, sexual orientation or race.”

See, Master Plan, Page 2

See, Chief, Page 2

See, CRT, Page 2

See the Story on Page 4

NEWS 2 The Shepherd Picket Wednesday, January 23, 2012

Page_____ C M Y K 2

Building on this concept is to make better use of ex-isting space and prevent some of the problems that may come when a uni-versity grows too large. Sherwood offered the Erma Ora Byrd Hall as an example that has the potential to be a bet-ter social space for stu-

dents but perhaps has not been fully utilized. Sherwood also mentioned making the campus more visitor-friendly. He pon-dered, “Where is the front door of the campus?” and remarked that other uni-versities have structures that mark the begin-ning of the university. Another objective is to make the school more pe-destrian and bike-friend-ly. Sherwood said that the tunnel is just the be-ginning of realizing that concept. Among the sug-gestions was including covered bike parking to avoid wet seats for rid-ers in inclement weather.Chris Dunphy, a junior historic preservation ma-jor, lives in the area and bikes to the campus every

-lieves the] covered racks” sound the most promising. Dunphy said he knew of

only one area that has cov-ered bike racks and that sometimes students must arrive early to get a spot.One perpetual concern for students is the state of parking on campus. Sherwood mentioned that several parties raised con-cerns, and it is a subject the committee will be ad-

was completed to monitor -

pus last week. The results of that study will be in-corporated into the plan.Another focus is to in-crease the percentage of students living on campus from about 30 percent to between 40-50 percent over the next 10 years.Sherwood said, “So much goes on on campus.”Commuters tend to miss out on activities, Sher-wood added. The hope is to increase the sense of community on cam-pus. One of the ways to do that is for students to be physically here more.Sherwood expressed that everyone attending the forum was positive and gave great sugges-tions. The forums have been useful feedback in the process of develop-ing Shepherd’s future.

Sherwood stressed

that the main

objective in their

planning is for

Shepherd to be

“better, not bigger.”

Dr. Heidi

Hanrahan,

E n g l i s h

professor

and mem-

ber of CRT,

would like

the team

to be a

c o n t i n u -

ing re-

source for

the Shep-

herd com-

m u n i t y .

Hanrahan

said, “If

s t u d en t s

experience

incivility, I want them to know

there are people there for

them. I want them to know

who they can go to for help.”

Consideration has been

given to the idea of stu-

dent membership within

the team, but students

are not permitted to be-

come members at this time.

J e f f e r s o n

said that

this “relates

to the fact

that we are

a resource

established

with the pri-

mary goal

of serving

students.”

J e f f e r s o n

wants the

team to be

an option

for those

who may

be unsure

of how to

respond to incivility they

may witness. He encourag-

es all community members

in the ongoing promotion

of courtesy and politeness.

Dr. Heidi Hanrahan, profes-

sor of English and member of

CRT, said, “If students experi-

ence incivility, I want them to

know there are people there

for them. I want them to know

who they can go to for help.”

Those he interviewed during the investigation thought the crime was very unusual and did not

-herd mentality, student body, faculty and staff. His faith in the welcom-ing and accepting attitude of Shepherd remained un-

in the campus-wide nega-tive reactions to the crime. McAvoy has a strong dedi-cation to family, including the Shepherd family. He arrived in Shepherdstown with his wife and young son, who motivate him to protect the children of other parents who happen to grace our campus. McA-voy also has three grown children and a grandchild back in New York City.

After raising his three chil-dren, he and his wife ad-opted a little boy from Ethi-opia who joined them here in Shepherdstown due to a large Ethiopian community presence in Frederick, Md. He and his wife felt that

the best thing to do for their young son would be to lo-cate him closely to others of Ethiopian descent and en-sure that he never loses his cultural heritage and ties to his own unique ancestry.Students, faculty and staff

can rely on the same protec-tive and nurturing nature that he delivers to his own family and son in his daily interactions and duties at Shepherd. His desire to make Shepherd the safest

in his most important mes-

sage to his new campus,

“safety is everyone’s re-sponsibility, and all Shep-herd students should take common sense measures to ensure their own safety.”McAvoy and his staff can

be contacted in the police

in Room 105 of Sara Cree Hall or at extension 5374. Emergencies should be di-rected to Shepherd police dispatch by calling 9-911.

Police chief John McAvoy.Photo by B.J. McCardle

New Police Chief John McAvoy be-

lieves, “safety is everyone’s responsibil-

ity, and all Shepherd students should

take common sense measures to ensure

their own safety.”

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Master Plan, From Page 1

CRT, From Page 1

Chief, From Page 1

Wednesday, January 23, 2012 The Shepherd Picket 3

Page_____ C M Y K 3

NEWS

Voices in the Hall

Natalie Greene

[email protected]

“I like it now that it is

open, but I wish they

didn’t block off High Street

so we could use both.”

Ben Hackett- Senior

“I know a lot of people

that got hurt when the

underpass was not here,

to be safer to travel across

campus.”

Emily Gilmore-Senior

“Too much money for

not much of a showy

thing”

Jordan Clark -

Sophomore

“Well, since most of my class-

es are near Knutti, it was eas-

ier for me to use High Street,

but the underpass makes it

easier for the marching band

James Kelley- Freshman

-

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4 The Shepherd Picket Wednesday,January 23, 2012

Page_____ C M Y K 4

COMMENTARY

NATHAN [email protected]

With the recent shoot-ing at Sandy Hook El-ementary, the question of gun control has risen yet again, as it always does whenever something like this happens. The public argues for and against, while the media fans the

time focuses on the shoot-er and asks why someone would do something like this or what lead a person to do something like this. Now in this case, there’s been more focus on the vic-tims and their families be-cause they were children, but most of the time, the victims take a backseat in the media for the perpetra-tors of a shooting, which is a huge problem. The more attention given to a perpe-trator of a crime, the more likely others will follow so they can be remembered. No longer will the shoot-

er at Sandy Hook go as a nameless person whom no one cared about. He will be hated, yes, but he will be remembered more than any of the victims.I think that rather than

to what causes people to commit such crimes and blame that reason, we can set personal responsibility on the person who com-mitted the crime, because it was their choice. When that’s done, we can move on and focus on how we can help the victims, rather than argue about politics and talk about the perpe-trator almost incessantly.Talking about the perpe-trator of a crime makes them notorious and fa-mous. It also makes oth-ers want to “outdo” the other and get a chance at fame, even if it’s bad fame. You turn somebody who wasn’t known at all, and doesn’t deserve to be known, into someone who

is almost a celebrity. We all know about the shoot-ers at Columbine, the one at Virginia Tech, the one from the Dark Knight theater shooting, and the one from the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, but do we even know one vic-tim? How much time has the media spent on the perpetrator as opposed to every victim combined? The media doesn’t spend much time on things like that. The most they do is a small memorial to the victims, which is brief;; even if there is an hour segment, the victims are spread out and are still not individualized as much as they should be. Also, how much of it is actually about the victim as op-posed to where they were and how it happened? We don’t get to know the vic-tims personally, but we do get to know the perpetra-tor personally...or do we? Even with all the investi-

gation (what is released to the public, anyway), we still don’t know the people who perpetrate the crimes personally. We know things about them and try to guess why they did what they did. Maybe it was be-cause they were unpopu-lar? Maybe because they were bullied and made fun of? Maybe it was be-cause they had a disorder? Maybe it was because of their living environment? Or maybe we don’t actu-ally know those things, and maybe it’s because they chose to do something evil and it’s their fault, be-cause they were the ones who made the choice. We need to start placing re-sponsibility where it be-

excuses as to why some-one would do something like this, because honest-ly, it seems like we try to

that they are responsible for their actions and no one else is, ultimately.

Now I understand that sometimes there are cases in which it is the result of something, like a disorder. There are exceptions, but the exception is not the rule, and we have made the exception the rule, be-cause we don’t want to face the fact that people can be evil and do evil things, that there are evil men in this world, and that wicked things will happen. If you blame society, you have to blame people, because people make up society. If you blame environment, people often make up the environment, for better or worse;; and most often, people are still to blame. I don’t know about you, but if somebody’s hose

fact;; you focus on how you can help that person recov-er. It’s time we start doing the same for the victims of shootings, along with any other bad circumstances.

CHELSEA DEMELLO [email protected]

MTV recently added a new controversial real-ity television show to its lineup called “BUCK-WILD,” a series that

-ginia stereotype by show-casing the lives of nine young, belligerent adults.

of Sissonville, about ten miles north of Charles-ton. In the show’s opening credits, the declaration is simple yet clear: “West Virginia is a place founded on freedom, the freedom to do whatever one wants. Up here on top of this mountain, we don’t have to worry about the law,” the cast members proclaim. The allegation that West Virginia is not subject to law and regulation is ab-

surd and damaging. Our state is being televised as a safe haven for harboring ignorance and mischief and that is just unacceptable. In the show’s pilot episode, the group of girls living together get evicted based on the combination of con-stant loud partying and

erupts between one of the cast mates and a neighbor. When a neighbor attempts to come over and request that the noise level be lowered, she is mocked because of her appear-ance and then attacked. Despite the blatant lack of class this altercation demonstrates, the other issue is the fact that the girls were evicted from their home. This fact com-pletely contradicts the show’s main proposal.These individuals claim to be free, dwelling in a

state not subject to the law;; therefore there is no reason why, twenty

episode, four of the cast mates have to scramble for a new place to live. It just doesn’t make sense.On the other hand, MTV does have a reputation of producing poor quality television to uphold. Since “Jersey Shore” signed off for its last season, some type of controversial show had to take its place. In recent years, audi-ences have grown con-ditioned to accept trash and controversy no mat-ter how cheaply pro-duced because, plain and simple, controversy sells. However, anytime sub-titles have to be used ex-tensively because stars of the show are too lazy to enunciate or are not educated enough to speak

proper English, though those individuals have full capability to do so, it is not a good situation. As a girl born and bred in Tennessee, there is most

between a Southern dia-lect and pure ignorance. The pop culture of the United States is better than such atrocities. There

-ting ignorant, ill-educated individuals on television

damages far outweigh any entertainment value it could possibly possess. Yet, perhaps “BUCK-WILD” will become the next phenomenon because it does exactly what it needs to do: it pushes all the right buttons. It digs

of West Virginia’s backside and has quickly caused a stir of hatred and disgust.

The show is a mutant blend of reality television perfection. “BUCKWILD” is what happens when “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” grows up, desires to become “Jersey Shore” but can’t quite make it to the coast, so it resolves into a horrible varia-tion of “Jackass” instead. However, “BUCKWILD” encompasses the entire state of West Virginia in stereotypical scrutiny, whereas a show such as “Jersey Shore” focused only on a small location.

natives to defy the stigma that sometimes gets asso-ciated with living in West Virginia. Misrepresent-ing the wonderful Appala-chian heritage this state represents in a show like “BUCKWILD” is shameful.

Photo Credit: wikicommons

5 The Shepherd Picket Wednesday, January 23, 2012

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COMMENTARY

MEGHANA [email protected]

Imagine having people call out belittling names at you from the Pan-Tran, snickering about you when you walk into the Ram’s Den, having derogatory names writ-ten on sticky notes plas-tered all over your car, or, worst of all, walking back to your room late at night and suddenly being as-saulted in a parking lot in West Campus. For what reason, you may ask? I couldn’t honestly give you one, because no per-son deserves this, espe-cially no innocent person. This doesn’t sound like the Shepherd University that I have grown to love and care for in the last three years and I know for a

fact it isn’t. Unfortunate-ly, the actions of a cow-ardly, ignorant, and cruel few have caused turmoil for our entire community. In general, there seems to be an increase in acts of prejudice this 2012-2013 university year. Many students seem to share the same sentiment, as there never seemed to be a major concern of personal safety on this campus in the past couple of years, up until the assaults that occurred last semes-ter. There does not seem to be a reason found for this, but regardless, these actions need to cease. The people who have com-mitted the acts above can only be described to have acted in hate and igno-rance. I cannot wrap my

head around the concept of concerning oneself with the lives of others because one does not agree with or accept them. Worse, to take one’s concern and cultivate it into actions of harassment and assault is absolutely repulsive. Unfortunately, there may always be people in this world that seem to sup-port and adhere to such behavior and as a com-munity. It is essential to work towards prevention. What can we do as a cam-pus to eliminate this type of behavior? Many sug-gest an increase in aware-ness and safety. However, this is only one step in the right direction. There needs to be an increase in campus measures as well. As students, it is vital for us to be immediately

informed when events of physical assault occur. As a campus, we have been generally blessed and extremely lucky to have faced a small num-ber of dire issues that cause us to question our personal safety. Howev-er, when events of hate crimes and attacks do oc-cur, there must be a call for change and height-ened awareness. Dr. Tom Segar, vice president of Shepherd University Stu-dent Affairs, was gracious, effective and thought-ful in sending the stu-dents an e-mail explain-ing what had occurred after a student was at-tacked earlier that month. In terms of personal safe-ty, continuing to inform students of such occur-

rences (I hope they do not occur again) is impor-tant as well helping stu-dents stay safe through call boxes and campus police’s courteous ser-vice of driving students when they feel uncom-fortable walking around campus late at night. Shepherd University stu-dents, staff, and faculty pride the campus on serv-ing more than the purpose of an enriching learn-ing environment. We are diverse, accepting and, above all, a community. I hope whatever trials we may face, we continue to face them as a commu-nity. Every student has a right to the opportunity to learn, to grow, to express themselves, to acceptance and, most of all, to safety.

NICK [email protected]

As I walked through the $5.65 million tunnel on my way to class the other day, I found myself critiquing

decision of Shepherd Uni-versity’s expert spenders. Walking underneath the costly crawl-space did not necessarily re-assure my safety as a pedestrian, but it did call into question the al-location of my valuable tuition dollars. Perhaps looking both ways before crossing has become a bit of a conundrum for stu-dents. Either way, the walk from East Campus to West Campus seems about the same for me. Being cognizant of on-

-perative life tool in, my opinion. Also, spending

millions of dollars to pre-vent collisions between cars and pedestrians is not the most logical solu-tion to the problem. True, campus safety is and should be a major concern for the university, but I am not sure if the need for the underpass exceeded the costs that have result-ed from its construction. The two major aspects that were emphasized by the university for build-ing the underpass were

Coincidentally, my two major qualms about the underpass are also ef-

only did the completion

months after its expected completion but also the construction of the project prevented a direct out-let from West Campus to Route 480 for months. As for safety, I am leery to

see how safe the under-pass will be during the wee hours of the morning. Although I am not ex-actly endorsing the $5.65 million project, the overall student opin-ion of the recently com-pleted project is mixed. For example, senior Matt Myers was not thrilled about the underpass proj-ect and explicitly voiced his disapproval of the spend-ing committee’s decision. “Well, I really don’t think it is necessary. Cross-ing the street safely is a basic life skill that you learn in elementary school. If the inability to exercise this elementary skill warrants $5+ mil-lion, I am ashamed of my own generation,” he said. Junior political sci-ence major Isaiah Shel-ton also disagrees with the use of the funds.

“Though something need-ed to be done about the

480, I believe an overpass would have been prefer-able to an underpass. Speaking on the basis of

underpass was a costly project that took quite a long time to complete and was a headache for both the students and the entire Shepherdstown community,” he said. Conversely, senior Ka-tie Waltz agrees with the university’s decision to build an underpass. “I don’t go to that side of campus anymore, but I’m totally in favor of the underpass project. My close friend Andy was hit by a car at that cross-walk a few years ago and I had to witness the physical repercussions of a pedestrian collid-

ing with a car,” she said. Like Waltz, senior Eng-lish major Matt Chelf views the construc-tion of the underpass in a more positive light. “I’m excited to see the

underpass will bring to Shepherdstown. Also, it’s surreal to walk through what was essentially the ground before the proj-ect’s inception,” he said. Whether you are a sup-porter of the underpass or not, its construction has been completed. Despite the excessive spending, months of inconvenience, and nonexistence of a prop-erly funded parking ga-rage, the underpass could prove advantageous to the safety of all students. If not, there is always next year to spend another couple million dollars.

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ZACH ROUNCEVILLE, [email protected]

As the spring 2013 semes-ter commences, Shepherd University has undergone many changes over the past several months in order to make the campus safer and better for the community and students overall. Recently, there have been discussions tak-ing place in regard to in-put for development of the new campus master plan.Although no proposals have been put forth spe-

and landscaping teams as-signed to the development plan have been working to understand the lay-out of the campus as it stands now, with an eye toward any potential de-velopments in the future.

Robert A.M. Stern Archi-tects is currently in the brainstorming phase of the new master plan project,

from the old master plan. Although the original plan was initially devel-oped for the achievement of objectives by 2033, the newly formed plan con-stitutes an outlook with a 10-year goal in mind. The main focus of the lecture series by RAMSA on the new master plan,

of classes, was simply to create an open dialogue among the campus, the community, and those in charge of the project. Al-though there have been no concrete proposals set in place, the RAMSA team

-ed about the direction the university is headed with

regard to renovations to make the campus better. Members of the Shepherd faculty, student body, and Shepherdstown communi-ty raised a variety of con-cerns during these meet-ings regarding the project. Topics such as parking, residence hall renovation, classroom renovation, and historical preservation were brought to the table. The focal point in all the discussion was how to make the campus better but not necessarily bigger. With the original mas-ter plan, one of the main goals was to make exten-sive expansion efforts to the university to accom-modate the ever-grow-ing student population. This new plan looks to take the right steps to ensure that the existing campus is improved substantially

before any major expan-sion efforts take place. With this in mind, there are several areas of the campus that need ad-dressing. One issue raised during the discussion was about renovations to the dining hall and the possible construction of another dining facil-ity. With the number of students increasing from year to year, it is impor-tant that students are given options about where to eat. To avoid poten-tial overcrowding of the current facilities, plans should be put in place to alleviate this concern.Another important issue brought up not only dur-ing these meetings but also throughout the last several years is parking. Again, the number of stu-dents being enrolled, both

commuters and residents, is increasing year by year. Students need to be af-forded more parking op-tions to help with travel to and from their classes, dorms, and places of resi-dence. Whether for the opening of existing park-ing lots to students, the building of more parking lots, or the construction of a parking garage, the proper funds should be

The university thus far has taken the right steps to ensure the well-being and safety of its students, most notably with the ad-dition of the underpass, but these other concerns have to be addressed in the new master plan as well. They would bring nothing but positive

The motto of the new master plan is “Not bigger, better.” Here’s a list of 5 things that we feel should be addressed in the master plan.

Westwoods don’t. For a campus that is shinking in numbers, renovate what is already here. No need to go spending dollars we don’t have on unnecessary buildings.

playing on a giant edirt mound with no scoreboard. No one knows where the tennis courts are. They hide in obscurity. The soccer team has been getting more and more competitive. They deserve an upgrade in facilities much like the tennis teams. 3. More classrooms for recreation and leisure studies majors. The Butcher Center has all of 4 classrooms. When it comes to the growing number of recreation students on this campus, more classrooms are

needed. Some recreation and leisure studies majors. Some recreation and leisure studies classes have to be taught in different buildings be-cause there isn’t enough space. It would be a lot easier on the depart-

4. Another dining hall for west campus. This would go against the master plan motto, but constructing another dining hall, preferably one open 7 days a week, would improve students life by eliminating the hassle of getting across campus just to eat. A food truck on west campus could also have some potential. 5. Renovate Sara Cree. This building houses theater productions, the campus police, The Picket and nothing else for students. Sure, it looks like a Chernobyl-esque wasteland now, but with a little TLC it could be a great use of space. If you want to let the university know what you’d like to see in the future, contact Dr. John Sherwood, chairman of the Facilities Master Plan Committee.

ARTS & STYLE 7 The Shepherd Picket Wednesday, January 23, 2012

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TYLER MILLER

[email protected]’ve all heard of the “freshman 15” and many of the common struggles students will face upon

year. However, what usu-ally is not mentioned but can be a serious issue is the “sophomore slump.” I was unaware of this term until recently, but I realized that I had ex-perienced it. The best way that I’ve found to

crossroads you come to when you’re feeling over-whelmed by the increased stress and pressure of col-lege life and starting to approach a turning point in your college career.“It’s kind of like an early senoritis, in a way,” said junior Katy Coleman. “It’s when you reach that halfway point and start to lack motivation.”But no matter what the issue is that’s got you feeling down, I hope that with these few tips, you’ll be able to suc-cessfully “un-slump” your sophomore year.Joining an organization is by far the best way to get involved. Keeping yourself busy by doing something you enjoy with people who share a common interest will really help you in the long run. It’s an opportu-nity for you to network and meet other people whom you may not have had the chance to meet before. Here at Shepherd University, there are a variety of groups you can become involved in: Greek Life, sports teams, vari-ous academic groups or Program Board, to name just a few. It’s all about expanding your horizons.“I decided to join Pro-gram Board my sopho-more year as a way to mix up my routine and try something new,” said Coleman. “It feels great to be a part of something that gets students on campus more involved.” If, however, your issues tend to be more profes-sional and academic based, taking the time to

-reer path is right for you is a great way to get a jumpstart on your future. Spend some time mapping out your goals and create a plan to successfully obtain them. This can be from little things, like deciding in advance what courses you’ll want to take next semester, to larger issues, such as reevaluating your major and area of study.

you’ve lost interest in the classes you’re tak-ing, try something in a

You might just discover a passion or interest that could lead to something new,” said Coleman.Most importantly, your sophomore year is a time to really be honest with

working for you and what’s not, and make it a prior-ity to do something about it. This is a point in your academic career when you still have the opportunity to make some changes and get the most out of this amazing time in your life.

NATHAN YESSLER

[email protected]“The Hobbit: An Unex-pected Journey” is the

-quel story to “The Lord of the Rings,” taking us on adventures that are only mentioned in the trilogy. The movie starts where “The Fellowship of the Ring” begins, bringing back familiar feelings and giving those of us who saw “The Lord of the Rings” an even stronger connection to the new movie by begin-ning in the Shire. It tran-sitions through narration by Bilbo, giving us the backstory for “The Hobbit” itself—tales of dragons, treasures and struggle—leading up to when Bilbo enters the story, sixty years before LOTR. Soon after that enter the other 14 main characters: the company of 13 dwarves, who are led by Thorin Oakenshield and guided by the wizard Gandalf the Grey. Bilbo is enlisted as the company’s burglar. They journey to take back the dwarves’ home in the Lonely Mountains, the kingdom of Erebor, from the dragon Smaug, who guards vast treasures of gold and other precious valuables, the greatest of which is the Arkenstone. The rest of the movie

part of their journey, away from the Shire and Bilbo’s home on Bag End, and they encounter goblins, elves, trolls, magic rings, and more. In addition, the movie includes most of the songs from the book, most notably “Far Over the Misty Moun-tains Cold,” which is deliv-ered by the cast of dwarves.

Hobbit” is an adventure, not a high epic like LOTR. As far as performances, they’re phenomenal and im-merse you right in the sto-ry as if it’s real. The movie was shot in 48 frames per second for cinematogra-phy to accommodate the 3D showings, but not for 2D. The special effects are decent;; some aren’t on par with LOTR, namely be-cause the amount of detail isn’t the same (in the pre-

the Orcs’ armor was unique, for example) and there is more reliance on CGI. The music was enthrall-ing, especially the songs throughout, which were well-placed and natural. In my opinion, the high an-ticipation for “The Hobbit”

Aside from having read “The Hobbit,” I have read “The Lord of the Rings” tril-ogy, “The Silmarillion” and “The Children of Hurin.” I have all three extended editions of “The Lord of the Rings” along with a dra-matized reading and un-abridged reading on CD. I’m a pretty avid fan, and Tolkien is by far my favor-ite author. I was greatly pleased and excited with the new movie—so excited that I went to the midnight pre-

time, I was taken back into

the world that I so loved in writing and on screen. The feel was different because it’s a different kind of story, and that’s exactly what I ex-

a book is going to be precise-ly lined up with its source

the few deviations made. One of the things I loved most about the movie was the songs. They had nearly all the songs that were in the book, and they were so well placed. “Chip the Glass-es and Crack the Plates!” was one I was highly an-ticipating they would have, and how wonderfully done it was. “Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold” is the

Overall, “The Hobbit” was entirely pleasing to me. It’s by far my favorite movie of 2012, just ahead of “The Avengers,” which I also saw multiple times at the cinema. The character de-velopment, the action, the story, and countless other things were all so wonder-fully done. The only thing I didn’t care for was the greater use of CGI and the inferior detail, but it wasn’t so bad the second time I saw the movie, so it might have partially been me. I highly encourage everyone to see this movie, even if they didn’t like “The Lord of the Rings,” because it is a com-pletely different kind of tale.

REBECCA GLOVER

[email protected]

“Zero Dark Thirty” takes audiences on the tumultu-ous experience of the con-clusive manhunt of Osa-

begins at the most critical point in U.S. history, after the Sept. 11 attacks, and stars Jessica Chastain as Maya, a CIA operative intent on spending her ca-reer searching for Osama bin Laden. Chastain bril-liantly portrays the strug-gle of seeking out the truth from Saudi and al-Qaeda terrorists while trying to prove the accuracy of her investigative techniques among her colleagues.Dan, played by Jason Clarke, teams up with Maya. They search un-disclosed locations where torture and humiliation

tactics are used on detain-ees. Dan intrepidly imple-ments his questioning meth-ods upon captives. While the torture scenarios are not for the faint of heart, they truly capture the essence of un-covering the truth behind Osama bin Laden’s where-abouts. “Zero Dark Thirty” exposes audiences to the Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing in Pakistan and the Camp Chapman attack in Afghanistan, creating a high level of unpredictabil-ity. The stakeout scenes in Pakistan reveal the chaotic element of searching for terrorists in a place where no one can be trusted. The

to a fortress-like compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, nestled in the heart of the city. The compound is high-ly sheltered, leaving the mind on edge as questions

Patrick, played by Joel Edgerton, is the Squadron Team Leader of Navy SEAL Team 6, a group of fearless men who leave the qualms to viewers as they stealth-ily enter the compound of Osama bin Laden’s alleged hiding place. Edgerton un-dertakes the gritty and un-relenting endeavors of the

viewers wide awake in antic-ipation and fearful of what awaits around every turn. “Zero Dark Thirty” is a must-see on the big screen;; it will undoubtedly surprise viewers and revive their thirst for justice. “Zero Dark Thirty” brings audiences as close as they will come to the courageous and heroic confrontation that takes place in the murky early morning of May 2, 2011. “Zero Dark Thirty” released

this weekend grossing an estimated $24 million, with much revenue coming out of the Washington, D.C.,

Throughout the movie, we see not only the build up to LOTR but also a sepa-rate story. Because “The Hobbit” was written as a children’s story, the movie is more lighthearted than LOTR, but it has its own moments of gravity and stands well enough on its own. The main reason for this difference is that “The

Because “The Hobbit”

was written as a children’s story, the movie is more

lighthearted than LOTR,

but it has its own moments of gravity

and stands well enough on its own.

“Zero Dark Thirty” is a must-see

on the big screen;; it will undoubtedly

surprise viewers and revive their thirst for justice.

area. Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal, the director and screenplay writer of “Zero Dark Thirty,” respec-

Awards and four Golden Globe nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Director.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

ARTS & STYLE 8 The Shepherd Picket Wednesday, January 23,2012

Page_____ C M Y K 8 Page_____ C M Y K 8

BRITTANY ANDERSON

[email protected]

While transferring col-leges is no easy task, the reality is that one out of every three stu-dents will transfer at some point, so here’s a guide to what you need to know and consider if you have or are consid-ering transferring:

aid, merit aid is given to a student based more on their academic achieve-

-cial “need.” Some stu-dents also seek merit due to the belief that their families make “too much money to qualify for aid.”Search your college’s Web site or sites like Meritaid.

scholarships that might apply to you. However, keep in mind that not all merit scholarships will

may serve as more of a hindrance than anything. Always go over the merit

scholarships renewal policy. Some merit scholarships ac-

students to qualify for the aid in future years. For ex-ample, some merits may re-quire a high GPA, such as 3.5, in order to renew their aid. This is actually a rather dif-

Believe it or not, a student’s grade point average will generally drop a full point during a student’s freshman year, so some students may

-ing their dreams in order to comply with the condi-tions of their merit aid. Other conditions may also apply. For example, if a student is receiving a band scholarship, the student is required to re-main in his or her school’s band in order to receive his or her merit scholar-ship. So make sure band (or any other extracurricular scholarship) is something you really want to pursue. Finally, be aware of how long you can receive a merit scholarship. Some scholar-ships end after four years, when, in reality, it takes

Here at Shepherd Univer-sity, students generally graduate after 5 or 6 years.

. Choosing a school simply because your friends are there isn’t the best reason to transfer. In fact it might ac-tually make you miserable. When choosing a school to transfer into, determine what’s right for you: What degree are you interested in and does the school of-fer it? Is the school ac-credited? What is the stu-dent to professor ratio?Picking a college that is exactly what you are look-ing for will enhance your happiness while attend-ing. An increase in happi-ness means better focus on your academics, so you just might graduate on time!

While transferring col-leges is a tough decision and one that should not be taken lightly, some stu-dents tend to focus more on the negative reasons for transferring rather than the positive. Don’t!

Did you know that typi-cal college applications will generally ask why the student wishes to trans-fer? Avoid slandering the school you are preparing to leave. Instead, focus on the positives for transfer-ring into a new college: it’s closer to home, it’s cheaper, the program offered is just what I’m looking for, etc.

This is extremely important. While all credits will transfer over to count towards a student’s grade point average, not all will be taken into consideration for completing your degree. Shepherd University, in compliance with the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, only allows for 72 credit hours “from a regionally-accredit-ed community or junior col-lege” to be applied toward the “128 credit hours mini-mum for graduation from Shepherd University.” Visit the Shepherd University Web site (www.shepherd.edu) for more information.To double check which credits are being accepted

towards your degree, schedule an appointment with your advisor. Dis-cuss with them the credit hour transfer policies here at Shepherd Uni-versity. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, either!

-

While this may not seem overly important, it ac-tually has the potential to make or break an un-decided student’s deci-sion. No one wants to transfer into a school and then feel unwelcomed.Does the school offer a transfer orientation? Does the school have housing for transfer students? Does the school have a transfer coordinator?

Transferring isn’t easy. I know. I’ve been there. While it may not seem to be the ideal situation, it actually makes a world of difference. Your happiness has to be set above all other priorities because if it suffers, your perfor-mance will suffer, and no one wants that to happen. Do what’s right for you.

Photograph by Ryan Franklin

Dr. Kurtis Adams and Mike Kamuf jam out in the Salon Series Jazz Faculty Recital on Thursday January 17.

Faculty Recital Review

EDWARD BARR

[email protected]

The Jazz Faculty per-formed music inspired by the legendary Miles Davis at the Salon Series Jazz Concert held in the Frank Arts Center on Jan. 17. The impressive performance included two faculty members, Dr. Kurtis Adams and Dr. Nathan Lincoln-DeC-usatis, jazz musicians David Marsh, Ronnie Shaw, and a special guest performer, Mike Kamuf. The evening’s jazz perfor-mance was free to both Shepherd University students and the com-munity. Since the concert was held in the Shipley Recital Hall, the audi-

ence was warned that there would be limited seating and for good reason. The entire room was full and about half of the people had to sit off to the side on the steps. How-ever, the small space gave the performance a unique feel that is reminiscent of a crowded bar or club where jazz is meant to be enjoyed.The concert began with an up-beat piece called “Boplicity” that the crowd couldn’t help tapping their feet to. The con-cert was a tribute to the Cool School of Jazz movement, and nothing was much cooler

off to David Marsh;; the bass solo during “Boplicity” was one of the best of the evening.Lee Konitz, who will be coming to perform at Shep-

herd University at the end of March, wrote the third piece entitled “Sub-conscious Lee.” For this tune, both the trumpet and the piano had excel-lent solos. Mike Kamuf blew the crowd away with his performance during “My Funny Valentine.” This sensual piece was an homage to the legendary jazz trumpet player, Chet Baker. The concert this

array of solos that allowed each of the musicians to show off their talents.The upbeat tempo of “Lul-laby of Birdland” allowed the audience groove along with the music and tap their feet. On the piano, Dr. Lincoln-DeCusatis im-pressed with his dynamic

the keys. When it was time for Ronnie Shaw to show the audience his skills, he did not disappoint. Mr. Shaw let the rhythm consume him and he was carried away by the music in his solo during “Lullaby of Birdland.” The piece ended with a roaring applause from the audience.The next piece, “Wow”, was

but the saxophone excelled. “Wow” had the performers on edge before the piece be-

they got into the groove of the music and revealed the technique, skill, and talent of the Jazz Faculty. Dr. Ad-ams continued to show off his talent with the cool slow beats of “In Your Own Sweet Way,” which had audience

members entranced, swaying with the beats.The concert ended with a bang, literally. Thumping out beats with the back and sides of the bass, the

that danced around the room. The saxophone shined and the trumpet hit some impressive notes. If that was not enough to

also got to enjoy an en-core worthy of applause.Overall, the concert was a light-hearted evening that everyone could enjoy. Not being a fan of the jazz genre, I was pleased that this performance was one of the best concerts that I have seen at Shepherd

Wednesday,January 23, 2012 The Shepherd Picket 9

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GAMES & COMICS

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH THE PICKET?

Email your submissions to [email protected]

Stranger Than Fiction by Brian Ardel

SPORTS 10 The Shepherd Picket Wednesday,January 23, 2012

Page_____ C M Y K 10 Page_____ C M Y K 10

Men’s Basketball Continues Strong Start

SEAN O’[email protected]

Coming off an overtime win against Charleston University, the Rams kept up their hot start against the Shippensburg Red Raiders. They won com-fortably, 90-77. The Rams were led by sophomore guard Austin Cunningham, who scored 19 points while going 9-12 from the free-throw line. All the starters for Shep-herd scored in double digits. Junior Brantley Osborne and sophomore Morgan McDonald had 16, while senior Sidney McCray had 15. Senior Chad Moore had 13 points and six rebounds. On the other side of the ball, freshman forward Tony Ellis led all scorers with 26 points. He was backed up by sophomore Akil Anderson’s 12 points. The game was close at the half at 41-37, but the Rams pulled away towards the end of the game with a 17-1 run. They shot 55.4 percent

percent from three point range. Their one weak point was free throw shooting, in which they shot a dismal 64 percent (18-28).Shepherd proceeded to face Davis and Elkins. The Senators were off to a slow start at 0-3, and the Rams beat them 90-81, making them 0-4. The Rams were led by Chad Moore’s 27 points as well as Sidney McCray’s 20 points. Junior Morgan McDonald submitted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Davis and Elkins stayed in the game in large part due to junior guard Devin Miller’s 25 points and senior guard D’Quan Lynch’s 20 points. Lynch also had a game-high seven assists.Both teams failed to shoot at the 50 percent clip, with Shepherd at 47.6 percent and Davis and Elkins at 46.8 percent. The Senators kept it com-petitive because of their outstanding three point shooting (14-29) and free throw shooting (18-22). Even with these advan-tages as well as a plus on boards (40-34), the Rams won comfortably.

wins, the Rams stumbled on Dec. 19 against Wheel-ing Jesuit, 97-92. Whether it was because of the eleven day break or the fact that they left the friendly con-

would only be speculation. These could be possible explanations to losing at a team that at the time was 2-5 and had lost four in a row coming into the game. Cardinals freshman Justin Fritts had a game-high 22 points and seven assists to help power the upset of the Rams. The proof is in the pudding they say, or in this case

Shepherd shot a ghastly 40 percent. What kept them in the game was their shoot-ing at the charity stripe, where they went 25-29 (86.2%). They led for the majority of the second half but fell behind for good at 3:46 when Wheeling Jesuit freshman forward Darin Harris drained a jumper. Following the upset, Shep-herd bounced back against Pitt-Johnstown. They won 92-84 behind a monstrous effort from Chad Moore. He had 31 points and 11 boards. His support came in the form of Austin Cunning-ham, who had 16 points

dishes. Morgan McDonald had yet another double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. In the loss, the Mountain Cats kept the game compet-itive due to a stellar effort from junior guard Andrew Cressler’s 28 points and 12 rebounds. Senior guard Jordan Miller contributed with 22 points and senior guard Nick Novak tossed in 17 points. While shooting a lackluster 27.8 percent from beyond the arc, the Rams kept up their solid free throw shoot-ing by going 21-27 from the line. They also had an edge on turnovers, committing only 12 as opposed to Pitt-Johnstown’s 21. Continuing off their most recent win, the Rams added to that momentum with a 92-59 stomping of Alderson-Broaddus on Jan. 5. It was Camper Appreciation Day. Chad Moore had 21 points to go with 7 rebounds. Austin Cunningham helped out with 17 points and 6 assists. Neither team cracked 30

percent from three point range. The simple fact that the Battlers shot 39 percent on top of that is what led to the Rams’ domination. Shepherd also held an ad-vantage on the glass, 42-36. The biggest test of the season was when Shepherd faced an undefeated West Liberty squad on Jan. 7.

home but lost 114-109. West Liberty came into the game white-hot at 13-0. They were a well-oiled machine, running on all cyl-inders while averaging 115 points per game. Shepherd came into the game win-

scoring 90 points or more in each game. Brantley Osborne played like a su-perstar with a career-high 37 points, 28 of which were scored after only one half. Six of his seven 3-pointers

well. He shot a perfect six of six from the free-throw line, too. The biggest surprise of the game was that the Rams’ leading scorer came from the bench in the form of senior Marcus Pilgrim. He scored 24 points, going 7-11

astounding 83 percent from beyond the arc, draining

Moore wreaked havoc on the boards with 14 re-bounds, while adding 17 points. Sophomore C.J. Hester and senior Alex Falk led the way for the Hilltop-pers with 33 and 27 points, respectively. The game was back and

West Liberty led 62-61 at the break from a buzzer, beating three by senior Tim Hausfeld. The Rams went

from the free throw line, but only 6 for 11 in the sec-ond. That might have been their eventual undoing. Shepherd’s 15 three point shots in the game were a team and Butcher center record. “We committed to becoming a pressing team this sea-son,” said head coach Justin Namolik. “You can’t prepare for a team like West Liberty in a day or two. You can’t slow down against them. We tried to attack them and outscore them, but we couldn’t do it.”The Rams traveled to West Virginia State, looking to get back on track. They ended up losing 90-89. This

the team had lost back to back games. Chad Moore was incred-ible with a triple double (21 points, 16 rebounds, 10 steals) while Brantley Osborne added 22 points. The game came down to the

-ing a 3-pointer by Morgan McDonald, Yellow Jackets’ freshman guard Jalen Walker converted a layup to go ahead with three seconds left.Moore’s triple-double is only the second in school history. Bobby Chuey had 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists against Salem on Jan. 11, 1988. Moore’s 10 steals also tie the mark set by Jim Carnes against Baltimore on Feb. 20, 1970.Looking to get back to their

winning ways, Shepherd handled Wheeling-Jesuit 113-101. Also during this game, Brantley Osborne broke the 1,000 point mark with 31. He went an unheard of 9-14 from three point range. He tied the record set by Chad Myers against West Lib-erty on Jan. 9, 2006.Chad more had 29 points,

assists. Morgan McDon-ald added another double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Seton Hill visited Shep-herd on Jan. 17 and left with a loss, 91-83. They led at the half 41-31, but Shepherd mounted a 60-42 comeback by the way of Chad Moore who scored 16 of his 24 points in the second half. Senior forward Malik Dauda came off the bench to record a season-high 11 points.

against Seton Hill, the Rams lost to Fairmont at home on Jan. 19, 93-89. Senior guards Isaac Thornton and Malik Stith led the charge for the Fighting Falcons, combining for 43 points. Brantley Osborne had 25 for the Rams, going 8-14

was close for a majority of the time, with the Fal-cons’ largest lead being eight points. The main reason the Rams lost was due to allowing the Fal-cons to shoot 65 percent

shooting 47 percent them-selves. The loss put them at 10-5 on the season, 7-4 in the WVIAC.

Brantley Osborne takes a free point during the basketball game on Monday night against Wheeling. Photo by Ryan Franklin

DEZIREA [email protected]

The Lady Rams of Shep-herd are now holding an overall seasons of 4 -12. The Lady Rams started their season out with a win in

Union.The Rams started the Christmas break with fall-ing to Holy Family 68-44. Leading the Rams with 10 points was Alex Weakland sophmore guard. Seniors Emily Daniel and Alex Tamez added a total of 17 points for the Rams.

On the road the ladies bounced back with a 81-73 win over Wheeling Jesuit. Rachel Johnson, a sopho-more guard scored a high of 17 points and a game high of four steals. Emily Daniel added to the score with 14 points and most rebounds of nine. Pitt- Johnstown barley beats the Rams with a 70-67 win. Rachel John-son scored 20 points her personal game high. Alex Tamez had a game high of four assists.The Rams return home to split two games. Alderson-

Broaddus was not match for the Rams as the won 77-45. Leading the Rams with 14 points were both Rachel Johnson and Em-ily Daniel. Alex Weak-land and junior forward Jimyse Brown both scored 10. Priscilla Moseh senior guard had a career high of 11 rebounds. The Rams soon fall to West Virgina State 93-75. Adding to the 75 points was sophomore Gabby Flinchum with 18 points along with Rachel Johnson with 16 and Alex Tamez with 12.

Photo by Ryan Franklin

SPORTS

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11 The Shepherd Picket Wednesday, January 23, 2012

MATTHEW [email protected]

No sport seems to prac-tice quite as much as baseball. Sure, football tends to have quite the offseason, with lifting and the upcoming winter conditioning, but that is not necessarily practice per se. It is more train-ing and preparation than practice. However, the school baseball team re-ally gets after it during the offseason.

-self walking by Fairfax Field during the offsea-son, there is a very good chance you will see quite a few young men throw-ing a baseball around in

also see them practicing at Ram Stadium should women’s lacrosse not be

-ally do practice a lot, but it is worth it, as evidenced by our conference cham-pionship last season,” redshirt senior Jake Cook said. “We’ve really been

-

this offseason,” Ohio native Chad Murphy said.One of the big stories of the offseason for the baseball team was the departure of long-time skipper Wayne Riser who left Shepherd to become the head coach at the University of Mary Washington. At the end of September, athletic direc-tor B.J. Pumroy announced that assistant coach Matt McCarty would take over the role of head coach in an interim role. Should the team win another conference championship, it would not be a shock at all to see the interim label removed from his job title.There may be no bigger story for the baseball team than the loss of Tino Marti-nez Award winner Nathan Minnich. The Waynesboro, Pennsylvania native was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 8th round of the Major League Baseball draft with the 271st overall pick. Minnich was named Shepherd’s Male Athlete of the Year as well as Senior Male Athlete of the Year during the 2011-2012 aca-

demic year. Replacing such an intrinsic part of a team will be no easy task. “He’s the best I’ve ever played with. Nate won’t be easy to replace, ” Cook said. Min-nich paced the Rams with a .433 batting average, .553 on-base percentage, 14 home runs and 38 runs batted in. That kind of pro-duction will not be replaced overnight.Shepherd will open the season against the Univer-sity of South Carolina – Aiken on February 15th in Aiken, South Carolina and will play them twice more over the following two days. After leaving the Palmetto state the team will head one state north to North Carolina to take on Davis & Elkins, Winston-Salem State and Shippensburg the following week in Winston-Salem. Those opening six games could go a very long way in determining if Shep-herd has a fair, legitimate chance to repeat as confer-ence champions. No doubt, it will be a very interesting year for the baseball team. Losing

such an important player in Nathan Minnich and going through a coaching change could very well leave the team in disarray, but con-sidering that the team is familiar with Coach McCar-ty there should not be much

of a transitional phase. According to many of the players, McCarty is well liked by the squad, some-thing that will be vital in their defense of the last edition of the WVIAC.

Shepherd Universities baseball team is already practicing for

their upcoming season. Photo by B.J. McCardle

BY JOSEPH [email protected]

season for the Shepherd University softball team, taking place on February 15th, is fast approaching.

season with an overall record of 31-24 however, they bowed out early of the postseason after

the WVIAC tournament. Despite their success, the Rams are looking to make vast improvements in this and future seasons. Five new players, three of which are transfers and

two are freshmen, signed to the Shepherd softball team for this upcoming season. Another new addition to the team is Danielle Easton who was hired by Coach Lopez to an assistant coach. Head coach Leslie Lopez

prospects for this season. She recently said, “We are looking to have another successful season and grow as a program. We have a lot of speed this year compared to years past”.In December of last year

student-athletes signed letters of intent to play softball for Shepherd Uni-

versity starting in 2014. When asked about these new signings head Coach Lopez stated, “I am very excited to get the 2013-14 recruits to Shepherd and have them make an impact on our program. They are all quality people as well as

recruits include Karlyle Pence (East Palestine, OH),

Hill, MD), Courtney Gibson (Ashburn, VA), Rubie Tef-feteller (Camp Hill, PA) and Alexandra Witt (Harpers Ferry, WV). Karlye Pence is a pitcher

-tered three years in softball

and two years in volleyball while at East Palestine High School. Jennifer Scho-

third base positions. While at Bel Air High School she lettered in softball, volley-ball and basketball. Court-ney Gibson is a second

While at Stone Bridge High School she lettered in softball and cross country. In addition, Gibson was a member of the 2012 region-al championship team and

District and All-Region hon-ors. Rubie Teffeteller plays

positions. Moreover, she

earned a letter for four years in softball at Cedar Cliff High School and last season she gained Team

star honors. Finally, Al-exandra Witt is a pitcher

a letter for three years in softball at Jefferson High School. She was a three-time All-State selection and in 2011 and 2012 she was awarded second team honors. Witt is also a three-time All-PVC selection and she was a member of the sectional and regional champion-

third in the state in 2011.

Photo by B.J. McCardle

ADVERTISEMENTWednesday, January 23, 2012 The Shepherd Picket 12

Page_____ C M Y K 12

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The Shepherd University Picket issue 66

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