Collegian T he Cameron University
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Monday, November 8, 2021
Volume 105 Issue 4
Photos by Brittney Payette and Courtesy Photo
Brittney Payette Assistant Managing Editor At 7 p.m. on Oct. 28 in the McCasland Ballroom in the McMahon Centennial Complex, the Black Student Association (BSA), Circle K International, and Gamma Delta PI hosted Halloween Poetry and Chill took place. Attendees at the Cameron Poetry and Chill event were able to sign up to perform and to compete in the costume contest as they walked in. BSA President Ka’Tavia West said that she decided to host Poetry and Chill because she wanted to bring an interactive musical event to Cameron. “My favorite part of the event is the performances from students,” West said. “This is
a safe place where we get to let loose and indulge in our craft, which could be anything from rap, poetry or even telling jokes.” West also said that she was extemely happy to host this event, which had over 85 people attending. “I always appreciate the audience and thank them for joining us after each show,” West said. “Without them, we wouldn’t have this.” Gregory II created Poetry and Chill in July 2017. He also started up Poetry and Chill Kids in Oct. 2018, and Poetry and Chill kids became a nonprofit organization in 2020. Gregory II and the Poetry and Chill band took the stage initially. Gregory II presented a poem called “2020 Visions.” The poem brought up some important topics and questions that Gregory II asked the audience to consider. “What side of history are you going to be on? Love or hate? Hate or love? Cause love is God, and God is love,” Gregory II said.
What’s Inside Club Highlight: BSA Page 2
There were several people who performed during the open mic night portion of the event. Before the open mic night began, Gregory II said that he had three rules for open mic night: show love, show love, and show love. Austin Pennypacker was the first of the performers, and he told a comedic, personal story about a very awkward date that went sour because his date found out that they were not compatible because of their astrology signs. “The light drained out of her face,” Pennypacker said. “She looked at me like I was a serial killer. She looked at me and said ‘oh, you’re a Gemini.’” People performed comedy, songs, played guitar and read poems, expressing themselves through their art. The costume contest had several participants, including Kevanna Thompson who won first place with her Steve Harvey costume. There was also a multitude of other costumes such as peanut butter and jelly, Tinker Bell, Rhea Ripley, and a pharaoh. After the costume contest, more open mic performances occurred. People performed poetry about being a good person, trust, sisterhood in college and backstabbing friends. Ambrosia Wilkett performed with her friend K-Mike on stage during open mic night. “K-Mike dragged me out to sing the song that we wrote,” Wilkett said. “I was so anxious the whole time, but it was fun. I’m glad I did it. It was a lot of fun.” Wilkett said that she likes that there is an open mic portion of the event. “Plus, once you sign up, you can continue to sign up throughout the night, so people can see how it is like and then they can decide if they want to do it.” For more information about Poetry and Chill, you can go to the website at https://www. poetryandchillokc.com/. Free lesson plans for children and teens can be found on the website as well. You can also follow @poetryandchillokc on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Jazz it upcountry style
All pies on me
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News
November 8, 2021
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Photo Courtesy of Ka’Tavia West
Hard work pays off: Cameron’s Black Student Association recently hosted “Poetry and Chill,” one of many cases of involvement in the Cameron community during the COVID-19 pandemic. BSA President Ka’Tavia West said that she hopes to see the organization continue to work on campus.
Club Highlight: Black Student Association Charles Ajjarapu and Cam Alsbrook
The Black Student Association (BSA) is an organization that aims to be a voice for students at Cameron. The association’s goal is to educate and affirm African American culture, giving students a space to freely be themselves. It is an aspect that BSA president Ka’Tavia West hopes to give all its members. “The main mission statement is to be a place away from home,” West said. “Primarily, it is a safe space for us due to the fact that we live on a predominately white institution. It is our way of staying connected to not only each other, but the world outside of us while we are in college.” West ran for president and began her plan to renovate BSA. For West, BSA was about more than just becoming president and taking over the organization, It was a statement. “It was really a friend group and nobody was taking it seriously,” West said. “Not only did I want to take on the responsibility, I wanted to prove everyone wrong. It was very much a joke, and I did not like that.“ Since taking over the organization three years ago, West has been on a mission to build structure within the organization. After seeing the state of the institution, West wanted to change the whole landscape of it.
“Prior to me becoming the president,” West said. “there was not really much presidency in a way of organization. Initially, it was just me and four of my other friends, so there was only a few of us. There was a lot of festivities that BSA was not a part of.” As of now, the club boasts over 20 members and continues to grow, with students hailing from a variety of places. Even though it has only been three years, West said she remains excited that BSA has become a vital part of campus life. “One of the biggest accomplishments I’ve have had is the growth of the Organization,” West said. Recently, BSA hosted their annual “Poetry and Chill” night for all students on campus. With this event, the organization wants to continue to spread awareness and also give back to the students, faculty and staff at Cameron. “That’s the one place that we have brought to campus and created,” West said. “as a way for students to be raw and authentic and have the freedom to say and do whatever they shall feel, whether that’s rapping, singing, dancing, talking or even telling jokes. It is just a safe space for students to feel like they don’t need to conform to rules.” The organization holds raffles on social media such as the “Golden Raffle.” In the case of the Golden Raffle, It is a fundraising event to help Cameron students and organizations, while offering three big raffle prizes. The third place winner got laundry supplies, the second prize was a basket assortment of gifts, and
the grand prize was a T.V.. “We plan to do this more often for students,” West said. “because there are students that come to campus that do not have much or don’t know what there is to have. We provide small necessities that they need to get started. And as the year progresses, we give them more.” The organization has more events lined up for the upcoming year. BSA will have various fundraisers like bake sales, and partnerships with Texas Roadhouse and Firo’s Pizza. Even outside of the Cameron campus, BSA aims to spread their message to the community of Lawton. One event West finds a lot of admiration for is “A Day of History” held at Cleveland Elementary. “It takes place during Black History Month,” West said. “and is a program dedicated to not only educating students about Black history, but the other people that were apart of making the things around us.” As her BSA presidency slowly comes to an end, West said she could not be more pleased with the state of the organization. The only hope she has for BSA is the continued growth and willingness to work. “I wish everyone the absolute best of luck,” West said. “I hope it continues to thrive far long after me. Between the last three years of me being president, BSA has become a big organization and is known now — I feel like I fulfilled my purpose in what I was suppose do in the organization.”
Trivia? Double winners the very end. first and second place in Alexander gave a row same spots. No? the contestants an That is a first, my goodness, that is a first!” But that was not the end of their winning streak. The same two contestants took the third round as well, proving themselves to be Halloween aficionados. Graphic Courtesy of PAC However, in the fourth entertaining round, two new show throughout the contestants broke their night with his corny opponents’ streaks, and Halloween jokes and triumphed as winners at fun magic tricks,
Halloween fun facts about Frankenstein, Count Dracula and how Harry Houdini died. “Harry Houdini actually did die on Halloween,” Alexander said. “He died not from one of his tricks but because someone had punched him in his stomach. It was said that Houdini could take a punch, so this college boxer asked Houdini if he could punch him, and he agreed. But, the guy hit him before he got ready, and it ruptured his appendix. He refused to go to the doctor for three days, doing shows when the
‘Trick or Trivia’ with PAC Cade Taylor Staff Writer
At 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 26, the Programming Activities Council (PAC) continued its festivities for their week of fun with a Halloween event of “Trick or Trivia,” a contest hosted by Scott Alexander via Zoom. The event consisted of four rounds of 15 questions, with first place winning $75 and second place winning $50 in each round. The grand total amount awarded to students throughout the night was $500. Because the event was via Zoom, participants had to answer questions on their phones, and points were determined by
how fast contestants responded to each question. Most questions were simple Halloween facts, but occasionally a tricky question slipped in the mix. The original name of candy corn, the original name of the Hocus Pocus film and whether a pumpkin is classified as a fruit or vegetable are some examples of the head-scratchers. It turns out, pumpkins are a fruit. For the first time in Halloween Trick or Trivia history, the event had two contestants take first and second place for the first three rounds, surprising Alexander. “We have a repeat,” Alexander said. “Have we ever had that in the history of Trick or
ruptured appendix poisoned him, and he died of peritonitis.” Later in the night, Alexander revealed to everyone that he participated in season six of “America’s Got Talent” in 2011 as a magician. He almost made it through the season, but was sent home in the quarterfinal round, placing him in sixth place for the season. Now, Scott continues to focus on his skills as a magician, offering virtual showings on his website at scottthemagician.com. For upcoming PAC events, students can visit their Cameron University page at www. cameron.edu/pac/ and their public Facebook page.
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Voices
November 8, 2021
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External
Motivation
Letting outside forces affect your self-esteem Jackson Miller Staff Writer
Like most people who are young and ambitious, I have always sought the approval of one or more people to boost my own selfesteem and to change how I am perceived by those around me. Others who wish to achieve great success also experience this feeling. An example of this are athletes who try to impress a crowd with their skills and abilities. Surely the best of an athlete’s real potential is not showcased on the practice field running plays, but as the main attraction on game day for thousands of onlookers to witness what the athlete has to offer, either in person or on television. It is safe to say that professional athletes get paid very well for their abilities. However, those abilities can be affected by the energy they get from the crowd of fans in the stadium, good or bad. This phenomenon does not just affect professional athletes, but everyone from small children to college students. Although external motivation can be good when someone wants support in achieving their goals, a lot of times it is seen as peer pressure. A friend trying to convince another friend to engage in a harmful behavior such as smoking is an example of negative peer pressure. Listening for constructive criticism from other people is a good part of peer pressure. In doing so, we show that we value approval from others. Approval from others allows us to feel like we have a place in the world that we live in which is beneficial toward one’s mental health and generally good for society.
Too much of something is always a bad thing, approval from others being no exception. Too much approval from others may lead to the development of something called Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). According to the Mayo Clinic, a person with NPD has an inflated ego, lives off the attention that they get from others, and is usually hit hard when given negative criticism. This may lead to the person with NPD feeling depressed, hopeless, and insecure because the high expectations they set for themselves cannot always be met. Although there is evidence that links narcissistic behavior to genetics, there is evidence to suggest that it may also be caused due to environmental factors. According to the National Institute of Health, the development of NPD in adults may stem from early childhood experiences where a child receives excessive praise from people, such as their parents. A person with high expectations for
Photo and graphic courtesy of Tribune News Service
About Us
The official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available twenty Mondays during the year. It is printed by the Lawton Constitution. The first issue is provided for free. Each subsequent issue is $1.50.
Our Views
The opinions expressed in The Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author. The unsigned editorial under the heading “Voices” represents the opinion of the majority of the editorial board. The opinions expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily represent those of Cameron University or the state of Oklahoma. Our student media are designated public forums, and free from censorship and advance approval of content. Because content and funding are unrelated, and because the role of adviser does not include advance review of content, student media are free to develop editorial policies and news coverage with the understanding that students and student organizations speak only for themselves. Administrators, faculty, staff or other agents shall not consider the student media’s content when making decisions regarding the media’s funding or faculty adviser.
themselves may constantly seek praise from others, and when someone rightfully criticizes the performance of that person, their psyche may take a hard hit. Sports is not the only place these people may go to seek attention. The characteristics of NPD can also be found in those who are in politics. Politician’s careers and livelihood revolve around getting support from people A voice from on high: Athletes and other entertainers can fall victim to the such as voters effects of too much positive attention. Taylor Swift felt herself elevated on a which can lead pedestal after the success of her album, 1989. She was knocked down after a to narcissistic feelings. public feud with the Kanye “Ye” West. After spending time in isolation, she sang Politics about her fall from grace in her follow-up album, Reputation. display the devastating proclaimed godliness the consequences of the aspect of humility effects of too much that anyone who spoke constant praise. that is there for people praise with the rise of badly of the ruler was Not to say that every who are always many tyrants throughout jailed or executed. athlete and politician is criticized. history, rulers whose These are only a narcissist, but many This means being egos are inflated to the some examples of fit the criteria for the able to look at your ceiling of selffactors that lead to weaknesses as strengths developing NPD. and potential for Alternatively, there growth which can are also downsides help form a balance to constant between being praised condemnation for one’s achievements from others. and falling short of There expectations. is still This is what being a humble person is about. Therefore, it is important to accept constructive criticism from others for a strong peace of mind. It is important to take what people think about you with a grain of salt. It is important to understand that there is always someone out there who can do something better than you, someone who can throw a ball farther, speak more charismatically in public or whatever your greatest skill may be. Criticism can sometimes seem mean, but sometimes it can be helpful. For the sake of your own peace of mind, know that there is always something to learn, but also know that no one knows you better than you do. Letters Policy
THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY
COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna
Editorial Staff
Managing Editor - Cambron Alsbrook Assistant Managing Editor - Brittney Payette Voices Editor - Alison Malawey A & E Editor - Shianne Taylor Student Life Editor - Ryan Martin Sports Editor - Jimm Alley Copy Editor - Brittney Payette
Newsroom Staff
Staff Writers - Charles Ajjarapu, Jackson Miller, Jashua Orndorff, Ashlin Penn, Cade Taylor Photographers - Joshua Dodge, Ian Snyder Financial Officer - Susan Hill Faculty Adviser - Prof. David Bublitz
Letters to the editor will be printed in the order in which they are received and on a space available basis. The Collegian reserves the right to edit all letters for content and length. Letters should be no more than 250 words. Letters from individual authors will be published only once every four weeks. All letters from students should include first and last names, classification and major. Letters from people outside the Cameron community should include name, address and phone number for verification. Letters can be sent by mail, by e-mail to aggiecentral@ cameron.edu or they may be dropped off to the Academic Commons 101.
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Ashlin Penn Staff Writer
On Nov. 2 members of Cameron’s music department and the Lawton Orchestra accompanied Landon Dodd for the annual Country/Jazz fusion concert. While these two genres seem like an unlikely pairing, they are surprisingly complementary. Jazz is mainly instrumental and thrives on the theme of an ideal urban lifestyle. Country, on the other hand, is vocaldriven and reminiscent of life in rural terrain. Their common thread is passion. The featured Artist, Landon Dodd, was no stranger to the stage. Dodd started playing music from a young age and even studied music at Abilene Christian University and Tarrant County College. The Jazz Ensemble, who accompanied him, were mainly Cameron Students. As college students studying music, they have an opportunity to learn from someone who is successful
A&E
Country/Jazz st Fusion Concert
in the business. Studying music at a higher level is very involved, and something that definitely requires a lot of passion to be successful. Assistant Professor Justin Little, has been directing at Cameron for five years now. “Prior to coming to Cameron, I had never thought of combining country music with jazz,” he said. “But it’s remarkable how well the genres fit together.” This style of music was inspired by musician Bob Wills. A country artist himself, Wills started to add jazz instruments to his band in the 1930s once that genre became popular. A new subgenre known as “Western Swing” was born and gave life to a very unique and distinct style of music. This was the 41st annual Country/Jazz fusion concert to happen in Lawton. It has been a tradition held at Cameron since 1980 by Little’s predecessor, John Moots. Although it has been happening for many years, some have still never heard of the concert or the genre.
November 8, 2021
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Cameron student Haley Moore attended the concert, and she said she had never heard of Country/ Jazz fusion before. “I’m not really a big fan of Jazz or Country,” Moore said, “but it was unique and surprisingly Music for the ears: The Lawton Orchestra and members of the good.” Cameron University’s music department harmonize in blending together Others songs from jazz and country genres. who have never “If you are a fan of country Choo Choo,” “San Antonio heard of this genre may be music, the jazz band will just Rose,” “You’re Nobody ‘Till skeptical of it. Since it is not enhance the aural palette,” Somebody Loves You,” and as common, especially in a he said. “If you’re a fan of “On the Road Again.” These large portion of the country, jazz music, we will still have familiar songs helped the it is very easy to dismiss it some favorite standards you audience to be more receptive without giving it a fair shot. will recognize, and all the to something they may not Little encouraged these characteristics of jazz are still have experienced before. The skeptics to break it down in there.” concert is sure to continue order to understand it better They played many to draw a crowd for years to and enjoy it more. classics like “Chattanooga come.
‘JAKE’S WOMEN’
A CAMERON UNIVERSITY THEATRE PRODUCTION Photos by Shianne Taylor
Stop by the production: At 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 18-20 and 2 p.m. on Nov. 21 in the Cameron University Theatre, the Art, Music and Theatre Arts Department will be putting on a production of ‘Jake’s Women’. The comedy, written by Neil Simon, is about a writer who is going through marital issues, and he talks to various women in his life, some of which are in his imagination, while he is trying to save his marriage.
February 8, 2021
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Student Life
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Photo by Jimm Alley
Feast your pies on this:
Kappa Sigma hosts fundraiser By Jashua Orndorff Staff Writer
At 5 p.m., on Oct. 20, Kappa Sigma hosted a charity pie-throwing fundraiser on campus for their philanthropy week event. Students and faculty alike were given the opportunity to donate and participate in the piethrowing madness. The fraternity set the fundraiser up at the Bentley Gardens where they made “pies” consisting of whipped cream sprayed onto paper plates. Participants donated varying amounts per throw, ranging from $2 a throw to $3 for two throws. Afterward, they each had the chance to throw a whipped pie at one of the three volunteering candidates. Laughter and excited screams could be heard throughout the gardens as participants donated and “pied” the volunteer of their choosing. All the donations from the event went to the fraternities nationally recognized campaign Military Heroes. The event’s proceeds aimed to provide help and care for veterans as well as support for their families. The fraternity set plans for the fundraiser in motion after getting approval for the event and gathering volunteers. Volunteers included Kappa Sigma President Mickey Nocelotl, Coordinator of Campus Life Daniel McFadden, and University President John McArthur. Nocelotl proposed the idea for the event, himself, after meeting with an Oklahoma University chapter over the summer. He said he was influenced by a similar fundraiser hosted by the chapter earlier in the year. “They talked about how they did a piethrowing competition as a fundraiser as it was,” Nocelotl said. “I took that idea and ran with it to be our Military Heroes project instead.” Kappa Sigma has hosted other events in previous semesters. Due to underlying circumstances, however, the pie-throwing event
Photos by Jashua Orndorff
marked the first philanthropy week fundraiser held by the organization in some time. “We did one my freshman year but it got rained out,” Nocelotl said. “We haven’t been able to host another one just because of COVID and lack of planning.” Kappa Sigma was happy with the turnout of the fundraiser, raising $250 throughout the entirety of the event. “I think it was a pretty good idea and a good turnout,” Nocelotl said. “I’d like to continue to do it, potentially.” McArthur was more than happy to join the pie flinging fray. He described how Nocelotl approached him with the idea and how he got involved with the charity event. “I get to see Mickey every day with the mail delivery, and he asked,” McArthur said. “It sounded like a good cause and a good activity.” McArthur was ecstatic about the event overall and expressed his joy for the organization’s ability to plan such an
event. “We are so happy to have student organizations on our campus who are still finding a way to have events during a terrible pandemic.”
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Sports
November 8, 2021
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Women’s Basketball Preview With Head Coach Emma Andrews Photo by Jimm Alley
Jimm Alley Sports Editor
The Cameron University women’s basketball team finished last year’s season with an 11 - 8 record and was able to make it to the semifinals of the Lonestar Conference and NCAA DII championship tournaments, losing to number one ranked Lubbock Christian in both contests. This season they hope to build on that success and make a run for a championship trophy. The Aggies are led by head coach
Emma Andrews who is a former basketball player from Melbourne, Australia. Andrews is coming into her sixth season as the coach, and she is still looking for ways to improve the way the team handles their games. “A change of pace in our game has to be done better,” Andrews said. “Last year we amped it up which is why we won some games, but teams will be expecting that this year, so we have to be able to go from extreme pressure, fast-paced basketball and be able to slow it down, control it and play fundamental basketball.”
One of the things Andrews wanted to focus on in the preseason was the team’s ability to manage the game at a pace that is favorable to them and their style of play while adapting to the situations in-game time. Improving the defense was also important to Andrews and being consistent in stopping opposing offenses. “I think our defense is a lot better,” Andrews said. “Last year we just pressed and ran at people and created a lot of chaos because we hid some defensive things we had there, but I think this year we don’t have as many people that can’t play and as many people as we have to hide. We can really switch up our defense.” The Aggies have been working on a lot of new plays and were able to add pieces to their roster. Andrews hopes that the addition of some new weapons and implementing different presses can lead to a more well-rounded team and hopefully bring them more success. Andrews has high expectations for this team heading into the new season and believes they have a good chance at getting back to a championship tournament. “I wanna win a Lone Star Conference Championship,” Andrews said. “That is 100 percent my expectation; we have the personnel to do so we just gotta stay healthy, put the pieces together, and let these kids play, they have great basketball IQ, and I think sometimes, as coaches, we try to do too much but this bunch can play through a lot.” Andrews is very involved with her team and believes that what she gets
from her team is what she puts in. Andrews described her coaching style as “energetic” and works hard for her players to make sure they can be the best they can be. This means helping student athletes practice drills or giving them encouragement during games. “Basketball is an avenue to have an impact on people’s lives,” Andrews said. “What I would want them to know is that they always have a family here, it’s important that every person that comes into my program and leaves my program knows that they will be a family forever.” No matter how the season turns out for the Aggies, Andrews wants her squad to remember that they should not worry about the small things. Win or lose she wants her team to remain on the course and finish the season as strong as possible. “Keep working hard, keep going at it,” Andrews said. “We don’t need to post everything we don’t need to brag about it or stress about it, just keep going one moment at a time working better every day, and time will tell.” It is clear to see Andrews has high hopes for the upcoming season, and this team has proven they are up to the challenge. Last year’s success should make everyone optimistic for how this season will turn out, and if all goes as planned we will hopefully be watching the Aggies win a championship. For more information on Women’s basketball and all other Cameron Athletics please visit CameronAggies. com.
CU Cross Country Competes in LSC Championship Ashlin Penn Staff Wtiter
On Oct. 23 the Cameron Aggies hosted the Lone Star Conference (LSC) Cross Country Championship at the Big Green Soccer Complex. The races consisted of a men’s 8k and a women’s 6k. There were 15 men’s teams and 16 women’s teams who competed in the event. The results were a team win for West Texas A&M men and a team win for Dallas Baptist University women. Each team has nine runners, but only the top five times are recorded towards a team’s score. The score is equal to each runner’s placement. For example, the runner in first place gets a score of one, the runner in second place gets a score of two, and so on. The first place men’s team had a score of 42 and the first place women’s team had a score of 35. Cameron’s men placed 10th and the women placed ninth with scores of 192 and 272 respectively. Out of 127, the first female runner, Daesha Brathwaite, placed 31st with a time of 23:55.03. Out of 119, the first male runner, Saulo Yoel, placed 11th with a time of 26:17.72. Yoel is a Senior studying sports and exercise science, and he said coming to Cameron University was the best decision he ever made. “Since I came here the program has really helped me improve my times,” Yoel said. He mentioned how he had a lot of confidence heading into the race since he trained frequently on
that same track. He also achieved his fastest 8k time on that track. Saulo was the first finisher on Cameron’s team. He said he enjoys how his team really makes him feel that they are there for him. “I wouldn’t be All-conference without them pushing me to work hard in practice,” Saulo said. Saulo was injured before coming to Cameron, but he spoke highly of his coaches, teammates and the Graduate Assistant (GA) Roger Malonda. “It definitely felt special to host the Lone Star Conference championships,” Malonda said. “In the days leading up to it, it was about trusting everything we had done in practice leading up to it, and feeling confident and hopeful we could execute to the best of our abilities.” Another team finisher was Belle Vignes who finished the 6k second for Cameron and top 50 overall with a time of 24:47.40. “This season started out pretty rocky,” Vignes said. “But, I did not give up. Each week I continued to work hard and improve.” The team will continue to train for their next big race of the season. Cameron will compete in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional race. This competition will occur on Nov. 9 in Lubbock, Texas. Congratulations to all of the Aggies that competed, and made Cameron University proud in competition. For information on the cross country team and all other Cameron Athletics please visit CameronAggies. com to learn more.
Photos by Ashlin Penn