W E E K LY E D I T I O N | M A R C H 9 -15 , 2 0 2 0 | O U D A I LY. C O M
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Women in computer science field at OU seek visibility amid gender disparity
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt confirms first case of coronavirus in Tulsa County
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Sophomore golfer Patrick Welch leads Sooners with unique cross-handed swing
OU closes study programs in Italy, prepares for ongoing spread of virus
INCLINED TO INNOVATE Researcher follows childhood curiosity to OU vice presidency BETH WALLIS @walliswrites
It took one particularly influential fourth grade physics teacher, an engineer father and a big imagination to launch Tomás Díaz de la Rubia from the rugged mountains of Asturias, Spain, to a modest dorm room in Albany, New York. “The idea was to come to the U.S. to spend a year abroad in college,” Díaz de la Rubia said. “That was 1981.” Thirty-nine years later, Díaz de la Rubia is in his sixth month as OU’s vice president for research and partnerships. The position oversees all research efforts at the university and builds strategic connections between funding, research, areas of need and the development of technology. Excitement around impact potential for Díaz de la Rubia’s work in research reached all the way to Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who spoke with Díaz de la Rubia when he was contemplating moving to OU. “My top priority in higher education is to ensure our universities have every competitive advantage to participate in and produce the best research in the nation,” Stitt said in a press release. “I commend the University of Oklahoma for its vision to grow research opportunities at the institution and for its active recruitment to bring top-tier talent to the state. It was a pleasure to meet with Tomás Díaz de la Rubia while he was considering the offer, and I am confident his leadership will elevate OU’s reputation on the national stage.” The world-renowned scientist worked in a government-funded defense lab as a deputy director and chief resource officer overseeing national security projects. Díaz de la Rubia also directed an energy consulting firm and served as the chief scientific officer and senior vice president for strategic initiatives at Purdue University. “Every job I’ve had, it’s just been a great time,” Díaz de la Rubia said. “I tell you, it’s been fantastic.”
RAY BAHNER/ THE DAILY
Tomás Díaz de la Rubia on Feb. 20. He became OU’s vice president for research and partnerships in October 2019.
PROVIDED BY TOMÁS DÍAZ DE LA RUBIA
Díaz de la Rubia and his dad, Tomás Diaz, when he was 10.
PROVIDED BY TOMÁS DÍAZ DE LA RUBIA
Díaz de la Rubia and his parents, Tomás Diaz and Pilar de la Rubia, at their home in Spain when he was 6 or 7.
CURIOUS KID TO COLLEGE COSMOPOLITAN Díaz de la Rubia said it all began when an elementary physics teacher made science accessible and interesting to him through hands-on, intriguing experiments that used a variety of equipment. “He was demonstrating things with pumps and cars going on inclines and things falling,” Díaz de la Rubia said. “He had all kinds of gadgets he would bring to class, and I was like, ‘Wow, this is great.’ They were very simple concepts, but it just caught my attention. It was exciting and very hands-on.” At home, Díaz de la Rubia’s father, an engineer, planned and built various projects for his job. Díaz de la Rubia said he spent his childhood watching his father “tinkering with stuff all the time.” After absorbing every physics and astronomy book he could find, Díaz de la Rubia graduated high school in Spain and started college at a nearby university. After visiting family in Albany, Díaz de la Rubia decided to move his studies to the States. Díaz de la Rubia’s journey to OU began with his work at the State University of New York at Albany, where he received a bachelor of science and a doctorate in physics. Adam Lipson, Díaz de la
PROVIDED BY TOMÁS DÍAZ DE LA RUBIA
Díaz de la Rubia (left) and his physics professor Dr. Bruce Marsh (right) at the State University of New York at Albany. He graduated with his bachelor of science at 22.
Rubia’s best friend from college, said he once doubted the duo’s chances of ever succeeding at anything other than “tennis and drinking.” “I think if you would’ve looked at both Tomás and I in college, you would have never guessed we’d both be successful, productive adults,” Lipson said. L i p s o n i s t h e p re s i d e nt, co-founder and CEO of the New York-based Network and Security Technologies, a cyber-security consulting firm. Díaz de la Rubia and Lipson met when Lipson visited his girlfriend, who lived in the same dormitory as Díaz de la Rubia. Lipson said he was instantly drawn to Díaz de la Rubia’s childhood stories and eclectic, exciting tastes from his European upbringing. “Formula One race car driving,
fine dining, pâté, how to cook paella, different cheeses, what he felt the best varietals of coffee were,” Lipson said. “He was the only guy at Albany that wore a gold Cartier watch.” Lipson said the two quickly became best friends. Díaz de la Rubia taught him things like driving a stick shift, tailgating and, most importantly, the importance of a good sport jacket. “In college, I used to wear a T-shirt and jeans,” Lipson said. “But when we went out, Tomás would insist on us wearing sport jackets. And even today, he goes to work with a sport jacket. “When he comes home, he doesn’t take that jacket off. He wears it when he cooks dinner, he wears it during dinner, he wears it right up to the time he walks into the bedroom at night.”
At the lab, Díaz de la Rubia began as a postdoctoral researcher and worked his way up to an associate directorship in chemistry and material science. Seven years later, he was appointed as the chief research officer and then deputy director for science and technology. Lipson said he was surprised Díaz de la Rubia passed on opportunities to work for big financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase or Wall Street, where he could have enjoyed “higher compensation” and a “better, more cosmopolitan lifestyle.” Instead, he stayed at the government defense lab. “But Tomás moved at an incredibly alarming pace (up the chain of leadership) at Lawrence,” Lipson said. “It really speaks volumes about who he is, that this is a guy who can get that far without a background in weapons and not being born on American soil. Being able to move at that rate post-9/11, when there was a particular sensitivity about those sorts of things, is just really remarkable.” In 2013, Díaz de la Rubia spent two and a half years with Deloitte Consulting, a private consulting firm in Washington, D.C. that advises energy sector clients on how to utilize new technologies. Díaz de la Rubia left the private sector in 2015 to research at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. “(My wife and I are) in the middle of D.C., a big, thriving metropolitan area with restaurants and museums and cultural life,” Díaz de la Rubia said. “And then we were in the middle of cornfields. I mean, literally in the middle of cornfields. So many cornfields, and nothing around it.” At Purdue, Díaz de la Rubia began as the chief scientist and executive director of Discovery Park and then served as vice president of the same program. Discovery Park is Purdue’s “collaborative research environment where interdisciplinary projects are connected through Purdue, Purdue Research Park and the world.” Suresh Garimella, president of the University of Vermont and Díaz de la Rubia’s former supervisor at Purdue, said Díaz de la Rubia “truly energized” Discovery Park. “What I was looking for was someone who would bring a strategic focus, great energy and big vision to Discovery Park,” Garimella said. “He did all that and more.” Garimella said Díaz de la Rubia launched projects like the “Big Idea Challenge,” a research proposal contest that funds three to five winning teams with a “pool of strategic investment resources” to continue their projects. “If (Díaz de la Rubia) could create even a fraction of what he did (at Purdue), OU will be in great shape,” Garimella said.
FROM CLASSROOM TO LAB AND BACK AGAIN
SCIENTIST SERVING SOCIETY
After graduating college, Díaz de la Rubia left his friend in New York and headed west to join Lawrence Livermore National Lab in California, a research institution focused on defense and energy. There, he began a scientific career that would take him all over the globe working with the government, in the private sector and academia. “I joined Lawrence Livermore National Lab as a postdoc,” Díaz de la Rubia said. “It was one of those things where you go there for a couple of years and then do something else. That lasted 24 years.” Díaz de la Rubia chuckled and added, “My plans never seem to work.”
For Díaz de la Rubia, two things matter most in his work: a diversity of voices involved in every process and research that serves the populations that need it most. “If I’m an engineer and I develop a gadget, but there is no pathway to bring that gadget to the people that need it, or if it is the wrong gadget for that community, it doesn’t matter that I developed a gadget,” Díaz de la Rubia said. “I may have written a paper about it. I may have gotten an award for it, but it’s not really going to have any impact on society.” To ensure projects are worthwhile to all affected, Díaz de la see DÍAZ DE LA RUBIA page 2
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NEWS
• March 9-15, 2020
OU closes Italy study programs Students prepare to return to US as fears of coronavirus grow SCOTT KIRKER @scott_kirker
Thirty-eight OU students learned last Monday that their semesters studying abroad in Italy will be cut short because of a virus that some students say has yet to significantly affect their experience. OU announced March 2 that study abroad programs in Italy would close until further notice due to the spread of coronavirus. Students were encouraged to leave Italy by March 6, meaning third-year architecture student Elizabeth Ross will miss weeks of learning her field of study in Rome. “It feels like it sinks in so much more because you’re able to experience it on a very personal level,” Ross said. “It’s not just about the sightseeing, the tourism, the excitement of it, though of course that’s a factor. It’s the fact that I have never loved architecture more than I have this semester.” Ross and nine other students are studying in the architecture program in Rome. Mitchell Smith, interim dean and professor of the David L. Boren College of International Studies, said 28 students are at OU’s study center in Arezzo. In Oklahoma, concerns about coronavirus have continued to grow — particularly after Gov. Kevin Stitt announced March 6 that the state’s first case of the virus had been reported in Tulsa County. Across the country, other universities are beginning to take precautions. The University of Washington became the first U.S. college to move all classes online in order to protect students from the virus. Smith said the decision to end the Italy abroad programs is the right move for student safety. “This decision came about through extensive discussions involving a wide range of people on all our campuses. ... There was extensive discussion of all the risk factors involved and all the concerns involved,” Smith said. “Frankly, it came down to what was and what is the right
Piazza Grande, Arezzo’s central square. Arezzo, Italy, is home to one of OU’s study abroad programs.
decision for the safety of our students. There’s so much uncertainty — it’s a difficult decision, but that was the focal point.” The decision to close the programs leaves students with financial and academic challenges. Third-year architecture student Hannah Reed said the architecture program cost students a $10,000 program fee, in addition to OU tuition and the cost of flights. And beyond those costs, the students stand to lose the opportunity to live and study architecture in Rome. “We came on this trip because of the professors that are here for architecture,” Reed said. “We’re architecture majors, and that matters a lot to us. And it’s an incredible city.” OU Director of Media Relations Kesha Keith said in an email the university asked affected students in a survey whether they need financial assistance to book their flight. If so, the university will provide that funding through the OU Foundation. Students leaving Italy will also have to undergo a 14-day self-isolation period required
by the university before returning to any OU campus, meaning students cannot return until after spring break. Keith said if any students are in need of housing during that period, the university will find appropriate single-space housing for students during the isolation period. Smith said students in the Arezzo program will finish through online courses that are being set up now, and Rome students may return to campus after their self-isolation period to finish their semester in a special class that’s been set up for those students. Reed said the students have been offered free university housing once they can return to campus, but that it can’t compensate for living in Rome. “I don’t want to seem ungrateful that they’re offering that — it’s great that they’re able to,” Reed said. “But it just seems like a slap in the face when they haven’t truly considered the impact that it will have on the students who have emotionally committed to being here.” Arezzo and Rome, the two cities where OU students are
studying, have been largely unaffected by the coronavirus — a fact Reed said makes the closure hard to bear. More than half of Italy’s confirmed coronavirus cases are in the Lombardy region, hours north of either Arezzo or Rome. “I don’t think I’d be as upset about leaving if it was happening in Rome,” Reed said. “But it’s not, and that’s what upsets me, is the university is seemingly caring more about their own liabilities and what the PR is going to look like for them instead of the perspective of the students and our financial liability, and our parents’ financial liability. And the money we would not get back.” Smith said many of the students and parents he’s heard from want to stay, and that the university wishes they could, but closing the programs in Italy is the right move to keep students safe. “When this group (of administrators met), we ran through all the risks and concerns,” Smith said. “We don’t know if tomorrow, for example, there is going to be a report of cases in another region
OU Board of Regents will hold first meeting since BERT sit-in
TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY
From left to right: Chris Purcell, Leslie Rainbolt and Joseph Harroz during the OU Board of Regents meeting Dec. 2, 2019.
Board committees to discuss finance, legal proceedings BETH WALLIS @walliswrites
The OU Board of Regents will hold a series of executive and committee special meetings next week to discuss the appointment of officers to the board, confidential communications between the board and its attorney and the 10 cases against the university currently in litigation, among other issues. Each of the university’s committees — Norman campus, finance and audit, and Health Sciences Center — will meet from 10:30 a.m.
to 2:30 p.m. on March 10. The Board of Regent’s annual meeting is at 3:30 p.m. Executive sessions will meet at 11:30 a.m. on March 10 and again at 9 a.m. on March 11. The Norman campus committee meeting will address next academic year’s student activity fee budget and naming rights in Sarkeys Fitness Center, according to the agenda. The finance and audit committee meeting will discuss financial updates from Cameron University, Rogers State University and OU. An internal audit update for OU is also on the agenda. The Health Sciences Center committee will discuss a “(Health Sciences Center) update,” according
to the agenda. At closed executive sessions, the board will discuss pending research or financial investigations and claims, real estate operations, personal and negligence claims, and the “potential vulnerability of governmental facilities.” The board will also undergo a routine review of the employment of interim OU President Joseph Harroz, according to the agenda. This meeting will be the first since the Evans Hall sit-in led by OU’s Black Emergency Response Team. In a statement released after the demonstration, BERT encouraged students to attend the Board of Regents’ meeting at 3:30 p.m. in the Great Reading Room on March 10. BERT said
previously the board would discuss implementing ideas discussed with the administration during the sit-in. “Due to the legality, the fact of the matter is that the ball is in the court of the Board of Regents now,” the statement read. “Several open meetings will be held. We urge the entire community to be present, so they recognize the strength in our numbers. They will answer the question of whether they value the lives, bodies and voices of marginalized people at the University of Oklahoma.” The regents had not yet released the agenda for the annual meeting at the time of this article’s publication. Beth Wallis
bethwallis@ou.edu
of Italy. And what if it were to become quarantined, as happened in the north of Italy? And then suddenly our students can’t go anywhere. And how long would that quarantine last? And how long would students be kept there?” Smith said another potential scenario administrators considered was a protocol could be created requiring people returning from Italy to be quarantined for a period of time. “Those scenarios are not necessarily likely, but we just don’t know,” Smith said. “So we factored all those things into the situation, knowing that their preference and our preference would be to have them stay and finish their program, but it just didn’t seem like the prudent thing to do for their safety.” Smith said a report from the director of the Arezzo program described daily activities taking place as usual in the city. “The grocery store shelves are well-stocked, and people are going about their business,” Smith said. “So it becomes hard to understand the decision to get out. But there’s
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RUBIA: continued from page 1
Rubia said he prioritizes a marketplace of ideas to maximize value for humanity. “When you really want to translate knowledge to impact on society, those voices from the social sciences, the humanities and other disciplines are critical because we need to understand what it is that is going to impact society,” Díaz de la Rubia said. “What is it that society really needs?” Throughout Díaz de la Rubia’s long career, he said the most important factor in his research has been how to best serve communities most in need of innovation. Due to the classified nature of his work at the lab, he said he’s now content being a part of something that directly impacts the lives of everyday people. “Innovation is not an innovation unless it gets translated into a product that impacts people’s lives and that has a benefit to society,” Díaz de la Rubia said. “That’s an innovation. If I discover something in the laboratory and it stays in the laboratory, that’s not an innovation. That’s a discovery. ... The last eight years or so, my focus has been much more on thinking about how to really have a positive impact on society.” Since Díaz de la Rubia came to OU, he said he has taken the same approach of prioritizing societal impact and input from diverse voices. In January, OU announced a $9 million research collaboration with the Universidad Nacional de San Agustín in
VIA OU IN AREZZO WEBSITE
just such massive uncertainty. ... We have to act in the interest of safety, even though I understand students looking around and saying, ‘Life here seems to be pretty normal. We don’t want to come home.’” Reed said the fact that most people with standard immune systems recover contributes to her disappointment that the program is being shut down. According to the World Health Organization, about 80 percent of people who contract the disease recover without needing any special treatment, while older people and those with underlying medical problems are more likely to discover serious illness. “We understand that they probably want what’s best for us,” Reed said. “And we obviously want what’s best for us, and our parents want what’s best for us. And I do not want to underestimate the fact that the coronavirus is bad. I get it. But the impact that it’s had on us specifically in Rome is nothing. Life goes on as normal.” Scott Kirker stk@ou.edu
Arequipa, Peru. The partnership focuses on bringing together a varied array of academic minds to study the environment and health in a region heavily impacted by the effects of climate change. Díaz de la Rubia said the need for intervention in the Arequipa region has been exacerbated by the snowballing effects of climate change. He said the region has been especially affected by increased skin cancer rates from a depleted ozone layer and an unpredictable water source as glaciers melt with increasing speed. Díaz de la Rubia first worked with the Peruvian university during his time at Purdue. When he moved to OU, he saw an opportunity to use OU’s resources to address the region’s issues. “We have an opportunity (at OU) to create something very significant in Peru around the impact of climate change,” Díaz de la Rubia said. “You have to bring all of these voices together if you really want to translate knowledge to impact, and that’s where we’re going with this project.” In the coming months, Díaz de la Rubia said he hopes his big ideas have the power to change people’s lives at OU, as well as all over the world. “That’s how we’re defining this strategic framework for research at the University of Oklahoma,” Díaz de la Rubia said. “Our ambition is to work across those traditional academic boundaries and work together to create solutions that will improve people’s lives.” Beth Wallis
bethwallis@ou.edu
CULTURE
March 9-15, 2020 •
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OU seeks diversity in tech fields Computer science program assesses gender imbalance SAM TONKINS
@samanthatonkins
MOLLY KRUSE @mollykruse98
GRAPHIC BY MEGAN FOISY AND GRAHAM BUCHANAN/THE DAILY
According to data from OU Institutional Research and Reporting, the ratio of women to men getting degrees in computer science at OU has averaged 12 women to 57 men over the past 10 years. This graphic shows a simplified comparison of those statistics, with each number divided by 3.
really make a difference with students and prospective students,” she said. Despite the school’s gender and racial disparities, Perez Woods said OU is making strides to retain female students in computer science, like starting the Association for Women in Computing about four years ago. The push to create the association — and other STEMrelated organizations like the Women in Engineering Program and the Society for Women Engineers — came when leaders noticed women often left the college of engineering by the end of their sophomore year. The goal of creating these organizations was to give female students a community and support system within the college, Perez Woods said.
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This discipline desperately needs the contributions, knowledge and perspectives of a more diverse group of people. -Deborah Trytten,
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Last year Virginie Perez Woods, who oversees student tutors in the OU School of Computer Science, had a mysterious problem — her tutors seemed to be skipping work. “I started having complaints ... (students) kept telling me that they needed to go see the tutors, but every time they would go to the computer lab where the tutor has ... office hours, they were never there,” Perez Woods said. After checking the tutors’ timesheets, Perez Woods was confused. “I thought, ‘No, they’re there,’” she said. It turned out the tutors had been in the computer lab all along. But the computer science students had been looking for men — and the tutors were women. “(It was) like they couldn’t fathom that a tutor can be a female,” Perez Woods said. “Oh, wow, what a revolutionary idea.” This is one example of the biases women and minority groups are trying to overcome in computer science, Perez Woods said. She is the business manager and academic programs coordinator for the school, as well as the adviser for OU’s Association for Women in Computing. Over the past 10 years, women have been the recipients of around 18 percent of computer science degrees at OU. While the number of female computer science graduates has increased over the years — from four in the 2008-09 academic year to 37 in the 2018-19 academic year — the ratio of women to men averages 12 to 57 over the past 10 years, according to OU Institutional Research and Reporting data. While it’s hard enough for women to succeed in computer science, layering on other marginalized identities can compound inequality even further, Perez Woods said. Jasmine DeHart is one of two black women at OU pursuing a doctorate in computer science and one of around 60 black women doing so nationwide, Perez Woods said. This scarcity was something DeHart said she was not even aware of before applying to doctoral programs, where everyone kept mentioning it. With a dissertation focused on machine learning and privacy, DeHart is interested in the stability that a career in computer science offers. But her ultimate goal is to be a pastry chef, and she would use her Ph.D. to support this passion. Deborah Trytten, an OU computer science professor who has been teaching for 28 years, said she was “quite distressed” to see how few women and minority students were in her introductory computer programming classes this semester. “If members of underrepresented groups are not in my class ... they will not be computer science majors,” she said in an email. “And this discipline desperately needs the contributions, knowledge and perspectives of a more diverse group of people.” Trytten is one of only three female professors in the computer science department, which has a total of 17 fulltime professors. Again and again, the school of computer science has missed chances to recruit more women as faculty members, Perez Woods said. Perez Woods said this spring the school of computer science will have the opportunity to recruit four more professors, which will be a decision made by the director and a committee of professors from the school. “I truly hope that we can get ... more female professors and, hopefully, females from underrepresented groups as well, because I think it would
OU computer science professor
Jennifer Pham, a computer science sophomore, is secretary for the Association for Women in Computing and president of the Computer Science Student Board. Through the Association for Women in Computing, Pham said she attended the Grace Hopper Celebration, a conference for women in tech. Female students have gotten opportunities to work at companies like Apple and SpaceX as a result of the conference, Perez Woods said, and overall, the school is on track to make changes for the better. The Association for Women in Computing is one of the most active associations in the department, and women make up around 70 percent of the team that puts together Hacklahoma, which is a hackathon that takes place every year on OU’s campus, Perez Woods said.
“They’re creating programs left and right,” Perez Woods said. “They’re unstoppable, and their willingness to pay back is commendable.” Hacklahoma, which was created in 2018, is a 24-hour hackathon where OU students from various majors come together to create new technology, said Amy Le, computer science senior and 2020 Hacklahoma executive director. Le said the event was originally created to fill a gap in Oklahoma’s tech industry and encourage technological innovation. Now, the event is geared toward students and furthering a variety of skills through the experience. “I would say that a lot of students are inspired by coming to Hacklahoma and actually want to become a part of Oklahoma’s tech industry and helping it grow,” Le said. “And I think that’s kind of what the mission was: to grow or build innovative ideas and put innovative leaders in this community.” Le has been involved in the organization for the past three years and said this year’s event Feb. 8–9 exceeded her expectations, with almost 60 more participants than the previous year. “I would say this is one of the most successful hackathons we’ve had,” Le said. “We had about 282 participants show up and about 40 sponsors come in and help mentor the hackers.” Le said, over the years, she has seen the event and the hacker community become more diverse. This year, Le said attendees were 40 percent Caucasian, 38 percent Asian/Pacific Islander, 7 percent African American, 6 percent Hispanic and 2 percent American Indian or Alaskan Native. Le said more than half of the Hacklahoma organizers are women, and many are minorities, while the registrants were roughly 70 percent male and 30 percent female. Le said the event’s statistics reflect the current male-dominated STEM industry. “I would say it’s gotten a lot better, especially this year, because the number for male participants used to be much higher,” Le said. “But I think, just with the amount of support that the female organizers here have been pushing
for, (that) has really helped out a lot.” Le said the hackathon teams also reflected this diversity. While there were many same-sex groups, there were also teams that were a collaboration of both men and women. Le said many of the groups were friend groups who did not care about gender differences and wanted to have fun creating new technology. Le said the organizers worked to be inclusive for everyone, regardless of their backgrounds. When participants received their name badges at the beginning of the event, there was a line for pronouns and a line for majors. “We want to make people feel visible there and that we don’t just assume who they are and what they are,” Le said. “We just see them as a hacker, but we also want to acknowledge that they’re a part of a community, and we accept them for who they are.” Even though OU is working on making STEM more inclusive, Pham said the thought of going out into the male-dominated computer science workforce is intimidating. “And on top of that, I’m a minority — female — and then I’m another minority, Asian,” she said. Trytten said she hopes to see the school work harder to recruit students who might not initially think of themselves as computer scientists. Meanwhile, DeHart said the school needs to increase the pipeline of black women to graduate programs. “I don’t really think they understand how to reach those groups, and I think that’s the biggest problem for recruiting for the graduate school here,” DeHart said. For Pham, who didn’t get much opportunity to learn about computer science in high school, many elements of her major are entirely new to her. Being surrounded by people with prior knowledge of computer science, some who have been programming since they were 12, can be overwhelming, Pham said. “ You can’t help but
compare yourself to other people sometimes,” she said. “I always have to remind myself like, ‘It’s okay. I’m taking those classes to learn ... they’re expecting you to not know anything. That’s why you’re taking the class.’” Pham also said she is optimistic. She has made male and female friends in the computer science department, and she is investing in the future of girls through outreach programs in the Norman community. Although she’s dabbled in other majors, she keeps
coming back to computer science because it just makes sense for her, she said. “As a child of an immigrant parent, all my mom has ever wanted for me was get an education, grow up, have a good future, be successful,” Pham said. “CS provides that.” Sam Tonkins
samantha.tonkins@ou.edu
Molly Kruse
molly.kruse@ou.edu
Norman library hosts film series
THANHHIEN NGUYEN/THE DAILY
Norman Public Library Central on Oct. 23, 2019.
OU professors to discuss movies each Monday night CAROLYN FELLING @ccfelling
Norman Public Library Central will host a film viewing and discussion each Monday night this month as part of a March film series. The series aims to help people gain cinematic knowledge about classic Hollywood films. A guest speaker from OU will introduce each film and lead a discussion afterward. Special guests include Carolina Rueda, film and media studies assistant professor; Victoria Sturtevant, film and media studies associate professor and associate dean for academic programs; and Sunrise Tippeconnie, Navajo and Comanche filmmaker and film and media studies lecturer. Tippeconnie
has had numerous short films featured in festivals across the nation. The schedule features “Bicycle Thieves” (1948) on March 9, “Obit” (2016) on March 16, “The Gold Rush” (1925) on March 23 and “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” (2014) on March 30. “Our lineup for March is intentionally electric, and we hope our patrons are just as excited about it as we are,” said Lunden England, a library associate for the Norman Public Library who booked the film series along with a coworker. A new film will be screened at 6:30 p.m. each Monday throughout March. The event is open to the public and will take place in Norman Public Library Central’s Redbud Room at 103 W. Acres St. Carolyn Felling
carolynn.felling@ou.edu
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CULTURE
• March 9-15, 2020
Behind the scenes: OU theater Program offers students diverse stage experiences JILLIAN TAYLOR @jilliantaylor_
In OU’s recent production of “The Nutcracker,� the spotlight followed performers twirling across the snow-covered stage. But beyond the pirouettes and pointe shoes, crew members hustled under the veil of the curtain. Design freshman Audrey McGuane said working on crew for “The Nutcracker� was one of the craziest things she had ever done. Every night, she would furiously crank ropes to bring down backdrops and move huge set pieces on and off the stage. “There’s a lot of hard work that goes into what we do to help the actors enter the world they are performing in,� McGuane said. “You have to have a keen attention to detail because our work ultimately is what draws audience members into the story.� Without the individuals who work on lighting, participate in crew and design costumes, the puzzle of OU theater would be missing pieces. OU’s Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts emphasizes education beyond onstage theater through its diverse classes, acting freshman Elizabeth McCullough said in an email. W h i l e Mc Cu l l ou g h i s a freshman, she has also taken production classes like Stagecraft and Costume Construction in addition to being an undergraduate assistant in the scene shop, where props and scene pieces are constructed. Most bachelor’s degree programs require students to put all of their focus on one emphasis, meaning these opportunities would most likely not be possible for McCullough at other universities. OU’s unique program has allowed her to study areas beyond her major, McCullough said in the email. “I have learned acting on stage, and working for design and production are like two different gears in the same
JUSTIN JAYNE/THE DAILY
Lighting junior Natalie Shipley selects a light filter color Feb. 19.
machine — they come together to achieve the same goal,� McCullough said. “Working in the scene shop has given me real work experience to put on my resume that is going to mean and say something about me to potential employers.� Working backstage has become more than just a hobby for McCullough. She said she hopes to work in a scene shop for a professional theater company after college. The College of Fine Arts, while emphasizing actors’ participation behind the scenes, focuses more intently on the further education of drama majors with an emphasis in design. Lighting junior Natalie Shipley said she began working backstage on run crew, which moves props and set pieces, during her freshman year of high school. Throughout the remainder of her high school career, Shipley fell in love with backstage theater. “During my sophomore year, my high school theater director told me I should do lighting in passing,� Shipley said. “At the time, I didn’t think much of it, but now I am so thankful for that moment as I was able to find my
passion.� This February, Shipley designed the lighting for her first main stage show: OU’s production of “Blood Wedding.� Her job was to “call focus,� or show crew members exactly where light needed to be and what colors to use to establish the mood. “I collaborated heavily with the stage manager and programmer in this production, as they both needed to know the timing I had in mind as well as how I organized the lights,� Shipley said. The art lighting designers create is challenging because they do not get to see their vision come to life until the stage is set for a dress rehearsal, she said. Unlike costume designers and designers who draft sketches, lighting designers don’t have first drafts, Shipley said. “My job is intimidating because, during dress rehearsal, designers and advisers from administration watch your work come to life for the first time,� Shipley said. “You may be successful, or you may completely fail, and there is nothing you can do to prepare yourself.� These high stakes are what make lighting design so appealing, Shipley said.
“Within the first three rehearsals of ‘Blood Wedding,’ our power system almost completely wiped out and the lights were flickering uncontrollably,� Shipley said. “Despite the stress I felt in the moment, I love the anticipation — anything can go wrong, but hopefully it will go right.� At OU, lighting majors take visual design classes like Computer Automated Drafting, which teach them how to us e Adobe programs like Photoshop and Illustrator. This contemporary education is key in teaching students how to adapt to the modern world of theater, Shipley said. “In the real world, you are most likely not going to live in the same city as your directors,� Shipley said. “These programs serve as an efficient means for us to print all of our paperwork and accurately communicate our vision.� Lighting students also take classes outside their emphasis while balancing their involvement in OU’s productions. “ Throughout the day, I sit through production meetings, go through programming notes, work with
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Previous Solution
Instructions: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.
By Eugenia Last
Copyright 2015, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.
MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020 ASTROGRAPH by Eugenia Last PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Share your feelings and discuss your intentions. Reach out to like-minded people and work in unison with them. Romance is favored. ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Be conscientious and add detail and depth to whatever you do. The little extras will count. If you present yourself and your intentions with precision, you will come across as intelligent and efficient. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -Observe a certain situation and prepare to make changes. Discuss your intentions with someone knowledgeable. Take the plunge and explore your options. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. A romantic encounter will boost your morale.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Talk to someone with experience. A neighbor or good friend will shed light on a situation you face. A good idea can turn into a profitable arrangement. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Think about the past. Remember why it’s so important to take a break and to nurture what’s important to you. Consider your motives and follow through with your plans. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- If you step outside your comfort zone, you’ll discover something that not only intrigues you, but helps you choose a path that offers personal and spiritual growth. Romance is on the rise.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Refrain from making a snap decision. Back away from anyone GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Do things at a speed that feels comfort- pressuring you to commit. Getting angry won’t help matters. Chill out able. If you rush to do something somewhere you feel safe. that you feel uncertain about, you’ll fall short. An emotional issue will spin out of control if you let it. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Make a decision or move that will bring things to a head. Address CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Do joint finances and changes that things your way. Share your thoughts and put a group together aren’t working. A work-related matter will turn into a new opthat will help you achieve your portunity. goal. Changes at home will be advantageous. Don’t fight the AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- A inevitable. change is worth considering. Don’t let your emotions get in the way of LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Do your doing what’s right. A partnership research before you commit. A will take an unexpected turn. Make change of heart will be telling. a change to your living arrangeWhen someone challenges you, ments. stand tall and don’t budge.
student designers on design drafts, go to my Tap and Intro to Lighting Design classes, go to work, and attend rehearsals in the evenings,� Shipley said. “It’s a lot, but I think having the energy to do it all is a big part of it.� Students who choose to study drama are required to take 29 hours of drama core classes. This means students within this degree program, whether they have an emphasis in acting or design, will take a wide variety of classes. The classes range from Intro to Acting to Basic Stage Lighting, according to the fine arts degree requirement website. McGuane, along with being on crew for “ The Nutcracker� and a designer for a student-directed show “Lucy in the Conquest,� has also had the opportunity to take acting classes. She said this experience has changed the way she approaches her job. “While working backstage, I can now use what I have learned from my acting classes to organize the stage so actors can better interact with their environment,� McGuane said. “It has given me a deeper appreciation for the work actors do.�
McGuane said working backstage is interesting because it is unpredictable and requires constant problem solving. It is through these challenges that her hard work takes on a new meaning. “I honestly can’t describe the feeling it gives you when you watch the audience see the show for the first time on opening night,� McGuane said. “Just being there in the moment is so rewarding because it reminds me why I am here and how this is what I am going to do for the rest of my life.� Ultimately, without the contributions of students who work behind the scenes, actors would not have the foundation they need to put on their best performance, McGuane said. “Actors don’t have to worry about what’s going on because they know we’ve got their backs,� McGuane said. “We’re going to put on our best version of the show that we can, so they can put on the best version of the show they can.� Jillian Taylor
jillian.g.taylor-2@ou.edu
Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg March 9, 2020 ACROSS 1 With 67-Across, musical acts that are a theme hint 6 Prosciutto and others 10 Exactly 14 “Golden needle� mushroom 15 Spoken 16 What’s more 17 Home Depot alternative 18 Singer Del Rey 19 Highland skirt 20 “Poison� group playing “Whip It�? (see letters 8 to 11) 23 Like the Marx Brothers 26 Apple’s mobile platform 27 Latish lunch hour 28 “___ gotta go!� 29 Darn 30 Makes a selection 32 Image Awards org. 34 Curling or squash 35 “You Can’t Hurry Love� group playing “Losing My Religion�? (7 to 9) 39 Mournful work 40 Remark to the audience
3/9
43 Uninformative response to “What’s new?� 46 Make a selection 48 “Milk� director Van Sant 49 Nasal spray brand 50 Barinholtz of “The Mindy Project� 51 Prepare, as an onion 52 “Paranoid� group playing “Waterloo�? (7 to 10) 56 Mexican peninsula 57 Nephew of Donald Duck 58 Uber, to Lyft 62 List-ending abbr. 63 No. 1 dad? 64 Totally goofy 65 Lairs for bears 66 Nonspeaking performer 67 See 1-Across DOWN 1 Goofy picture? 2 Yoko in “Isle of Dogs� 3 Pledge 4 Just manage 5 Get out of bed 6 Like a log you can look inside of 7 Many Middle Easterners 8 ___-pedi 9 Croat, e.g. 10 Be a diligent student
11 Mediterranean pizza morsels 12 At an angle 13 Symbols on tribal poles 21 “I didn’t cheat,� perhaps 22 Sort who gets walked all over 23 California wine, familiarly 24 Director DuVernay 25 Without ice 29 Go caving 30 EMT’s technique 31 Garden tool 33 Compound components 34 Mata Hari, for one 36 “Just a ___!� 37 Sound of disgust 38 Sound of relief 41 Pair
42 Clairvoyant’s power, briefly 43 Caught red-handed 44 In recent times 45 Emperor before Hadrian 46 “I’m cool with that� 47 Wasabicoated legume 50 Girder shaped like a vowel 51 Fancy dinnerware 53 Counterfeit 54 Car with a four-ring logo 55 Chi-Town paper, with “The� 59 Delivery vehicle 60 Wheel-deal link 61 “___ Miserables�
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3/8 3/2
Š 2020 Andrews McMeel Universal Š 2020 Andrews McMeel Universal www.upuzzles.com www.upuzzles.com
In-Group by Anna Gundlach
SPORTS
March 9-15, 2020 •
5
OU golfer embraces uniqueness Patrick Welch finds success by staying true to upbringing TARIK MASRI
@TarikM_Official
P
atrick Welch isn’t your typical golfer.
Before coming to Oklahoma, Welch was a promising young golfer from Providence, Rhode Island, who wouldn’t back down from anyone. The short, skinny teenager was consistently one of the youngest players on the field at the Rhode Island Junior Amateur Championship, where the competition aged up to 19 years old. Bob Goldin caddied for Welch for several tournaments throughout his career and said he remembers one game in particular. Welch stood on the No. 14 tee box with a commanding lead over his match play opponent in the semifinals, needing one more win in the finals to take home another Rhode Island Junior Amateur title. “I looked at Patrick and I said, ‘Look, you’re five under and you’ve won your match,” Goldin said. “Why don’t you rest up? You’ve got a tough opponent in the finals.” Welch, on the other hand, had his sights set on a different goal. The young golfer looked back at his caddie and asked him what the course record was. “I think you’re four or five under,” Goldin said. “I think it’s seven.” “I’m not quitting — I’m going for the course record,” Welch said. Welch finished the round with a couple more birdies and broke the course record before going on to beat his opponent in the finals. Welch is the most successful golfer in the history of the Rhode Is l a n d Ju n i o r A m a t e u r Championship, winning the tournament a record-breaking four times. No w a s o p h o m o re a t Oklahoma, Welch has proven to be a talented golfer. The California native played in nine events last season, and he earned All-Big 12 and AllAmerican honorable mention honors in his freshman season. Welch now has Oklahoma poised for a national championship run with the Sooners ranked No. 1 in the country, according to the GCAA Coaches Poll. He’s done this all while playing with a unique golf stroke that others have been begging him to change since he first started playing. Welch holds the club with a cross-handed grip on all his shots. Despite being a right-handed hitter, he holds the club with his left hand low. This method is highly unusual and could be considered a sin by golf purists. Golfers have used the cross-hand technique when putting for years, one proponent of the grip is three-time major champion Jordan Spieth. However, very few players use this grip when taking full swings like Welch. “I know there’s a few other people. ... I know Tiger (Woods) did it,” Welch said. “He started out cross-handed and eventually, over time, they’ll switch. I just stuck with it.” ‘HE DID IT ALL HIMSELF’ Growing up in Rhode Island, Welch didn’t have a typical upbringing for an elite golfer. Welch was limited in his ability to play golf year-round due to the state’s weather. His father, Martin Welch, said this was helpful in making his son a better golfer. Welch was forced to put down the clubs for roughly seven or eight months of the year when it became too cold. “I don’t think moving to
Sophomore golfer Patrick Welch poses with a club at the Charlie Coe Golf Learning Center on Feb. 20.
Rhode Island really affected (his golf game),” Martin said. “It might have been a blessing because he got to play basketball, he got to play baseball, and he got to play golf. And when one season was over he was hungry for the next one.” Martin had worked in the mortgage business in San Francisco, California, which ended up coming to a halt in 2010 as a result of the subprime mortgage crisis. The family moved to Providence and was forced to downsize. Many young, elite golfers travel across the country to play in dozens of tournaments every year — but not Welch. “Golf is for the privileged kids,” Martin said. “Patrick didn’t have all that. He didn’t have a country club pro, he didn’t have the golf lessons. He did it all himself.” Welch started playing golf when he was just 3 years
the ball went, simply enjoy- suppor tive of his s on’s ing each other’s company. unique style, but he also was wary of it because of the un‘EVERYBODY’S GOT AN wanted attention it attractOPINION ON IT’ ed. He said he was uncertain about whether the technique As time went on, Martin fi- would continue to work well nally gave his son a 9-iron to for his son as Welch’s game practice chipping around the improved. greens, and he worked his “I was pretty self-conway back until he felt he was scious about it because ready to use a driver. Patrick there’s so many traditioninsisted on holding the club alists in golf, and if you’re with his left hand low and his doing something different ... father finally gave up on try- that’s kind of weird,” Martin ing to change it. said. “It never bothered him “I was like, you know, one bit. He was so cool, but I I’m not gonna argue with always took offense ... and I a 4-year-old,” Martin said. still do because everybody’s “He’s got plenty of time to got an opinion on it, like, ‘He change. As time went on, I can’t do that.’ was like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to “Well, he does it.” switch,’ and he just never When he was 14, Welch wanted to.” advanced through sectionIn pres chool, Patr ick als and regionals, qualifywould be picked up by his ing for the 2014 Drive, Chip grandfather with a set of golf and Putt Championship at clubs and the two would Augusta National Golf Club head to the golf course. in Augusta, Georgia. He won Welch practiced every op- the championship in its in-
TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY
said. “And he’s made it without the amenities that these kids have these days.” ‘I WANT TO PROVE I CAN ACTUALLY PLAY’ Many of the top young golfers around the country focus on one sport, but not Welch. Despite having less time to play golf than some of the other golfers he was competing with, Welch still finished high school with wins in some of the nation’s top tournaments. At 16, Welch was selected as one of six golfers to represent the United States in the 2016 Junior Ryder Cup. Welch went undefeated in his matches and helped the U.S. defeat Europe. The cross-handed golfer also won the Rhode Island Amateur Championship a record-breaking four times, all while he was in high school and was usually the
Welch breaks down cross-handed swing
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old, putting around on the greens with his dad using a tiny makeshift bull’s-eye style putter that came up to his father’s knee. “He was 3, and my wife was having her second child,” Martin said. “And I would come home from work and she’d say, ‘Take him!’ And I didn’t take him to the park and go to the jungle gym. I took him to the chipping green.” Martin said Patrick loved being on the golf course so much he’d have to pull him away screaming when it was time to leave. The two would spend time together putting the ball around the green, not worrying about where
portunity he got. Welch played in his first tournament when he was 6. He shot a four-under-par and qualified for the U.S. Kids World Championship at Pinehurst. Welch’s unique grip would often garner attention from other golfers and parents at tournaments, many of whom told Welch he’d need to change his grip eventually. “There would always be some people commenting like, ‘You won’t hit it as far.’ They all think they’re an expert,” Welch said. “But I was already comfortable enough with it, so I didn’t feel the need to change.” P a t r i c k ’s f a t h e r w a s
augural season. The trip was the experience of a lifetime for the Welches. The two bonded closely over the sport, and Martin was his son’s biggest supporter. When Welch would compete in USGA events, rules prohibited players from being caddied by their parents. Martin asked Goldin, a longtime friend of the family who used to sit next to the Welch family at San Francisco Giants games, if he’d be interested in being Welch’s caddie. “It’s just been a very fun and interesting part of my life to be involved with someone who’s that talented,” Goldin
youngest player on the field. Still, when college recruitment came around, some coaches were wondering whether Welch could continue to improve under his new swing. “ I’d h e a rd t h a t s o m e coaches wouldn’t look at me or wanted to change me if I attended their school,” Welch said. “So I mean, in a way there’s a little chip on my shoulder just because I want to prove I can actually play.” We l c h k n e w f o r m e r Oklahoma golfer Brad Dalke from playing in junior tournaments together and had seen what Dalke was able to accomplish with the Sooners. As a sophomore,
Dalke helped lead Oklahoma to its second national championship in 2017 and was a two-time All-American during his time in Norman. Welch decided to visit Norman with the dual purpose of attempting to qualify for the U.S. Open and seeing OU’s campus and facilities. Welch made the trip with Martin, and the two were blown away. During his time on campus, Welch visited former football coach Bob Stoops’ office and got to go on the football field before heading to the Lloyd Noble Center for a visit with men’s basketball coach Lon Kruger. Welch was looking for a coach that didn’t want to change his grip, and he felt he found the perfect fit with Oklahoma coach Ryan Hybl. In Oklahoma, there was an opportunity to build on what Dalke was able to accomplish. “ Hi s m o m g ra d u at e d from NYU, born and raised in Philly, and we lived in San Francisco,” Martin said. “Oklahoma might as well have been Russia. You know what I mean? Like, ‘You’re going where?’ and I said to his mom, ‘You wouldn’t believe it. The people down in Oklahoma are so friendly, and the school is so beautiful, and Coach Hybl wants him,’ and it was done.” In his first season with the Sooners, Welch was one of three Oklahoma golfers named Division I PING All-Americans. The 5-foot11 golfer appeared in five team events and finished sixth as an individual at the Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic. Welch’s game seemed to improve as the stakes got higher, winning his match in the Big 12 Match Play Championship. He was the Sooners’ top finisher at the NCAA Championship, where he tied for No. 11. Welch credits his success in big tournaments to the experiences he had playing under pressure when he was younger. “I was actually super relaxed that week,” Welch said. “My game felt pretty good, I played really well, and it gave me a little bit of confidence knowing that I could play with pretty much anyone. Playing in junior tournaments — knowing those players and gaining that experience, I think it helped for (the NCAA Championship) because I felt like it was just another tournament. Even though it was the biggest one, I felt more at ease knowing that I’d been there before.” The Sooners are looking to build off the success of their 2018-19 season despite the departure of several veterans, including Dalke and Blaine Hale, who were instrumental in earning Oklahoma its second national championship in 2017. Welch has improved his average score from 70.93 during his freshman season to 70.83 during his sophomore campaign. Welch’s top finish came this spring during the Puerto Rico Classic, where he tied for No. 4 with a 54-hole score of 208 (-8). The Sooners finished in the top 3 in every event they played leading up to the Big 12 Match Play Championship in October, where they finished tied for No. 7. For Welch, his goal for the season is clear: win the national championship. “I think that’s on everyone’s mind,” Welch said. “We’ve been there, we won a few years ago. The past few years we’ve made it to match play, but we just weren’t there at the end. I think this year we’ve got a really strong team with Quade (Cummins) and (Garett) Reband leading the way.” Tarik Masri
Tarikmasri@gmail.com
6
SPORTS
• March 9-15, 2020
Team recognizes senior impact
Gymnasts honor leaders with win in last home meet MASON YOUNG
@Mason_Young_0
Senior gymnasts Maggie Nichols, Jade Degouveia and Bre Showers stood with friends and family on the floor of the Lloyd Noble Center on Friday night as OU head coach K.J. Kindler delivered a tribute to all they have accomplished during their time at Oklahoma. Between them are 111 team victories, a 27-0 record at home, 17 All-American honors, six academic AllAmerican honors, three Big 12 championships, three NCAA regional championships and two NCAA national championships. No. 1 Oklahoma (16-0, 3-0 Big 12) was its usual dominant self from the start in its 198.100-197.425 win over No. 5 Michigan (12-1, 9-0 Big 10). Nichols asserted herself early on vault, notching her fourth perfect 10 of the season on the event and setting the tone for OU’s night once again. “Going into vault, my warmup wasn’t great,” Nichols said. “But I knew that I was feeling good today, and I just wanted to hit my best vault, and I wanted to do a big vault.” OU’s star rocked the season-best crowd of over 5,500 in her home arena and proceeded to deliver a consistent all-around effort, earning a 9.95 on each of the other three events. Degouveia also impressed on vault with a 9.950, then racked up a 9.875 on bars right after that, and she rode that momentum to a 9.925
Maggie Nichols, Bre Showers and Jade Degouveia, the three seniors, watch the video board during the last home meet March 6.
on floor, an event she said has dramatically improved in recent weeks. “Tonight I had a lot of fun,” Degouveia said. “It felt good to hit two consecutive routines in a row — hit them and just show that I’ve built that momentum.” While Nichols and Degouveia made an impact on the scoreboard, Showers made her mark on the sideline, spraying down the uneven bars, distributing heat packs and cheering her heart
out as always. However, she had one last wish on senior night. “When I met with Bre ... she said, ‘I just wish I could compete,’” Kindler said. While physically unable to perform due to an ACL injury sustained before the start of the season, Showers made her return to the OU lineup on Friday night via the scoreboard, which played a video of one of her signature floor routines at the meet’s conclusion.
OU women’s basketball loses final home game Young team faces inconsistency, feels void in veteran spot STEVEN PLAISANCE @stevenplai
For most teams, the final home game of the season is known as senior day. Each senior appears at midcourt before to the game as the school commemorates their career. OU had no senior day festivities in its regular season finale — a 106-94 loss to Texas Tech on Saturday. Instead, sophomore guard Taylor Robertson took midcourt as she was honored for breaking the Big 12’s single-season 3-pointer record. And just as no seniors stood to lead the Sooners onto the court before the game, OU looked lost without an experienced leader on the floor during the game. Brittany Brewer, Texas Tech’s defensive anchor and lone senior, tallied 18 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in a dominant performance in the paint. OU struggled to find any answer for her all night. As Brewer drew increased pressure down low, Texas Tech’s spacing opened up. Lady Raider junior guard Andrayah Adams poured in 29 points, shooting 4-7 from 3-point range. Point guard Chrislyn Carr tallied 23 added and 11 assists. Texas Tech’s senior presence in the post punished OU’s defense and created opportunities for the rest of the team. The right team is entirely capable of succeeding in the absence of senior leadership. Men’s college basketball is often dominated by freshman-heavy rosters. But for these Sooners, the
EDWARD REALI/THE DAILY
Sophomore guard Madi Williams during the game against Texas Tech on March 7.
veteran void is indicative of their constant struggles this season. OU finished the season on an eight-game losing streak dating back to Feb. 8. “It’s been a journey,” head coach Sherri Coale said. “There have been times where certain players have stepped forward and assumed the reins. There have been times where they’ve all looked around at each other like, ‘Who’s gonna save us now?’ That’s just one of the perils of being young.” OU’s four leading scorers on Saturday share four years of Division I experience among them. Texas Tech’s four leading scorers combined for eight. Of OU’s three juniors, Ana Llanusa has missed 10 games this year due to injury, Mandy Simpson averages 5.4 points per game, and Ashlynn Dunbar is in her first season of college basketball. The Sooners’ growth from last year has been well-documented, but inconsistent at times. OU’s win total jumped from eight to 12, but the real improvement has been between the buzzers. In their losing streak, the Sooners have been within striking distance of a win multiple times, as four of their losses have
been by two possessions or fewer. “The growth has been that we are consistently putting ourselves in a position to have a chance to win,” Coale said. “You have to do that before you can win. As tough as it is to swallow (the results), there is obvious, tangible progress.” Making strides as individuals and as a unit is paramount to team success, and there is no denying the Sooners have made strides in a number of areas. For Coale, it’s an even better gauge for growth than the wins and losses. Only time will tell whether her young squad is destined for greatness or not. But time is ticking fast. If last season was a mulligan for Coale, this season has been an unhealthy dose of deja vu. “We’re better at blocking out, we’re better at rebounding, we’re better at defensive rotation,” Coale said. “There are so many things that we’re better at. We’re just not getting as many results as we want. And that’s the next step.” Steven Plaisance
srplaisance@ou.edu
She was then presented with the Kelly GarrisonFunderburk Gymnast of the Meet Award for her contributions as a teammate. It was a fitting transition to Kindler’s speeches, which wrapped up a night the trio of seniors will not soon forget. “It was beautiful,” Showers said. “Just the gymnastics, how people competed, how we all came together, really an amazing thing.” But Kindler wasn’t just proud of the seniors’ final
regular season home meet. She also reveled in how they’ve changed since their first regular season home meet as Sooners. As Kindler said in her speech, they’ve all had different journeys, and they came to Oklahoma as very different people than they are now, but they’ve grown to demonstrate the power of togetherness. “They arrived at OU as three individuals, and through their journey have
CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY
become one amazing family,” Kindler said. “I’m so proud to have been their coach and to have had the opportunity to spend four years with them.” The Sooners are poised to finish the regular season on a high note against No. 11 Minnesota at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 14 in Minneapolis. Mason Young
mason.e.young-1@ou.edu