SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM • FEBRUARY 20, 2019 | VOLUME 104 | ISSUE 17
NEWS • SGA GENERAL ELECTIONS Courtesy Photo
SPORTS •TRACK PHOTO GALLERY
Michael Sandoz | Printz
Student Governemnt Association elections start Feb. 26.
Eric Richards celebrates first place win.
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Southern Miss sweeps Purdue on opening weekend ANDREW ABADIE EXECUTIVE EDITOR
outhern Miss trailed in all three games against Purdue on opening weekend and had to stage a comeback each time. The most crucial part in all three wins was Southern Miss’ bullpen, which was the unsung hero for the series sweep. “We talk a lot about not riding a rollercoaster of emotion,” Southern Miss head coach Scott Berry said. “When you get down you just can’t let yourself get down. We talk about momentum and being able to capitalize and getting the momentum back and not giving it up. More importantly, the message is to always play even keel never high and never too low. Just understand how to play the game.” Aside from Matthew Guidry’s walk-off hit, the biggest key in Friday night’s win was the Golden Eagle bullpen. Walker Powell had what looked to be a rust buster outing as he gave up five hits and two runs, but it was a pair of fielding errors that gave Purdue a 6-4 lead. However, relievers Ryan Och and Mason Strickland kept Purdue in check and allowed only five hits combined in the 8-7 extrainning win. Stevie Powers’ Saturday performance on the mound was the most solid among the weekend starters. Powers came out and struck out six batters, gave up one earned run and retired the last 11 batters he faced in the team’s 4-2 game two win. However, Cody Carroll’s performance proved to be the difference as he kept Purdue off the board in his relief performance. Carroll had tough moments in his first two seasons at Southern Miss, but his arm looked to take him to the next level as he consistently threw in the lower 90s over the weekend. On Sunday, Jarod Wright got the start but had a tough outing as he gave up five runs on four hits in just one inning of work, which gave Purdue a 4-0 lead on Sunday.
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Southern Miss team celebrates Friday night victory.
However, Alex Nelms stopped Purdue’s momentum as he stepped into relief for the next three innings and allowed just one hit. Relievers Josh Lewis, Hunter Stanley, Och and J.C. Keys gave up only two runs on four hits in the 16-7 win on Sunday. In all three games, the bullpen was the game changer in keeping Southern Miss within striking distance by the end
of each game, as 20 of Southern Miss’ 27 total runs came after the sixth inning. “We just don’t give up,” Southern Miss outfielder/ pitcher Matt Wallner, who had five RBIs on Sunday, said. “We know we’re not always going to get the lead to start, you get the runs in the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth. We’re just relentless for sure.”
The bats also guided the Golden Eagles to their win on Sunday, but Hunter Slater’s bat easily made the biggest impact. Slater finished the weekend eight for 13 and four RBIs, which comes out to a .613 batting average. Slater also took advantage of being moved to the three spot of the lineup and hitting ahead of Wallner. “Of course, they don’t want to pitch to Wallner and so they want whoever is in front of him to earn their way on,” Berry said. “They don’t want to pitch around [Slater] to get to Wallner, so he’s responding well. He’s responded well. He’s getting pitches to hit and he’s not missing them. He’s doing what he’s supposed to do.” A new addition to the lineup is Brant Blaylock. Last season, Gabe Montenegro was the breakout star in the opening series; this season Blaylock potentially looks to be the new breakout first-year player. In his first at-bat, Blaylock hit a home run and finished the weekend three for nine with a pair of RBIs. Blaylock filled in for the injured Wallner in right field. Once Wallner returns from his forearm injury, Blaylock’s role will be an intriguing factor for the lineup. Additionally, the Golden Eagles were able to take advantage of a rebuilding Purdue team. The pitching overall was solid, and the bats are as consistent as they were a season ago. “I thought we played hard,” Berry said. “I thought we competed. We didn’t play on emotion at all. I thought that we understood in a mature way how you come out and play baseball games. Whether you’re up or whether you are down. We learned that once again it’s not over until it’s over, and that’s the way we got to continue to do, but I was very proud by the way we competed.” Southern Miss will take on Troy (2-2) at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss., on Wednesday. Following that, the team will travel to Starkville, Miss., to face No. 14 Mississippi State (3-0 overall) from Feb. 22 to Feb. 24. “[Mississippi St. is] definitely coming for us,” Wallner said. “We just have to approach them as another team and not get scared of anyone. Obviously, we’ve shown that we can beat anybody and we’re just going to go after them next weekend.”
Law enforcement capture escapees ALYSSA BASS
NEWS/ FEATURE EDITOR
Southern Miss’ Hattiesburg campus was put on lockdown Friday, Feb. 15 when two inmates escaped the Forrest County Jail and were seen near the Hillcrest residence hall. The two inmates were 26-year-old Carlos Sibley and 29-year-old Donaven Harris. Sibley was arrested in 2016 and convicted of second-degree murder, and Harris was charged with armed robbery and two aggravated assault charges. Chief deputy of the Lamar County Sheriff Office Brad Weathers posted on
Facebook Saturday, Feb. 16 that the two “thugs are headed back to jail.” According to his post, the Hattiesburg Police and members of the U.S. Marshals Task Force assisted in the capture. The inmates were taken into custody near Bayview and Westover Drive in West Hattiesburg. The inmates were believed to be spotted off the Southern Miss campus Saturday morning, according to an Eagle Alert sent to students, faculty and staff. The University Police Department advised those on campus to use caution, to not travel alone and to report any suspicious activity to UPD.
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Carlos Sibley
Donaven Harris
INTRODUCTION FEBRUARY 20, 2019 ANDREW ABADIE
MAGGIE MATTESON
GRANT CHIGHIZOLA
OLIVIA SALDANA
ALYSSA BASS
MADISON COLLINS
CARLTON MCGRONE
CALEB MCCLUSKY
Executive Editor andrew.abadie@usm.edu
Managing/Sports Editor grant.chighizola@usm. edu
News/Features Editor alyssa.bass@usm.edu
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Multimedia Editor madison.collins@usm.edu
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BRIAN WINTERS
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CHUCK COOK
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NEWS FEBRUARY 20, 2019
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Parks and Rec department hosts co-ed dodgeball BRIAN WINTERS PRINTZ REPORTER
he city of Hattiesburg’s Department of Parks and Recreation is hosting a coed dodgeball league. The teams require a minimum of six players per team with at least two members of the opposite gender. The league season begins on Tuesday, March 7. The cost is $150 a team with registration closing Friday, March 1. Matches will run Thursday evenings at the Ben McNair Center. “We started adult co-ed dodgeball last March,” the innovative programs coordinator Kristen Nooe said. “Everyone had a lot of fun last year, so we had to do it again this year.” Nooe said that this dodgeball league is not the first co-ed sport hosted by the Department of Parks and Recreation and they have also done volleyball, basketball and softball. “All the new programs we’ve come out with were started to offer more innovative programs for the young professionals in the area,” Nooe said. “Dodgeball was a fun memory from when we were younger and in elementary school.” Teams from the past year got into the sport by dressing in shorts and wearing headbands. All of the programs have had the impact on the area Nooe was looking for. “Mayor Barker is looking to make Hattiesburg a premiere city in the South, and this is part of it. Programs give people more reason to stay here.” For the time being, dodgeball will be held inside the Ben McNair Center only. There are no areas outside that
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can accommodate a dodgeball game. “We played around with working with construction to build a wall that is strong enough but portable enough to move each game,” Nooe said. “Logistically, we figured we would keep it as a cold weather sport that we can do indoors so people can still be active.” Iyanna Marshall, a freshman psychology major, said a dodgeball team would be a good addition to the community. “Dodgeball is one of the more
unifying team sports,” Marshall said. “It is a lot of fun and is a good way to get everyone together.” Preston Cox, a senior public relations major, thinks a dodgeball league would be a good way to get out into the community. “I think dodgeball is a simple enough game anyone can pick it up,” Cox said. “I think it’s good. It’s co-ed, so anyone can get involved.” “Dodgeball is perfect. It is so fun and so simple,” Cox said. “I think anyone can pick it up and be good at
SGA arranges executive elections CALEB MCCLUSKEY ASSISTANT EDITOR
he Student Government Association will hold its annual general election on Feb. 26 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on campus and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. online. “It is a time where the community really comes together and eventually, as a community, you’re getting to choose their future leaders,” senior communication studies major and SGA president McKenna Stone said. The different executive positions up for reelection are SGA president, vice president, attorney general, election commissioner, treasurer and a senator position. Senior international studies major and SGA election commissioner Katie Rogers said the candidates’ names will be released Feb. 20 at midnight. “I’ve been on election commission since my freshman year. I’ve always loved campus elections,” Rogers said. “Getting to put on the elections and work with the candidates is a very rewarding position.” Candidates who turned their applications in on Feb. 19 will go to a mandatory meeting the same day at 5 p.m. and will be able to campaign midnight on Feb. 20. Candidates have six days to campaign before elections close with the possibility of a runoff on Feb. 28. Rogers also said there
will be a page on the SGA website displaying the candidates and their potential position. Senior communication studies major Casey Ford ran for and got homecoming queen in 2018, which she said was due to encouragement from friends. She said the six days of campaigning felt short but thinks it proposes a great challenge. She also said the sign-up process was fairly easy. “It really isn’t a huge position. In the sense that you aren’t running for office to fill a role or do a job, but it is a really unique opportunity to represent Southern Miss, and that’s what was appealing to me,” Ford said. “That kind of thing—and the campaign process involved—was and still is very foreign to me, so I think those couple of weeks were uncomfortable for me in some ways but also a lot of fun.” There will be a town hall-style debate between presidential and executive seat candidates at the Joe Paul Theater the night before election day on Feb. 25 at 5 p.m. Rogers said the SGA will gather questions from the student body through social media before the event that will be proctored, but there will not be a Q&A section. “The debate is going to be really interesting,” Stone said. “It is open to the public. Any student can come and hear the platform points of the candidates.” Stone and Rogers both are extremely happy with how the online voting and their other changes to the election
code have affected the elections. “[Elections] are a very straightforward process, and that is something I worked very hard on this year,” Rogers said. “I realized that an online voting system would be very beneficial to the students.” Rogers said an early announcement of running is considered early campaigning which is against the SGA election code and will disqualify the candidate. Another issue that can disqualify a candidate is candidates setting up unofficial voting stations. If a candidate is seen handing smart devices to students with the express purpose to get the student to vote, Rogers said to contact her, and they will be disqualified. Stone said since she ran unopposed for both SGA president last year and SGA vice president the year prior that her campaign experience is different from most people’s application, but she also said she did campaign as a senator. “I haven’t had to personally experience an election in quite some time, but I’ve also been on the more administrative side these past two years,” Stone said. “From my experience, it is a really exciting time for the whole community.” Students can either vote on campus during the times mentioned above at the Thad Cochran Center, Scianna Hall or the Liberal Arts Building or online at https://apps.usm.edu/sga/ voting/.
it.” Marshall said dodgeball can help students relieve stress. “Personally, even though it is the beginning of the semester, the workload is a lot,” Marshall said. “To have an opportunity to wind down and be around other students and community members would be a good way to get students out of their dorms and into the world.” For information about the dodgeball league, call 601-467-7879 or go to http://cityofhpr.siplay.com to register.
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Junior political science major and resident assistant in Hillcrest Taylor Baker was on duty that night. Baker said her boss texted her to alert her that the inmates were seen in the parking lot and make sure no resident left the building until around 1 a.m. Guests were unable to be checked in during the lockdown. Baker said she was scared because of the proximity of the inmates. “I think a lot of the residents felt safe inside the building. Parking outside and getting into the building was most people’s concern,” Baker said. Junior painting and drawing major Janey Shimp said she was frightened when she received the Eagle Alert messages. “[The inmates] weren’t close to where I live, but it’s still scary when you hear something like that,” Shimp said. “I had to go to work early in the morning as well, and I work close to the school. Seeing the email saying they hadn’t been caught yet and giving a more detailed description of them scared me even more because I was alone all night and that morning. Who knew where they could have run to? I’m glad they were caught and no one was hurt.” In the case of future emergencies, call UPD at 601-266-4986.
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Nelson Haskin Jr. taking on Downtown Hattiesburg JAMIE MASSENGALE PRINTZ REPORTER
If you’re looking for something to eat or drink in Downtown Hattiesburg, Nelson Haskin Jr. can hook you up. Haskin is the man behind Blu Jazz Café and Nellie’s Chicken and Daiquiris. It has been almost two years since Haskin opened his first restaurant in a tiny 800 square foot space in downtown Hattiesburg, but he is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In April 2017, Haskin opened Blu Jazz, a restaurant that quickly gained popularity and outgrew its limited space. Once the Black Sheep Speakeasy closed, Haskin seized the opportunity for a larger space and moved Blu Jazz up the street. Still wanting to utilize the old space, Haskin decided to turn it into Nellie’s Chicken and Daiquiris shortly after the move. Most recently, Haskin acquired Southbound Bagel Shop to add to his restaurants, which are all located on Front Street in downtown Hattiesburg. “I’m just trying to live,” Haskins said. “[I’m] just trying to do some cool stuff. I like restaurants.” Haskin said he got his start in the restaurant industry while working at Chesterfields when he was in college. “I was waiting tables and making tips. I just thought, ‘Man this is cool,’” Haskin said. Haskins said he eventually started managing the kitchen, which gave him the background and experience in the industry that initially sparked his interest in wanting to open his own restaurant.When considering locations, Haskin said he wanted to start a
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business in downtown. “I like it downtown. It fits me,” Haskin said. “I like the vibe. It gives me the freedom to walk. I like walking. In big cities and places like New Orleans, you can park and walk to a bunch of different places. You don’t have to drive all over the place.” Haskin was introduced to Chris Hackbarth, the original owner of Southbound Bagel Shop when he was looking at opening Blu Jazz next door in the old Skylight Lounge location. “We became friends, and over time we got to talking,” Haskin said. “We just talked before it went public. He said, ‘Hey, I’m thinking about selling this,’ so that went on for a couple months, and then next thing I know, I got a bagel shop.”
Although Haskin has a background working in restaurants, he has also worked for the National Guard for the past 10 years. “I’m military-minded,” Haskin said. “Whenever there is a change or turnover in the military, you don’t change anything for the first 100 days.” Haskin said he wants to keep Southbound the same because it is already a successful business. “I just let the employees keep doing what they’ve been doing and learn from them,” Haskin said. “One thing that Nellie’s Chicken and Daiquiris has taught me is to keep it simple.” One employee who has continued to work at Southbound Bagel Shop through the change is Natalie Perry.
“I’ve only been his employee for a little over a month now, but I genuinely regard him as an excellent employer,” Perry said. “It’s not just the new equipment or the fact that he gave the place the new life it desperately needed; he listens to us. He genuinely cares about his employees.” Haskin’s impact has been felt by those who live and work in the downtown area. Downtown resident Harry Goff met Haskin soon after he had taken over the iconic Skylight Lounge. “I’m so proud to have him investing in downtown Hattiesburg and continuing the revitalization taking place,” Goff said. “I consider him a dear friend and wish we had a dozen more Nelson Haskins Jr.’s investing in downtown.”
Student Involvement Fair Held in the Thad Cochran CONRAD ACOSTA PRINTZ REPORTER
tudent organizations attempted to persuade students to join them at the student involvement fair in the Thad Cochran Center on Monday, Feb. 11. There were many different organizations there, including support groups, volunteer organizations, Greek life and others. Each organization had a tabletop presentation with a few representatives to give the students walking through the fair a good look into what each group is all about. Sophomore computer science and media production major representing the Gay-Straight Alliance Hazel Tepec said he felt as if the fair gave student organizations the opportunity to grow both in numbers and visibility. “We’ve been steadily growing,” Tepec said. “A couple of years ago we got the Prism Center, which was a huge step forward for the LGBTQ+ community here at Southern Miss, so with us getting that resource center and with us being a present organization on campus, I believe that we’re growing…the fair helps with that a lot because it helps us get in touch with people that we wouldn’t normally see.” Tepec said events like this one help expose the student body to a more diverse field of view when it comes to groups like the LGBTQ+ community. “Primarily people who go to Southern Miss or are from the South are raised in the South, so they aren’t exposed to a lot of things,” Tepec said. “But when they come here, they get to see so much that they aren’t accustomed to. With the GSA being here at the involvement fair, we get to explain who we are and what we do, and it helps people realize that there are people like us out there.” Representatives from Volunteer USM, an organization that helps set up volunteer opportunities for its members both on and off campus, also participated in the fair. Junior forensics and criminal justice major and one
Students look for groups to get involved on campus.
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of the representatives for Volunteer USM said the involvement fair and events like it provide incoming freshman with the opportunity to find their place on campus. “When you’re a freshman, you kind of don’t know where your place is on campus, and you don’t really know anybody,” Rogers said. “This helps you get your face out there and helps get you active in Southern Miss. You can come to these events and see that you’re not the only one who’s trying to get involved. It really helps you build that friendship base, and eventually, you venture out and start discovering what it is that you like.” She also said she would like to see a similar
involvement fair for exclusively volunteer organizations. “I would want to see more events with the groups that we work with so that we could all explain what we do with each other because people will join Volunteer USM but not know that we’re connected with [the Center for Community Engagement] and all that,” Rogers said. If you’re in a group, but you don’t know whom you’re working with, it kind of defeats the purpose.” A few new organizations were also present at the fair, one of them being the Southern Miss chapter of the International Justice Mission, an organization centered around raising funds towards fighting
slavery, which just got approved this January. Junior social work major and one of the representatives from the International Justice Mission Caroline Korson said events like the student involvement fair are vital to grow organizations. “It’s essential because we have to get our name out there somehow, and social media can only go so far because we only know so many people to follow,” Korson said. “We also want a wide variety of people to be in our organization, not just people that we know or that we have connections within other organizations so that we can really represent the campus. These involvement fairs really help with that.”
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Honors College recruits during Palentine’s Day CONRAD ACOSTA PRINTZ REPORTER he Honors College held a Palentine’s Day pancake dinner at the Honor House at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 13 as a way to encourage community bonding within the Honors College as well as a way to welcome those who might be considering joining in their junior year. The event consisted of eating freshly cooked pancakes that could be garnished with a variety of toppings from chocolate chips to whipped cream as well as a game of get-to-know-you bingo. The attendees of the Palentine’s Day celebration consisted of a mixture of different majors and classifications from both inside the Honors College and out. Kelley Gonzalez, a sophomore English major and a member of the Honors College, described the event as a friendly Valentine’s Day celebration that started this year. “We’re starting to try out new things and see how many people we can get to come look at the Honors College because we aren’t that big, and we don’t make up that much of the Southern Miss community,” Gonzalez said. “We just want to be welcoming with open arms and show people what we actually are besides just the scholars and the nerdy kids.” Many of those at the event who are not currently in the Honors College were
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mingling with the Honors community and getting a feel for whether they wanted to join. Freshman accounting major, who was scouting out the Honors College, Shaye Hyer had a positive view of the Honors College based on the event and is considering joining.
“It seems like a great experience,” Hyer said. “Everyone is very nice. You get to meet new friends, get to know new people, get involved and get scholarships if you join. So I really like it.” Members of the Honors College were also trying to give people insight about the program as well as mingling
and building bonds within their own community while enjoying the pancake dinner. Senior forensic science major and one of the organizers of the event Natalie Hosch described her experience being a part of the Honors College. “The Honors College has done so much more for me than I ever expected it to. When I was looking at what university I was going to go to as a senior in high school, I knew I wanted some place where I was going to feel at home, and when I came to the Honors College, I felt that,” Hosch said. “Being a part of the Honors College Leadership Council and planning events like this has tremendously helped with my leadership skills and being able to talk to people, and I have made so many friends that I definitely would not have known otherwise.” She also gave words of advice to those that are currently sophomores or incoming juniors that may be considering joining the Honors College. “I would talk to your friends that are in the Honors College, specifically juniors and seniors who are going through that thesis writing process because that’s what you’re going to be doing,” Hosch said. “If you don’t know any juniors and seniors, just come by the Honor House. The door is always open, from nine to five. There’s always someone in here that can put you in contact with the right people. Also just don’t be afraid of it; it’s definitely a lot more work than not being in the Honors College, but it’s so rewarding.”
Hattiesburg Arts Council holds Fill Your Heart with Art MORGAN USRY PRINTZ REPORTER
he Hattiesburg Arts Council hosted their annual Fill Your Heart with Art event on Feb. 13 from 7-9 p.m. in the Hattiesburg Cultural Center. Participants of the event were provided with art supplies to make cards and other Valentine’s Day-themed crafts. The event included live music, cocktails and a variety of snacks. There were also numerous local artisans selling handmade jewelry, stained glass artworks and pottery. One attendee, Natalie Wu, came to the event with her fiancé to celebrate her birthday. “He wanted to do something kind of random, and it was great, and I got to make this flower bouquet,” Wu said. Another participant, Caroline Bradley, came to the event with several friends and co-workers. “We wanted to come here to support the arts in general and support local events in Hattiesburg. It’s been a good time of fellowship and meeting new people in the community, such as local vendors,” Bradley said. The Director of Hattiesburg Arts Council, Rebekah Stark Johnson, said the annual event helps raise money for HAC’s other programs and events, such as their smART Space program for children. “This event is our kickoff event,” Johnson said. “Every year we do an event that spotlights all of our smART Space kids. All the work on the walls here is from their after-school classes. This is just a night for people to be with each other and make Valentine’s art.” The Fill Your Heart with Art event is just one of the many events and programs that the Hattiesburg Arts Council hosts throughout the year.
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“Our main goal is to bring the community together through the arts and interactive opportunities like this,” Johnson said. “We also have exhibits, dance performances and children’s theater programs. We occasionally do things like this to support our smART Space program, which is an outreach program through the city, and we also do an after-school program once a week.”
Abigail Allen is the program coordinator for the Hattiesburg Arts Council’s smART Space program. “We go into schools and rehabilitation centers,” Allen said. “And we also work with the Arc’s Rise and Shine organization and the public schools here and summer camps. It’s really important for children to be able to make choices and get messy
since they don’t have many opportunities to do that. We like to give them a chance to be creative and imaginative.” The Hattiesburg Arts Council’s upcoming event Art in the Garden will be March 23 at 2 p.m. at the Hattiesburg Cultural Center. The event will feature a birdhouse contest and a presentation by Felder Rushing.
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Salvation Army versus Goodwill WILLIAM LOWERY PRINTZ REPORTER ince 1865, the Salvation Army has been dedicated to helping the needy all over the globe. Operating in 131 countries with over 1.7 million members, the organization, founded by William Booth, is best known for two things: the red kettles people see in front of Wal-Mart during the holidays and their thrift stores. Salvation Army thrift stores exist not only in America, but also in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Much like Goodwill, the Salvation Army takes donated goods and re-sells them at an affordable price, including furniture, clothing, toys and electronics. What’s great about donating goods to the Salvation Army is that all items are taxdeductible, meaning whatever is given to the Salvation Army can be used to lower the tax bill or increase one’s refund, depending on the value of the product. When someone donates items, it’s important to ask for a receipt to keep track of what was dropped off. Of course, people don’t go to a thrift store just to let go of no longer useable items, they also go there to shop. Shopping at the organization’s thrift stores is beneficiary to them since all funds go towards their rehabilitation centers and other programs. The Salvation Army is focused on
helping those in need. Keeping with their message, the group will hire exfelons to work at their stores, depending on the person’s circumstances, and those individuals are allowed to work their way up to a manager’s position. Additionally, the Salvation Army will put those who are homeless or in rehab through a special program called “work therapy.” The intent of this program is to help these individuals regain confidence and learn work skills; however, the program is not without its controversy. Many have criticized the program for its strict working conditions and menial pay. A person in work therapy tends to work 40 hours a week and only earn upwards of 20 dollars. Also, rather than work up front, these people are relegated to the back, where they spend hours sifting through all of the donated items to see what’s safe to sell and what’s not. The Salvation Army is also infamous for its stance on the LGBTQ+ community. Although the group claims to not discriminate such individuals and pledges support to them, their history says otherwise. While the organization has been accused for certain practices and beliefs, this shouldn’t deter customers from continuing to shop at their thrift stores. All money from purchases goes towards their multiple programs, and donating items can be used as a means to lower the tax bill.
LILLIE BUSCH PRINTZ REPORTER fter parking the car, you push open the glass doors of the building. You inhale the undeniable smell of a grandmother’s house. Your feet cross the tiled floor. Seemingly limitless shopping opportunities are at your fingertips, all at a discounted price. Or perhaps, in a cleansing spirit motivated by Marie Kondo’s “Tidying Up” Netflix sensation, you are carrying cardboard boxes to a thrift store’s donation center. You are at Goodwill, the college student’s promised land with its low prices and variety of options. Or did you stop at Salvation Army, with its promise of charity and Christian ministry? Which organization should you support? When deciding where to donate or buy secondhand clothes, the best decision is obviously Goodwill. Goodwill is one of America’s top five most recognized valuable nonprofit brands. Global media company giant Forbes named Goodwill one of America’s “Top 20 Most Inspiring Companies” for three years running. This is all well and good, but how does Goodwill impact individuals’ lives? Not only does donating to Goodwill benefit you, such as providing an opportunity to clean out your closet, but it also benefits other individuals such as job seekers who may not find employment elsewhere. After all, Goodwill helped more than 280,000 people find jobs in 2017; more than 38.6 million individuals accessed Goodwill mentor and further education programs in both the United States and Canada. The Goodwill website showcases first-person
testimonials from individuals especially impacted by the organization. Goodwill not only cares for individuals but also cares about its environmental impact. The company recently introduced a new initiative titled “Use Less, Serve More” which, according to the official Goodwill website, means to provide support for more people while lessening the company’s environmental impact. Another initiative is the partnership between Goodwill and technology company Dell titled “Dell Reconnect”. The program, Goodwill claims, has kept more than 500 million pounds of electronics since 2004. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the evangelical Salvation Army promotes charitable acts like community involvement, nonprofits assistant, as well as disaster aid. However, the organization is also known for allegedly supporting anti-LGBTQ+ movements. Furthermore, because Salvation Army is labeled as a religious organization, it is not obligated to report any financial data, as opposed to nonprofit Goodwill. Ultimately, it is up to you as a donator and consumer in choosing which organization you end up supporting. Either way, your closet offers more space to occupy, and you find something nice for a cheap price. You also keep items from landfills. Most importantly, however, you receive a receipt for your taxes – hello, approaching tax season! However, if you have not recently shopped at the Hattiesburg Goodwill, the store plans to move its location to 5916 US Highway 49. In the meantime, it is in its usual location on Hardy Street near T-Bones and ready for your business. Many of the statistics stated in this article can be found on the official Goodwill website.
The Bachelor promotes unrealistic love BETHANY MORRIS PRINTZ REPORTER
have tried time after time to get into the craze of the beloved reality show that is “The Bachelor.” There are many who watch “The Bachelor” religiously and have their DVR set and may even have a checklist of the women that the bachelor may choose. They are usually on the edge of their seats waiting to see who the bachelor will pick to be his wife, and then they can’t wait for the announcement of who will be the bachelor for the upcoming season. Reality television is just not my genre of television. “The Bachelor” has aired on ABC for 22 seasons, and only two couples from the show are still together: Arie and Lauren from season 22 and Sean and Catherine Lowe from season 17. How would you expect the relationship to last when it’s based off first looks and one-night stands? Meanwhile, out of 14 seasons of “The Bachelorette” since 2003, six of the couples are still together. Maybe that has something to say about what men value in a relationship compared to women. I’m a sucker for a good love story, but I don’t prefer the unnecessary drama that is accompanied by the process of “The Bachelor.” Fans are so invested in this show just for the entertainment aspect of it, and they enjoy the drama. When “The Bachelor” first premiered, it was a decent show, but now it seems that it’s all staged and has more of a comedy aspect. The majority of the men and women on “The Bachelor” are not there to find their true love. Rather, they use the show as a pathway to fame. When I think about the popular reality
show, I have so many questions, and I’m dumbfounded that a show of this quality can even be so popular. “The Bachelor” has aired on Monday nights for 17 years, which is pretty remarkable. Why are people so drawn to drama and “reality” television? I could do without bringing more drama into my life. The shallow “acting” on the
show makes me cringe, especially this season with Colton Underwood, former NFL player. The show has an overall feeling that is socially awkward. How is it even love if you’re romantically involved with all these women? How are you okay with eliminating them right on the spot, despite being so in love? In order for a relationship to last, there needs to be
commitment throughout the relationship from both parties. If you’re in love with one girl one day, then the next day you’re in love with another girl, how is there even a connection? Why have we as a people lowered our standards for trash “reality” television when we could watch good quality television with substance? I have so many questions.
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RuPaul pulls lame stunt on ‘All Stars 4’ JACK MCCALLUM PRINTZ REPORTER
uPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4” had one of the most disappointing finales in reality television history as it avoided choosing one queen to join the hall of fame, instead choosing a tie between Trinity the Tuck and Monet X Change. “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” has had a lingering air of being tired ever since the third season’s controversial finale in 2018. RuPaul’s decision to crown both Monet X Change and Trinity the Tuck truly brings out the vibe that this is the most disappointing finale for the series yet. This season has had plenty of memorable moments thanks to a cast of iconic queens, but maybe it is time to let this spin-off rest. The thought of there being two seasons of “All Stars” within 12 months is absurd and cheapens the idea of what it means to be an all-star. This was an incredibly strong cast of queens, but the production feels rushed, as if VH1 is afraid drag will not be trendy next month. Three queens being inducted into the imaginary Drag Race Hall of Fame in a year’s time feels sticky and wrong. One of the worst parts of the finale was the editing. It was clear that they never originally planned for a double crowning as two separate scenes of Trinity and Monet winning were sloppily spliced together. This really adds to the overall cheapness of this episode, making it seem like no one on the production team really cares about anything other than creating shocking moments to score more Emmys in the reality TV categories. This tragic close to “All Stars 4” is depressing because of how bright things were looking leading up to this moment. The first eight episodes were packed with drama and meme-worthy moments, but these last two have truly been a bummer. It seems like the producers thought a double win would be a shocking moment, but it just feels anticlimactic. There would have been more shock and less disappointment had they called Jasmine Masters and given her the crown. A double win was also likely meant to skirt any
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backlash that would inevitably come from the losing queen’s fanbase. The blonde and white look of the “All Stars” winners has been an important issue brought up repeatedly since Trixie beat Shangela and Kennedy last season. On the other side, there has been a considerable amount of unwarranted hate sent towards Monet throughout this season that would likely have worsened had she beaten Trinity. Choosing a double crowning allowed for RuPaul and the show’s producers to escape any criticism regarding who wins. Even if one chooses to ignore the absurdity of a tie, the top two felt wrong. Not only was the strongest competitor eliminated two
episodes ago, but Monique Heart’s talent and performance prior to the final episode was also completely dismissed. While the tie felt weird, it also felt wrong to have neither Manila nor Monique in the top two when considering their performance. “Drag Race” needs to go back to focusing on celebrating queer art and not forcing these irritating twists. The final lip sync between Trinity and Monet to Christina Aguilera’s “Fighter” was a really strong lip sync from both. Watching the lip sync was super high energy and anxiety-inducing, which made it even more disappointing when RuPaul revealed
that they both won a crown and $100,000. One can only imagine the frustration of Naomi and Monique having been sent home in third and fourth for arbitrary reasons. The finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4” was not only a diss to the viewers who expect a winner, but also to the queens who have been runner-up in previous seasons. RuPaul deciding to give out a tie on “All Stars 4” makes this season feel like a waste of time. One can only hope this is not “Drag Race” jumping the shark. It sure is going to look strange having five winners for only four seasons.
‘Tabilb’ is the perfect film for romance CARLTON MCGRONE ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
here has never been a better time to consume some fantastically cheesy romance narratives considering the overwhelming amount of tongue-in-cheek comedies flooding cinemas and Netflix. The streaming service’s “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” provides seekers of this exact genre the perfect escape into the melodramatics of high school flings, lies and the revelation of unsent love letters. Following the recent trend of Hollywood adaptations, “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” is based on the novel of the same name by extraordinary author Jenny Han. A storyline tragically trapped in its own web of a lackluster premise, viewers will slowly fall in love with the film’s main character and the many characters that fill her eccentric world. Aptly named, the film follows Lara Jean Covey, a high school junior on the very cusp of love and an actual romance story of her own. In love with her sister’s ex-boyfriend and childhood crush, Lara Jean’s hopes for a typical school year are dashed when the love letters she’s kept hidden for years get out to each of her crushes. To prevent any more collateral damage, Lara Jean begins fakedating Peter Kavinsky, the school’s top jock.
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As one may guess, chaos tends to pursue in the sight of such admittedly complex antics. The beauty behind this film, just like the novel, shines in its absolute inability to tackle any serious issues beyond the classic “mix-up of unrequited love” trope. Han
does a beautiful job at putting a twist on this trope just enough that viewers remain entranced by the film’s story if only to find out how Lara Jean resolves this incredibly down-to-earth issue. Much like the cheesy romance media
that has come before it, “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” doesn’t attempt to make out-of-this-world metaphors or allegorical statements about political statements, race or any other hot-button issue. Cutting out any unnecessary issues with Lara Jean and her sisters being half Asian, this film knows exactly what it sets out to do: tell a story about a girl finding love in the midst of an unlikely situation. While there are several shortcomings that could potentially tank the film, such as its myriad of flat characters and insignificant story arcs, it only improves on the novel’s original success by cutting utterly dull plot points and shortening the novel’s impossibly lengthy opening scenes. A perfect Valentine’s film for years to come, “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” is an immediate draw for romance-chasers. An adaptation of the novel’s sequel, “P.S. I Still Love You” has already been confirmed as a Netflix original, and there’s no doubt that the third book in the series, “Always and Forever, Lara Jean” will be coming sometime in the near future. Though “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” may not be an instant classic, it definitely resides in the upper echelon of young adult book adaptation films. It’s a light, easy watch packed with plenty of the same melodrama and crying one would expect from a story of first love.
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“Head Above Water” is Lavigne at her strongest JACK MCCALLUM PRINTZ REPORTER
vril Lavigne’s sixth studio album “Head Above Water” is a collection of songs celebrating her resilience, happiness and willingness to rise above the negativity that comes her
way. A lot of people think of darkness and pain when it comes to personal albums, but “Head Above Water” is different. Avril Lavigne’s “Head Above Water” is a beautifully personal album because of how honest and open it is. Avril uses and exposes all the beauty and happiness in her life to create a strong, celebratory work of powerful pop tracks. The album kicks off on the right note with the song “Head Above Water” really setting the tone for what is to come on Avril’s latest musical venture. This song is Avril Lavigne taking her struggles that she has overcome and putting that emotion into a lush ballad accompanied by triumphant piano chords and violins. Avril’s voice explodes magnificently with the backing band, proving an example of Avril as a powerhouse vocalist. “Birdie” is an uplifting super-catchy pop track with Avril singing about overcoming struggle. The track flows perfectly into the beautiful power ballad “I Fell in Love with the Devil.” “Tell Me It’s Over” takes the listener to a ‘50s diner date over milkshakes with its cute pop beat and accompanying lyrics. “Dumb Blonde” is Avril’s latest single off the album featuring Nicki Minaj that sounds like it could be the younger cousin of Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl.” This track transports the listener to a specific time of Limewire downloads and glittery flash images as Avril chants about being more than the airhead stereotype associated with blondes. This fun, cheerleader-esque bubblegum pop track stands out in Avril’s catalog as somewhat of a continuation on her “Girlfriend” track. “Dumb Blonde” is Avril’s way of standing up to her
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doubters and saying that she can be both feminine and an intellectual. “It Was In Me” is another great, powerful and uplifting pop track that fits the overall themes of the album. The only issue is that it sounds odd coming directly after “Dumb Blonde.” It sounds a bit off to go from the most upbeat song on the album to another downbeat, piano-guitar pop ballad. The listener is introduced to a more intimate side of Avril with the guitar-laced pop track “Souvenir.” Avril sings about wishing she could frame a moment and keep it forever as a souvenir. This is such a good pop track that shows how Avril is still able to relate to the general public with her singing through her insecurities. “Souvenir” perfectly packages the emotions associated with being afraid that a relationship’s good times will come to a close. “Crush” features Avril as a hopeless romantic who
is confessing how important her partner is to her. This pop track is Avril at her most romantic and in love as she begs to not be crushed while in such a vulnerable state. The lush instrumentals that appear across the album again make an appearance on “Crush” with a luxe backing band perfectly complimenting Avril’s lyrics. One of the most creative songs to come out of Avril Lavigne is “Goddess,” which starts as a basic downtempo guitar track but soon kicks in with quirky lyrics rhyming pajamas and bananas. This is another example of Avril using her love and happiness to create a track that fully pulls out her most romantic emotions. “Goddess” is a celebratory track about the love Avril receives and about how her partner loves her through thick and thin. “Bigger Wow” is a bop and another upbeat, catchy pop song that sounds like it was cut for top 40 radio.
This is similar to “Love Me Insane,” which fits all the album’s recurring themes into a catchy pop track. These two tracks fit perfectly next to each other with their upbeat, catchy pop vibes. “Warrior” closes out Avril Lavigne’s “Head Out of Water” album as the perfect concluding statement with its triumphant beat and lyrics about achieving victory. “Warrior” is Avril using her hurt to build an uplifting track for fans of her work. This track really feels like the classic Avril Lavigne everyone fell in love with. She is her own person and she will be happy living that, which is perfectly said on “Warrior.” “Head Above Water” is Avril Lavigne taking all the positivity that has come her way to uplift her fans and those who crave resilient pop jams. Avril Lavigne’s sixth studio album proves that a personal, emotional album can also be a celebration of the good things that come in life.
Superhero media shows peronality and diversity CARLTON MCGRONE ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
ith the steady, almost sudden rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the ever-expanding blanket of outstanding superhero media has nevertheless reached virtually all corners of entertainment. Strictly talking about this particular genre in film and television, an internal debate on which is the better way to consume caped crusaders has only intensified with the massive array of original shows springing up on Netflix, the CW, Hulu and even Freeform. In this, I will discuss the particular strengths and weaknesses of superheroes on the big and small screens. Last year’s cataclysmic cinematic event “Avengers: Infinity War” more than proves that this, more than ever, is the time for amazing superhero films that could only have been dreamed of by comic fans when they were imaginative children. Even following a decade of build-up, “Infinity War” delivered in every sense of the word, providing a satisfying, yet frustrating, part-one conclusion that millions of viewers had been waiting for. Despite the amount of universe-ripping battles, the MCU’s much smaller films, such as “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” follow a very similar pattern that has been heavily criticized yet work on a myriad of levels. On a much lower scale in both production and story, superhero shows such as “The Umbrella Academy,” “Jessica Jones” and “The Runaways” all offer a strikingly different experience than their Hollywood-produced counterparts. While the blockbuster films clearly and heavily depend on flashy, meticulously-choreographed fight scenes with several moving parts and a dumbfounded amount of green screen usage, superhero shows
tend to focus on the much more human elements that create and continue to shape our heroes. While this method of storytelling may be wellsuited for religious bingers of television, this formula tends to bore the typical MCU movielover. At just a glance, one can clearly see how the two forms of media differ at the most basic of levels. While the MCU and DC Extended Universe lack really any personality and depth that can only be experienced through several hour-long episodes, Netflix and Hulu originals tend to become caught up in extending stories into 12-episode arcs that more than likely drag near the tail end of the season. However, in finding their respective audiences, both film and television productions capitalize on their strengths, expertly reusing the formula that every film or show has used before it. Particularly focusing on a personal favorite of mine, “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” one can pretty much guess exactly what may happen throughout the film, beat-by-beat. Skipping the tired origin story, Peter Parker struggles with fitting in at school due to his double life as a superhero, but when a villain threatens both of his identities, Peter must come to accept both halves of himself to save the day. This outline can pretty much be placed onto almost any MCU or DCEU film, and yet they remain so immensely popular because of the many aspects they do well. For this argument, I’ll focus on the writer’s ability to construct a seemingly distinct “savethe-day” narrative through tweaking the formula ever so slightly. What makes “Homecoming” such a delightful film is its ability to bring humanity to Peter and his friends, making viewers care about his various plights. While facing the villain of the week, Peter also has to take MJ to the prom but also prove himself to Mr. Stark, as any teenager with superpowers would want to. Rather than
creating a blank canvas for viewers to implant themselves onto, as many different forms of superhero media tend to do, “Homecoming” provides those interesting, loveable characters that viewers can enjoy for two hours and want to spend many more seeing future viewings. Placing this on a backdrop of flips, dives and occasional web-shooting, the MCU truly finds a delicate formula to keep viewers entertained when the hero is both in and out of his or her suit. Seeing the success of such huge films, superhero shows tend to take a slice of the “humanity” aspect and completely do away with the rest. I have yet to encounter a superhero show by which I was so completely dazzled by special effects when the characters would shoot lasers or reduce a building to rubble in one punch. On the contrary, I was quite disappointed in Hulu’s “The Runaways” when the one character who can fire beams looked utterly disgusting and artificial. Showrunners understand their budget, and they understand their audience. There’s a good reason that heroes such as Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and Daredevil are the ones who get television shows rather than someone like Captain Marvel. Clearly these shows are not given as huge a budget as the typical MCU film, and playing to their strengths, showrunners and writers exorbitantly expand on heroes’ humanity and increase the gritty angst that Batman is iconic for. On the flip side of this equation, though widely successful and popular in its own right, the DCEU ultimately continues to fail in pleasing viewers because of its writers inserting too much grit into the films. Unlike the CW shows that demonstrate the more light-hearted, bright spandex costumes of DC, the DCEU attempts to replicate the success that the “Dark Knight” cinematic series saw. In this, the company did away with any sort of fun and human characteristics and replaced this with brooding,
unlikable characters with boring or unbelievable story arcs. Again, focusing particularly on “Jessica Jones,” I can easily say that this show represents the very essence of a fantastic superhero show. While there are definitely episodes that are slower and less interesting than others, the sheer anguish that Jessica is forced to confront throughout season one is completely unapparelled to any similar show I’ve seen. The writers know exactly in which areas to ramp up any internal conflict Jessica feels, dragging the viewer along for this emotionally fluctuating ride. Unsuccessful shows such as “Inhumans,” a rare miss for Marvel, offered little in terms of both characterization and compelling storyline. Awful special effects and campy fight sequences aside, “Inhumans” essentially attempted to pull off what the MCU accomplished with “Avengers.” “Inhumans” introduced several characters all a part of one team and separated them within the first few episodes, not allowing any actual believable connection to form between characters and provided very little to interest viewers. Instead, the show attempts to lean on horrifying special effects and boring, inconsequential battles rather than do what other low-budget superheroes shows strived to accomplish. As stated earlier, rather than focusing on any sort of high-budget flashy stunts, Jessica tends to punch her way out of any situation, never bending in the face of any sort of menace. Rather than utilizing battles in space to reel in the viewer, Netflix originals and the sort tend to solely lean on dialogue between characters and the criminally flawed traits of villains and heroes to draw parallels between a life of crime and crime-fighting. Shows do away with the “light vs. dark” mentality and enter the much more obscure realm of “what is right?” and “what truly makes a hero?”
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Softball finishes 2-3 at Getterman Classic GRANT CHIGHIZOLA MANAGING/SPORTS EDITOR he Southern Miss softball team returned to action following a 4-1 midweek road loss to Nicholls State to compete in the Getterman Classic in Waco, Texas, on Feb. 15-17. The Golden Eagles finished the weekend with a 2-3 record to put their overall record at 7-4. Southern Miss opened play on Friday with a 5-3 win over UT Arlington. Senior catcher Samantha Papp put Southern Miss on the board first with an RBI single in the fourth inning, which was followed by another score later in the inning when sophomore outfielder Destini Brown scored on a fielding error. UT Arlington added a run in the fifth inning, but Southern Miss responded with two runs in the sixth inning to extend its lead to 5-1. Two runs in the seventh inning by UT Arlington cut the Southern Miss lead to 5-3, but the Golden Eagles held on for the win. Freshman pitcher Kaylan Ladner was credited with her second win of the season. Ladner pitched six innings and allowed five hits, walked two batters and struck out one. Fellow freshman Makenna Pierce pitched one inning in relief and allowed one hit. The team also faced off against Baylor on Friday evening. Baylor got on the board with two runs in the third inning on an RBI single and sacrifice fly. The Bears added another run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to take a 3-0 lead. Freshman Madison Rayner put Southern Miss on the board with an RBI single in the seventh inning, but Southern Miss could not muster up any more offense in the 3-1 loss. As a whole, Southern Miss collected six hits in the contest. Rayner was two for four with an RBI to finish the contest. In the circle, junior Abby Trahan allowed six hits and three runs (two earned) in the loss.
Makayla Puckett | Printz
Southern Miss rebounded with a 2-1 win on Saturday morning against Sam Houston State to advance to the semifinal round of the tournament. Senior Sarah Van Schaik hit an RBI double that allowed Brown to score in the third inning, and junior Lacey Sumerlin hit a solo home run to left field to give the Golden Eagles the win. In the circle, Pierce pitched 5.1 innings and allowed three hits while striking out four batters. Junior Bailie Springfield earned the win in the contest after allowing just one hit and recording one strikeout in 1.2 innings pitched. In the semifinal game on Saturday evening,
Kayley Fruge catches flyball in outfield.
also against Sam Houston State, the Bearkats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. Southern Miss responded in the bottom half of the inning with a two-RBI single by Sumerlin to tie the game up at 2-2. However, a Sam Houston State home run in the sixth inning proved to be the difference in the Golden Eagles’ 3-2 loss. Rayner, Van Schaik, Sumerlin and sophomore Alyssa Davis each recorded hits in the contest for Southern Miss. Southern Miss concluded play in Waco on Sunday morning with a third-place game against Baylor. The Bears once again got on the board first with runs scored in the first and third innings. The Golden Eagles tied the
game up at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning with a Van Schaik RBI single and a score by Brown on a throwing error by Baylor. Southern Miss took the lead in the top of the fifth inning after a throwing error following a single by senior Chase Nelson that allowed redshirt junior Beth Taylor to score. Baylor retook the lead with two runs in the bottom half of the inning and held on the rest of the way for a 4-3 win over the Golden Eagles. The Golden Eagles will return to action with a doubleheader against Alcorn State at home on Feb. 20. Game one is set for 5 p.m., and game two is set for 7 p.m. at the Southern Miss Softball Complex.
Women’s tennis remains undefeated with win at Troy MAKAYLA PUCKETT PRINTZ REPORTER fter a rainout at Alabama State on Feb. 15 the Golden Eagles returned to the road to face Troy on Feb. 17. Southern Miss won its sixth consecutive match 6-1 against the Trojans. On the No. 1 doubles court, sophomore Arina Amaning and senior Tjasa Jerse defeated Troy’s Matea Mihaljevic and Tingting Pei 6-0. Freshman Monique Burton and sophomore Katia de la Garza won doubles No. 3 with a score of 7-6 over Celia Estevan and Maria Casas. The Southern Miss No. 2 doubles duo of freshman Ebru Zeynep Yazgan and senior Rikeetha Pereira fell by a score of 6-4 to Pei Ju and Chunxi Guo. “The team stepped up well to win the doubles point and win five singles matches today,” Southern Miss assistant coach Piyanart Engineer said. “We have been working very hard in practice on the tactical aspects and it helped us to beat a good Troy team 6-1.” In the singles portion of the day, Southern Miss won on five of six courts. Sophomore Tanit Lopez fell to Pei Ju Hsieh on court 5 with a score of 6-4, 6-1, tying things up in the competition. Yazgan brought in
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another win for the Golden Eagles with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Blas on court six, propelling the Golden Eagles back into the lead. For the remainder of the singles matches Amaning defeated Mihaljevic
Arina Amaning goes to return serve.
6-2, 7-5 on court 1. Court 2 saw a victory from Pereira in a tie break match against Pei with a score of 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. In singles No. 3, Jerse defeated Estevan 7-5, 7-6. Garza narrowly came out on top of the No. 4
singles contest against Guo after a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 match. The Golden Eagles will continue on the road with a match at the University of South Alabama on Feb. 23 at 12 p.m.
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Golden Eagles have six event winners in C-USA Indoor Championship ANDREW ABADIE EXECUTIVE EDITOR he Southern Miss men and women’s track and field teams competed in the Conference USA Indoor Championships on Feb. 16-17. The men’s team finished in fourth place overall with a score of 85 points, while the women’s team finished in fifth place with a score of 59.50. The team combined for 13 podium finishes with six event winners. Senior John Warren defended his triple jump title from a year ago with a jump of 16.29m. Warren also competed in the long jump where he finished in third place with a jump of 7.33m. Junior Caleb Parker won the 60m hurdles with a time of 7.77. In the men’s high jump, junior Eric Richards won the event with a jump of 2.22m with Parker doubling in the high jump where he finished in third place with a jump of 2.16m. Senior McKinely West also earned a pair of wins in the championship competition. In the 60m dash, West ran a 6.64, which broke the meet record. In the 200m dash, West ran 20.66 to earn the win in that category. West defended both of his titles in the 60m dash and 200m dash from last year. Senior Chedlin Sagesse also placed third in the 60m dash with a time of 6.85. “The men were outstanding during both days of competition, with three new C-USA meet records, five champions, and numerous season bests and school records,” head coach Jon Stuart said. “McKinely West, Eric Richards, Caleb Parker and John Warren wreaked havoc for 48 hours, accounting for 62 of our team points.” In the women’s shot put, senior Danisha Jones threw 15.82m on her last attempt. Jones also reached the podium with a third-place finish in the women’s weight throw, where she threw 18.93m. “Danisha Jones had a storybook ending to a great
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indoor career,” Stuart said. “She had the winning throw and a USM school record on her final throw of the competition. It couldn’t have been scripted any better.” In the women’s 60m dash, junior Keiyana Gaskin finished in sixth place with a time of 7.59. In the 400m dash, senior Rian Robinson placed in third by running a time of 55.34. In the men’s 400m dash, freshman Trey Johnson ran 46.97 to finish in fourth place. In the men’s 4x400 relay, the team of West, Johnson, senior Mamadou Seck and senior Lorenzon Burton finished in fourth
Eric Richards reacts after his jump to win long jump.
place with a time of 3:13.95. In the women’s 4x400, Robinson, senior Chenelle Ricketts, junior Aireanna Taylor and freshman Taylor Harris finished in sixth place with a time of 3:47.42. The women’s distance medley team comprised of sophomore Kate Mattox, junior Regen McGee, senior Rian Robinson and sophomore Sandra Szpott finished in second place running a time of 12:01. Szpott tripled, in the women’s one-mile run and ran 4:54 to finish in third place and in the 3000m run Szpott finished in fourth place in the 3000m run with a time of 9:56. McGee also ran
John Warren wins triple jump.
Eric Richards clears jump.
in the one-mile run, where she ran 5:01 to finish in seventh place. Freshman Lina May finished in eight place, running a time of 17:41 in the 5000m run. In the women’s high jump, juniors Zaria Jones and Jamari Drake jumped 1.71m and 1.66m to finish in fifth and sixth place. In the women’s triple jump, sophomore Callie Jones jumped a distance of 11.83m. Up next for Southern Miss is the NCAA Indoor Championships from March 8-9 in Birmingham, Alabama.
Caleb Parker wins 60m hurdles.
McKinely West defends titles in 60m and 200m dash.
Sandra Szpott runs anchor in DMR.
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Men’s basketball wins six in a row MAKAYLA PUCKETT PRINTZ REPORTER
Devon Dollar | Printz
Kevin Holland goes to shoot 3-pointer.
he Southern Miss men’s basketball team reached the most wins in a season during the Doc Sadler era with a 77-47 win over UTEP on Saturday. With their win streak now at six games, the Golden Eagles are now 17-9 for the season and 9-5 in C-USA play. In the first half, Southern Miss held the Miners to just 12 points, which is tied for the fewest points allowed in a half in Conference USA history. Redshirt junior Leonard Harper-Baker quickly gave the Golden Eagles the lead with a jumper at the 17:57 mark of the first half and another less than a minute later. From there, Southern Miss maintained the lead by making nine of 15 three-point shots and shooting 65.6 percent from the field versus UTEP’s 16.7 percent. By the end of the half, Southern Miss led UTEP by 42 points with a score of 54-12. “Going into the game, I thought UTEP was a team that defensively has been playing really well,” Sadler said. “I knew we were going to have to make some shots, and we did make some, then it just started snowballing.” Sophomore guard LaDavius Draine led the team in points in the first half with 18 points. Harper-Baker also added 10 points and seven rebounds. UTEP gained momentum in the second half by nearly doubling its first half score at the 11:37-minute mark. Although the Miners outscored Southern Miss 35-23 in the half, the Southern Miss lead was too big for UTEP to overcome. Southern Miss had nine turnovers in the second half compared to just one in the first. After scoring seven of the first 10 points in the half, UTEP found
Lady Eagles earn last second win at UTEP GRANT CHIGHIZOLA MANAGING/SPORTS EDITOR successful three-point attempt with three seconds remaining by junior guard Alarie Mayze was all that was needed for the Southern Miss Lady Eagles (15-11, 7-6 C-USA) to come away with a 64-63 road win on Saturday against UTEP. Southern Miss jumped out to a quick 8-3 lead in the first quarter, as redshirt junior Amber Landing, juniors Respect Leaphart and Shonte Hailes and Mayze accounted for those first points. However, UTEP took the lead at the 1:25 mark in the quarter and finished the period with a 5-2 run. In the second quarter, the Miners outscored the Lady Eagles 12-7 to come away with a 30-23 halftime lead. Southern Miss converted just one of five three-point attempts in the first half, compared to a five for nine mark for UTEP in that category. Hailes led Southern Miss with seven firsthalf points. The third quarter was a different story for Southern Miss. A 10-0 run to start the quarter allowed the Lady Eagles to take a slim 34-30 lead. The lead changed twice during the period, but Southern Miss held on for a 44-42 lead at the end of the quarter. The score between the two teams remained close for the duration of the fourth quarter. UTEP regained the lead once again following two free throws with 3:21 remaining and led 62-59 with 19 seconds remaining. A subsequent jump shot by redshirt freshman Kelsey Jones cut UTEP’s lead to
Brad Crowe| Printz
Alarie Mayze goes for layup.
62-61, but the Miners responded with a free throw with eight seconds left to make it a 6361 game. Mayze’s three-pointer with three seconds left was not only the game-winning shot, but it was also just her third successful three-point shot of the season. Hailes, Landing and Leaphart each finished with 11 points each on the day. Landing also had a team-high seven rebounds for the Lady Eagles. Mayze finished the game with nine points on four of nine shooting. Defensively, Southern Miss took advantage of 10 steals and 22 UTEP turnovers. Southern Miss returns to Reed Green Coliseum for a matchup against Louisiana Tech on Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. The Lady Techsters defeated the Lady Eagles 106-85 in Ruston, Louisiana, on Feb. 9.
wo weeks ago in our baseball special edition of The Student Printz, we included the inaugural preseason top-25 poll for The Collegiate Sports Writers Poll. This week, we have included the first official poll, which ranks the top teams in the country following the conclusion of the first weekend slate of games. LSU opens as the No. 1 team with 10 first place votes followed by Vanderbilt with four. Southern Miss comes in at No. 24 for this poll.
some momentum and even scored the final six points of the contest. Draine led the team in points with a total of 24 for the game, including seven successful three-point attempts. “I knew when I made the first one [three-pointer], there were a lot more coming,” said Draine. “Tyree and Cortez were driving up lanes, so we just picked open spots and knocked down shots.” Southern Miss had nine turnovers in the second half compared to just one in the first. After scoring seven of the first 10 points in the half, UTEP found some momentum and even scored the final six points of the contest. Draine led the team in points with a total of 24 in the contest, including seven successful three-point attempts. “I knew when I made the first one [three-pointer], there were a lot more coming,” said Draine. “Tyree and Cortez were driving up lanes, so we just picked open spots and knocked down shots.” Redshirt senior Tyree Griffin finished with eight assists on the day, bringing his career total to 377. Griffin also had 12 points and four steals against UTEP and is looking ahead to what is next. “I feel like we can beat anybody right now,” Griffin said. “We are probably playing the best defense in the conference.” The inaugural C-USA bonus play schedule was also released on Saturday evening. With the win over UTEP and following the conclusion of the other C-USA games, Southern Miss is at third place in the conference standings. They are grouped in a pod with Old Dominion, Western Kentucky, UAB and UTSA and will play each of those teams once. Southern Miss will play its first bonus play contest against UAB at Reed Green Coliseum on Feb. 23. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.