Issuu

NEWS | 3

SPORTS | 4

OPINION | 7

NEW DIRECTION

COMEBACK

DIVERSITY

A recent WSU graduate dicusses how she found her passion during the pandemic.

Men’s basketball makes a triumphant return after a significant loss.

The opinion editor’s open letter to campus regarding diversifying our newsroom.

WICHITA STATE’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896 MONDAY

Volume 125

www.thesunflower.com

Feb. 1, 2021

Issue 13

What students can expect from in-person activities BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE copyeditor@thesunflower.com / @JuliaNightengale

COURTESY OF KHAN AND GUMBS

Rija Khan, student body president

COURTESY OF KHAN AND GUMBS

Kamilah Gumbs, vice presidential candidate

Student body president Rija Khan announces re-election campaign BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith

urrent Student Body President Rija Khan is running for re-election, the campaign announced Monday. Kamilah Gumbs, current Student Government Association underserved senator and the diversity, empowerment, and inclusion committee chair, will be running for vice president. Khan, a junior majoring in criminal justice with a pre law track, has been a part of SGA since her freshman year. She has served as a freshman senator, a liberal arts and sciences senator, and was the first ways and means committee chair. Khan said she is running for a second term because she believes one term wasn’t enough to achieve her goals. “Whatever the work the 63rd session has started, we just want to continue because those are issues that require more time,” Khan said during her and Gumbs’s virtual reveal party Saturday. “It requires more attention because no issue can be solved in one term.” Gumbs is a junior studying political science and minoring in communication serving in her first session of SGA

“Whatever the work the 63rd session has started, we just want to continue because those are issues that require more time ... no issue can be solved in one term.” RIJA KHAN Student Body President

as underserved senator and diversity, empowerment, and inclusion committee chair. Khan and Gumbs put their goals into two sections: new initiatives and continuing ones. In their new goals, they want to make SGA more of an associated student government. “[We want] to provide our students with more voice and more say,” Khan said. Khan said they also want to build more connections. “We also want to create better connections with our outside entities so our

students can advocate for issues that are not just revolving around one area, but multiple different [areas],” Khan said. Their new goals also include fixing orientation for international, transfer, and returning students, having sustainable energy, and others. In their continuing goals, Gumbs said that they want to continue working on providing affordable childcare. “We do have a lot of students on campus who have children and we believe this is crucial,” she said. Gumbs said that they want to make student health services a more welcoming place for students. “We just want to make sure it is more diverse, inclusive, so that all of our students feel comfortable, and of course make it more accessible and more affordable as well,” Gumbs said. Their continuing goals also include building more transparency, addressing food insecurity, and working on disability services, among others. Student Government elections are slated to take place April 5-7. Any student interested in running for spots has to declare their candidacy by Feb. 22.

Despite all in-person events being cancelled last November, Vice President of Student Affairs Teri Hall said they are trying to find a path to safely put on in-person events this semester. “There’s some guidelines being distributed to registered student organizations right now that allows for some mission-critical events like recruitments or elections … to take place as long as they can take place within the county guidelines of 25 or fewer people in a group,” Hall said. Student involvement purchased six outdoor heaters through a grant that student organizations can use to hold safe in-person, outdoor events. “In the spring, there will be an opportunity for student groups to reserve those heaters to be able to have larger events outside,” Hall said. Hall said that while student organizations should consider how their events could possibly transition to a virtual format, she said that she is hoping to find a middle ground so students can enjoy events while still staying safe amidst a pandemic. “We’re trying to help student groups as best we can … I’ve been proud of the work that they have done, but we still have to hold the course, we’ve still got to get through this for the next couple of months because we’re not out of the woods yet,” Hall said. When attending in-person events, Hall said students should remember to stay six feet apart and wear their masks correctly. All of the rooms in the Rhatigan Center have hand sanitizer stations for students to use. Hall said students should help to keep each other accountable, by reminding them to wear masks and follow social distancing. “People want to see each other, students in particular want to see each other and do things together, but it’s still not completely safe,” Hall said. “We’re gonna get through this, and we just need to remind each other to keep at it, and to make good decisions.”

Muma not planning to use new KBOR termination policy BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith

Interim University President Rick Muma has no intention of utilizing the new Kansas Board of Regents temporary policy that allows him to suspend any faculty, he said during a town hall with faculty Monday. The new KBOR policy— which is an effect until Dec. 2022— has faced a substantial amount of backlash since it was passed by the board Wednesday. “Any policy that revokes tenured faculty puts faculty in a position where they can be terminated just for having opposing viewpoints, they could be fired for being outspoken against a policy or a procedure, they could be fired because their research is

considered controversial at the moment,” Sternfeld-Dunn said in an interview with The Sunflower. Muma said that thanks to the university’s work on managing their finances, he doesn’t believe utilizing the policy will be necessary. “I told [KBOR] that we would not be utilizing [the policy],” Muma said. “The processes we always used to make cuts— reallocate, raise tuition — that’s always worked for us. “We know where we are, we know where our gaps are, [and] we know how to fill those.” Wichita State is currently in the middle of its next presidential search. Chair of the search committee Dan Peare said that the university could likely announce the new president by summer — while the temporary policy is in

/ The Sunflower

@sunflowernews

place. Muma said it is unclear if the next president will be able to utilize the policy. “The real intention of this policy is to make this temporary, and to allow institutions to make more flexibility to manage their finances,” Muma said. “Your question is really will the next person who comes to be the permanent president, will they be able to do this. “I hope not.” Faculty member Chase Billingham encouraged faculty serving on the search committee to make sure that whomever is recommended for presidency has no interest in using the new policy. “It would be my hope … that there would be no candidates recommended for that job, who does not give an explicit answer saying that they will not implement

@thesunflowernews

LENA ALHALLAQ/ THE SUNFLOWER

President Rick Muma converses among the guests during the groundbreaking celebration for Wayne and Kay Woolsey Hall on Oct. 22.

this policy if they’re selected,” Billingham said. The Faculty Senate will discuss endorsing a statement by the

council of faculty presidents in regard to the policy during their first meeting of the semester Monday, Feb. 1.

2 | MONDAY, FEB. 1, 2021

NEWS

Students can now run for spot in student government BY EMMIE BOESE @EmmieBoese

The 64th annual Student Government Association elections are quickly approaching, and students are now able to run for the open spots. This semester, there are 65 seats up for election in the Legislative Branch. The president and vice president ticket is up as well. Formal declaration of candidacy opened on Jan. 20 and closed Feb. 22. The Senatorial town halls will take place March 22-26 and the Presidential and Vice

Presidential debate will follow close behind on April 1. Voting will open on April 5 and will close two days later. The election commission— run by students— is in charge of promoting the election, updating the student body about elections, giving candidates the information they need to know for running, and to make sure the election is fair. Election Commission members are appointed by the Student Body President and confirmed by the Senate. More information about the SGA elections can be found at www.wichita.edu/sgaelections. FILE PHOTO BY KYLIE CAMERON / THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State’s Office of the President is in Morrison 203.

Board of Regents approves the WSU presidential profile BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_ KSmith

FILE PHOTO BY SELENA FAVELA / THE SUNFLOWER

Empty desks in an Elliot Hall classroom on Monday, March 23, 2020

New KBOR temporary policy gives university CEOs more power to suspend faculty, including tenured BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith

The Kansas Board of Regents passed a temporary policy that would allow the university president to fire any staff or faculty— including tenured— for budgetary purposes through Dec. 2022, despite concerns shared by Faculty Senate President Aleks Sternfeld-Dunn during the meeting Wednesday. Despite many regents sharing that they wanted to respect faculty’s worries, the policy passed with nine in favor. Sternfeld-Dunn said he was discouraged that his concerns were not taken into account. “These are not just my concerns, when I stand and represent in front of the board I represent all the faculty senates from all the universities,” he said. “I was disappointed that those key points were dismissed.” Sternfeld-Dunn said the policy could serve as an attack on faculty’s freedoms. “Tenured provides protection from faculty and their academic freedom to research and teach, and at times when necessary speak in opposition to public thought,” he said. The emergency policy could lead to faculty being limited to what they do in and out of the classroom, Sternfeld-Dunn said. “Any policy that revokes tenured faculty puts faculty in a position where they can be terminated just for having opposing

“It’s about staff too, It’s about people, people who have jobs.” ALEKS STERNFELD-DUNN Faculty Senate President

viewpoints, they could be fired for being outspoken against a policy or a procedure, they could be fired because their research is considered controversial at the moment,” Sternfeld-Dunn said. Sternfeld-Dunn’s main worry regarding the policy is not what it means for WSU, but for other universities. “We are doing more and more with less and less but we have not had to furlough the way other universities have and we have not had to terminate staff and faculty the way other universities have,” Sternfeld-Dunn said. “I actually worry for other institutions that have not done this kind of financial management that WSU has done and what that means for their faculty and staff.” While Sternfeld-Dunn has been mainly focusing on what the policy might mean for faculty, he said it is important to note that the policy pertains to staff as well. “That is getting lost a little bit in this … it’s about staff too, it’s about people, people who have jobs,” he said. “I worry about my colleagues and the faculty and staff at other universities that might use this tool.”

The Sunflower, founded in 1896, is the student-run newspaper covering Wichita State University. The print edition is published Monday during the fall and spring semesters. The staff publishes daily online at www.thesunflower.com.

MISSION The Sunflower — both in print and online — will be a timely resource of information about the Wichita State University community. It will report on news, issues, activities, academics and athletics, in addition to offering a forum for discussion, reviews and commentary. It will also be an effective learning experience for students, who will have the final authority over what is published.

LEGAL One free copy of The Sunflower is available to members of the WSU community. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 in the newsroom, Elliott Hall 019. The Sunflower is private property and unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable. The Sunflower is funded by a combination of print and online advertisment sales and student fees allocated by the Student Government Association. The Sunflower is a member of Kansas Collegiate Media, the Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Association. Copyright © 2021 The Sunflower. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.

The Kansas Board of Regents approved the Wichita State presidential profile — a document listing the university president’s job description, expectations, and more — during their virtual meeting Wednesday. According to the profile, the committee is looking for someone who will take the university “to the next level, in an ever-changing educational landscape.” “Our next leader will provide a comprehensive vision to advance our university, building on achievements in recent years that have elevated Wichita State’s profile as a university committed to providing an accessible, affordable and impactful education, fostering a talent pipeline, and growing and diversifying the

“Our next leader will provide a comprehensive vision to advance our university, building on achievements in recent years.” THE PRESIDENTIAL PROFILE

economy,” the leadership profile states. The document provides eight “presidential attributes” the committee is looking for in a prospective candidate. The attributes are: strong character, proven leader, visionary, fundraiser, communicator, economic driver, visible presence, and someone who has a passion for higher education. The profile also includes an

in-depth description of WSU and a look at the Wichita area— including a list of the city’s major employers. Anyone who has questions about the position is encouraged to contact the AGB Search representatives Sally Mason or Garry Owens. Those who apply must submit their application materials by March 8. The last time KBOR approved a president profile for WSU was in June of 2019 after the passing of late President John Bardo. That search led to the hiring of now former President Jay Golden who resigned just merely nine months after his first day on the job for reasons that are still unknown. The presidential search will be closed, which means that presidential candidates’ names will not be released to the public and finalists will not meet with anyone outside of the search committee.

Faculty not included in phase 2 of vaccine distribution plan BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith

Kansas has entered phase 2 of the COVID-19 vaccination distribution plan and while K-12 educators will be able to receive the vaccine, higher education faculty will be left out of the mix. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has not announced when the state will be prepared to begin phase 2, but they are expected to know by the end of this week. Phase 2 provides vaccines to anyone working in a congregate setting— which includes homeless shelters, childcare institutions, correctional facilities, and adult care homes, among others. Interim Provost Shirley Lefever said that the administration has been working to prioritize those who have a greater risk of contracting the virus from working in a higher education setting. “We understand the task of setting priorities for the vaccine is a difficult one,” Lefever said in an email to The Sunflower. “As such, we are working closely with

Camille Childers, our representative on [the Kansas COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee] to help prioritize those individuals in our campus community who work or supervise students in settings that may put them at greater risk. “While we wait for more information regarding the timing of the vaccine, we will stay patient and continue to provide information to assist the task force in their decision making.” Student Health Director Childers said she understands the importance of setting priorities when rolling out the COVID vaccine. “You need to look at the thought process behind those priorities,” Childers said. “When you look at the KDHE prioritization plan for the vaccine, what you’re looking at is immunizing those who are at the greatest risk initially.” Childers said that because college is more “optional” than a K-12 environment, she understands that immunizing those individuals is more important than higher education workers.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Lindsay Smith news@thesunflower.com

COPY EDITOR Julia Nightengale copyeditor@thesunflower.com

OPINION EDITOR Audrey Korte opinion@thesunflower.com

DIGITAL PHOTO EDITOR Khanh Nguyen photoeditor@thesunflower.com

SPORTS EDITOR Sean Marty sports@thesunflower.com

PRINT PHOTO EDITOR Kaylee Stout photos@thesunflower.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Tabitha Barr arts@thesunfower.com

PODCAST DIRECTOR Blake Kenneson podcast@thesunflower.com

FACULTY ADVISOR Amy DeVault amy.devault@wichita.edu

ADVERTISING MANAGER Noah Merrell admanager@thesunflower.com

“That environment has to continue to function, it’s not really an option to not go to school,” Childers said. Childers said that advocacy is a “continual process.” “When we talk about advocating the piece about COVID-19 you know. . . . it’s a fluid process and even the prioritization schedule is going to be open to change based on several factors— the number of people getting sick, the populations being affected [and] the availability of the vaccine,” Childers said. “If the vaccine becomes more available . . . maybe we can move it up faster. “There’s a lot of variables at play and we can only work with what we have at the moment before we can decide to go forward.”. Childers said that while most faculty wait to qualify for vaccines, it’s important to encourage those who are able to get the vaccine. “Those higher risk and those individuals should— if they choose to vaccinate— should choose to take advantage of that.”

Lindsay Smith: 316-978-6905 editor@thesunflower.com ADVERTISING

Noah Merrell: 316-978-6906 admanager@thesunflower.com

Corrections

The Sunflower is committed to accuracy in its publications. If you find an error in any of its publications, please email the editor at editor@thesunflower.com immediately.

MONDAY, FEB. 1, 2021 | 3

NEWS

Challenging year pushes alum into unexpected career BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith

The Class of 2020 is a class that will go down in history. While most people plan their graduation parties, job searching, and everything in between, this specific class was instead stuck in their homes waiting out the state-wide stay-athome order. Aileen Rueda-DaCosta was one of the members. In her sixth year at Wichita State, RuedaDaCosta finally felt that it was time to leave her college years behind her. “Six years is too long,” Rueda-DaCosta laughed. “The beginning of my second semester I finally felt like I was nearing the end.” Not only was she on her last year, but she was also pregnant at the time, which led to many challenges that most college students don’t have to face. “In between classes I would go into the basement of Elliott Hall and puke,” she said. “Thank goodness my professors were understanding.” Rueda-DaCosta didn’t take the normal route when she was deciding her birth plan. Instead of choosing a hospital, she decided to go with midwifery. “It was a godsend,” she said. “They take time to talk to you, get to know your mindset and your body. The whole process calms your nerves over an already delicate and stressful time.” But with her decision came a lot of backlash. “It’s terrifying when your doctor is saying, ‘No, they’re not trained enough. They’re not going to know how to resuscitate your baby if you need them to.’,” She said. “But that wasn’t true.” Rueda-DaCosta said that there is a lot of misunderstanding around midwifery. “Even though people don’t believe it, they are trained professionals who know how to take care of you and your baby,” she said. She said that the best thing someone can do is to let women choose. “When women are pregnant, they are already given a lot of unwanted advice,” she said. “It’s important to know that their birthing experience is their own. Choosing my own birth plan was so important to me. Rueda-DaCosta said that being pregnant

LINDSAY SMITH / THE SUNFLOWER

Aileen Rueda-DaCosta, a 2020 WSU graduate, talks during an interview withg The Sunflower Thursday, Jan. 21 at the Starbucks located by the Walker Welcome Center.

“Seeing [inequalities] firsthand is so painful and makes me want to do everything I can to change it.” AILEEN RUEDA-DACOSTA Wichita State grad

during a pandemic is extra stressful, but she was glad that she already had a plan in place for what she was going to do. “From the beginning I picked them, I felt fortunate that I already found them and wasn’t scrambling to find help,” she said. Rueda-DaCosta said that she found comfort in the diversity she found in the clinic she used. She said having people who look like you are important in making the birth experience as comforting as possible. She said that seeing the fear around many medical professionals drew her to making a change in the way things are done. “Seeing real life impacts of people being afraid of medical providers, white medical

professionals, being afraid to ask questions, being afraid to clarify things, gives you a lot of uncertainties in the most vulnerable time in your life,” she said. “Seeing it firsthand is so painful and makesww me want to do everything I can to change it.” Rueda-DaCosta found the pandemic to be a time where she found her passions outside of college. She was leaning towards birth photography, and after her experience birthing at home, she found that she could bring that talent to the midwifery business. Not only was she able to bring her photography passion into the mix, but she was also able to use her passion for supporting. She is currently in training to become a doula. “They are the support person during labor, whether that be emotionally or physically,” Rueda-DaCosta said. “It depends on what your love language is.” Rueda-DaCosta said her personal experiences with doulas made her want to be one even more. “[My love language is] words of affirmation,” she said. “I did not want to be touched, I didn’t want to be looked at. I just wanted them to tell me kind words, tell me I can do it. “Midwives are the medical professionals, Doulas are there for the emotional side.”

Sunflower Archives - Monday, Feb. 19, 1990

SPRING SEMESTER TELECOURSE OFFERINGS REACH RECORD HIGH BY SHARON BURNETT

Wichita State University is offering 17 telecourses— video courses for college credit — for the spring 1990 semester. This is the largest number ever offered through the university. According to Norma Gribble, director of Academic Outreach for WSU’s Division of Continuing Education, approximately 800 students are enrolled in a telecourse. “These telecourses are convenient for the student because the lessons are viewed on cablevision or videotape in the students home,” said gribble. “Next the student will study printed materials and meet on campus periodically for orientation, discussion and testing. This allows for flexibility for students with busy schedules.” Gribbles said all of the telecourses fulfill general education requirements. Four of this semester’s courses are closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired. The first telecourse was offered in the spring of 1982. “There have been lots of changes since then,” said Gribble. “There are a variety of courses for the student to choose from.” Four new telecourses are being offered this semester: “Peoples of Africa,” which examines the history and contemporary life in Africa; “introduction to Art in the Western World,” a course of the history of the Western visual tradition; “History of the English Language,” an exploration of the variety of ways that English has been spoken; and “Ethics in America,” an introduction to the practice and theory of making moral decisions. Gribble said the telecourses do not attract any specific type of student. “Well, it used to be the adult part-time student,” said Gribble. “However, now students from all segments of WSU are enrolled.” The instructors set the limits on enrollment size,” Gribble added.

PHOTO BY RON KROENING

Gerri Ready from Clearwater High School checks her watch to see how much time she has left in the cutline writing competition in the high school regional journalism contest Friday in the CAC.

“Some of the courses are syndicated programs,” said Gribble, explaining that the courses are pre-produced by professionals in the given field. Gribble said the way the university finds out about new telecourses is by receiving advertising from the producers that make the videotapes. She said she then contacts that particular department and someone from that department will view the tape and decide whether to include it in the telecourses offered. Students who enroll in the

telecourses can watch the videotapes at home on WSU’s Channel 13. Multimedia Cablevision will provide free cable installation for WSU students in its search area. WSU telecourses will also be available for the first time this spring through Clearwater Cablevision on the new WINDOWS cable Channel 17. As an alternative to cable TV, the tapes are available for lease on VHS through WSU’s Media Resources Center.

4 | MONDAY, FEB. 1, 2021

WWW.THESUNFLOWER.COM

Arts & Entertainment

HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact The Sunflower’s A&E editor, Tabitha Barr arts@thesunflower.com

RETRO TAKEOVER OF

WANDAVISION

LEAVES AUDIENCES IN STATIC Wanda’s escape from reality is more than what it seems Tabitha Barr A&E Editor arts@thesunflower.com

Static. Black and white. Fabulous color. Television gives us insight into worlds beyond our own. WandaVision especially throws audiences into the past and gives us a taste of fake normalcy. After watching and trying to understand the new Marvel series, I have come to the conclusion that Wanda has done exactly what I wish I could. Disappear and be in a world of happiness. From what I gather, the world of Westview has now become the home for Wanda and Vision. But instead of just living normally, I think Wanda took it into her own hands to create a world where she can live her life peacefully. Because this takes place after Endgame, which if you’re up to date on your Marvel movies, you’d know didn’t end well for Vision. When having to handle emotions like grief, loss, and love, we tend to want to escape into a perfect reality. A common trauma response is to flee and pretend everything is fine. My guess is that Wanda couldn’t deal with the pain that she has endured and somehow created another world for her and who appears to be Vision. Maybe

Wanda made a version of Vision to stay with her, but it may only work in this other world in television. I think we all dream of running away and starting a new life, but most of us have people and responsibilities we stay for. But when things become too hard to comprehend, sometimes we do things that seem irrational. I know it might be laughable to say, but I think all of the Avengers should be entitled to free therapy and medications. Because holy-cow! They go through pain more than any person should go through. Because in therapy, I’ve learned that no matter how much I want to disappear and be someone else, I am wanted here in the real world. It’s where I belong. Wanda will come to learn this in time, but it’s going to take a lot more than therapy to get her out of this weird television saga and in a healthy mental state. We love nostalgia, and I think that the old television shows represent this for Wanda. She knows that it is a safe place and that she can shy away from reality. It’s just crazy to me how Vision is still alive. Because deep down, I don’t think he is. I think Thanos truly killed him and Wanda is having a breakdown and doing the only thing she knows to do. I’m excited to see the next episode and more, but it does make me nervous to find out if Wanda is really okay or not. And if she will come out of this with Vision and the twins, or if it’s a lone journey.

contributing to their neighbors and the neighborhood. They are going to be in the local talent show as Vision the magician and Wanda the apprentice. However, Wanda is very adamant that their magic act can’ t be extremely fooling, otherwise people might figure out their secret. This is then the rest of the storyline where Vision has a hiccup and Wanda has to hide their secret with fast thinking. The calm, cool, and collected feel of the show abruptly stops when a crash makes Wanda venture outside and find something in color in the still world of black and white. My mind has possible plot lines flowing constantly as I’m trying to figure out what it all means. But Marvel does a good job at keeping the mystery a secret while also keeping their audience hooked. While I am still questioning everything that’s happening, the show returns things back to “normal”. Wanda goes out and tries to assimilate herself into the neighborhood housewife group. Now this is when things get extra weird. Hearing voices? Color in a black-and-white world? It’s just more confusing things for my brain to figure out but I’m not giving up just yet. Here comes the third episode, now in color! We move to the 70’s and resemble “I Dream of Genie”. This is where it starts to get interesting! Wanda has randomly become pregnant. We all know how babies are made, but this one is really out

A Wichita Public Library story dispenser located at the Rhatigan Student Center.

Local writers can now submit works to Wichita Public Library’s story dispensers BY TABITHA BARR arts@thesunflower.com / @Tabbyjanelle

COURTESY OF MARVEL’S WANDAVISION

Spoiler alert: The four episode breakdown Marvel has done it again, people. The WandaVision series is officially on Disney+, or at least the first four episodes and it’s a hit! The retro airings of WandaVision start in the world of black and white, the ways of old television. Things are “peachy keen” and closely resemble a regular episode of a 50’s sitcom. It seems as though Wanda and Vision just tied the knot and got married. They found a house in a little town called Westview and started living “normal lives” around their neighborhood. Wanda is a housewife while Vision puts on his human face and goes to his nine-to-five job. It leaves the audience fully confused and glued to the television to see what has become of the two Avengers, and how exactly they ended up in a 50s sitcom. The first episode goes on to have a fully sitcom narrative. It compares easily to the 1951 hit show, “I Love Lucy”. Everything resembles this real show but still leaves you wondering exactly what’s going on. Twenty-two minutes of a full episode and I was left utterly confused and needing to see the next episode immediately. And so I click “next episode”. It again begins with a sitcom feel, but this time we skip forward to the 60’s and imitate the show “Bewitched”. And similarly to that show, Wanda and Vision are trying to hide their true identities from everyone, but of course they have some slip-ups. Wanda and Vision have made their home comfy and are now

LINDSAY SMITH / THE SUNFLOWER

“My mind has possible plot lines flowing constantly as I’m trying to figure out what it all means. But Marvel does a good job at keeping the mystery a secret while also keeping their audience hooked.” of the blue and growing rapidly. The episode focuses on her pregnancy, the rapidness of it, and them trying to hide it from the neighborhood. Geraldine, a character that was introduced in episode three, is having to help deliver the babies, and Vision is running to grab the doctor. Surprise! Not just one baby, but there’s two. Which is no surprise to us because Wanda is a twin herself, to the late Peidro. This sparks a memory for Geraldina and we see Wanda become suspicious of her. Then, zap! Geraldine is gone and everything is back to normal. Or so Wanda would like us to believe. At the end of the episode, we see what happened to Geraldine as she is thrown into another world and surrounded by armed forces and vehicles.

Episode four is when everything starts coming into place. We see the world not from the television, but from the real world. Now I won’t go into full detail of what happens but life is taking place after “the blip” was reversed or better known as after Tony’s gauntlet snap. It follows Lieutenant Monica Rambo who vanished with the blip. She works for SWORD, another secret intelligence agency, she gets put on a special case and encounters the town of Westville, New Jersey. The town is apparently missing, but Lieutenant Rambo goes investigating and ends up in the other world with Wanda and Vision. The point of view changes to Dr. Darcy Lewis, who was introduced in Thor. She’s brought in with others to try and figure out what’s going on and where Rambo went. Of course being the boss she is, she finds a way to view WandaVision on old televisions. We see the weird things that were happening around Wanda were people from the real world trying to find answers as to what happened to Westview and the Avengers. The final scene ends with Wanda and Vision holding their twins on the couch smiling, but in reality, things are very wrong. Wanda Vision is full of twists, turns and incredibly placed secrets. I’m excited to see future episodes and what is truly going on with Wanda and Vision. (To see a more intricate view on WandaVision, view my other review, with little to no spoilers.)

The Wichita community is looking at bringing more fun and interaction to the city, with local writers now having the opportunity to display their work in the Wichita Public Library’s story dispensers. There are currently three dispensers that are located at: Reverie Coffee Roasters (2202 E. Douglas Ave.), Hunter Health Clinic (527 N. Grove St.) and on campus at Ablah Library (1845 N. Fairmount St.). As these dispensers are fairly new, visitors to the dispensers can simply hover their hand over the type of story they’d like to read, and the machine will release a short story printed on paper. Writers who want to submit their stories will have to follow the Library’s guidelines. To view all of the rules, click here. The main conditions for the guidelines include: All stories and poems must be original works with a maximum length of 8,000 characters Works must be fictional, or deal with historical or biographical topics in a literary manner Stories can be of any genre, but pornographic or erotic texts are not permitted Once stories are sent in, a panel at the Library will review them and then place them in the dispensers around town. While authors will not be paid for story submissions, the library is encouraging everyone to submit works in hopes to bring more creativity to Wichita.

THINGS TO DO IN THE COMING WEEKS FRIDAY FEB. 5

Virtual Comedian: LeClerc Andre 7 p.m. SAC

TUESDAY, FEB. 9

Ulrich Virtual Art History Talk: Aruna D’Souza 6 p.m. Ulrich

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10

Hippodrome Informational Meeting

5:30-7:30 p.m.

Hippodrome American Ninja Warrior: Hoan Do

5:30-7:30 p.m. SAC

MONDAY, FEB. 15

Virtual Volunteer Fair 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Online

TUESDAY, FEB. 16

Virtual Career Fair Prep and Professionalism 1-2 p.m. Online

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17 Resume Building Lab 2-3 p.m. Online

THURSDAY, FEB. 18 Virtual Bingo 7 p.m. Online

THURSDAY, FEB. 1, 2021 | 5

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Opinion

HAVE AN OPINION?

contact The Sunflower’s opinion editor, Audrey Korte opinion@thesunflower.com

Diversity: We have work to do. Opinion editor invites students from diverse backgrounds to apply to work for The Sunflower Audrey Korte Opinion editor opinion@thesunflower.com

Dear Wichita State, Diversity and inclusion efforts have become hot topics this year, and that’s a good thing. Organizations and businesses have ramped up efforts to hire a staff that represent the beautiful colors, religions, ethnicities, genders, and viewpoints of our society. I don’t know if any of us has an easy answer for making long-term structural changes to our systems — systems that for millennia have prioritized and praised the viewpoints of western white, straight, cisgender Protestant, and Catholic men. The fact is, as a society, we have work to do. Newsrooms have work to do. We at The Sunflower have work to do too. We have had many discussions over my last three-plus years of working at the paper about diversifying our staff. With that in mind, I’m going the direct route by telling you right now, we want — and need — more diversity at The Sunflower. Plain and simple. We have done an excellent job of promoting women to high-level positions in our organization, and that’s good. Out of our eight employees in leadership roles, five of them are women, including our editor in chief. We believe this is worth celebrating because it goes against larger trends in news organizations that continue to pay women less than men. But in order to represent a campus of 17,000+ students effectively and efficiently, we need more students of different races, ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, religions, and political affiliations. We need to make sure every voice is being heard. Every race, every gender, every sexuality. We’ve talked about our desire to

ILLUSTRATION BY KAYLEE STOUT / THE SUNFLOWER

have a more diverse staff but have not gone far enough to make it happen. Like many organizations, we run ads every so often, saying that we’re hiring. Our application is available to all on our website. Still, we should do more to develop a more robust, nuanced, cultured, diverse staff. Part of this is because of turnover, like many university organizations. Every semester can bring new leadership, and every year we say goodbye to some fierce journalists as they move on from WSU. But those of us who have been around longer than a year have a responsibility to do more than state the obvious about the lack of diversity in our newsroom. That’s why I am writing this now to all of you, and that’s where you come in. We need your help. We’re not asking for money or signatures. We’re asking for a different kind of investment. First, I am asking you to share this far and wide. We’re not looking to

hide the situation, but to remedy it. Second I am asking you to think hard about the most talented, driven and unique voices among Wichita State’s student population. When you have a few names, please forward this to them. Let them know why you think they would make a valuable addition to our student newspaper and encourage them to apply. Third, if you know of a student who takes this call to action seriously, don’t just share this with them but take that one crucial step and follow up with them in a week or two to remind them to submit their application. If you’re like me, you have a continually growing inbox and a to-do list that’s in the double-digits. That means things get put off, forgotten, or worse — I talk myself out of taking risks that could be great for me. When someone reminds me or checks in after a discussion, I am much more likely to follow through.

Now I understand you didn’t ask for this job. Still, I suppose you care about our community, our staff, our campus, and the promise of diversity and inclusion. In that case, I hope you will join us in this effort. We’re not doing this by metrics or statistics. We’re not saying, “our campus population is 9% Asian, so our staff should be 9% Asian too.” We are saying our campus has people from multiple countries on multiple continents. It represents various states and towns. It includes those who believe in many religions, who are LGBTQ, conservative and liberal, every race and ethnicity under the sun, and who come from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. We want our staff to do their best to represent all of you, and we can’t do it alone. So if you have any interest, skill, or experience with writing or reporting news, sports, arts and culture, or are into photography, video/audio production, graphic design, advertising, marketing or social media management, please consider this our personal invitation to join our staff. If you know of a student, young or old, who has these gifts or wants to learn, please encourage them to throw their name in the hat. You should know we are an ambitious, dedicated, tenacious group. Our staff includes undergraduate and grad students. Many of us are in The Elliott School of Communication, liberal arts or fine arts. Still, we are looking to diversify this also. My hope is that by the time I move on from the graduate school in the summer of 2021 that our staff will look a little less like myself and that we will have covered some subjects that would not have made the news without us taking a little initiative and a lot of responsibility now for our organization. Please help us do better. Sincerely, Audrey E. Korte Opinion Editor, The Sunflower

WSU needs to provide students with a more flexible parking fee option Julia Nightengale Copy editor copyeditor@thesunflower.com

As we enter into another semester in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, college still looks different than it ever has before; hybrid classes and minimal in-person events have turned WSU from a bustling campus full of students to what looks like a ghost town with a few visitors here and there. One thing still hasn’t changed: the parking fee. Even though most students don’t visit campus half as much as they used to, they still have to pay the full parking pass fee. College during a pandemic is vastly different than it has ever been before, and WSU should have made some modifications to the parking passes to best fit the needs of students. I understand that parking

passes are a reality of going to a college. With so many students and faculty, there has to be some kind of order created or the parking lots would become a battlefield. If you are willing to pay the extra money, you can get access to more convenient parking that may be a priority for certain people. After doing some research, I learned that some of these fees also go towards building new parking areas, maintenance, campus shuttles, and salaries for staff. These are things that are needed, and it does make me feel better knowing that this is where my money is going. But many of my classes this semester have elected to take a hybrid route, where we complete certain classwork before the week starts and then we have the option of going to a zoom class or joining the in-person class. This means that at most, I only have to come to campus once a week for shorter

Opinion LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and must be fewer than 400 words. Letters may be edited for accuracy, clarity and length. Please include your name, WSU affiliation and a phone number for verification purposes. To submit letters, email opinion@thesunflower.com or submit at www.thesunflower.com. The opinions expressed in The Sunflower editorials, columns, guest columns, reviews, advertisements, letters and editorial cartoons are not necessarily those of the staff, publications board, student body or the university. The Sunflower reserves the right to edit or reject any submission. We also reserve the right to edit or reject any advertisement.

periods of time. Students may come to campus for things other than classes, such as picking up library books, attending meetings for student organizations, or meeting a classmate to study together. On the other hand, many students only come to campus if it is absolutely necessary. Kansas University has developed short-term permit options in light of the pandemic. They have a 15-use or 30-use daily permit, with prices ranging from 30-90 dollars based on different parking zones. Compared to the usual cost of 300 dollars, this is an excellent alternative for many students. WSU should create a similar parking permit for their own students. If they really are committed to supporting their students during this difficult time, this is just one small thing that they can do to lift the financial weight that comes with getting a college education.

FILE PHOTO BY BRIAN HAYES / THE SUNFLOWER

Rhatigan Student Center parking garage

Many college students have no choice but to work during college in order to support themselves, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic they may be struggling to find work because many part time jobs are no longer available. The cost of a parking pass may not seem expensive for some, but for a poor

college student, it definitely is. Right now, a parking pass for the Spring 2021 Semester costs 75 dollars. If WSU were to create a short-term permit option for students, costing anywhere from 20-50 dollars, it would show students that the university is here for them during this difficult time.

SUNFLOWER HOT TAKES The Sunflower editorial staff gives their one-sentence opinions.

Lindsay Smith: I miss Morgan. Julia Nightengale: Cleaning out the newsroom feels like traveling back in time. Sean Marty: Watching The Bachelor is just as exciting as going to a sporting event. Elena Kuckelman: I’m ready for warmer weather. Amy DeVault: If we’re going to be stuck at home, just give us a snow storm.

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MONDAY, FEB. 1, 2021 | 6

Sports

HAVE A STORY IDEA? contact The Sunflower’s sports editor, Sean Marty sports@thesunflower.com

‘The game wasn’t over’

PHOTO BY KHANH NGUYEN/THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State junior Morris Udeze gets excited with Dexter Dennis during the game against UCF at Charles Koch Arena on Jan. 30.

Shockers utilize late rally to overtime victory over Central Florida BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com/@TheSeanMarty

ichita State found itself on the brink of possibly its worst loss of the season. With 3:45 left to play, the Shockers were trailing Central Florida by eight points and looked poised to drop a pivotal conference game at the hand of the Knights. ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gave WSU a 7.2% chance of victory but the Shockers were still able to turn it around. With the game waning in the balance, WSU outscored UCF, 11-3 in the closing minutes of regulation, helping to force overtime. “We just knew as a team that the game was still going on and that we could sweat it out regardless,” sophomore Clarence Jackson said. “We’re a family, so at the end of the day, you have to have your brothers back. If somebody does something wrong, who cares, pick him up. We just knew we had to continue to fight and that the game wasn’t over.” Just as they did at the end of

regulation, the Shockers trailed early on in the overtime period but found a way to mount a comeback. After UCF took an 84-79 lead with 2:25 left in overtime, WSU rallied to outscore the Knights, 14-4, to pull off the come-from-behind victory. Interim Head Coach Isaac Brown said that he was impressed with the team’s calmness in these late-game situations. “We talked about it during the second half, we talked about it at halftime, we talked about it before the game,” he said. “How bad do you want it? We’ve got to play hard for 40 minutes. Even though it extended longer than 40 minutes, once we got down, those guys just kept battling. In the huddle those guys were like, ‘we’ve got plenty of time, we’re going to come back, everybody stays calm.’” With WSU finding themselves trailing, sophomore Tyson Etienne said that assistant coach Lou Guidino was key in giving him the confidence to complete the comeback. Etienne scored 21 of his

“We’re a family, so at the end of the day you have your brothers back. If somebody does something wrong, who cares, pick him up.” CLARENCE JACKSON Sophomore

career-high 29 points in the second half and overtime and was key down the stretch. “I credit Coach Lou Guidino, he said there’s still a lot of time, a lot of possessions and I feel like that gave me the encouragement that it wasn’t over,” Etienne said. “We just had to go out there and get a stop. That was a crucial point and I think we did that.” UCF was able to get into their sets easily most of the game and as a result, Brown decided to shake things up defensively. Over the

team’s nine-day break, they had been working on a three-quarter court pressure which Brown decided to implement with the game hanging in the balance. This pressure helped to change the flow of the game and allowed WSU to mount this comeback. “I just wanted to change it up,” Brown said. “I felt that we didn’t bother them at all in the halfcourt. They were able to bring the ball up, they were able to execute everything they wanted and we just couldn’t stop them. So we had to make a change. We did a good job, just trapping them, protecting the middle and we got a couple steals.” One of the keys to the press being so effective was the insertion of Clarence Jackson into the lineup. Brown said that Jackson’s energy can be contagious and was a catalyst to the press being so effective in the second half. “Sometimes I feel like we don’t have energy on the floor,” Brown said. “No matter what, he may make some mistakes but he’s out there clapping his hands, going to

the offensive glass. He just brings energy and we need that at times. He doesn’t always execute but he always plays hard. That’s what I’m starting to love about that kid.” Jackson especially stepped up in the overtime period, scoring the team’s first five points in the extra period. The junior college transfer was able to finish the game 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds in 19 minutes. Jackson said that he wasn’t phased by the increased playing time against UCF after recently receiving fewer minutes in the rotation. “I know at the end of the day I’m going to fight until the end, until the last buzzer sounds,” Jackson said. “I trust Coach (Brown) so that was a plus and he gave me the extra boost and energy to know that my coach trusts me in that late stretch.” With WSU’s victory, they improved to 9-4 on the season and 5-2 in conference play. The Shockers currently sit in second place in the AAC.

Tyson Etienne becomes the fastest Shocker to 100 triples in overtime win BY JOE BAKER joebakerwsu@gmail.com/@JoeBakerWSU

Wichita State men’s basketball won in nail-biting fashion on Saturday afternoon, defeating the UCF Knights 93 to 88 in overtime. With the victory, the Shockers are 9-4 overall and their record in American Athletic Conference play moves to 5-2. Sophomore Tyson Etienne matched his career-high in points, scoring 29 points. Etienne went 9-15 from the floor and 5-10 from three-point distance in the win. Etienne also shot six-for-eight from the free-throw line. Etienne struggled in the first half as UCF held him to only eight points but Etienne was able to turn it around in the second half, scoring 21 of his 29 points. Interim Head Coach Isaac Brown said that he stopped calling plays in the first half for Etienne but he was able to turn it around after halftime. “Early on in the first half he missed a couple of wide-open shots, so I didn’t call a lot of plays for him,” Brown said. “I just let it come to him, but he didn’t force anything. Once he got it going, we just tried to ride him. We just started calling plays for him, getting him the ball, and he started making shots. Once he got to the free throw line and saw the ball go through the net it just gave him a lot of confidence and he’s hard to guard late in the game.” After a lackluster performance

at Memphis, which saw Etienne score a season-low three points, he said that the team had to bounce back and get in the win column, especially playing in a home conference game. “It just shows that we can win with our backs against the wall,” Etienne said. “You’ve got to win at home in conference, for us to rally back and win on our own floor, especially coming off the game that we just had and games that we haven’t had.” Etienne is off to a hot start to his sophomore campaign, leading the Shockers in multiple statistical categories. The sophomore guard is averaging 17.6 points per game, which is tied for the American Athletic Conference lead with Houston guard Quentin Grimes. Etienne’s five triples on Saturday afternoon led him to become the fastest Shocker to 100 triples in Shocker history, reaching the milestone in 44 games. Etienne’s 100th three-point basket in a Shocker uniform came in good timing in overtime as the go-ahead basket to defeat the UCF Knights. Brooklyn Nets guard Landry Shamet was the previous Shocker to reach this milestone the fastest at 50 games. Etienne acknowledged how special it is to have his name amongst the Shocker greats, such as Landry Shamet, Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet. “It’s good company,” Etienne said. “To be in a conversation

with those guys and a statistic like that is a blessing. I’m thankful to be that and I’m thankful that I’ve played with guys that are able to give me the ball. It’s just a testament to working hard and just listening. It’s a blessing but I don’t really play basketball for accolades.” After the mass amount of transfers this past offseason, Etienne was the top-returning scorer for this season. The New Jersey native averaged 9.4 points per game with 36 steals, 62 triples on 38.8 percent shooting from three-point distance. Etienne posted one of the best freshman campaigns by a Shocker guard in program history. Etienne has made a huge leap from his freshman year to his sophomore year. With an increase of eight points per game to his scoring average from his freshman year to now, Etienne has been called upon to be a leader and provides a large load of the scoring for the Shockers. Etienne has six games of 20-plus points with four of those coming in the month of January. Even with his increased scoring load, Etienne is shooting 38% from three-point distance which is only a .2% decrease from a season ago. The Shockers will look to continue their winning ways on Wednesday, Feb. 3 against the Tulane Green Wave at Charles Koch Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 P.M. The game will be live to watch on ESPN+.

PHOTO BY KHANH NGUYEN/THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State sophomore Tyson Etienne looks to drive during the game against UCF at Charles Koch Arena on Jan. 30.

7 | MONDAY, FEB. 1, 2021

SPORTS

Volleyball hosts Black and Yellow Scrimmage in place of postponed BY JOE BAKER joebakerwsu@gmail.com/@JoeBakerWSU

PHOTO BY KAYLEE STOUT/THE SUNFLOWER

Wichita State senior, Brooke Smith spikes the ball during a scrimmage at Charles Koch Arena on Jan 28.

Shocker volleyball hosted a Black and Yellow Scrimmage on Thursday, following the postponement of its games against North Texas. The matches scheduled for Jan. 28-29 against North Texas were postponed due to COVID-19 cases and contact tracing, leaving the Shockers without any games to be played. The program decided to host the scrimmage in hopes of replicating competition and to give the players game-like repetitions in front of Shocker fans. The capacity for the scrimmage was capped at 2,000 fans and was free admission for fans. “Tonight (Thursday) would’ve been the home opener against North Texas,” said Lamb. “Once we figured out North Texas couldn’t make the trip and I knew we didn’t have enough practice to secure another match with COVID19 testing, I thought it was a no-brainer to play either Thursday or Friday.” The black team lost the first set 25-11, but stormed back to defeat the yellow team in five sets, 3-2. Head Coach Chris Lamb said he was pleased to play in front of Shocker fans in Charles Koch Arena. “It was exciting to get back in the arena and play and getting the fans to show up,” Lamb said. Freshman outside hitter Marriah Buss had 23 kills in the scrimmage. Lamb believes Buss has the potential to make an immense impact in her freshman campaign. “We’ve always known that Marriah was a powerful, high motor athlete and scoring would be the easiest thing she would do,” Lamb said. “It’s now about getting her up to the standards of passing, serving and defense.” Buss, a freshman from Lincoln, Neb., received first team all-state honors for three seasons at Lincoln Lutheran High School and was also named Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year in her junior campaign.

Three Shockers set Top-25 marks in Shocker Invitational BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com/@TheSeanMarty

Three Wichita State Track and Field athletes set top-25 marks in the country during the Shocker Invitational on Friday. In the meet, WSU faced off against the likes of Oral Roberts and Oklahoma Baptist as they continue to progress through their season. Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Steve Rainbolt said that he was pleased with how the program performed. “A track meet like this is meant to progress through the season,” Rainbolt said. “I feel like we saw a lot of things that won’t show up on the results as spectacular performances, but I can think of a lot of great things that happened today. I think we had a lot of good developmental and training performances.” Three different Shockers were able to put together top-25 NCAA marks during the meet. Senior Michael Bryan put together a personal best in the weight throw at 20.10m/65-11.50 which puts him in a tie for No. 25 in the country. Juniors Antonio Norman and Joseph Holthusen also performed well, with the pair putting up times of 7.89 and 7.90 in the 60-meter hurdles. Norman’s puts him in a tie for No. 13 in the country and No. 5 in school history, while Holthusen’s time puts him in a tie for 15th-best in the NCAA. “As far as upper level performances, those guys (Norman and Holthusen) certainly had that and so did Michael Bryan,” Rainbolt said. “It’s sort of hard to explain this but a track meet like this, sometimes upper level performances happen but a track meet like this is more for progressing through the season, developing through a season, building your way through a season.” Another notable performance was that of sophomore transfer Marissa Jensen, who competed in her first event as a Shocker and won the women’s high jump with a mark of 1.63m/5-4.25. Rainbolt said that although Jensen’s performance has room for improvement, he was pleased with it based upon everything she’s been through with the recent transfer from Missouri.

“Her mark wasn’t unbelievably impressive but I know what she’s been through in the past ten days, getting registered for classes and moving here,” Rainbolt said. “So, was her performance impressive? No, not necessarily but I was really pleased with how she competed. I felt like it was a good, strong, fundamental performance.” In the program’s four events that they have taken part in the spring, only one has received a team score. But Rainbolt said that he is hopeful heading into the Division I Challenge hosted by Washburn on Jan. 12. “For many athletically minded people, that’s odd to finish up a day like this and not have an ultimate result. But it is the way that it is in our sport that certain meets that you come to, you compete and there is no team score in the end. So, we are looking forward to the meet at Washburn for the team scored event and the 200-meter banked track.” Even with the indoor Track and Field season currently in session, there will be no American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships. Earlier this week, the program received the approval to compete in the Championship at The Peak which will be hosted by Air Force. Rainbolt said that this event can now serve as a target for some athletes ahead of the outdoor season. “I feel that our athletes have resigned themselves in that regard. I feel like they have successfully listened to us, encouraged themselves to look at the Championship at The Peak as a target and to prepare for the outdoor season. I feel like they’re training hard and competing and I don’t sense a lot of letdown as a result of that. There might be some but not much.” In the program’s four events that they have taken part in the spring, only one has received a team score. But Rainbolt said that he is hopeful heading into the Division I Challenge hosted by Washburn on Jan. 12. “I’m very excited about it, very hopeful for top-three finishes on both sides,” Rainbolt said. “So, really excited and feel like we have two nice teams. We compete in a conference with one really, really upper-level team in Tulsa. So that’s an extremely tough opponent but we’ve got a nice team on both sides.”

Shocker volleyball kicked off their season on Jan. 22-24 in the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational in Springfield, Mo. Lamb and his team are off to a 3-0 start to their season, with wins over South Dakota (3-0), Oral Roberts (3-0) and a hardfought five-set victory over Missouri State to cap off the weekend (3-2). Sophomore outside/opposite hitter Nicole Anderson received American Athletic Conference offensive player-of-the-week honors for her performance in Springfield. Anderson was able to tally up 37 kills and 37 digs through the team’s three games. Anderson recorded 13 kills and 11 digs against South Dakota in the season-opener and also recorded her first double-double of her career. Anderson was able to record 14 kills and seven digs against Oral Roberts and ten kills and 19 digs against Missouri State to wrap up the tournament. Anderson averaged a magnificent 3.36 kills and digs per set in the three games for the Shockers. In the scrimmage on Thursday, Anderson was able to tally 17 kills and 16 digs. Lamb said that he has been impressed with Anderson’s play and isn’t surprised that she is playing at a high level to start the season. “Ever since I saw Nicole for the first time as a sophomore (in high school), I thought she could be someone that could have a great career here,” said Lamb. “I feel like Nicole can be as good as she wants to be, I think she has all the tools to be a very busy player on a team for four years.” Lamb has confidence in his team to keep up their good performances heading into conference play. A year removed from a 9-19 season, the Shocker volleyball program looks to be trending in the right direction. The matches against North Texas have been rescheduled to Thursday and Friday, Feb. 4-5. The matches will be played at Charles Koch Arena and will also be live to watch on ESPN+.

UPCOMING VOLLEYBALL MATCHES THURSDAY, FEB. 4 WSU vs North Texas 7 p.m.

Charles Koch Arena

FRIDAY FEB. 5

WSU vs North Texas 1 p.m. Charles Koch Arena

THURSDAY, FEB. 11 WSU @ Tulsa 2 p.m.

Donald W. Reyonlds Center

FRIDAY, FEB. 12 WSU @ Tulsa 1 p.m.

Donald W. Reyonlds Center

FRIDAY, FEB. 19 WSU vs SMU 7 p.m.

Charles Koch Arena

SATURDAY, FEB. 20 WSU vs SMU 2 p.m.

Charles Koch Arena

THURSDAY, FEB. 25 WSU @ Kansas State 6 p.m. Ahearn Fieldhouse

SATURDAY, FEB. 27 WSU vs Kansas State 6 p.m. Charles Koch Arena

FRIDAY, MARCH 5 WSU vs Memphis 7 p.m.

Charles Koch Arena

SATURDAY, MARCH 6 WSU vs Memphis 1 p.m.

Charles Koch Arena

How Shocker Sports performed over winter break BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com/@TheSeanMarty

After a semester that featured no official competition on Wichita State’s campus, Shocker Athletics have returned for this semester. During the break when most college students were enjoying a holiday season with their family, Shocker sports were still going strong. But don’t fret! Here’s everything you need to know to catch up.

MEN’S BASKETBALL The men’s basketball team is off to a 8-4 start to this season, after missing out on its season-opening tournament. Three of WSU’s four losses have come against teams in the AP Poll or receiving votes. The Shockers currently sit on the verge of a return to the NCAA Tournament after missing out the past two seasons. WSU has picked up victories against Mississippi, Cincinnati and a pair against Tulsa. Sophomore Tyson Etienne emerged as a breakout star for the team this season and is currently the lone Shocker averaged double-digits with 16.7 points per game. Etienne is also the third-leading scorer in the conference, only trailing Houston’s Quentin Grimes and Cincinnati’s Keith Williams. The team currently sits at No. 2 in the American Athletic Conference standings, with a 4-2 record in conference play. The Shockers only trail No. 6 Houston who is off to a 9-1 start in AAC play.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The women’s basketball team has struggled out the gates and have had their struggles with COVID-19 as well. The program most recently went on a two-week pause before returning against Temple last Saturday. WSU was slated to play its first home conference since their pause but the game against Central Florida was postponed due to COVID-19 related issues within UCF’s program. In total, WSU had six games postponed or canceled so far this season. The Shockers are currently 4-6 and

1-2 in conference play. They sit at No. 10 in the conference and are only ahead of SMU, who decided to end its season in December.

CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK AND FIELD The cross country program quickly made up for lost time after their season was delayed in the fall. Last Saturday, the women’s program was able to win the JK Gold Classic while the men’s team placed second. The program will host the American Athletic Conference Championships at 4 Four Mile Creek Resort in Augusta this Sunday. Senior Winny Koskei will be looking to win her third consecutive individual title. Track and field have participated in four events so far this season with two of the events being hosted by WSU. Only one of the four events had team results with the Shockers taking third in the KU-KSUWSU Triangular. Senior Michael Bryan and junior Antonio Norman had standout performances in the Shocker Invitational on Friday. Bryan set a new personal best in the weight throw at 20.10m/65-11.50. Norman also set a personal best in the 60-meter hurdles at 7.89, which is fifth-best in school history.

VOLLEYBALL The volleyball program is off to a 3-0 start. The Shockers won the Dr. Mary Wynn Jo Invitational in Springfield, Missouri last weekend. Sophomore Nicole Anderson took home AAC Player of the Week for her performance in Springfield. Anderson collected two double-doubles over the weekend including 37 kills in the three games. The volleyball program was supposed to host two games against North Texas but the games were postponed due to COVID19 related issues. WSU hosted a Black and Yellow Scrimmage as a replacement on Thursday.

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