THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2024 VOLUME 98 ISSUE 8
NEWS
SPORTS
OPINION
LA VIDA
Texas Tech is set to install an art piece at Red Raider Plaza. Titled 100 Reflections, the Alumni Association is aiming to have the piece completed by fall.
Texas Tech baseball’s Washburn brothers play together for the first time in four years despite roadblocks.
A writer at The DT gives her opinion on “The Bachelor“ following its recent season finale.
The BurkTech Players theater ensemble provides a professional environment of expression and art to neurodiverse individuals.
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INDEX NEWS SPORTS OPINION LA VIDA LA VIDA
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INTERNATIONAL
Decisions of West impact countries around world United States as a graduate student at Texas Tech. Her speech comes to an end, Saleha Soadat stands before a and the floor opens for questions. class of college students and begins Someone innocently asks, “Where is her story. Afghanistan?” Soadat shares her experience as Civilians around the world are a reporter in Afghanistan, having impacted by the political decisions worked in the industry for over 10 of students within that classroom years. She talks about life before the and those around the world. With Taliban took over — before education, a plethora of media outlets and jobs and voices were stripped from platforms, it can be difficult to obtain women. In a day's time, Soadat was accurate internal and international evacuated from Afghanistan by the information and understand the U.S. government, and the next day, impacts of making uneducated she was rebuilding her career in the decisions. By MARIANNA SOURIALL Editor-in-ChiEf
PABLO MENA/The Daily Toreador
Russian journalist Marina Ovsyannikova gives an attendee a signed autobiography during a research symposium at the Texas Tech International Cultural Center March 19, 2024.
“I don't see how there's any way to intelligently relate with the world by relying solely on our own perspective and our own reality,” said Eric Rasmussen, professor of media literacy. “We are so connected to each other in ways that we don't even understand — that in order to make a meaningful contribution in society, we have to nurture that connection and be educated about what other people think.” Echoing similar sentiments is Russian reporter Marina Ovsyannikova. The anti-war
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EMPOWERMENT
Phillips becomes Tech’s first female hockey player By GRACE HAWKINS Staff WritEr
At the age of 3, Riley Phillips laced up her first pair of skates. Now 20, she is the first female hockey player in intramural program history at Texas Tech. Phillips fell in love with the rink early on, and by the age of 5, she knew hockey was something she wanted to pursue. Joining the team as a sophomore in college, Phillips said it took hard work and dedication to be successful in the male-dominated sport. “Don't let the boys scare you off. Push through it,” Phillips said. “They might seem mean, but prove to them that you're worth it and that you can be there.” As a child, watching her brother effortlessly skate across the rink captivated Phillps, sparking an immediate interest for the wideeyed girl. “My brother started playing hockey before I was born,” Phillips said. “And I just grew up at the rink and seeing him play and skate just kind of pushed me to want to do that too.” After two seasons of playing hockey at the age of 6, Phillips decided to focus solely on figure skating. In 2019, she started coaching hockey skills for beginners and adults, and after starting her sophomore year of college, decided
motivating them to continue her against it. to try out for the hockey team. because she saw that I was on the “There's a junior in high school team,” Phillips said. “Being the only girl and joining legacy and pursue college hockey, @GraceHawkinsDT halfway through, I kind of disrupted despite most universities being who's looking at coming to Tech now their flow of things, and it was tough,” Phillips said.“I had to work my ass off, and prove that I'm worthy to be on the ice with them.” Phillips said she works out independently two to three times a week and with the team once a week. Because of the distance to the rink in Amarillo, she also utilizes roller skates to train. “I have roller inline skates,” Phillips said. “And I'll take those around my neighborhood and practice shooting, footwork, and stuff.” Peter Loncar, both president of the Tech Hockey Club and the team's captain, never anticipated a female player would join the roster, but said she is valued by everyone on the team. “She's a positive presence on the team,” Loncar said. “She shows up to everything, and she doesn't complain ever. She obviously just loves the game, and that's why she's playing it.” In the upcoming season, Phillips said she is determined to challenge herself by trying out for the goalie position, a more demanding role, and she's thankful for head coach Scottie Agnew’s encouragement on this decision. “I definitely have a harder time keeping up with the boys, but Scottie tried to give me ice time and really helped me out,” Phillips said. JACOB LUJAN/The Daily Toreador Her bravery has served as an Riley Phillips, a winger for the Texas Tech Hockey Club, is the first and only female on the team. Starting her collegiate inspiration for other young women, hockey career in her sophomore year, Philips hopes to inspire future women by participating in this icy sport.
SENIOR SAYONARA
Toussaint, Washington bid farewell to Red Raiders By JAMAR BROOKS SportS WritEr
PABLO MENA/The Daily Toreador
Warren Washington, Texas Tech’s super-senior forward, reacts to Tech defeating Kansas State 60-59 at the United Supermarkets Arena Jan. 22, 2024.
Spearheaded by the leadership of its two most experienced players, Joe Toussaint and Warren Washington, Texas Tech men's basketball made a return to the NCAA Tournament this season. However, following a March 21 defeat to North Carolina State, Toussaint and Washington walked off the hardwood for the final time in their collegiate careers. Even in the face of defeat, Tech head coach Grant McCasland said not being able to coach another game with the super-seniors is the most difficult aspect of the loss. “This is always the worst part of it, right here,” McCasland said. “I’m so thankful for Joe Toussaint and Warren Washington. Two guys that trusted us and literally gave everything they had. There's nothing else these guys could
give to give our program a chance to compete for a national championship. … It was never perfect, but it was just a team that loved each other. That part as a coach is what you love, and I’m thankful for these two seniors that led us all year long.” For Toussaint, his impact is helping Tech back to the big dance just a season after it posted its worst conference record since the 2014-15 season. “We brought a team that was dead last in the Big 12 last year to the tournament,” Toussaint said. “The coaching staff gave us a chance to go to the Sweet 16 if we would’ve won this game. So I feel like people can take it how they want, but we know in the locker room what we did. We know we’re always together. We will always care about each other no matter what.” Through their years at the
c o l l e g i a t e l e v e l , To u s s a i n t and Washington made many stops. Toussaint started out at Iowa, where he played for three seasons, before transferring to West Virginia and then to Tech. Washington played his freshman season at Oregon State before he transferred to Nevada, where he played two seasons before spending his last two years at Arizona State and Tech. During their lone season in Lubbock, Washington and Toussaint flourished as the pair posted career-high averages in various statistical categories while surpassing 1,000 career points, according to Tech Athletics. McCasland said the productivity of Washington and Toussaint this season comes down to their perseverance and determination. SEE SENIOR SAYONARA PG. 3