THE
STUDENT
LIFE
The student newspaper of the Claremont Colleges since 1889
CLAREMONT, CA
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019
VOL. CXXX NO. 0
Welcome back to Claremont
The first official issue will be released on Sept. 20. Apply to join The Student Life at tsl.news/apply. TALIA BERNSTEIN • THE STUDENT LIFE
Scripps pulled from U.S. Uber to stop service to Ontario airport News & World Report college rankings MARC ROD
Scripps College lost its spot on the U.S. News & World Report 2019 best colleges list after it told the media company that it had misreported its alumni giving rate by nearly 10 percent. The school had initially told U.S. News & World Report that its two-year alumni giving rate for 2016 and 2017 was 27.3 percent, but later corrected this rate to 19.9 percent. “While preparing the U.S. News & World Report data submission this year, the College discovered discrepancies in the prior year’s data,” Scripps spokeswoman Rachael Warecki said in a statement emailed to TSL. “The College proactively notified US News of the error and provided corrected figures to rectify our mistake.” Before being unranked, the school was tied for 30th in the “National Liberal Arts Colleges” list and was ranked 92nd in the “Best Value Schools” list, according to an archived version of the page. The average alumni giving rate is worth five percent of a school’s overall ranking, according to U.S. News & World Report. But since the inflated
data raised Scripps’ position on the list, the organization unranked it. “We have implemented processes and systems to ensure the integrity of current and future U.S. News submissions,” Warecki said. “Scripps College recognizes the importance of providing accurate data to publications that play a valuable role in informing prospective students, families and the broader public about their higher education options.” Four other colleges also notified the media organization of misreported data and were subsequently unranked, including the University of California, Berkeley. This instance is not the first time one of the 5Cs has run into issues with U.S. News and World Report. Claremont McKenna College revealed in 2012 that it had reported false SAT statistics from 2005 to 2012 to the organization, as well as to the Department of Education and credit rating agency Moody’s. The school’s dean of admissions and financial aid resigned shortly before the announcement, TSL previously reported.
TALIA BERNSTEIN • THE STUDENT LIFE
Uber will stop service to Ontario International Airport after an increase in pick-up and drop-off fees. Photo illustration.
JAIMIE DING & KELLEN BROWNING If you haven’t already downloaded the Lyft app on your phone, now’s the time — Uber has said it will stop taking riders to and from Ontario International Airport starting Sept. 13. Citing fee increases, the
COURTESY: SONDRA ABRUZZO
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en Lyft’s continued availability. “I don’t think it should change any of their options,” he said, adding that Ontario is exploring partnerships with Lyft that might benefit local college students, such as special rates. 5C students were bemused by the change, but agreed
See UBER on Page 2
How the Claremont Colleges are preparing for major earthquakes MEGHAN BOBROWSKY
Scripps College lost its ranking in the U.S. News & World Report after misreporting its alumni giving rate by almost eight percentage points.
ride-hailing company informed the airport in August that it would stop service to Ontario, airport CEO Mark Thorpe told TSL. “Obviously, we were disappointed,” Thorpe said. But he said 5C students who use the airport frequently when traveling to and from college shouldn’t be too affected, giv-
that their travel plans will remain largely unaffected thanks to Lyft. Ben Langton HM ’22 said he was confused when he heard Uber planned to stop service to the airport. He’s used only Uber to get to Ontario, but said he would download the Lyft app if he needed it to get to school. “It seems like they could just increase the price [of rides] if they wanted to instead of canceling rides,” Langton said. Tova Levine SC ’21, who flies between Ontario and her home in Seattle, called the announcement “upsetting.” But “as a proponent of Lyft, I will continue to use Lyft and hope it services Ontario,” she said via message. The airport raised fees on ride-hailing companies from $3 to $4 for drop-offs or pickups starting July 1, which Thorpe said is “fair market value” and puts Ontario in line with other airports in the area, like the Los Angeles International Airport. He said the higher fee allows the airport to start catch-
During the first major earthquake centered in Ridgecrest, California, this summer, people in Claremont — nearly 130 miles away — felt the ground shake. Pomona College geology professor Nicole Moore was at home at the time and watched the liquid in her hummingbird feeder start to sway. She got underneath a
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table and waited it out. “This is kinda cool,” she thought of the 6.4-magnitude earthquake. Moore teaches a class on geohazards after all. The next day, another earthquake hit Ridgecrest, shaking Claremont again. That one was bigger and scarier. “My reaction changed from excitement [...] to fear,” Moore said of the more intense shaking that lasted longer than the day before’s. The first earthquake had
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been a foreshock, leading up to the 7.1-magnitude main event, according to the United States Geological Survey. It injured five people and damaged over 50 homes, the USGS said. They estimate damages will cost more than $100 million. Despite all that, the Claremont Colleges did not suffer any damage from the quakes, according to Stan Skipworth, Campus Safety director. But as students return to
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school, the 5Cs aren’t taking any chances. The likelihood of a 7.5-magnitude earthquake hitting California by 2038 is 46 percent, according to the USGS. And it’s most likely to occur in Southern California. As a result, the Claremont Colleges are preparing for the worst — with emergency supplies and an upcoming worldwide earthquake drill.
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See SHAKE on Page 2 NEWS.............................1 LIFE & STYLE..................2 OPINIONS.....................3 SPORTS..........................4
NEWS / LIFE & STYLE THE STUDENT LIFE
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Vanessa Tyson no longer teaching fall classes
SHAKE: Colleges have supplies stored, will participate in drill Continued from page 1
COURTESY: SCRIPPS COLLEGE
Scripps College politics professor Vanessa Tyson, who accused Virginia Lt. Gov. of sexual assault, is no longer teaching two fall classes.
MARC ROD CW: sexual assault Two classes that were scheduled to be taught by Scripps College professor Vanessa Tyson in the fall have been reassigned to an adjunct professor, according to emails sent to students. Tyson made national headlines in the spring when she accused Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault. Fairfax denied the allegations. Tyson said she’d be meeting with prosecutors in Massachusetts, where she alleged the assault took place, but no charges have been filed so far. At the time the accusations came to light, Tyson was on a year-long sabbatical. But she was scheduled to teach two classes at Scripps in the fall 2019 semester. However, students in both
of her scheduled classes, “Black Americans & Political Systems” and “Women and Public Policy,” received emails Monday that visiting assistant professor Dilara Uskup will be teaching them instead. The course registration portal also reflects these changes. Tyson did not respond to a request for comment. Her email account sent an automatic reply stating that she’s on sabbatical through August. Scripps spokeswoman Rachael Warecki said the school could not provide information about Tyson’s plans for the following semester or her status at the college due to a desire to respect Tyson’s privacy and laws about employee confidentiality. Scripps’ website still lists Tyson as a current faculty member.
UBER: Lyft will keep serving airport Continued from page 1 ing up after years of deferred maintenance projects. The $4 charge is still not high enough for the airport to make a profit off rideshares, though, due to associated costs like policing, Thorpe said. In a letter from Uber to the airport as reported by the Los Angeles Times, Uber argued that the increased fee is unfair and the highest in the country for airports of Ontario’s size. Uber spokesperson Nick
Smith declined to comment on the cancellation of service to Ontario. Thorpe said the airport is still negotiating with Uber, and he’s optimistic they’ll decide to return. “Our hope is that they don’t ever leave — we’d love to have them stay,” he said. “We’re open to continued conversation with them … [but] we can’t really charge a rate that is below fair market value.”
SEPTEMBER 6, 2019
Stocking up Each 5C has its own stockpile of supplies. Claremont McKenna College has the resources to house 1,200 people in tents with food, water and hygiene supplies for five days, CMC spokesperson Peter Hong said via email. Pomona College has taken similar action. They have enough food and water stored to take care of 2,000 people for five days, according to Bob Robinson, Pomona’s assistant vice president for facilities and campus services. Scripps College officials said the school also has supplies on hand, specifically 55-gallon barrels of water and a portable water treatment system.
Additionally, they’ll be purchasing smaller containers of long-term, storage-stable water for individual use this year, Anjila Lebsock, Scripps’ safety operations specialist, said via email. In terms of food, the school has calorie bars, canned food and freeze-dried food in stock in case of an emergency, Lebsock said. They could also utilize leftover food from their dining hall, she added. Lesbock did not specify how much of each food the school has stored. How quickly the stockpile would diminish would depend on how many people were on campus at the time, she said. Across the street, Pitzer College has also hatched a plan. In 2012, Pitzer invested $125,000 in expanding its emergency supplies, according
to Pitzer spokesperson Anna Chang. She did not share the amount of supplies, but said via email that they’re regularly updated. Harvey Mudd College likewise maintains a stash of drinking water, food and first aid supplies, HMC spokesperson Judy Ausburger said via email. But it’s unclear how much of each. The Great ShakeOut This coming semester, as in previous years, students at the 5Cs will drop, cover and hold alongside millions of people across the globe during an international earthquake drill. The simulation, called the Great ShakeOut, is scheduled for 10:17 a.m. on Oct. 17, according to its website. It takes place every year and aims to teach people how to stay safe
during earthquakes. If someone believes they’re experiencing one, they should drop to their hands and knees, take cover under a table or desk and hold on until the shaking stops, the Great ShakeOut’s website says. While on the ground during the October drill, participants should look around and try to predict what would fall or be damaged during a major earthquake, the instructions say. Afterward, schools have the option to practice what they’ll do once the shaking stops and have a discussion about what participants learned, according to the site. In addition to taking part in the Great ShakeOut, Scripps will host an earthquake-themed scavenger hunt and personal preparedness session the day of the drill, Lebsock said.
UPCOMING PARTIES AND EVENTS DisOrientation (Dis-O) Sept. 6, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Harvey Mudd College Orientation is officially over, so celebrate with Nintendo’s Smash on a projector screen, free Italian soda and handfuls of candy. It’s still dry week, though! Spritzer! (Scripps College and Pitzer College Only) Sept. 7, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pitzer Scripps + Pitzer = Spritzer! Party at the pool with pizza, snacks and soft drinks. 6:01 (Claremont McKenna College Only) Sept. 7 at CMC CMC marks the end of dry week by counting down the seconds to the fateful minute it ends: 6:01 p.m. Wet Season (HMC Only) Sept. 7 at HMC Wet Season is back, so soak it up while it lasts. Celebrate the end of dry week at Mudd. Pomona College Farm Orientation Sept. 13, 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m at Pomona’s Organic Farm Learn about volunteer and job opportunities at Pomona’s farm. Afterward, make your own fresh pesto and enjoy the first potluck of the year. Turf Dinner Sept. 17, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Scripps’ Jaqua Quadrangle Sample food from different dining halls while learning about all the possible clubs you can join during your time at the 5Cs. Colson Whitehead in Conversation Sept. 17, 7 p.m. at Scripps’ Garrison Theater Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead comes to Scripps to discuss his new novel, “The Nickel Boys,” with Kima Jones, founder of Jack Jones Literary Arts. “The Education of an Idealist,” Samantha Power Sept. 19, 6:45 p.m. at CMC’s Athenaeum Samantha Power, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, speaks on the role of human rights and humanitarian ideals in geopolitics at the Athenaeum. Reservations are required for dinner. The speaker presentation is open to everyone. For students’ safety, TSL decided not to publish the specific locations of the on-campus parties.
A Sixth Street rivalry on the biggest political stage Two former 5Cers vying for president, but they might not be around for long
KELLEN BROWNING & JAIMIE DING Curious viewers tuning into the Democratic presidential primary debates this summer could quickly identify household names, like former Vice President Joe Biden and 2016’s left-wing darling Sen. Bernie Sanders. But who was the woman with the 1940s Mid-Atlantic accent, warning of the Trump administration’s “dark psychic force?” And who, among the throng of Gen X white men running for president, was that guy from Montana going
COURTESY: MARC NOZELL
toe-to-toe with Sen. Elizabeth Warren? None other than local products Marianne Williamson, who attended Pomona College, and Steve Bullock, a Claremont McKenna College graduate. That’s right: Two of the 20 Democrats still vying for the chance to face off in the general election against President Donald Trump are former 5C students. TSL interviewed both candidates this week to get a sense of how they view their performances thus far, and whether they felt some college pride on stage against each other.
“The Sixth Street rivalry was definitely a real thing when I was at CMC,” Bullock told TSL. “And it was definitely an added bonus to rep my alma mater in a Sixth Street matchup against Ms. Williamson. I’ll let the students and faculty back at CMC decide how it went.” Williamson, a spiritual leader and author who attended the Claremont Colleges nearly 20 years before Bullock, said she didn’t recall the rivalry named after the street separating the two schools. Williamson was a Sagehen for just two years, from 1970 to
1972. She told TSL this spring that she left school intending to come back, but life took her elsewhere — specifically, to a geodesic dome in New Mexico. The unorthodox candidate attracted enough donors and polled well enough to qualify for the first Democratic debate in June, where she instantly enthralled viewers with a promise to “harness love for political purposes” and a pledge that her first call as president would be to the New Zealand prime minister to say “girlfriend, you are so on.” “I feel that I had a chance to say a few things that were
COURTESY: GAGE SKIDMORE
Marianne Williamson and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, both former Claremont Colleges students, are pursuing long-shot bids for the Democratic presidential nomination. Both failed to qualify for the third debate on Sept. 12 but are staying in the race for now.
heard,” Williamson said, reflecting on her debate performance. “Even though my delivery came across kind of silly at times, the substance of what I said was meaningful in both debates.” Bullock, the governor of Montana, graduated from CMC in 1988. He visited campus this past spring, touring the school with his high school-aged daughter, and, in an interview with TSL, previewed the pitch he’d end up making on the campaign trail. As the Democratic governor of a Republican state, he said he has the ability to attract conservative voters. He entered the race late, though, and has yet to gain much traction. He missed the first debate in June and, though he qualified for the second one in July, didn’t see much of a polling bump. Williamson and Bullock were both polling at just 0.8 percent as of Aug. 30 in a RealClearPolitics average of primary polling. They failed to qualify for the third primary debate in September, though Williamson said she’s reached 130,000 unique donors. Candidates need at least 130,000 donors and 2 percent in four primary polls approved by the Democratic National Committee to make it to the fourth debate in October. Several candidates have dropped out in recent weeks after failing to qualify for the
next debate, and Williamson and Bullock could follow their lead if they don’t gain ground in the coming weeks. Williamson said she didn’t know if she would stay in the race if she doesn’t qualify for the October debate. “Right now I’m in the race because I feel I have something important to say and because I feel there are those who hear me and agree with me,” Williamson said. “I am addressing things that I feel need to be addressed.” Bullock declined to tell TSL how close he was to hitting the polling and donor thresholds, but pledged in a New York Times interview to stay in the race through the Iowa caucuses in February even if he doesn’t make the next debate. “The qualification rules set by the DNC were well intentioned, but what they’ve done is turn this primary into a race for donors instead of a chance to talk to voters,” he told TSL. “Regardless of what happens, I will keep talking to voters to the issues that matter to them and we will break through.” Clare Burgess CM ’20 worked for Bullock in Montana last summer, and said she supports the governor because she thinks the country needs “a leader who will bring this country together. I know that Governor Bullock will fight for what he thinks is right.” And of course, the shared college background “doesn’t hurt.”
OPINIONS THE STUDENT LIFE
SEPTEMBER 6, 2019
PAGE 3
Where is the support for people outside of STEM? ANANYA SALUJA The recent surge in support for people, particularly women, in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, has been a long-awaited and inspiring development to watch unfold. However, in an age of increased value associated with STEM, the corresponding merit attached to studying humanities subjects has dwindled considerably. Growing up in the South Asian subcontinent, the trajectory of my career has changed immensely, mirroring societal attitudes and my own understanding of them. Largely dictated by the idea that a humanities degree would hold no relevance, I tried my hand at the sciences in hopes of becoming a doctor. Part of this decision came from an implicit desire to challenge myself and prove to myself and the society that believed so deeply that I was incapable of studying STEM that I was more than their definitions. Part of it came from my failure to understand that the humanities hold equal value to STEM, and that careers in the humanities are viable, despite what I had been told. In the South Asian subcontinent, the disparity between the perceived importance of STEM and humanities is pronounced. Humanities subjects are largely viewed as what people turn to when they are
incapable of studying STEM, rather than a choice that disciplined students actively make to study. The social sciences, whose classification has long been debated, are merely seen as pseudo-STEM subjects that hold comparatively less importance than their scientifically classed counterparts. Subjects like psychology, for which the target audience is still limited in South Asia, are considered futile endeavours, and students are often discouraged from pursuing them. Gender stereotypes in the subcontinent further emphasize the gap between the merits associated with the two. Women who choose to pursue careers in STEM have long been stifled by the debilitating and propagated belief that their gender puts them at a disadvantage, and those who choose to pursue careers in the humanities are seen as simply preparing to stay home. Men aren’t exempt from these stereotypes, and often find themselves boxed into STEM due to the femininity associated with the humanities in South Asian countries. Few men tread the humanities path in fear of the harsh social attitudes toward it. As someone whose interests fall predominantly in the humanities, I constantly need to defend my decision not to study STEM. International
NINA POTISCHMAN • THE STUDENT LIFE
students like myself are even more likely to get an extension on their visas if they choose to be STEM majors. International students’ need for validation sometimes manifests itself in a switch from the humanities fields into STEM fields. But the purpose of higher education is to embrace the freedom of pursuing something
that excites the student. We must eradicate the stigma associated with the humanities. The lack of value attached to the liberal arts is misplaced and fosters an environment of inequality between subject areas. To expect a change in the entirety of the South Asian subcontinent is a tall order, but I do believe changes in
certain policies like visa extensions could have a profound effect on how people view the humanities. The ability to obtain a visa to continue or complete an education, or even to work, is a reflection of the security a field offers. The current policy serves as the preliminary indication that humanities will be less useful in one’s fu-
ture. Choosing to study the humanities does not prepare one for a life of futility, but rather for a life of fulfillment — that is the idea we need to propagate. Ananya Saluja PO ’22 is from New Delhi, India. She recently cut her hair, expecting her life to change.
Jasper’s Crossword: Belcome Wack!
ACROSS 1. Fiends 5. It’s 3 behind NYC 8. To and ___ 11. Bog buildup 12. ___ mode 13. Water for the Pitzer cacti 14. Price for a round? 15. ___ es Salaam 16. 2012 Best Picture winner 17. Obviously angry! (Harvey Mudd) * 20. Fury (after being lacerated by a Pitzer cactus, say) 21. Grande who wasn’t a match with Sean 25. Fixate 28. With 29-across, optimism during a disaster (Scrippsie) * 29. See 28-across * 30. ___ word (briefly) 31. For each pimple (Pitzer) * 35. Some bovine shut-eye (Pomona) * 38. Graduate _____ (New Haven alum) 39. Marianne “___ Queen” Williamson 40. Mollusk burn (CMC scholar) * 45. Laceration (perhaps from a Pitzer cactus) 48. Barack, to Michelle, slangily
49. Promises to pay 50. E.g. Victorian and Bronze 51. “Pick a card, ___ card” 52. Bareilles who’s not gonna write you a love song 53. Talk with ideas worth spreading 54. U.S. soldiers 55. ____ leches DOWN 1. Apple tablet 2. 5C Friend information 3. Way to go 4. Wonder who wishes those days could come back once more 5. San Diego baseballers 6. Kill (literally, or as in ‘the game’) 7. Runway 8. ___-sightedness (hyperopia) 9. Fix, as an election 10. Singer Yoko 13. d / 2, for a circle 18. Places to go after being lacerated by a PZ cactus 19. Utterance at a pirate party 22. A ____ apple 23. Pinta and Santa Maria partner 24. ____ Rocky (rapper detained in Sweden)
25. Discrediting info, in politics 26. Feud (with), slangily 27. Agile (enough to avoid a Pitzer cactus collision, perhaps) 32. Actors Braff and Galifianakis 33. Sick 34. Chamomile conveyor 35. Saunters (over) 36. Tolkien monster 37. Double-reed musician 41. ____-pedi 42. MGM lion’s sound 43. Remedy 44. Many HMC non-major classes 45. “Let’s ___ this bread” 46. “You ___ My Sunshine” 47. Morose (having been lacerated by a Pitzer cactus, perhaps)
THE STUDENT LIFE Editorial Board MEGHAN BOBROWSKY, Editor-in-Chief MABEL LUI, Managing Editor MARK ROD, Managing Editor
Senior Staff JAMES KARSTEN, Production Editor TALIA BERNSTEIN, Photo Editor JAIMIE DING, News Editor KELLEN BROWNING, Editor-at-Large
TSL’s Editorial Board consists of the editor-in-chief and two managing editors. Aside from the editorial, the views expressed in the opinions section do not necessarily reflect the views of The Student Life. Singles copies of TSL are free and may be obtained at news stands around campus. Multiple copies may be purchased for $0.47 per copy with prior approval by contacting editor@tsl.news. Newspaper theft is a crime; perpetrators may be subject to disciplinary action as well as civil and/or criminal prosecution.
SPORTS PAGE 4
THE STUDENT LIFE
SEPTEMBER 6, 2019
Season preview: CMS football aims for SCIAC championship repeat, P-P tries to replace graduated stars KELLEN BROWNING
This is the first story in a series of 5C fall sports previews. Read about other teams’ prospects in the first print issue of the semester, out later this month. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps football The Stags made history in 2018 with their first NCAA Tournament appearance, which came on the heels of a 6-1 SCIAC record and a conference co-championship they shared with Redlands — their first in 31 years. The team advanced thanks to a tiebreaker, but got walloped 48-6 in the first round of the tournament by Whitworth. Still, it was a successful season overall for the Stags. Questions remain for CMS, though, which was picked to finish second in the SCIAC after Redlands in a preseason poll of the conference’s head coaches. A new safety policy implemented by head coach Kyle Sweeney effectively prohibits Stags from playing both football and rugby, and caused eight players — including several top contributors — to quit the football team in favor of rugby this past spring. The biggest loss comes to the Stags’ receiving corps. Three of the departed receivers paced CMS in receiving yards, receptions and receiving touchdowns last season. Sweeney, though, is feeling confident and attributed the playoff loss last year to a rash of injuries. This year’s team, he
said, is stocked with veterans and ready for a SCIAC repeat. “We won last year and hope that we can do that again,” he said. “We’ve got a chance, and now it’s how well do we execute and get things done.”
men like Jackson Tate CM ’19 and Brian Wahl CM ’19. “We’ll have some younger guys, obviously, in some of the depth positions, but starting out we’ve got a good group,” Sweeney said.
Here are three key questions for 2019:
What about the defense? Sweeney said consistency will be a theme on the defensive line as well, as “basically everybody that saw substantial playing time last year is back.” He predicts improvement among the group that calls itself the “Zoo,” even though linebacker and leading tackler Mitchell Allan CM ’19 is gone. “They should all be hopefully at least as good [as they were last year], all a little bit stronger, a little bit bigger,” Sweeney said. The team will go as the defensive line goes, he said, and he hopes it will “be the engine.”
How’s the offense? The Stags were run-heavy last year, churning out yards on the ground behind running back Garrett Cheadle HM ’20, the SCIAC’s offensive player of the year. Cheadle rushed for 1,305 yards in 2018, the second most in program history. And though he excels at gaining yardage, Sweeney said Cheadle can do even more. “I don’t think he gets enough credit for his blocking and catching the ball and doing all the little things that don’t show up on the stat sheet,” he said. “He is a very complete football player.” Despite the key losses at receiver, Sweeney said most of the receiving corps is returning, and thinks the team will actually be better at moving the ball through the air. “Overall I think we’ll be a more effective team throwing the football this year,” he said. Quarterback Jake Norville CM ’21 returns to lead the offense after throwing for more than 900 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions last year. He’ll be protected by an offensive line that returns four veteran starters but also has room for newcomers after the departures of offensive line-
Which games should you circle on the calendar? Sweeney is looking forward to CMS’ home opener Sept. 21, when the Stags will host Pacific Lutheran in what is expected to be a close contest. The team plays four of its first five games on the road, then faces a tough homestretch against Redlands on Oct. 19 and Occidental on Oct. 26. The Sixth Street rivalry against Pomona-Pitzer wraps up the regular season Nov. 16 at home. “Both teams were kind of in the mix last year so … it’s a fun game and [we] need to have that kind of rivalry,” Sweeney said.
Pomona-Pitzer football The Hens are coming off a seven-win season — their first since 1999 — capped by a hardfought Sixth Street rivalry win over CMS, the Stags’ only conference loss of the year. Despite “a couple heartbreakers in the middle,” as head coach John Walsh described them, the team “went on a little roll at the end.” But P-P hasn’t won a SCIAC title or been co-champion since Dwight Eisenhower was president of the United States back in 1955. The conference’s head coaches don’t expect much to change in 2019, picking the Sagehens to finish fourth this year after the program was third in the standings a year ago. Walsh said the SCIAC is shaping up once again to be a dogfight between a host of impressive teams, but “life’s too short not to be optimistic.” Here are three key questions for 2019: How’s the offense? The Sagehens graduated key skill position players this past spring, including wide receiver David Berkinsky PO ’19 and running back Joseph Ha PO ’19. But Walsh says there’s a host of receivers and backs ready to fill the void, with a mix of returners and rookies vying for top roles. Win Hunter PZ ’21, Nathan Miles PO ’22 and Will Radice PO ’22 flashed in limited receiving roles last year, while Dominick Norris PZ ’22 will be competing for running duties with a handful of talented first-years,
Walsh said. It’s too early to say whether the Hens will employ a committee backfield, or even what shape the offense will take as a whole, the coach noted. “It’s hard to find out who you are until you play,” Walsh said. “The final exam is Saturday — it’s hard to exactly tell in practice until you play live.” Walsh knows exactly what he’s got in Karter Odermann PO ’20, though. The versatile senior took home Second Team All-SCIAC honors as a quarterback and led NCAA Division III teams in completion percentage in 2017, but also excels as a runner and receiver. He led the team in rushing last year and also finished First Team All-SCIAC as a wide receiver. “He’s just a really special guy and a team-first guy,” Walsh said. “He’ll do anything, whatever’s best for the team.” Much of P-P’s 2018 offensive line is returning, with offensive lineman Connor Addiego PZ ’20, who was First Team All-SCIAC last year, leading the way. “[It’s] always great to have returnees and all-league guys up front,” Walsh said. What about the defense? Many four-year Sagehen football veterans on the defensive side of the ball graduated this past spring, and “those guys are tough to replace,” Walsh said. First Team All-SCIAC cornerback Elan Harris PO ’19, who led the conference in interceptions, is gone now, as are
a number of key defensive linemen, including Peter Troupe PO ’19. “It’s time for other guys to step up,” said Walsh, naming Tate Tussing PZ ’21, Levon Lester PZ ’21 and Peter LaBarbera PO ’20, among others. “We have a great competition going on with some upperclassmen and some young guys.” Which games should you circle on the calendar? P-P starts with a tough threegame slate before getting into conference play. On Saturday, the team will open the season in Washington with a game against Lewis-Clark Valley, which will be Walsh’s first chance to see his team in a live game setting. The Hens’ home opener will be Sept. 14 against Lewis and Clark — a different team — which has both won and lost to P-P over the last few years. The following week brings a trip to George Fox in Oregon, a team that “took it to us” last year, Walsh said. Other games to watch include the Oct. 5 conference opener at Redlands — the team picked to win the SCIAC this year — the historic Battle for the Drum against Occidental on Nov. 9, and the always popular Sixth Street rivalry game at CMS, scheduled for Nov. 16. “The greatest thing about [the Sixth Street rivalry] game is records don’t mean anything in that game,” Walsh said. Even if “both teams are 0-8 like they were [some years] ago, that game mattered.”
TALIA BERNSTEIN • THE STUDENT LIFE
Top-left: Quarterback Zach Fogel CM ’22 gets ready to receive the ball during football practice Sep. 5. Top-right: Running back Garrett Cheadle HM ’20 makes a run during football practice Sep. 5. Bottom-left: Quarterback Luke Thompson PO ’23 gets ready to pass during practice Sept. 4. Bottom-right: Khalil Springs PZ ’20 and Sam Williamson PZ ’21 run a drill during practice Sept. 4.
Both CMS and P-P women’s basketball coaches leave Claremont Colleges MARC ROD The Claremont Colleges are down two women’s basketball coaches after both the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Pomona-Pitzer coaches announced their departures over the summer. CMS head coach Kristen Dowling is moving up to Division I after taking a job leading Pepperdine University’s team, a news release from CMS Athletics said. The Sagehens’ Jill Pace is headed back to Tufts University to lead its Division III women’s basketball team, according to a news release from Tufts.
Dowling had previously worked as an assistant coach for the Pepperdine team before coming to Claremont in 2012. She’s spent the last seven years leading the CMS team to success. Under her leadership, the team has won or shared the past six SCIAC regular season championships and made it to the NCAA Division III national tournament four times in the past six years. On the other side of Sixth Street, Pace helped lead the P-P women’s basketball team to a historic win this past season after only three years with the program. She was also named West Region Coach of
the Year by D3hoops.com in 2019. Pace graduated from Tufts in 2012 and spent two additional years there as an assistant coach for the Division III women’s basketball team, according to a P-P news release announcing her departure. While CMS is currently searching for Dowling’s replacement, P-P has already hired Alaina Woo PO ’17 as interim head coach. Woo was an assistant coach last season and played for the Sagehens basketball team as a student. Like Pace, she began her coaching career at Tufts before returning to Claremont last season.
TIMOTHY LIU • THE STUDENT LIFE
Cameron Edward PO ’22 jumps into the arms of Vanessa Hsia PO ’22 after P-P’s SCIAC title victory.