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tan cardinal
otterbein university thursday, march 10, 2011 vol. 92, issue 20 www.otterbein360.com
Softball warms up in Arizona 8 Student charged for false assault report 3
Cartoon chameleon attracts adult audience 5
Ribbons tie drinking and death together 6 photo by kristen sapp
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opinion
Tan & Cardinal
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t&c editorial staff
Britany Byers
Editor-in-Chief
Laina Thompson Lindsey Hobbs
News Editor Assistant News Editor
Hannah Ullom
Opinion Editor
Mike Cirelli
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Austin Walsh
Sports Editor
Andrea Evans & Leah Driscoll Jayme Detweiler Kristen Sapp
Photography Editor Assistant Photography Editor
Jessica Miller Kaity Vorbroker Sarah Douglas
Copy Editors
Business Manager Assistant Business Manager Web Editor
assistant editors Josh Adkins Monica Begazo Patricia Begazo Steven Collins Alyssa Cook-Alexander Jordan LaBatte Lindsay Paulsen Anna Schiffbauer contributing staff Josh Overholser Stephanie Parker Dominic Porretta Holly Takach contact us 614-823-1159 tanandcardinal@yahoo.com Tan & Cardinal Otterbein University Westerville, OH 43081 advertising For advertising information, contact Jessica Miller or Kaity Vorbroker at 614-823-1159 or by e-mail at tanandcardinaladvertising@yahoo.com. policies The views expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the faculty and administration of Otterbein University. Opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the writer and not of the newspaper staff. Positions in unsigned editorials represent a consensus of the editorial staff. The first copy of the Tan & Cardinal is free to the public. Each additional copy is $0.50, and payment can be made at the office at 33 Collegeview, Westerville, OH 43081. Offenders will be prosecuted. The T&C staff would love to hear from you. Write a letter to the editor and tell us what you’re thinking. Letters to the editor are letters responding to a writer or an article published in the Tan & Cardinal. Please keep your letter to 300 words or less. It is at the discretion of the Tan & Cardinal staff as to whether or not the letter will be published. Letters attacking an individual will not be accepted. Letters must include the author’s first and last name, signature, phone number, address and affiliation to Otterbein University.
thursday, march 10, 2011
The first one in and last one out
T&C editor-in-chief arrives at the seventh inning stretch and reviews her highlight reel
The biggest lesson I have learned throughout college is that everything happens for a reason. I know people say that all the time, but when I look back over these last four years it is the one phrase that BRITANY makes the most BYERS sense to describe my rollercoaster of a journey. I originally had my mind set to go to Florida for college, but when it came to pick a school I just couldn’t pack up and leave my life in Westerville.
But here I am, getting ready to graduate from Otterbein. Little did I know that I would have such a wonderful experience just three minutes away from home. As a freshman commuter I needed to get involved with something, so I walked on to the softball team. Never did I imagine I would play softball at the college level, but there I was starting as a freshman. For the two years I played, I had an amazing experience. Softball will always be a part of my life, and I will forever cherish the time I played for Otterbein. Coach Steines — We only spent a few months together, but in that short time you were able to impact my life forever. Your coaching philosophy is inspiring, and Otterbein is truly lucky to have you. Your coaching techniques made me look at the game of softball in an entirely different light. Even with a broken leg and doctor’s orders to take it easy, you excited me and found ways for me to stay involved and be a part of the team. Although I walked away from the program here at Otterbein, I left with the greatest appreciation for the game of softball. You have motivated me to coach in order to keep softball in my life. I have and will continue to use
at hoMe: photo by GreG beers
some of your techniques (beads) with every team I coach. The end of my softball career stemmed from wanting to get more involved with my major. I mustered up the courage to apply for multiple internships and the editor-in-chief of this paper. This newspaper has been way more than a résumé builder or a monthly paycheck. My experience on staff has morphed me. Before I became the editor I was unsure of myself. This opportunity has helped me find myself and become confident in voicing my opinions. Dr. Warren — Thank you for believing in me, even more than I believed in myself. You are an incredible professor and an excellent adviser. Your encouragement has made me challenge myself time and time again. I can’t thank you enough for all of the extra time you spent helping me with classes, life and my future. Incoming staff — You’re all ready for this. I’m excited to sit back and be a member of your audience. Don’t be afraid to take chances. You’re all in good hands. And Lindsey, my dear, you will do great. All I ask is that the Lonely Island and shmer legacies live on. My amazing T&C staff — This last year has been full of countless memories and good
times. I have loved being able to work with not only great, talented people, but my friends. I can only hope you have enjoyed this experience as much as I have. Our Wednesday night shenanigans will always be dear to my heart. Chris — You’re my rock. Thank you for always making me laugh, smile and for putting up with me when I was busy and stressed. Only 13 more weeks. Mom and Greg — You’re the two biggest influences in my life. I would have never made it through college without you. Not only have you let me live at home and eat your food, but you have always been behind me supporting my every step. Thank you for dealing with me these last four years, listening to me complain and whine and in response telling me to suck it up and deal with it. I would not be the strong, independent woman I am today without your guidance. I am so lucky to have such wonderful parents, and you are the best. Thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way. You have all affected me in ways that you’ll probably never know, but I am so thankful for all that you’ve taught me. t&c BRITANY BYERS IS A SENIOR JOURNALISM MAJOR AND IS THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE
t&c.
photo by JorDan Labatte
Although she originally planned on heading to Florida for college, Byers stayed just minutes from home in Westerville to walk onto Otterbein’s softball team, join the newspaper and find herself and her voice at a school that was originally a backup plan.
news
vol. 92, issue 20
inVestiGation:
www.otterbein360.com
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photo by kristen sapp
Along with falsifying a report, procurement is another charge being faced by the student.
WPD: Davis assault false Three charges filed against student, trial scheduled for April BY LINDSEY HOBBS Assistant News Editor
The Westerville Division of Police has determined that the alleged sexual assault in Davis Hall last week was, “unfounded,” or false. Charges are being filed through the Franklin County Municipal Court on both Tenneh Senessie, 19, and Darrell Jones, 40, according to the latest press release by WPD. Senessie of Westerville is being charged with three different offenses. According to WPD, Senessie will be charged with making a false statement to authorities with the intent to incriminate another person, prostitution and procuring, which Sgt. Paul Scowden of the WPD said is “using an area for the act of prostitution.” Jones, of Urbana, Ohio, will be charged with solicitation of sexual activity for hire. Detective Stacey Pentecost of the WPD said that she will not discuss details of this case until a full report has been filed. “I don’t know exactly the reason she gave for filing the
report,” said Lt. John Petrozzi of WPD. “They met on the Internet, and there was communication, and they made an arrangement to meet in Westerville.” According to the Ohio Revised Code, a person found guilty of falsification could face a misdemeanor of the first degree, a person found guilty of prostitution could face a misdemeanor of the third degree and a person found guilty of procuring could face a misdemeanor of the first degree.
“As of right now, I have no comments to make.” Tenneh Senessie Solicitation of a prostitute could result in a misdemeanor of the third degree. As to whether or not Otterbein will pursue separate charges against Senessie, Vice President of Student Affairs Robert Gatti
said that he cannot disclose that information because of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. “It prevents me from posting your disciplinary records on the walls of Towers Hall,” Gatti said of FERPA. According to Gatti, Otterbein will do an internal investigation to see if Senessie violated Otterbein’s code of conduct. “It’s important that we get all the facts before we make an informed decision,” said Gatti. “This is an unfortunate situation, and we will continue to be in communication with the student and her family.” Gatti said that the e-mail sent from Otterbein Security, which said the accusations of the sexual assault were false before the official WPD press release concluded this, was “just a miscommunication.” “As of right now, I have no comments to make,” Senessie said. Jones could not be reached for comment. The arraignment for both Senessie and Jones is scheduled for April 5 at the Franklin County Municipal Court. t&c
Hey Otterbein, are you bored? Do you want to listen to some great music? Then tune in to 97.5FM or www.wobn.net every day for the best in college rock, great sports coverage, and some awesome shows!
Stay tuned to The Wildcard for updates on sports games and shows!
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news
Tan & Cardinal
thursday, march 10, 2011
Students deem Otterbein safe in recent survey Assessment proves last week’s Red Alert hasn’t changed students’ opinions on the safety of Otterbein’s campus BY STEPHANIE PARKER AND LINDSEY HOBBS Staff Writer and Assistant News Editor
After last week’s Red Alert about a possible safety threat on campus, the T&C decided to survey students about their opinions on campus safety. A total of 205 students completed our survey, and all submissions were anonymous. Overall, 93.5 percent of Otterbein students feel safe on campus. One student said, “I feel like Otterbein’s campus is safe, but things happen. Otterbein security will come pick you up after dark if you don’t feel comfortable. Just be smart.” Many surveyed students mentioned the blue emergency poles. Those students said they feel safer on campus. Robert Gatti, Vice President for Student Affairs, said, “I’m glad they feel safe on campus, but I hope they’re not naive and take precautions.” While 73.5 percent of the surveyed students felt that the residence halls are secure, 12.5 percent said they did not feel safe. The remaining 14 percent said they didn’t know if they were safe. Tracy Benner, director of Residence Life, said, “If a student ever sees someone suspicious on campus, they should
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Do you think Otterbein’s residence halls are secure?
Overall, is Otterbein’s campus a safe place?
No 12.5%
I don’t know 14%
Yes 73.5%
sWipe-in:
iLLUstration by kristen sapp
According to 73.5 percent of students, dorms are secure.
report it to campus security immediately. I know some people don’t want to get involved, but if you have a bad feeling about that person, you should report it.” About half of the surveyed students trust peers to alert suspicious activity. 23.5 percent said they don’t trust their peers to report suspicious activity and 24 percent said they didn’t know if they could trust peers to report it.
Yes 93.5%
One student said “The only thing that makes me feel unsafe is if someone is waiting outside the dorms.” “They can say they do not have a student ID, and someone would surely let them in.” “Things happen on college campuses,” said another student. “Security and police are not going to catch every little thing. However, Otterbein does a good job of trying.”
No 2.5% I don’t know 4%
saFe hoUse:
iLLUstration by kristen sapp
Almost 94 percent of students said campus is safe.
Other submitted comments:
• “You guys are pathetic. Get over the sexual assault in Davis. I know it is a big deal, but back off. Otterbein and Westerville are very safe places, calm down.” • “Otterbein security is only worried about writing tickets.” • “If I was assaulted, I would NEVER tell (Otterbein) security about it! They’d just wrongfully tell the whole campus my business!”
• “In the coed dorms, I wish girls wouldn’t give their IDs to their boyfriends or random guys. It’s unnerving to see random guys walking around on the girl’s floor.” t&c
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Editor’s Note
For other submitted comments, the full interactive security report and a story on Otterbein’s alcohol policy, please visit www.otterbein360.com.
According to the WPD and the Otterbein SECURITY Security Log, the following has been reported from March 1-6. REPORT
2. 3/5 WPD arrived at 21 W. Lincoln St. in response to a complaint about a noise complaint. When they arrived on the scene, they discovered a loud party. Upon entering the house, WPD discovered the smell of burnt marijuana and underage consumption occurring. WPD sorted out who was underage and issued summons to those students. The student in possession of marijuana was issued a summons through Westerville Mayor’s Court for drug paraphernalia and drug abuse. t&c inForMation CoMpiLeD by kaity Vorbroker
1
DeVore Hall
2
21 W. Lincoln St.
GraphiC by kristen sapp
1. 3/4 A student and the student’s boyfriend got into an argument. The student’s boyfriend left the student’s room. The student asked another student who lived next door to come over. The other student was in the room when the first student’s boyfriend returned. The first student’s boyfriend began yelling at the second student and punched the second student in the nose and left. The second student is not filing charges against the first student’s boyfriend.
arts & entertainment
vol. 92, issue 20
ranGo riDes aGain:
www.otterbein360.com
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“Rango” opened at No. 1 in the U.S. and Canada, grossing $9,608,091 its first day and $38,079,323 its opening weekend, beating “The Adjustment Bureau.”
‘Rango’ ropes in audiences nationwide Though the movie is being marketed as a family film, one T&C writer argues that it has more adult themes BY STEVEN COLLINS Staff Writer
What happens when you throw a housebroken chameleon into the Wild West? You get the newest Paramount Pictures movie, “Rango.” The computer-generated movie stars Johnny Depp (“Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Public Enemies”) as Rango, a chameleon that, after being thrust into a foreign land, must learn the ways of a struggling community. The movie is set in the Wild West during a drought, and Rango, who wants to be a movie star, decides to don a fictional persona to help the townspeople. Coming to the aid of Beans, a desert iguana (Isla Fisher, “Wedding Crashers”) who doesn’t want to lose her father’s farm, and Priscilla, a cactus mouse (Abigail Breslin, “Zombieland,” “My Sister’s Keeper”), he makes it his mission to find out where their water has gone, since the “bank” only has approximately five days left, and thus comedy and adult drama ensue. I could tell from the previews that this wouldn’t be a Disneyesque movie reminiscent of “Toy Story” or “Finding Nemo.”
“Rango” is way more “Family Guy” than “Sesame Street.” I was definitely shocked by the amount of children in the theater and how many of my fellow reviewers felt the need to call “Rango” a family comedy. While I can understand their logic (“Rango” was produced by Nickelodeon Movies, a children’s network), I must shout from a mountaintop the question, “What were they thinking?” Several minutes into the movie I was distracted by several small children displaying their displeasure when their parents forced them to leave. While I didn’t consider the film to be provocative, raunchy or even remotely offensive, it just didn’t have themes or references children could pick up on. Some of the biggest laughs came from those in attendance that were of college age. Generally, the story flowed very nicely and didn’t seem to take forever or move too fast. I didn’t catch myself constantly looking at my phone, nor was I saying to myself, “When is this part going to end?” One of the things that really made “Rango” enjoyable was the several points of homage to John
Wayne and Clint Eastwood films of the past. I also enjoyed the occasional breaking of the fourth wall (when a character speaks directly to the audience), which I feel helped to liven up the movie and keep it from becoming too stale and predictable. Another interesting aspect that I kept an eye on during the movie was the realism of the physical emotion and the movement. I think that the way this movie was produced, by having the actors perform on a soundstage rather than in sound booths, really helps the dialogue and creates this liveliness that you sometimes don’t get from animated films. This was a brilliant idea by the director, Gore Verbinski, and all animated movies going forward should be produced this way, especially ones that depend on the actors’ abilities to translate emotion to help enliven a scene. Johnny Depp was at his best playing the lead, and he really overshadowed Fisher, who delivered an OK performance, but not one that will be too memorable. Not to be outdone, Breslin’s character, however brief an appearance she made, was enjoy-
able, believable and worked really well, mostly due to Breslin’s good Western accent and the well-written dialogue. This is one of those characters that can actually make or break a movie. The rest of the supporting cast was good, but not overpowering. But by far, one of the best characters and parts of the movie is when Rango meets the Spirit of the West. Timothy Olyphant voices a character that is modeled after Clint Eastwood and gives a similar performance to the one that Eastwood gave in “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” At the point when Rango is at his lowest and confused about what to do, the Spirit of the West points him in the right direction, saying, “No man can walk out on his own story.” This was a good, entertaining adult movie that is perfect for a date night and anyone who
can understand cheesy movie references from the last 50 or so years. “Rango” is also perfect for college students looking to take a break from studying for exams, or as a way to get away from the family during spring break. t&c
Rating: &&& FreeZe:
Rango reacts to finding what lies on the other side of the “road.”
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Tan & Cardinal
news
thursday, march 10, 2011
Spring break contest! Are you taking off on an awesome Spring break getaway? Prove it! Grab a Tan & Cardinal before you leave and take a picture with it while you are on vacation. The coolest photo will land on the cover of the T&C week one of spring quarter!
“Like” Otterbein360 on Facebook or check out www.otterbein360.com for full details!
in MeMoriaM:
photo by kristen sapp
Each black ribbon represents one of 1,700 alcohol-related deaths among college kids per year.
Remembrance ribbons
Towers lawn adorned with reminders of those lost to alcohol BY JOSH ADKINS Staff Writer
In a hasty decision after a night of drinking, he climbed the scaffolding in front of a department store and later fell to his death. Within moments, the 21-year-old beloved medical school hopeful was dead. Having witnessed this tragic death of a friend, Matthew D’Oyly, Otterbein’s assistant director of wellness, was compelled to create the Black Ribbon Project, a program that spreads awareness of the amount of alcohol-related deaths per year. According to an Otterbein news release, more than 1,700 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from an alcohol-related incident every year, and the 1,700 black ribbons staked into the ground in front of Towers Hall are meant as a physical representation of these yearly deaths. The Black Ribbon Project is meant to serve as a reminder to Otterbein students of the dangers that come along with alcohol, especially binge drinking. Freshman international studies major Kiersten Curtis said
that walking in front of Towers is “like walking through the Arlington Cemetery.” D’Oyly said, “I feel this project is a great reminder to drink responsibly all the time, but hopefully leaves a lasting message into spring break.” In addition to the black ribbons, the Wellness Department is encouraging students to make the “I Stand for Life” pledge. These pledges will be hung in the Campus Center for everyone to see. D’Oyly said this oath encourages students to promise to set limits when drinking and to be aware of the effects of irresponsible drinking. The project was a mystery to some students at first, since D’Oyly wanted to instill a curiosity and encourage a dialogue on campus before the origins of the black ribbons were revealed. One student told D’Oyly that Twitter was “blowing up” with students wondering what the symbolic streaming stood for. Sophomore psychology major Andrew Drobnick said he was confused at first because many students were saying the ribbons stood for different things.
After discovering what they stand for he said, “It reinforces the fact that it’s not the drinking age that should be enforced. The people who are choosing to drink are irresponsible.” While D’Oyly doesn’t think Otterbein students have a drinking problem, he still encourages students to drink responsibly by only consuming one drink per hour and drinking lots of water. The Otterbein 2010 Residence Life Survey revealed that 87 percent of the students living in residence halls consume alcoholic drinks less than only twice per month. In fact, 50 percent of the students living in residence halls haven’t had a single drink in the past year. Otterbein’s 2008 Core Drug and Alcohol Survey showed that about 67 percent of students either drink responsibly or not at all, which is 13.7 percent more students who drink responsibly than the national average of 47 percent. The survey also revealed that alcohol consumption was highest among athletes and Greek students, approximately 20 percent higher than with freshman. t&c
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opinion
vol. 92, issue 20
Confessions of a ...
www.otterbein360.com
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Paranoid end-of-the-world theorist
A little pre-apocalyptic list composing calms even the most fearful person when the world’s days are numbered
662 days, eight hours, 37 minutes and 54 seconds until the end of the world as I write this. According to the ancient Mayan civilization. The producer of the film “2012” might have seen this LINDSAY theory as simPAULSEN ply a source of amusement, but the nervous Nellie inside of me can’t help but take it a bit more seriously. I don’t know about the rest of the human population, but when someone tells me that the world is going to end on Dec. 21, 2012, I get a little concerned. But before we all race out to purchase our subterranean bunkers, I think a consideration of fact and fiction is in order. There’s a ton of information available on the Internet about decoding the Mayan calendar, but from my findings, all of the hoopla seems to surround the fact that our Gregorian calendar’s date of Dec. 21, 2012 corresponds to a date on the Mayan calendar that marks the beginning of a new cycle. Some sources have compared this date to a clock simply striking midnight and signaling a new phase.
Some self-proclaimed “2012ologists” have incorrectly connected the winter equinox that occurs on Dec. 21 every year to a “Galactic Alignment” that occurs when a line of dark dust clouds called the “Dark Rift” bisects the Milky Way galaxy and aligns with the sun, producing potentially cataclysmic results. According to the 2012ologists, Galactic Alignment is supposed to occur on the same day as the winter equinox in the year 2012. Fortunately for us, astrological documentation reveals that this supposed alignment already occurred in 1998 ... and we’re still living. In the face of all scholarly publications that rebut theories of a 2012 apocalypse, there are still Internet sites and books that seem to try to convince you otherwise, claiming that we’re all doomed and that no one has any chance of survival. And the irony is that they attempt to provide you with survival guides. But just in case these politically biased, reason-lacking, commercially oriented websites happen to be right about their end-of-the-world claims, here’s a 2012 survival checklist that you might want to have with you when fire and brimstone rains down upon us all — done Tan & Cardinal style, of course:
bare essentiaLs:
photo by kristen sapp
When preparing for the end of the world, it’s important to have one’s priorities in order .
4. Ice pack – If it’s global warming that is our demise, isn’t ice an appropriate form of combat?
8. Cast of “Glee” – Live enter-
2. Pre-popped popcorn – Don’t 5. Tylenol – In the event of a
9. A copy of the Tan & Cardinal – For your literary pleasure,
1. Board games – Who wants to wait around for the end of the world twiddling their thumbs when you could be rolling dice? let the lack of a microwave keep you from enjoying history’s most epic event that could even rival Hollywood.
ment events for your scrapbook.
3. Sunblock – Preferably SPF
7. Chia Pet – Provides com-
50 or above, in case we come face to face with those nasty solar flares.
stress-related headache.
6. Polaroid camera – To docupany, is a source of lush greenery and thus oxygen and also livens the atmosphere.
tainment with a cataclysmic twist. Everyone needs a doomsday soundtrack!
of course.
10. Bottle of holy water – In case all else fails. t&c
LINDSAY PAULSEN IS A FRESHMAN JOURNALISM AND EQUINE FACILITY MANAGEMENT MAJOR AND IS A STAFF WRITER FOR THE t&c.
Planned Parenthood federal funding at stake
Freshman fears that a bill on its way to the Senate could reduce sexual health rather than the abortion rate
The House of Representatives passed a bill on Feb. 18 that could potentially cut federal funding toward the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The organization spends its HOLLY federal fundTAKACH ing providing birth control, condoms, other contraceptives, HIV tests, cancer screenings and other
reproductive health services to those in need. There are claims that those who are “pro-life” are for this bill because it would stop abortion services provided by Planned Parenthood. Contrary to these controversial claims, they do not utilize federal money to pay for abortions. People have to pay for those through insurance or out of pocket. In reality, reducing the amount of pregnancy prevention aid that Planned Parenthood is currently giving will only increase the number of abortion services
needed. When it comes to the abortion argument, I like to bring up a little something called Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to decide. Additionally, no one has any right to force his or her political beliefs on another — so the simple solution to the abortion argument is: If you don’t want one, don’t get one. The bill has made it through the House, and a lot has to happen before it becomes a law. If you paid attention during “School House Rock,” you know that the bill still must go through Senate, and if amendments are
made it has to go back to the House and eventually be signed by the president. If he vetoes, the veto would have to be overturned in order to become a law. While the bill still has a long way to go, those who are dependent on Planned Parenthood for birth control, condoms and other services are beginning to worry about the potential harms that will come from a lack of funding. It would lead to increased rates of unprotected sex, which means increased rates of contracted STIs and increased rates of unplanned pregnancies, which
would lead to increased rates of aborted fetuses. At the same time, the bill could mean increased condom sales. So, hypothetically, this could increase Trojan’s sales, which could help stimulate the economy. House of Representatives, I know “Teen Mom” is all the rage, but is this really the best way to ensure another season?
t&c
HOLLY TAKACH IS A FRESHMAN PUBLIC RELATIONS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR AND IS A STAFF WRITER FOR THE t&c.
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sports
Tan & Cardinal
thursday, march 10, 2011
Softball to reconstruct
In a change-up season, the Lady Cards will depend on chemistry
Golf looks beyond range
Cardinal alum Matt Cooperrider takes the reign for men’s golf BY JOSH OVERHOLSER Contributing Writer
What does it mean to you to be coaching a team for which you used to play? It’s extremely rewarding to be coaching the team which I played for five years ago. I loved the program and the university so much that I wanted to get back into it as quickly as I could.
What are your goals for the team this season? I feel like we have two main goals this spring: win our OAC Championship and place well at the NCAA Championships. These goals are always at the forefront of our minds ... win-
ning our conference championship is ... rewarding. Winning the conference earns a berth to nationals.
How do you plan to achieve those goals? We have been working hard in the gym this offseason and have had organized practices, targeting all facets of the game. With the weather the way it’s been, we have been able to sneak out on the courses as much as possible. In years past, they weren’t able due to the conditions. We are trying to take advantage of everything that comes our way.
What are the biggest strengths of this team?
I feel one of our biggest strengths is their willingness to help one another succeed. They are a strong group of guys who hang out with each other all of the time. It’s our own golfing fraternity.
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March 12 NCAA Championships/Capital @ Capital TBA
March 12 Centre (KY) @ Gahanna Lincoln High School 2 p.m.
What are the biggest weaknesses? One of the biggest weaknesses that sometimes plague our guys is their feeling that they are a part of something special. The last two years at the NCAA Championship, they were leading after two rounds. Even though we didn’t close the deal, we definitely have the games to succeed. There is sometimes a feeling that on a national level, they can’t compete at the highest level. But we’ve begun to break down those walls. t&c
What’s neXt in sports
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WoMen’s traCk
Natalie Zwicker and the remodeled Cardinals hope to improve their 7-27 record from last season as they go to Tucscon, Ariz.
complishments and awards, but that’s only going to help lead our team with the younger kids.” “But every person is going to be playing a significant role, whether they start every game and get the big awards to whether they’re in the dugout and helping us from that point,” she said. The team will see its first action in Tucson, Ariz., where it will spend part of spring break playing 10 games in six days. “We’re going to learn right from the get-go,” Steines said. “We’re going to be facing some teams that are ranked in the top 25, at least two down there. Really, it’s going to be learning where we’re at as a team and who can put it all together and get that team chemistry while we’re out there.” The Cardinals are scheduled to open up the trip March 17 against Rutgers-Newark and Wisconsin La Crosse. They will host their home opener April 1 in nonconference doubleheader action against Wooster. t&c
March 12 NCAA Championships/Capital @ Capital TBA
basebaLL
FastbaLL:
Men’s traCk
photo by GreG beers
When freshmen make up half of a sports team, usually the label of “inexperienced” is attached. Not for Otterbein University softball coach Christine Steines. “It’s not even about being young. These kids have been playing,” Steines said. “It’s more about experience. Just because they have a different uniform on doesn’t mean anything; they’ve been playing for years.” The 2011 Cardinal softball team, which carries 21 players, consists of 13 freshmen and only two seniors. “So truthfully, right now if you came and looked at our team now, you wouldn’t be able to tell who has been playing all four years, or three years under me, or no years under me. They definitely have the game.” The Cardinals have refreshed expectations after struggling to a 7-27 (2-14 Ohio Athletic Conference) mark in 2010. “This (year) is 180,” Steines said. “It’s going to be a whole different team. We’re really excit-
ed for the fact that we set this up for this way. We really built the foundation of the structure of what we want our program to be. Now we’ve added the resources that we need to take it to the next level. We’re definitely going to be surprising some people and turning it around pretty quick.” This year, the coach mentioned speed, knowledge of the game and not being afraid to take risks as strengths of the team. The Cards return a junior duo that led the team in hitting and pitching last year, respectively. Pitcher Natalie Zwicker led the team in almost every pitching category and garnered honorable mention All-OAC honors last year. Outfielder Casey Clarridge led the team in almost every hitting category while earning second-team All-OAC and AllRegion honors last year. “A lot of times we don’t like to pull out specific people because each person on our team plays a specific role,” Steines said when asked about key contributors. “We definitely have some key returners that have had the experience and have got great ac-
LaCrosse
BY DOM PORRETTA Staff Writer
March 12 Grove City (doubleheader) 1 p.m.
Editor’s Note
For a baseball season preview, visit our website at www.otterbein360.com.