February 2019 Issue

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LENOIR-RHYNEAN NEWS

Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Journalism and Mass Communication

LENOIR-RHYNEAN NEWS

VOL. 113 — ISSUE 5

February 2019

VOL. 110 — ISSUE 2

SEPTEMB

Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Journalism and Mass Communication LENOIR-RHYNEAN NEWS

VOL. 110 — ISSUE 2

SEPTEMBER 2015

fEST TO RETIRE LR pResident TO RETIRE LR pResident THETO BEARS ARE ON THE COURT RETIRE Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Journalism and Mass Communication

IT'S

BASKETBALL SEASON LENOIR-RHYNEAN NEWS

VOL. 110 — ISSUE 2

SEPTEMBER 2015

REMAINING LR HOME GAMES THIS BASKETBALL SEASON

By Ana Romero | LRN Monthly Staff Writer

FEBRUARY 9

vs. ANDERSON @ 4 PM

FEBRUARY 13

vs. WINGATE @ 8 PM

FEBRUARY 20 vs. COKER @ 8 PM

MARCH 2 Jon Jean takes a hard line against Brandon Simpson of Emmanuel College during a Nov. 10, 2018 game the Bears went on to win by a score of 91-87. Photo courtesy of ERNIE MASCHE | HICKORY DAILY RECORD

The fall is over and with it sports like soccer, cross country, volleyball and football have come to an end.

But there’s no need to be sad about it because winter sports are here, such as swimming, indoor track & field and basketball.

And as we all know, North Carolina is basketball country. And we’re having a heck of a season so far.

LR´s Head Coach of the men’s basketball team, Everick Sullivan, had this to say in advance of the season: “We have two All-Conference players, with Djibril Diallo and Cory Thomas. We have a good core of returners, a good blend, a good mixture of

incoming freshmen, transfers, juniors and seniors and some sophomores.”

This is Coach Sullivan’s third year with the Bears and he’s been having good results.

“Our goal is to be one of the top teams in the South Atlantic Conference,” he said. “We want to take another step. My first year we were in eighth place, last year we were in fifth place, and we want to continue to climb in the South Atlantic Conference records.”

So far the Bears have been having an awesome season with highlights that include reaching 100 points in a game. The stands are packed and they’re getting a ton of support from their fans.

CONNECT WITH US

vs. LINCOLN MEMORIAL @ 4 PM

“I can promise them (the crowd) that this is going to be fun. Every day they should show up because we need the energy because the energy they bring motives us. That makes us play harder than what we normally do,” All-Conference guard Djibril Diallo, of Guinea, said. “We like it when the gym is packed, everybody cheering for us” Bear’s forward Bertrand Awana, of Cameroon, spoke about his teammates and how he feels about this season’s players.

“This season I feel like we are a group of people that is dedicated to work and determined to win the SAC,” he said. “We’ve been working hard this season.”

ONLINE NEWS & ARCHIVES AT ISSUU.COM/ THERHYNEAN

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chiVes

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NEWS

LRN MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2019

BROTHERHOOD AND CULTURE

NEWS

LRN MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2019

RADIO FEST A SUCCESS

LR FRATERNITY LIFE BRINGS HISTORY AND CULTURE TO HICKORY

STUDENTS EXPERIENCED PLANNING AND STAFFING EVENTS

By Anthony Brown | LRN Monthly Contributor

Greek letters, colored sweaters and yard boots all around. Chants of history and pride are followed with dances of joy and spirit.

African-Americans have a long history of tension in the United States, but they also have a long history of brotherhood and togetherness. In 1906 the first black fraternity was established on the campus of Cornell University and they called themselves Alpha Phi Alpha.

On the Campus of Lenoir-Rhyne we have three black fraternities, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi and Phi Beta Sigma. They have been around for only five years now in Hickory, but their presence is felt all around campus.

“It’s just an honor to join the greatest fraternity in the world,” junior football player Khalil Yelding said. “To give back to the community is what it’s all about.”

The core of what these fraternities are about is giving back to the communities. Doing food drives, helping the homeless and going to talk with the youth about getting educated on life.

The process of joining a fraternity isn’t easy, but one that has been heavily scrutinized in the past publically around the nation for being abusive and having hazing problems. The other perception is that fraternities are just here for kids to party.

“When it all boils down, it’s more than us,” Junior Dorian Dickey said.

“We are here to give back to the community and to teach people, not for the parties or the jackets and recognition.”

LR is a close-knit community, so when the fraternities put on events and show the togetherness of brotherhood they’re heard loud and

clear.

“They bring a lot of unity and social status to the campus,” sophomore Nick Nock said. “They make people feel like they fit in and bring happiness and peace.”

The process of joining a fraternity is open to anyone, not just AfricanAmerican males, but all races. The members teach their history and go through the routine set in place from the history that has been given to them and they make their member selections on the basis of how well people can learn the fraternity and respect the Greek letters that they wear.

The process isn’t something limited to the U.S. or college kids, the fraternities have a support system that grows way past the school level and is available for undergrads and graduates. They support high schools and give scholarships based on the

expectations and standards that they pass out.

Greek life has been an active part of campus life in America and the

By Mallory Baker | LRN Monthly Contributor

latest examples on campus in LR show that they aren’t leaving anytime soon.

Omega Psi Phi's Alpha Delta Psi chapter moves the crowd and captivates the campus during their neophyte presentation. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Students grabbed the mic and took a chance to showcase their talents on and off the stage at this year’s Radio Fest. Lenoir-Rhyne University’s radio station, WLRZ 99.3 sponsored the event, which was held on Nov. 29.

The Radio Fest event is organized by students in the audio production class. Dr. Jeffrey Delbert teaches the class and says gaining experience planning and staffing an event is an important learning outcome of the course.

“Sometimes as an intern you get stuck in these positions where you need to set up events,” Delbert said. “This is an opportunity to learn and practice in case you end up in one of these experiences. You will at least have an idea of what has to happen.”

Radio Fest was completely planned and brought to fruition by students. Students came up with everything from the ideas to the flyer designs.

“Some other classmates and I have helped bring this event together,” audio production student Kelsy Pitts said. “I hope this event will let students know that there is a radio station on campus. I hope that it will get students to listen to us more and I also hope it will help bring more students out to future events that the radio station puts on.”

The first Radio Fest happened in November 2017, but was completely different from this year’s event. The first one was an outdoor event in LR’s Shaw Plaza and featured games, music, T-shirts and a fundraiser, which gave students the opportunity to pie a professor in the face.

This year’s Radio Fest was a fun-filled night of karaoke in Joe’s Coffee. We set up all the speakers, microphones and sound equipment for the event, which gave us the opportunity to use our talents in audio production. Setting up microphones, checking sound levels and using a sound mixer board are all skills that we have worked on during the semester.

Students in the audio production class staffed the event for the evening but we also got to join in on the fun. Everyone in attendance was entertained for the night whether they participated in the karaoke or not. Being in the audience can be just as fun as performing during events like this.

Dorien Dickey and members of the Alpha Delta Psi chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated celebrate their neophyte presentation. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Dr. Laura Dobson (far right), Lenoir-Rhyne's Director of International Education, is as passionate about welcoming students from around the world to LR as she is about sending LR students around the world. ANA ROMERO | LRN MONTHLY

realized just how capable I was, and this was an incredibly empowering experience.”

There’s no reason not to give it a try.

“If studying abroad is something you really want to do then don't let lack of funding be the reason why you don't do it,” Dodson said. “There are ways to make a study abroad experience a reality.”

One key reason LR’s study abroad program is so robust is that William H. Shuford and his brother, Robert, donated $5.2 million to Lenoir-Rhyne University after they passed away.

The gift created the endowment, which funds so many scholarships to students who are eager to study in a foreign country but may not be able to afford it without help.

The Assistant Director of LR’s Department of Education Brittany Marinelli said students whose GPA is higher than 2.5 qualify for most study abroad opportunities. Those applying for a scholarship need to apply online and write two essays.

Marinelli said under-represented students abroad such as studentathletes and first-generation college students and other categories of under-representedness as defined by students in their scholarship essays can usually get more financial support to fund their international studies.

“We are looking for students who really need financial support," Sobson said.

Mallory Baker rocked the mic during this year's Radio Fest to promote LR's radio station WLRZ 99.3 "The Lair."

KELSY PITTS | LRN MONTHLY

“It was great to just have fun and get the stress of the semester out,” Lenoir-Rhyne exchange student Ana Romero, of Mexico, said.

This event was not only meant to provide the audio production class with experience in event planning and staffing but also was meant to promote the radio station. Students say they hope future classes continue this event.

“Just one event is not going to make everyone know who we are,” Pitts said. “I think this is a small step in the right direction.”

Delbert agreed that this was an important step towards growing the radio station and making it even better for students.

“I think this is a wonderful space for people to try out and explore their talents,” Delbert said. “I hope more students will start trying out their own podcasts.”

Stay on the lookout for the next Radio Fest and other events sponsored by WLRZ.

The hidden gem of P.E. Monroe is tucked away on the building’s third floor. That’s where you’ll find LR’s campus radio station studio.

The station, WLRZ 99.3, known as “The Lair” features music, sports, and talk shows. WLRZ is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission and broadcasts 24 hours a day. The Lair can be picked up all across LR’s campus and for miles around.

LR broadcasting professor Dr. William Richter designed the radio studio in 1993. Ever since, The Lair has provided students with the opportunity to gain first-hand experience by working in radio technology and production.

You can host your own radio shows or record your own podcasts in the studio. It’s a place where we can use our creativity and talents to create something that aligns with our individual interests.

However, since the station is licensed by the FCC, there’s no cursing allowed.

The radio studio is often used by communications majors but is open to students of all disciplines. If you’re interested in hosting a radio show or creating a podcast, contact The Lair’s faculty advisor Dr. Jeffrey Delbert at jeffrey. delbert@lr.edu

By Jasmine Thompson | LRN Monthly Contributor

By Yawen Zhang | LRN Monthly Contributor

hysterical at times,” Dodson said.

“My favorite part of the day was dinner because they would all sit together.”

Meals lasted about an hour and a half, where they sat and talked, laughed and ate. They put up with her shaky French and horrible translations.

One thing she learned right away was that teenagers in France and teenagers in the U.S. are very similar.

The boys would do all kinds of things that her teenage sister did, such as rolling their eyes at their mom, stomping out of the room, watching cartoons in the morning, complaining about homework, back talking their father, and telling jokes with their grandfather.

She highly recommends studying abroad to everyone.

“I learned more about myself than I thought I could,” Dodson said. “By going outside my comfort zone I

campus radio station

CAMPUS ACTIVITIES BOARD VICE PRESIDENT EXPLAINS HOW SHE FOUND HER NICHE

DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WORKS TO MADE LR STUDENTS’ DREAMS A REALITY chance.

Dodson studied abroad for the first time in Grenoble, France. It was a summer trip conducted through a partnership with the American Institute for Foreign Study. She recommends it to anyone who wants to study abroad.

Dodson received scholarships from the William and Robert Shuford Center for International Education, the Lineberger Fellows, and her church, which added up to roughly $2,500.

The most impactful thing about her trip was getting to experience life with her host family. While in France she stayed with a family that consisted of a mom, dad, grandfather, and a pair of 12 and 13-year-old boys.

“They were the most amazing family I've ever interacted with.

They were welcoming, supportive, encouraging, and downright

LENOIR-RHYNE UNIVERSITY’S

THE FACE BEHIND THE EVENTS

GET UP AND GO

Experiencing an exotic foreign culture that you’ve only read about.

Witnessing natural beauty you never knew existed alongside new friends from around the world. Learning a whole new way of living and laughing that tourists never get to be a part of.

There are plenty of reasons to study abroad, and at LenoirRhyne University there’s a whole department dedicated to getting you out of your comfort zone and into the world abroad. At its head is Dr. Laura Dobson, LR’s Director of International Education.

Dobson has a rich experience of studying abroad herself.

“I had a one-year study abroad experience in France, which helped me get a job teaching English in France. It was a job opportunity through my school, but students can do the same thing through Fulbright," Dobson said. “My two years of experience teaching and studying in France helped me get a job teaching English in Nigeria.”

Dobson said the studying abroad experience not only helped build her career but also made her a life-long learner and it’s kept her curious.

Those cultural experiences never get boring. Dobson said meeting the needs of LR’s students who are going abroad and helping foreign exchange students who have come to study here are the best parts of her job.

One LR student who took the opportunity to study abroad, Cora Dodson, is grateful she got the

3

Hannah Evans

Hannah Evans is a 19-year-old sophomore from Statesville who has found her unique calling by taking her leadership skills to the next level.

As a child, it was just Evans and her single mother up until the age of 9.

She now lives with her two younger siblings Josh, 8, and Julianna, 4, and her stepfather.

“My mom got married to my stepdad who I call dad, because I love him very much,” Evans said. “My real dad was never really in my life.”

Evans is a double major in accounting and finance and she

usually takes up to 18 credit hours per semester. She hopes to continue her studies by going to graduate school. Evans is also part of the honors academy, has a work study job, and she’s the vice president of LR’s Campus Activities Board, better known as CAB. Coming from a high school setting to college, Evans found out quickly that she had to find different areas on campus that would give her the ability to grow and gain skills. Before coming to Lenoir-Rhyne, Evans was a member of her high school’s student government where she had an executive title every year up until her senior year when she finally became president of the senior class. Having had success in student government, Evans attended SGA meetings here at LR, but discovered that her interest in such things had faded.

“I started going to the student government meetings here on campus,” said Evans. “But I started to figure out that it wasn't my thing.”

It was then that Evans was directed towards CAB. She quickly became interested in the planning and

Anthony Brown William Hewett Kaynmon Maddox Mike McHugh Ana Romero

Lenoir-Rhyne University School of Journalism and Mass Communication

CONTRIBUTORS: Tre’Dorion Arnold

and looks for change within CAB,” LR’s Assistant Director of Campus Activities Chantelle Tickles said.

Throughout her time on the team, Evans has gained knowledge and seen improvement through her work. She has discovered an array of leadership tactics in order to fit everyone's personality.

“You can say that you’ve been a leader for X-amount of years but you’re always going to have something to learn from,” Evans said.

Hannah Evans, Katherine Gordon, Shalee Sparks, Gabby Moore, and Chisim Oparanozie come together outside LR's campus activity room. JASMINE THOMPSON | LRN MONTHLY

LRN STAFF WRITERS:

M O N T H L Y

leadership aspect of CAB, which allowed her to develop a brand new friend group.

“Hannah is such a wonderful person to work with,” CAB President Shalee Sparks said. “She’s so hardworking and organized, and she’s so fun to work with.”

Evans became CAB’s vice president, which means it’s her job is to plan and to be in charge of events in order to make sure everyone is involved.

“Hannah being my VP is great because she’s very detail oriented

Mallory Baker Chloe Cordell Katherine Diamonte Harrison Elam Preston Goforth Jon Jean Savannah Lee Jasmine Thompson Zoë Watkins

Frances Williams Jack Williams Yawen Zhang

FACULTY ADVISORS: Dr. Lisa Harris Prof. Richard Gould

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PHOTOJOURNALISM

LRN MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2019

SLICES OF OUR LIVES LR PHOTOJOURNALISTS’ IMAGES CAPTURED THE FALL 2018 SEMESTER From Staff Reports | LRN Monthly

Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Photojournalism students spent their fall semester telling visual stories about LR and beyond. From Hickory to Charlotte – from the dorm to the stadium, we were right there chronicling history as it

happened.

We captured action, beauty and joy. We captured LR – and it’s all right here for you to see.

PHOTOJOURNALISM

LRN MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2019

Lenoir-Rhyne cheerleader, Mollie Clohesy, enjoys spending her time in downtown Hickory when she is not at the football games or studying for her nursing test.

Photo by SAVANNAH LEE

Lenoir-Rhyne football player, Dashaun Dixon, warms up before practice by working on his footwork in the chute.

Photo by HARRISON ELAM

Lenoir-Rhyne student, Savannah Lee, looking into the staggered glass pannels of the statue known by the locals as "Disco Chicken" in Uptown Charlotte on Tuesday, Nov. 27. Photo by MIKE MCHUGH

Lenoir-Rhyne student, Will Johnson, enjoys a day out exploring downtown Hickory.

Photo by JACK WILLIAMS

Lenoir-Rhyne hurdler, Leona Medly spends the weekend with her friends at the pumpkin patch with her friends in Hillsborough. Photo by SAVANNAH LEE

Christopher Diamonti hanging out with his sister's kooky dog Rivers. Photo by KATHERINE DIAMONTI

Mike Destephens, a graduate assistant for the LR football team and the punter for the Big Baller Bears intramural team, punts the ball away to start the flag football game at Bears Field on Thursday; Nov. 15. Photo by MIKE MCHUGH

Jairo Uribe playing on the bleachers of a local soccer field. Photo by CHLOE CORDELL

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LRN MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2019

VALENTINE’S DAY 101

OPINION

FELIZ DIA DEL AMOR Y LA AMISTAD

By Ana Romero | LRN Monthly Staff Writer

Did you ever wonder where Valentine’s Day came from or how it started? I know I did, especially because Americans seem to focus more of their attention on the romantic love aspect of this holiday rather than focusing on general affection like we do it back home in Mexico.

Of course, we focus on our significant others too, but we include friends and family that we love as well.

The origins of Valentine’s Day aren’t romantic or loving at all. The story basically consists of a martyr named Valentinus.

He was a Roman priest and was arrested during the reign of Emperor Gothicus and put into the custody of an aristocrat named Asterius.

Father Valentinus talked about Christ leading

pagans out of the shadow of darkness and into the light of truth and salvation. Arterius talked to Valentinus and told him that if the Christian could cure his foster-daugther of blindess, he would convert.

Valentinus put his hands over the girl’s eyes and chanted: “Lord Jesus Christ, en-lighten your handmaid, because you are God, the True Light.”

After that, the child could see. That’s why Valentinus before Asterius and his whole family were baptized. When Emperor Gothicus heard the news, he ordered them all to be executed.

However, Valentinus was the only one to be beheaded.

The love connection probably appeared more than a thousand years after the martyrs’ death, when Geoffrey Chaucer, author of “The Canterbury Tales” compared the February feast of St. Valentinus to the mating of birds.

It seems that, in Chaucer’s day, English birds paired off to produce eggs in February. Soon, nature-minded European nobility began sending love notes during bird-mating season. For example, the French Duke of Orléans, who spent some years as a prisoner in the Tower of London, wrote to his wife in February 1415 that he was “already sick of love” (by which he meant lovesick.) And he called her his “very gentle Valentine.”

In the following centuries, Englishmen and women began using Feb. 14 as an excuse to pen verses to the objects of their love. Industrialization made it easier with mass-produced illustrated cards adorned with smarmy poetry. Then along came Cadbury, Hershey’s, and other chocolate manufacturers marketing sweets for our sweethearts on Valentine’s Day. As I mentioned before for us Mexicans, this holiday is about more than your sweetheart -- it’s about your family and friends as well.

Example: I remember that when I was in elementary school my classroom and I used to take some candies to give to each classmate to demonstrate my affection for them on the “Dia del Amor y la Amistad,” which means Day of Love and Friendship.

My parents used to send my sister and me a bouquet of flowers with a big balloon on it, so each year that we saw that bouquet with the balloon we knew it was ours.

I think we use Valentine’s Day as an excuse to show our love but why don’t we do it all year long?

Why do we need a holiday to tell our parents, friends and/or partner how important and special they are for us?

I think one of our New Year’s resolutions should be that. Let’s make Valentine’s Day last 365 days.

APPLYING FOR A SUMMER INTERNSHIP? LR STUDENT’S ADVICE ON HUNTING FOR INTERNSHIPS AND THE INTERVIEW PROCESS

By Zoë Watkins | LRN Monthly Contributor

When I was an LR freshman I knew I wanted to do an internship and get some work experience.

But I didn’t know how or where to begin. Now I’m a senior and I’ve had two wonderful and eye-opening internship experiences. Last spring, I interned in the press office of U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.) and this past fall, I was a Public Diplomacy intern through the Department of State at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, Spain.

I encourage every student at LR to do an internship. I cannot stress enough how beneficial it is to have some type of work experience before you start applying for jobs. Internships can also be a great way to land a job after college –

especially if you make great connections with your supervisors and coworkers during your internship.

The hardest part of the whole experience can be searching for your perfect internship opportunity.

Google “summer internship opportunities for 2019” and you’ll get a huge number of responses.

Narrow down your search by typing your interests into the search engine. Websites like Indeed.com and Internships.com helped me find interesting opportunities when I was living in Washington D.C. You might find your dream internship only to discover you’ve missed the application deadline.

Don’t despair, just make a note of the opportunity and deadlines so you can keep a close eye on it for next year. The websites I mentioned let you request email alerts about the internships you’re interested in. In my experience, summer internships are the most competitive because many students are out of school for the summer and they are looking for something to do, so always try to send in your application as early as possible.

If you can’t find the info online, don’t be afraid to call the company or office you’re interested in and ask about internship opportunities.

Sometimes a phone call is the perfect way to get your foot in the door.

The interview process can be intimidating –

especially if you’ve never done it. Why not picture yourself in the interviewer’s shoes. If you were the interviewer, what would you ask a person who is seeking employment? Take a moment to think about the questions the interviewer is asking. Often times, we want to respond quickly to questions that are being asked of us, but sometimes it's better to think for a moment rather than rushing into it and not giving a good answer.

Also, don’t be afraid to sell yourself during the interview. This used to be my problem because I didn’t want to seem arrogant or overconfident. It is better to sound confident rather than unconfident.

Now, I will say, if you put a skill down on your resume, please make sure that you do have that skill. Don’t say you can do something if you know you can’t or your skill level is not sufficient to get the job done. The last thing you want to do is embarrass yourself. In my application, I spoke about previously living in Spain and the interviewers did not hesitate to ask me about my time there and to challenge me even more, they switched the conversation to Spanish to see how proficient I was. Any skill or experience you put down on your resume will be fair game for the interviewer to ask you about.

LR D-LINEMAN TELLS IT LIKE IT IS A TRIBUTE TO LR’S OUTGOING DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

By Tre’Dorion Arnold | LRN Monthly Contributor

It was a big year for Lenoir-Rhyne football. We won the South Atlantic Conference with a 10-1 regular season and made it three games into the playoffs before losing to Valdosta State University in the NCAA Regional Playoff game.

It was a nice return to form for a team that had gotten used to winning before having a couple of years where we struggled.

They say defense wins championships and it is true that Lenoir-Rhyne’s defense had an outstanding year. We owe a lot of credit to our coaching staff. LR’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach was Josh Aldridge. Before coming to LR he coached the defensive line at The University of West Georgia.

Defensive line coach Jimmy Long is in his first year as well. An LR grad, Long came back home after working as a graduate assistant for the defensive line at North Carolina State University.

And David Cole is the defensive backs coach who’s been earning respect at LR for a few years now.

Every week these coaches put together a game plan for the upcoming teams the Bears are about to go up against. And we spend the week getting ready. Every Tuesday the defense does tackle circuit drills. There are four stations and we stay at those stations for 1-2 minutes. Every Wednesday we do a turnover circuit. Before practice is over on Wednesdays we do a pursuit drill where we have to run at a certain angle to the ball carrier then buzz our feet until the coach blows the whistle and calls us up. These drills carry over to game days. They might have something to do with the fact that the Bears defense had crazy statistics this season.

We combined for 46 sacks, 985 tackles including assists, 21 interceptions, 21 forced fumbles, 17 fumble recoveries, 49 pass break ups and a blocked kick. We were ranked as the best defense in the South Atlantic Conference and one of the top defenses in the nation. The only negative was that sometimes would tend to start slow, but once we started to get a feel for the game we played

lights out.

Every Friday before walkthroughs and Saturdays before the games we did something called ready, break, swarm. The first group would go up front and watch the film of the other team then we would put ourselves in a real game situation. Next they would yell out what they will do and their assignment.

Coach Aldridge would get the defense focused for the meeting, making sure that they are locked in. They would talk about how the game went Saturday and watch what we might have done wrong and the positives of what we did. They would end every meeting breaking it down on effort. There was never a time that this defense was unfocused. We would always keep each other up whenever someone made a mistake. Nobody would panic. Everybody would stay calm.

This defense loved adversity because it gave us a chance to go back on the field and fight for our brother. The coaches would never yell at us at halftime because they knew we could do better.

Whenever someone made a play their teammate would go celebrate with them.

Playing defense is all about effort and playing for the person beside you.

SPORTS LR SOCCER’S TWELFTH PLAYER

LRN MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2019

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BEARS SUPPORTERS CLUB INSPIRES LENOIR-RHYNE SOCCER PLAYERS

By Frances Williams | LRN Monthly Contributor

Behind every great team is an even greater support system. That’s what the Bears Supporters Club is to Lenoir-Rhyne women’s and men’s soccer teams.

The Club, better known as the BSC, was founded

by Lenoir-Rhyne’s tennis coach Tom Rees.

“He’s English, and when he was younger he used to travel up and down England supporting his home soccer club,” junior tennis player and leader of the BSC William Hewett said. “He wanted to try and create something like that here at LenoirRhyne.”

The BSC is mostly composed of members of LR’s men’s and women’s tennis team, and the men’s and women’s golf teams. It also includes a few retired Lenoir-Rhyne men’s soccer players.

“My (tennis) team is basically all European, so they all enjoy being loud, obnoxious, arrogant, and talking trash,” Hewett said. “We get to support our friends and have fun doing it.”

Members of the BSC are unabashedly loud and proud. They sing and cheer the entire length of the game and sometimes they get a little too fired up.

“The first game of the season at Limestone I got kicked out of the venue,” Hewett said. “We lost 3-2 very controversially and we were just hurling abuse at both the ref and the coach, and security had enough and kicked me out.” Hewett laughed and went on to add, “It was so much fun though –

that’s when you know you’re doing a good job.”

The BSC has impacted the men’s soccer team in more ways than one.

“I can’t speak more highly of the impact the BSC has on our team,” head men’s soccer coach Jack Winter said. “These players love playing at home so much and it is mostly due to the support we get from the BSC. Our team loves them and the other teams hate them.”

The BSC even travels to away games just to support the Bears.

“When they come to our away games, it changes everything,” freshman soccer player Carles Montoliu Lobo said. “They make us feel like we are always playing at home.”

The women’s soccer team has also been tremendously impacted by the BSC. “The atmosphere at our games completely changes when the Bears Supporters Club is there.

Their chants, energy, and presence inspire us to keep playing hard for them and give us the fuel and hype we need,” junior women’s soccer player Hannah Van Eerden said. “We are so thankful for them, especially for the heart of the club which is the tennis team.”

Not only has the BSC enhanced the playing experience for Lenoir-Rhyne soccer players but also for the fans.

“I work the live stream for the athletics

Leader of the Bears Supporters Club, Williams Hewett, hands junior tennis players and BSC member Alex Ayguavives his BSC shirt. FRANCES WILLIAMS| LRN MONTHLY

department and the BSC is so loud that we have to mute the stream,” Junior Madison Prkna said.

“Soccer games are long and cold most of the time, so the BSC has added some extra entertainment.”

The BSC has changed the way people watch soccer games here at Lenoir-Rhyne.

“They just make it a brilliant experience for our players and the fans. I know this is true for Division 2 soccer – you don’t this see anywhere else,” Winter said. “We’re very fortunate and we’re very grateful.”

INTERNATIONAL TENNIS LEADERSHIP SPANIARD ESCANERO NAMED SENIOR CAPTAIN

By Jon Jean | LRN Monthly Contributor

This year LR’s women’s tennis team is being led by senior captain Marta Escanero. Escanero is one of the team’s foreign players – she’s from Guardamar del Segura, Spain.

The international player has a lot of upcoming goals this year for her last season here at Lenoir-Rhyne.

“I’ll try to lead by example,” Escanero said. “If I tell my teammates something, I cannot then go and do the opposite. I’m going to try and keep them motivated, and help them enjoy this amazing experience by treating everyone fairly and equally and being as accountable as possible.”

It’s been going well for women’s tennis so far this season.

“Marta brings her own little culture to the team,” sophomore Lucy Whelan, of Aberdeen, Scotland, said. “As does everyone else, especially since we are all from different countries and backgrounds.

Essentially we learn from everyone

on the team and I think it’s been a huge part of what she brings to our team.”

LR sophomore Sanne Janssen, of Maastricht, Netherlands, agreed.

“I think Marta is an awesome leader,” she said. “She has shown herself to be someone who leads by example and cares a lot about

LR senior tennis player Marta Escanero Funes, of Guardamar del Segura, Spain, is her team's captain. SUBMITTED PHOTO

everyone on the team.”

Before coming to Lenoir-Rhyne and being the captain for the team, Escanero didn’t know much about this program. “I barely knew anything,” Escanero said. “I just knew the name of the university, where it was located and that was it. I never visited the campus.”

It was a lot to adjust to for Escanero when she decided to come to the states and play for LenoirRhyne. “Everything was completely different,” Escanero said. “It was hard at first since I moved to a place where Spanish isn’t the first language and the closest my family is was an eight-hour flight away so it was a little bit hard at first.”

The style of play has been quite a change for the Spaniard.

“Doubles is nonexistent back home,” Escanero said. “The whole experience is quite different, clay courts are more common, and it is more individual matches than

there are here. It was also different because back home it is not that common to travel with a whole team.”

The diverse mix of players on LR’s tennis team has made for some interesting connections.

“With Marta, I’ve learned fascinating things about her life in Spain,” Junior Sophia Aguilar di Camillo, of Panama, said. “We both speak the same language but she has a different accent than mine, which I find super funny. Something very cool is that I know I will have a place to stay if I decide to visit Spain in the future.”

For Escanero it has been great so far. “I’ve had the opportunity to travel, play a sport, meet many people from all over the world, all of that while getting a degree,” Escanero said. “It has helped me to open my eyes and mind, to get out of my comfort zone, and to be more sociable and responsible.”

GUARD ISN’T JUST FOR GIRLS SPIRIT OF LR MEMBER DEDICATED AND PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS SPORT

By Savannah Lee | LRN Monthly Contributor

Color guard is a part of the marching band whose purpose is to interpret the music being played through synchronized dance using flags, rifles and sabers. Most members of LR’s color guard are females, which makes Daniel Coger unique among his teammates.

Coger is a freshman at LenoirRhyne University and he’s the only male on the color guard team. He’s been spinning since his freshman year of high school and doesn’t plan on ending his career anytime soon.

“It wasn’t until Daniel got here I was like, ‘Someone understands me,’” LR color guard captain Tiffany Frye said. “We have been through very similar programs, and both have the same passion for it.”

Coger is quite talented at spinning – he’s the only LR member who can toss his weapon in the air with an eight-turn rotation and catch it. The most rotations that any of the female

members can toss is five.

Coger’s passion continues to grow as he’s committing more time than ever to his color guard career. He’s currently a member of three different guard-related organizations. During the fall he’s a member of the Spirit of LR marching band, in the spring he’s a part of winter guard in Rock Hill, S.C. and in the summer he is a part of the Madison Scouts, which is a band under the Drum Corps Incorporation.

“I love it so much,” Coger said. “It’s my entire life.”

Coger goes down to Rock Hill every weekend to rehearse. The Drum Corps practices Friday nights from 9-midnight, Saturdays from 9 a.m.10 p.m. and then on Sundays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. After that he comes back to school where he continues to practice every day.

“He has that drive to perfect things on his own,” color guard assistant instructor at LR Stephanie Caldwell

said. “When he performs you can tell he has a true passion for what he is doing and that is not something you see in everyone.”

Coger is willing to make any sacrifice to be able to do what he loves.

Along with participating at LR and in SC, Coger also is a member of the Madison Scouts in Madison, Wis. He spends the summer training and competing against other bands at the highest level possible in the marching band world. At the end of the season they compete for world championships. Coger’s team made it to the finals in 2017.

Coger will continue to spin until he ages out, but plans to take his career to the next level.

“He can go as far as he wants to go,” Caldwell said. “I think he would be a great instructor too, that boy can write some choreography.”

Tiffany Frye and Daniel Coger, both members of the color guard team at Lenoir-Rhyne, practice their routine for the Spirit of LR halftime show "A Fast Ride in a Red Machine." SAVANNAH LEE| LRN MONTHLY

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SPORTS

LRN MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2019

“HOW DO YOU EAT SO MUCH AND STILL STAY SKINNY?” DIET OF A LENOIR-RHYNE SWIMMER

By Preston Goforth | LRN Monthly Contributor

swim team myself, I can say that there’s some truth to this, but it is important to eat healthy foods.

“I like to tell them to do something called push-aways, which means push away from the counter and don’t eat 12 cookies,” LR’s Head Swim Team Coach Paul Schiffel said.

Battling with the struggles of eating enough calories and eating the right calories has led some to follow a career in nutrition. Michael Reavis, who is a former LR swimmer, has decided to follow this very path.

While attending LR, Reavis himself struggled with being able to consume enough nutrients to stay healthy all the while only eating what the body needed for health reasons.

“When you work out at the level of college swimmer, you put a lot of strain on your muscles, so it is important to stay healthy in your diet,” he said.

By continuing to follow a strict diet, Reavis has maintained a level of health even after his days of swimming.

“The tax on your body while swimming is great,” Reavis said. “It is important to be nutritious in your diet so you can perform at your optimal level.”

Performing at the optimal level is something that every swimmer must strive to do. Swimming is a cardio sport which means the more you put into a workout the more you will get out of it.

“Whole grains, something that gives lasting energy,” Reavis said.

“Swimmers need to try to avoid everything that is processed.”

Processed foods like chips, pizza and other junk foods are tempting to all swimmers, but being able to eat almost anything with no repercussions is something that will eventually catch up with the athlete.

Reavis has always been adamant about having a healthy diet above all else because that is one of the major keys to high-quality swimming.

“You would not put complete crap into a Maserati,” Reavis said. “You shouldn’t put garbage in an elite athlete.”

LR SWIMMING top marks for

One of the most common questions swimmers get is, “How can someone eat so much and still be skinny?” Michael Phelps – the greatest swimmer of all time – has made his diet public. Some see Phelps’ 10’000-calory daily intake and ask how someone who eats so much can still be lean and cut.

It’s pretty simple: Swimming is great exercise – it burns tons of calories and it’s pretty much the perfect total body workout. While Division Two swimmers might not be quite at Phelps’ world-class elite level, we still need a whole lot of food to fuel our workouts.

“Swimmers do have to have a lot more calories than normal people, but they have to be the right calories,” LR’s assistant swimming coach Taylor Counter said.

While D2 swimmers don’t need to eat quite as much as Phelps, there is a need to consume more than 5,000 calories daily – roughly double the amount recommended by the National Institutes of Health.

The exact amount will vary with the gender, size, weight, and metabolism of the athlete, but the general rule of thumb is to stick around 4,000-5,000.

“I thought I could eat whatever I wanted and it would not matter,” Counter said. “This is somewhat true because of the ridiculous amount of calories that we burn in a normal workout.”

Depending on the size of the swimmer, it is possible to burn close to 2,000 calories in a single two-hour practice. In an entire week of working out, this can add up to an unhealthy situation if the athlete does not take in the appropriate amount of nutrition and calories.

“Protein is super important, in swimmers particularly. They lift three times a week and swim six times a week,” LR athletic trainer Luis Velez said. “It is important for recovery as well as getting better inside and out of the pool.”

It is a common misconception that swimmers can eat anything and everything in sight and have no repercussions. As a member of LR’s

Lenoir-Rhyne swimming has been dedicated to academics with the main goal of getting exceptional grades. Swimming always comes second and grades always come first.

This has been achieved with the most impressive accomplishment coming in the form of an academic national ranking for swimming scholar excellence. We placed second in the nation, only behind Yale Swimming, in total grade point average.

While this has been the crowning achievement for LR swimming academics, the team has not let up on their goal of good grades. We have still managed to get scholar All Americans by attaining a team GPA of 3.0 or higher every year since the team was established. LR swimming is the only team to win it multiple times and continue to receive it every year since their inaugural season.

Eleven of the last 12 winners have been men and women from the swim team.

While there is no guarantee that this reign of academic domination will continue, Head Coach Paul Schiffel will never let his swimmers forget that grades always come first and swimming always comes second.

LR sophomore Alex Murphy eats a large amount of food before a tough practice consisting of several healthy options from the cafeteria. PRESTON GOFORTH | LRN MONTHLY

JUICE TO STAY WITH LENOIR-RHYNE STRENGTH COACH DOUBLES DOWN, COMMITS TO STICKING WITH THE BEARS

By William Hewett | LRN Monthly Staff Writer

Going, going, staying. That isn’t normally how the saying goes, but just when we thought he was off for the beautiful white mountains of Colorado, Lenoir-Rhyne can confirm that Ryan Mullins signed a new contract with Lenoir-Rhyne to the delight of the athletes he works with.

Mullins’ official title at Lenoir-Rhyne is Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach. Last year he was in charge of men's and women's lacrosse, baseball, men’s and women's soccer, football and men's and women's tennis. This year it’s softball, women’s soccer, baseball, both tennis groups and football.

The quietly spoken strength coach comes alive when he enters the weight room. Nicknamed Juice, for his high-energy approach to his work, Mullins is beloved by his athletes.

“This has been our first semester with Juice, and he has brought back the love I had for lifting,” said the lanky, tall, German tennis player known as Paul Lenz. “The energy Juice provides makes every lifting session so much fun and an environment I want to be a part of.”

The change of speed and tempo is helping his athletes thrive.

“This semester has seen me make the biggest gains in the weight room,” Lenz said. “My numbers have gone through the roof and I put that down to Juice. Without him, I wouldn’t be where I am right

now.”

Before joining Lenoir-Rhyne, Mullins completed his undergrad at Emory and Henry, where he was a student-athlete. Mullins competed for their baseball team as a pitcher while earning his bachelor’s degree in health and human performance and minor in business management.

Mullins then interned with Emory and Henry College for four years between 2014-2017. He also interned in the summer of 2016 and 2017 with San Jose State University and Appalachian State University.

Since joining Lenoir-Rhyne he has continued to work with a wide range of sports and continue his busy schedule. A normal day for Mullins makes our days look like nothing.

“I normally get here between 5:15 and 5:30 (a.m.) and have football from 6-8,” Mullins said.

“Some days I quickly get breakfast before my intern meeting at 8. I then work for an hour before I have a team lift at 10. I snack at 11 before another team lift at 12 (p.m.) followed by one at 2.

I then have football practice at 4 until my last team lifts starting at 5 going through till 7.”

Mullins is also working on his graduate degree, which means he spends his evenings studying.

Mullins’ passion for his athletes comes out when he speaks about them.

“The most exciting thing is the athletes,” Mullins

said. “Yes, we are getting a new weight room, a new member of staff, but at the end of the day the thing that excites me most is the development of the kids, to see where they come from when you first get them, to the point they graduate or you transition to someone else.”

You could hear the passion Mullins’ students have for him when they found out he was staying.

“I told the team that he was staying over text and my phone starting blowing up,” LenoirRhyne men’s tennis coach Tom Rees said. “The excitement and relief that came through from the guys was awesome to see and shows the impact he has had on them.”

It was only at the very last minute that Mullins found out what the future held for him.

“I had zero ideas what my future held. I had no idea where I was going to go but I believe God was trying to make sure I followed a really good path,” Mullins said. “I believe that path is staying here as it helps me finish my master’s and keeps me around great people – I love being here.”

You can catch Mullins in the weight room all semester from 5 a.m.-8 p.m., much to the relief of all his athletes. This could turn out to be a strong signing for Lenoir-Rhyne if his work done so far is anything to go on.