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Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU The Utah Statesman Students 3-31-2020 The Utah Statesman, March 31, 2020 Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/newspapers Recommended Citation Utah State University, "The Utah Statesman, March 31, 2020" (2020). The Utah Statesman. 1051. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/newspapers/1051 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Students at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Utah Statesman by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@usu.edu.
Week of March 31, 2020
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NEWS | Coming home STUDENT LIFE | Boarding for mental health SPORTS | Super seniors
Latter-day Saint missionaries discuss the hardships of Many students struggle with anxiety. Could a vision board The 2019-20 USU men’s basketball class was a special one.
returning home because of COVID-19. help you stay focused and positive? How will they be remembered?
see PAGE 2 see PAGE 3 see PAGE 4
USU gymnastics sweeps Students continue to
work on campus despite
postseason awards closures due to COVID-19
PHOTO BY Savy Knapp
A dining room in the Aggie Marketplace sits empty after classes went online and many students returned
home.
By Taylor Cripe
NEWS SENIOR WRITER
The loud ringing from construction sites and the echo of pow-
er drills are the only sounds heard on Utah State University’s
almost lifeless campus these days.
“It’s a ghost town,” sophomore Emily Gilbert said. “It’s almost
eerie.”
Although campus is basically shut down, there are places
on campus, including the library and cafeterias, that remain
open. Remaining open requires student workers. USU students
working through the COVID-19 pandemic share opinions on
job security, safety and getting through the day.
Coach Amy Smith gives advice to the USU gymnastics team at their meet against Boise State on February 21.
PHOTO BY Amber French
“I wish there was a definitive answer on what is going to hap-
pen to us,” Kielee Kinghorn, junior, said. “We don’t know if we
By Scott Froelich cialists of the Year, for the highest National Qualifying Score are going to be open a week from now.”
SPORTS STAFF WRITER (NQS) at the end of the season. Kinghorn, who works at Quickstop, a convenience store lo-
Since the 2020 campaign was cut short due to the COVID-19 cated inside the Taggart Student Center, said USU Dining Ser-
Three members of Utah State University’s gymnastics team
pandemic, the MRGC canceled its championship and the year- vices has “been good at keeping them informed,” despite all
were recognized Wednesday for their excellence during the
end honors were based on NQS rankings at the end of the the uncertainty.
2020 season.
regular season. The duo tied with a 9.895 score this season, Caylee Broderick, a non-student worker in Dining Services,
good for a No. 27 national ranking. said she was grateful to have a job. According to Broderick
Coach Smith named 2020 MRGC Coach of the Year
The award capped off a year of MRGC beam specialist ac- and Kinghorn, many students who work for Dining Services
The Aggies managed to beat all other members of the Moun-
colades for DeHarde, with four MRGC Beam Specialist of the left campus to go home when campus closure was announced.
tain Rim Gymnastics Conference in the 2020 campaign, and
Week honors during the 2020 season. Her 9.889 on beam av- Fortunately, they said, Dining Services has fair hours and most
on Friday, it was announced that coach Amy Smith was named
erage put her at first all-time in USU history for single-season operations have remained open as usual.
MRGC Coach of the Year. In Smith’s third year with USU, she
performances. At the Boise State quad meet on Feb. 21, De- As Broderick spoke, she held a bottle of WAXIE cleaning
delivered the program’s first winning season in 21 years.
Harde recorded a career-high 9.950 score for the event, which spray, a new disinfectant brought in to combat any germs cus-
Junior Autumn DeHarde was also named MRGC Gymnast of
tied for second in school history. tomers leave behind.
the Year on Friday — a first for the Aggies. Freshman Sofi Sul-
Sullivan was equally prolific this season, with four weekly “It’s supposed to be stronger than anything we’ve cleaned
livan earned the distinction as Freshman of the Year — the title
beam specialist honors under her belt. She earned the first with before,” she said. “We are also cleaning constantly, wip-
DeHarde won in 2018.
beam title of her career Jan. 25, posting a USU record-setting ing stuff down that we never used to and wearing gloves for
This is the first time any team, in conference history, has
9.975 on beam. This achievement also ranks second all-time everything.”
swept all three awards.
in MRGC history and made her the fourth gymnast in school Although it is slower than normal, Broderick and Kinghorn
history to reach that mark. are fine with the quiet and said they are happy to still be work-
DeHarde and Sullivan earn Co-Beam Specialist of the Year
see “Gymnasts” PAGE 5 ing when others cannot.
DeHarde and Sullivan were named MRGC Co-Beam Spe-
Just up the hallway, senior Maggie Thompson stood near a
REVIEW: How does the new ‘Animal Crossing’ large sign in the TSC that states all dine-in services are closed
by order of Gov. Herbert. Students may order from the food
compare to other games in the series? court and leave, but tables and chairs are roped off. Chairs
are even stacked together on outside tables to discourage peo-
non-customizable character special place in my heart. It ple from utilizing any dining spaces. On top of being unhappy
who was the only human resi- was the first “Animal Cross- with the quiet in the normally bustling Hub, Thompson said
dent in a town full of animals. ing” game I personally owned it’s “really boring.”
This was the game that truly and I remember spending “I miss the social interaction,” Thompson said. “This is my
defined the “Animal Cross- hours collecting bugs and senior year, and I am sad it’s ending like this.”
ing” series, as it introduced fish for the museum curator While she agreed that dining services had been fair with
characters such as Tom Nook, Blathers to display. Similar to hours, she said the hours worked felt much longer.
Rover and Mr. Resitti. In ad- the first game, “Wild World” “We are doing a lot of deep cleaning,” she said. “I don’t think
dition, the game was played followed real time, meaning I’ve ever done so much cleaning in my life.”
in real-time, observing hol- it would even snow during Thompson said she is not worried about COVID-19 and is
PHOTO COURTESY Nintendo
idays such as Christmas and the cold months! However, grateful dining services is keeping people on staff.
By Sydney Dahle Crossing: New Horizons” Independence Day. You could in this game, there were far “I’m a college student, I can’t afford not to have a job,” she
STUDENT LIFE MANAGER stack up to the other games? fish, catch bugs, pay off your more customization options said.
mortgage and even attend with the help of resident Not every student worker feels at ease. Gilbert works at the
In case you’ve been living campus store and doesn’t understand why they are still open.
“Animal Crossing” (2001) fitness classes. “Animal Cross- tailors, the Able sisters. The
under a rock, Nintendo re- “They don’t want anyone on campus,” Gilbert said, “yet they
This was the first “Animal ing” also came with a mem- town could also be modi-
cently released a new “Ani- have us here as non-essential staff.”
Crossing” game released in ory card that had additional fied by cutting down trees or
mal Crossing” game where She added that they were taking things “day by day.”
the United States, but techni- NES games on it. planting flowers. If you ig-
you get to design your own However, one advantage to closing campus is very few stu-
cally the second in the series nored the game for a while,
town on a deserted island. dents are coming into campus stores anyway. Besides the em-
behind Japanese Dōbutsu no “Animal Crossing: Wild weeds would pop up all over
It has been eight years since ployees, there are only four or five other people in the whole
Mori, which translates to “An- World” (2005) town. “Wild World” also in-
the last game, so anticipation building. As a result, social distancing is easier to maintain.
imal Forest.” The Nintendo Made especially for the Nin- troduced the ability to draw
was high.
GameCube game followed a tendo DS, this game holds a see “Animal Crossing” PAGE 8
Exactly how does “Animal see “Employment” PAGE 5
PAGE 2 WEEK OF MARCH 31, 2020
NEWS
Missionaries return home early
PHOTO BY Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via Associated Press
Missionaries returning from the Philippines on Sunday exit the Salt Lake City International Airport. Large gatherings of family and friends who went to the airport to welcome the missionaries home when people are supposed to be keeping their distance from one another
to prevent more spread of the coronavirus.
By Alison Berg
Chambers served his mission in the Philippines for 21 months came home he’d be protected, but we took comfort in knowing
NEWS CONTENT MANAGER — just three months short of a typical mission term of service he’d be able to come home.”
for young men. The elder Chambers also said the news came as less of a
Saige Cooper was angry when she received a text message
The news that he needed to pack his belongings came in the surprise to him, as he has followed the coronavirus crisis news
from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mission
morning. By the evening, Chambers was out of his house and carefully.
president over her.
staying with a local Latter-day Saint family. “We had been following the virus and the pandemic and the
The text ordered her to pack her bags as she would be leaving
“We didn’t know when we were supposed to leave or what different countries and things that were being impacted by
her Santa Rosa, Calif. mission within the week.
airport,” Chambers said. “We were kind of just waiting, trying it so we weren’t surprised,” Chambers said after receiving a
Cooper, of Providence, did not understand the severity of the
to figure out what the plan was.” message from his son that he would be flying into the Salt Lake
COVID-19 pandemic as Latter-day Saint missionaries do not
As he began his 14 days of isolation, as is required of all City International airport just a few days after receiving the
have access to news or non-church media.
missionaries returning home for the foreseeable future, Cham- news.
“I didn’t understand why this was happening,” Cooper said.
bers said the adjustment from a full-time, structured religious Don Guyman, of West Bountiful, said his son — who is serv-
“Being sheltered, we didn’t really understand how bad corona
mission to a world of uncertainty is “strange.” ing in Pittsburgh, Pa. — was set to come home in August and
was because we were inside all the time, no news or anything,
“As a missionary, you’re so focused on other people and will now return in May.
so we didn’t understand what was going on and why it was
focused on trying to help the people you’re teaching, when you The unexpected time shortage was the hardest part for their
important enough for us to get sent home.”
come home I guess you’re more focused on how you can try to family, Guyman said.
Although her release was considered “honorable,” Cooper
grow yourself,” Chambers said. “I don’t think I’m ready for that “I was kind of sad because I know he’s really loved his
said the stigma surrounding missionaries who return home
next step but it’s kind of a good way to throw yourself back mission and I could tell he was disappointed because it was
early — involving swirling rumors about potential mistakes
into society.” kind of sudden,” Guyman said. “As a missionary, you know
or questions about a missionary’s church worthiness — has
Chambers had hoped to look for a job after his two-week you’re going to be coming home around a certain month and
bothered her.
isolation period ended, but now said he expects a difficult time that sudden, final ‘hey this is the end and it’s earlier than you
“I was just upset that I couldn’t finish out my mission because
given many businesses are closed or not in the financial shape thought it was going to be’ is hard to process.”
there’s this stigma of going home early,” she said. “I was pretty
to hire. While families expressed mixed emotions about their expe-
mad at first but I realized I’d rather be at home quarantined
While missionaries struggled to make sense of the news and riences, all said they recognized the decision was in the best
with my family than spending and making the last three
rapidly-changing adaptations, several missionary parents said interest of everyone involved.
months of my mission memories sitting inside an apartment.”
they were sad — yet relieved — to have their children home “It was nice to come home but it was sad leaving the people,”
Cooper was one of thousands of missionaries returning home
and safe. Cooper said.
early after the COVID-19 outbreak shook nearly every aspect
“We were probably a little bit relieved to know he’d be able to
of society.
come home and be in a safe place,” said Brian Chambers, Nich- —alisonberg28@gmail.com
“We were surprised,” said Nicholas Chambers, of Wellsville.
olas’ father. “We knew whether he stayed in the Philippines or @alison__berg
“We kind of thought it was a joke at first.”
F1 team adapts CPAP for pandemic
By Steve Douglas Tim Baker, a professor from UCL’s department of mechanical “support in other areas requiring rapid, innovative technology
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS engineering, said clinicians called on the “capability of Formu- responses to the unique challenges posed” by the pandemic.
la One” to reduce a process “that could take years down to a The CPAP machines work by pushing a mix of oxygen and
Formula One team Mercedes has helped develop a breathing
matter of days,” with the adapted device taking less than 100 air into the mouth and nose at a continuous rate, helping to
aid that could keep coronavirus patients out of intensive care
hours to develop from an initial meeting. increase the amount of oxygen entering the lungs. They are
and ease some pressure on Britain’s strained health service.
“We have been proud to put our resources at the service of used routinely by Britain’s National Health Service but are in
As part of a combined effort involving seven Britain-based
UCL,” said Andy Cowell, managing director of Mercedes, “to short supply currently.
teams, Mercedes worked with engineers at the University
deliver the CPAP project to the highest standards and in the There have been almost 20,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19
College London and clinicians at University College London
fastest possible time frame.” in Britain, with more than 1,200 deaths.
Hospital to adapt and improve a device that bridges the gap
The technology arms of six other teams — Red Bull, Haas, For most people, the new virus causes mild or moderate
between an oxygen mask and the need for full ventilation.
McLaren, Renault, Williams and Racing Point — has contribut- symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to
The device, known as continuous positive airway pressure
ed to the developing of the medical devices in the fight against three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with
(CPAP), has been used extensively in hospitals in Italy and
the virus, as part of what F1 has labeled “Project Pitlane.” existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, in-
China to deliver oxygen to the lungs of coronavirus patients
McLaren, for example, told The Associated Press it has been cluding pneumonia and death.
during the pandemic.
focused on component manufacturing for ventilators, and is The F1 season has yet to start, with the first eight races of the
UCL said the adapted devices have been recommended for
“additionally deploying planning, project management and schedule having been postponed or canceled. It means there
use in Britain and that 100 of them are being sent to its hospi-
purchasing teams to procure all parts to help ramp-up pro- will be no racing until the middle of June at the earliest.
tal for clinical trials. There is the potential for quick roll-out by
duction.” Mercedes is the leading team in F1, with defending champion
Mercedes to hospitals across the country.
F1 said the teams will continue to pool their resources and Lewis Hamilton as its top driver.
WEEK OF MARCH 31, 2020 PAGE 3
STUDENT LIFE
Fighting anxiety with a
vision board
By Emily White
STUDENT LIFE STAFF WRITER
The struggle with mental ill-
ness has been a real one for
me. Like so many people, I
have struggled with anxiety,
depression and other mental
disorders. The most difficult
part of these mental illness-
es is that we lack clear solu-
tions that will create inner
@natyourpresident
healing so many people need. you know that part in hamilton
However, after several years where they say “can we go back
of having no solutions to to politics?” “PLEASE” and he just
my struggles, I finally found sounds so sad and pleading?
something that brought re-
lief. yeah. that’s how i feel right now.
I made a vision board at the
end of summer 2019. I want- @steed_krista
ed this year to be different.
I wanted to feel good about Is animal crossing a cult be honest
myself and feel confident
about my inner goodness. For
me, that meant I needed to
get some sort of control over
@wethsworld
my anxious ways.
the luigiana purchase
Vision boards sound a little
silly, but they are nothing
short of extraordinary. Vision
boards function similarly to
a poster you hang up in your
room, except a vision board is
decorated (by you) with pic-
tures or quotes that capture
PHOTO BY Emily White
your goals. All it took was a Vision boards are helpful for finding structure and security during anxious days.
quick trip to the dollar store
and print shop. Vision boards day. Doing so would bring what you want your aura where you’ll see it every day.
can provide you with a cre- you down, and that’s not the to feel like. That’s what you Think of it as an inspiring
ative outlet while helping you point. The easiest way to get want on the vision board. poster.
achieve your goals. everything you want on the The rest of the creation is Unless you’re an art major,
The most important thing board is to write down a list simple. Print out pictures that there are not a lot of opportu-
for you to do is to pick im- of goals you have for yourself. inspire you and correspond nities to be creative as a col- The effects of making a vi- board can help you overcome
ages that inspire you. A vi- These goals can be as simple with your goals. Make the lege student. Though some sion board may not happen what you need to overcome.
sion board is supposed to as “I want to be happier” or board as colorful, plain or may consider it juvenile, overnight, but it will happen. Just trust yourself, trust your
send you positive vibes. The “I want to help others more.” exciting as you want it to be. there is an art to creating a All I wanted my vision board brain and get pasting.
last thing you want to do is Your vision board does not For my vision board, I ended good vision board. The truth to do was inspire me to love
paste a bunch of depressing have to be a new years reso- up using a white corrugated is making a vision board just myself exactly as I am, and it —emily.white@aggiemail.
and intimidating images onto lution board, it can be more board from the dollar store involves a lot of cutting and did. No matter what you’re usu.edu
a board that you see every about your vibe goals. Think and just glued my pictures pasting. A kindergartener struggling with, a vision
about what your vibe is and onto it. Put the board some- could do it.
Review: ‘Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812’
her pining, her cousin and
By Dara Lusk
godmother take her to the op-
STUDENT LIFE STAFF WRITER
era where she fatefully meets
Broadway is evolving from Anatole Kuragin, a rogue
classical Rodger and Ham- prince known for his profuse
merstein musicals to mod- drinking habits and nefarious
ern, upbeat tunes. Although pursuit of women. This seem-
“Hamilton” popularized this, ingly innocent acquaintance
before the hip-hop founding slowly becomes a scandalous
fathers there was the elec- affair as Anatole sets his ad-
tric-opera Russian aristocracy. vances on the unsuspecting
For history, literature and Natasha whose moral com-
musical fans alike, “Natasha, pass stalls to allow her heart
Pierre & the Great Comet to overrule her mind. On the
of 1812” is a show that por- brink of ruin, Natasha’s only
trays a small portion of Leo hope is the rich, awkward
Tolstoy’s notorious Russian and kind-hearted Pierre.
novel, “War and Peace.” With a two-hour run time,
The story follows Natasha the show manages to pack
Rostov, a young countess vis- in the emotion of watching
iting her godmother, Marya, a car crash in slow motion. PHOTO BY Chad Batka/Playbill
in Moscow while her fiance, “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812,” created by Dave Mallroy, first premiered in October 2012 and ran on Broadway in 2016.
Much of this raging emotion
Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, is can be found at the heart of in the background. Many of non-profit theatre that helps way production starred a Tony awards in 2017, “Nata-
off fighting in the Napoleonic its soundtrack. Uniquely, it the show’s lyrics are taken develop shows while in their pre-“Hamilton” Phillipa Soo sha, Pierre” was nominated
Wars. After nearly a year of is categorized as an eclec- directly from Tolstoy’s nov- early stages. After its two- (OBC’s Eliza Schuyler/Ham- for 12 awards including best
separation, Natasha is begin- tic-pop-opera musical be- el with near word for word month run and raving critical ilton) and composer Dave musical, best leading actress
ning to feel lonely and doubt cause of the way it combines translation. reviews, it returned several Malloy as Pierre, while the (Dene Benton) and best
her fiance’s love. She spends multiple elements from each “Natasha, Pierre” first pre- more times in small theater Broadway starred Dene Ben- leading actor (Josh Groban).
her days longing for him for genre. Amidst beautiful ro- miered in October 2012 at Ars between 2013 and 2014, un- ton as Natasha and popular
return but is powerless to do mantic arias, there are also Nova in New York City. Ars til hitting Broadway itself in singer Josh Groban as Pierre.
anything. To distract her from electric vamps, and pop beats Nova is a small off-Broadway, 2016. The original off-broad- During the 71st annual
PAGE 4 WEEK OF MARCH 31, 2020
SPORTS
The Fab Four
Utah State University men’s basketball 2019-20 senior class
By Jason Walker
SENIOR SPORTS WRITER
The four men who make up the graduating
group — Sam Merrill, Diogo Brito, Abel Por-
ter and Roche Grootfaam — amassed 3,445
points, 946 assists and 1,101 rebounds for the
Aggie cause. But more than individual acco-
lades, the greatest accomplishment of these
seniors came not from their stats, but rather
in their joint success as a team.
Two years ago, one could hardly envision the
kind of success that will soon be memorialized
in Aggie lore. Entering the 2018-19 season,
the Mountain West preseason poll predicted
Utah State would finish ninth come year’s
end. It encapsulated USU’s basketball woes in
the post-Stew Morrill era.
Rather than accept the ignominious predic-
tion, these seniors — along with a determined
youth movement — proved all doubters
wrong by claiming the university’s first-ever
Mountain West regular season title and con-
ference tournament crown. The latter, in turn,
handed the Aggies its highest-ever seed in the
NCAA Tournament: an 8. PHOTO by Iain Laurence
Utah State men’s basketball’s four seniors pose with head coach Craig Smith on senior night against San Jose State on Feb. 25.
One year later, these seniors were once
again doubted because of a lackluster sea-
Bean last year and the addition of Alphonso with a dunk that forced the bench up on its on the road against New Mexico.
son compared to preseason expectations
Anderson, Grootfaam never really got his true feet and brought the house down. Almost immediately afterward, Porter re-
and the rise of San Diego State to top-five
shot. It was a brief shining moment for the young ceived a scholarship, and he returned that
AP rank status. But they shocked the world
Even against SJSU, Grootfaam didn’t even man, a culmination of hard work which generosity from the university by being a reli-
with a stunning upset of the Aztecs in Las
make it into the game until the 11:45 mark many of the cheering crowd assumed, but able starting point guard during the Mountain
Vegas to repeat as conquerors of the west.
of the second half. When he did play, he im- his teammates knew fully. Each man on the West championship run. In 17 starts spanning
These are the four men who make up one
mediately began trying to make the most of bench went crazy not just because of the high- January to March, Porter averaged 8.1 points,
of the finest groups of seniors in USU his-
his last chance to impress the home crowd. light-worthy nature of the play, but because 3.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, just 1.6 turnovers
tory.
With 11:01 on the clock, Grootfaam took his they saw just how hard Grootfaam worked and led the team in 3-point percentage with
first shot and missed. Another missed attempt behind the scenes. a 45.5 % rate.
Roche Grootfaam: The Practice Monster
came two possessions later. With 8:21 remain- “There’s not a lot of guys that I’ve seen in The departure of Porter is a complicated
“If there was one guy that you wanted to
ing, his third attempt went in, accompanied my 18 years of playing basketball that bring so one. All through the season, Smith spoke of
have a special, shining moment, it was Roche
by the roar of a crowd fully aware of what that much energy and make their presence known his starting point guard as though he were
(Grootfaam).” — Diogo Brito
bucket meant.
At the 2:47 mark, Grootfaam would one-up
Likely the least known, or, more accurately,
that five-foot hook shot with a moment that
the least seen, among the Aggie seniors was
will stay with him forever: Setting up on the
a man who could not be missed on the prac-
left block, Grootfaam posted up for the sixth
tice court. Grootfaam only logged 63 on-court
time that night. The previous five had all end-
minutes for Utah State in two seasons. On se-
ed with right-handed hook shots with only the
nior night, he was given 10 minutes against
one falling through the bottom of the net.
San Jose State, which wound up being the
This time, the approach was slightly differ-
longest he got in a game against a Division
ent. When Grootfaam noticed a chink in the
I foe.
one-on-one post defense, he rolled toward
His time on the court in Logan that night,
the basket and all 265 pounds of determined
much like his entire career with the Aggies,
basketball player rose straight into the air. He
was short. Much of that had to do with an ACL
threw down his weight in disrespect upon the
injury that ended his 2018-19 season before it
poor, unsuspecting head of Seneca Knight
started. In addition, the emergence of Justin
PHOTO by Iain Laurence
Abel Porter brings the ball down the court during USU’s game against Denver on Nov. 12, where USU won 97-56.
so much as Roche in every single practice,” a senior and Porter received a senior’s fare-
Brito said. well in the final home game against San Jose
State. The 24-year-old has not exhausted his
Abel Porter: ‘Mr. Dependable’ NCAA eligibility as of yet, but it was clear he
“We all know his story and what he’s done. would leave at the end of the season. Presum-
He is Mr. Dependable and Mr. Reliable and ably, it meant entering the workforce with his
just does everything you ask and certainly multiple degrees in business. However, Porter
has been a huge part of what we’ve done.” entered the transfer portal, and now the Ag-
— Craig Smith gie-world awaits news of where he will take
his talents.
Porter’s story is an underdog tale at an un-
derdog university. A walk-on for two-and-a- Diogo Brito: The Swiss Army Knife
half seasons out of Davis High School, he had “I felt like we grew together and we did this
to wait his turn behind higher-rated guards together. He’s such a competitive guy and
until finally his shot came. In a seeming epiph- he takes losing as hard as anybody.” — Sam
any from Smith, the then-redshirt sophomore Merrill
Porter saw a mid-season increase in minutes
around the start conference play in 2018-19. Brito is the second-most recognizable senior
Later, he was upgraded to an out-of-the-blue on the team behind Merrill, but his efforts
start against Colorado State. Then, in his sec-
PHOTO by Iain Laurence ond career start, Porter hit the shot of his life
Roche Grootfaam and Neemias Queta stop for a pose before going to the locker room after their Jan. 21 game against Air Force. USU see “SENIORS“ PAGE 5
Men’s Basketball won this game 72-47. — a buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-pointer
WEEK OF MARCH 31, 2020 PAGE 5
Sam Merrill: The Newest Legend good enough and we had the right guys and appearance in the Big Dance. He wanted to
“Seniors” FROM PAGE 4
“Sam Merrill will go down as one of the best the right character as a team to put a run like win a game on college basketball’s biggest
went almost as far as his more famous team- players to ever put on an Aggie uniform.” that together and that’s what we did.” stage. Last year, his own failures contributed
mate. In terms of counting stats, Brito’s efforts — Craig Smith Ten days later, the team learned that rather to falling short of that dream. In USU’s open-
don’t seem to measure up against your aver- than extending the season, Merrill’s shot had ing game against Washington, Merrill scored
age four-year Aggie. But that’s not where the The ending of the 2019-20 season will live ended it. just 10 points on 2 of 9 shooting from the field
Portuguese Swiss Army Knife made his mark. on as one of the most bittersweet conclusions “We were expecting it was going to happen, in what became a 17-point loss.
True to that informal nickname, Brito did a in USU basketball history. On the one hand, just because of all the cancellations that had Though not ideal, Merrill ended his time in
little bit of everything at Utah State and did Merrill completed what may be the greatest gone on,” said Merrill. “But even then, when Logan with a legendary moment fitting a his-
all of it at an above-average, sometimes elite, two-year run in Mountain West Tournament you’re expecting it, it was tough knowing that toric career. His 2,197 total points put him in
level. history. Between this season and last, Merrill not only we weren’t going to play in the tour- the 2,000-point club which holds roughly 600
Brito’s senior night became a special affair. averaged 25.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.8 nament, that we weren’t going to have that members in the NCAA’s long history. Merrill
As he paced onto the court for the pregame assists, all the while shooting north of 50% opportunity, but 30 minutes later it finally hit also now stands as the only Aggie to be top-
ceremony, Brito walked alongside his parents from the field and 35% on 3-pointers. me that, like, that was it. My career ended just five in career points and assists in the school’s
who were in the United State for the first time A long line of brilliantly strung together per- like that.” record books. His individual accomplishment,
in their lives. After four years of watching formances culminated in what is now Utah For Merrill, the sweet taste of victory became along with what he did alongside his team-
from 5,000 miles away in their native Portu- State’s version of “The Shot.” With 2.5 seconds the bittersweet taste. He knew how special the mates, will live on in the annals of history.
gal, Jose and Maria were able to watch their on the clock, Merrill buried a game-winning win was but lacked the fulfillment of one last
son don an Aggie uniform, in person at his 3-point dagger in the heart of Aztec nation. dream: winning an NCAA Tournament game. —jasonswalker94@gmail.com
home stadium. According to Diogo, it was his Before that moment, it was unknown if the During his time at Utah State, Merrill made it @thejwalk67
parent’s first time in the United States. Aggies would manage to crack the 68-team clear that he wasn’t content with short runs in
“Before walking on the floor, I was just tell- NCAA Tournament field. the conference tournament or even a simple
ing my mom, ‘please don’t cry’ because the “After we lost at New Mexico, we as a team
only way I usually cry in public is if my mom felt almost an urgency that we had to win the Rankings used to deter- team to her total awards. Her
“Gymnasts” FROM PAGE 1 mine team designations latest MRGC Specialist of the
starts crying,” Brito said. whole thing,” Merrill said. “Maybe we would
Luckily for the Brito family’s pride, they held have made it if we lost in the championship Varnadore and Sullivan were based on NQS scores, Year award, which is given to
back the tears, but Diogo said being able to game, but I personally felt a responsibility and named to MRGC all-around with the top three in the all- the student-athlete with the
walk across the Spectrum court with his par- an urgency to play my best this last weekend honors around named to the first highest NQS, marked the fifth
ents is “something that I’ll never forget.” because I didn’t have my best game at New On Thursday, both Sullivan team and the fourth through honor of her career.
That night, Brito put on his typical all- Mexico. And I wasn’t sure that I had it in me and junior Leighton Varna- sixth named to the second For the Aggies as a team,
around show with just six points, but also five to play that well.” dore were honored for their team. Sullivan’s No. 3 rank- March 6 ended up being the
rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals to After Merrill’s now-legendary shot, Utah performances in the MRGC ing in the MRGC, No. 8 in the final meet of the season. They
show off his defensive prowess. Later, in the State’s postseason destiny seemed secure with all-around category. Sullivan North Central Region and No. faced No. 17 BYU, and in the
conference tournament, Brito helped save hope restored for a magical end to the season. was named to the first team, 41 slot in the nation helped end, DeHarde, Sullivan and
USU’s season with one of his best performanc- “To be able to beat a team like that and finish while Varnadore was named propel her to the top team. Varnadore helped the Aggies
es of the year. He scored 15 points — his high- the way we did, because I know that a lot of to the second-team. Varnadore earned a position reach the top of the MRGC
est total against a Mountain West opponent people, I know that a lot of our fans lost faith This is the third time in on the second team but was standings and earn the No.19
in more than a year — which he paired with in us after we lost four out of five and then her career that she received just one spot below Sullivan national ranking on beam.
seven rebounds in a comeback win for the Ag- lost again at New Mexico,” Merrill said. “I just all-conference awards, with at No. 42 in the nation. Despite the abrupt conclusion
gies. always felt like we had it and we were her recent second-team rec- to the season, USU finished
ognition earlier this week DeHarde tacks on Co-Floor with a school record setting
on vault and last year’s sec- Specialist and all-league average of 49.039 on beam.
each student gets up, Haw- their best interest, which is to
“Employment” FROM PAGE 1 ond-team honors in the all- first team to her awards
ley puts on a pair of gloves, stay home and not get others
around. Sullivan’s naming to The 2020 honors didn’t stop —swfroehlich@gmail.com
Another campus store em- sprays the computer area, sick,” she said.
the first-team was also her for DeHarde, who added @froehlich.scott
ployee, freshman Melody then wipes down the desk, Bradford Cole, USU’s dean
third time earning MRGC both Co-Floor Specialist of
Wooten, said she also had the chair and table. of libraries, is also optimistic
honors. the Year and all-league first
“one day at a time mentality” Students are also encour- about how the library is run-
but is worried she will wake aged to wipe down their own ning. He said students have
up one of those days and not area before they use a desk. been respectful about new
have a job. In fact, there are almost as rules, such as remaining on
“The campus store has been many Lysol wipes as there are the first floor, and they have
awesome with us, but we computers. Some computers had no problems with the
can’t stay open if people stop also have signs over them general public.
coming in,” Wooten said. “We stating they are off limits to According to Cole, they
have to get money some- encourage social distancing. have been able to keep all
where.” “We have to stay open be- library personnel employed
Cash is no longer allowed cause, now that classes are and have them working on
to purchase items in the cam- online, we are essential for special projects from home.
pus store, and Wooten wipes students that don’t have ac- One project includes tran-
down the keyboard after ev- cess to a computer,” Hawley scribing documents to make
ery transaction. said. them “keyword searchable.”
“I guess I didn’t take this According to Hawley the Cole said doing this will final-
COVID-19 thing as seriously transition has been “turbu- ly make them in line with the
as I should have,” she said. lent.” Americans with Disabilities
“I was worried about other “Between closing to the pub- Act Standards.
things.” lic, new cleaning procedures “So this COVID-19 thing
Across campus in the Mer- and new hours, it’s been a does have a silver lining,”
rill-Cazier Library, freshman rough time,” she said. Cole said.
Alisha Hawley sits behind a At the end of the end of the
circulation desk surrounded day, Hawley said she isn’t —taylorcripe@gmail.com
by cleaning chemicals. After worried about getting sick. @cripe_taylor
“People are going to act in
PAGE 6 WEEK OF MARCH 31, 2020
OPINION
GRAPHIC CREATED BY Brynn Bennion
The opinions contained in this article do not necessarily reflect those of the graphic designer.
Master your fate by mastering your decisions and your words
By Kristian Fors & Sam Paepke have control over their lives. In where we are born, our genet- more utility for you — the mon- particularly for single college “have to work” later that eve-
OPINION COLUMNISTS Psychology Today, Dr. Romeo ics, our looks and the choices of ey that you exchange or the students. We often forego cer- ning. They may have commit-
Vitelli said, “The confidence we others. Outside of these factors, product that you buy. Whichev- tain opportunities in exchange ted to work, but they do not
Editor’s note: This column was
have in our ability to control our we have the ability to choose to er you perceive as having great- for other opportunities. When have to do anything. They are
condensed for the print edition.
own lives plays an important do whatever we want with our er value will be the one that you we chose to come to Utah State, making the rational choice to
To read the full article, go to the
role in maintaining a healthy given lot. The factors that have ultimately select. we decided that it was the op- forego hanging out with their
Utah Statesman’s website.
lifestyle and avoiding high-risk been “chosen” for us need not This also illustrates a core prin- timal use of our time and re- friends for the sake of their em-
activities that can cause medi- control our lives. If we don’t ciple of economics: tradeoffs sources according to the infor- ployment and the money their
Taking ownership of our lives
cal problems later in life.” take active control, however, are everywhere. When you mation we had at the time. In job generates.
is the best thing we can do for
Ownership of our life and we will feel that we are being make a decision you gain some- spite of this, some still interpret Next time you say that you
ourselves. We all constantly
self-determination are not controlled, like “life is living us.” thing, but you also lose some- their own optimization equa- “have to” do something, con-
make decisions in our lives,
only shown to increase health One way to control your life thing. Economists describe the tion as outside of their control. sider changing your language.
but often we are tempted to
benefits, they are enshrined in is by first understanding and foregone option as an “oppor- No one was forced to come to “I have chosen to take account-
avoid ownership. While there
our culture, including in icon- taking ownership for how you tunity cost.” For example, if I Utah State, and those that think ing instead of history because it
are certainly things outside of
ic literature. For example, the make decisions. study for two hours for an up- along those lines should reflect will accelerate my graduation
our control, rarely is one forced
often-cited poem “Invictus” by Many interactions and deci- coming exam, I will be more on the choices that brought timeline.” Next time you feel
to do a particular thing. In this
William Ernest Henley ends sions you make are calculated prepared for that exam, but I them here. By understanding the need to say that you “need”
piece, we’d like to highlight the
with “I am the master of my to maximize the benefits. In will also incur the opportunity one’s decision making, one can something, consider framing it
benefits of taking ownership of
fate, I am the captain of my simple economic terms, this is cost of using my time in other take ownership of those deci- as a desire, because that’s what
one’s life, the common pitfalls
soul.” labeled “utility:” a measure of ways, like watching my favorite sions and, ultimately, one’s life. it is.
of avoiding ownership, and a
We would be wrong if we satisfaction or value. When you movie or going to the gym. Let us consider the example
couple of adjustments that will
didn’t acknowledge there are determine whether or not to Many interactions and deci- of having a job. Often, people Sam and Kristian are USU
help you to take ownership.
things in life that are outside make a purchase, you are ba- sions we make are calculated to will tell their friends that they undergraduates both studying
People generally seem health-
of our control. These include sically analyzing which creates maximize our own preferences, cannot hang out, because they business.
ier when they feel that they
Could our action to prevent the coronavirus be more inclusive?
By Emily White they originally signed up for in-person lecture not an option for me. I’m very lucky to have a cial policy is to leave student housing if possible,
OPINION COLUMNIST courses. Students are expected to leave campus good job off-campus, so I don’t have to worry rather than having a blanket-eviction notice like
housing altogether and find different places to about being unemployed. I can only imagine Harvard and other universities.
Schools around the world have closed to slow
stay. On campus jobs and opportunities are being what it would be like if USU sent everyone home; It’s important to remember that everyone is in
the spread of the coronavirus, including Utah
shut down, leaving students unemployed. What I would be forced out of the university student a different situation, and every individual needs
State University. In-person courses are being
seems to have slipped people's minds is the fact housing and have to find an apartment some- to be accounted for. So, while we’re all going
changed to online courses, and university cam-
that not everyone is lucky enough to have the re- where else, which would be much more expen- through this unprecedented situation together,
puses across the globe are closing down until the
sources to accommodate these new realities. sive and incredibly stressful. let’s think about how we can prepare so that next
coronavirus is neutralized. Due to these drastic
According to a set of surveys conducted by Hope I understand that the worldwide panic has put time: our response is a bit more inclusive. We
measures, some students have been put in a dif-
Center at Temple University, 48% of four-year col- USU and other universities in a difficult position. need to consider that some students at USU don’t
ficult position.
lege students who responded to the survey faced However, when universities like USU make im- have anywhere else to go, so kicking students out
Alejandra Iglesias, a student at Harvard Univer-
housing insecurity. On top of that, 14% of four- portant decisions regarding their students and of housing can force them into homelessness. I
sity, is one of these students. She tweeted:
year college students whose parents received a don’t account for the socioeconomic variances know that the universities around the world are
“72 hrs Harvard told me to leave campus. My
college education have been homeless at some in need across the student body, poor decisions doing the best they can with what they’re given,
mom and I are homeless and I no longer have my
point while attending university. The coronavirus are made. In other words, assuming that each but I know that there’s a solution that doesn’t in-
term-time job I use to support my family.”
is only making these financial and housing situa- student at USU is in the same position is wrong. volve abandoning underprivileged students.
She asked her followers to help support them
tions worse for students. While shutting down the campus and transfer-
while she doesn’t have a job or long-term hous-
While I don’t believe that universities are trying ring everyone to online courses is reasonable, I Emily White is a junior studying English and
ing.
to cater to privileged students, it is very clear that think it is unreasonable to force students out of broadcast journalism.
Iglesias is not alone. University students are
this is exactly what is happening. on campus housing. Not everyone has a family
expected to participate in online classes, when
My family lives in Germany, so going home is to go home to. Thank goodness that USU’s offi-
WEEK OF MARCH 31, 2020 PAGE 7
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PAGE 8 WEEK OF MARCH 31, 2020
with all different kinds of “Animal Crossing: New
“Crossing” FROM PAGE 1 shops. This was also the first Horizons” (2020)
constellations in the sky and time the player could custom- New Horizons not only
utilized both screens on the ize the exterior of the house. broke selling records but has
DS to display both the ground Some other new features in- also given millions of people
and the sky. cluded living in a tent prior something to do during the
to the construction of your COVID-19 pandemic. Like the
“Animal Crossing: City home, enacting city ordinanc- app “Pocket Camp,” the player
Folk” (2008) es and public works projects, can craft furniture and tools
This is one of the top-selling hanging pictures on the walls to have at any time. Instead
Wii games of all time, with and a brand new furniture of traveling to a new town,
3.38 million copies sold. “City store ran by llamas Reese and you join Nook and two other
Folk” continues to follow the Cyrus. New Leaf was a breath villagers on a deserted island
basic layout of the other two of fresh air, as being may- getaway, where the goal is
games, but introduced a or not only gave you many to make the island ready for
city aspect where the player more customization options living. Not only can you fully
could get their hair done, buy but gave you many more re- customize your character, but
clothes or even see a movie. sponsibilities. (Remember, you can even change their
Previously there were only because Animal Crossing hair and skin color. Addition-
two shops in the village pla- is supposed to be played in ally, the island contains new
za, so this made the game real time, it wouldn’t be long collectibles like weeds and
more enjoyable. New char- before the player ran out stacks of wood that aid you
acters were also introduced, of things to do for the day.) in crafting. For the first time,
such as Kicks, a skunk who “New Leaf” made play time players can cross rivers with-
makes customized shoes, even longer. out bridges by pole vaulting
and Phineas, who loved to and can climb cliff sides with
give out prizes. Unfortunate- “Animal Crossing: Pocket ladders.
ly, the number of villagers Camp” (2017) Personally, I haven’t been
decreased from 10 in “Wild “Pocket Camp” is a free app this excited for an “Animal
World” to only eight in “City developed by Nintendo in Crossing” game since the re-
Folk.” Compared to the oth- which the player can create a lease of “City Folk” simply be-
er two games, this one was a campsites and house animals. cause there are so many new
lot harder to get into if you Although it is not considered things to do and explore! This
weren’t familiar with the oth- a part of the main “Animal is also a good introduction
er games in the series simply Crossing” games, like the game for beginners or new
because of all the new con- console games, you can fish, players because the layout is
trols and activities. catch bugs, plant flowers and different and there are a lot
buy clothes and furniture. of introductions and expla-
“Animal Crossing: New Some aspects of the game are nations. If you have the time
Leaf” (2012) carried into the new “Animal and the money, get “New
“New Leaf” was made avail- Crossing” game, such as craft- Horizons.” You won’t be dis-
able only for the Nintendo ing, which is why I am includ- appointed!
3DS. What made this game ing it in this article. If you are
fun was that your character someone interested in get- —sydney.dahle@aggiemail.
became the new mayor of the ting into the Animal Crossing usu.edu
town rather than just a resi- scene, I would recommend @DillyDahle
dent. Similar to “City Folk,” this app!
“New Leaf” had a main street
You can also read
