Mount Hood

Boise State phenom

Written by: Quincy Bentley | Sports Editor

Boise State University running back Ashton Jeanty is taking the college football world by storm with his consistent record-breaking performances throughout the 2024 season. Not only is he the top contender for the Heisman Trophy this year, but the junior running back is also on pace to break Barry Sanders’ legendary single-season rushing record of 2,628 yards in one season. Jeanty’s sporadic play has brought him and his team national attention, with fans and scouts taking note of his ability to make plays from anywhere on the field. 

The 20-year-old from Jacksonville, Florida, has proven himself to be an absolute weapon on Boise State’s offense, averaging a whopping 9.9 yards per carry in only six games. He also has racked up 126 rushes for 1,248 yards and 17 touchdowns this season, leaving him as one of the top rushers in the nation. 

Other than his speed, another aspect of Jeanty’s athletic ability that stands out is his strength. The 5-foot-9-inch junior can bench press 320 pounds, power clean 300 pounds and even squat 600 pounds. Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson stated, “He once did 605 like it was nothing and he had to be cut off.”

Much of Jeanty’s success is attributed to his strength and conditioning work off the field. The statistics that he has put up this year are nothing but a testament to the hard work he has put in on and off the field. This level of physical fitness is rare among college running backs and has truly made him a nightmare matchup for opposing defenses. 

Boise State currently holds a record of 5-1, with their only loss being to No. 1 University of Oregon. Although the Ducks came out of the game with the win, containing Ashton Jeanty was something they struggled with. Even against the powerhouse University of Oregon, Jeanty ran for 192 yards and scored three touchdowns. His performance almost allowed Boise State to pull off the upset, but instead, they gave Oregon their second-closest game, losing by only three points. 

For now, Jeanty has made it clear that he is focused on one thing and one thing only: winning. No one has been able to stop him, and he doesn’t look like he’s slowing down anytime soon. The real question is will college teams continue to allow the Boise State running back to spoil their season?

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Western falls short

Written by: Quincy Bentley | Sports Editor

Following an eventful homecoming week, Western students and fans were eager for the highlight of the weekend, the homecoming football game. The Western Wolves took on Texas A&M Kingsville in a high-stakes, much-anticipated match. With both teams entering with strong records — Wolves at 5-0 in conference play and Kingsmen at 3-2 — this game was set to be an exciting showdown that would test each team’s grit and endurance.
Jordan McCarty started the game off with a 6-yard run into the end zone, while freshman kicker Keaton Emmett finished it off with an extra point, adding a total of seven points to the scoreboard for the Wolves. It wasn’t long until the opposing offense responded though, as the Kingsmen followed up with a touchdown and extra point of their own.
Going into the second quarter, the score was tied at 7-7. Both teams were getting stops on the defensive end, but Andrew Simpson’s impressive interception midway through the quarter shifted momentum in the Wolves’ favor. Things were looking great for Western, as they continued to gain yards and attention from fans, but unfortunately, they weren’t able to capitalize off of Simpson’s play. The possessions continued to go back and forth, but the Kingsmen were able to score seven points right before halftime, making the score 7-14 in Texas A&M’s favor going into the half.
In an intense third quarter, the Wolves faced an uphill battle as their opponents widened the gap with a touchdown and extra point. This set the score to 7-21. However, a strong run from redshirt sophomore Jermaine Land revived the Wolves’ offense, putting them in position for a much-needed touchdown. Soon after, the Wolves struck, with a crucial touchdown pass and a successful kick to narrow the Kingsmen’s lead to just seven points. Their defense held strong, stopping the opposing offense and leaving the Wolves trailing 14-21 as they headed into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter started with a bang as the Wolves pulled off an impressive series of plays. A well-placed throw found senior wide receiver Damon Hickok, who made an acrobatic catch for a massive gain. Another pass to Hickok set the Wolves within 20 yards of the end zone. The next play, redshirt sophomore Kainoa Sayre had a strategic run, placing them only three yards from tying the game. Despite their efforts, a costly fumble on third down turned the possession over. Yet shortly after, the Wolves’ defense kept the dream alive, capped off by an outstanding interception from redshirt junior Daron Ulrich Jr. However, they couldn’t convert on their final chances, even after blocking a critical punt. Ultimately, Texas A&M ran out the clock, leaving the Wolves just shy of a comeback.
The Wolves — 5-3 overall, 5-1 Lone Star Conference — have a chance to redeem themselves next week as they travel to take on Midwestern State in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Contact the author at howlsports@mail.wou.edu

Ohtani’s dominance

Written by: Quincy Bentley | Sports Editor

Shohei Ohtani’s recent performances have been nothing short of historic, solidifying his status as one of the most versatile players in modern baseball. The Japanese-born superstar has gained fans worldwide with his incredible achievements as both a hitter and a pitcher — a feat that’s rarely seen in the game.

In the 2023 season, Ohtani showed the world what a dual-threat player looks like. As a hitter for the Los Angeles Angels, he led the entire league in home runs for most of the season, establishing his spot among the best sluggers in the MLB. Ohtani’s power and precision were demonstrated with each swing, as he consistently launched balls out of the park and delivered clutch hits in high-pressure situations. He finished the 2023 season with a league-leading 44 home runs, while also striking out 167 batters, despite an elbow injury that limited his playing time toward the end of the season.

After the 2023 season, Ohtani took advantage of his free agency and decided to stay in Los Angeles, signing a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers. His contract went down in history as the largest deal in North American sports.

Right when people thought he couldn’t get any better, Ohtani shocked the world in the 2024 regular season. On the offensive side, Ohtani nearly captured one of the MLB’s most coveted awards, the Triple Crown. This award recognizes players who lead the league in three major categories; batting average, home runs, and runs batted in — RBIs — a feat that hasn’t even been touched since Miguel Cabrera in 2012. By the end of the season, Ohtani had a .310 batting average, which was just short of the league leader, Michael Harris II. Nevertheless, Ohtani dominated in home runs and RBIs, truly showcasing his ability to hit for power and precision. Ohtani also is the first baseball player in history to have 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in one season, and the ball he set this record with was sold for 4.4 million dollars. In his first year with the Dodgers, he won the National League Most Valuable Player award, led his team to the World Series and recorded the highest home run count by a Dodgers player in a single season.

Ohtani’s impact goes beyond his statistics. He has reignited global interest in baseball, especially among fans in Japan. In a sport where specializing in one position has become the norm, Ohtani’s ability to excel as both a pitcher and a hitter has defied conventional wisdom. His skillset goes hand in hand with his relentless work ethic, proving that hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Hoop & Howl

Written by: Quincy Bentley | Sports Editor

Western men’s and women’s basketball programs shared the stage for the Hoop & Howl event Oct. 11. The night started with player and coach introductions, with the crowd raving in response. Notably, senior guards Bella Pedrojetti and Jason Gallant received favorable ovations from the audience as they walked onto the court to their selected songs. 

Fans were able to watch and even join in on some of the events on Friday night. The men’s and women’s basketball teams competed in a series of events — skills challenges, a three-point challenge and a dunk contest. 

During the skills challenges, players from each team were instructed to choose two individuals from the stands to help them take home the win. The fans that were chosen were happy to be picked and also spread a competitive spirit throughout the gym. They started by making a layup, a free throw and one three-pointer. From there, they began dribbling around a series of cones and then had to finish with another three-pointer to solidify the victory. 

After the skills challenges finished, Wolfie, Western’s school mascot, decided to get in on the action. Two fans from the audience were chosen to race Wolfie to halfcourt and back and, let’s just say, Western’s spirit animal took a big tumble. To wrap up the first sequence of events, the winners ended up leaving with more than just a smile on their faces — they were given an exclusive Hoop & Howl shirt for their performances and willingness to step up. 

The second half of events involved a three-point shootout. The men’s team was on one side of the court while the women’s team was on the other. The players were given five shots on five different spots around the three-point line, with one of these spots being a money ball rack. Each made shot counted as one point, but the money ball rack was especially important because the shots made at that spot counted as two points. 

On the women’s side, freshman guard Brianna Badonie got off to a hot start, scoring 15 points in the first round. Shortly after, senior guard Bella Pedrojetti responded with 15 points, forcing Badonie and Pedrojetti to compete in a tiebreaker. Both players chose two spots on the court to shoot from and attempted five shots from each. It was a close battle, but Pedrojetti took home the win after making six out of her ten total shots. On the men’s side, junior guard Carson Frinke scored 17 points,  allowing little room for any of his teammates to combat. Freshman Mario Williams Jr. put up a fight, but nobody was able to reach Frinke’s score, declaring him the winner.

The dunk contest, the most anticipated event of the evening, included contestants junior forward Anjay Cortez, junior guard Makaio Mims, sophomore guard Makaio Morphy and sophomore forward Hawthorn LaPierre. Although there were four competitors, one was able to shine above the others. In round one, the six-foot-eight-inch forward, Cortez, threw down a 360 alley-oop dunk from his teammate Gallant. This received a total of 49 points out of 50, making it a tough score to beat. Morphy and LaPierre showed off their impressive jumping ability in round one, but Mims threw down a reverse dunk that allowed him to surpass the two sophomores. The final two contestants boiled down to Mims and Cortez. Mims received a score of 45.8 after stuffing in a 360 off the backboard alley-oop that left the crowd in shock. Surprisingly though, his score was not enough to match what Cortez brought to the table. For his final dunk, Cortez performed an under-the-legs dunk that was so impressive it led to a perfect score of 50 from the judges. After a great showing from the contestants, the high-flying forward Cortez took home the dunk contest title. 

Lastly, the winner of the men’s three-point contest battled against the winner of the women’s three-point contest to showcase the better shooter. Carson Frinke and Bella Pedrojetti are both sharpshooters from long range, but only one of them could come out on top that night. The same rules applied — five shots at five spots with a money ball rack — and the two shooters proceeded to go at it. Frinke was on fire, only missing three out of his first ten shots. In contrast, Pedrojetti started slow but began to heat up around her second spot, and from there she didn’t slow down. Despite finishing with a score of 18, Frinke came up short and Pedrojetti’s insane performance of 20 points led her to victory.

When Alex Saindon, the assistant coach for men’s basketball, was asked about his thoughts on the event, he stated, “I think it was a great experience. Hoop & Howl is an important tradition here at Western, and I’m excited to see it grow from here … go Wolves.” 

Overall, Hoop & Howl was a great way to generate more fans to come out and support both the men’s and women’s teams as they start their seasons.

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Remembering Lindsay Babb

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

Content Warning: this article contains mentions of domestic violence

In the fall of 2001, while she was president of the Oregon Sports Union, also known fondly as ORSU, Toni Fujiwara started a Women’s+ only collegiate rugby tournament, intending to show the team’s facility and introduce college players to the next level of rugby. 

The tournament ran at the beginning of the spring season, with non-rugby games between matchups and awards given to those who embodied the spirit of rugby. The teams had a social afterward, and ORSU connected with the college players to help them with the transition to the club level of play. 

This then evolved into the Jesterfest Tournament in 2005, an inheritance from the ORSU collegiate tournament which the club ran in the ’90s and 2000s. 

In 2005, the University of Oregon was still a relatively new club, and it was where Lindsay Babb played her collegiate career. She graduated with a sociology degree and continued her rugby career with ORSU. In Babb’s time with ORSU, the team went to their first Sweet 16 in a National tournament in 2006, a number six ranking nationally in 2007 and a membership in the brand new Women’s Premier League in 2009. 

“Babb and a few other college players joined ORSU in our epic bus tours to Canada for the Abbotsford Tournament and knew on that trip that ORSU was the club for them,” Fujiwara said. “Babb was such a bright light, both on and off the field. She was a tenacious competitor and the best of teammates.” Fujiwara credited Babb as a major part of creating the vibrant culture at ORSU. 

Unfortunately, tragedy struck  June 22, 2010. Babb was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in an extreme act of domestic violence the morning after she broke up with him. Five days later, Babb’s killer was charged with domestic violence murder. “Even in the end, Lindsay didn’t think her life was in danger,” said Mike Babb, Lindsay Babb’s father, at the sentencing.

That year, the rugby community across the entire nation came together in memory of Babb. For the 2010-2011 season, almost every team in the Womens’ Premier League wore a unicorn — ORSU’s mascot — on their sleeve to honor Babb. “It was a reminder that our community is so strong and truly has each other’s back, through thick and thin,” Fujiwara said. 

In 2011, the club renamed Jesterfest to Babbfest, keeping Babb’s memory and impact alive. It’s not about winning the tournament, but instead bringing the rugby community together for a day full of joy.

The tournament features speakers and sessions from Raphael House of Portland — Portland’s shelter for survivors of domestic violence — and Rose City Self-Defense, where Fujiwara works as the Youth Coordinator. Part of the proceeds from Babbfest are donated to Raphael House in continued support of survivors of domestic violence. 

“When we talk about (being) prepared to defend ourselves in the line of work I do, I always remember that you can be the most prepared, you can know how to defend yourself, you can be the toughest of tough people and the reality is it can happen to anyone,” Fujiwara said.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

San Jose State’s volleyball program facing controversy

Written by: Quincy Bentley | Sports Editor

The San Jose State University volleyball program has recently gained significant media attention due to the potential inclusion of a transgender player on their roster, and in just three weeks, four universities have forfeited their match against San Jose State. These schools include the University of Wyoming, Boise State University, Southern Utah University and Utah State University, which recently canceled their Oct. 23 match against San Jose State University — SJSU. Surprisingly, none of the schools came out with any statements explaining their reasoning behind the decision to forfeit.

The rumors about the SJSU player’s gender identity started in April 2024, when a website by the name of Reduxx published an article titled “Biological Male Quietly Joined Women’s NCAA Division I Volleyball At San Jose State University.” The player mentioned in the article is Blaire Fleming, a redshirt senior who transferred from Coastal Carolina University to SJSU in 2022. As of the 2024 season, Fleming has put up impressive numbers, ranking fourth in kills and fifth in service aces in the Mountain West Conference. 

One of Fleming’s teammates, Brooke Slusser, a senior setter who transferred to SJSU from Alabama in 2023, has also been having a standout season. She is ranked third in assists, and tied for tenth in digs in the Mountain West Conference, but Slusser’s impressive stats aren’t the only reason she’s making headlines.

On September 23, Brooke Slusser filed a lawsuit against SJSU and the NCAA —  “Slusser v. NCAA and San Jose State University.” The lawsuit, centered around Slusser’s teammate, Blaire Fleming, claimed that the university failed to inform her and her teammates that Fleming was transgender. Slusser also claimed that she roomed with Fleming on road trips without knowing about her gender identity, and in April 2024, Fleming allegedly disclosed to Slusser that she identifies as transgender. In a nutshell, Slusser argues that Fleming’s participation raises concerns about fairness and safety for female athletes, and she isn’t alone in this viewpoint. After all of this information surfaced, more than a dozen female college athletes accused the NCAA of violating sex based discrimination laws. 

In regards to Fleming’s performance on the court, Slusser claimed that Fleming’s spikes were recorded at over 80 mph, which, according to her, is way faster than any female player she has ever seen. The lawsuit also shows that some players on the team were even concerned about getting concussions due to Fleming’s hard hitting spikes.

After noticing the attention the university was receiving, the Senior Director of Media Relations for SJSU, Michelle Smith McDonald, stated that the university will not publicly address the gender identity of any student due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. In a statement by the university, McDonald stated, “It is disappointing that our SJSU student-athletes, who are in full compliance with NCAA and Mountain West rules and regulations, are being denied opportunities to compete. We are committed to supporting our student-athletes through these challenges and in their ability to compete in an inclusive, fair, safe and respectful environment.”

Under current National Collegiate Athletics Association — NCAA — rules, transgender women are allowed to compete on women’s teams if they have undergone at least one year of hormone therapy to suppress testosterone levels, which is believed to reduce any potential competitive advantage. The NCAA’s guidelines are based on the belief that hormone therapy levels the playing field between transgender women and cisgender women. However, despite these regulations, the debate centers on whether the physical differences, even after hormone therapy, provide an unfair, competitive advantage. 

Slusser and her legal team argue that the “Slusser v. NCAA and San Jose State University” lawsuit is about fairness and safety. It raises the question of whether previous policies properly protect female athletes from what they believe is an uneven playing field. This case doesn’t just highlight the debate within SJSU’s volleyball program, it highlights a debate that is playing out across all levels of competition around the globe. Depending on how this lawsuit goes, it could potentially lead to a new legal precedent or even a new set of rules within the NCAA, but as of right now, the debate over whether transgender women should be allowed to compete in women’s sports continues to stir controversy.

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Rose retirement

Written by: Quincy Bentley | Sports Editor

One of the most captivating talents in National Basketball Association — NBA — history, Derrick Rose, announced his retirement from basketball Sep. 26, 2024. For the fans who had followed his career from the beginning, this moment spurred a mix of emotions. Rose’s career was tumultuous and demanding, giving fans an example of a relentless determination to overcome obstacles that would have broken most athletes. His decision to retire officially ended the chapter on one of the most valued, yet tragic figures in NBA history.

Derrick Rose’s rise to fame occurred years before he set foot in the NBA. Rose was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago and attended high school at Simeon Career Academy. He led his high school team to two Illinois state championships, which earned him national recognition. His elite athleticism, speed and ability to finish at the rim made him one of the most sought-after prospects in the country.

After high school, Rose gained attention from NBA scouts while playing college basketball at the University of Memphis. He led Memphis to the most wins in National Collegiate Athletic Association — NCAA — history, Memphis’ first number-one ranking and an appearance in the national championship game. This groundbreaking season by Rose allowed him to put his name into the NBA draft, finally fulfilling his dream and beginning the story of his life.

In 2008, Rose was drafted to the Chicago Bulls as the number one overall pick and instantly rose to stardom. His fast-paced play, explosive dunks and top-tier playmaking ability made him a fan favorite. Not only was he the best player on his team, he was arguably the best player in college basketball at the time.

As a rookie, Rose averaged 16.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and even led all rookies in the passing category by racking up 6.3 assists per game. 

After his first year, Rose became an NBA All-Star for three consecutive years. He succeeded on the court and reached his prime midway through his career. In his third season, Rose became the youngest player in NBA history to take home the MVP award, winning at the age of 22. That year, he averaged 25 points and 7.7 assists and also led the Chicago Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals. Unfortunately, their run was cut short by LeBron James and the Miami Heat’s “Big Three.” 

Sadly, in game one of the 2012 playoffs, Rose tore his ACL in his left knee. This was the season after he won MVP, making the injury even more consequential and mentally taxing on Rose. Rose was then sidelined for the entire 2012-2013 season, and over those next two years, he only played 10 games because of this gruesome injury. Once Rose did return to the court in the 2013-2014 season, fans and players could see that he was not the same player he once was. 

During the 2016 offseason, the Chicago Bulls decided to part ways with Rose, trading him to the New York Knicks for guard Dennis Smith Jr. and a second-round draft pick. This devastated Rose, and his reaction was documented for the public to see. Rose was visibly emotional when he received the news, leading him to break down in front of the cameras. 

Throughout the next couple of seasons, Rose suffered additional knee injuries, including a torn meniscus in his right knee. These setbacks robbed him of the explosive athleticism that had made him such a unique talent. Fans were distraught to see how different of a player Rose had become, and that his body truly couldn’t hold up to the demands of the NBA anymore. 

Throughout Rose’s career, he played for the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although he never got back to the same playstyle he once had, Rose found a way to adapt as a role player. 

One of the most emotional moments of his career came Oct. 31, 2018, while playing with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Rose scored a career-high 50 points in a victory over the Utah Jazz. Tears filled Rose’s eyes as he was embraced by teammates, visibly emotional in his post-game interview — when asked what this game meant to him, Rose responded, “Everything, man, I worked my ass off.” 

For many, this performance symbolized Rose’s spirit. That night, his refusal to let injuries define him or his career was put on full display.

Statistically, even though his numbers may not reflect the full amount of his impact, Rose finished his career with averages of 17.7 points and 5.3 assists per game. Fortunately, the NBA community understands that Rose’s influence on the game goes beyond stats.

When looking back at his historical career, what-ifs remain: What might have been if Derrick Rose’s body held up? How many championships could the Bulls have won with a healthy Rose leading the charge?

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Fall sports calendar

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

Thursday, Oct. 10

12 p.m. — Men’s Soccer vs. Simon Fraser University B.C.

2:30 p.m. — Women’s Soccer vs. Montana State University Billings

Friday, Oct. 11

8 – 10 p.m. — Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Hoops and Howl

Saturday, Oct. 12

10 a.m. — Women’s Soccer vs. Seattle Pacific University

1 p.m. — Men’s Rugby vs. Oregon State University

1:05 p.m. — Football vs. Eastern New Mexico University

Thursday, Oct. 24

12 p.m. — Men’s Soccer vs. Northwest Nazarene University

7 p.m. — Volleyball vs. the University of Alaska Anchorage

Saturday, Oct. 26

All Day — Women’s+ Rugby, tournament

10 a.m. — Men’s Soccer vs. Montana State University Billings

1 p.m. — Men’s Rugby vs. Washington State University

1:05 p.m. — Football vs. Texas A&M University, Kingsville

7 p.m. — Volleyball vs. the University of Alaska Fairbanks

Sunday, Oct. 27

6 p.m. — Women’s Soccer Club vs. Oregon State University

Thursday, Oct. 31

12 p.m. — Men’s Soccer vs. Saint Martin’s University

2:30 p.m. — Women’s Soccer vs. Western Washington University

Saturday, Nov. 2

10 a.m. — Women’s Soccer vs. Simon Fraser University B.C.

Sunday, Nov. 3

All Day — Cross Country, Stumptown Youth XC Championship

Thursday, Nov. 7

1 p.m. — Women’s Soccer vs. Central Washington University

7 p.m. — Volleyball vs. Saint Martin’s University

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Men’s lacrosse team resurrected

Written by: Liberty Miller | Lifestyle Editor

Western is home to nine intramural club sports teams that compete in organized intercollegiate competitions. While these sports generally perform well, they are not sanctioned by Western’s athletic administration, which often results in a lack of funding, recruiting and little to no recognition. 

In terms of public exposure, the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams alike have had a fair amount of success, but many club sports teams face challenges with recruitment that leave them with limited options for competition. While the Western lacrosse team has historically been a powerhouse program, their lack of players resulted in a forfeit of conference play last year. 

The team was even featured in an article written by Andrew Golden for the Lacrosse All-Stars, a media outlet and brand for the sport. The article, titled “What Happened to Western Oregon Lacrosse,” stated that, “About ten years ago, a school with under 4,000 students in a non-traditional area won their conference six straight times and still holds the record for most conference championships. That school is the Western Oregon Men’s Lacrosse program.” Golden observed that the last posted roster on the website was in 2022, so while the team did not appear to play in 2023, there is a chance they will come back the following year. His article proved to be true, and with a fresh coach and majority freshmen roster, they are rebuilding the program from the ground up. 

This grassroots operation of revitalizing the team’s former glory was not in vain — first-year Coach Wyatt Livengood actively recruited the vast majority of the team, and the newly minted group recently finished an undefeated season within their division of the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association. 

Jack Livengood was a regular player during the season, and when asked about their absence from the MCLA last year and subsequent success during the 2024 conference, he stated, “Last season we didn’t have enough players to field the team, so we didn’t have a season. This year we barely had any players. We had 11 players, there’s 10 on the field, so that’s one sub. Always running around, that’s a lot of hard work. It kind of brought our team together, and we had the mentality that we just have to work together.”

Chris Skelton was a benchmark player for the team this season after his hiatus during the canceled 2023 season. Skelton described why he chose to return to the sport, saying, “I just saw a bunch of dogs out here and I thought, this will be fun. That’s all I saw. We’ve got a bunch of young kids, our team is mainly freshmen and we have no seniors this year, we just had a lot of potential and a lot of commitment — basically, a lot of energy out here. That was kind of what brought me back out here, it was a whole new team, mindset and coach, and it’s been so much fun this year.”

Will Panagakis, a freshman on the team, discussed his experience with facing competition within the club Lacrosse conference. “It’s kind of like, when you step up to the plate, you’ll realize that we’re in the big leagues and I gotta step up. When you step on the field, I don’t know how to explain it — it’s like a wake-up call really, because everyone is so much bigger than you’re expecting.”

When asked about the recruiting prospects for their following season, Skelton said, “We’re expecting a low amount of guys come in, but we’ve been searching up schools, going and watching their games this past week and a couple weeks ago, we’ve been talking to some of the (high school) seniors, and we’ve got a good amount of interest and kids actually want to come to Western next year, so that’d be fun to see what they actually do.” 

Panagakis added, “We were undefeated in the league, so if we get a couple more people we should be pretty good next year. In our league, we play Gonzaga, Central Washington, Puget Sound, Humboldt (Cal Poly Humboldt) and Pacific Lutheran University. Mostly California and Washington teams, but in the spring we’ll play the Ducks (University of Oregon) and the Beavers (Oregon State University).”

Caden Lampert implored students interested in club sports to test the waters: “If you want to go out and be active, just come out and try it. It doesn’t hurt to say you’re not going to but at least come out and see what it’s all about, because you may love club sports and you may want to keep playing it,” Lampert said. 

Panagakis encourages Western students to attend club lacrosse competitions: “If you want to attend a game, I’ve brought a couple of people and they said it was one of the coolest sports they’ve ever come and watched. You don’t understand it when you’re watching it, and that’s the best part — there’s a whole bunch of stuff going on at all times. Lacrosse is something that’s happening at all times, and that is why I like it so much. If you want to come to a game, they’re so entertaining and you should definitely come,” said Panagakis.

Skelton also had a message concerning the lack of coverage for club sports and what students can do to make a change. “Show up and show out, basically just that. I mean, rugby’s playing, swimming’s competing, soccer’s playing, lacrosse is playing, everyone should just show up and have fun and support your team. You all go to Western, so just support everybody.”



Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Formula One back in United States for Miami Grand Prix

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

The Miami Grand Prix hosted a plethora of talent in recent weekends, where Formula One and the Formula One Academy both held their most recent Grands Prix. Both races ended on the podium for McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Bianca Bustamante — first for Norris and second for Bustamante. However, there is an importance in the presence of the Academy racing in Miami, Florida. 

Historically, there have only been five female drivers in the male-dominated motorsport, and only two have ever completed a Grand Prix or scored points on a Formula One Circuit. 

Competing from 1958 to 1992, these drivers became pioneers in a sport where they were not initially welcomed. 

In 2004, Formula Women was created for female drivers and ran for three seasons before its ultimate cancellation in 2007, and in 2019 the W Series was also introduced, but was once again canceled and cut short after three seasons — both due to financial reasons.

However, following the cancellation of the W Series in 2022, Formula One announced it would be funding its own all-female racing academy, to promote and prepare young drivers for higher levels of competition.

There are currently 15 drivers in the Academy, with three drivers on one of the five teams. Additionally, 10 drivers are sponsored by one of Formula One’s teams, while the five not sponsored by a Formula One team are then sponsored by the series’ partners. 

While the first season’s races were not broadcasted — a decision that received pushback from fans — Formula One Academy received huge support from across the globe, as women and girls were finally able to see representation in the male-dominated sport.

A large contribution came from the Formula One drivers, some including Lewis Hamilton, Charles LeClerc and Lando Norris and their brands promoting their sponsored cadets. These sponsored drivers wear the teams’ livery and colors on their cars, as well as participate in press conferences, media tours and dual race weekends at select tracks. The Miami Grand Prix was one such race weekend.

Both sets of drivers had practice sprints on the track, as well as qualifying races to see where in the grid they would be placed, before it cumulated in the Grand Prix race May 5. The Academy races once more than Formula One does, to give the drivers more experience on the track. 

With Formula One Academy racing at 11 p.m. EST in the final race that Sunday, May 5, they were set well ahead of Formula One’s race that evening at 4 p.m. EST. 

Alpine driver Abbi Pulling went two for two in Miami, pulling ahead of McClaren driver Bustamante by a margin of 3.8 seconds in the final laps. Bustamante was looking to right the mistakes she made in the first race, and ended up creating a seven-poll difference in her results — going from P9 to P2.

McLaren was also extremely successful in the Formula One race later that evening. Drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri began the race in P5 and P6 respectively, and while Piastri failed to finish in the top ten, Norris secured his first win. 

Before the race, it had been 539 days since a non-Red Bull or Ferrari driver had won a Grand Prix, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen leading the charge in wins, followed closely by Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles LeClerc. Sainz is currently not signed to a team for the 2025 season, with Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton signing to Ferrari.

Norris was the only driver in the Formula One circuit to make podium appearances while also having no wins under his belt, a total of 16 appearances. In 2021, after a victory at the Russian Grand Prix slipped through his fingers, fans on Norris’ Instagram dubbed him “Lando NoWins,” a nickname he would ultimately change to “Lando NowWins.”

“About f—–g time! Finally! Finally! I’m so happy,” Norris had cheered to his race engineer. Formula One racers are connected to their engineers via radio comms. Norris is also the first McLaren driver to win in a United States Grand Prix since 2012 — Hamilton was the last driver to do this at the Austin Grand Prix. 

Two teams dropped new livery for the Miami Grand Prix for their vehicles: Scuderia Ferrari and Visa Cash App Red Bull — VCARB. 

On April 23, 2024, Ferrari began teasing their livery reveal by posting images to Instagram of Sainz, LeClerc and their vehicles in a 3D style with the caption “Coming soon.” Other posts soon followed of the team and crew wearing blue uniforms.

However, when the team released images of the livery May 1, fans were less than thrilled. Rather than the all blue car they were expecting, the livery now bore eight blue HP logos in varying sizes. Reactions to the livery varied, but all voiced their disappointment, “Ferrari and disappointing fans – the saga continues,” said Instagram user @desaiiiyash15. “(One) month marketing, (one) million posts, for this…” 

The chameleon livery that VCARB unveiled May 3 received a more positive response from fans of Formula One, the “oil slick” look inspired by the colors of Miami and the chameleon Cash App Visa card. 

“The suits. The livery. VCARB ate everyone up, I fear,” said Instagram user @khemkheang_art21. Many others shared this reaction and suggested the team use the livery for the rest of the season.

While Formula One Academy will not race again until June 21 – 23 in Barcelona, Formula One will be in Emilia-Romagna for the Italian Grand Prix May 24 – 26. Races will stream on the Formula One Network and ESPN+.  

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Results of the rugby teams matches’ at nationals

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

With both men’s and women’s+ rugby in Washington D.C. for the National 7s Tournament Collegiate Rugby Championship, each team faced formidable opponents from all over the country. Though it wasn’t an easy fight, the Western rugby program put on a good show, representing the West Coast and Oregon in the Small College division. 

First-round nerves hit both teams, dropping them to lower brackets in the first round. Women’s+ limited experience on the national stage may have manifested as they went scoreless until the third round, where they scored five tries against eighth-ranked team, Sewanee the University of the South. 

“It was a bit nerve-wracking because it was our first time going, but we all fought as hard as we could,” said junior Shabryna Herrera. “We all wanted it. It was a great learning experience, not just for me, but for the team.”

This tournament was the second time the men’s team had attended the 7s CRC, and they fared better than their counterparts. Going two and two in their matchups, their results this year were an improvement from last year. 

The teams now travel into the offseason, with many members of the men’s team playing for the Oregon Sharks Rugby Academy to hone their skills. Some players include Justice Donahoo, Isaac Bare, James Tiboni and Jacob Smith. Bare was also in a six-way tie for the most tries scored by a single player in the tournament — he scored five tries total — as well as in the top ten for most points scored all weekend — a total of 25. Smith was in the top twenty for conversions — the kick after a team scores a try, similar to a field goal in football, which offers the scoring team the opportunity to add two more points to the board. 

“It was really fun to go to a large tournament like this,” Bare said. “I think the tournament was (a) good experience for our team because most of our team is returning next year and that has me already excited.”

Bare also talked about how it was a fun opportunity to compete against players he had met at the Men’s Rugby All-Stars tournament. “In our final we played Denver and one of their players was my roommate at All-Stars and it was fun to have the opportunity to play against them,” he said.

Sophomore Micahel Hager shared similar thoughts on his experience at Nationals. “I didn’t get the chance to travel with the team to the tournament last year, so it was an entirely new experience,” he said. “It was fun. A lot of the guys had never been to (Washington) before. We’re a pretty young team, but we’ll definitely be back next year.”

The men’s team took third place in the Bowl Bracket and eleventh overall, and women’s+ took second place in the Shield Bracket and fourteenth overall. The results of the matchups are below:

Men’s: 

First round — versus Christendom College, loss 7 – 31

Second round — versus Howard University, win 29 – 10

Third round — versus Loyola University Maryland, loss 12 – 21

Fourth round — versus Denver University, win 20 – 14

Women’s+:

First round — versus Colby College, loss 0 – 50

Second round — versus Ohio Wesleyan, loss 0 – 34

Third round — versus Sewanee the University of the South, win 25 – 24 

Fourth Round —versus Baldwin Wallace University, loss 0 – 34

Both men’s and women’s+ begin practice again in the fall for their 15s seasons. 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

The 2024 NFL Draft

Written by: Michael Hager | Freelancer

The National Football League’s annual draft was held in Detroit, Michigan, which is home to the Detroit Lions. This year’s draft was in the downtown area at award-winning Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. The NFL draft started this year on April 25, 2024, and ended April 28.

The NFL draft is comprised of seven rounds, each consisting of 32 picks. Every NFL team has the opportunity to make a selection in each round. The draft order adds an intriguing layer to the process. 

To maintain competitiveness and provide struggling teams with fresh talent, the NFL allocates the highest draft picks to teams with the poorest records. This means that the unfortunate silver lining of finishing as the worst team in a season is the privilege of acquiring the Number One Overall Draft Pick in the subsequent year. 

Conversely, the reigning Super Bowl champions are relegated to the back of the line and receive the number 32 pick in each round. The remaining teams are positioned based on their regular season records, playoff performance, and, if applicable, other relevant factors. 

The underlying principle is straightforward: by granting the most advantageous picks to struggling teams, the NFL aims to facilitate their improvement and sustain competitiveness across the league.

Nothing is set in stone in the intricate world of NFL draft picks. Teams have the flexibility to trade their picks for other selections, players or a combination of both. 

The complexity of these exchanges is exemplified by a prime example from the 2024 draft. Last year, the Chicago Bears held the coveted Number One Overall Pick in the 2023 Draft. However, they made a strategic move by trading it to the Carolina Panthers before the draft commenced. 

In exchange, they acquired wide receiver DJ Moore and a package of four draft picks spanning multiple drafts. One of these picks included the first-round selection in the 2024 draft. 

The gamble paid off handsomely for the Bears. Despite relinquishing the top pick to the Panthers, who selected quarterback Bryce Young, the Bears secured the Number One Overall Pick in the current draft season, thanks to the Panthers finishing with the league’s worst record in the previous season.

Trading draft picks is a dynamic process. It allows some teams to accumulate multiple picks in a single round, while others may have fewer or none at all due to previous trades. 

Teams strategically weigh the advantages of current and future drafts, searching for bargains in later rounds to maximize their chances of success. While the process may seem complex, adept maneuvering can yield significant rewards in the NFL draft.

For reference, offensive positions include Quarterback, Wide Receiver, Offensive Tackle, Offensive Guard, Tight End and Center. This is the first time in NFL draft history where there were no defensive players selected in the first fourteen picks — additionally, this is the first time all quarterbacks were selected in the first round. 

At the start of the draft, the NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, goes on to the stage and says his famous line, “With the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft the…” 

With the first pick, the Chicago Bears — from Carolina — selected QB Caleb Williams, from the University of Southern California. This year, the Bears have the first pick and it’s been known by the sports world that Williams would become their first choice. Williams has been projected to be the first pick ever since he declared his entry for the draft at the end of the season. 

For the second pick, the Washington Commanders selected QB Jayden Daniels, from Louisiana State University — LSU. Daniels was a close second behind Williams for the first pick of the draft. The 2024 Heisman winner will likely bring great talent to the Commanders, but only time will tell.

The New England Patriots had the third pick and selected QB Drake Maye, from the University of North Carolina. The Patriots have been searching for their next Tom Brady — Maye has a shot at being just that.

In the fourth pick, the Arizona Cardinals selected WR Marvin, “Maserati Marv,” Harrison Jr, hailing from Ohio State University. The Cardinals got a true number-one receiver to help out Kyler Murry. Harrison was projected as the best receiver in this draft. 

The Los Angeles Chargers, with the fifth pick, selected OT Joe Alt, from the University of Notre Dame. Alt is expected to be a great help to Herbert and the Chargers with the offensive line. 

The sixth pick, the New York Giants, selected WR Malik Nabers, from LSU. Surprising the world, the Giants chose not to draft a QB, instead opting to bring in fresh receiving talent. Naber talks a big game and hopes that he can help QB Daniel Jones turn things around in New York.

The seventh pick, the Tennessee Titans, selected OT JC Latham, from the University of Alabama. The Titans shore up their offensive line to help out their young QB, Will Levis. 

For the eighth pick, the Atlanta Falcons selected QB Michael Penix Jr., from the University of Washington. The Falcons shocked the world by drafting Penix after they signed Kirk Cousins to a huge deal earlier in the year. Kirk Cousins said to the press, “Honestly, that might be worse than 28-3.” 

With the ninth pick, the Chicago Bears selected WR Rome Odunze, from the University of Washington. The Bears get some young help at receiver, hoping to grow with their young offensive players.  

The New York Jets swapped places with the Minnesota Vikings and, with the tenth pick, they selected QB J.J. McCarthy, from The University of Michigan. McCarthy, fresh off a National title, was swooped up by the Vikings, in the hopes that Michigan produced another Brady.

The eleventh pick, the Minnesota Vikings, swapped places with the New York Jets and selected OT Olu Fashanu from Pennsylvania State University. The Jets are hoping that this addition will help QB Aaron Rodgers last more than three and a half minutes on the field. 

The twelfth pick, the Denver Broncos, selected QB Bo Nix, from the University of Oregon. This was also a surprise to fans because, with Nix becoming the last QB in the draft, they seemed to steal it away from their division rival the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Las Vegas Raiders, with the thirteenth pick, selected TE Brock Bowers, from the University of Georgia. The Raiders were stunned that there were no more QBs left on the board at pick thirteen, taking Bowers who should make a big impact with a lackluster receiving core. 

With the fourteenth pick, the New Orleans Saints selected OT Taliese Fuaga, from Oregon State University. Fuanga has the potential to be a great help to the struggling offensive of the Saints. 

Finally, the fifteenth pick, the Indianapolis Colts, selected EDGE, Laiatu Latu, from the University of California Los Angeles. The Colts now have a defensive player off the board, making Latu the best defender in the draft. Time will tell if this proves to be the case. 

Contact the author at mhager20@wou.edu

Jason Slowey on NFL and Western

Written by: Liberty Miller | Lifestyle Editor

In a recent interview with Jason Slowey, the Howl Sports Network delves into his experience of being one of three Western players in history to be drafted into the National Football League. The exclusive interview was held on April 24, 2024 — the 12-year anniversary of Slowey’s original NFL prospect interview with KOBI-TV on NBC5. The original news story featured a 23-year-old Slowey in his senior year at Western. Slowey is now 35 years old and, among his other accomplishments, secured a position at Sacramento State University in 2023 as their newly minted rush ends coach. 

Slowey’s interview with KOBI-TV walked viewers through a regular day in the Western football program. After a short tour of his house and pre-workout routine, the video pans to the weight room beneath the football stadium and a quick clip of the track. 

During the filming of Slowey’s power cleans and single-arm dumbbell bench press, he shared that “It’s hard for a lot of people to start something when they’re not good at it, and that’s why people quit things. They start it and they’re bad, then they’re done — but you can get past that.” 

He explained that, at the time, Western didn’t have a sports performance coaching staff, so the program coaches were responsible for lift programs. “Coach Ferguson was our weights coach. We didn’t have Cori Metzgar until my senior year — she’s actually a good friend of mine now — so Coach Ferguson was in charge of the weights programs and what we did in the weight room.” 

Slowey was recruited straight out of high school in 2007 and spent his first year in the program as a redshirt, meaning that he had little to no game competition and was measured on his performance in the weight room. 

“So, the first day we came into weights, and Coach Ferguson did this challenge with the team where we had to bench press 225, as many reps as we could. I only did three reps. I was the weakest player in the program, but I just took that as an opportunity to get better. Me and a few of my friends would go in when no one else was in there, and we would teach ourselves how to lift in our off-time. I wasn’t the strongest or best player coming in from high school, so I just dedicated myself to becoming better in the weight room and on the field.”

Eventually, Slowey would become one of the strongest prospective blockers in the NFL. In an article written by Sports Illustrated reporter Tony Pauline, he described Slowey as “…one of the nastiest blockers in the draft.” Slowey attributes that to his lengthy time in the weight room and dedication to gaining weight and muscle, thinking back to the time when he could bench press 225 only three times before failure.

Slowey was in his senior year at Western when Coach Ferguson pulled him aside and told him he was being considered as an NFL prospect. “We had a bunch of recruiters and teams coming to practice, coming to lift, seeing how I was with the guys and how much weight I moved during my workouts.” Following a successful 2011 season, the following year’s NFL draft was held on April 26-28, 2012. 

“I was in my home here at Western, and I had about twenty people at my house for the three days it was being aired. My friends and family were excited, but I was trying to play it cool. By the time we got to the last day, I started getting nervous with the possibility of not getting chosen. On the third day, I got a call from my agent, and they told me I was going to be a sixth-round pick. That’s when I got selected by the 49ers,” said Slowey.

Slowey played with both the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders during his time in the NFL, then he went on to play for the BC Lions, in the Canadian Football League and spent some time playing arena football for the Portland Thunder. Due to Slowey’s lengthy struggle with a back injury, he retired from the sport in 2014. 

Slowey stated, “I was dealing with my back injury for a long time, and I ended up retiring. But I’m just like every other athlete that’s had to deal with an injury that caused them to stop playing because I still wanted to be involved in the game somehow, I wanted football to still be in my life. I came back to Western and I asked about a coaching position with the football team, but there wasn’t one at the time, so I took up a job with track and field. I was able to work with both sports at the same time and just worked my way into eventually coaching football.” 

Slowey worked at Western until 2022 and was offered a position at Sacramento State University as the rush-ends coach.

“It was a bit weird, the transition from playing offense my whole life to coaching defense. I was an offensive lineman and a center all my career, so to come in and coach defense was interesting for sure, but I’m having a good time. It’s been a journey and I’m grateful for everyone that’s been along for the ride.”

Slowey had some words of advice to players in the Western football program, having come out of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference — GNAC — himself and securing his place as one of three players to represent the Western football program on a national level. 

“Trust the coaches, trust your teammates and trust the program. It sounds like a bunch of coaches’ lingo, but it’s true. Trust the process that’s been set in front of you, and put in the work to get to where you want to be.”





Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Western’s men and women’s rugby to Nationals

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

For the first time in Western’s history, both men’s and women’s rugby teams are going to the Collegiate Rugby Championships — CRC — National 7s tournament. The ruggers — as rugby players are often called — stamped their tickets to Washington D.C. for the second time for the men’s team and the first 7s tournament attendance for the women’s team. Both teams have competed in the National 15s tournament at least once. 

Initially, the women’s team hadn’t even realized they could put in their bid for nationals. 

“Our coach was like, hey, did you know, like we could go to a qualifying match and go to nationals? I was like, do it, and then we did it and we went and I was like, we should have been doing this,” said senior Claire “Car” Rickis. Rickis is the club’s president and has played rugby for five years. 

A Howl representative recently had the opportunity to sit down and interview the members of the women’s rugby team. It was evident the team was a close-knit group, as they all spoke highly of each other, along with playful jabs that are common amongst friends and teammates.

When prompted with questions about zombie apocalypses and deserted islands, they shared a variety of answers but dissolved into laughter when Rickis said teammate Estela Miranda-Aguilar would be most likely to resort to cannibalism.  

“There’s a lot of high energy, and I think ambition that everybody feels. It’s like a shared goal,” said senior Ever Young. Her teammates voiced similar feelings of excitement and pride.

To qualify for Nationals, the women’s team needed to win the Fool’s Gold tournament, facing off against the College of Idaho, Willamette University and the University of Idaho. Standings in this tournament were based on the wins and losses of each team. 

In the Fool’s Gold tournament, which was hosted at Western, the women went 2-1-0, leading the qualifying tournament with 11 total points. 

Coach Nic Smith feels confident about the team’s ability to come home successful from Washington: “I truly feel great about our chances of coming back home with a trophy. The team has trained hard, they play better and better each game, they’ve learned so much about rugby, and the want is there,” Smith said. 

The men’s team shares similar positive energy on the road to Nationals.

“I think we’re pretty prepared. I think we have a good shot going in,” said sophomore Jacob Smith. “Most of us have been there before, so we’ve just got to capitalize and do what we know.”

In last year’s 7s CRC, the men were knocked out in the second round by Babson College — who went on to win the tournament — and placed tenth overall in the nation. 

Recently, they added the title of 2024 Northwest Men’s Collegiate Rugby Conference champions under their belts, accomplishing this for the second year in a row. 

After losing to the Oregon Institute of Technology — OIT — in their first match, they quickly bounced back and dominated the pitch against both the University of Puget Sound and Willamette University in the second and third matches. Gonzaga University was also supposed to participate in the tournament but ultimately dropped out due to undisclosed reasons. This meant the men would play OIT a second time to decide the conference champions. 

Western’s loss against OIT in the first match determined that Western would start the match with a seven-point deficit. 

After scoring quickly in the first half after a total of seven minutes of play, Western proved a strong opponent this second time around. The teams went try for try in the second half, but Western was able to capitalize on OIT’s weaknesses and come out victorious.

“We’re a second-half team,” said senior Sangato Letisi. “But we’re working on becoming a first-half team.” The team’s first half against OIT in the second matchup was certainly their strongest outing of the tournament. 

OIT is the strongest competitor Western faces in their conference but has struggled in recent history to make waves against Western’s strong defense. 

On April 20, the brackets for both the men’s and women’s tournaments were announced. Each bracket is split into an east and west region, with the top sixteen teams from across the nation competing for the championship. The two regions represent the three different styles of bids each team has given. 

The men’s teams can qualify in one of these three ways: by winning their national qualifying tournaments, a conference champion bid or an at-large bid. The women only have two avenues: a conference champions bid or an at-large bid. 

Western’s clubs qualified with the men winning their tournament and the women being the conference champions. 

The men will be facing off against the one-seeded team for the west, Christendom College. The Christendom men’s team were champions for their conference this year and are a part of the Cardinals Men’s Collegiate Rugby Conference. Virginia Military Institute competes in this conference as well, ranking third in the east region.

The women sit as one of the middleman teams, meaning they will play Colby College Women’s for their first match-up. Like Western’s women team, Colby was the champion of their conference — the Rugby Northeast Women’s Collegiate Conference.

The 2024 CRC will be taking on a new bracket format this year: for the first time, a Cascading Bracket will be played. 

Completely eliminating pool play and knock-out rounds, the Cascading Bracket has four brackets of play: the cup, bowl, plate and shield brackets. If you lose in the cup bracket, you will drop to the bowl bracket, rather than being eliminated from the tournament. This ensures more matches for each team, as well as more exciting brackets.

This is also good news for Western’s rugby teams, as it means they will not be knocked out if they lose. Last year’s loss against Babson eliminated the men’s team on their first day of play, meaning they did not compete on the second day of competition. This new bracket format will mean Western will face opponents on both days.  

The men travel to Washington on April 24, and the women will follow in their travel schedule tomorrow. Play for the teams will occur this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with the men’s championship game being played on Saturday and the women’s on Sunday.

For the CRC, Western’s rugby teams will also be traveling the furthest to compete: a total of 2,862 miles to Washington. Other universities from Oregon — Oregon State University men’s and the University of Oregon women’s — follow close behind Western in how far they have to travel. Oregon universities will travel a combined roundtrip of 17,010 miles. 

Matches will be live-streamed on the National Collegiate Rugby website and the Club Sports YouTube page. 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

NCAA women’s basketball champions

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

The University of South Carolina’s women’s basketball program recently beat the University of Iowa, clinching their third national title and second title in three years. After losing to Iowa in the Final Four last season, the South Carolina Gamecocks have not lost a game since — the tenth perfect season in National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s basketball history. 

Iowa started in the lead for the game, with Caitlin Clark adding 18 points on the board for Iowa and another record to her name. Clark was the NCAA Division One all-time point scorer across both men’s and women’s basketball. 

But even Clark could not stop the powerhouse that was the Gamecocks’ basketball program. After ending the first half up by three, South Carolina paced the game and Iowa could not pull ahead. Some South Carolina players called the road to the championship a “revenge tour.”

Tess Johnson led the Gamecocks with 19 points on the night, but senior Kamilla Cardoso was truly the most valuable player of the game, boasting a double-double of 15 points and 17 rebounds. Te-Hina Paopao and Chloe Kitts both followed closely with 14 and 11 points on the night. 

Clark was not the only one who broke records — the game itself was a record breaker. Airing on network television for the first time since 1995, the game surpassed the men’s game by 4.1 million views — 18.9 million and 14.82 million views respectively. 

“You’re seeing the growth in many places: attendance records, viewership and social media engagement surrounding March Madness,” University of California, Los Angeles coach Cori Close said. “I don’t think you can attribute it just to Iowa, though. A rising tide does lift all boats. But I think all those boats have been on many different waterways. The product is really good, and the increase of exposure is getting rewarded.” UCLA lost to third-ranked Louisiana State University in the Sweet Sixteen. 

This game was also one of the most watched non-Olympic women’s sporting events on United States television, second only to the 2015 Women’s World Cup final between the USA and Japan.

This year boasts a large class of players who have amassed large followings and prospects to go professional: LSU’s Angel Reese, Cardoso and Clark are all top prospects for this year’s Women’s National Basketball Association draft. 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

The newest men’s collegiate basketball champions: University of Connecticut

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

The University of Connecticut clinched back-to-back National Collegiate Athletic Association — NCAA — men’s basketball championships over Purdue University on April 8, 2024. 

The first half was a close match-up, but UConn went on a 15-7 run from a point deficit to pull ahead at the half. This deficit was the first time Purdue trailed after the first 20 minutes of play. 

In the second half, UConn’s run of 8-2 was used to bring their double-digit lead. But, most importantly for the team, they kept Purdue’s seven foot four inches tall center, Zach Edey, scoreless for a total of 12 minutes of play. UConn also limited Purdue at the 3-point line — the Boilermakers went one for seven in the second half. In the entire tournament, UConn only trailed for a total of five minutes and 42 seconds, never trailing by more than five points. 

“We were going to go to the well with Zach as much as we could at that point,” Purdue Head Coach Matt Painter said, talking about his team’s second-half trouble. “In a game like this, we had to be able to rebound defensively better, and then we had to have something balance that out. That was threes. They (UConn) stayed home with us. They did a really good job defensively.”

UConn is the eighth team to win back-to-back championships — the University of Florida was the last team to achieve this in 2007. This is also UConn’s sixth championship, becoming the fourth team to win six or more championships in their program’s history. This feat has been achieved by the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of Kentucky and the University of North Carolina. 

All of UConn’s championship wins have occurred since 1999, which is more than any other men’s team in that same span, and are second only to UConn’s women’s team, who have won 10.

Purdue has never won a national championship, despite appearing in the Final Four three times. They have only appeared in a championship game once, which was this most recent appearance. 

However, it was not a UConn player who led the game in stats. Edey claimed a double-double — scoring 37 points and 10 rebounds in Purdue’s defeat. Four of UConn’s five starters scored in double digits: Tristen Newton scored 20, Stephon Castle scored 15, while Cam Spencer and Donovan Clingan both scored 11. 

“Credit to my teammates and coaching staff for putting me in the right positions to make plays, score, get people involved and get the win tonight,” said Newton. Newton was selected as the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player. 

“You can’t even wrap your mind around it, because you just know how hard this tournament is,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said post-game. “What a special group of people.”

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Westerns women’s basketball update

Written by: Liberty Miller | Lifestyle Editor

The Howl previously covered the cancellation of the Western women’s basketball season. The article covered allegations of abuse and harassment from players at Western and also Salem University, where head coach Jessica Peatross and assistant coach Demetrius “DJ” Marlow led the women’s basketball program during the 2022-23 season. Following a legal investigation prompted by the athletic department, the administration has chosen to remove the coaches from administrative leave and reinstate both Peatross and Marlow for the 2024-25 season.

In the previous article, one anonymous source from the Western women’s basketball team went into depth on alleged National Collegiate Athletic Association — NCAA — violations, verbal abuse, sexually charged comments and a season-ending injury possibly caused by assistant Coach DJ Marlow. Multiple players from Salem University and another NCAA Division Two university located in West Virginia came forward to speak about their alleged experiences with Coaches Peatross and Marlow as well — many of the allegations followed similar patterns of verbal abuse, neglect, inappropriate behavior and a lack of response from their athletic administration. 

While the coaches have been on paid administrative leave since February, an investigation was initiated, though it is unclear who exactly hired the firm. The law firm, by the name of Littler Mendelson, specializes in employer clients and conducted the believed-to-be unbiased third-party investigation. The spokesperson for the firm released a statement saying that “the allegations against the coaches were not sustained.” The coaches were officially reinstated following the conclusion of this investigation. The Western women’s basketball players were then offered the option of entering the transfer portal, but in order to stay on the team they would need to meet with Coach Peatross individually.

The season cancellation caught the attention of sports commentator and Instagram personality Timothy Martin, who regularly posts content related to the NCAA and professional sports. Following the release of our previous article, Martin posted an update that garnered over four hundred thousand views. We reached out to Martin about the reinstatement of Peatross and Marlow, to which he said, “Based on the situations and stories from former athletes and those associated with the team — it’s shocking from an outsider’s perspective like myself to hear the results of the investigation from the university. For a Collegiate season to be cut short and nothing come of the investigation seems very odd. I’m an outsider and have no association with the university, but have been following this situation since it was announced over a month ago and honestly have more questions now than I did when the investigation started.” 

Derek Holdsworth is a Western track and field and cross-country alumni and current head coach of Growing Runners Track Club, a youth track club in Williamsburg, Virginia. During his time at Western, he broke the all-time Western record and all-time Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) record for the 800-meter run. Holdsworth has been keeping tabs on the status of the women’s basketball team after hearing the news about the season cancellation. “I always felt safe at (Western) with my coaches and staff around me, so it’s incredibly disappointing to hear that not only do students feel uncomfortable with their current coaches but their coaches lied about their experience to get the current positions that they have. It’s frustrating to hear this as someone who’s currently in search of a career outside of my athletic pursuits. I know the staff at WOU has the ability to do what’s best for their student-athletes, they just might need a little push,” Holdsworth stated. 

Multiple faculty and staff members at Western have expressed discontent with the decisions made by the athletic administration, but out of fear for their job security and safety, have declined to comment. One Western faculty member spoken to agreed to have their quote released under the condition that they remain anonymous. “I’ve worked with dozens of student-athletes in my time at WOU. Generally, this group of people doesn’t complain unless there are real problems. They are used to grueling schedules, high demands and hard work. They put up with a lot. Then they do it again the next day. It’s inconceivable to me that these students are being silenced and ignored. There needs to be better leadership from both athletics and WOU administrators. The least powerful and least protected people are essentially being told they don’t matter. That’s not what WOU represents.” 

Another faculty member also shared their opinion on the outlook of recruiting future athletes – “reinstatement of the women’s basketball coaching staff is a clear indicator of the absence of any wrongdoing. Recent history of the administration’s mismanagement of the situation can have detrimental consequences for recruiting down the line.”

An anonymous source from Salem University, who contributed to the previous article as one of the players in Peatross and Marlow’s 2022-2023 program, made a second statement to the Howl. “Honestly, I think it’s crazy. It just shows how bad the outside world doesn’t pay attention to athletes calling and seeking out help. In this world especially as college athletes, athletes in general — we overlook our mental health and in this situation, the staff at WOU overlooked theirs. I just hope that both coaches find it in their hearts to start off with a clean slate and allow the girls to come back and play. That school is their home.” This source was instrumental in gathering information and sources of all different opinions from Salem University.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Westerns track and field team stars in new podcast

Written by: Liberty Miller | Lifestyle Editor

The Howl had the opportunity to interview seven athletes from the men’s and women’s cross-country and track and field teams. An impressive lineup of athletes from both sports were chosen to speak to the Howl about their respective programs, coaching staff, hobbies and experience at Western. The interviewees for the podcast show were Elwood Hosking, Rami Dear, Bryce Mefford, Isaiah Rodriguez, Wyatt Smith, Lindie Larson, Riley Smith and Olivia Flack. 

Topics ranged from the individual successes of the athletes to a collective admiration of coach Zach Holloway, personal interests, events and entertaining stories from their time in the program. The athletes ran a variety of events, including the 800 meter, steeplechase, the distance medley relay and the mile. They each bring a wealth of knowledge on their event, how to prepare mentally and nutritionally and a few embarrassing yet entertaining storytimes on failed barrier jumps. 

All of the athletes have made their mark on the program, but Rodriguez and Larson have made big waves in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 2 competitive environments. Rodriguez took an impressive second-place finish as a true freshman in the 800-meter competition during the 2024 GNAC track and field championships. Larson has quite an impressive resume with two-time appearances in three different sectors — the GNAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, GNAC cross-country Championships and the NCAA Division Two cross-country West Region Championships, as well as an appearance in the NCAA Division Two pre-nationals competition. Additionally, Smith also placed first in the Linfield Erik Anderson Icebreaker Memorial Invitational for the 800-meter race. The vast majority of athletes interviewed have attended the GNAC Championships in some form, which speaks volumes about the quality and performance of Western’s program as a whole. 

What stood out in particular were the stories of Zach Holloway, the head cross-country coach and assistant track and field coach. He previously worked for the highly successful Adams State University cross-country and track and field programs as he completed his education. Before his time at Adams State, he was a former distance runner at Western. He returned to Western in 2018 and has been coaching here since. Many players referred to Holloway as someone they could reach out to for anything, a great resource for support and a listening voice. Dear and Hosking elaborated on Holloway’s demeanor, “Zach’s really humble, most recently he ran a race that he didn’t want to tell us where it was, or when it was, but he tells me what time, and like dude, that’s faster than my like cross country season best! — He’s too humble, but Zach’s still got it.” Dear stated. Holloway seems to have been a powerful force in recruiting, with Hosking and Dear both stating that he was a large part of their decision to come to Western.

Western’s track and field team, similar to other programs, brings in a fair amount of transfer athletes from other two-year and four-year universities. Hosking transferred in from Division 1 school Portland State University, while Dear transferred in from Clackamas Community College. Flack spoke about her experience transferring from Lane Community College, a Northwest Athletic Conference two-year school. “I really like the atmosphere here on the team and I knew a lot of people who transferred from Lane to Western, and they always had good things to say about it — it was a smooth transfer.” Transfer athletes from junior colleges — JUCO — typically make the move after two years, which grants the athlete two more years to compete at the university level. In some cases, similar to Hosking, athletes will choose to redshirt, since the NCAA grants an athlete a total of five calendar years to compete. 

Aside from programs and coaching staff, each interviewee had a unique perspective with vastly different interests from each other. Despite interests from coffee shop dreams to mob bosses, the athletes shared that for the most part, they were all a tight-knit community. Throughout all three episodes, athletes spoke highly of each other, constantly referring to members outside of the podcast space and sharing memories. Many athletes like Flack choose to room with their teammates, something that is typically encouraged by programs to promote camaraderie. Mefford told the Howl that his friendships from the cross-country and track and field teams were something he is “going to value for the rest of his life.” 

Mefford chose to abstain from competing this season but still sacrifices his time practicing and attending meets so he is able to stay close to his teammates and support them. Smith attributed part of her decision to attend Western to her brother also participating in the program here. Bailey Smith is a senior on the track and field team, and Smith elaborated on how close they were by stating that Oregon still “felt like home,” despite both siblings originating from Cody, Wyoming. 

Ranging from a team bonding hide-and-seek gone wrong to entrepreneurship, chemistry and high-level athletic competition, these cross-country and track and field athletes covered it all. Podcast show episodes will be available on YouTube.

Contact the author at Howllifestyle@wou.edu

Social media representation of female athletes

Written by: Daelynn Aerni | Freelancer, Cameron Wright | Freelancer

Has one ever used sports as a method of escapism to follow one’s dreams or passions?

That is why so many people watch sports: as an escape from the stresses of everyday life and enjoy skillful athleticism from people who represent them. While many are able to watch

their favorite players in sports and relate to those athletes, a lot of people are unable to see

themselves represented in sports, especially women. 

Some of the bigger issues in women’s sports that so many athletes face are the negative social media impacts and the significantly lower viewership rates. Social media continuously misrepresents female athletes, focusing mainly on the image athletes should portray instead of covering the athleticism and skill these women constantly demonstrate.

It wasn’t until the 1900 Olympics that 22 women were allowed to compete alongside

men in the games, however they were still not able to compete in the more physical sports like

shotput because women were still viewed as “fragile and gentle.” 

The Women’s National Basketball Association wasn’t created until June 1997, when the National Basketball Association Board of Governors approved the idea of a women’s professional league. After fighting for their place at the table in the world of sports, female athletes are still berated with criticisms of not only their athletic performance, but of their representations of femininity through the platform of social media. 

As the women’s movement so famously started in the mid 1800s, there has been little progress in women’s sports compared to the men’s associations. Celebrating their 28th season in 2024, the WNBA still does not have nearly the amount of media coverage compared to the NBA. In 2019, women’s sports coverage was 5.1 percent of all sports coverage on TV and 5.4 percent of all sports coverage online.

This statistic is not just indicative of the WNBA but of all women’s sports. How are younger generations supposed to find escapism and identity in the sports they love if half of the world’s population is not covered by the media in the first place?

With limited media coverage as well as false narratives being placed into public opinion, potential business partners, teams and coaches, female athletes have to take matters into their own hands by amplifying their sports how they see fit. 

Sports tend to see a low number of women in leadership roles, therefore, athletes in women’s leagues do not get to see the same level of representation at the executive level as male athletes  do — leading to a gross oversight in ignoring inequities and injustices. In the end, female athletes are typically their own best advocates because male-dominated leadership frequently ignores their achievements.

This is significant to how women’s sports have become more popular because, instead of relying on unreliable media to share the importance of women’s sports, women have taken it into their own hands to make women’s sports more known and accessible to watch nationally. 

For example, with the work and spotlight being put on younger athletes like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers, the game with this generation will translate from the NCAA to the WNBA. Another example is the recent addition to NBA All-Star weekend with the three-point shooting contest between Sabrina Ionescu and Steph Curry, which helps in promoting female athletes and their sports to huge audiences who love the same sport, just with male athletes. 

For instance, the average NBA game on TNT averages around 1.5-2 million viewers, compared to the 3-point contest, which has around 5.4 million viewers. If the media can showcase how amazing these women are in their skill and competition, more people will be inclined to tune into the broadcasting of the sport.

The media creates boxes for female athletes to fit into, whether they like it or not. These

boxes could include the sexualization of the female athlete or creating narratives of aggressive

behaviors. 

A prime example of this is the Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark controversy from the 2023 NCAA championship. Throughout the game, Reese and Clark showcase their extreme skill and competitiveness with not only their basketball skills, but their sportsmanship as well.

Both players were seen making gestures and giving a bit of trash talk to each other, which

is a normal, competitive quality in the world of sports. However, after Reese made a

gesture to her ring finger during the fourth quarter, representing how she would soon win the

championship ring in the tournament, the media became outraged. 

Reese was depicted as an aggressive, unsportsmanlike player who was “classless” and an “idiot.” Reese came out with a statement at a press conference after the game, highlighting the difference between her sportsmanship and Clark’s. 

In a CNN interview, Reese stated, “All year, I was critiqued for who I was. I don’t fit the narrative. I don’t fit the box that y’all want me to be in. I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto. Y’all told me that all year. But when other people do it, y’all don’t say nothing.” 

As we saw in real-time, Reese was immediately labeled and put into boxes because of one

gesture, despite other players doing the same thing. The media tends to pin female athletes against each other and weaponize them.

So many efforts are being made to change the narrative about women’s contribution to

the sports world, including inspiring the change to hire more women’s college and WNBA

coaches across the nation. By increasing the number of women in the sports world and giving more women decision-making positions, they will be able to gain more power over their

platform and be able to represent themselves how they want to be represented, not how the

media caters to the male gaze.

This is why we would like to reach out to the Western community to bring light to the challenges that women in sports face daily. By addressing younger audiences, we hope to break this cycle of sexism and misrepresentation in women’s sports.

Contact the authors at daerni22@mail.wou.edu and cwright23@mail.wou.edu

Elihu Cobb

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

Historically, fewer than two percent of National Collegiate Athletic Association — NCAA — athletes play on professional sports teams for any period of time — in professional basketball, this drops to 1.2 percent. These numbers are specific to Division I athletics; Division II drops even lower. 

Western athletes going professional has happened twice before in the school’s recent history — football player Tyrell Williams was drafted to the San Diego Chargers in 2016, and basketball player Tanner Omlid signed to play professionally in the Spanish Leagues in 2018. Basketball player Elihu Cobb is now the third Western athlete to go professional.  

In 2021, Cobb came to Western from the College of the Sequoias in Visalia, California, an almost three-hour drive from where he went to high school. In Cobb’s sophomore season, he reached 10 double-doubles — where a player accumulates double digits in two of the five primary statistical categories — and averaged nearly a double-double every game during the season. 

At Western, he continued to dominate, completing 70 of 113 field goal attempts in his first and second seasons combined as well as maintaining a strong presence on the court. 

“He’s dedicated,” said Coach Wes Pifer. “He got stronger every single year on the court and off the court.” This is seen in Cobb’s stats: his points scored, free throws and blocks all increased in his second season at Western.

Cobb was described by his coach as “a warrior” and “an everyday guy,” concerning his work ethic and attitude as a player. Pifer and the rest of the coaching staff had stayed connected with Cobb during the recruiting process, something he accredited to why he had chosen Western. “We still maintain that relationship to this day,” Pifer said. 

On top of being an everyday guy, Cobb is extremely humble in his playing level and ability. Even though his improvement is reflected in his stats, he stated, “I didn’t have the career I feel like I’m capable of having.” Coach Pifer stated Cobb had finished fourth in the league in blocks and shots and called him “a presence on the court.” 

Cobb would consider his defining moment to be receiving an education and getting his bachelor’s degree in business, as well as his associate’s degree from the College of the Sequoias. “I got my business degree, so I got an education out of it and they have also given me the opportunity to continue playing at the pro level,” Cobb said.

When asked, Cobb did not see himself as much of a leader on the court, but he did feel as if he could be a guide for the freshmen players, “They can talk to me and ask questions. I help them with how to act professionally, and like what we can do, what not to do.” 

Coach Pifer, however, thinks highly of him as a leader.

“I think he’s a great guy when it comes to leading by example: how hard he plays, exhibiting the right traits,” Pifer said. “He’s one of those guys that leads by example all the time.”

For Cobb, evolving from Junior College to Division II changed him from a raw player with only a few years of organized basketball under his belt, to learning what he could bring to the court and how he impacted the team.

In his time at Western, Cobb had the opportunity to go to states he had not originally been to, like Alaska. “I had never seen that much snow around and there was ice everywhere,” Cobb said. “It was just an experience going to different places.”

He also described the exhibition games the team played during the 2022-2023 season — games against the University of Arizona and Corban University. “The crowd was packed, it was a fun experience,” Cobb said. 

He played in both of these matchups as a finisher, contributing three rebounds and a block during the game against Corban and similar stats during the Arizona game. While Western unfortunately lost in these matchups, it is clear that it was an experience that Cobb will remember when looking back on his college career.

Cobb will continue his basketball career with the Vancouver Volcanoes, a professional team playing in The Basketball League. The team was originally founded in 2005 and played in the International League before the league was disbanded in 2014. In 2020, The Basketball League announced that the Portland Storm was approved for franchise expansion for 2021 — which was ultimately canceled due to COVID-19. The team was then relocated to Vancouver for the 2022 season, and the Volcanoes joined the league. 

“I think I’m feeling really confident, it’s gonna be more space,” Cobb said when asked about his feelings towards going pro. “I think it’s gonna be different because it’s going to be more freedom on the court for me and I’m gonna be able to do things I couldn’t before.”

The Volcanoes opened their season on March 1 against the Emerald City Jaguars, winning 118 to 101. Their next game is against Great Falls Electric on Sunday, March 17.

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

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