Gerald Sastra/The Cougar

UH men’s golf placed eighth at the All-American Intercollegiate in Humble on Tuesday. 

For round one, Junior Santiago De La Fuente led the cougars at three under with 69 strokes. Close behind was sophomore Wolfgang Glawe who scored a solid 71. 

Every other Cougar finished over par in the first round as UH went for 292 in all.

In round two, Glawe and De La Fuente led the cougars again, shooting 72 and 68 respectively. Senior Braxton Watkins also shot one over par in the second round.

The team shot 288 in all in round two, which was good for 16-over as a team. 

On the final day, Glawe switched up the pace leading this time at even for 72 strokes. De La Fuente was not far behind shooting a two-over final round. 

For the final round, the Cougars shot 297 as a team. 

De La Fuente tied for third in the event, shooting five under for the tournament. The next closest UH was golfer Glawe who was tied for 12th at one stroke over.

The Cougars’ next event is the Valspar Collegiate Invitational in Florida on March 27-28.

sports@thedailycougar.com

—
“De La Fuente leads UH golf at All-American Intercollegiate” was originally posted on The Cougar

Broadway’s legendary musical “Legally Blonde” made a stop in Fort Collins for three nights at The Lincoln Center.

Many are familiar with the beloved 2001 movie “Legally Blonde” starring Reese Witherspoon; however, “Legally Blonde the Musical” brings a modern, whimsical take on the feminist blockbuster. 

“I absolutely love being in the show,” said Carly Caviglia, who plays the judge, store manager, prison guard and ensemble on the tour. “It’s such a fun time, and it’s my first ever national tour, which has been such a good experience and amazing growth for me and my career.”

For those who haven’t seen the iconic film, the story follows Elle Woods, the Delta Nu president at California University, Los Angeles, who has a seemingly perfect life until she is suddenly dumped by her boyfriend for not being serious enough for him. 

“It’s been a challenge learning this show so quickly and on the road, but it’s a well-enjoyed challenge.” -Gill Vaughn-Spencer, Emmett Richmond understudy

To prove her love and seriousness, Elle decides to attend Harvard Law School. The musical follows this it-girl as she takes on stereotypes, sexism, snobbery and scandal in the name of love.

The cast worked hard on their performances, not only in the days leading up to their opening night but every week. They spent countless hours learning the songs and choreography and even watching previous shows on and off Broadway to prepare for the tour.

“We’ve been doing the show for about six months, so we’re all settled into it now,” Caviglia said. “We rehearsed for about two weeks beforehand in September. An audience member can expect to have a ton of fun and be laughing from (the) top of the show to the end.” 

The newest member of the show is the Emmett Richmond understudy, Gill Vaughn-Spencer. 

“It’s been a challenge learning this show so quickly and on the road, but it’s a well-enjoyed challenge,” Vaughn-Spencer said. “The cast is absolutely incredible, and the show is a blast to perform. It’s well-loved by the audiences. I’m ecstatic for this show.” 

And well-loved by the audience it was. The show received a standing ovation at The Lincoln Center. 

“I may be biased, but my favorite number is my song with the lovely Ashley Morton, who plays Paulette, ‘Bend and Snap,’” said Taylor Lloyd, who plays Serena McGuire. “It’s so classic to the film and so much fun. It’s such a moment of ownership of body and sexuality. Teaching Paulette the ways of wooing the UPS guy, Kyle, is so empowering. It’s just such a good time for us and the audience.”

The musical follows Elle’s journey in realizing her potential and love for being a lawyer. The modern, sassy musical is packed with humor, catchy songs and explosive choreography. 

It’s fabulous, heartwarming and relatable, all while taking on serious topics like misogyny and consent. “Legally Blonde the Musical” is an absolute must-see. 

“The show was beyond brilliant, and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to see it,” said Sophia Valdez, an audience member. 

If you didn’t catch “Legally Blonde the Musical” March 9-11 at The Lincoln Center, check out their website to see where they’re going next.

Reach Sophia Masia at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter at @sophie_masia.

This past month Boston University’s Pickering Educational Resources Library, located in the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development building, created a “freadom” shelf — a banned books display in response to a surge in book bans throughout the United States.

The presentation of sexism and misogyny has changed over time. Women and femme-aligned people now have protections in place, such as Title IX, that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender. These measures, unfortunately, have not eradicated sexism. The practice of sexism has simply adapted to the times. While now women can own property, form binding contracts and divorce their husbands, women today still need their husbands’ signatures to get their tubes tied.

Subtle misogyny still adversely affects its targets, even if it’s not always obvious.

For the purposes of this argument, I’ll primarily refer to “women.” I use this as a blanket term for cis-women, transwomen and those who exhibit feminine characteristics but don’t use female-coded language for themselves.

Sexism from people is categorized into three different types. In comparison to hostile sexism, which includes using sexist language, making threats or assaulting an individual, benevolent sexism is more socially acceptable and endorsed by both men and women. Benevolent sexism views women as innocent, pure or in need of protection — but it’s not a good thing. A 2020 study found that men who support benevolent sexism were more likely to support policies limiting freedoms for pregnant women. It also undermines women and girls’ confidence in themselves and their abilities by framing them as needing protection from someone stronger.

Hostile sexism doesn’t go unnoticed, but often goes unchecked. This makes it even more difficult for those experiencing more nuanced forms of oppression. One good and still relevant example of this is the gender pay gap. Examples of subtle misogyny include women consistently getting cut off when they speak, getting confined to administrative work or workplace cultures excluding female executives. Benevolent sexism reinforces established gender norms and stereotypes about male and female behaviors. Hostile sexism punishes those who challenge these roles, while benevolent sexism celebrates those who conform.

This may seem like a needless issue. After all, women have the right to vote already, what more rights do we need? I’m allowed to go outside by myself, speak for myself, handle my own money and make decisions regarding my personal relationships. However, having the ability to do these things does not mean that sexism doesn’t exist or affect us. The internalization of sexist rhetoric leaves women and girls in a bad spot. Not only is there a lower rate of women in STEM, but sexist stereotypes can affect academic performance.

Barriers to education are visible even at the University of Utah. While women actually make up 60% of undergraduates in higher education, outnumbering men at 40%, the U is below average. As of 2022, 52.5% of our undergraduates were men, compared to 47.5% women.

Sexism even has physical detriments. According to a 2018 study, women are more likely to report poor physical health, and a review from the same year found that doctors were more likely to view women’s chronic pain as exaggerated or imagined.

There’s no one quick fix for misogynistic behaviors. They’re exacerbated by the systems we live in, and change takes time. I also wouldn’t recommend making oneself a martyr. A number of articles on how to fight subtle sexism in the workplace all conclude with the general solution of calling out the problematic behavior. This is important, but not always reasonable or even possible. Sometimes, making waves means the beginning of the end in a job.

When it comes to employment discrimination and an individual has the means, taking the offender to court can help in righting the injustice. When this isn’t feasible, file complaints with human resources or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

If you’re dealing with sexism socially, things aren’t so cut-and-dry. Challenge misogynistic beliefs. Ask why a sexist joke is funny. Create space for both the change and reconciliation of toxic behaviors. Keep in mind that no one is obligated to call out sexism when it’s witnessed — it takes emotional energy and sometimes can create a dangerous environment. It’s not always possible to avoid or stop sexist behavior and if it starts to take a toll on your physical and mental wellbeing, it might be time to reach out to a therapist. Some focus specifically on gender-based discrimination, but any therapist should help build assertiveness skills, work through internalized sexism and bolster your self-esteem.

Misogyny and sexism still exist and work against women. While it’s easy to note how much better things are now, social conditions can and should always improve. We need to recognize problematic behavior and call it out when we can. Tolerating it helps no one.

k.lien@dailyutahchronicle.com

@kaylahlien

When Lizzy Van Ert, a second-year transfer student, attended the University of Minnesota’s Welcome Week events last fall, an informational booth about the Student Organic Farm (SOF) stood out to her because of her interest in gardening and practicing sustainability.

Van Ert emailed SOF’s manager asking for a position to work on the farm and landed a paid internship in the fall. She helped maintain the farm by harvesting, cleaning and selling the farm’s produce while also planning events to help build awareness of the farm.

“It seemed like a really good way to get a more hands-on experience with a sustainable organization,” Van Ert said. “It also offered the opportunity to be around food and produce and just get to know other people who are interested in the same things.”

Since its conception in 2004, SOF has been a popular experiential learning opportunity for students like Van Ert, according to Mary Rogers, a professor in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS).

Rogers said a group of students created the farm with administrative support. They received funding from the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA) for the farm’s operations and to hire a full-time manager who ran the day-to-day operations.

Located next to the Leatherdale Equine Center on the St. Paul campus, the one-acre farm is a place where students can work a paid job, and it is also used in some CFANS classes as a learning exercise.

“It was an effort to create a space for students to practice the skills they were learning about in class,” Rogers said. “MISA is a center here in CFANS, and they really got on board as a supporter of this initiative.”

SOF struggles with funding following COVID-19

After several years of success, SOF came to a halt in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. MISA also experienced several budget cuts, making it difficult for them to continue to fund the farm, according to Rogers.

The following year, Rogers said many students asked her when the farm would come back, including students outside of CFANS.

Rogers wrote a proposal to reboot SOF, and the farm was awarded two years of funding through the School of Agriculture’s Endowed Chair. Rogers said the funds were necessary to pay a new full-time manager and student workers.

Rogers said she hired Tori Dahl as the SOF’s full-time manager because of her farming experience and desire to make education a priority.

“It’s hard to find someone who’s a really great educator that can work well with students but also knows what they’re doing as far as growing vegetables,” Rogers said. “When we saw Tori’s application, we knew she was the one.”

In its first year back on campus, the farm earned about $17,000 by selling its produce at farmers markets, online stores and pop-up markets at the Campus Club. While this money is just enough to pay the student workers on the farm, it falls short of what is needed to pay managers like Dahl, according to Rogers.

Dahl said she was aware of SOF’s funding situation before she took the position, but the experience has been worth it to her because she enjoys teaching students how to run a farm and seeing students get excited about working on their interests.

“It’s fun to see them connect concepts that they’ve learned in class,” Dahl said. “One of my students last year was really into soils, and he got to go from learning about this in the classroom to actually being on the farm and trying to adjust what we were doing so the soil could be even better.”

Van Ert said Dahl has been a necessary and helpful leader throughout her first year.

“She’s so experienced with farm work and knows exactly what she’s doing, and she really wants the ‘student’ part of the ‘Student Organic Farm’ to be pushed,” Van Ert said. “She’s not only the farm manager but she’s the backbone of the whole organization right now.”

Students write letter to CFANS dean

With one year of stable funding for SOF left, Van Ert wrote a letter in the fall to CFANS Dean Brian Buhr and Associate Dean Frances Homans asking for a guarantee of future financial security from the administration.

Van Ert said she worked with other students to include their perspectives on why SOF is an important learning opportunity, sending the letter shortly before winter break. Fifty-two students signed the letter.

Receiving no response initially, Van Ert followed up during winter break to make sure the letter was received. She was told the topic would be brought up during CFANS’ next budget meeting but has not received any updates since then, she said.

In an email statement to the Minnesota Daily, Buhr said the intent is to respond to the student letter when more research on the funding has been done.

“The funding conversation was regarding the certifications and management of the organic research plots that we support, as well as the student organic plots, and how those should be funded,” Buhr said. “We are committed to student education, and we are taking the approach that departments lead the academic efforts of their programs, which includes ensuring the finances are solid for these types of activities.”

Van Ert said she hopes SOF receives funding because of its ability to meet many students’ needs.

“You can take it as easy or as intense as you want to, and the farm is really good about catering to everyone’s interests,” Van Ert said. “It’s a welcoming community where we want to get people involved, so whatever you actually want to do, you will be able to.”

Two UH students have died at Agnes Arnold Hall in the past five weeks, leading to an outpouring of grief across campus. | Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/The Cougar

We’re heartbroken. 

On Monday, a fellow University of Houston student died on our campus, just over a month after another one of our peers died in the same place: Agnes Arnold Hall. 

It’s difficult to quantify the grief that has washed over the UH student body in the last few weeks with these losses. Much of that anguish has turned into an outcry of frustration and anger about why this happened again.

The Editorial Board believes UH has not done enough to make students feel safe, protected and heard on campus. Its investments in student mental health have been paltry, and if its copy-and-paste response to this tragedy is any indication, it’s clear the University hasn’t learned from its past mistakes.

Let’s start with Agnes Arnold Hall. 

Since it was constructed in the ’60s, the building’s open-air concept has been a concern for many on a campus where most structures are conscious of student safety.

The building has effectively been shut down for the semester, with classes (except for those in the auditorium classrooms) and activities being relocated elsewhere on campus.

But why did it take so long? 

This isn’t the first time a student has died there. It happened in 2017 when most current UH students were still in middle and high school. And again last month. 

Agnes Arnold Hall’s notoriety has even spawned crude and tasteless campus euphemisms. Despite campus culture widely associating this building with death over the years, UH waited until now to address it.

This brings us to the University’s response.

After UH posted a statement to social media on Monday offering condolences and pushing on-campus psychological services, many students were quick to point out that it was incredibly similar to the statement the school released after last month’s student death.

Some were also critical of the photos used in the posts in front of the statements, which were seen as a way to disguise them and not interrupt the school’s social media feeds.

An empty statement accomplishes nothing. But rearranging that same statement in the wake of another tragedy and expecting no one to notice shows that you don’t care.

Students speaking out against UH’s response to an on-campus death is nothing new. After the 2017 incident at Agnes Arnold Hall, one student criticized the University for not acknowledging the death to the UH community.

“People are carrying on like it’s just another day and are treating this situation like it’s normal,” another student said in 2017.

The Editorial Board is also concerned that the University is peddling its Counseling and Psychological Services in the wake of these deaths despite its history of not sufficiently investing in CAPS and not prioritizing mental health.

In 2016, a Texas Tribune investigation found that CAPS was by far the most understaffed program of its kind in the state’s universities.

These issues have persisted, even as academic pressure on students has mounted. 

“I wouldn’t waste my time going again because they don’t put the effort to help in the long run,” one student told The Cougar in January.

The International Association of Counseling Services recommends college counseling centers have at least one full-time professional staff member for every 1,000 to 1,500 students. That ratio at CAPS is now one full-time staffer per 2,122 students.

At the root of the program’s issues is funding. More than half of the CAPS budget is used to pay their 22 staffers, leaving little for expansion or improvement. CAPS also suffers because it’s funded through student fees, which can fluctuate drastically from year to year due to the economy and enrollment.

Just last year, the Student Fees Advisory Committee, the body that doles out these funds, warned that University-wide budget cuts could be coming because of these factors.

We’re glad to hear that the school is establishing a task force on mental health, but it’s too little too late for those our community has already lost.

In recent years, UH has poured plenty of time and resources into making this University better and improving student life.

For example, the school’s Cougar Promise initiative gave low-income students access to higher education; its interim grading policy saved many students from academic ruin in the early days of the pandemic; and projects such as the new medical school and The Quad have expanded student life across campus.

On the national stage, UH has celebrated milestone after milestone, including the impending move to the Big 12 Conference, one of its best men’s basketball teams in a generation and a renowned business school. 

Everyone at UH benefits from these achievements and investments, but when students continue to die in broad daylight on our campus, what does any of it matter? 

The attention and resources that have been dedicated to building UH into a so-called academic and athletic powerhouse must also go toward maintaining the well-being of its students.

What could possibly matter more?

We end by urging our peers to be loud about their concerns and to fight for the difference they want to see. 

During these difficult times, remember that you are not alone and that there are family and friends who care for you. The Cougar strives to be there for its community and has an open door for anyone that needs it. 

—
“How many students must die before UH does something?” was originally posted on The Cougar

Many of the rural areas around Utah lack adequate access to primary health care and lifesaving medical treatments. Project ECHO is working to change and improve these disparities, with a goal to connect medical practitioners working in remote areas of Utah with University of Utah Health specialists.

Terry Box, an associate professor of medicine at the U, said Project ECHO was created in 2003 in Albuquerque, New Mexico after hospitals had become flooded with people who were seeking treatment for liver disease and hepatitis C. Instead of having people from rural areas travel to large city hospitals for treatment, a plan was devised to bring the treatment knowledge to rural doctors, said Box.

“[Technology similar to Zoom was used] to mentor primary providers across the state of New Mexico … to treat their patients with hepatitis C in their communities so that they didn’t have to drive 250 miles each way to see [Sanjeev Arora] or one of his colleagues in the clinic there in Albuquerque,” Box said.

Box said before, doctors had felt incapable of helping patients with these diseases, but Project ECHO provided them with an opportunity to provide treatment to people who didn’t live in areas where it was readily available.

“[Project ECHO] spread like wildfire across the state of New Mexico, and slowly but surely there was the success of that program in getting this very complex but fairly common disease treated in the public by doctors and other providers who historically didn’t feel like they had the capacity to do so,” Box said.

Box explained the program started in Utah because of the large number of people from rural areas who were seeking hepatitis C treatment. The success of Project ECHO in New Mexico showed that this initiative would have social benefits.

“I presented my proposal that we started a project that cohere because of the profound impact we could have in a state very similar to New Mexico and that we have a lot of rural and frontier areas where people just don’t have access to specialty level care,” Box said. “We could really make the same kind of impact in Utah.”

According to Sarah Day, education coordinator for Project ECHO, Project ECHO has expanded across most of rural Utah since being established in the state.

“We’ve had a lot of providers join from rural areas,” Day said. “In Utah specifically, Project ECHO has reached 240 health centers across the state and what we have marked is that we’re in 106 zip codes. … We’re also in 24 of 29 counties.”

Day said establishing these programs takes time. While there has been progress, finding availability to teach treatment information to healthcare providers around the state while their resources are stretched has been difficult.

“I think it’s just a time issue,” Day said. “So much is being put on primary care right now. … Most of our programs run from noon to one to try and get lunch hours that work for people, but they’re just so slammed with everything.”

Project ECHO has allowed healthcare providers to feel united with doctors throughout the state, according to Day, creating a community where both providers and patients feel supported.

“They’re grateful to deepen their knowledge in specific areas and they really appreciate the feeling of connection,” Day said. “I think a lot of times, providers can start to feel isolated and alone and they’ve said they’re really grateful for Project ECHO connecting them to other providers in rural areas.”

Day said Project ECHO currently has 12 hubs that specialize in areas ranging from long COVID to dermatology, and the initiative’s next goal is to tackle substance abuse and addiction issues that are happening within Utah.

“We are hoping to continue to grow in our program reach to conduct different specialties and be able to start programs,” Day said. “One of the things that we’re trying to sustain is our substance use disorder ECHO. That is a problem throughout Utah, so we’re hopeful that we can continue running that program.”

As the program continues to grow, Box said healthcare options for those living in more rural areas continue to improve, and equal access to medical care is becoming a more feasible reality.

“Knowledge should be disseminated to the community and not held exclusively in the ivory tower,” Box said. “My hope is that through our demonopolizing knowledge and spreading it throughout our community, that we level the playing field as far as access to best practice specialty care across our state and the mountain west.”

s.shaughnessey@dailyutahchronicle.com

@steviechrony

In its first weekend of Sun Belt Conference play, the Old Dominion Monarchs Baseball team traveled down to the University of Louisiana Monroe 7-14 (0-3 Sun Belt) for a three-game conference series. ODU earned the series sweep over the Warhawks and improved their record to 18-2 (3-0 Sun Belt). The Monarchs came into the weekend on a three-game winning streak after earning a win over Charlotte and dominating Princeton in a pair of games earlier in the week. 

On Friday night, Old Dominion opened up the scoring in the top of the second inning as senior outfielder Thomas Wheeler struck a two-out solo home run. The Monarchs held onto their one-run advantage until the fifth inning, when the Warhawks responded with a pair of doubles and another single that brought in two runs to regain the lead. ULM’s lead did not hold up long and ODU tied things up in the top of the sixth inning when junior infielder Hunter Fitz-Gerald evened the score at two with a solo blast over the left field wall.

The score remained tied at two until the next Monarchs at-bat in the seventh, when junior Kenny Levari got on base with a single and was eventually brought in off a single down the middle from senior catcher Tyler Wheeler. ODU led 3-2 going into the bottom of the eighth inning before the Warhawks tied the game at three after an RBI single went down the left side that brought in the runner on base. Louisiana had the opportunity to pull ahead with runners in scoring position, but thanks to the pitching from sophomore right-handed pitcher John Holobetz, ODU was able to get out of the jam. Nine innings were not enough to settle game one in the series and both teams were deadlocked at three. 

In the top of the tenth inning, sophomore infielder Luke Waters reached base off a throwing error from ULM. On the ensuing at-bat, junior outfielder Josh Trujillo advanced Waters off a sacrifice bunt and then intentionally walked Fitz-Gerald, putting the Monarchs in a position to score. Freshman infielder Alex Bouche singled up the middle, which brought Waters into score from second base off a throwing error that also resulted in Fitz-Gerald reaching home plate, putting ODU up 5-3. The Monarchs finished the game with a double-play to earn a gritty game-one victory. 

Holobetz improved his record to 1-1 after tossing 2.2 innings of shutout baseball. He struck out five batters while giving up three hits and no walks. Sophomore left-handed pitcher Blake Morgan started and had two runs to account for four hits and one walk. He had two strikeouts in five complete innings. Junior pitchers Trent Buchanan and Jacob Gomez tossed 2.1 combined innings while tagging five strikeouts in the Monarchs’ victory. 

Game two on Saturday was not as competitive of a matchup. Old Dominion bolted out to an early lead with runs tallied in each of the first five innings, leading to a 13-1 victory over ULM. In the top of the first, Waters blasted a double to right-center field to lead off the game as Fitz-Gerald and junior infielder Jake Ticer both got on to load the bases. On the ensuing at-bat, Bouche hit a ground ball into a double-play, but Waters was able to reach home plate safely to put ODU up 1-0. The Monarchs came out blasting in the second inning when senior Camden Grimes solo-homered over the right-field wall. Later in the inning, ODU tallied on another run off the RBI single from junior infielder Chris Dengler, giving them a 3-0 advantage. 

In the top of the third inning, Old Dominion created more separation with ULM with a pair of doubles from Bouche and Grimes that eventually made it 4-0 ODU. Ticer added another run to the Monarchs’ in the fourth inning thanks to a sacrifice fly. Louisiana got on the board in the bottom of the inning with a double that brought the runner home. On the ensuing at-bat for ODU, they pulled away in the fifth after adding on another four runs due to a two-run bomb down the left-field line from junior catcher Robbie O’Neal and a pair of runs, extending the advantage to 9-1. 

The score remained the same through the sixth inning, but in the top of the seventh, Old Dominion tallied four more insurance runs to increase the lead to 13-1. The score would stand there the rest of the afternoon as the Monarchs earned the series victory. Junior right-handed pitcher Sam Armstrong (4-0) had another strong performance as he limited the Warhawks offense to only one run off of four hits and two walks. Along with that, he tallied four strikeouts in the 5.2 innings that he pitched. Junior left-hander Joey DeChiaro tossed 1.1 innings in relief while juniors Ron Cole and Kyle Scrape both pitched an inning each. 

Four Monarchs finished the afternoon with multi-hit performances. Waters was 4-for-6 in the batter’s box with two doubles, a triple, and four runs scored. Grimes and Dengler both went 3-for-4, as they both doubled and scored twice. Grimes added one home run and two RBIs to his totals, while Dengler drove in one run. Bouche finished the game hitting 2-for-5 with a double, one run, an RBI, and a walk. 

Going into the Sunday series finale, Old Dominion had their sights set on the weekend sweep, which would extend their win streak to six games. In the top of the first inning, ODU got out to another early advantage after Waters led off the game being hit by the pitch. Grimes came to the plate and hit a ground ball to third base, but a throwing error from ULM gave Waters time to take third base. On the next at-bat, a wild pitch brought Waters in for the score and ODU added another run in the inning off a Tyler Wheeler single up the middle for the 2-0 advantage. 

Throughout the first four innings of the contest, the Warhawks had opportunities to advance runners into scoring position, but the ODU fielding was able to turn double plays on numerous occasions to keep the lead at 2-0. In the top of the fifth inning, Grimes got the scoring started with a leadoff solo homerun over the left-center wall. Later in the inning, Fitz-Gerald scored a run from third on a Thomas Wheeler fielder’s choice. After a pitching change from the Warhawks, Old Dominion tallied on another two runs, extending their lead to 5-0. In the bottom half of the inning, ULM was able to break through and get  on the board after a single up the middle brought in the runner from second. 

The game remained 5-1 until the top of the seventh, when Thomas Wheeler blasted a two-out triple down the right-field line before Tyler Wheeler came up to bat and singled up the middle to bring Thomas Wheeler in from third to add another run to the Monarchs advantage. It was 6-1 going into the bottom of the eighth inning when the Warhawks loaded up the bases for an opportunity to strike, but off the ground ball hit, Dengler flipped it to Grimes at second before he threw it to Fitz-Gerald at first for the double-play; however it was not in time, as ULM brought in a run off of the hit.

Louisiana then threatened in the bottom of the ninth when they were able to load the bases again, but with two outs, graduate left-handed pitcher Robert Cook struck the batter out swinging and ODU earned a 6-2 victory along with the series sweep. Freshman left-hander Bailey Matela (2-0) received credit for the victory after striking out three ULM batters with one hit in two shutout innings pitched in relief. 

The ODU bats were pivotal in Sunday’s victory as Tyler Wheeler went 2-for-3, driving in two runs and adding a walk and stolen base. Thomas Wheeler finished 2-for-4 with a triple, a run, stolen base and a RBI. Bouche finished the afternoon 2-for-4 with a run scored along with a walk and stolen base. Freshman Dylan Brown went 4.1 innings while only giving up one run on three hits and three walks with one strikeout to account for. Grimes went 1-for-4 tallying a homerun for the Monarchs. 

After their Sunday matchup against ULM,  head coach Chris Finwood expressed how impressed he was with his team’s performance throughout the weekend. 

“We pitched well all weekend. They gave us a few runs today. It was a tough day to hit with the cold and wind,” Finwood stated. “We played pretty good defense all weekend. I’m proud of the guys for being ready to go today. I’m looking forward to getting back home this week and warmer temperatures!”

Next up for the Monarchs is four home games this week. On Wednesday at 6 p.m., Old Dominion will host in-state foe Liberty at Bud Metheny Ballpark. Later in the week, they will continue conference play with three games against the University of Marshall. 

Mayor Michelle Wu and former Acting Mayor Kim Janey received this year’s Champion Award during a reception on Thursday from the Boston Arts Academy Foundation, an independent non-profit organization that raises funds for the Boston Arts Academy. Previous recipients include Rep. Ayanna Pressley, former Governor Charlie Baker and Governor Maura Healey.