Last weekend, while most of Whitman was sleeping in, and Walla Walla was blanketed in rain clouds, the club cycling team was up and preparing for their invitational race at 4 a.m. Led by presidents Maddie Ortenblad and Noah Edelson, the cycling team set up a course that traversed the town and Whitman’s campus, as well as a time trial circuit on Lower Waitsburg Road.

The horrible weather did not distract the racers, who adopted a rather cheery attitude in the face of the storm. “Saturdays’ morning races occurred in a torrential downpour but went off without a hitch,” sophomore racer Becca Hoffman said.

Afton Weaver
Whitman cycling’s home race traversed through town, the wheat field, and campus. Maddie Ortenblad (’19), Becca Hoffman (’20) and the Men’s B trial team all earned top 5 finished.

Whitman had a successful weekend on the course, with five men and five women participating in the Waitsburg road race on Saturday, as well as fielding teams for the time trial races. On Sunday, individuals participated in the criterium race, in which bikers complete multiple laps on a closed one kilometer loop. The criterium track was located on campus and included several new turns through the interest house community.

Highlights from the weekend include a fifth place finish by Maddie Ortenblad in the Women’s B category criterium and a first place finish by Becca Hoffman in the Women’s C category. Furthermore, a group of Whitman bikers finished second in the Men’s B category time trial.

Whitman’s cycling team is not only competitive, but it is also an inclusive community that is always looking to attract new members. “Over the years so many people have written off bike racing before ever giving it a shot, and the few people who we do convince to try it out always come back because they had such a great time,” Edelson said.

The invitation was a great way for Whitman cyclists to compete with other bikers, but it was also a community event that brought people together and helped bring positive PR to the club team. Following the competition on Sunday there was time for socializing and even some food from an onsite taco-truck. Certainly anyone who is thinking about doing some more biking should investigate joining the team.

“Collegiate racing is so much more fun than racing in the real world. It’s a great place to compete against the fastest kids in the Northwest but also hang out with the coolest kids in the Northwest as well,” Edelson concluded.Afton Weaver

Hello peers,

I am writing to let you know that Whitman students should pay attention to the MLB. Why? Because exciting things are happening in the places where Whitman students tend to be from! I am talking about Seattle, California, Colorado and Minnesota of course (sorry Oregon, but at least you have the Trailblazers, and if you really want to watch baseball, the Bend Elks play the Walla Walla sweets in the summertime).

Following a poll of 50 Whitman students from these areas, I learned that students tend to watch only one game a year, and that is mostly conditional on if they actually attend a game as a novel experience. In fact, most students would say that, although they consider themselves fans of their home teams, they can only name one to two players on the roster. With this in mind, here is a breakdown of Whitman MLB teams, why you should pay attention and some fun facts so you can come off as informed if anyone asks.

Illustration by Haley King

Seattle Mariners: Obviously the best team in baseball (I’m not biased, who’s biased?).

At a Glance: Ichiro has returned! Felix is healthy! An eagle landed on our token Canadian’s shoulder (James Paxton, look it up)! Good omens abound!

Fun Fact: Kyle Seager, our long-time underrated third baseman, just landed his one-thousandth career base hit on Saturday night.

Whitties appear informed if they know: Seattle fans had mixed feelings about acquiring Dee Gordon from the Marlins, especially considering the M’s move to convert the 28 year-old second baseman to an outfielder, but it is going very well so far and the two-time all star has added a hot bat and some speed to our lineup.

San Francisco Giants: The ones who your friend from the bay area pretends to follow.

At a Glance: Madison Bumgarner is injured again, Buster Posey is probably the best catcher in baseball, Andrew McCutchen had six hits in a game last week including a walk-off home run.

Fun Fact: The Giants won the world series in 2010, 2012 and 2014, leading many to think that they were unbeatable in even years. Maybe in 2018 they can restart the pattern.

Whitties appear informed if they know: Infielder Joe Panik became the first player ever to homer in back to back 1-0 victories during the Giants opening series against the Dodgers. It is rare in a team sport that one player can so literally win the game by themself.

Oakland Athletics: The ones from “Moneyball.” You saw “Moneyball,” it had Brad Pitt in it.

At a Glance: The A’s have a talented roster rounded out by young players like third baseman Matt Chapman and veterans like Jed Lowrie (who are both having hot starts with 15 hits). If anything will hold back Oakland this year it is their young pitching staff (although Sean Manaea has had two quality starts so far).

Fun Fact: A’s closer Blake Treinen lives in Walla Walla in the offseason and works out with the Whitman baseball team. He also has the sharpest two-seam fastball in the game.

Whitties appear informed if they know: This year, the A’s will have a free game on April 17 to celebrate the 50 year anniversary of the team’s first game in the Oakland Coliseum.

Los Angeles Angels: The team with the best player (Mike Trout) but no rings to show for it.

At a Glance: The Angels have a powerful offense featuring Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, a solid middle infield consisting of Andrelton Simmons and Ian Kinsler and an underrated pitching staff led by Garrett Richards, Matt Shoemaker and J.C. Ramirez.

Fun Fact: This year, rookie two-way player and international sensation Shohei Ohtani currently has recorded more strikeouts on the mound than all-star Max Scherzer, and has hit more home runs than Yankees slugger Aaron Judge. He also had a perfect game going through six innings in his second big league start. Believe the hype.

Whitties appear informed if they know: Angels slugger Albert Pujols is only 17 knocks away from having 3,000 career hits.

Los Angeles Dodgers: The ones that lost the World Series last year and are back for revenge.

At a Glance: The Dodgers have a fantastic lineup and a top notch pitching rotation. They should be one of the best teams in baseball this year if the pitching staff realizes their potential.

Fun Fact: After the 2017 World Series, Dodgers Rookie of the Year Cody Bellinger has now played in both a Little League World Series and the Major League World Series.

Whitties appear informed if they know: Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is still the best left-handed pitcher in baseball after a decade in the MLB. Kershaw, who just turned 30, finished Spring Training with a 0.00 ERA and is on track to have a promising 2018.

Colorado Rockies: The team that has a geographic feature as a mascot (kind of like Whitman).

At a Glance: This is the year the Rockies will win the World Series, just ask Rockies fans. Carlos Gonzalez is back and is already hitting massive home runs, Blackmon just signed for six more years of bearded glory and Nolan Arenado has enough gold gloves to cover every finger on his throwing hand.

Fun Fact: After a few down years, the Rockies had an impressive 2017, finishing 87-75 and clinching their first playoff spot since 2009.

Whitties appear informed if they know: the names Trevor Story, DJ LeMahieu and Jon Gray. Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon steal the spotlight, these playmakers will be incredibly important if the Rockies are going to have another postseason run.

Minnesota Twins: The ones who played their coldest home game in history last week at 27 degrees.

At a Glance: The Twins are off to a hot start in 2018 and are currently at the top of the American League Central Division. Brian Dozier and Byron Buxton will bring consistent defense and solid bats to Minnesota’s well-rounded lineup.

Fun Fact: If you ask any Minnesotan Whitman student about Joe Mauer, they will tell you a long story about how they have some vague personal connection to the poor guy.

Whitties Appear Informed if they know: Even though the Twins lack big name pitchers like Kershaw, Sale or Scherzer, they do have a solid staff led by Ervin Santana, Jose Berrios and ex-Mariner Fernando Rodney. Also Joe Mauer is still playing.

The average weekday for an in-season athlete at Whitman might consist of a morning workout, followed by class, a quick lunch with teammates, practice for 3 or more hours, dinner at Reid and then a study session in the library (again with teammates). On the weekends, athletes are either busy with competition in Walla Walla, or are travelling to another school in the conference. This packed schedule forces athletes to be picky with how they choose to spend their time, but also raises questions about how athletes are able to interact with the campus at large. Because so much of their time is spent with their team, are athletes able to branch out and participate more broadly on Whitman’s campus?

Illustration by Abby Takahashi

Many athletes acknowledge that there are opportunities they have missed on campus because of their sport, however most would say that they would prefer to be with their team anyway. Athletes have strict schedules yes, but these schedules are full of things that they have elected to participate in, as senior golfer Phoebe Nguyen remarked.

“Although it can be difficult to balance being a varsity athlete with other commitments, I have found that being dedicated to something you are not receiving scholarships or aid from at the Division III level has really allowed me to develop as a person,” Nguyen said.

This idea that the time spent in athletics is time well spent can be seen from a club sports standpoint as well.

Club Climbing team captain Noahlani Litwinsella said, “Climbing is what I want to be doing. I have always been able to make other activities (social or otherwise) work despite my time away at competitions. I definitely miss things but it is very much by choice.”

Even though athletes appreciate their tight schedules, being part of a team can be isolating on Whitman’s campus, so much so that it can be argued that there is an athletic subculture of sorts. Athletes who compete, study, eat and live together tend to be cut off from the rest of the campus from a social standpoint, an argument supported by senior swimmer Keith Nussbaum and sophomore soccer player Bryanna Schreiber.

“There’s obvious things I can’t do during a season due to the time commitments. At the same time, I don’t feel boxed in because the swim team has become one of my main friend groups, so I don’t feel alone in that situation,” Nussbaum said. “Yes, I think the social scene (for athletes) is different from other people on campus,” Schreiber added.

In addition to time restrictions, many teams participate in ‘dry seasons’ when athletes refrain from using substances, a practice that can further isolate them from the social scene at Whitman. It is important to note that one can enjoy themselves without ever using any substance, but it is also no secret that Whitman students (Greek, independent or otherwise) base many social gatherings around alcohol.

Do dry seasons prevent athletes from meeting people on campus? “For me, dry season makes me want to stay away from the wider social scene on campus because it distracted me from what I was really working toward: swimming,” Nussbaum said.

While dry seasons certainly impact social gatherings in a specific way, athletes are still more than capable of having fun.

“Because our team is so close, we all hang out sober during season and still have fun. As a member of Greek life, I do feel excluded from some social events due to the dry season, but that is when having different social circles comes in handy,” Schreiber commented.

Athletes are busy students who are not always able to be as engaged on campus because they are doing other activities that they love. Unfortunately, the time athletes put into their sport forces them into a social subculture on campus where they find themselves interacting with the same small group of teammates. This rigorous schedule does not stop athletes from making the most of their college experience, and despite their highly structured days, athletes are able to be involved at Whitman and excel on the field.

In 2016 when the Chicago Cubs won the World Series, I noticed a trend on Whitman’s campus that blew me away; students were being somewhat interested in national sporting events. To be clear, I have no qualm with the fact that a large percentage of Whitman students are nearly completely oblivious to the sporting world and think that Lebron James plays quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, or that three strikes results in a second serve for the opposing point-guard, but I did find it funny that when a century long losing streak was at risk, Whitman students came to life for the lovable Cubbies.

Illustration by Haley King

The idea of the “lovable loser” is an integral part of fan participation in sports, and I am left constantly wondering, in a society that values winning at all costs, why the underdog athletes are such icons. In my opinion, fans have a tendency to support underdogs because it is often times a painless way to consume sports from afar. No one ever expects the lovable loser to win, so when they do it is all the more incredible, and when they lose it just affirms everyone’s initial expectation.

When the USA beat the USSR at the 1980 Winter Olympics, it was an underdog “miracle”–a heroic moment in sports history. At the same time, Rocky is a hero just for showing up and the Cubs are still a franchise after a century of defeat. They are easy to support because their failure was anticipated.

In the same way that the losers are easy to root for, the “Evil Empires” (New York Yankees, Golden State Warriors, New England Patriots, Real Madrid, Phi Delta Theta IM Basketball) are easy to root against. They probably will win, but that can be blamed on their piles of money, and when they lose it is all the more special to see the underdogs become champions.

So why then, did Whitman students show up in November 2016 with Cubs hats, even though so few of us are invested whatsoever in sports? Maybe because it is encouraging to believe that the little guy can win. It is encouraging to think that your small school in Walla Walla that no one has heard of can produce people who will change the world, even if no one expects them to. That just by showing up you are making a difference, and if by some chance you beat an “Evil Empire” at its own game, then you will be doing the impossible.

This is not to say Whitman students are not privileged, or that to many we may be the “Evil Empire,” but it is exciting as a history major to watch other humanities students go out into the world and be successful after being told that liberal arts degrees are not worth the investment.

At Whitman we may not always know which professional teams run the best zone defense, or which NL East reliever had the lowest ERA last year, but that doesn’t matter. We have invested our time becoming talented young folks and you don’t have to be a superfan to appreciate the underdog. In a country that tells you to win at all costs, I consider myself lucky to be surrounded by people who can appreciate the losers.

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Chloe Carothers-Liske

With just two more games left in their regular season schedule, Men’s basketball has accomplished an extraordinary feat for the second season in a row; they are the only undefeated team left in NCAA basketball. Whitman’s win last week against George Fox (their 38th consecutive regular season win) brings their record so far in 2018 to 23 wins and zero losses. With just two games left in the regular season, the Blues are looking to live in the moment, while preparing for what should be an exciting postseason.

Head Coach Eric Bridgeland is optimistic about the trajectory of the season. “I think we see only opportunity,” said Bridgeland when discussing the games ahead. “Our guys’ unbelievable focus on what’s in front of them, and without question their unmatched spirit and togetherness [makes all the difference in competition].”

The role of teamwork is something that other Blues players agree has helped them on their road to the Northwest Conference Championship. Junior Wing Cedric Jacobs-Jones emphasized team unity as a crucial element to Whitman’s success this season.

“I feel like what sets our team apart from others is just how much of a family we are… I can truly call each one of these guys family and count on them for things on and off the court,” Jacobs-Jones said.

While the spirit of the team has undoubtedly helped them so far, the Blues are also dominant in other aspects of the game, bringing tenacious defense, a high scoring offense, and depth to the court, as junior guard Joey Hewitt explained.

“Defense has definitely been an emphasis for us this year. Our full court press is our identity, but we’re so much more than just a pressing team. We have improved our half-court defense immensely throughout the year and I feel like everyone on our team can guard and shut teams down on the defensive end,” Hewitt said.

With opponents averaging a mere 76 points per game, in addition to Whitman forcing 16 steals per game, it is no surprise that defense has been a massive contributor to the winning streak.

In addition to the impressive defensive statistics, Whitman’s offense is putting up 101 points per game, with an impressive 48 percent shooting percentage from the field. So far the Blues are not just shutting down teams with their full court press, they are also knocking down almost half the shots they take.

With just two home games left in the regular season, the Basketball team will be able to enjoy the home court advantage to close out conference play. Senior Guard Tim Howell mentioned how important the Whitman and Walla Walla communities are in motivating the team to victory.

“The fans are everything. The energy of the crowd is what sets the tone for the game. I personally love having our student and community fan support. It helps us as a whole to play better knowing we have people that are there to support us on our journey” Howell said. “Our whole team appreciates all the fans and the support we receive every home game and we just want to say thank you,” Hewitt added.

Howell, who was a first team All-American last year, is also in the middle of his last season as a senior, making this championship run even more significant. “This will be my last time playing basketball at the collegiate level so I am just trying to take it all in and enjoy every moment that I have playing and enjoying this amazing journey that I am on with my brothers and coaching staff on and off the court. I’m going to put it all on the line and try to go out and get this championship as well,” Howell said.

While the postseason should bring plenty of exciting Whitman Basketball, the team remains focused on taking each game one at a time and enjoying the ride. “We enjoy each other and the journey to the max,” Coach Bridgeland said.

With the postseason fast approaching, Whitman fans can expect to enjoy more fast paced, high energy basketball from the only undefeated team left in the NCAA. Jacobs-Jones captured the team’s enthusiasm, saying, “I would like the Whitman community to know that, we love representing everyone and we hope that you follow us into the postseason because we are going to make it one for everyone to remember.”

With their fourth season fast approaching, the Women’s Lacrosse team is preparing to build on last year’s success and compete for a Northwest Conference Championship against their toughest schedule yet.

Returning multiple all-conference players, as well as Northwest Conference player of the year Lindsay Schwartz, the team is also bringing in a new head coach with Kirkland Lewis, who comes to Whitman after coaching at the University of the District of Columbia. Coach Lewis is looking to continue the team’s momentum from last year, that resulted in a second place finish in the Northwest Conference and a 9-6 record overall.

Junior Midfielder Lindsay Schwartz is excited to see what Coach Lewis can accomplish in the new setting. “Coach Lewis is just what our team needs to take us to the next level of play … Having played D1 and coached D2, she definitely knows how to train a lacrosse team to reach their fullest potential, which I’m super excited for,” Schwartz said.

In addition to the changing coaching staff, the team itself is adjusting as new first-years look to have impact roles on a squad that already boasts an impressive lineup of veteran players.

First-year player Anna Kilo summarized the team dynamic. “The team has a really good bond, I could see it coming in [and starting my first year],” said Kilo.

Older players, such as senior Emma Bishop, are also confident about the team spirit and excited to see what skills the new members will bring to the squad.

“I think this year’s team is the most physically and mentally tough yet, and I am excited to see where that takes us,” Bishop said.

While the team certainly has the talent to continue their success from last year, new challenges in the form of a tougher schedule and new NCAA rules will be trying obstacles. This year, the team will participate in the Twenty-Second Annual Spring Fling Tournament in Florida, giving Whitman the chance to play against some challenging, non-conference opponents.

Coach Lewis is optimistic about the tournament. “We will be playing a tougher schedule this year, which means that we will have lots of opportunities to get better against different competition,” said Lewis.

Furthermore, new NCAA regulations bring a shot clock, as well as Free Movement within the Critical Scoring Area to the game; regulations that are intended to speed up the pace of play and eliminate teams from stalling with the ball while ahead. While the new rules will require some getting used to, Coach Lewis believes it puts teams on an equal footing.

“It is a game that no one has played yet, which is an exciting opportunity for us as a team,” Lewis said.

The season begins on February 11, with a home non-conference game against Washington State Club Lacrosse. Headed into another promising year, lacrosse fans can expect to be greeted by a team that is not only united behind a promising new coaching staff, but also equipped to make a championship run amidst a tough schedule and a changing game. Despite being Whitman’s youngest varsity sport, Women’s Lacrosse is well on its way to becoming a championship team.