‘Boxes and Walls’ provides insight into diversity challenges on campus

By Paul Schmitt

Cardinal Staff

Disabilities, sexuality, language barriers and economic disparity were all issues covered by “Boxes and Walls,” an event to raise awareness about diversity on Saint Mary’s University campus on Thursday, Feb. 7.

The event was described by Hall Director Charissa Jakusz as “a haunted house experience, but instead of encountering ghosts and goblins you’re faced with issues of oppression, stereotypes and diversity.” 

In the “haunted house” were four rooms, each of which contained an interactive experience for a different issue of diversity. For example, in the language room, students were spoken to in Spanish, instructed to study posters on the wall (also in Spanish) and then tested on their knowledge of the information in order to simulate being an English as a Second Language student.

The issues covered were chosen based on a graduate course Jakusz took last spring along with fellow hall directors and Boxes and Walls organizers Nick Lauer and Eileen Honish. Jakusz said they collectively saw these issues on campus and wanted to touch on them.

Lauer said that the experience reiterates “the fact that we’re all at different spots; we’re all in different boats from moment to moment.” He said the event encourages students to be more sensitive to diversity and oppression by “taking a second and thinking about some of the interactions you have.”

SMU’s Office of Residence Life and the Wellness Center Planning began planning the event last spring.  It involved cooperation with resident assistants and faculty to facilitate discussion on possible topics to be covered as well as running the actual event.

“I think going in we didn’t know what to expect,” said Lauer. Around 100 students participated in the event along with 10 professional staff members and over 20 student volunteers. “We ran out of nametags and we had to do some interesting scrambling, but in good ways,” he said.

SMU sophomore Maya Booker was required to attend Boxes and Walls for a class. She said that the experience helped her realize “that we do have a diverse campus and that we all must come together to help one another succeed.”

Jakusz said there are plans to continue the program next spring. She encourages anyone with room ideas or a desire to volunteer to contact her.

SMU to hold student Centennial event

By Mary Nordick

Cardinal Staff 

A carnival-themed Centennial celebration will be held on April 13 for Saint Mary’s University students from 3-6 p.m., which will be followed by a “decade dance” from 7:30-10 p.m.

“Everyone should come dressed as their favorite decade,” said sophomore Centennial Student Leader Ashley Walz. There will be games and events going on throughout the evening with a dance at the end, she said.

Throughout the school year there have been many events to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Saint Mary’s University. The year started off with a university-wide convocation as well as celebrations in Winona and Chicago. 

There is currently a “Saint Mary’s University-Centennial Student Event!” Facebook event page dedicated to the event to provide information and encourage students to participate.

“There are a lot of students following the event. Students can find different facts and trivia about Saint Mary’s on the page, and answers to the questions can be used at the event to earn tickets and prizes,” said Walz.

Facts and more information are also available by following @SMUCSLevent on Twitter.

Opinion: Students for Life seeks students for March for Life

By Wilson Kubwayo

Cardinal Staff

Saint Mary’s Students for Life encourages students to be the change that you want to see in the world by participating in next year’s March for Life trip to Washington, D.C. 

March for Life was founded by Nellie Gray in 1974. Almost 40 years of March for Life, 55 million babies have been aborted. This is a big number that should not be ignored. So why not participate in Students for Life and fight for those who are still in mother’s womb to get an opportunity to live? How do we not know if one of those babies would have been something good for our country? Why kill an innocent baby? Life is important and students need to stand for it even when it is difficult.

The Saint Mary’s students who participated in March for Life this year said that 80% of the over 500 million people who attended were under the age of 20. Michelle Boris said that Students for Life hopes to take at least two buses of Saint Mary’s students. It is a great way to show how much one loves life and be a good example for the next generation.

Students for Life encourages students to join and discover the world by becoming a student pro-lifer. 

“Our mission is to protect the lives of unborn babies,” said President of Students for Life Michelle Boris.

Students should consider joining Students for Life because it presents an opportunity to go to Washington, D.C., for the march. This event involves a visit to the Basilica, site-seeing, concerts, adoration as well as a free evening to visit other places.

Students for Life seeks members who “respect all life from natural conception to a natural death,” said member Teresa Lavalla. 

More information is available by emailing Boris at mnbori07@smumn.edu.

Spring SOUL trips

From environmental to urban immersion

By Regina Barbosa

News Editor

Saint Mary’s University students will be going on SOUL (Serving Others United in Love) trips across the country this spring break in an effort to learn about and promote the dignity of the human person.

“Every SOUL trip is a learning trip,” said senior Jake Traxler, who is leading an environmental trip to Indiana.

This year’s SOUL trips range from environmental to urban immersion in Iowa, New Orleans, Baltimore, Milwaukee and Chicago.

In New Orleans, students will help build homes with Camp Restore, a volunteer organization that is working in the area.  They will work with over 80 other volunteer organizations in the New Orleans area.

“It’s going to be really neat for our students to interact with the 260 students that are going to be down there,” said Co-Director of Campus Ministry Chris McClead.

According to McClead, both the Chicago and Milwaukee trips will be an urban immersion experience to learn about the issues people face in larger cities; the trip to Baltimore will focus on social service; and the Iowa trip will emphasize social issues and social justice.

Expenses for SOUL trips mainly cover travel costs. McClead said the trips cost about $200 this year. Scholarships are available to help participants dilute trip costs.

SOUL trips are “a great way to learn about yourself and people in different situations,” said Traxler.

SOUL trips to Guatemala and Montana will also be offered this May.

Opportunities await at Campus Safety

By Alexi Lund

Feature Editor

Some students apply to work-study jobs to have a part-time job while others have hopes of getting experience in their field of study. Saint Mary’s Campus Safety presents both opportunities for students.

“I applied to Campus Safety to gain more experience in the criminal justice field,” said senior Anna Ramboldt. “Some of the supervisors had been in the law enforcement profession before. I believed I could gain knowledge from them as well.”

Like many new jobs, new skills are learned and developed. While working at campus safety, students learn how to monitor surveillance cameras, use radio communication and respond to different scenarios. 

“I also learned how to interact with different people and how to respond to the ‘not-so-friendly’ ones,” said Ramboldt. “Having the ability to adapt to certain people and situations is important in such a field. All of this has helped prepare me for a career in law enforcement.”

Not all of Campus Safety’s student-workers are criminal justice majors. 

“I’m not a criminal justice major, so it doesn’t have much practicality for my future, but it did teach me a lot about Saint Mary’s,” said junior Regina Barbosa. “I now know about tunnels under Page Theatre and Saint Mary’s Hall, about what time buildings are typically open and about the staff who work here.”

Both students had many reasons for why they enjoy working for Campus Safety. Ramboldt said she “enjoys working with the people I have on my shift and the independence we receive as workers.” 

Both Barbosa and Ramboldt like having the ability to do homework while waiting for calls or going out on duty. 

“It doesn’t always happen if it’s a busy night, but most of the time I’m able to get three hours of homework accomplished,” said Barbosa.

Student-workers earn cash at the Information Desk

By Alexi Lund

Feature Editor

Saint Mary’s students have the opportunity to work on-campus, gain extra cash and dedicate some time to do homework during their shift managing the switchboard at SMU’s Information Desk. 

“I was a freshman and saw a job opening at the Information Desk through an email,” said junior Eric Amerling. “I jumped right on the first thing I saw because my admissions counselor said that campus jobs go really fast.” 

Student-workers at the Information Desk are awarded work-study through the university. Some of the daily tasks at the Information Desk include answering phone calls and any questions people may have, transferring people to different departments, contacting maintenance for any problems, organizing incoming mail and packages that are received, sending faxes or making copies, managing alarms on campus and contacting the fire department if needed.

Senior Bethany Ostertag said her work-study experience has allowed her to acquire some skills that will help her in her future.  Ostertag said such experiences include “communicating with people over the phone, secretarial work and how to use a copier and a fax machine.”

Both Amerling and Ostertag said they like that they are able to do homework during their shift when there is down time. “It is a five-hour block that I can count on being some time for homework,” said Amerling. 

Ostertag shared one downside to working at the Information Desk.  She said, “Some people that call and ask questions can be pretty crabby if we are not able to help them.”

The Information Desk previously had overnight shifts, where students would work through the night.  Now, student-workers only work until midnight. 

It has been rumored that student-workers had ghost sightings and many stories from the previous late-night shift.

“Working at night alone on an old campus was always creepy, especially because I was a freshman when I had to work my overnight shift,” said Amerling. “Other than noises that I think I heard, I can’t say too much more about creepy occurrences. Although at 7 a.m., when the next shift came in, I had nodded asleep, and that person scared me awake; it was terrifying.” 

Student-workers score big with athletics

By Julianne Bartosz

Editor in Chief

If there is any Saint Mary’s University department that can keep student-workers entertained, it is the Athletic Department.  With a wide range of opportunities, student-workers are both challenged and entertained as they get to support SMU student-athletes.

Opportunities with the Athletic Department include game support like announcing, keeping statistics and working the scoreboard.

“I get to see a variety of teams and games for each season,” said sophomore Samantha Borawski.  “This basketball season, I saw all but two games between the men and women’s teams because I worked all of them.”

Borawski has had a range of jobs through the Athletic Department.  She has been a ball girl at soccer games and a scorekeeper at basketball and volleyball games in addition to working in the ice arena and at concessions.

She said that the biggest challenge is keeping the scoreboard accurate, especially during basketball games. Borawski said, “The entire crowd notices any mistakes that I make.”

Senior Vince Lulic faces a different challenge with the scoreboard.  As an official scorekeeper for both the men and women’s hockey games, Lulic said the biggest challenge is when a scrum results in multiple penalties.

“I must record each penalty correctly, both time and offense, all in a timely fashion so that the game may resume as quickly as possible,” said Lulic.

Despite its challenges, Lulic said the most interesting part of scorekeeping is being behind the scenes.  “I’ve played hockey before and certainly sat in the sin bin a few times,” he said.  “As I sat in the box, I never really knew what the penalty box attendants always did.  Now, I know.”

In addition to game support, student-workers also run concessions stands during games and work in SMU’s athletic facilities during the day.

Sophomore Alex Raske currently works in the Recreation and Athletic Complex (RAC) at both the front desk and in the weight room.  She has also sold tickets for both the men and women’s basketball games.

According to Raske, the biggest challenge is getting into a routine.  “There are a lot of keys to memorize,” she said.  “So it is challenging to remember what goes where.”

Raske said she found it interesting to learn that a lot of students come to the RAC to work out even though they aren’t on a sports team.  She said, “It shows they want to be active and fit even when not competing on a team.”  Otherwise, Raske said her favorite part of working in the RAC is being able to do homework while working.

Senior Allen Mekash has his own reason for enjoying his work for the Athletic Department: Saint Mary’s Sports Information Director Donny Nadeau.

“He is the king of what he does and has always been very helpful by showing me the ropes and giving me advice to help me succeed, as well as helping Cardinal Athletics succeed,” said Mekash.

Mekash isn’t the only student-worker who has acquired some insight.  Borawski said that working game support has changed her view as a student-athlete.

“We [student-athletes] never realize how much effort goes on behind the scenes to ensure that games run smoothly and look professional as possible,” said Borawski.  “The Athletic Department does an amazing job of making sure that every game is held to a high standard of performance by those who work on game support.”

Chartwells serves a lot of opportunities

By Julianne Bartosz

Editor in Chief

Although students may not obtain a professional skill set, Chartwells offers Saint Mary’s students the opportunity to earn extra money while developing cooking skills and working with a fun staff.

“I’m horrible at cooking, so working at Chartwells has improved my cooking skills,” said sophomore Kelly Seymour.  “I’ve learned how to make different sandwiches and pizzas and how to use the grill and fryers.”  Seymour started working in the Cardinal Club at the beginning of the semester.

Seymour said the job also has its challenges, especially during the busy lunch shift.  “We are jammed with a ton of orders,” she said.  “We have to work efficiently and as a team to get all the orders out in a timely manner.”

Junior Brooke Bartelt faces different challenges during her shift at Mugby Junction.  She said, “Trying to remember how to make all the different drinks we make is challenging.”

Since Chartwells does not allow student-workers to run the Mugby Junction cash register, Bartelt said she is also challenged by being “very dependent on the full-times staff member to fulfill an order.”

Meanwhile, work in the Toner dining hall presents the challenge of standing for long periods of time, according to senior Jason Sandquist.  He said that he mainly works in the dish room, serves food or checks the beverage dispensers.  

Sandquist said working in the cafeteria is harder than he thought it would be.  “I was unaware of the entire cleanup process after meals,” he said.  “It takes a team effort to ensure that the students and staff of Saint Mary’s University are fed each and every day.”

Working to make extra money, Sandquist said the most enjoyable part of his job is the people that he works with.

Bartelt, on the other hand, said she enjoys “seeing all of the other students that simply walk through Toner, even if they aren’t stopping at Mugby.”

With three dining locations and a coffee shop on campus, Chartwells offers many job opportunities.  Both Seymour and Bartelt advised students interested in a job to talk to someone in the Food Services Office.

“If you’re looking for some cash, it is a relatively easy job,” said Bartelt.

Half ‘n Half wins Battle of the Bands

By Ashley M. Von Arx

Cardinal Staff

The Page Theatre was transformed into a veritable display of madness and mayhem seldom witnessed by this quaint Midwestern, winter-dusted valley on Feb. 2 for the Battle of the Bands 2013.

The Student Activities Committee (SAC), in cooperation with the Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity, designed the event to generate healthy competition and to create a fun distraction from the endless onslaught of classes, work and responsibility. Highlights of the evening included musician Camden Webster stripping down to his boxers on stage, amazing music, balloons and shirt-pants.  According to Phi Mu Alpha member John Fitzpatrick, the Battle of the Bands also included “Half ‘n Half’s greedy stacks on stacks of solos.” 

“I was confident in our band’s abilities, but I was very impressed with the other bands as well,” said Half ‘n Half’s lead guitarist Trevor Woggon. “And I thought it was a close contest.” 

Although whoever won was not the central focus of the event, every battle must have a winner. It seems that those “greedy stacks” may have played a part in securing the win for Half ‘n Half. 

The band had no particular expectation to win and expressed surprise when they were called to the stage for their encore.  They continued to please the audience with “White Room” by Cream. 

Bassist Paul Schmitt offered advice to other aspiring artists.  He said, “A person should do what he or she loves, which I agree with, but sometimes you have to do things you don’t love (lengthy rehearsals, play songs you don’t particularly like) in order to do the things you love. It’s a balance, and one should not quit something just because it’s not always enjoyable.”

Phi Mu Alpha will host a similar event for the Saint Mary’s community called Gaslight in March.

Movie Review: ‘Identity Thief’

By Petey Brown

Arts and Entertainment Editor

When a very colorful character named Diana uses well-behaved businessman Sandy Patterson’s identity to live the high life in Miami, things go from extravagant to insane in buddy comedy Identity Thief. 

Diana (Melissa McCarthy, also in Bridesmaids) uses a stolen identity to live as though money is not an object, since it is not her own.  She buys many things that are mostly useless, but it does not bother her because the tab is on Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman, also in Arrested Development and Horrible Bosses).  Patterson finds out that Diana is spending his hard earned cash and goes across the country from Denver to Miami to confront her.  His goal is to save his money and get his identity back.

When he goes to find his target, Diana is not as easy to capture and bring to justice as he thought.  Instead, Diana has other plans.  Through their crazy road trip, bad gets worse and whatever could go wrong does go wrong. 

Identity Thief is an enjoyable movie that is only worth a single watch.  It was a good, strange bedfellow’s comedy with a great paring of Bateman and McCarthy.  There were some very funny moments, but the movie dragged on without an interesting plot.  The moments that were funny were pretty enjoyable, but most of that was shown in trailers for the movie.

Both actors could have had a better showing.  It was also disappointing that the movie was not better. The film is worth seeing once, but wait until it comes out on DVD or Blu-Ray.

Rotten Tomatoes, a movie reviewing website, gave this movie a low 24%.  However, fans gave it a 74%.   Identity Thief deserves a five out of ten since it could have been a lot better and was not worth seeing in theaters.  Hopefully, Bateman and McCarthy can get better roles in their next films because they are two very talented and funny actors.  

Alum to guest-direct unordinary adaptation of ‘Hamlet’

By Brendan Cahill

Cardinal Staff

Saint Mary’s alum Ann Keen guest-directs an unordinary adaptation of Hamlet that draws on modern day experiences, which will be performed April 4-7 in the Page Theatre.

“Putting all rumors to rest, it is not quite rock ’n’ roll Hamlet and there are only a few elements of American Idol,” said Keen. 

Keen said this adaptation of Hamlet is based on the struggles of a broken famous family that is always in the spotlight.  Some thrive while others just want to be left alone.  For example, Hamlet wanted to be left alone with his grief instead of putting on a happy face as his mother was treating husbands “like Kleenex: soft, strong and disposable.” 

This adaptation was performed quite successfully in Chicago.  However, the Page Theatre presents a bit of a challenge for Keen.  She now has more space and many different items at her disposal, which she did not previously have.

"I am mightily impressed...and am excited for the whole school to see just how talented they are."

“I was not used to having actors who still have busy academic days to take into account before the rehearsal,” Keen said.  “I am mightily impressed with each and every person in the cast and am excited for the whole school to see just how talented they are.”

Keen’s adaptation is more relatable for the present times, since people don’t await entertainment from an acting troupe.  “It is much less common in present day, whereas in the time of Shakespeare it was much more prevalent,” said Keen.  “So instead of a traveling acting troupe coming to town to put on a play before the king, there is a song being preformed before the king. This is in hope that the audience would find it much easier to relate to than a play in Shakespearian English.” 

In addition to the unordinary adaptation, Keen hinted that there will also be a lot surprises for the audience.

Outdoor entertainment in snow-covered Winona

By Clinton Nienhaus

Cardinal Staff

Winona has a plethora of outdoor entertainment options ranging from the bluff lands and goat prairies to the Mississippi River, hiking trails, biking trails and much more. 

There are a variety of entertainment opportunities just outside your door. Although the winter may not seem the best time of year to be out and about due to the snow and cold, take another look. The new renovations to the ski trails on campus open an opportunity for all to try cross-country skiing. Through Outdoor Leadership, ice fishing is available for those who may enjoy fishing or have never tried it before. 

An alternate option for entertainment might be bird watching, also known as birding. The majority of birding takes place during the spring and fall migrations of birds and the opportunities provided in the winter may be overlooked. Winter birding offers the opportunity to see birds that, especially in Minnesota, migrate south of the state to escape harsher winters. Northern Shrikes, Common Goldeneye, Rough-Legged Hawks, Golden Eagles and Common Redpolls are just some examples of Minnesota’s northern visitors. Currently, the open water pockets on the Mississippi River near Levee Park in Winona offer opportunities to see bald eagles in high concentrations. This is a good opportunity for all to get a good look at these majestic birds, especially without binoculars. 

Don’t overlook the outdoors as an entertainment option. Even if the winter is seemingly dead and devoid of animal activity, get out and take a hike, take a pause and look what you can see. 

Heukeshovens selected to be Minnesota Ambassadors of Music

By Paul Schmitt

Cardinal Staff

Two of Saint Mary’s music instructors were recently selected to serve as faculty for the Minnesota Ambassadors of Music program on a 16-day tour of Europe in 2014.

A. Eric Heukeshoven and Janet Heukeshoven’s, Ph.D., responsibilities include being section leaders for their respective instruments.  A. Eric Heukeshoven will be supervising the low brass while Janet Heukeshoven supervises the flute section. They will also serve as chaperones for 8-10 students on the tour while A. Eric Heukeshoven specifically serves as the group’s German translator.

“The tour is a life-changing experience for the students,” said A. Eric Heukeshoven.  “For that reason alone, it makes all the effort worthwhile.”

The program involves selecting high school-aged students to best represent Minnesota and its music in countries such as France, Switzerland and Germany. 

In the past, several students on the tour end have enrolled at SMU. A. Eric Heukeshoven said, “Naturally the students have questions about their college choices, and we’re always happy to tell them more about Saint Mary’s.” 

This will be Janet Heukeshoven’s eighth tour with the program, and A. Eric Heukeshoven’s sixth.

Opinion: An inside look at SMU’s music events from Phi Mu Alpha’s quartermaster

By Camden Webster

Cardinal Staff

February is a busy month for most Saint Mary’s students, and especially for those involved with the music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha’s concert setups.

Battle of the Bands certainly started off the semester with a bang, and all of the participating bands did an amazing job.  This year, the stakes for first place were raised by the addition of a guaranteed slot on the Centennial Student Event in April.  Starting off the show were Pseudosonic Motion and FNL Delivery Service, who each had the crowd out of their seats with some high-energy punk.  Performing third in the show were second place winners, System of a Down Cover Band, who ironically performed covers of Killswitch Engage, ‘N Sync and Nickelback.  Performing second to last was Winona’s premier Cream tribute band, Half ‘n Half, who performed covers of ZZ Top and The Black Crowes.  Closing the show were the Plaza Kings, who performed their unique brand of acoustic covers by artists such as Cute Is What We Aim For and Secondhand Serenade.  Half ‘n Half took the first prize of $550, with System of A Down Cover Band coming in second with a $250 cash prize and Plaza Kings receiving the third prize of $150.  

The second weekend of February was as exciting as ever with the annual coffeehouse style musical showcase Fireside.  Phi Mu Alpha set up sound and lights for the event hosted by Sigma Alpha Iota.  The event was a huge success.  The third weekend of February includes the Multicultural Showcase and the first annual Dance Marathon both on Feb. 15.

Keep an eye out for the Centennial Student Event on April 13 and, of course, Gaslight.  If you have an event on or off campus that requires sound or lighting reinforcement, don’t hesitate to contact Phi Mu Alpha.  We love working with new people while helping out the Saint Mary’s community!

Music Review: ‘Release the Panic’ by Red

By Allison Christensen

Cardinal Staff

Red, the four-man rock group from Nashville, Tenn., revolutionizes Christian rock music with their new album, “Release the Panic.” 

The band members Michael Barnes (vocals), Anthony Armstrong (guitar), Randy Armstrong (bass) and Joe Rickard (drums) strived to make this album completely different from any other Christian rock album. “Release the Panic” has a darker, harsher sound than Red’s previous albums. The lyrics deal with mortality, redemption and living in a materialistic culture. Inspiration for the song ‘Perfect Life’ came from the people of Los Angeles, where the band lived while recording the album. 

“As we recorded in Los Angeles, the inspiration for that song was all around us, all the time,” said Anthony Armstrong. “So many people have themselves convinced they’re living the sweet life, the good life, and some have worked really hard to get there, but it’s the people who are trying, clawing their way to live this kind of life that’s troubling.”  

Red stands apart from other Christian rock bands because they do not make it obvious that they are putting out a Christian message. Upon the first listen, the track “Damage” is simply a great rock song with screaming vocals and an intense, head-banging beat. The lyrics, however, reveal a deeper meaning, a cry for redemption: “Take this away; it was just a mistake. Save me; ‘cause all I do is damage.”

Every song on the album has a message hidden behind the guitar riffs, pounding drums and screaming vocals. Red’s goal for these songs was to challenge their fans to really think about what they are listening to. 

Producer Howard Benson said, “The thing I like about this record is that they’re very forward-thinking songs for a rock band.”

“Release the Panic” is enjoyed by rock fans and Christian music fans alike. If you consider yourself one, but not the other, broaden your horizons and check out “Release the Panic” and other music by Red at www.redmusiconline.com.

Thone joins 1,000-Point Club

By Corrine McCallum

Cardinal Staff

Senior women’s basketball player Jessica Thone becomes one of 10 women who have accomplished the amazing feat of scoring 1,000 points as a Cardinal.

Thone is a captain of the women’s basketball team who is beyond dedicated to her sport.  Being a collegiate athlete is not only hard work, but it is also very challenging. Day in and day out, many student-athletes are busy with practices, games, ice baths, film, scouting, etc. However, rewards come to those who dedicate themselves to what they love. This describes Thone.

“Jess is a smart player, and a great teammate,” said fellow senior captain Courtney Athnos. “She keeps the team going and deserves all of the recognition she is receiving.” 

Thone has been a member of the women’s basketball team since her freshman year. She has not only participated in the sport; she has excelled at it as well. Thus, she just recently scored her 1,000 point on a fast-break lay-up against Hamline University on Jan. 21. Getting to 1,000 points is not an easy accomplishment. 

“Getting to 1,000 points really shows that the people I have played with over these four years have been great teammates,” said Thone. “They have helped me accomplish that, and I am very grateful for them.”

What makes Thone really stand out is not only the scoring and records she holds, but also the way she handles herself on the court and how well she knows the game of basketball. Thone had a lot to say about who has helped her through her SMU basketball career. Ultimately, she acknowledged the great role her teammates had.  She said, “I think my teammates have helped me the most. Our team is so fun to be around and it really makes my experience at SMU just that much better.” 

The women’s basketball team finished regular-season play with a record of 22-4 overall and 18-4 in conference. Thone has a huge part in that, which is something that Thone said she wants to be able to say at the end of her career. 

“I think the ultimate goal by the end of the season is to make it to nationals. I think that’s every teams end goal,” said Thone. “But also I think especially this year since it’s my last, just have to make everything count. It is my last go around so I’m trying to appreciate the little things.” 

The Cardinals look forward to continuing their season into the MIAC Tournament. With every victory comes more confidence, and that is what will keep this team on track!

Nutrition of student-athletes

By Skylar Finkelstein

Cardinal Staff

Saint Mary’s University’s student-athletes take their sports seriously all across the board. Whether it is basketball, track and field or hockey, student-athletes take good care of themselves by maintaining high nutritional health. 

Eating right and staying fit by completing workouts, stretching tight muscles and increasing flexibility and agility makes a student-athlete better prepared for his or her competitions. Many of SMU’s student-athletes share similar eating habits while in season. 

“I try to eat quite a few calories the night before a game including pasta and carbohydrates,” said Haley Trom, a member of the women’s basketball team. Since carbohydrates have a lot of glucose in them, they increase an athlete’s energy level. Trom also said that she drinks a lot of water because staying hydrated is key. 

LaMonte Hall, a member of SMU’s men’s basketball team, agreed with Trom’s statement on eating habits. He also stressed the importance of stretching before and after any type of workout, practice or game. Hall said that having a light, healthy meal before a game helps maintain a high-energy level. 

Many student-athletes on campus ration out their food portions per food group in order to maintain a balanced diet. That way, they are ready to go on game days and can perform at their best. 

Student-athletes, along with the entire student body, benefit from fueling their bodies with fruits and vegetables rather than chips and candy.  This creates a sustainable natural energy that keeps them going longer. Enriching one’s body with vitamins and minerals, rather than artificial preservatives and unhealthy fats, builds and replenishes one’s body while building strength. Making healthy food choices throughout the day, working out and playing hard powers student-athletes ability to be successful. 

IHM basketball team faces injuries

By Wilson Kubwayo

Cardinal Staff

The Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary basketball team played in the Mundelein Seminary of Chicago’s basketball tournament on Feb. 1 and 2, which resulted in three injured seminarians.

Senior Randy Vette took an elbow to the forehead during the second half of the first game against St. Paul Seminary.  He was out the rest of the game.

With 3.8 seconds left in the game and the score tied, freshman point guard Alex Kren was fouled while attempting a deep three-point shot. This gave the IHM team a chance to win the game. With no time left, Kren made one free throw to win the game. The final score was 26-25.

The next day, Kren broke his ankle five minutes into a game against St. Joseph Seminary from Louisiana.

In the second half, sophomore Dan Mykleseth was elbowed underneath on his eyebrow. The IHM team ended up losing the game, which meant they were out of the tournament. 

SMU Intramurals: Play hard, score big

By Samantha Borawski

Sports Editor

The start of second semester intramurals at Saint Mary’s University approaches as second semester is well underway. Session 3 of intramurals includes sports like indoor volleyball, bowling and indoor soccer as well as the continuing competition of the coveted Cardinal Cup. 

While the competition can get heated, it allows for students to get involved and stay active in a sport that they enjoy.

“It is fun because you get the benefits of having your friends as teammates and it helps you prioritize your time because you know you have games at night,” said sophomore Sandy Sahl. Sahl said she enjoys being a member of the “Killer Koalas” intramural team because it is not time consuming and not as competitive as varsity teams. Bowling is also offered this semester on Sunday nights at Winona Bowl. Since bowling is off campus, it is a great way for students to finish up their weekend before classes start on Monday.

“I loved bowling as a kid and was a part of leagues growing up,” said sophomore Dana Testa.  “It is fun to be able to have a good time with friends while partaking in an activity I like noncompetitively.”

The diversity in sports each semester allows for all students to get active on campus. For teams like the “Brown Mambas,” many students live for indoor soccer season. This team is looking to repeat the victorious indoor soccer season it had last year. 

“It is a chance to let loose and take a break from everything else going on,” said sophomore Hector Roman, who plays with the “Brown Mambas.”

For those who play collegiate sports, intramurals is also a fun way to keep in shape aside from team practices. Volleyball players enjoy creating teams to practice as well as soccer players. Intramurals offers something for everyone who wants to get involved whether it’s only for one specific sport each year or multiple sports each semester. Either way, intramurals is a great way to get involved and take a break from the stress and workload that classes entail. With one more session left to go, there is still time to make an intramurals team and play.