Thomson advances to National Tournament

Ryan Thomson (left) stands next to Coach Mike Ricci (right) after competing at the NCAA Atlantic/East Regional Golf Tournament.

By Tony Viola, Sports Editor

Classes might be done for most students, but one Hilltopper is still representing his school. Junior Ryan Thomson posted a three-day score of 14-over-par 227 at the NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Regional to earn a trip to the National Championship Tournament.

”I’m really surprised and I can’t believe I made it this early in my career at West Liberty,” Thomson said.

After shooting a 77 on the first day of the tournament, which was held at the Hersey Country Club in Hersey, Pa., Thomson moved into eighth place in the medal chase on the second day with a 75.

But as Thomson finished on day two, the rain started, preventing more then half of the competitors from finishing. Those golfers had to finish their rounds on Wednesday before the third day of the tournament began.

The aftermath of the rain still affected Thomson on the beginning of the final day, as the second team All-Conference honoree bogeyed on four of his first six holes.

”I wasn’t too worried whenever I hit those bogeys,” Thomson said. ”It was a tough track so I knew other people would struggle as well.”

The Hilltoppper standout then played nearly flawless over the next 12 holes, finishing with a 4-over-par 75.

Things did get a little tight for the native of Georgetown, Ontario on the 17th hole as California (Pa.) University’s Charlie Durman shot a birdie to pull within one shot of Thomson. Durman, however, ended his round with a par on the last hole to come up one stroke short of forcing a playoff.

Thomson finished the tournament fifth overall and second among the individual qualifiers. The top five teams and the two individuals with the lowest scores who were not members of a qualifying team qualified for the national tournament.

Even with all the excitement around him, Thomson still says having his dad at the tournament is a memory he will cherish.

”I was really thankful to have him here. He’s done a lot of me and has pushed me to strive for more,” he said. ”I owe him a lot and he is the main reason I attended school in the states.”

The NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championship will be held May 15-19 at the Cardinal Club in Simpsonville, Ky. as part of the NCAA Division II Spring Championship Festival.

Golfers Going to Regionals

Junior Ryan Thomson will be one of two Hilltoppers representing West Liberty at the NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Regionals.

By Tony Viola, Staff Writer

Two West Liberty men’s golfers will be participating in the NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Regional. West Virginia Conference Player of the Year Joey Seabright and Ryan Thomson will be representing WLU at this year’s tournament, which will be at Hershey Country Club in Hershey, Pa. from May 7-9.

”I’m extremely excited to get down to Hershey and play ,” Seabright said. ”I’m happy with where my game is at and I think I have a good chance to really play well.”

Seabright, a senior from Wheeling, WV, has qualified for the Regional Tournament all four years of his college career.

”If I can chip and putt well, then I have a great shot,” he said. ”My goal is to make it to nationals and this is my last chance.”

For Thomson, this will be his second trip to the tournament. The junior qualified with the rest of the Hilltopper squad during the 2010-11 season.

”It feels weird not being with the team this year. This will be my first tourney ever competing as an individual,” the second team All-WVIAC honoree said. ”I’m just glad I get to be here with Joe in his last tournament.”

West Liberty as a team just missed receiving a bid to the tournament, finishing the regular season ranked 11th in the region. To earn a spot at the tournament, teams must finish the regular season ranked as one of the 10 best teams in their region.

The top five teams and the top two student-athletes not with a team from each region will then advance to the finals May 15-19 at the Cardinal Club in Simpsonville, Ky. as part of the NCAA Division II Spring Championship Festival.

 

West Liberty becoming a safer place for all

By Kelsey McKinney, Assistant Editor

Last week West Liberty University’s Campus Police was added to the list of Safe Places in Wheeling, offering youth a safe haven 24 hours, seven days a week if they are in a time of need. The University collaborated with the Social Work Club as well as several other social work students to establish the Safe Place program on campus.

Safe Place is a program through the Youth Service System Inc. that creates and trains local establishments to be a “safe place” for youth to enter during a time of distress such as, domestic violence, runaways, kidnapping etc. and stresses that youth come to a Safe Place for ANY situation. The programs associated with Safe Place are primarily targeted for teenagers (ages 12-18) and offer transitional housing, counseling etc. for those up to age 21. Overall, Safe Place/Youth Service System Inc. prides themselves on giving “kids an opportunity to ask for help,” said Safe Place Outreach Specialist, Sonja Jackson.

SPICES hosts first Intl. Extravaganza

By Anna Patrick, Editor

West Liberty’s International Club, SPICES, will be hosting an International Extravaganza Night.

The culture show was held on Wednesday, April 25 at 6 p.m. in the Kelly Theater. The event was free to the public, but donations were welcomed.

Dipti Guragain, co-organizer of the event, said, “I have had this idea ever since I came here.”

Gala goes toward Kelly Theater renovations

By Anna Patrick, Editor

West Liberty University will travel back to the twenties as it hosts the second annual Great Gala.

The Great Gala fundraiser, following in 1920s Gatsby theme, is being held on Saturday, April 28 in the Pine Room of Oglebay Resort and is organized by West Liberty’s Office of Institutional Advancement.

This is the second year for the fundraiser to be held. Last year’s inaugural event “was a tremendous success for an event of this size. It was the largest single fundraiser event to date for the University,” said the Director of University Engagement, Tammi Secrist.

Cast of latest production makes comedy look easy

By Hannah Courtney, Contributing Writer

For the last show of the spring 2012 season, the West Liberty Hilltop Players are performing John Bishop’s “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940″, and they couldn’t have left on a better note. Comedy is hard to do, and finding a way to make comedy and murder blend together and make sense is even harder, but the Hilltop Players have pulled it off like it’s a piece of cake.

From the first scene, the audience is injected with a healthy dose of laughter that sets up a comedic promise for the remainder of the play. The Stage Door Slasher takes his first victim of the night, maid Helsa Wenzel (Kassidy Wells). With her body laying on the floor, the murderer looks around frantically, searching for a way of disposal. An attempt to balance her on a chair falls short when she quickly flops to the ground. Finally, he drags her to the closet, stuffing her inside like a teenager piling his junk under the bed to give the illusion of a clean room.

MAD Fest showcases varied works of art

By Lacey Matheny, Contributing Writer

The 2012 West Virginia MAD Festival took place on the campus of West Liberty University on Friday, April 27, from 8:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. with a performance by the Electronic Music Ensemble.

Everything is free, but participants must pre-register online in order to get into the preferred workshops, and to be eligible to win prizes and giveaways. The MAD Festival competition is open to all West Liberty University students. This year high school students from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia are also able to enter. The annual MAD Fest student competition awards ceremony will take place from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. in College Hall.

Anything Goes: Sports Column

By Kyle Lutz, Sports Editor

The NBA season is winding down and it is almost playoff time.

Now this is the time that I really get into watching basketball.

I DO watch the NBA during the regular season, but I do not watch it as much.

This is because playoffs are either “win the series or go home and wait until next year.”

University adds new student food pantry

Food Pantry

By Abby Warne, Contributing Writer

A new program to service the needs of students will soon open on campus.

The student food pantry will provide students in need, primarily those who live off-campus, with food and supplies. The location of the new food pantry will be in Rogers Hall in a room across from the Sodexo Offices.

The food pantry project involved several staff members, including the President, to make it a reality.

Krauss’ novel makes love relatable to all readers

Krauss Novel

By Hannah Courtney, Contributing Writer

Most readers have a preference when it comes to the literature they choose to read; some are partial to romance, some like mystery, others go for historical. But Nicole Krauss’ “History of Love” is a story that stretches across various genres and offers a little bit of something to nearly any reader.

The story opens with Leopold (Leo) Gursky, an elderly man reminiscing about his life as he approaches the end of it. Leo is Polish-Jewish and grows up in Germany. Although he’s been alive for ten years, his life doesn’t truly begin until he meets and falls in love with his neighbor Alma Mereminski. Ten years later, with the approach of the Nazis, Alma’s father sends her to America for protection and far away from Leo.