TNP Player of the Game: Josh McKee – 3 of 6 for 12 points, 10 rebounds

Both teams netted 11 three-point shots after combining for 51 threes in a second round match-up between #22 Wittenberg College and Carroll University in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Wittenberg held the edge in other aspects of the game, claiming an 87-70 win.

The game opened with shaky shooting from both teams in the first half, but the Tigers figured it out quickly, shooting 53 percent from behind the arc to take a commanding 48-30 lead into the half.

The Pioneers struggled shooting in general, not having much luck with free throws or from the floor. After falling behind by as much as 16 points, Carroll finally began connecting on more shots, pulling closer through the half, but ultimately trailing by 18 points at the half after a buzzer beating three by Wittenberg’s Cam Walton.

Carroll could never quite figure it out on defense, allowing the Tigers to shoot 54 percent from the floor and giving up 24 free throws. Andrew Nottling fouled out with 5:08 left in the game. Wittenberg also struggled, giving up 25 points.

In the final 10 minutes, the Pioneers made several attempts to climb back into the game, but Wittenberg had answers for every basket Carroll made, keeping about a 14 point lead throughout the half.

The Pioneers will end one of their most successful seasons, falling just short of matching the 2007 Pioneers trip to the Sweet Sixteen. Looking to the future, Carroll will lose only two seniors.

In his final game as a Pioneer, senior Kyle Jones was second in the game with 14 points. Jake Bast led all scorers with 16. Kevin Hurd also contributed 13 points to round out Carroll’s double digit scorers.

TNP Player of the Game: Alec Molter – 6-8 for 15 points

Five years separated two NCAA tournament appearances for the Carroll University Pioneers. Almost exactly five years separated NCAA tournament wins.

March 3, 2007, was the last time Carroll won a tournament game. That was an 86-80 win over the University of St. Thomas, ranked #5 in the nation at the time. Six days later, the Pioneers were knocked out of the tournament by #10 Hope College.

March 2, 2012, was the next NCAA tournament win for the Pioneers. The win came against  #16 Transylvania University, Carroll’s hosts for the tournament’s first round.

The opening quarter of the game was mostly back and forth, with both teams trading baskets and taking only relatively small leads. But Carroll took over, taking a 9 point lead into the half. They opened the second half well, expanding on their lead. Transylvania fought back. They drew within six points with a minute and a half remaining.

Carroll managed to pull away for the final time, ending with an 84-74 lead over Transylvania.

Six Carroll Pioneers finished with double digit scoring, led by Alec Motler and Dan Kratz with 15 points each. Kevin Hurd and Christian Sheply added 13 each, followed by Kyle Jones and Jake Bast with 11 and 10 points respectively.

As a team, Carroll shot 59 percent from the floor, 12 percent better than Transylvania.

The Pioneers advance to the second round, where they will face Wittenberg University March 3. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. CST.

Photo by Leigh Emmett

Ashley Joers
Editorial Staff

For the first time since 2007, the Pioneer men’s basketball team will make an appearance in the NCAA tournament.

Carroll has had a great season full of ups and downs. This past weekend was definitely a high for them.

The men took on hosts Lake Forest College Feb. 24

“We worked all week on a 2-3 zone that they had never seen before, and we tweaked our offense and put in some new plays that would help us get some good shots against them,” said senior guard Kyle Jones.

Jones also mentioned that even though the team had lost twice to Lake Forest earlier in the season they felt very confident in their ability as a team to play well.

Kevin Hurd, a sophomore on the team also said that it felt great going into the tournament. It was an opportunity that a few weeks ago the team thought they weren’t going to have.

“We were excited, confident and just expected to win,” Hurd said.

Carroll was playing well in the first half and kept it up, ending the first half with a score of 40–30.

“We just kept telling each other to stay together,” Jones said.

The team knew that they had a job to do, had all of the tools to accomplish it and just went out and did it, by staying mentally sharp and focused, said Hurd.

That is exactly what the team did, securing a victory win over Lake Forest with the final score of 77-70.

The team was feeling great after the win against Lake Forest but they new their job wasn’t done so the team quickly focused on getting ready to play St. Norbert the next day, said Jones.

Carroll was the early game when they played against Lake Forest, so the team was able to watch St. Norbert play Grinnell to find out whom their opponent was going to be.

“During that game we actually got updates on our girls team and we were going crazy. But after the Norbert’s-Grinnell game, we knew what to expect from Norbert’s. They are a well-coached and solid team. We had to be on our A game and fortunately we were,” Hurd said.

After the first half, Carroll had a commanding lead of 29 points. Jones explained how he felt during the first half of the game in one word: “incredible.”

“It was one of the best halves of basketball that I’ve ever been apart of,” Jones said.

Hurd explained that even with a lead like that [a team] cannot ease up. St. Norbert is a good team and Carroll couldn’t give them an inch.

The entire season—all of the hard work, sweat and dedication—was going to come down to the last half of the game.

“We felt that all of the workouts and practices that we have gone through all year were all worth it to get to this point. There is no better feeling than seeing all your hard work pay off and for me it was extra special because it’s my senior season and I get to go to the NCAA Tournament,” Jones said.

Hurd proved to be feeling the same way.

“I was happy for my team, fans, the university but especially for Trey and Kyle being our only two seniors. We wanted to make this a special run for them and I was real excited that we made it memorable,” Hurd said.

The men’s season will continue when they take on Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky. March 2 for the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The Pioneers beat Beloit College 67-49 en route during a run for a conference tournament berth. Photo by Leigh Emmett

Ashley Joers
Editorial Staff

Despite entering the conference tournament as the no. 4 seed, the Carroll University basketball team knocked of their hosts for a championship appearance. The dedication within the team and commitment to keep going really showed through during the games.

The Pioneers met St. Norbert College with spirits.

Janelle Groer led Carroll’s scoring, hitting 30 total points. The team built confidence with other top scorers including Emily DeNoyer and Breann Maryanski.

Everyone says the games come down to the last seconds, and this one was no exception.

Defending until the bitter end, St. Norbert’s Jamie Kuhl hit the jump shot in the last second putting the score as close as possible but not able to put it over for a win for St. Norbert.

The ecstatic Pioneers moved onto the finals of the Midwest Conference Tournament against Monmouth College.

Groer was again the top scorer with 27 total points. DeNoyer had 13 total points.

Carroll stayed close to their opponents with a score of 32-36 at half.

Keeping up the pace and working for an inch ahead of Monmouth, Carroll worked hard the second half, giving it all they had.

“After a tug-of-war game for the lead, Carroll almost pulled off another upset in the title game but fell short of Monmouth with a final score of 75–67.

Resident Assistant and Orientation Mentor applicants accomplished the final stage of their application process, called group process, Feb. 19, said Rachel Paulson, an RA in North Bergstrom who participated as an interviewer during students’ application processes.

Applicants for RA and OM positions convened for ice-breakers, group activities and discussions during group process. Their goal was to show their group leaders (current RAs and OMs) and the directors of Residence Life and Housing their interpersonal and leadership skills, said Christina Dagenais, who applied for both positions.

“I feel like I really learned a lot that day,” Dagenais said. “Group process really reinforced my reasons for wanting to apply for RA and OM.”

Dagenais learned more about what it takes to be an RA and OM during group process as well, she said.

“As far as working in a group, the process reiterated how important communication, teamwork and problem solving skills are for the roles of RA and OM,” she said.

Dagenais hopes to be an RA and OM so that she can enhance other students’ experiences at Carroll, she said.

“I have gained so much from being here, and I think that being an RA/OM is a great way to give back to the university and really share my love of Carroll with others,” she said.

To begin the application process, RA and OM applicants must fill out a four-page application with short answer and essay-style questions. The application is available through Carroll’s website. Applicants must also submit three reference forms, the website said.

The second part of the process is an interview. These half hour interviews are conducted by current RAs and a Residence Life and Housing staff member. OM applicants are interviewed by current OMs and the Volunteer Coordinator, Dagenais said.

Dagenais had three RA interviewers and two OM interviewers, she said. Her interviewers were friendly and made the process seem easier than she had expected, she said.

“I was beyond nervous [about the interview], but after, I felt like I shouldn’t have been as nervous as I was,” Dagenais said. “And it felt really good to have that part of the process done.”

After the group process, applicants wait for Feb. 24 when Carroll offers positions via email, Carroll’s website said. Applicants who are offered positions must accept or decline by Feb. 27.

“Applicants are offered positions based on the area they would best work, such as apartments or traditional style housing,” said Christina Hansen, an RA in South Bergstrom.

“[An RA] is a student staff member working and living in campus housing. RAs provide assistance, guidance and support for residents. RAs are trained in areas such as listening skills, confrontation, campus resources, and event or program planning,” said Carroll’s website.

RAs are members of the Residence Life and Housing Staff. They hold their position for an entire academic year as opposed to the semester in which OMs hold their position, according to the website.

An OM, is a Student Affairs staff member who mentors Carroll’s freshmen during their first semester through group and campus-wide activities, counseling and information sessions.

Among other duties listed on Carroll’s website, OMs are assigned a Cultural Seminar class and must attend three-fourths of those classes.

2/15/12   12:00 p.m.   Took a report of a theft from Swarthout/Steele.

2/17/12   1 p.m.   Responded to the front drive of the Bergstrom Complex for a property damage only vehicle accident.

2/17/12   11:42 p.m.   Took a report of damage to a vehicle mirror in Lot 1.

2/18/12   2:15 a.m.   Responded with Residence Life to an alcohol issue in New Hall.

2/20/12   10:45 p.m.   Responded to have an unwanted student leave Kilgour.

2/22/12   9:25 a.m.   Had an unwanted person looking through the dumpster leave the area of the Hartwell Apartments.

2/23/12   12:30 p.m.   Took a report of an off-campus altercation involving two students.

2/23/12   1:25 p.m.   Responded  with Waukesha EMS to a medical emergency near Main Hall.

2/24/12   2:20 p.m.   Assisted Student Affairs with checking on the welfare of a student.

2/24/12   10:20 p.m.   Dealt with an underage alcohol possession issue in Lot 1.

2/25/12   3:37 a.m.   Assisted Residence Life with an intoxicated person in the Bergstrom Complex.

Image courtesy of Victoria Roth

Kim Condon
Staff Writer

If you like “The Hunger Games,” you may very well enjoy this series-in-progress.

“Divergent” is set far into the future in dystopian Chicago where society is split into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a certain virtue

• Candor, the honest
• Abnegation, the selfless
• Dauntless, the brave
• Amity, the peaceful
• Erudite, the intelligent

On a certain day, every 16-year-old must select the faction they desire most and then go through an initiation process to become a member.

If they fail the initiation, they become faction-less and must live on the streets.

The book follows the story of Beatrice Prior, and the events she never dreamed possible.

After taking a psychological simulation test to discover which faction she is best suited for, her results show that something is very wrong—something that could end up getting her killed.  Armed with this terrifying secret, Beatrice chooses a different faction, surprising even herself.

She must then survive through a grueling initiation, during which she renames herself Tris, and becomes someone almost unrecognizable to her former self.

Her secret creates many problems for this small faction-transfer girl and leads to the uncovering of unrest and a growing conflict that threatens to bring the perfect society she lives in crumbling to the ground.

In a world where the rule is “faction before blood,” Tris must decide if she should side with her old family or her new faction.

From full-out fistfights to leaping off of trains, Divergent is filled with excitement that will keep your heart racing and your fingers turning pages until the end. Mystery, intrigue and a little unexpected romance make this a great read for anyone seeking adventure and entertainment.

Wisconsin’s new voter ID law will begin effecting Carroll student’s edibility to vote starting with the April 3 election.

The new voter ID law requires that all voters show a driver’s license or another state issued ID in order to vote in the upcoming elections. However, with several members of the student population not being from Wisconsin, this poses a problem for students that do want to vote in the elections.

The new law has several changes to the voting process, including a residency requirement change from 10 days to 28 consecutive days, removal of a straight-party ticket option to each individual candidate being selected separately and ballots are no longer able to be sent via fax to absentee voters according to the Government Accountability Board’s resource guide on the new law.

The most dramatic change is for students who are not Wisconsin residents who live off campus. In order to accommodate for these students, Carroll is going to be implementing a new system to help those students vote.

“A university can have a voter ID that is acceptable as long as it has a photograph, signature, issue date and expiration date,” said Angela Meldonian, Campus Center Operations Manager. “Campus Services is working on whether to change a student’s ID or have a separate voter ID for student’s to obtain.”

Additionally, students will need to obtain an enrollment letter through the Registrar’s office at least a week in advance, which will prove that the student is enrolled in Carroll for the current semester, said Meldonian.

In comparing the two options, most schools are leaning towards separate voter ID cards. The reason for this is that the voter information has to expire every two years.

“Expenses will dictate the method we will be using,” said Meldonian. “On campus students will be able to use their current ID’s. However, if you use a picture ID that doesn’t give current address, you can bring another proof of residence, such as a phone bill or energy bill.”

To assist in the process, Campus Services is working on a website under its department tab on the Carroll portal regarding voting information and where students can go to vote.

“I think it’s an interesting opportunity to let Carroll students be able to vote in the area they are living in for most of the year because they will probably be benefiting from whomever gets elected,” said sophomore Lindsey Weisensel. “Being from Minnesota, it will give me an opportunity to vote and be active in the community when I am away from home and on campus at Carroll.”

“It will be interesting to see how the election turns out and if the people from out of state make a difference in the election because I’m not sure how many people from Wisconsin versus out of state vote in the election,” said sophomore Torrie Ruffing.

The law’s constitutionality is currently being challenged in court by the ACLU.

Carroll University’s men’s and women’s swim team had an impressive season overall which showed during the Midwest Conference Championships Feb. 16 -18.

The men’s team ended their season on a high note celebrating a third-place victory.

Grinnell College placed first and Lake Forest College placed second.

The men’s team had a lot to be proud of. One man in particular was celebrating the incredible title he earned.

Alex Mishun, was awarded the title of Men’s Diver of the Meet. He placed first in the one-meter dive with 502.25 points and second in the three-yard dive with 446.60 points.

“It was a good meet for all the divers there,” Mishun said. “Prior to the meet I felt a little under prepared, but it came together in the end.”

Lake Forest diver, Matt Perry, came in second in the one-meter dive with 423.60 points.

Perry, of Lake Forest, finished ahead of Mishun in the three-meter dive with a score of 453.10.

Mishun said multiple times that the team couldn’t have done what they did if it wasn’t for the entire team. Placing third was a big improvement from last year, and pulling it all together were some impressive performances across the team.

“Carroll’s swim team is incredibly supportive. We were there 110 percent during the meet cheering each other on and getting people pumped up before their races,” Mishun said.

He also went on to say that if it weren’t for the team’s incredible support, he doesn’t think some of the records would have come down.

“As much as each race is an individual event, it’s a team effort and everyone was in high spirits,” Mishun said.

The women came away in fifth place in the Midwest Conference Championships.

Lake Forest College placed first for ladies, with Grinnell placing second.

Jordan Barclay in particular stood out, breaking two school records.

Barclay set the new school record in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:08.75 and also the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:29.19.

Barclay placed second in both the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke as well as the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:13.75.

“The girls were really happy with how we placed at conference, Barclay said. “Everyone swam amazing races, so it was nice that all of our hard work paid off.”

“A lot of the focus the couple of weeks before Conference was all about staying healthy and relaxed,” she said. “I also had these horrible nightmares of slipping on the ice and breaking my leg, so I tried to avoid that as well.”

“The times that I swam in both events were the fastest I have ever swam in my life, which I am so proud to be able to say,” she said. “The fact that those swims were fast enough to break the records is just the cherry on top.”

Barclay, who is graduating in the spring, is most excited for graduation weekend in May so she can show her grandfather, a Carroll alum, the record board.

Since she is at the end of her Carroll career, Barclay had some words of wisdom for her teammates and future swimmers.

“Swimming is a very tough sport, both physically and mentally … remember to keep a balance of schoolwork and swimming, because eventually we will all have to graduate Carroll and find a job. Have some semblance of a social life. Teammates are there through thick and thin, which is a gift that I hope the team recognizes … I couldn’t have gotten through the past four years without a supportive team.”

TNP Player of the Game: Kevin Hurd – 9 of 12 for 22 points,

Carroll University’s men’s basketball team is bound for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007.

After shooting nearly 75 percent from the floor in the first half, the Pioneers coasted to an 87-65 victory over St. Norbert College.

The Green Knights scored first to take their only lead of the game, but Kevin Hurd tied it up 15 seconds later. Dan Kratz scored 40 seconds later to give Carroll a 4-2 lead they would never relinquish. The closest St. Norbert got to re-tying the game was 6-3 after a free throw a few seconds after Kratz lead claiming basket.

Carroll finished the half with a 29 point lead. Jake Bast scored the winning points with 12:11 left in the game, giving Carroll a 66-41 lead.

Kevin Hurd finished with a game high 22 points. Kratz, Bast and Kyle Jones also finished with double digit scoring,

The win qualifies Carroll for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament for the first time since 2007 when they made it to the sweet sixteen before falling 89-77 to #10 Hope College. At the time, Carroll was ranked #14 in the d3hoops.com rankings.