FOREVER East Carolina University Buccaneer Yearbook 2017 - 2018 Table of Contents Student Life 6-43 Academics 44-127 Sports 128-155 Club Sports 156-217 Senior Pictures 218-225 Editor Letter 226-227 Staff Pictures 228-229 Advertisements 230-236 Forever Students and parents working together to move in their possesions into the dorms or aprtments that the students will be living in for the next school year. The Big Move-in by: Kevin Devine The late August sun shined on many new faces this Fall as freshman from across the country flocked to their new homes for the first time. For a handful of students, the time is now to take that first step into adulthood. For many freshman, move-in day can be very hectic. However, East Carolina is proactive in lending helping hands from faculty and current students to help new Pirates become acquainted with the university. Aiden Gresham, who is a first year student, as well as a part of the ECU Marching Pirates, knows first hand the spirited nature of ECU workers and students. “Since I moved in early, ECU was : accommodating of my need to eat on campus by helping me get my OneCard before my orientation,’ Gresham said. “Also during the early move-in, volunteers and staff were extremely helpful in pointing me in the right direction for anything I needed.” For some students, the hardest part about moving into college is moving the large amounts of clothing and amenities from the car to the dorm; an experience freshman Ryan Barnwell knows too well. “T had two trunks full of clothes and supplies that took a while to get up to the third floor when I lived in Garrett,” Barnwell said. “It was tough.” Though there may be some trials and tribulations on move-in day, the experience of moving in to a college dorm for the first time is one you will never forget, and you may even have some funny stories to carry with you throughout your life. Needless to say, the Pirates of 2021 are moved in and ready to embrace the college experience. | Students signing into their respective dorm associates to get their keys and room numbers. ~ movi . saan - “= eT ne ee ae ae A nn time ne ee See RC ee Ate on EN RR A AEA CNR ERA tn Ae en ep {A REMERON ICI IPT VRBO NARMS Into the Wild ECU 13th Annual Fashion Show By: Camille Young ECU hosts many events during the year, one event that brings many people together and helps support communities in Greenville is the Annual ECU Apparel and Interiors Merchandising Fashion Show. This years theme was Into the Wild, where students wore clothing from various shops and clothing stores from Greenville to Wilmington. More than 90 models, a lot them ECU students, wore clothes from six different boutiques, including; Truly Yours, Beloved Boutique, Shimmer, Preppy Pirate, Unveiled Couture, and Escape Spa & Boutique. Families and students gather to watch people walk down the runway and present the fashion from these boutiques. To make such an amazing show happen, it takes a big staff to set up, prepare, and make sure the models have everything they need before walking. Numerous students volunteer to make the show a success, always remember to thank the people behind the scenes and the people on stage. The title of the show on display for all to see. Before the show starts the workers make sure everything is set up correctly. Hi ne a 10 ee oo a es eee SS Ss a me a tS ON : = oD eS = a © oie ee, S i @. = a . nm © Fe oD) i am Oo eer ; ao 2 a i cj = 2.2 = t F229 SS Ee -— we a: ‘ C= = oageée aa eB. 0 © O 2 = N © = ; © | ae | the local boutique’s outfits that Another model wearing one of was for the show. Pirate Palooza Pirate Palooza is one of ECU’s biggest welcome back celebrations held at the beginning of every new school year. It 1s a fun filled event with numerous things to do including, rock wall climbing, food stands, tables with free items, win prizes and more. While freshman are the most common to go, students of all years are invited to participate, it is a great way to meet students new to the school or catch up with friends you didn’t get to see over the summer. Students are always encouraged to attend any event, Pirate Palooza is just one of the many held throughout the entire school year. Never miss a chance to try something and meet some new people. Some students relaxing and listening to the provided music. imging one A student cl of the provided climbing walls that was for free. cD) =) S am = ae 2) ge) N ge) S to ae) a TaN _ - 5 areas _ oO CO. = —_ qe] oO -r MN a & nS qe} N © © — SS oO. 14 Photos by Virginia Payne “ eo re RES eee 1 ee tema ea gs rve etm oes os peat ECU Sailing ub 1 £6 salion a stable ECU sailing club advertising their club to the student body attending the event. A curious student asking about . information from the volunteer at the _ table. | i A student talkig to the volunteers at one of the many tables at the Get A Clue event. Getting q Clue For Story by Hannah Taylor Get a Clue student involvement fair is a way for students to find opportunities within the Greenville and East Carolina community. Over 100 clubs and organizations attend Get a Clue each year. Students can find out information about clubs such as the Eco-Pirates for Sustainability to the Gaming Club. Students are advised to attend the event as a way to get involved with campus and gain extra curricular activities. The event is grouped with the Service Opportunities fair, and 1s a way to find out about volunteer opportunities in the community from local partners. Get A Clue takes place annually usually during the first two weeks of the students returning for the start of a fall semester. set hsron = a ee se 0 Re RIE nm ne See ee ee ee eli rh ace acena cae eee : ed eer ae ret oan Sennen = ices Samana ocuenneecteenr ecm — cone TT - miner Sjanenenmeee spear aeons Sannin S accceemmrneneeen eee a Eh “ : oo ~~ Se . | HAA FALE i a ) _ 16 aap eee Greek Life One of the biggest organizations at ECU is Greek Life, most students dream of joining a sorority or a fraternity when they first hear about it. ECU is home to many sororities and fraternities, including; Alpha Phi Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Phi Beta Sigma, and Omega Psi Phi. These are just a few of the organiza- tions students can join to make new friends, form close bonds, and many more. Greek life holds numerous events during the school year, members will volunteer their time to community service to help make Greeneville a better place. Many students en- joy volunteering their time and do their best to help. Karen Hamlett, a Junior Photography major, joined in her Freshamn year. “I wanted a group of girls that would be by my side no matter what. I wanted to be involved in something great that gave back to the community.” One thing is certain with Greek Life, you’Il always find friends for life no matter which organization you join. i? ne nt lm =e eens a rng om 1 toe en tye ete Sneaonisinaans Executive Bowed iit a | _ | Wi | ~~ \ a Hy — \ Ha \\ a . - _ 2 te | \ ‘ a Hi | oo i co —S —— 7 o ce . . “ Hi . HHA Es \ as — i | Hh 7 ee Hi \ fi cS a nh \ - a 7 a 18 : ae informatic es Rhema - eee armen eed a nen an eS Construction happening for the new student center. AMAA AAA ei cope SET SOT SST J cisspiuiamsmensipmniuenianeiieiranucscuyaionl, a icpcrecncininguonnncttd ghrelin Construction of a new apartment complex that is just across the road from the main campus. Photos by: Camille Young 20 \ i ~ - a oo 0 7 os Building the Buildings By: Hannah Taylor East Carolina University has been under construction for about three years. In 2015 the university released a statement that they planned to begin the process of building a new student center. The center would feature a food court with Chick Fil A, Panda Express, Starbucks and a new restaurant called Au Bon Pain. The center would also hold the Dowdy Student Store, retail spaces, a ballroom, a theater, study rooms, a gaming room and the LGBT Resource Center and the Ledonia Wright Cultural center. While some are excited for the new center others are upset over the fact that it has caused parking issues. “From what I’ve seen, the construction is limiting parking quite a bit and I know that is really annoying for those who paid so much for the parking pass but can’t even find a place to park,” Junior Marissa de Freitas said. Mendenhall opened in 1974 as the student center and has since housed the student government, the East Carolina radio station, a bowling alley, and many other amenities. There has been no official statement as to what is to be planned for Mendenhall. This past summer construction also occurred on main campus. Workers replaced the pipes that lead to Mendenhall Student Center. However, the construction continued on through the fall semester of 2017 and seems to still carry on into the spring semester of 2018. Students found that they had to take alternate routes when trying to get to the bus stop or the student recreation center as the brick pathway had become compromised. “Walking to the gym was really annoying and inconvenient because I am a college student and that took more of my time that I don’t really have,” Junior Star Wilson said. “Also, walking to the bus stop was inconvenient because I had to walk through Mendenhall student center then down a wobbly ramp to try and reach the bus in time.” Time will tell if there will be a time that East Carolina University will not be under construction. The new student center is set to open the fall semester of 2018, maybe then the pirate nation can tell construction Bon Voyage. Pirates Footbal practicing for the big homecoming game. The Pirates line up for a big push down the field while in the red zone. Pictures by Charlee Moss Homecoming 2017 ” W orlc Every year at East Carolina University homecoming weekend brings alumni, friends and family back into the city. Homecoming is also a time where organizations across the campus compete to win the Homecoming Spirit Cup plus $1,000 donated to their organization. This year’s homecoming theme was “Pirates Around the World in 7 Days.” It was every organization’s duty to create a banner, skit and float based on how they interpreted the theme. Throughout the week, the organizations were judged on their banner, skit and float to earn points toward the Spirit Cup. Student organizations were welcomed to partner and collaborate with other student organizations and compete together. The Spirit Cup winner was whichever organization accumulated the most points throughout the 7 days. The homecoming week was kicked off with an event called Cannon Ball. Cannon Ball has been held at the Greenville Convention Center in the past years, but this year was held on ECU’s campus. Cannon Ball consisted of live music, inflatable activities, food, freebies and the announcement of the top five men and women’s homecoming court. Cannon Ball also offers a chance for organizations to obtain 200 points toward the Spirit Cup if 40 percent of their members attended the event. On Tuesday the banner competition was held in which organizations had to submit a horizontal banner that had to be the size of a standard full bed sheet. Material submitted for judging was awarded points from the categories: use of the theme, creativity, originality, design and workmanship. After judging, the top three banners were announced via ECU Homecoming’s social media accounts and could have earned either 300, 225 or 150 points toward the Spirit Cup. Organizations also had the chance to participate in the food drive. Points were based upon the number of pounds of food that each the organization donated. For the third year, the Homecoming Committee focused on the most needed items included in the “Backpack for Kids” program. “The “Backpack for Kids” program consist of items that can fit in a child’s backpack. Organizations received a packet of all the listed items from the program and can receive bonus points if they have all items included on the packet,” Bailey Foust said, Chi Omega’s homecoming chair. On Thursday night the skit competition took place in Minges Coliseum. Organizations were required to create a 5 minute skit, where they will only be allowed one microphone and must provide their own props. Skits must pertain to the theme and usually include dancing, singing and facts about ECU. The skit competition can earn up to 500 points for an organization if they get first place. On Friday the frenzy continued in Uptown Greenville during the city’s pep rally, Free Boot Friday. The ECU Marching Pirates, ECU Dance Team, ECU Cheerleaders, top three skit finalist and a local band provided entertainment to the spirited crowd. Saturday morning was the float competition and parade down Sth street. The organization had to incorporate their name, the theme, ECU or PeeDee and the game day opponent, which was Brigham Young University this year on the float. Floats had to consist of a flatbed truck, a trailer pulled by a vehicle, or a walking float. Floats were held at the highest standard for each organization, letting the first place organization earn up to 1000 points. Kick off for this year’s homecoming game was at 7 p.m. against BYU. At the end of the game the Spirit Cup winners were announced. This year’s winners were Chi Omega and Pi Kappa Alpha. Foust said she knew their hard work was going to pay off. “I could not be happier that Chi O won. We put so much into making this homecoming the best one yet and it was such a good feeling when we won,” Foust said. The hectic week was organized by the student homecoming committee and Ayisha Ihtasham, the Homecoming Lead said she loved being involved this year. “My favorite day was Saturday. Getting to organize and run the parade was such a blessing. Riding through it, waving and throwing candy was also a huge plus. It’s a good feeling to show school spirit like this. Later in the day when it’s time to cheer our Pirates on and being able to go out on the field and be recognized was just amazing.” Homecoming week was not only a week of friendly competition, but a time where alumni come back and reminisce on their college experience, when students tailgate in preparation for the game, when families visit from all around and Pirates come together as one. by: Summer Reynolds 24 everest mene SH LGBT Fall Welcome by: Hannah Taylor Thursday, Sept.7 at 6 p.m. in the Mendenhall Great Rooms the LGBT Resources Office held their annual LGBT Fall Welcome. Now in its fourth year, the event welcomed over 200 students, staff and alumni for a night of conversation on LGBT topics. The main topic of the night was the Campus Pride Index. The index ranks universities and colleges across the country on their work in providing a safe, resourceful community to their students, especially to those who define themselves in the LGBT community. The Campus Pride Index ranks the school on a 0-5 scale, with 5 being the highest amount of resources/community offered. Once ranked the school will be listed on the Campus Pride Index website and be viewable to all prospective students and staff across the state. The resources office announced over 13 events they would be holding in the upcoming fall semester. Some events included Coming Out Stories, National Coming Out Day and Transgender Day of Remembrance. “We will have our regular events that we hold yearly, but we will also have some new events such as our Queer Film Series and we will have new speakers also,” Mark Rasdorf said. Rasdorf works for the Intercultural Affairs department and 1s also the Director of the LGBT Resource Office. Rasdorf said that while their campaign “Gay? Fine by Me” was successful in recent years, they plan to address more than individuals who define as gay. “We will also be celebrating the TransPride initiative and our new Bisexual Equality project,” Rasdorf said. In their effort to include all individuals they will continue to hold Pirate Ally Trainings and Safe Zone Trainings for staff and students to talk, learn, and ask questions about sexuality and gender in a non-judgmental, safe, educational environment. Pirate Ally Trainings are for students to discuss their fellow peers who identify in the LGBT community and learn how they can become allies. Safe Zone Training is for staff who can learn how to become allies and provide a safe space to discuss gender expression, identity and sexual orientation. At these trainings individuals can gain knowledge on LGBT terms and other things. “Exposure is key to acceptance,” John Cockerham said. “Associating yourself with people or faculty who are a part of the LGBT Community is crucial for understanding.” The resource office is run by volunteers and welcomes all students and staff to volunteer at the office or help with events.The resource office is open seven days a week and is currently housed in Brewster B-103. In the next year the office will gain a new space in the Student Center that is set to open in 2018. While their space may change, you can still count on finding community in the office regardless of your gender identity, expression or sexual orientation. ‘Hi and welcome are the two things we say when someone walks in,” Rasdorf said, “We don’t ask questions, we always say hi and welcome to whoever walks into the door.” 2 el mt ae het sire coer tractor ‘ een orien mi apananes again i LEAR ID East Carolina University 2 nvintnnsi A RE TREI mane a tren Sao a ites Home of the Pirat a ee ote Nis ET EERE entnaate ne aetatTtne tnnment P| ee . One of the games that was avaliable that night was skiball which seemed to be one of the popular games to play that night. Pictured playing the game: Skylar Thomas- Freshman Photo by Holly Melton Students enjoying the free music that was provided for the entirity of the night. Photo by Bradley Strickland Just a few of the wonderful costumes that the students showed up for the costume contest or just for the spirit of Halloween. Pictured far left to right: John Michaux- Senior, Hunter Britt- Senior, Kayla Starace- Junior, Erica Justice- Sophomore, Katie Daeke- Junior. Photos by Holly Melton HALLOWEEN AT EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY IS A BIG DEAL; THERE ARE PARTIES, GATHERINGS AND EVENTS GALORE. CONSIDERING ALL THAT, ECU HAS GARNERED A REPUTATION FOR BEING A LITTLE OVER THE TOP ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT, AS WELL AS THE NIGHTS LEADING UP TO IT. JUST AS MOST COLLEGE-STUDENT GATHERINGS,, IT CAN SOMETIMES GET OUT OF HAND, ESPECIALLY ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT. THE STUDENT ACTIVITIES BOARD FOR THE PAST 18 YEARS HAS OFFERED A SAFER ALTERNATIVE FOR ECU STUDENTS LOOKING TO AVOID THE CLUTTER OF DOWNTOWN OR GOING TO A HOUSE. HALLOWEEN HAvoc IS A FREE EVENT THAT OFFERS STUDENTS FOOD, ACTIVITIES, A DJ, AND A COSTUME CONTEST. HAVOC WAS HOUSED WITHIN THE STUDENT RECREATION CENTER THIS YEAR, BUT HAS ALSO BEEN IN MENDENHALL STUDENT CENTER AND THE MIN- GES COLISEUM. WHILE A MAJORITY OF ECU’S STUDENTS EITHER GO OFF CAMPUS, OR DON’T GO ANYWHERE FOR HALLOWEEN, MANY SHOW UP FOR Havoc. AT 9:30 P.M., A HALF-HOUR BEFORE IT STARTED, THERE WERE MULTIPLE LINES STRETCHING PAST THE BUS STOP IN FRONT OF THE REC CENTER. MANY DRESSED UP LIKE ONE WOULD NORMALLY FOR HALLOWEEN, BUT PEOPLE ALSO SHOWED IN REGULAR CLOTHES. “I HONESTLY THINK PEOPLE ARE HERE BECAUSE IT’S FREE, AND THEY DON’T HAVE TO GO INTO TOWN,” PAIGE SIMON SAID. SIMONS IS AN APPLIED SOCIOLOGY MAJOR AT EAST CAROLINA. HAVOC USED TO BE DIFFERENT, ASIDE FROM THE LOCATION. ““THERE USED TO BE A HAUNTED HOUSE AND DIFFERENT FOOD OPTIONS, BUT WE DECIDED TO MAKE IT SIMPLE WITH THE FOOD AND MORE PERSONAL HERE AT THE REC CENTER,” CRISTINA DERESPINIS SAID. DE- RESPINIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH MAJOR AND PART OF THE STAFF AT THIS YEAR’S HAVOC. “HAL- LOWEEN HAVOC IS AN EVENT SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU CAN COME AND HAVE FUN WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT THE CRAZINESS OF GREENVILLE. I LIKE THAT IT IS A SAFE OPTION FOR STU- DENTS. I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR FOUR YEARS NOW AND IT HAS BEEN GREAT EVERY YEAR!” WHILE SOME STUDENTS FOUND THE EVENT TO BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THEY WERE ANTICIPATING, THERE WERE OTHERS WHO ENJOYED THEIR TIME THERE AND VOWED TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR. HAVOC MAY CHANGE YEAR TO YEAR, BUT IT WILL ALWAYS BE THERE TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND FUN OUTLET FOR EAST CAROLINA STUDENTS. WVHSHaD NVAIV Ad on ein mt, oe = Monee amin ee - — - ee 29 vnc ena i sit ALTE ESET aN a CEE ttt Can ane ~etnageemepestreadt ip petro nee tian: Costume contest that involved the audience where the audience got to cheer for the winner. Just a few members of the audience excitedly waiting for the show to Start. “Science Fiction.. ..Double Feature’ by: Aidan Gresham If you’re not a person for over the top lewdness and comic vulgarity, then, ““You’d better leave while it 1s still possible. Go. Now,” as the disturbing servant Riff Raff says early in the movie. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a great satire of the old days of B-rated horror and science fiction movies. It drives home a theme of wanting to just have a good time, as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the film’s star who is played by Tim Curry, is an overly sexual, obscene and free-spirited man. The film starts off regularly enough, Brad Majors and his fiancée, Janet Weiss, are taking a trip to see a close friend of theirs when they get a flat tire. This flat tire sets in motion the events of the entire film, as they then try to reach a phone, but the closest sign of civilization is a castle they passed down the road. Little did they know, the castle’s owner was not quite normal, in a multitude of ways. When they finally meet the owner, Dr. Frank-N-Furter, he is a constant tease to both Brad and Janet, tempting them to,“Give yourself over to absolute pleasure. Swim the warm waters of sins of the flesh - erotic nightmares beyond any measure, and sensual daydreams to treasure forever.” The heavy erotic tone of the film is where some people may feel uncomfortable, but for many it adds a comedic tone. “Sure it may be sexual and vulgar, but that’s the charm of the movie,” Tiffany Reese said. Reese 1s a Sociology student who has seen the Student Activities Board show for the past four years. “It’s the reason why I like it so much, and continue to see it again year after year.” “T haven’t seen it for myself, but everyone I know who has seen it has said it was really good because of the uncomfortable parts,” Tyler Vu said. Vu is a nursing student and is also a member of SAB. A huge part of the film experience was the live crowd participation, viewers were given bags filled with various props to use during the film. For example when Brad and Janet go into the rain to find a phone, viewers can mimic Janet by putting newspapers over their heads. The crowd participation goes even further, when there is a song during the movie, the audience is encouraged to get up on stage and dance along with the characters in the movie, other people, or by themselves. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a unique experience to say the least. Many will be turned off by the films raunchy comedy, but many will also enjoy it. Those who watch it will have an experience to keep for the rest of their lives. et ane ale Ne nee sm En na aWw Emotion by Aidan Gresham ny dance has the potential to tell a story, a story is packed with the raw emotions of the dancer. Dance is much like the visual arts, such as paintings and sculptures. The artist can pour their heart onto their canvas and let the audience take in a piece of the artists, allowing them to carry the weight of the piece with them for a long time to come. September 28, two members of the yearbook staff were privileged to see the art that a group of seniors in the School Of Theatre and Dance had created. This group was at their peak performance, all their work over the past months had come to fruition. The eight dances were performed that night, and they all told a story to those willing to see. ““The dances come from the people performing, we all have personal inspirations that went into choreographing them,” senior Dance major Ariana Cruz. Cruz one of the stage managers for the performance. “I put as much of myself into the dance as the dancers performing do, it is the combination of our experiences. While some dances felt like they were an extensions of the person performing, there were others that could personify emotions themselves. The third dance “Common Enemy” which was choreographed by Cruz, resembled a drama. One could visibly see the conflict between two | people, but have it melt away into something grander. The conflict became a point of common ground to face the “Common Enemy” ,which was society itself and the unjust morals that it can have. | While emotions can flow through the dancers and by extension the | audience, so can thoughts; Each of these dances represented a feeling, al emotion, a genuine thought of another human being. This thought opens the door to a world of possibilities, but only if the person on the other side is willing to walk through it, and embrace something different. S © — recone, ui he Scie aie’ see adl = oa) a é , — @) Eon ae 3 Oe f ol a = 2 Ca oe OE O a2 h @ ae) S oO a &) — A Qo Ee Sey =e Oba i wae = Ss so) SO oO ie: okt saa och = EO . = oe = OG oO NEO John Huston, Junior, and Natalie Broder, Senior, recieving their free tee shirt after taking the plunge. 22nd Annual Polar Bear Plunge 2018 Why Jump? Why Not! By: Camille Young Zavier Wyatt , Freshman, and Davarion David, Freshman, posing after taking the plunge. | ne Students lining up , waiting for the countdown to take the long awaited plunge into the cold water. The Polar Bear Plunge 1s a tradition that happens every January at East Carolina University, where students wear their bathing suits and jump into freezing cold pool water in the middle of winter. All the university clubs and organizations line up to represent and have a good time, after the cold plunge, the indoor pool is heated up for students to warm up in and hopefully gE. not catch a cold. This event is something students either look forward to or dread the most, fe : but one of the biggest questions students ask 1s, “Why would you jump into a pool of freezing cold water in the middle of winter?” For junior Alejandra Alonso it’s “for fun, and to get the T-shirt.” Which is probably the top answer students give. Other students like Andrea Linan say they “did it for experience.” d Whether it’s for experience, for fun, or for the free T-shirt, students gather each year to plunge into the icey territory with their fellow pirates. . oat it pe eat 0? “ | Students relaxing the warmer water of the heated ool after taking the plunge. vacances : Summer Reynolds PeeDee the Pira You know his name, but not his story. You have seen him on the field at Dowdy-Ficklen, on the court in Minges and his statue on campus. The one and only Pee Dee The Pirate is the face, symbol and spiritual representative of East Carolina University. This article is not going to tell you who Pee Dee is, but what he is. A mystery, a performer and a legend. “Pee Dee is the most well-known figure on campus. Through this status, he helps set the sails to victory,” Pee Dee said. The Pee Dee crew is a group of hard-working individuals who help bring the mascot alive. Pee Dee is highly involved on campus and a very popular guy. “Pee Dee attends a vast amount of sports such as football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball and a diverse amount of special events on and off campus. Flexibility and ttme management is a required asset for a Pee Dee,” Pee Dee said. In order for one to be PeeDee, many qualities go into making the spirit raising mascot come to life. “As far as finding the right mascot, you want to find a “performer” and not just someone in a costume. You want to have a person that can bring the character to life. You have to love the job,” Pee Dee said. However, many people are not aware of some of the challenges Pee Dee faces. “Pee Dee reaches heats that run well over 40 to 50 degrees higher than the surrounding area. Just think of last year’s game against North Carolina State University, it was well in the high 90s. Because of this, dedication is a large part of Pee Dee’s crew. Our equipment always ends up being drenched in sweat, trust me when I say you would almost be drier if you instead jump into a pool.” While being Pee Dee comes with certain struggles, the experience of being Pee Dee trumps any and all challenges.““Those who have the high honor of fully representing their school have to absolutely without a doubt, love and obsess about what they do. Pee Dee’s true identity is one of the biggest secrets on campus, you have to be humble and be able to keep a secret. Mascots can be looked at as a director of the crowd. A great mascot can change the pace of a crowd from creepily quiet to a Pirate maniac,” Pee Dee said. For the mascot, a Pirate gameday is no joke. “For a football gameday we arrive well ahead of time to get ready, this means chugging down as much water as possible and for the Pirate’s walk. At the Pirate’s walk, we get to greet fellow Pirates and lead the players to their locker room. Then, we meet up with the opposing team’s mascot to welcome them. Mascots are actually part of a close network, it is called the “Furternity”. We all know each other from all across the United States,” Pee Dee said. After Pee Dee greets the opposing mascot, the toughest part of the job begins. “The pregame is one of the hardest parts of being Pee Dee as there is no break and you are out of breath for the majority of it. For the pregame, Pee Dee 1s fully dressed; this includes the purple hat and purple coat. These add a lot of heat from the coat and unbalancing weight from the hat. Then, Pee Dee heads to the field, he is the first to come out, and when he does, he calls everyone to stand up and cheer. Following that, Pee Dee dances around and pumps up the crowd with our marching band,” Pee Dee said. Throughout the game, Pee Dee can be found greeting fans, taking photos and goofing around with the other mascot. Even though the true identity of Pee Dee will remain anonymous, you can still catch the mystery mascot on ECU gameday’s or local events. Pee Dee is the biggest Pirate supporter and bleeds purple and gold every day. * The Adventure Center 1s a fun place to explore and sign up for amazing experiences. With so many tools, there’s so much people can try. { Off to Adventure by: Aidan Gresham The East Carolina University Adventure Center is a branch of East Carolina University’s Campus Recreation & Wellness. The center offers free rock climbing in the Student Recreation Center, various trips and provides rental equipment. A seemingly popular amenity of the Adventure center is the rock wall. One can traverse the wall, as staff belay. Belaying is when someone is your anchor as you climb with the harness and rope, they make sure you are not going to fall if you slip during your climb. They also give pointers for which path to climb and teach new climbers. The rock climbing wall has many paths you can traverse, which range from beginner to experienced. Classes and clubs are offered for anyone interested in rock climbing. ‘Not many people know about us here,” Morgan Murray said. Murray is currently staffed in the Adventure Center. Nestled in the corner of the Student Recreation Center one can see how the center may be overlooked. While they may be slightly hidden, the center uses social media platforms and other outlets, such as flyers in the dining hall, to advertise upcoming events. They also host events on campus to inform people about what the Adventure Center has to offer. The center features a bulletin board beside their main entrance that displays upcoming trips and events. They host trips for students to experience hiking, skydiving and watersports. “Unless otherwise stated, our trips are perfect for beginners. Each trip leader is skilled in teaching the necessary components needed for a safe, fun trip,” says the Adventure Center FAQ. ‘While school is the most important part of your life right now, you need time to de-stress,” says the Adventure Center FAQ website. Offering over thirteen different activities throughout the year one can surely find their own adventure. So if adventure is calling to you, then you have found a second home in the Adventure Center. The center is located in the back of the Student Recreation Center beside the rock wall. Center hours are Monday-Friday from 3-9 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. on Sundays, during the fall and spring semesters. 39 | \ | i i 1 i 4 aiiaatene re hy yaamnmanaeonscee re AS 8 eee samen ote eee od East Carolina Un arolinian expressions magazine the AGENCY ADVERTISING & MARKETING IVCIrS1 ele oe me te ECO a East Carolina University’s Student Media organizations strive to keep ECU students up to date on the latest news, sports, entertainment and literary expression to the campus community. With seven on campus organizations, students at ECU have a variety of different media platforms to explore. The East Carolinian, Buccaneer, WZMB, Expressions, Rebel, The Hook and The Agency all work together to provide the best media and information for students. Victoria Schule, a senior public relations major, is the student media general manager of the magazine division and the editor- in- chief of The Hook; ECU’s student interest magazine. “My position is technically two jobs in one. I am not only a general manager of a team but also editor-in-chief of The Hook. The two jobs kind of combines in certain ways but for the most part the two jobs are different,” Schule said. As general manager Schule’s duty is to overlook the production of the three magazines; Rebel, Expressions and The Hook. “As GM I lead meetings, go to professional staff meetings and make sure everything runs smoothly for the publications. We are a small staff so my role is pretty vital when making sure my team is successful when it comes to creating magazines. The other part of being GM is that I answer many, many emails,” Schule said. As editor-In-chief of The Hook, Schule is in charge of the operations that The Hook goes through before distributed on campus. “This includes assigning and editing articles, the design, photos, printing and distribution. I, of course, could not do all of this without my team. This year I created a partnership with The East Carolinian to give reporters and editors from TEC the opportunity to write for The Hook as a bonus and for the experience,”’ Schule said. Schule’s favorite part about her position is her team and the different challenges she faces daily. “I learn something new every time I walk into my office. It is something different every day and I love that,’ Schule said. “Another favorite thing about my job is that I love working with a creative team who all have a common goal of making our publication come to life. It is really fun working with a team of graphic designers and editors who have awesome ideas that can be applied to something such as a magazine and see it happen.” Aileen Hnatiuk, a senior journalism major, is a news and sportscaster for WZMB 91.3 FM. Hnatiuk has her own show on the radio twice a week where she is responsible for hosting events, coming up with information for her show, public service announcements, teasers and podcasts. “I get to be apart of something that does not only impact students, but the city of Greenville,” Hnatiuk said. “I want to have radio as a source of income, so this is good practice for me. It has taught me how to deal with time management.” Charlee Moss, who just transferred to ECU, is a photographer for The Buccaneer. Moss said she chooses to work with The Buccaneer because she has always been a photographer and enjoys what she does. “A day for me taking photos for The Buccaneers is exciting. Most of my photos for The Buccaneer are action photos, so not only do I get to see the movement as it happens but the viewer can feel the movement through the picture if they aren’t there,” Moss said. “My favorite shot right now would have to be one of my volleyball shots. The young lady was in the air, perfectly in the middle of my horizontal shot, getting ready to spike the ball.” The East Carolinian, ECU’s campus newspaper, is another media outlet students can derive information from. The student-run paper successfully circulates 9,000 copies per issue in the spring and fall semesters and 5,000 copies per issue in the summer. Madelyn Craig, a junior finance major, is channeling her inner writing skills as a current TEC sports reporter candidate. “My favorite part about writing for The East Carolinian is being able to interact with our campus community through writing articles, interviewing and networking,” Craig said. “In the future I hope to work on the business side of a production company and The East Carolinian has equipped me with the many necessary skills. From simple grammar and writing skills to working with technology, my skills have grown enormously.” The East Carolinian is distributed every Tuesday and Thursday during the academic semesters and every Wednesday during the summer, approximately going to 50 different locations around campus and Greenville. Lastly, The Student Media Advertising & Marketing Agency provides marketing and promotional support to all divisions within ECU student media and companies in the area. The Agency offers affordable and effective ways to creatively promote and target any business or organization’s message to ECU students, faculty and Greenville residents. Isabelle Gallagher, a designer for The Agency said her favorite part about working for The Agency is being able to design creative ads for companies around the area. “We’re working for the community and not just like a project for school. Our work is being seen in the community,” Gallagher said. “The hardest part about our job would have to be communication. With everyone from The Agency to the clients, trying to figure out what kind of ad they want can be tough.” ECU student media gives students a taste of the real world. The students of each division are expected to follow certain guidelines, meet their deadlines and provide quality work. The East Carolinian, Buccaneer, WZMB, Expressions, Rebel, The Hook and The Agency give students the opportunity to work and provide the best news, information, entertainment and literary expression to their fellow Pirates community. 41 Se — ne are teeter eieit Co Pe it Nt ee A student receiving a medal for her achievements The final speech before our graduates say goodbye chat ecaon cineel 5s + Semmens * —_ Congratulations to our 2017 2018 graduates! ECU wishes you the best of luck in the next stage of your lives! Photos by Cliff Hollis Students cebrating their Graduation day. 43 nese ees . - ee (Ra NA ee RN orem ee ee a a re pk Ea pas SB a Latta eteeeanens 2 ONSEN ti Te cages Deiat syasthoprtorebbeedtayiengd tes cite ies myaaneass fae eee Ed ene et nsecnelrontaagy Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Named after Thomas Harriot, a prominent Renaissance Scholar, the Thomas Harriot of Arts and Sciences has welcomed thousands of liberal arts students since May 2003. The college currently houses 17 departments such as English, Anthropology and Biology. The college also houses 16 programs such as Great Books, Ethnic Studies and International Studies. Departments Anthropology Biology Chemistry Criminal Justice Economics English Foreign Languages and Literatures Geography, Planning, and Environment Geological Sciences History Mathematics Philosophy & Religious Studies Physics Political Sciences Psychology Sociology Programs African and African American Studies Art Histories Asian Studies Classical Studies Coastal and Marine Studies Ethnic Studies Great Books International Studies Leadership Studies Medieval and Renaissance Studies Multidisciplinary Studies Neuroscience Religious Studies Russian Studies Security Studies University Studies ESTABLISHED IN 1909 Plaques of awards given by the university | s ae _ i guaiies Rie Ba Students getting ready to _. to their Next class. | | Photos by Camille Young College of Allied Health Sciences During its lifetime the College of Allied Health Sciences has produced occupational therapists, physician assistants and audiologist. As of Fall 2017, the college has more than 1,500 students en- rolled in its programs. The college houses nine main departments and degrees such as Biostatistics, Nutrition Science and Physical Therapy. Departments and Degrees Addictions & Rehabilitation Studies Biostatistics Clinical Laboratory Science Communication Sciences & Disorders Health Services & Information Management Nutrition Science Occupational Therapy Physical Therapy Physician Assistant Studies 49 ee i) Hi H Hy College of Business For more than 75 years, the College of Business has helped students become businessmen or women and gain fulfilling business careers. The college is the most enrolled business : school in the state and has been continuously AACSB accredited since 1967. The college houses five departments such as Accounting, Finance and Management. Story by Hannah Taylor ) HH} Hi | i) i . Accounting Finance Management Management Information Systems Marketing and Supply Chain Management The Department of Management prepares students with meet the business demands of today and tomarrow. 1h solid business core, helping students learn how to deal the challenges encountered in various managemeant posh Business Management, and International Business Student Organization Society for Advancement of Management (SA SAM is a student organization open to all major herp://ecusam. Faculty Advisors - Or, Cody | Ca) HE a a _ MN lal bil amidst oy oo a TT EeEeoE°ETCC i, _. se. __ a tsi‘ CCC neers, This side of campus is where most of the Business work happens. i nN RR RN amen ee ae ia = mt in AN em In 1909 the first College of Education students enrolled, and almost 110 years later the college is still producing award winning teachers for the state. The college houses six departments such as Educational Leadership, Elementary & Middle Grades Education and Interdisciplinary Professions. Departments Educational Leadership Elementary and Middle Grades Education Interdisciplinary Professions Literary Studies, English & History Education Mathematics, Science and Instructional Technology Education Special Education, Foundations and Research A math class working hard to earn good grades a i Hea 7 : ey a a es College of Engineering and Technology Founded in 1935, the College of Engineering and Technology has played in influential role in driving the expansion of technology in Eastern North Carolina. The college has produced successful computer scientists, engineers and construction managers. It houses four main departments such as Computer Science, Engineering, and Construction Management. Departments omputer Science Construction Management Engineering Technology Systems a, a ne eee students. College of Fine Arts and Communication The College of Fine Arts & Communication houses the school of Art and Design, Communication, Music and Theatre and Dance. Every year it has welcomed aspiring artists and produced successful journalists, musicians, actors and many more. Departments rt and Design ommunication uUSIC heatre and Dance on * - Racmnne an me n ERR nn eee tence ge een ims RL ch A ht ollege of Health and Human Performance eran i | ; The College of Health and Human Performance work to promote health and well-being through research, service and education of their students. The college houses the Kinesiology Department, Health Education and Promotion Department, Recreation and Leisure Studies Department and Military Programs. Departments inesiology ealth Education and Promotion ecreation and Leisure Studies Military Programs etm ea A eR enn ee Se RESTS a —— i aca esr erect oF ‘ EES om go earn Set nn College of Nursing | Since 1960 the East Carolina University College of Nursing has produced skillful and inspiring nurses. The college is the top producer of new nurses among North Carolina’s other four-year institutes. The : college has more than 8,500 Pirate Nurses alumni and currently has about 1,200 students enrolled across all degree programs. j 1 1 ey __ _ The building where everyone studies and works. 60 mensch — “ oe SEER ee ety ing exercises 1C] Students pract for their future jobs. Photos from ECU Website 61 i i + 4 ig: nel ie eam The Honors college can be found all over campus i HA A ie ° ‘ “Bg: Het Honors College The East Carolina University Honors College is a community for academically talented students. The | students engage in coursework in multiple disciplines across Campus. The honor students have the chance to engage in pre-professional events, research and service-learning. Hf i Hy i Hee ; fi Hd Pee Ree fei H . ae L ee Le i i a | FO eH i le _ a rr ee s es sagas enone eae nenennnnes | ase deseasess oe ae ea eee Seana as see : gy 3 a 2 : z : pr = eee ee : seas nt a i a | i | Ch | | | / pees | The school building where everyone studies and works. Website cnn RN ATE SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE Possibly one of the most fastest growing schools at East Carolina University is the School of Dental Medicine. It’s first class enrolled in 2011 and since then has continued to produced skillful dentists. Their programs the pre-doctoral program, which leads to a doctor of dental medicine degree (DMD). There are also post graduate programs in advanced education in general dentistry (AEGD), general practice residency and pediatric dentistry. ebsite ECU Om ‘ S O e P A. Brody School of Medicine In 1977 the first class of students enrolled in the Brody School of Medicine. Almost 40 years later and the school is still producing talented doctors. Brody has been recognized as one of the highest value medical schools in the nation. The school houses 19 main departments. Departments Anatomy and Cell Biology Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Bioethics and Interdisciplinary Studies Cardiovascular Sciences Comparative Medicine Family Medicine Internal Medicine Microbiology and Immunology Obstetrics/Gynecology Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Pediatrics Pharmacology and Toxicology Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physiology Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Public Health Radiation Oncology Surgery Sn am ee ae mmm nn 67 Saturdays are for the PIRATE by: Summer Reynolds Fall semester is not only the return of East Carolina University students for a busy semester, but football season. Football season is a time where students and fans come together to pack Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on game day to cheer on their Pirates. A time where traffic is bumper to -bumper and the sidewalks are filled with ECU football fans. From Free Boot Friday, to pep rallies, to tailgates, Pirate fans love game day weekends. For the players, no matter what their record might be or how tough their schedule 1s, it doesn’t stop them from waking up every morning to train. “Everybody is going to give up plays, everybody is going to make mistakes, everybody is going to get beat... so it all depends on how you work on your day to day operations,” Garrett McGhin said. McGhin is currently a junior at ECU and one of the Pirates offensive lineman. “Everybody on this team has the attitude to come in and work every day and that’s one thing we’re going to keep doing.” or ECU graduate student and the Pirates wide receiver, Davon Grayson said the team is his family. Grayson suffered from two bulging disc on his spine in 2016 and had to sit out the entire season. “I sat out all last year and had to watch my team and it hurt me...you know... I had to watch my team go through some tough times so now that I can play I show up every day trying to find what I can improve on to help my team,” Grayson said. The positive vibes and motivation radiate from player to player and McGhin said that’s what keeps him going. “Tt’s a brotherhood,’ McGhin said. The Pirates are not worrying about their personal goals, but what they can do together, as a team.“ Win out, I’m not really focusing on any personal goals, just making sure this team can win out and win every game on the rest of our schedule, which I know we can do,” McGhin said. Transfer Quarterback from Duke, Thomas Sirk said he has an unconditional love for the game no matter what the scoreboard says at the end of the 4th quarter. “I think this is a city that loves football and it’s my passion. I love to get out there every Saturday and play.I’m one of those guys who enjoys the week, the Tuesdays, the Wednesdays,” Sirk said. “I just love it, getting out there with the team- mates and getting better.” Sirk’s football passion made him come back for a 6th year as a graduate student just to have another season to play football. At the end of the day, the Pirates love playing football just as much as the fans love watching them. Greenville is a city that has been thriving off of ECU football since 1932. The sport brings students, fans, families, visitors and the players all together. eae ee Pirates players ready to defeat the opposin team while standing ready on the sideline. Photos by Charlee Moss eering on the home b a aaa % Gina Tet pen Sakai armcnmamnnet =F 3 Pirates football practicing for future games and the big upcomin homecoming game. Game Statistics FEB 16 WESTERN CAROLINA W, 8-3 FEB 17 WESTERN CAROLINA W, 8-2 FEB 18 WESTERN CAROLINA W, 9-3 FEB 21 THE GAME CAMPBELL W, 7-2 PEB 23 NORTH CAROLINA W, 2-1 FEB 24 NORTH CAROLINA L, 4-5 FEB 25 THE GAME NORTH CAROLINA W, 12-0 FEB 28 OLD DOMINION W, 10-3 MAR 2 PEPPERDINE L, 2-12 MAR 3 (28) MISSOURI STE L, 4-7 MAR 4 SAINT JOSEPH’S W, 9-0 MAR 6 (RV) COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON Cancelled MAR 7 (RV) COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON W, 5-2 MAR 9 CHARLOTTE W, 3-1 MAR 10 CHARLOTTE (G1) W, 6-5 MAR 10 CHARLOTTE (G2) W, 12-2 MAR 13 VCU L, 0-3 MAR 14 ELON W, 2-1 MAR 16 MARYLAND W, 4-0 MAR 17 MARYLAND W, 18-4 MAR 18 MARYLAND W, 4-0 MAK 23 (20) UCF L, 1-9 MAR 24 (20) UCF W, 12-4 MAR 25 (20) UCF W, 11-6 MAR 29 (18) WICHITA STATE L, 3-14 MAR 30 (18) WICHITA STATE W, 7-3 MAR 31 (18) WICHITA STATE W, 5-0 APR 3 UNC WILMINGTON W, 6-4 APR 4 WOFFORD W, 13-8 APR 6 WASHINGTON W, 5-1 APR 6 WASHINGTON L, 0-8 APR 7 WASHINGTON W, 7-2 APR 11 ELON W, 3-0 APR 13 (RV) USF W, 15-2 APR 14 (RV) USF L, 1-13 APR 15 (RV) USF L, 4-5 APR 17 (3) DUKE W, 9-2 APR 20 MEMPHIS W, 5-1 APR 21 MEMPHIS W, 4-2 APR 21 MEMPHIS W, 4-2 Mens Baseball APR 24 (2) NC STATE Cancelled APR 27 HOUSION L, 4-5 APR 75 HOUSION L, [-3 APR 29 HOUSTON L, 5-6 MAY 4 TULANE W, 9-5 MAY 5 TULANE W, 8-3 MAY 6 TULANE W, 6-1 MAY 8 NORFOLK STATE W, 9-1 MAY 9 UNC WILMINGTON W, 5-4 MAY 11 CINCINNATI L, 3-4 MAY 12 CINCINNATI W, 13-6 MAY 13 CINCINNATI W, 6-5 MAY 15 CAMPBELL W, i2-/ MAY 17 22) CONNECTICUT L, 2-5 MAY 18 (22) CONNECTICUT (DH) W, 6-3 MAY 18 222) CONNECTICUT L, 2-4 AMERICAN BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS MAY 22 UCE W, 8-4 MAY 23 TULANE W, 6-5 MAY 24 (18) HOUSTON L, 3-5 MAY 25 (18) HOUSTON W, [2-1 () } MAY 26 (22) CONNECTICUT W, 4-3 GREENVILLE REGIONAL JUN 1 UNC WILMINGTON W, 16-7 JUN 2 (19) SOUTH CAROLINA L, 2-4 | JUN 3UNCW Efe ees Photos by Charlee Moss ECU Pirate’s baseball on the side- line of one of the games cheering on their teamates. a Some of the players and coaches Ue before one of the warming up games. Ve a name tn eh ee etna i: Nan Ant RAR corpse Ott ptm eee eR ep Game Statistics Men’s NOV |2 COPEIN SIATE W, (6-50 NOV 15 RADFORD L, 66-73 NOV 1/ CENTRAL CONNECTICUT SIAIEL, 68-79 NOV 20 CLEVELAND STATE W, 72-69 NOV 24 RUTGERS L, 47-61 NOV 26 NORTH CAROLINA A&T L, 81-87 NOV 30 UNCW W, 93-88 ot DEC 2 DELAWARE STATE W, 63-57 DEC 4 CAMPBELL W, 69-66 DEC 18 CHARLO IE L, 50-69 DEC 21 GRAMBLING STATE W, 76-68 DEC 28 IUESA b, 53-79 DEL 31 UCR EL 39-59 JAN 3 USF W, 67-65 JAN 6 UCONN L, 65-70 JAN 11 WICHITA STATE L, 60-95 JAN 14 HOUSTON L, 49-65 JAN 17 USF W, 90-52 JAN 20 CINCINNATI L, 60-86 JAN 28 SMU L, 61-86 JAN 31 TULANE L, 69-71 ot FEB 3 MEMPHIS W, 88-85 OT res 7 (eNPLe L, 73-90 FEB 14 TULANE W, 82-80 FEB 18 UCONN L, 80-84 ree 21 SMU L, 38-77 FEB 25 HOUSTON L, 58-109 WIAK 1 TULSA L_ 33-72 MAR 4 MEMPHIS L, 770-90 Basketball Women’s NOY IU USC - UPSTATE W, 66-55 NOY [5 UNCW L, 62-66 NOV 18 RICHMOND L, 64-65 NOV 21 WILLIAM & MARY L, 65-71 ot NOV 235 JACKSUNVILLE STAIE UNIVEKSITY L. 2-73 NOV 26 RIDER UNIVERSITY W., 66-63 NOV 30 CHARLOTTE W, 38-55 DEC 2 NORFOLK STATE W, 51-46 DEC 4 KENNESAW STATE W, 66-56 DEC 14 NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL W, 73-61 DEC 17 UIEPL, 79-93 OF DEC 20 SAVANNAH STATE W, 103-37 DEC 28 UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE W, 64-54 DEC 30 CINCINNATI L, 54-66 JAN 3 CONNECTICUT L, 35-96 JAN 6 MEMPHIS L, 36-72 JAN 10 TULSA W, 73-67 JAN 13 SMU L, 51-65 JAN 20 HOUSTON W, 80-78 ot JAN 24 TULANE L, 58-64 JAN 27 CINCINNATI W, 79-70 JAN 30 WICHITA STATE W, 77-67 FEB 3 SMU W, 76-47 FEB 7 USF L, 47-88 FEB 14 MEMPHIS W, 75-62 FEB 17? HOUSTON L, $1-97 FEB 20 TULSA W, 59-57 FEB 24 TEMPLE L. 64-65 PEB 26 UCF L, 54-75 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TOURNA- MENT MAR 3 SMU W, 85-74 “| ‘ oy v . 2a preening seme oo e 2 comet The Pirate’s Basketball team playing against the opponent’s team. en's Basketball photos by Charlee Moss omen’s Basketball photos by ECU Athletics Media Relations Soccer Game Statistics AUG 18 DAYTON W, 3-2 AWG ZS DAVIDSON WwW, z-1 AUG 27 TOWSON W, 1-0 AUG 31 CAMPBELL W, 1-0 SEP 3 OLD DOMINION Tie, 0-0 wipe f NU SIATE LE, 1-2 SEF 10 CHARLUITE L, 1-2 SEP 14 UNCW W, 3-0 SEP 17 VIRGINIA Tie, 1-1 Si 21 USF L, 1-2 SEP 24 UCE L, 0-4 SEF 275 | ENIPLE Los, 0-1 OCF | UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT L, 1-2 OCT 12 MEMPHIS L, 0-2 OCT 15 TULSA W, 1-0 OUT I9 SMU Ly 0-1 OCT 22 UNIV EaxSil Y OF HOUSTON L, 1-4 OCT 2/ CINCINNATI L,.0-1 76 1S ff Holl 1 '@) ae @) —) (@) faz jake Cross Country Game Schedule SEP 1 TEMPLE INVITATIONAL SEP 15 ADIDAS CHALLENGE SEF 29 PAUL SHORT RUN OCT 13 PIRATE INVITATIONAL OC 27s ANIERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS, PHILADELPHIA, PA NOV 10 NCAA SOUTHEAST REGIONALCHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. ee Sere oe ECU’s Pirates running to the finish line to complete the different cross country races. 792 man hy tae nen ale me arn An Lae ER ORR mena name Game Statistics Men’s SEP 8 WOLF RUN INTERCOLLEGIATE 6th of 16 SEP 16 ROD MYERS INVITATIONAL 8th of 11 OCT 2 WOLFPACK INTERCOLLEGIATE Sth of 14 OCT iS BANK OP TENNESSEE INTERCOLLEGIATE 10th of [5 FEB 5 SEA BEST INVITATIONAL 11th of 14 Pas 16 PUBKIO RICO CLASSIC 9th of 15 MAK 3 CLEVELAND GOLF PALMEITTOINIEKCOLLEGIATE Sth of 13 MAR 10 GENERAL HACKLER CHAMPIONSHIP 7th of 15 Golt ECU INTERCOLLEGIATE APR 2 ECU INTERCOLLEGIATE Ist of 9 APR 13 STITCH INTERCOLLEGIATE 4th of 12 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP APR 22 THE AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP 5th of 10 APR 23 THE AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP 5th of 10 APR 24 THE AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP 7th of 10 Women’s SEP 11 MINNESOTA INVITATIONAL 8th out of 14 teams (860) SEP 25 PIRATE CU LEGIATE CLASSIC Ist out of 17 teams (865) OCT 9-10 PINEHURST CHALLENGE Ist out of 19 teams (847) OCT 21 CARDINAL CUP 4th out of 15 teams (895) OCT7Z LADIES FALL Wert COLLEGIATE oth out of 12 teams (610) PEGS 4 UCF CHALLENGE 2nd out of 16 teams (872) FEB {i LADY PUERTO RICOCLASSIC 6th out of [1 teams (916) MAR 5 RIVER LANDING CLASSIC 2nd out of 14 teams (868) MAR 19-20 BRIAR’S CREEK INVITATIONAL 8th out of 17 teams (892) APR 2-3 2018 CHARLESTON INVITATIONAL 3rd out of 17 teams (882) APR 17 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS 2nd out of 10 teams (884) NCAA REGIONAL 18th of 18 teams (DNF) from looking. Caption is set in 10 pt. AWPCTimes. A caption should tell the 5-W's and H about the picture it goes with to explain what the reader can't see from looking. Caption is set in 10 pt. AWPCTimes. A caption should tell the 5-W's and H about the picture it goes with to explain what the reader can't see Patrick Stephenson lining up for his final shot. Blake Taylor showing goo form through his swing. Team members play a good game Photos by Virginia Payne home run in the next pitch Womens Softball FELSBERG INVITATIONAL FEB 9 ST. JOHN’S W, 4-0 FEB 9 (RV) SOUTH CAROLINA L, 0-3 FEB 10 HOFSTRA L, 0-4 FEB 10 ST. JOHN’S L, 1-9 (6) FEB 11 (RV) FIU W, 6-4 PIRATE CLASH FEB 16 TOWSON W, 4-3 (9) FEB 16 SAINT JOSEPH’S W, 3-0 FEB 17 SAINT JOSEPH’S W, 3-1 FEB 18 TOWSON W, 4-3 FEB 18 UMBC L, 5-6 PIRATE INVITATIONAL FEB 23 BALL STATE L, 1-4 FEB 23 SAINT FRANCIS L, 0-2 FEB 24 BALL STATE L, 2-7 FEB 24 CANISIUS L, 3-4 (8) FEB 25 SAINT FRANCIS L, 2-7 MALIHINI KIPA ALOHA TOURNAMENT MAR 2 LONGWOOD L, 1-4 MAR 2 HAWAIP IL, 3-5 MAR 3 NO. 15 CALIFORNIA L, 4-6 MAR 3 JMU L, 0-9 (6) MAR 4 UTEP L, 0-1 HAWAII SPRING FLING TOURNAMENT MAR 7 HAWAII L, 0-9 (5) MAR 8 LONGWOOD W, 4-3 MAR 8 NO. 23 JMU W, 4-1 MAR 9 ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF W, 13-2 (3) MAR 9 BYU L, 3-6 (8) International Tiebreaker MAR 13 UNCW W, 6-4 A player gets ready to move fast to catch the ball eT a ann " 2 eA GRA A RN te eaten sitemeter AI ste Miia lS SEER OR IE cr JMU INVITATIONAL MAR 16 OHIO W, 9-2 MAR 17 STONY BROOK W, 16-3 (5) MAR 18 (RV) JMU W, 4-2 MAR 21 DUKE W, 4-1 MAR 23 HOUSTON W, 3-2 (8) MAR 24 HOUSTON (DH) L, 7-10 MAR 24 HOUSTON (DH) L, 0-11 (6) MAR 29 TULSA L, 0-5 MAR 30 TULSA L, 1-4 MAR 31 TULSA L, 0-9 (5) APR 3 CAMPBELL L, 3-8 APR 6 MEMPHIS (DH) L, 1-2 (8) APR 6 MEMPHIS (DH) L, 1-10 APR 8 MEMPHIS W, 4-1 APR 13 CONNECTICUT W, 2-1 APR 14 CONNECTICUT (DH) W, 5-1 APR 14, CONNEC HICUT (Dit) WW 7-5 APR 18 NORTH CAROLINA L, 3-4 APR 20 (RV) USEF L, 3-7 APR 21 (RV) USF W, 3-2 APR 22 (RV) USF W, 3-2 APR 25 NC STATE Wy 2-1 APR 27 (RV) WICHITA STATE L, 1-5 APR 28 (RV) WICHITA STATE W, 5-0 APR 29 (RV) WICHITA STATE L, 1-5 MAY 4 UCE L, 1-3 MAY UCE L, 3-2 MAY 6 UCEF L, 3-4 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP MAY 10 HOUSTON L, 1-3 ee 83 Swimming and Diving Game Statistics Wiens OCT 6 NAVY L, 98.5-193.5 OCT 14 GARDNER-WEBB W, 200-94 OCT 14 WILLIAM & MARY W, 132-130 OCT 21 OLD DOMINION W, 163.5-136.5 OCT 28 UNCW W, 169-119 NOV 16-18 GEORGIA TECH INVITATIONAL 5th of 6 JAN 13 SOUTH CAROLINA L, 115.5-176.5 JAN 20 UMBC L, 123-169 JAN 20 VMI W, 146-116 JAN 26 WINGATE W, 215-129 JAN 26 QUEENS UNIVERSITY OF CHARLOTTE L, 148-196 JAN 26 SOUTH CAROLINA L, 86-262 Women’s OCT 6 NAVY L, ll? 3 1625 OCT 14 GARDNER-WEBB W, 181-110 OCT 14 WILLIAM & MARY W, 142-117 OCT i4CAviVebli W,.175-115 OCT 71 OLD DOMINION W, 179-116 OCT 25 UNCW WwW, 170-119 NOV 16-18 GEORGIA TECH INVITATIONAL 6 of 8 TAN 13 SOUTH CAROLINA L, 110.5-181.5 JAN 20 UMBC W, 165-135 JAN 20 VMI W, 128-86 SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGIATE INVITATIONAL JAN 26 WINGATE W, 262.5-63.5 JAN 26-27 OUERENS UNIVERSITY OF CHARLOTTE L, 169-175 84 Students swimming their hearts out to score a win for ECU Swimming is a sport that requires all around stamina and strength to keep up with high speeds. Photos by ECU Athletics Media Relations Sessa 5 pment ECU tennis player showing off some serious skill. iB e Focused on his target, this tennis player won’t lo ECU tennis player give it their all | whenever there’s a match. These players won’t bacl down no matter what challenge is thrown at them. A*, =3 an = © N - = T) ¢ Ge — = @ = 86 Sati ee AACE rent ttt —e—tannynctinerrnemennitdahenrn Tennis Story by Summer Reynolds With a stand out fall season, East Carolina University women’s tennis is ready to take on their spring season. “This fall season has been one of the best ones for the ECU women’s tennis program. We’ ve also heard our coach tell us that it has been a season of firsts, with the victories we have had and the tournaments that some of the girls have been invited to,” Sarah Sarjoo said, a junior on the ECU women’s tennis team. Sarjoo has been playing tennis for 13 years and decided to make the sport her focus once the people around her realized her potential. “I started playing tennis at the age of 8. When I was young, I played as many sports as I could, tennis being one of them. By about 12, the people around me realized that I was pretty good at tennis and I decided to make that my 1OCUS. During the fall season the tennis team competes in tournaments and invitationals. The championship season for tennis is in the spring in which they play head-to-head dual matches and conference opponents. Having the spring season around the corner, Sarjoo said she’s most excited about the potential of the team. “I think the spring season will be a memorable one for us because the talent and work ethic of this team is what will get us to our goals. We are all excited about our schedule and the matches we get to play. We will also be traveling a lot in this upcoming semester, both driving and flying. So not only do we get to compete for ECU, but we also get to travel and see so many other places here in the US.” Lisa Hofbauer, a sophomore from Austria, said representing ECU means a lot to her. “I really appreciate the opportunity the university is giving me and I’m trying to represent ECU at my best every time I perform, practice, or in my day to day life.” Hofbauer had her personal highlight this past fall when her coaches told her she got into the All American tournament. “My favorite memory was this fall when Celia and I got into the All Americans tournament, our coaches told us about this in practice,” Hofbauer said. Hofbauer is also looking forward to the spring season because of the traveling aspect involved with the program. “I love the long van rides and I also really like to travel as a team, we always have a lot of fun.” As the spring season approaches, the women on this team are more than prepared and excited. Practicing six days out of the week, ECU women’s tennis is ready to show off what they have been working for. 8/ aac Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Game Schedule JAN 13 JAIN JAN 26 FEB 2 SYKES-SABOCK CHALLENGE CUP Feb 1 Pie 25 DICK TAYLOR CAROLINA CUP VMI INVITATIONAL LIBERTY RICKOPF LIBERTY ELITE INVITATIONAL AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS MAR 9 NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS MAR 23 WEEMS BASKIN INVITATIONAL MAR 30 RALEIGH RELAYS APR 6 BILL CARSON INVITATIONAL APR 13 AGGIE INVITATIONAL APR 20 DUKE INVITATIONAL MAY 11-13 AMERICAN ATHLETIC Photos by Cliff Hollis 89 The womens volleyball team lin- ing up before a game to discuss the game plan. Teamates on the sidline cheering after a point was scored on the oposing team by the wamens volleyball team Photos by:Charlee Moss, Holy Melton seetets ta ae es eS SRE 2 a Sas: Rasdiegieeese a ara Spee T ah i= 38 a aan abaDs es Soe oe oes fy eee ua eaaeeeeees Bona eusteag usu asence fees esuetgiutetena eens Heese aeersssg a eres oe E Sooper aeoneneuene reece s rose Ss eS Sine sins SSeS tee ea Se oe Se = SS Ss Seeds ess aes ce essensesenensueaeS Intense games in action with ECU playing strong. igesig sn pepe Sia “T will remember the adrenaline. I will remember that excited nervousness right before the game starts. I’ 1] remember certain games and I’|l remember getting so excited for every point. I will remember competing as a very high leve But mostly, Pll miss my teammates,” Lael Ceriani said, a senior majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology. Ceriani just finished her last season as the outside hitter for East Carolina University women’s volleyball team. The volleyball team’s final record was 22-11, which was a huge accomplishment for the Pirates considering their record has not reached that high since 1982. “We reached a lot of team goals this year and that was awesome. A 22 win sea- son is no small feat. I really wanted to play in the NIVC tournament, but we didn’t get it this year. I won’t have another opportunity to play and that’s disappointing, but I know that ECU volleyball will achieve so much in the near future,” Ceriani said. From being good on the court to being someone the younger Pirates can look up to, Ceriani makes sure she always leads by example. “Even when things suck, you have to act like they don’t. Sure, 6 a.m. practices and workouts aren't the greatest thing in the world, but if you remind the younger players what a privilege it 1s to play ball, everything be- comes worth it. I’ ve learned that you have to lead by example to be effective and I hope that I did that this year through a positive attitude.” Natalie Montini a senior majoring in Exercise Physiology tries her best to always stay positive toward the younger players.““The impact that you have on the younger players coming in is something that sometimes I still do not under- stand entirely. You have to make sure that you are always doing the right thing even whenever they are not looking and guide them to not only work hard, but become a better person along the way.” ECU volleyball had a 13-7 mark in conference play, which has surpassed league wins in the program’s history. ECU also locked down sole possession of fourth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) standings. The Pirates were picked to finish 11th in the 2017 American Conference preseason coaches poll, but Montini had more faith in her and her teammates. “We had more team goals than anything. We just wanted to compete in our conference. We knew we were better than what preseason polls said, so we just wanted to continue to work hard and get better.” by: Summer Reynolds East Carolina University cheerleaders have been bringing the heat to Pirate game days for years. The spirited squad serves as public ambassadors for ECU while also generating crowd enthusiasm. ECU offers an all girls squad and a coed team to represent the university on game days and public appearances. Virginia Jernigan, a senior who has been on the coed squad for 4 years, said being an ECU cheerleader is more than a pretty face on the field. “Being on the coed team to me means representing something bigger than myself. It means representing the university as a whole whether it’s walking to class in a cheerleading shirt, doing appearances around the town or boarding the plane as we travel to the away games,” Jernigan said. “Being chosen to represent ECU as a cheerleader has been the most rewarding experience out of all of my college endeavors.” Each year a select number of ECU Pirate Club members request to sit in front of the cheerleaders at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. “In my opinion ECU Cheerleading stands out because we are more than friends, we’re family,” Jernigan said. The ECU coed team consists of 24 members, who have the opportunity to travel to away games with the football team and perform stunts during games. Haywood Mckoy I, a sophomore on the coed team said he basks ECU colors everywhere he goes. “As spirit raisers, we cheer at games both seasons and we are responsible for making any appearances asked of us by the university. ECU cheer is made up of a lot of talent yet its biggest quality is the atmosphere of camaraderie amongst professionalism that is seen from the stands,” Mckoy said. The preparation for the season requires the athletes to be in good physical shape. “Being on your feet and jumping around to get the crowd excited takes a lot of stamina,’ Madison Cheek said, a senior on the all-girls squad. Both squads run a two-mile loop around Greenville before every practice, while also having weekly weight training and tumbling practice. Jernigan said being on the squad takes mental preparation as well. “As far as the mental aspect, college cheerleading is challenging in the fact that you have so little time and so much to do. My planner is my life and I always try to use my time to the best of my ability,” Jernigan said. The life of a student athlete can be challenging at times, but ECU cheer does it with a smile. The Coed Spirit team will always give it their all when hyping up the crowd. era ae HH __ i | The Color Guard gives performances for the students to remember. ECU’s Dance team loves to perform for the large audience at sport events. Photos by Charlee Moss i Game Statistics FEB 10 GEORGE WASHINGTON L, 7-18 PED bo WIN TLEROP FEB 18 GARDNER-WEBB W, 15-14 Fi 2] LISeR TY 1, 4-15 Fob 24 CAMP RELL MAR | KENNESAW STATE L, 14-17 MAR 4DLDAPAYEIIE . L, 9-11 MAR 6 TEMPLE L, 6-15 MAR 10 SAINT FRANCIS L, 7-12 MAR 17 COLUMBIA L, 6-18 MAR 20 LONGWOOD L, 13-17 MAR 24 DELAWARE STATE W, 16-2 MAR 30 DREXEL L, 7-15 APR | OREGON L, 3-14 APR 21 MICHIGAN L, 9-16 APR 23 CINCINNATILE, 7-10 MAY 6 DUKE L, 8-21 Morgan Cheripko goes to receive the ball before the other team. ko ive Ip he defens ke Morgan Cher 1 is ont ready to str cee Pees oe eae e . ee _ _ : i . aS S Sees . i ] ees — So - . : eae ee _ Bees a . ae ee co | _ a : CC ee es oe . ae aS _ . _ _ ee a a : : a |. oS cae Photos by ECU Athletics Media Relations _ | é ce ee ee a3: a . : . ly and still Emma Bowman takes the manages to have fun. game Serious wt. ait ta ny Paes, Ra tetas a. iS tage " Club Badminton was one of the more recent additions to East Carolina University’s club sports and has slowly, but surely began developing a team that they hope to build on, according to Senior nursing major Michael Zhang. Zhang has been a part of the ECU Badminton Club since his freshman year and said he has had nothing short of a positive experience. “lve made many relationships; great undergraduate friends who I can share the experience with, along with doctors and professors who became my mentors.” There are only singles and doubles in badminton so during practices, the team typically focuses on doubles play. According to Zhang, the team just recently started being thought of as competitive. Previous teams have always played recreationally, so a big struggle for them right now is recruiting players who show interest in the game. “T always wanted to play badminton because I felt I was good at it. It is hard to find a place to play bad- minton because it is not very popular, but thankfully ECU was able to pull through to make a badminton club,” Zhang said. The team has only participated in one small tournament but plans on participating in more tournaments in the spring. Zhang 1s optimistic though, as the team prepares to don its new, official ECU jerseys and hopes to host a few tournaments on campus next semester. Like many ECU Club Sports teams, the badminton team does not have an official coach. The team uses their experienced players to help newcomers and organize their tournaments. Badminton is setting up flyers around campus and are creating activities that will attract the interest of the ECU community, according to Zhang. Story by Samantha Smith Badminton , 98 aaa UE py Hip tae ey en eee ECU in two differnet sets play ing multiple rounds to win. Photos from the Badminton Club he nt ll dk tn ean nin sme ere wewas oo Some enchant Alex Munger and I] Corbin Phillips | show their skills to help teach new members 100 wowemeon Ballroom Dance Exciting club sports are always playing all over campus, one of the more surprising ones is the : Ballroom Dance club. The club was founded in 2011 by Andy Carlson, an ECU alumni.The Ballroom Dance club competes in about three competitions a year, the dances they compete in are divided into two categories, Smooth and Rhythm. Smooth dances are, Waltz, Foxtrot, and Tango. Rhythm dances are ChaCha, Rhumba, and East Coast Swing. Like any other club sport, this is a fun way to meet new people and try different things, Ballroom Dance is not something you get to try everyday, it definitely gets people out of their comfort zones, Sophomore Kent “Kenji” Kurosawa said, “Definitely, I’m pretty good at striking up conversations. But this did get me out of comfort zone.” People who like to dance are excited to try this other style of dance, Junior Monica Williams stated, “I have been dancing ever since I was four.” while some don’t have a lot of experience, they still love the club. Freshman Kiana Morgan loves it not only for the dancing experience, but because “It’s a very welcoming environment. It helps me unwind after class and is a lot of fun.” There could be some debate as to what the best dance is, some people are more smooth dancers than Rhythm and vise versa. When asked, freshman Kaysi Benson said, “Waltz, hands down. It makes me feel very elegant and it’s a dance that flows really well.” Club memebers Photos by Charlee Moss | practice for future competitions 101 eeveaiennccieeiiainemenentneeaianset 2 re er ee s_-~-=sesensestiteeaeaca enemies ensaceeriticane iat naitamnnieainttinsnititiin seein Bass Fishing For the team members of East Carolina University’s Bass Fishing club, the sport is much more competitive than people would think when they hear the word “fishing.” “We compete against many different colleges across the nation, we do a lot of traveling— as far south as Florida and as far west as Texas— Basically, you're trying to catch the heaviest, five keeper-size fish,” Jerris Bush, a junior industrial engineering and technology major said, We do get paid, based on how we finish first through 12th, but for the most part its all for the camaraderie and the competitive nature that we all have.” Story by Annah Schwartz While bass fishing can be a year round sport, ECU’s team participates together in events from February to October, according to Bush. Bush’s teammate, Matt Pastino, says that during events, anglers begin their competitions relatively early and often continue into the afternoon. “You start when the sun rises, anywhere between 6 or 7 a.m. until 3 p.m.,” Pastino, a senior recreational therapy major, said. “If you catch more than five fish, like if you catch your sixth fish and it’s heavier than one of your first five, you replace that and release your lightest fish.” Anglers with the highest cumulative weight of the day are placed for prizes. Prizes can range from $500 to $2,000 with the $500 cash prize typically going to those who come in fifth, according to Bush. Bush says there are also opportunities to win other prizes, such as boats, electronics and gift cards. Bush likens the competitiveness of bass fishing to an inner “drive” and says his drive began at a young age. “T’ve been fishing since I was 3-years-old, my dad got me into it and would take me to local ponds. I know when I was |2-years-old, he got me into his bass club,” Bush said. “I started fishing in tournaments from 12 to 16 and I had my first boat by 17. It’s pretty much consumed my life. All I do is eat, sleep and breathe fishing.” For Pastino, bass fishing is part of the reason he came to ECU. “T got into tournament fishing in high school...and then I actually came to ECU for the ROTC program and for the bass fishing foam, Pastinoe said. Bush said that this year, the team welcomed it’s biggest freshman class, with an estimated 16 new people, giving the team 33 members. “Right now we have a lot of new people, so we’re just working on getting them situated and getting all of their boats working and making sure all of their skills are sharpened for the upcoming season,” Bush said. For Bush and Pastino, their favorite memory on the team was in the 2017 season, on Cherokee Lake in Tennessee. “We finished 65th out of 160 boats,” Bush said. “It was a pretty good experience, it was the first time going to that particular body of water.” While the competition started off rocky, Pastino says things eventually picked up for the team. “The first two days of practice were really rough for us and we had nothing going for us,” Pastino said. “Then, we went out one morning and just caught a ton of fish and it didn’t slow down.” Ultimately though, Pastino wants people to know that bass fishing is much more than just fishing. “It’s a lot different than people would expect. It’s not just going out to a pond and throwing a rod and hoping you catch a fish. There’s a lot more that goes into it that people don’t think about,” Pastino said. 102 acres Canara sane ween nfecsetreaperaen serena een neces nga mee: d Wellness 10n an SEES qe} oO Sa O ed) aa N Fe C. = °) ee 3 © eas Oo ax A. - . { * L rY ‘ : ; 3 : a yee Aare NNN NR IN iC i 2p mS Seep enset Sogn meen rgelntes aes atest san Nitin eee naaieemA eines etniO gman ean see tessteryr ee ane TENaamgRR RARE _— woees naan ceniancs . — j . je . Y v : 1 i i i iia | i | } i 1 i An inside look on how the club trains for future competitons. Being a coed club mean | anyone can join and anyone can learn the sport! Photos by Holly Melton 104 os sii Ea at veer inchs utua Hc acta nnoaueaataa nea ee a | snus : memset Something that can relieve anyone’s stress is throwing some good punches in boxing. Boxing 1s a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves, throw punches at each other for a predetermined set of time in a boxing ring. ECU’s boxing club meets twice a week to teach people how to use their strength in a sporting matter. On the ECU website, the club has posted, “We offer the recreational and competitive sides of ECU boxing. Being a co-ed club, our club consists of teaching the fundamentals of boxing. The cardio workout, strength and conditioning skills, etc. We have many experienced boxers and have an off campus gym if you are serious about training. Our club also offers the chance of compet- ing against other schools and attending venues to support the boxing team if you’re a recreational members. Our brackets consist of many school across the country and even schools in the UK.” The club practices hard for competitions, but also relieves stress at the same time. 1 ¢ @ Story by The East Carolinian ( iy ; b . : & The rock climbing club at East Carolina University is still growing considering it was founded just four years ago, but under a new president, the team is already achieving big things this 2017. Alana Leonard, a junior psychology and Spanish double-major, has been an active member of the rock climbing club since her freshman year, and was rewarded this semester for her dedication. Two years ago, AJ Rimes, the founder and former president of the club, graduated and since the president’s role has been a revolving door. Well, Leonard took the role this semester, along with new Vice President Sean Jenkins, and is already leading a pretty big group. “We have about 35 active members that are coming to practices, “ Leonard said. “We have three practices every week. Advanced is on Monday, we have our intermediate on Tuesday, and our beginners on Wednesday. We do this because that’s how they break it down at competitions.” The Pirates are off to a strong start in the Eastern Edge Climbing series, the league in which they compete. In this league, ECU competes against the University of North Carolina at both Chapel Hill and Greensboro, Duke University, Virginia Common- wealth University, Old Dominion University, Appalachian State and Richmond. So far there have been just two competitions but ECU’s club is off to a great start. On November | 1, ECU was competing at Duke and followed up a strong first performance with a dominant outing. The club team swept both advanced levels with Leonard dominating the female group while Alex Hammerstrom overcame his teammate Eric Evanger for the victory. Evanger placed second. In the men’s intermediate group, Jenkins put on a strong performance in his first competition since being named vice president, but lost in a tie because of one slip-up. “The only reason I didn’t get first 1s because the guy who beat me didn’t fall the entire time during the competition and I fell once,” Jenkins said. “I was honestly ok with that though because it was the first time I ever placed in the intermediate section.” The first competition of the season wasn’t as strong for ECU, but still a strong outing on the road at Old Dominion. The Pirates had a strong showing but failed to capture too many gold medals. Only Evanger, competing in the advanced males group, finished first, edging out ODU’s own Steven Gottlieb by one point. ECU finished in second in the intermediate males, Tom Bonin, advanced females, Leonard, and intermediate females, Joy Seward. Both beginner levels claimed bronze, Liam Pyle for the men and Lacy Timmerman for the women. There’s been a lot of growth from this club since 2013 and some of the credit is due to ECU’s Student Recreation Center. Behind all the basketball courts sits ECU’s rock climbing wall. While it’s open to anybody, the club team puts in the most work, hosting their three practices here and preparing for upcoming events. The Pirates will even host an event on Saturday, February 24. Jenkins thinks practicing on such a funky wall gives the team an advantage. “Our wall is not that good of a wall at all. It’s short, really overhanging, and very steep so you’re kind of forced to gain muscle,” Jenkins said. “Then when we go to some of these other walls that are more flat and more technical, we have the muscle to overcome some of the challenges.” The greatest of challenges seem to be behind the club for right. With a young hierarchy in place, the team can continue focusing on perfecting their skills and continuing to expand the club. Information about the club can be found in the club sports pamphlet found all over the recreation center, on Facebook, and Instagram. This semester the team was even able to pay off every members fees to compete in both events and plan on trying to continue this trend. “We finally have a solid group of officers that we’ ve built up and now we hard core represent at all the competitions,” Leonard said. “We show up as a group, in our uniforms and club shirts, with about 15 people and represent ECU.” 106 teenie tye oO — sa) 5 Cina OQ .— cs oO) cS i = = — 1S) fend om oO —~ ee) = C. = 1u01es — Se SS Ss Charlee Moss Photo by Cross Country and Track Story by DylanWoolard It was a good year for East Carolina University cross country but it just might have been an even better season for junior Grace Sullivan. Sullivan hails from Charlotte, North Carolina where she started running cross country in the ninth grade. “Cross country started with my mom making me run my freshman year of high school to stay in shape for soc- cer,” Sullivan said. “After a couple months with the girls and training I found it fun.” She was top runner for the women’s cross country team this season and she absolutely flew past the competition all year it seemed. Sullivan, in the Pirates first meet (Temple invitational) took first place and only trekked on from there. She would later run in the adidas challenge in Raleigh, North Carolina where she placed 29th and well within the top half of a 110-person field on the women’s side alone. To cap off the month of September, Sullivan ran into the East Carolina cross country record books as she set the second fastest six kilometer time in program history. When asked who pushes her the most she only had family in mind, especially considering her brother Joseph ran cross country at Appalachian State University. ‘My parents and brothers have always been my biggest supporters over the years. Also having great coaching throughout high school really helped me pursue running in college,” Sullivan said. Sullivan has certainly put all that coaching to use and put it all on display yet again through the month of Octo- ber. At the Pirate Invitational in Greenville, North Carolina at Overton’s Lake Kristi, Sullivan placed first yet again. Sullivan earned AAC Female Athlete of the week honors and was the first Pirate cross country athlete to earn the weekly award since 2008. Hard work has been a big part of all the success Grace Sullivan has seen so far as a Pirate this season— and she is still having a blast doing it. “This season was a fun one but we all trained and worked so hard over the Summer so it felt like any other sea- son,” Sullivan said. “You just train and then go out and perform.” Still with another year left to run for the Pirates, Sullivan is certainly a runner to look out for going forward as she continues to blaze her own path as a Pirate student athlete. Club members showing their stuff after a match. Madeline Tripp running to continue breaking new records in the club. he Cross Country an Track Club. westminster AEN anatase allte nr tae i f I my SUL uA » 4 worn A COST ig, : The team works hard to put on a good performance for the | student body Photos by Charlee Moss D ANIC C By Summer Reynolds Whether you have see them at an East Carolina University club sport performing, at an on campus event representing their club, or an off campus function supporting a cause, the ECU club dance team is making a name for themselves. “This year already we have been doing a great job of getting our name around the community and I would love to continue to do so, so that everyone knows who the club dance team is and what we do,” Graceann King said, a sopho- more majoring in communications. The team of 31 won first place in ECU’s homecoming skit competition this year and King said that is a moment she will never forget. “It was a huge accomplishment considering how hard we worked toward our performance.” The skit competition consisted of various organizations across campus that had to perform a five minute skit in front of multiple judges. “It has been my most memorable moment so far,” King said. King has been dancing since she was 3-years-old, but had to take a pause at age 14 when she transferred to an all girls private boarding school where dancing wasn’t an option. King soon picked the sport back up when she was 18-years-old and has been continuing with it since. “Dance has always been a passion of mine, so I decided that I wanted to be able to enjoy doing what I love for four more years in college since I missed out on a few years in high school.” When it comes to off campus appearances, club dance has performed at many local events. “We have attended various walks and marathons. For example, Walk MS, Walk From Obesity, Reindeer Dash for Cash, Alzheimer’s and the Breast Cancer Walk,” Diedra Burdett said, a senior majoring in public health. Club dance also tries to show support to the other club sports ECU has to offer. “We perform as “dugout dancers” for the ECU club baseball team,” Burdett said. Burdett has been dancing since she was 2-years-old and it has been her passion ever since. “Dancing at ECU was kind of a no brainer for me. This might sound so cliché to say, but I honestly don’t know what I would do without dance. I’ve been dancing my entire life. ve met all of my closest friends through dance and I couldn’t imagine not being a part of a team anymore. And what better way to give back and become involved with the school, then doing what I love.” ECU club dance practices three times a week for two hours. The club is student ran and has an executive board consisting of a co-captain in training, a co-captain and a captain. “Everyone else tries out in front of a random judge panel each year to make the team. And then each year at the end, as the captain graduates, the co-captain and co-captain in training move up and we vote in a new co-captain in training to keep the cycle going,” Brudett said. ECU club dance is one of the many club sports offered at ECU and also a close-knit group of spirit raisers. “I wouldn't change anything at all about this program and if you are a dancer or interested in dancing I strongly recommend you give ita chance and try out. This team has truly become my family, and made my time here at ECU an experience I wish everyone could have the opportunity of being a part of,” Burdett said. The team has fun with their performing, it’s what they love I1l Disc Golf ...... While the sport of disc golf may not seem super competitive and more of a relaxing hobby, our club disc golf team here at ECU has certainly proved those statements wrong with their outstanding performance this year. For their second season as a club sport team here at ECU, the team walked away from the 2017- 2018 school year nationally ranked as 10th in the nation, multiple sponsorships from various orga- nizations and two accolades awarded to them at the annual Club Sports Banquet. Club president, Robert Haney, touched on the team’s performance this year at the National Colle- giate Disc Golf Championship event in N. Augusta, South Carolina saying “this is a significant improve- ment from where the team finished last year (19th overall) and we’re very proud of our team members that played so well to secure a top ten spot.” The NCDGC 1s the largest competition the club competes in, with a total of 35 universities competing for the title this year. The team won their bid to attend the national championship after placing high enough at the Liberty Flamethrower event in Lynchburg, VA during the fall 2017 semester. Much of their road to victory was paved with the help from their various sponsors. Through their very active and up-to-date social media sites, the club regularly gives thanks to their multiple sponsors. Some such as Voodoo Disc Golf provide the team with their equipment bags and stools that are utilized by the entire team. The team’s hard work was recognized at this year’s Club Sports Banquet as they were awarded Club of the Year and Most Improved. This was the first time the team had received an award in their time here and it is greatly appreciated by all of the team members. Haney is excited for the future of the club as he feels that “the club is still growing, and will someday hopefully crown that national title.” The team gathers before practice to decide teams Photos by Camille Young Li2 a ee een cen TET Robery Haney, left, goes low to catch the disc. iinoy, Jeri, right, tosses the disc for good practice. The team practices on their aim and skills. 1 | | | One of the newest additions to East Carolina University’s club sports roster 1s always ready to battle its opponents. Equipped with computers and various other gaming consoles, the Esports and Gaming club gets just as competitive as their fellow club sports out on the field. Some of the club’s most popular games that draw people in include, “League of Legends,” “Overwatch,” “Super Smash Bros, Melee” and “Super Smash Bros. for Wu U.” Club President Daniel Batchelor, a junior management major, was approached this year about making Esports and Gaming an official ECU club sport. “Once I became president, the recreation center actually came to us and asked us if we wanted to become a club sport, so I did everything I could to make that happen,” Batchelor said. After becoming an official club sport, the group began a paid membership option for the club, though Batchelor says their events are still open to all students who are interested at ECU. He ai hopes to see the club expand more in the future. “ll _ “With actual, paid members, we have about 40 (people). Thomas Cole, Carl Gaies, and Jayke Presely from left to right But when we hold events, we usually get about 60-70 people,” Batchelor said. “We also have a facebook group, which 1s at least somewhat accurate, and we have 700 people in there. So there’s at least 700 people that know about us.” Batchelor says that, while gaming can get intense between club Sp orts = ae members, it’s all in good spirit. “It can get really intense,” Batchelor said. “We played ‘League of Legends’ last month and there’s people sitting six feet from 6 ty, each other and they’re yelling at each other as they play games, 1 S oe but it's all nm fun,” ane. by: Annah Schwartz photos by: Holly Melton 114 UCM) UCI) As ——" ra — —_ Daniel Batchelor, sophomore President to the club Usually centered around their most popular games, the club regularly hosts events. “Every month we hold, LAN’s in the student center. People will bring their computers, their TV’s, consoles,” Batchelor said. “We hand out prizes and we also give out a whole bunch of free stuff.” At the LAN parties, students will gather and establish a local-area network connection between their computers or other devices so they can play multiplayer video games together. oe In the spring, the club is also planning a mega tournament. “Next semester (spring 2018) we’re holding a two-day event in Minges Coliseum with thousands of dollars in prizes and other | things like that,” Batchelor said. For the massive event, the club has partnered with the city of Greenville, who Batchelor said has helped the club out a lot. “They (the city of Greenville) will be doing most of it really. - We're just talking to sponsors right now and figuring out other schools that would be interested in participating,” Batchelor said. In the future, Batchelor says he hopes to see the club to continue to grow and wants students to know, “we accept anybody.” (“Most students are generally pretty excited when they find out (about Esports and Gaming club), because generally people don’t .' know about it, even though we try really hard to get people to figure out (about us),” Batchelor said as he began to smile a little bit. “Reaching people who play video games can be kind of hard.” Adam Whiteside, sophomore ae an ne Nia IN IAIN ta a ene ee etme 116 Equestrian. ... Often when someone is considering possibly joining or trying out a new sport, there are certain barriers that are perceived before one attempts to become a member. Some sports may seem unattainable from lack of previous experience or knowledge of the sport, not owning any of the proper equipment, to a seemingly burden of financial obligations. Luckily for ECU students, these barriers should not be feared if one is considering joining the Eques- trian club team here at ECU. With a focus on teamwork and furthering one’s love and understanding of the sport, the club offers a fun and accepting atmosphere for anyone to join. The team best describes their overall mission on their website, where they emphasize, “competition is not our only focus. We base our team, like all teams, on teamwork.” Based out of Cottonwood Farm in Vanceboro, NC the team is very open to newcomers of any skill or experience level, something that might surprise most students. When team member Brittanee Black joined the club, she had never ridden a horse before, citing just a desire to give the sport a chance. Since then Black has been able to cultivate her skills and gain valuable experi- ence through the dynamic nature of the club, her proudest moment being her first place ribbon during the fall 2017 semester. Black describes Equestrian as a “rewarding sport,” that has brought her a new sense of confidence. Similarly to other club sports, members have dues that cover for their lessons, possible clinics, and ap- proximately ten to twelve lessons per semester. Members are able to gain in depth experience as they practice on multiple horses at Cottonwood Farm. Two-time club president, Lauren Rainone, cites the club for installing into her leadership, as she can “smoothly and effectively run and lead a team,” along with giving her friendships she knows will “last a lifetime.” yn West cad i | Photo by Campus Recreation Wellness - a ne mates a a eee - 2 ee A SEN eR ARR meena AE aes naming itn ae ian alae ac a ee a nea nen ent Amen mah as AT CRRA tt a RR te Ultimate Frisbee by: Camille Young Emily Irons, a junior Photography major, shares with us how she began her ultimate journey, “I started playing ultimate my freshman year of high school, because my school had a co-ed team, I played with my twin brother for four years and by our senior year we were captaining. The ultimate community in general is very welcoming to everyone. Have no experience playing? No problem! That’s why the sport is growing so rapidly! Ultimate is very exciting, fast paced game. That is why I have kept up with it. It is very cool to be part of a sport that many people have never played before, and to share it with others makes it so fun. I can’t wait to see what happens to the sport within the next ten years.” She hopes to see the team grow stronger next year and plans to play for as long as she can. 118 - Ultimate Club {19 see weenie st agen hme PC er aS i _ ee eT ee steps ene or - “ aap Sonnac nanan se mS ae + eran teimiete I po yereeeeee Sohne oot, eat unemapesegrea | | 4 ' ¢ : i i £ rae ePaper : ici en Agi his Peieaids 5 tia. Pitta. ECU has many club sports, Field Hockey is one on that list. Field Hockey is a team game of the hockey family. The earliest origins of the game date back to the Middle Ages in England, Scotland, France and the Netherlands. The game can be played on a grass, turf, or synthetic field as well as an indoor board surface. Each team plays with eleven players, including the goalie. Players use sticks made out of wood, carbon fibre, fibre glass or a combination of carbon fibre and fibre glass in different quantities, to hit a round, hard, plastic ball. The Field Hockey team here at ECU plays in competitions throughout the semester, if you think this is fun, be sure to check out their next game. Field Hockey 120 #ECUPOLAR Sy o A, 3, eur peter tay er ae Ye es The Field Hockey team showing support and loving their team. Photos from the Field Hockey Team ] 1 anatase -~ satanic ani dincescemneneanenatiaaniaiinimammmaisientdtie siamese iat sitiiiiealatuiaesiliiaaiaeinmaiammaiiiill Two members posing before practice Gliding along the ice makes this member feel amazing | | The full group posing on ice Making Heads Spin by: Samantha Walsh photos by: Figure Skating Club The East Carolina University figure skating club is one of many intercollegiate skat- ing clubs in the United States. They compete against 15 other intercollegiate club teams from other universities in three competitions. There are 14 members of the club, all ranging from beginner to intermediate. Junior Samantha Cucel has been on ECU’s club figure skating team since her fresh- man year. Getting on the ice was something that was so easy to Cucel since her family was always around it. She first started skating at the age of 5 so Cucel grew up on the ice. “T always loved skating from the moment I started,” Cucel said. “I love accomplish- ing goals and figure skating allows you to continue to accomplish your goals and exceed in skating.” As figure skating may appear as an easy sport, there is a lot more to it then just glid- ing on ice. A common misconception is how easy the jumps and spins are. Skating is also harder to pick up once you are older since there are muscles in your body that are not used to being used. ‘‘A lot of people can skate around the ice but being able to lift yourself out of the air and land on a single blade takes a lot of muscle that most people do not have,” Cucel said. Being a member of the ECU club figure skating team means competitions. All competitions are two days long, starting from 7 a.m.. to around 5 p.m. There are around 50-70 different events of various skill and level, with about 10-12 people in each group. There are individual events as well as team events. The first competition of the school year was held Nov. 11-12 in Monsey, New York. The second competition will be in the spring semester in Boston, Massachusetts on Feb. 4-5. The third and final competition of the year will be held at Carnegie Mellon on March 16-17. All practices are held at the Carolina Ice zone, on red banks road twice a week. As well as being on the time since the start of her college career, Cucel has taken on leadership positions within the team. Freshman and sophomore year Cucel was Secretary, and junior year Cucel was Vice President. “T enjoy being a leader and I am responsible in taking on tasks,” Cucel said. “TI plan to be president next year for my senior year. As Vice president, I take on a majority of things that have to be done.” She takes on roles working directly with the president to help support the team. Other responsibilities include planning socials, bonding, scheduling as needed coaching, registering for competition, budgeting, making sure dues are paid, relating practice times, fundraising, and community service events. ‘We also host fundraisers, usually once a month, at places like Moe’s and Yankee candle, and we even sell t-shirts to help promote our club,” Cucel said. Being a part of an active club means being involved in the community. The figure skating team gives back to the community with assistance from the ECU Club Ice Hockey team. This years club teams hosted an IGCC skate night for underprivileged kids to come out and skate for an hour. All of their events are showcased on their social media platforms to spread awareness of the events. 123 124 B Oxing by; Kevin Dévine Michael Jaouhari was looking for an activity to stay fit, instead, found a family in the ring. Michael Jaouhari, who 1s currently a senior at East Carolina University, was hoping to join the Boxing Club in order to find a fun activity that would also keep him in shape. Jaouhari found this activity in the form of club boxing here at ECU. Since he arrived on campus as a freshman, Jaouhari has been hooked on the Boxing Club. He said that the club offered him a fun way to stay in shape as well as give him the opportunity to learn self-defense skills. “T joined ECU boxing in my freshman year because I was interested in having something that would keep me active. I also wanted to learn self-defense in case I ever needed it,’ Jaouhari said. “Most importantly though, I was able to get involved in something that was just for me, and not for anyone else.” Jaouhari only had good things to say about the club, and spoke very highly about his time spent with the club. “Being part of the club is somewhat thrilling,”’he said. “It’s like you’re part of a connected family who loves to share their knowledge and help each other grow. I love how the people there made you feel like you were part of the group.’’From his personal experience, and the good times he has had with the club, Jaouhari highly recommends others join the club. rs ‘ trees oe pieces eT He prt a ae tA mca omission = orang ays tome ont “ int arene a ~ — ane eee _ r —— ee a suena Photo by: Holly Melton “If you can work it into your schedule, I will always highly recommend joining. It was one of the most fun expenences {had at HCD ae atinaatae caealantl * ~ Ls ee ile RA gt Ne ae ae LNA RE EO AO Ne RE ERR Tt i “ncn Rn ea RNC thE OCI AE ORE ac ng 2 ~~ ne tA LE LIN EN tithe ERI COG EIEN na a EEC ENE BO CO Though it come as a shock to some, ECU does indeed have a hockey. Though they are not a varsity sport like football and basketball, they nonetheless represent East Carolina in collegiate athletic competition. Many of ECU’s players have been involved with the game since an early age. Such is the case for senior defenseman CJ Shaw who has been on the ice since he was about four-years-old. “T started skating when I was about four,” said Shaw. “I started playing hockey when I was about five.” Shaw has thoroughly enjoyed being part of the ECU hockey team these past couple of years. “Playing for ECU has been a lot of fun,” said Shaw. “Having a club team at ECU allows me to continue to enjoy the sport while in college but also allows me to have free time to during the week as well.” For junior right-winger Andrew Keelan, ECU hockey has a fraternal aspect that really makes the team bond. “Playing for ECU is pretty fun,” said Keelan. “It’s a club so it’s not extremely demanding and it allows you to also focus on your studies as well as outside events and activities. The team is a brotherhood and it’s extremely enjoyable.” Tim Helmer-Hall, ECU’s goalie, also notes the comradery of the team. Playing for ECU 1s great,” said Helmer-Hall. “It’s a group of good guys who care about hockey but also care about each other and watch each other’s backs.” The ECU hockey team plays games in here in Greenville at the Carolina Ice Zone, as well as travels across the state and beyond the compete against other teams in their conference. One game in particular that 1s embedded in the minds of the upperclassmen on the team; an undaunted performance against the UNCW Seahawks. “My favorite memory from the hockey team was during my sophomore year where we were playing at UNCW,” said Shaw. “We came into the game as huge underdogs. The rink was packed and we weren’t supposed to win the game but we ended up winning and the crowd was shocked.” For ECU Hockey players, the experience of playing on the team is unmatched. Combing a fraternal order of being teammates plus being able to travel and playing the sport one loves makes for a wonderful experience during college 126 The full club Ice Hockey team Photos by Campus Recreation & Wellness The Ice Hockey team helps kids learn how to skate and teaches them a few pointers. Zt ree semenara NNT enaelacem son ot po arene oat : erin we coon coors erahat woce ssc a IERIE Pn Inline Hocke ne Story by Annah Schwartz Instead of ice and steel blades, East Carolina University’s inline hockey team takes on a sport paired with plastic tile and rubber wheels. Despite its scenic and equipment differences, inline hockey’s unique difference to ice hockey is no less exciting or thrilling for the players. For inline hockey club’s President Jared Holst, his devotion to the game began back in seventh grade; Getting to play was an “incentive to get good grades” on his report card. His first glimpse of ECU’s inline hockey club came around this time, as well, “IT was brought to the ECU club by watching a few of their games when I was younger at a rink near my house. I was in contact with the club on my orientation day and the rest is history,” Holst, a senior communication major, said. Since then, Holst went on to become inline hockey’s vice president in his first year, and was then elected president of the club throughout the rest of his time at ECU. Throughout his time on the team Holst kept busy with events to look forward to all year long. “We have events in both semesters. We just finished up our first semester’s worth of games, going 10-0 with events being in Georgia and Pennsylvania,” Holst said. “Next semester (spring 2018) we’ll make two more trips to Georgia and one trip to Apex, North Carolina to host some games.” Some of Holst’s best memories of the team came from the road trips they took on the way to games and practice. He says the team has always had a close family bond. “My favorite memory of being on this team has got be the three trips we’ ve made to nationals so far in my years here at ECU. It’s a week-long event, normally in April, that we get to head to another part of the country and represent the university on a national level,” Holst said. “Our team is very close, on and off the rink, so when we get together for these road trips, they are normally a good time.” Because the team’s home rink is located in Apex, North Carolina, Holst said the one-and-a-half hour drive makes it harder to get in a lot of practice time, but the team makes the best of it. “Maybe once or twice a month, usually on weekends, will we practice,” Holst said. “We try to get the most out of these considering the limited amount of time we get.” Holst said that despite the limited amount of practice time, the team still has high hopes for nationals in April 2018. “This year we're expecting to take home the trophy at the end of the year, so the feeling around the club is a good one at the moment,” Holst said. Above it all though, Holst’s time with ECU’s inline hockey club will always remain close to his heart. “I take pride in wearing a jersey with the ECU logo and the club sports shield on it, so I never take that for granted,” Holst said. “It’s a bunch of good guys who enjoy playing hockey, and most of all, enjoy winning, but we also enjoy getting to play for our university and the club sports department.” 128 Photo by Campus _ Recreation & Wellness A club member hitting the puck to score the goal. Saturdays are for the PIRATES by: Summer Reynolds Fall semester is not only the return of East Carolina University students for a busy semester, but football season. Football season is a time where students and fans come together to pack Dowdy- Ficklen Stadium on game day to cheer on their Pirates. A time where traffic is bumper to bumper and the sidewalks are filled with ECU football fans. From Free Boot Friday, to pep rallies, to tailgates, Pirate fans love game day weekends. For the players, no matter what their record might be or how tough their schedule is, it doesn’t ‘stop them from waking up every morning to train. “Everybody is going to give up plays, everybody is going to make mistakes, everybody is going to get beat... so it all depends on how you work on your day to day operations,” Garrett McGhin said. McGhin is currently a junior at ECU and one of the Pirates offensive lineman. “Everybody on this team has the attitude to come in and work every day and that’s one thing we’re going to keep doing.” For ECU graduate student and the Pirates wide receiver, Davon Grayson said the team is his family. Grayson suffered from two bulging disc on his spine in 2016 and had to sit out the entire season. “I sat out all last year and had to watch my team and it hurt me...you know... I had to watch my team go through some tough times so now that I can play I show up every day trying to find what I can improve on to help my team,” Grayson said. The positive vibes and motivation radiate from player to player and McGhin said that’s what keeps him going. “It’s a brotherhood,” McGhin said. The Pirates are not worrying about their personal goals, but what they can do together, as a team.“ Win out, I’m not really focusing on any personal goals, just making sure this team can win out and win every game on the rest of our schedule, which I know we can do,” McGhin said. Transfer Quarterback from Duke, Thomas Sirk said he has an unconditional love for the game no matter what the scoreboard says at the end of the 4th quarter. “I think this is a city that loves football and it’s my passion. I love to get out there every Saturday and play.I’m one of those guys who enjoys the week, the Tuesdays, the Wednesdays,” Sirk said. “I just love it, getting out there with the team- mates and getting better.” Sirk’s football passion made him come back for a 6th year as a graduate student just to have another season to play football. At the end of the day, the Pirates love playing football just as much as the fans love watching them. Greenville is a city that has been thriving off of ECU football since 1932. The sport brings students, fans, families, visitors and the players all together. Excited fans cheering on the home team. Pirates players ready to defeat the opposing team while standing ready on the sideline. Photos by Charlee Moss Pirates football practicing for future games and the big upcoming homecoming game. 132 Story by Annah Schwartz In a field, with orbs of paint flying past their faces during a match, the intensity of paintball is a feeling that has drawn Paris Silver and Chris Altekruse into the game for years. Silver’s love for paintball began in middle school, which is what eventually brought him to join East Carolina University’s paintball club. “I started playing paintball in the sixth grade and then I came here (to ECU) and started playing paintball again my freshman year...and ever since then, I’ve fallen in love with it,” Silver, a senior health and fitness major, said. For club president Altekruse, his passion for the sport began at an even younger age and carried on into his college years. “| started as a little kid, playing with my dad. I started playing again (after high school), I found a team that travels the country and all of that. They picked me up and then pretty much, ever since then, I’ ve been playing every single weekend,” Altekruse, a junior health and fitness major, said. For both players though, the club sport team has since become one of their closest group of friends at ECU. “When I took over as president, I wanted to be a family,” Altekruse said. “You’re going to see each other every single weekend, you're going to see each other in class, on campus— you might as well be best friends.” Over the years, this bond has strengthened the team to overcome all odds. The team ranked seventh in the nation in April 2017 to close the 2016-17 season at the NCPA National Championship Tournament in Kissimmee, Florida, making it the team’s best year and also making ECU history with the ranking, according to Altekruse. This history-making rank came after a disappointing year at nationals in 2015. “We kind of shocked the nation last year, because in 2015 we didn’t do so well,” Altekruse said. “We didn’t win a single game and kind of got shutout all weekend.” The team hopes to keep up the momentum and to prepare for 2018’s nationals, the team spent the fall semester practicing at least twice a month. “We just practice, practice, practice until nationals,” Silver said. “I think we’ll do better in the upcoming nationals, just because we have everyone returning from last year and we’ ve had a couple new guys come in who are really good. I think this is going to be our best year.” Prior to April’s nationals, the team revs up its practice time and typically spends every weekend, for approximately four weeks, practicing, according to Altekruse. “We'll travel to Virginia Beach to play on our sponsored field. We go there Saturday, stay at my parents house and then we'll play Sunday as well. We do that for about four weeks,” Altekruse said. “Then we’ll go to Florida for nation- als and play Friday, Saturday, Sunday. It’s just a lot of practice and team bonding.” For Altekruse, the goal this season is to continue making history. “We have some seniors we want to send off with a good win, and with the way we performed last year, I’m really hop- ing we'll win the whole thing,” Altekruse said. | | 1 “Keni Kurosawa Sophomore Kenji Kurosawa has been dancing for three semesters ever since his friends introduced it to him. “I picked it up pretty quick, and I stayed because it was fun, I wanted to get better, and I really enjoy seeing others compete.” It’s a sport where people can come together to have a good time, even if you’re not a dancer, “I have no prior experience. I guess I like dancing, more formal than casual.” Kenji will continue his ballroom career if he can, there are so many other things to try at ECU, “I’m going to be auditioning for theater productions, but if I can, I'd like to remain a positive energy for the club.” aS rents cre Photo by Charlee Moss 135 pence eae Raas Indian Dance Story by Summer Reynolds Raas Indian Dance is one of the many club sports offered at East Carolina University. Raas 1s a style of Indian folk dance that originates from Western India, from the state of Gujarat. “It is the culmination of both fast and slow movements, with high energy, intense arm and leg movements, and the use of dandiya’s, which are sticks,” said Anjalie Salunkie, a sophomore apart of the club, majoring in public health. The club usually consists of 16 to 20 members and they meet three times a week for regular practice for three hours in the Student Recreation Center. ““When we have upcoming competitions, we add practices as seen fit,” said Sahiti Marella, a senior apart of the club, also majoring in public health. Raas dance involves high energy consistently throughout the routine. “Because of the vigorous movements it 1s easy to get tired, but we practice to build endurance and strength and that definitely shows from when we first start learning a routine to the point where we are performing it on stage,” said Marella. The Raas Dance club 1s the only cultural dance group at ECU and Marella said that’s what makes the club unique. “ECU is the one and only “all-girls” Raas team in the nation and that really sets us apart because traditionally, Raas teams have equal numbers of males and females on stage and on the team, so we’ re the only all girls group.” ECU Raas has won 2nd place at Dola Re Dandiya and 3rd place at Pittsburgh Raas, both of which are national Raas competitions. Salunkie said the club has helped her preserve her Indian roots. “Raas has not only given me the opportunity to develop myself as a dancer and leader, but it has also helped me preserve my passion for dance and undying love for India and its rich culture and traditions.” If you’re looking for a group a girls to share a love of Indian culture, Raas Indian dance is the club for you. A beautiful shot of all the dancers giving it their all in performance The club performing on stage A group shot of all the amazing dancers Photos from the Raas Indian Dance Club pS? Rugby Story by Summer Reynolds Rain, snow, or shine you can catch East Carolina University’s club rugby team outside on the field anytime.The physically and mentally demanding club sport is 7-1 this season and is in the national playoffs for division II rugby. Jared Huneycutt, a junior and construction management major, is a rookie this year and is enjoying every second of being on the team. “Our team chemistry has been impeccable this season, which has been the root source of our success,” Huneycutt said. Huneycutt is also a former ECU football player who played two seasons as a Pirate. Huneycutt eventually decided to part ways with ECU football | and that’s when his door to club rugby opened. “My friend Robert, “King of the North,” drug me out | to practice one day and once I found out for myself the sheer intensity and instinctiveness to play the l| game, I fell in love,” Huneycutt said. “The atmosphere in rugby is more upbeat, everyone is there to have fun and play a sport they love. Football is harder in the aspect of mentally draining, but nothing compares to the physical aspect of rugby, which consist of two half’s that are 40 minutes apiece.” ECU club rugby practices for two hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and they have their games on Saturdays. Huneycutt said him and his teammates get together everyday to lift weights to ensure their strength and size. The diverse club has members from Australia, Zimbabwe, Japan and even England, where the sport originated in the 1800s. Robert Johns, a junior and information computer technology network major has been on the club team for one year and said his most memorable moment so far is being the eastern division champions. “We practice in any weather conditions and my goal this season is to go to nationals and win,” Johns said. Johns is the friend that got Huneycutt involved with club rugby. Huneycutt too, hopes to win nationals this year being a rookie on the team. “A goal for myself is to score my first try and to win the national championship,” Huneycutt said. A try is a way of scoring points in rugby by grounding the ball in the Opponent’s 1n-goal area. If the team keeps advancing, club rugby will travel to Furman University in Greenville, SC on Dec. 4 for the national championship. The team is solely focusing on one goal the rest of the season and this CEAHAMIK RUGBY FOUNDATION sean awkrugay.com ee oe Sat neti ee ihn le an me ° mec a — ‘Men’s Rugby Team Photos by Campus Recreation & Wellness l ceeretnaecacuiettsistte clasts TTC ee AN St NRC ACC Scuba Jacob Rohlen knew he wanted to be apart of East Carolina University’s scuba club when he tried scuba diving his senior year of high school. “I knew right away that this could be a life-long passion of mine. When I came here I noticed ECU offered a course to get certified and while in that course, I was introduced to the members of the scuba team.” Story by Summer Reynolds Rohlen is a junior at ECU studying business administration and is also apart of ECU’s financial management administration. The scuba diver’s resume continues with also being an Air Force reservist stationed at Joint Base Charleston, working as an Aircraft Technician. ECU’s scuba club has traveled to the North Carolina coast, all the way down to Key West, and as far as Cancun, Turks and Caicos, and Cozumel. The club currently consist of 53 members and Rohlen said there is no tryouts for the scuba club. “We just require that you hold a Basic Underwater diving certification.” To become a certified diver Rohlen said you must first become knowledgeable through basic certification books, as well as pass a comprehensive test and evaluate well on two open water dives. “And before that you must show competency in an open circuit. It sounds like a lot more than it really is. If 1t is something you really want to do right, I recommend taking the course here at ECU, it’s even worth 3 credit hours.” The scuba club aims to meet every other week to discuss upcoming dive trips and what other ECU club sports they should participate in. Rohlen said they have enjoyed participating in club bowling, paintball, and camping in the past. From floating weightlessly over the sea to looking at indigenous sea creatures, Rohlen’s favorite part about being on the club is when his body first hits the water. “Your body kicks into a sensation of needing to breath above water, but being able to do it while under water. It’s just a crazy feeling and then you get used to it and start diving.” If you’re certified diver looking to broaden your horizons, ECU scuba club could be the club for you. A student enjoying his time under Photo by Campus Recreation & the sea Wellness tate et ptm oe Fay ~ Soccer Club By: Summer Reynolds | From club yoga, to fencing, to tai chi, East Carolina University offers over 40 club sports for students, | faculty and staff to participate in. ECU men’s club soccer is among the 40 plus clubs offered and senior Kendal Cleary said the club sport gives him the perfect mixture of being an athlete and a regular student. “T wanted to be a student and enjoy life and also be able to play somewhat competitive soccer on the side. I think the program offers just that,” Cleary said. Cleary has been on the club soccer team for four years and said it’s an all around fun time. In the fall the team practices three times a week and has eight regional games on the weekends. If the team does well they can qualify for the regional tournament and advance to nationals. The team does not have mandatory morning workouts, study hours, or film meetings to review their past games.“‘It is a good break to get away from school, stress and everything else in your life and enjoy playing soccer. It is a close niche of guys and it is nice how it is competitive but not life consuming,” Cleary said. Cleary, who’s the team’s forward, said his favorite memory over the past four years was when the team went to the national tournament.““We qualified for nationals last year in Foley, Alabama. We took a charter bus 14 hours down there and played amongst the best teams in the country. It was a great team that year and a fun time traveling down there and playing well, despite losing in the quarter finals,” Cleary said. “My favorite memory from playing with the club team is traveling down to Coastal Carolina University and winning their tournament they held,” Gallo said. Zac Gallo is the team’s outside defensive back and has been playing soccer since he was 4-years-old. Men’s club soccer athletes pay around $120 in dues for each semester. “It is very cheap,” Cleary said. “This covers equipment which we order, normally two dry fit shirts and shorts, travel to games, referees for games and practice equipment. We get some funding from the school based off compliance points. You can get a lot out of the program for that amount to pay.” To improve the program, Cleary said the team needs a full coach and not coach who is a member of the team. “This method has many pros and cons but certainly more cons. It is hard to stay focused when a peer is in charge. It is also hard for the player-coach to take a step back and play who is best for the team without a biased,” Cleary said. Club sports at ECU are designed to promote and develop skills and interest for students, while having a fun time. The club sports community is a great way for students to get involved, practice leadership and get to know students outside of the classroom. 142 Se ee ee ee ee nena The Men’s Soccer Club Games day out in the leld. Photos from Soccer Club -nnucntamnmemehiemaesnttinemste ntti testinal t AONT LANA a ANN CCEA OITA AO b S) S a i © Oo = — = Oo a : OO * & ; ; | J am ! Ts 555 re NEE ; ipeeaes ert an et Lae jae: * ——— nn qat i 144 | 2 - oe a a — ie —— 3 3 : = ———— a Freshman Kaysi Benson joined her first year of college —“T decided to join because learning to ballroom dance “was always something new that I was wanting to try!” It’s a sport that surprises people, most people don’t see dancing on the top of their watch list, “My favorite dances are east coast swing and waltz, and I enjoy dancing because it’s a fun form of exercise and makes me feel elegant!” 145 pontine snaesteie ane: aT OCIDate act tm 4 | { | 7. Dive! This student makes a splash with good form. 1 | The backstroke is a fun | style to swim in.. | | il lll f Students swim hard and fast to come out on top Ph otos by Holly Melton annem ccna TOOT Swimming Swimming 1s a sport that combines all kind of physical aspects to do. Students who have been swimming for years make it look easy and very graceful, but it takes a lot of hard work and prac- tice. ECU 1s proud to have such an amazing club full of amazing people. The swim team had a great time at Nationals this past April, the club is growing and so 1s the fun. Club swimming 1s something for everyone, and anyone is welcome. acer n angmncoerianaaaa i rae a * ae _ ~ or Se eed ~ . a a vem eteae ON ES - 5 et eee ee a yatta IIE MNOS AP oH “ Photo Charlee Moss | Kiana Morgan Ballroom Dance Freshman Kiana Morgan joined her first year because she truly loves the sport, “I joined the ballroom dance club because I’m a fan of the show Dancing With the Stars and I was interested in learning some of the dances I’d seen on TV. I love the club because of the people in it.” It’s become one of her favorite activities at ECU. She has found many new friends, “Everyone is friendly, regardless of whether they are a new member or a veteran member. It’s really fun to be a part of!”’ She also has a favorite out of the many dances they learn, “ My favorite dance is probably the cha cha. It’s the first dance I learned and I have the most fun dancing that one.” The womens volleyball team lin- ing up before a game to discuss the game plan. sie a : Sree = ; eee aa8 : eearertrartes: = ae — ees ee ee esse asetaeeeese 2 eee siriisesesesesensnss: 8 oe ooo Soe cou esos sages Sitaswunsnsserseses Sueteageeeaee SSSR RET Bret eles trices et rei i : ite geese GSES te RRR AT ASMA LESAN ARAN ESS SAE O ER Pegi aaa RANT AORN a ae ea og aig ait MNES ST NSE SE ae a aR OR aa SM SST TE RE EE aS San a AOE ON SIS Ne EET RRS ae Reena papa oN HSA ESSERE NS “T will remember the adrenaline. I will remember that excited nervousness right before the game starts. I'll remember certain games and Ill remember getting so excited for every point. I will remember competing as a very high level. But mostly, Pll miss my teammates,” Lael Ceriani said, a senior majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology. Ceriani just finished her last season as the outside hitter for East Carolina University women’s volleyball team. The volleyball team’s final record was 22-11, which was a huge accomplishment for the Pirates considering their record has not reached that high since 1982. ““We reached a lot of team goals this year and that was awesome. A 22 win sea- son is no small feat. I really wanted to play in the NIVC tournament, but we didn’t get it this year. I won’t have another opportunity to play and that’s disappointing, but I know that ECU volleyball will achieve so much in the near future,” Ceriani said. : aaa we “SER eae Srrerpearram spy cemsuems patty Mmnnanpsunsinetaattnitale ol ter arte Erevan (3P=1ap Ear ny see fna ve od Ta bene eT ra EY SAA PARI PAAR RAD AAAS Aree TAT TI Teamates on the sidline cheering after a ; ee ee ee point was scored on the oposing team by the : wamens volleyball team From being good on the court to being someone the younger Pirates can look up to, Ceriani makes sure she always leads by example. “Even when things suck, you have to act like they don’t. Sure, 6 a.m. practices and workouts aren't the greatest thing in the world, but if you remind the younger players what a privilege it is to play ball, everything be- comes worth it. I’ve learned that you have to lead by example to be effective and I hope that I did that this year through a positive attitude.” Natalie Montini a senior majoring in Exercise Physiology tries her best to always stay positive toward the younger players.““The impact that you have on the younger players coming in is something that sometimes I still do not under- stand entirely. You have to make sure that you are always doing the right thing even whenever they are not looking and guide them to not only work hard, but become a better person along the way.” reed sc icce sneak oracarovonnesanmvanipar eee shiek anon iteniads HPRRERE PREPS DCT a cate ECU volleyball had a 13-7 mark in conference play, which has surpassed league wins in the program’s history. ECU also locked down sole possession of fourth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) standings. The Pirates were picked to finish 11th in the 2017 American Conference preseason coaches poll, but Montini had more faith in her and her teammates. “We had more team goals than anything. We just wanted to compete in our conference. We knew we Photos by:Charlee Moss, Holy Melton were better than what preseason polls said, so we just wanted to continue to work hard and get better.” by: Summer Reynolds East Carolina University cheerleaders have been bringing the heat to Pirate game days for years. The spirited squad serves as public ambassadors for ECU while also generating crowd enthusiasm. ECU offers an all girls squad and a coed team to represent the university on game days and public appearances. Virginia Jernigan, a senior who has been on the coed squad for 4 years, said being an ECU cheerleader is more than a pretty face on the field. “Being on the coed team to me means representing something bigger than myself. It means representing the university as a whole whether it’s walking to class in a cheerleading shirt, doing appearances around the town or boarding the plane as we travel to the away games,” Jernigan said. “Being chosen to represent ECU as a cheerleader has been the most rewarding experience out of all of my college endeavors.” Each year a select number of ECU Pirate Club members request to sit in front of the cheerleaders at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. “In my opinion ECU Cheerleading stands out because we are more than friends, we’re family,” Jernigan said. The ECU coed team consists of 24 members, who have the opportunity to travel to away games with the football team and perform stunts during games. Haywood Mckoy I, a sophomore on the coed team said he basks ECU colors everywhere he goes. “As spirit raisers, we cheer at games both seasons and we are responsible for making any appearances asked of us by the university. ECU cheer is made up of a lot of talent yet its biggest quality is the atmosphere of camaraderie amongst professionalism that is seen from the stands,” Mckoy said. The preparation for the season requires the athletes to be in good physical shape. “Being on your feet and jumping around to get the crowd excited takes a lot of stamina,’ Madison Cheek said, a senior on the all-girls squad. Both squads run a two- mile loop around Greenville before every practice, while also having weekly weight training and tumbling practice. Jernigan said being on the squad takes mental preparation as well. “As far as the mental aspect, college cheerleading is challenging in the fact that you have so little time and so much to do. My planner 1s my life and I always try to use my time to the best of my ability,” Jernigan said. The life of a student athlete can be challenging at times, but ECU cheer does it with a smile. To become one with yourself has become the goal of 99 yogis. Each week they gather to practice yoga in hope to achieve a mind, body, and spirit connection during their practice. These yogis spend much of their time as students at East Carolina University where they are in various clubs, classes, and sports. With many obligations they do not get a lot of time to themselves unless they are getting to practice yoga. “It’s such a stress reliever. I love coming and just being able to relax and shut everything out that might be stressing me out or bothering me,” Yoga Club President Alyssa Basile said. “It’s time to care for myself and to tune into my body and how I feel.” Basile said the best thing about club yoga is that it doesn’t make you commit to practice each week, it is up for you to decide to attend. “It is more of a commitment to yourself. If you make time to come as much as you can, you are just going to get more out of it,” Basile said. The club welcomes beginners, intermediate and skilled yogis. They always start with basic yoga fundamentals such each member feels included and successful in their growing practice. “A lot of people think that they need to have experience or that they need to be flexible in order to be a part of yoga, but you definitely don’t have to be,” Treasurer Dakota Pavell said. “ I had never done yoga in my entire life before I joined in the spring. It’s one of those things where you learn as you go along.” “At club yoga, we have a lot of fun with what we are doing,” Basile said. “It’s okay to laugh, it’s okay to fall, it’s okay to not be good at something. Just have fun with it.” Club yoga meets every Monday and Wednesday from 7-8 p.m. in East Carolina University’s Student Recreation Cen- ter. Year membership is $45 and Spring membership is $35. For $5 anyone is welcome to take one of their classes. Namaste. ain i RN I ORE EA ON te 133 . - oT See seen Rs ep rcarme : + ananassae e i 7 ° " oa wns ~ ~ os 1 tenn an tre wet rma oe e ‘ “ - . * . y | } i i ve a C) C) au _ CD CD = - CD a = x © O ~~ | Hi j | | } | | i staat : een ay Bian uate ‘i ‘ . . ss * : ee ee eee eames enein nist — 2 at tenet ee aia ant ee neceitiaiiaiediniiiiaes . ve seni cial oe cn nant eas cateene etersee teattent eee ee if ‘ dh A Ae - ft it . é j aes eS ara st eae Saar, - . PARR setae cee: Nastassia Arrington John Baptista Taylor Barbour i | He i 7 Lauren Biesemeyer / i 7 Hi th | Victoria Bode Erica Bonner Abiola Busuyi Danielle Carr Jacinta Cofield Brianna Collins Jean Culbreth Carrigan Paige Davis Michael Davis Julia Florack Jan Flynn Pi a He Hs | — He Hy i Hf . i] a - . } | a | i | |) / i) i Hi i] i J i | | Briana Gray Ashley Hester-Petteway Laurena Grissett Kayla Hicks Wg ay CJ e Hayley Hopkins Autumn Gunsley Amber Hill Adriennie Hull Alice Fratoni Erica Holloway ee rye ree ce RS Pamela Jahnke De’ Mone’ Jordan Whitney Keever Heidi Knecht Ja ‘Cole bee & Samantha Kofroth Sophie Kolawole Laurel Lacey Sydney Lattimore Kaleigh Launsby — Essence LeGrande ~ a : ornate - a + wo tnwae eg ee " 2 eee ANE ARO no i Re mam — se ie Miranda Lewis Cynthia Lezama-Bernal Jasmine Martin Dominique Jerrette Rhyan os Breanna _ Jermica McCrimmon McDowell McKinnon Mumford Caroline Murphy Kristen Murphy 162 | | 7 i) i y, . Gabriela Yasmene Odeh India Peele Obregon-Gamarra Shelby Heather | Morgan Randolph Katherinn Rojas Rabil Jonelle Romero Tremayne Salim Hana Saljanin Javeria Salman Christa Sanderford Sorrell Saunders — x : 9 a ee sere Rn e-em nnte nn. diene hanna in tt a een Ashley-Laren | Ashanta Smith Smalls Deja-Denice Sherrod David Taylor Jr. Lauren Sura David Taylor Lawren Upson Megan Turner Wesley Thigpen Giovanni Triana Hekima Wainaina Abbey Vann ——S oo SS race Watkevich Alexa Williams ivia Willis Robynique Willis-Brown Elyssa Wooten Ashleigh Yearde Nadiya Yerich nian : " = sen eileen sh an AR tt nA Na ARCs casiamsti ek ee " menos a oe A student climbing the rock wall in the Student Rec Center while another student supports them. Photo by: Charlee Moss We finally have a solid group of officers that we’ ve built up and now we hard core represent at the competi- tions. We show up as a group, in our uniforms and club shirts, with about [5 peonle andrepresent ECU. 99 -junior Alana Leonard 166 sa eee EO The rock climbing club at East Carolina University is still growing considering it was founded just four years ago, but under a new president, the team is already achieving big things this 2017. Alana Leonard, a junior psychology and Spanish double-major, has been an active member of the rock climbing club since her freshman year, and was rewarded this semester for her dedication. Two years ago, AJ Rimes, the founder and former president of the club, graduated and since the president’s role has been a revolving door. Well, Leonard took the role this semester, along with new Vice President Sean Jenkins, and 1s already leading a pretty big group. “We have about 35 active members that are coming to practices, “ Leonard said. “We have three practices every week. Advanced is on Monday, we have our intermediate on Tuesday, and our beginners on Wednesday. We do this because that’s how they break it down at competitions.” The Pirates are off to a strong start in the Eastern Edge Climbing series, the league in which they compete. In this league, ECU competes against the University of North Carolina at both Chapel Hill and Greensboro, Duke University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Old Dominion University, Appalachian State and Richmond. So far there have been just two competitions but ECU’s club is off to a great Start. On November 11, ECU was competing at Duke and followed up a strong first performance with a dominant outing. The club team swept both advanced levels with Leonard dominating the female group while Alex Hammerstrom overcame his teammate Eric Evanger for the victory. Evanger placed second. In the men’s intermediate group, Jenkins put on a strong performance in his first competition since being named vice president, but lost in a tie because of one slip-up. “The only reason I didn’t get first is because the guy who beat me didn’t fall the entire time during the competition and I fell once,” Jenkins said. “I was honestly ok with that though because it was the first time I ever placed in the intermediate section.” The first competition of the season wasn’t as strong for ECU, but still a strong outing on the road at Old Dominion. The Pirates had a strong showing but failed to capture too many gold medals. Only Evanger, competing in the advanced males group, finished first, edging out ODU’s own Steven Gottlieb by one point. ECU finished in second in the intermediate males, Tom Bonin, advanced females, Leonard, and intermediate females, Joy Seward. Both beginner levels claimed bronze, Liam Pyle for the men and Lacy Timmerman for the women. There’s been a lot of growth from this club since 2013 and some of the credit is due to ECU’s Student Recreation Center. Behind all the basketball courts sits ECU's rock climbing wall. While it’s open to anybody, the club team puts in the most work, hosting their three practices here and preparing for upcoming events. The Pirates will even host an event on Saturday, February 24. Jenkins thinks practicing on such a funky wall gives the team an advantage. “Our wall is not that good of a wall at all. It’s short, really overhanging, and very steep so you’re kind of forced to gain muscle,” Jenkins said. “Then when we go to some of these other walls that are more flat and more technical, we have the muscle to overcome some of the challenges.” The greatest of challenges seem to be behind the club for right. With a young hierarchy in place, the team can continue focusing on perfecting their skills and continuing to expand the club. Information about the club can be found in the club sports pamphlet found all over the recreation center, on Facebook, and Instagram. This semester the team was even able to pay off every members fees to compete in both events and plan on trying to continue this trend. Buccaneer Yearbook Staff The Buccaneer Yearbook staff worked harder than ever this year to make this book one to remember forever. Our staff may be small but we make the | Dest O1 Il, @m Tack | Kaitlyn West Summer Reynolds Reporter Reporter unior Communications Major Senior Communication Major Reporters not photographed Aidan Gresham i) Freshman hotographers not photog radley Strickland unior raphed Charlee Moss Photographer Junior Fine Art Major aes nema tl to - Lastest SON eS SE: Me enactment em Dancer practicing their routine while incorperating pom pom: mY CULTURES 1S Nort A COSTUME Getting their routine down pat as the dancers continue to pracitce. Photos by: Charlee Moss 170 by: Summer Reynolds Whether you have see them at an East Carolina University club sport performing, at an on campus event representing their club, or an off campus function supporting a cause, the ECU club dance team is making a name for themselves. “This year already we have been doing a great job of getting our name around the community and I would love to continue to do so, so that everyone knows who the club dance team is and what we do,” Graceann King said, a sophomore majoring in communications. The team of 31 won first place in ECU’s homecoming skit competition this year and King said that is a moment she will never forget. “It was a huge accomplishment considering how hard we worked toward our perfor- mance.” The skit competition consisted of various organizations across campus that had to perform a five minute skit in front of multiple judges. “It has been my most memorable moment so far,” King said. King has been dancing since she was 3-years-old, but had to take a pause at age 14 when she transferred to an all girls private boarding school where dancing wasn’t an option. King soon picked the sport back up when she was 18-years-old and has been con- tinuing with it since. “Dance has always been a passion of mine, so I decided that I wanted to be able to enjoy doing what I love for four more years in college since I missed out on a few years in high school.” When it comes to off campus appearances, club dance has performed at many local events. “We have attended various walks and marathons. For example, Walk MS, Walk From Obesity, Reindeer Dash for Cash, Alzheimer’s and the Breast Cancer Walk,” Diedra Burdett said, a senior majoring in public health. Club dance also tries to show support to the other club sports ECU has to offer. ““We perform as “dugout dancers” for the ECU club baseball team,” Burdett said. Burdett has been dancing since she was 2-years-old and it has been her passion ever since. “Dancing at ECU was kind of a no brainer for me. This might sound so cliché to say, but I honestly don’t know what I would do without dance. I’ve been dancing my entire life. I’ve met all of my closest friends through dance and I couldn’t imag- ine not being a part of a team anymore. And what better way to give back and become involved with the school, then doing what I love.” ECU club dance practices three times a week for two hours. The club is student ran and has an executive board consisting of a co-captain in training, a co-captain and a captain. “Everyone else tries out in front of a random judge panel each year to make the team. And then each year at the end, as the captain graduates, the co-captain and co-captain in training move up and we vote in a new co-captain in training to keep the cycle going,” Brudett said. ECU club dance is one of the many club sports offered at ECU and also a close-knit group of spirit raisers. “I wouldn’t change anything at all about this program and if you are a dancer or interested in dancing I strongly recom- mend you give it a chance and try out. This team has truly become my family, and made my time here at ECU an experience I wish everyone could have the opportunity of being a part of,” Burdett said. “I wouldn’t change anything at all about this program and if you are a dancer or interested in dancing I strongly recommend you give it a chance and try out.” Diedra Burdett, senior wal Tach i tk RRO RN A Eh Atami chee ARE I Stn iene i RE AREY hein NEN a HOW A CONTRACT MANUFACTURER NEVER LOSES SIGHT OF WHAT IT’S REALLY MAKING. For most companies, time and money are always on the line. At Thermo Fisher Scientific, the stakes are much higher. You see, we know that our biopharma clients’ brilliant discoveries save lives. Millions of them. But only if we can help them meet clinical development milestones to get their drugs Com oy-14(- 1a) eM Malo LMM dah me -Mere) inl eli al-M-ye) ol al cya (er- tile m-yel(-Jalei-M- lace m-Jale|lal-\-1alare| strategies with industry-leading experience and, most importantly, our passion for making a difference. We call it the power of human ingenuity. The results? More than 1,000 new molecules developed for clinical trial, and 112 new drug approvals launched in the last decade - more than the next Tp Mare laleie- (ea tela-le-merelatlelial-cemm 101M Ui demuall|i(olarcmanlele-m ey-\i(-lalcow- lie lidiare male treatments every day, we know our work is just getting started. (Patheon ona Find out more at thermofisher.com/patheon ThermofFisher STCLiEN Ti Fi«G © 2018 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. All rights reserved. |=} [eo] Mele) ler « EARLY DEVELOPMENT « CLINICAL TRIAL SOLUTIONS ~« COMMERCIAL MANUFACTURING a . eee octane meer SRO a ss “ aon . Capp SE! . oo etn RRR tie Serious savin is on auto Insurance. (919) 782-1705. www.ncfbins.com FARM UAL INSURANCE aad Reelin n Enron Bi ies aaa i‘ = *Farm Bureau © insurance of North Carolina, inc. 2 Oe ah Co R. 2S Lite } r. Jackson MS J = 4 i ty . Fer] 3 fale 2 Ps 4, f sites, 2: Chinld Association _ Step up to the challenge. Se within our retail store setting. Ee -and an innovat To learn more about our opportunities and to apply, visit: uscellular.jobs .US.Cellul Surprise Yourself — Equal Opportunity Employer - Minorities/Women/Veterans/Di at ee ee . — a a _ _. 25) 10n ina ae : i i gj a a ate - 252-933-0510 Emergency & After Hours ee eae Soe aes: ae Seeecreees _. _ . oS o 4 eee _ | to. the Kinston, North Carolina 28501 rvice Division @ ECU Graduates! a tein = seeee ” oe North Carol 3 . fpf 7 in % P.O. Box 6129 = _ . oe es = SS — SS — — : _ _ _ Bree . J. Construct NCOCORPORA YT EB Sees = i _ oe | oS . = Se pees = ae ree 4 a L ierce Insurance to be their voluntary ider. Sees SS a Sees eee ae i 000 employees with g “Electrical Se RUCT a a Hee oe oe Saeed Sees es 252-686-5191 ee . have chosen P Zeit IN Over 400 benefits prov i tf Office fee ae u i es pets a _ i oS Se _ ee =: % s fi USE A DESIGNATED D ‘National College Health Assessment HN AMheUSeneB Us. GET THE PAINT. GET PUMPED. THAT’S PREPARATION bh OF COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO D 4 fj reoeememse noe see EIT A ee en “e \V/=1 al =\-) ae aed V/=IN] =f =f eam Pern |) ele) ome | (eve) 1e)y- We) www.veneertech.com Since 1949 AIR CONDITIONING , | aka 5 t 4 is A FE S c NIR A L_ HEATING 2317 Nc Highway 1 307 Hooker Rd. Kinston, NC 2850 Greenville, NC 27834 FENCE COMPANY 252) 527-6676 (252) 752-4187 952-757-1265 angratutations ECU Graduates! ITALIAN KITCHEN Best Wishes to the SECU Pirates and to the 2018 Graduates! be vena nies . is timnaemeiias ome a - sai . ™ : srecsememeeteniantanened c-nasineninr amen eere enterica eames meneinall Senate atte in EOS LOR CNS Ecc BIEN ng inn ATT ACERT CN ART it ROOT ELD OAL ORL ALO NLD LO LALA LALO AAS “We offer buy here, pay here financing which means no one gets turned down. No matter credit situation you are approved.” ‘www.shopearmart.com | (252) 321-8600 955 Brompton Lane | Greenville, NC 27834 East Carolina Me ee eHletwork Solutions Ca “oUrvelllance Systems ras * Access Contra Pe Eugene Clark Phone: 252-916-2322 License # 2299-CSA » eastcarolinacomm@embarqmall.com Congratulations Construction Management Graduates GO PIRATES! www.spcmechanical.com » ow = MILLWORK COMPANY, INC. “Blending old world craftmanship with new world technology.” Congratulations Class of 2018! Wilson, NC www.smcinc.com oO. oer rpg 1107 SOUTH DENNIS ST ENFIELD, NC 27823 PHONE: (252) 445-5174 lileSetters of Raleigh, Ine. Congratulations to the CCU Graduates! 5411 Old Poole Road Raleigh, NC 27610 P: (919) 231-7420 ® F: (919) 231-7405 North Carolina Third-Generation Family Owned CT WI LSON General Contractor www.tilesettersofraleigh.com CONSTRUCTION [919-383-2535] ctwilson.com Congratulations lo the Gach sates of Gast Ecoles University! 176 7 ss [ Graduate | tulla | fa Cong 2AoOIS S 4 t “Do not follow where the path may made i YOUrPVe IS ~Ralph Waldo Emerson lead. Go, instead, where there no path and leave a trail.” ae ij 1 irl ent Barnwell, Ryan 8 Bass, Jolyn 158 Batchelor, Daniel 115 Batchelor, Damel 114 Beach, Virginia 132 Bell, Peim i360 Benson, Kaysi 101, 144, 145 Bernard, Robin 158 Black, Brittanee 116 Bode, Victoria i535 Bonin, Lom 106 Bonner, Erica 158 Bowman, Emma 95 Breanna 162 Britt, Hunter 23 Broder, Natalie 35 Brown, Jaden 159 Bryant, Korina 159 Bush, Jers 102 Busuyi, Abiola 159 Carr, Danielie 159 Ceriani, Lael 91 Chatham, Grant 171 Cheek, Madison 92 Cheripko, Morgan 94, 95 Classic, Rico 80 Index Cleary, Kendal 142 Cockernam, John 25 Cofield, Jacinta 159 Cole, Thomas 114 Coleman, Celstial 114 Symbols Collins, Brianna 159 Condon, Nick 150 Cook, Hatch 150 A Craig, Madelyn 41 Cruz, Ariana 32 Cucel, Samantha 123 Culbreth, Jean 159 Adams, Aliyah 158 Adams, Tyla 158 Agarwal, Sumeet 158 Cultural, Ledonia Wright 21 Aiken, Trina 158 Alexandra 160 Allen, Marla 158 D Alonso, Alejandra 34 Daeke, Katie 28 Altekruse, Chris 132 Dandiya, Dola Re 136 Alyssa 133 | Dash, Reindeer 11] Arrington, Nastassia 158 David, Davarion 35 Ashley 160 Davis, Carrigan Paige 159 Davis, Lyndsay 35 B Davis, Michael 159 Devine, Kevin 8, 124, 126, 170 DiSorbo, Sarah 159 Dunton, Dedrick 159 Baptista, John 158 Barbour, Taylor 158 Barnwell, Garrett 8 178 E Edwards, Afton 159 Evanger, Eric 106 Florack, Julia 159 Flynn, Ian 159 Flynn, Jessica 160 Foster, Chynna 160 Foust, Bailey 23 Fratoni, Alice 160 Gabriela 163 Gaies, Carl 114 Gallagher, Isabelle 41 Gallo, Zac 142 Gottesman, Aaron 150 Gottlieb, Steven 106 Gray, Briana 160 Grayson, Davon 70 ifiesham, Aidan 29, 31, 32, 39, 16s Gresham, Aiden 8 Grissett, Laurena 160 Gunsley, Autumn 160 H Hamlett, Karen 17 Hammerstrom, Alex 106 meney, Robert 112, 113 Harriot, Thomas 46 Herring, James 160 Hickey, Mike 150 Hicks, Kayla 160 Hill, Amber 160 Hofbauer, Lisa 87 ois, Cliff 43, 77, 89 Holloway, Erica 160 Hopkins, Hayley 160 Hull, Adriennie 160 Huneycutt, Jared 138 Hunter, Jessica 161 Huston, John 35 Ihtasham, Ayisha 23 Irons, Emily 118 J Jackson, Mariesha 161 Janke, Pamela 161 Jaouhari, Michael 124 yenkins, Sean 106 Jerman, Irey 113 Jetmiced 152 Jernigan, Virginia 92 Jeinelic 162 Johns, Robert 138 Jordan, Dé Mone i161 Jr, David Taylor 164 Justice, Faca 25 K Karate, The Isshinryu 131 Keelan, Andrew 126 Keever, Whitney 161 Kenji, Kent 101 Kershaw, Germonie 161 King, Graceann 111 Knecht, Heidi 161 Knight, Ja’Cole 161 Kofroth, Samantha 161 Kolawole, Sophie 161 Kurosawa, Kenji 134 Kurosawa, Kent Kenji 134 L Lake, Chetokee FOZ Lattimore, Sydney 161 Launsby, Kaleigh 161 LeGerande Bscence ligl Leonard, Alana 106 Peonarc tamer fo” Leonard, Well 106 Lett, Amiber 102 Lewis, Miranda 162 Linan, Andrea 34 Locklear, Kelsey 162 M Marella, Sahiti 136 Marks, Shontel 162 Martin, Jasmine 162 McGhin, Garrett 70 Melton, Holly 28, 33, 33, 79, 90, 04, 174 135, 146, 150) 169 Monica 101 Montini, Natalie 91 Morgan, Kiana 101, 149 Moss, Charlee 22, 36, 71.73: 15, 93, 101 107 110); 125, 144. [43, 16° Munger, Alex 100 Murphy, Caroline 162 Murphy, Kristen 162 Murray, Morgan 39 Singleton, Rebekah 164 Sinick, Meg 150 Sirk, Thomas 70 N Smalls, Ashley-Laren 164 Neville, Jessica 163 Smith, Ashanta 164 Smith, Samantha 98 i) \ Strickland, Bradley 9, 28, 169 | | Odeh, Yasmene 163 4) Taylor, Blake 81 | ig Taylor, David 164 Pastino, Matt 102 Tayviog, Fiamma 15, 21, 25, 50, 132, 170 Pavell, Dakota 153 Thomas, Sarah 151 Payne, Virginia 14, 30, 82, 166, 171 Thomas, Skylar 28 Péeic, lindia 163 Triana, Giovanni 164 Phillips, Corbin 100 Tripp, Madeline 109 Phinx, Justice 163 Turner, Megan 164 Pinkerton, Tiffany 35 Presely, Jayke 114 Pyle, Liam 106 U Upson, Lawren 164 Q V Vann, Abbey 164 Vikings, Westhill 151 R Vu, Tyler 31 Rabil, Shelby Heather 163 Ramone, Lauren 116 Randolph, Morgan 163 WwW Rasdorf, Mark 25 Wainaina, Hekima 164 Reese, Tiffany 31 Walsh, Samantha 123 mevaeies, sutime 25,7 7. 70,37, 71, 92, 111, 136,138,140, Watkevich, Grace 165 142, 168 Weiss, Janet 31 Rhyan 162 West, Kaitlyn 112, 116, 168 Rimes, Aj 106 West, Key 140 Rohlen, Jacob 140 Whiteside, Adam 115 Rojas, Katherinn 163 Williams, Alexa 165 Romero, Jonelle 163 Willis, Olivia 165 Willis-Brown, Robynique 165 Wilson, Star 21 S Wooten, Elyssa 165 Salim, Tremayne 163 Wyatt, Zavier 35 Saljanin, Hana 163 Salman, Javeria 163 Salunkie, Anjalie 136 xX Sanderford, Christa 163 Sarjoo, Sarah 87 Saunders, Sorrell 163 Schwartz, Annah 102, 114, 128, 132 Y Seward, Joy 106 Yearde, Ashleigh 165 Shaw, Cj 126 Yerich, Nadiya 165 Sherrod, Deja-Denice 164 Young, Camille 0, 11, 20, 34, 38, 47, 101, 112, 118 Silver, Paris 132 Simon, Paige 29 180 Zhang, Michael 98 ese aise Bees : : _C. a Le | = usnsuseniane i rte as eae ii pie e a ae : a ae Coa : oo ! | _.ssesse a A a sa cee Eee ae oe Ae paisa cee aie tear —_— cai a tens tne a oh mt — » = . . - 2 Se eA 2 tment neon am Hel ea ta Ugg if GMa t Hale} i Lea Hy ie i Hit lee i Hi H ih Siig Heh fi frit ti i sty Hust Hh HEMT) i Ha biti if a ian ia Anat see Mie petihea sie TRIB LAE iH ai pt a ig Hah ia itad Fiat a A ti aa Hee Ha if sii oa ii ila tae a) i ea Hil Lia Hate Hi Hint nna) Sn ny i ain ali alg Tele i ee eae i ih i lh ie a hil ioe Hard a sia ii ay i ge i Ar ei aa Uitte A As a slag NG i a i Hf Lite in Ha bina Field Lr il I aii Hit ane (ies H il Hh tata HB i a ig at ih i Gea saat Forever ae Wala an Sees eats ae Oe Ee, ea oy Sian Reger eR ee Saiee zat beige sete nlite ied nein tens nes Tica Dc athe I eee) spas ee : : : : nhs Pein: a ee Pes es Ose aie i gee eee go HOS: x ge