Voyager 2/1

W. Paul SmithStaff Writer

The University announced plans to move back to having classes on Fridays starting next fall semester, according to an email sent to the student body by Interim Provost David Marker on Jan. 23.

Marker said, “We are commit-ted to providing small class sizes, personalized attention and

more convenience in our course scheduling.”

Classes will move to a Monday-Wednesday-Friday or Tuesday-Thursday schedule, with weekday classes beginning at 8 a.m. and running for 50 minutes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and for 75 minutes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

However, evening classes will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the fall,

rather than 5:30 p.m.Marker said the change will

provide commuter students more time to transition from their workday to the classroom, while

also alleviating parking conges-tion somewhat.

Faculty Senate President Chris Pomory said in an email, “The faculty has a mixed reaction to

the plan. Some think it is a good idea.

Some have concerns about commuter students who have to drive long distances to get here and students who have gotten use to work schedules that include Fridays.”

Pomory said the Faculty Senate’s input was not sought before the plan was put forward.

VOLUME 42 ISSUE 3 WEDNESDAY, FEB. 1, 2012The voice of UWF students since 1968

The VoyagerFREE

Friday classes will return fall semester

John StevensonStaff Writer

The State University System Board of Governors recently appointed a new member, Pam Dana, to the University of West Florida Board of Trustees.

According to its website, UWF’s Board of Trustees consists of the six members on the Board of Governors, each appointed by the governor of the state of Florida as well as, five additional members appointed by the Board of Governors and approved by the Senate.

The president of the Student Government Association, currently Josh Finley, and the president of the Faculty Senate, currently Chris Pomory, are also members of the Board of Trustees.

The new chancellor of the Florida College System, Randy Hanna, previously held the

trustee position that Dana has been appointed to fill.

“His experience will be missed,” Finley said. “But we welcome our new trustee with opens arms and wish Randy the best of luck.”

When a member of the Board of Trustees resigns there are two ways for that trustee to be replaced.

“The appointments to our Board of Trustees are made by the Governor or Board

of Governors," Chief of Staff Kim Brown said. "This appoint-ment was made by the Board of

Governors. The Board of Governors advertises the vacancy on their website. Interested parties apply. Then board members inter-view candidates and make a recommenda-tion to the full Board of Governors.”

According to the UWF Newsroom website, Dana, a California native, has more than

30 years of experience in senior economic, business and university leadership.

She earned a doctorate in international development and economics from the University of Southern California, a master’s degree in administration, plan-ning and social policy from Harvard University and a bach-elor’s degree in sociology and social work from California State University, Chico.

She also served under former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush as director of the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development from 1999 to 2007.

Currently, Dana is currently senior adviser of strategic initia-tives for the Florida Institute of Human and Machine Cognition and owner and managing member of SURE LURE Charter Company.

For more information www.uwf.edu/trustees/.

Board of Trustees appoints Pam Dana

Will IsernContributing Writer

In December the newly formed University of West Florida Business Enterprises Inc. sent out a proposal for bids to develop a hotel and conference center on campus.

The addition would add to the already expansive plans put forth in the Campus Master Plan that, among other things, calls for the construction of a football stadium, multiple parking garages, and a road that would encircle campus.

The proposal calls for a 125- to 150-room hotel and up to a 10,000-square-foot convention center to be developed on 16 acres at the northwest corner of Campus Drive and U.S. 90 that the University will lease to the winning developer for 99 years.

Just how much the project will cost is uncertain at this point since it will be the developer who fronts the bill, but the figure has been estimated at multi-million.

The proposal calls for a 125- to 150-room hotel and up to a 10,000-square-foot convention center to be developed on 16 acres at the northwest corner of Campus Drive and U.S. 90 that the University will lease to the winning developer for 99 years.

The hotel project and wider campus development are being headed by Matt Altier, who the University hired last July as vice president of administration.

Altier, chief executive officer of UWF Business Enterprises, comes to UWF from The Richard Stockton College of New

Jersey, where he served as vice president for administra-tion and finance and was responsible for campus develop-ment and forging public-private partnerships like the one proposed for the hotel.

Altier held the same position at California State University, Sacramento where he developed a non-profit organiza-tion, University Business Enterprises, similar to the one he recently formed here.

In Sacramento, he negotiated the purchase of a four-star hotel and implemented a residency internship program with Sacramento State’s hospitality management program.

Altier said the UWF hotel would partner with the University’s hospitality management program to give students real-world experience as undergraduates.

“We envision the hotel/conference center to be a busy, university-centered business, attracting visiting families, alumni, associa-tions, faculty and staff groups, the commu-nity and even tourists to our area,” Altier said. “The stronger and more successful the hotel becomes, the better the potential for high quality, real-world learning and train-ing for our students, additional resources and additional revenue for UWF.”

Revenue, Altier said, because the devel-opment contract would entail a negotiated form of profit sharing.

Altier said he couldn’t say exactly how big of a slice the University will get of the hotel’s earnings because that figure will have to be negotiated once a developer is selected.

Bids for the development are due March 21.

Graphic special to The Voyager

The site plan for northeast campus includes a hotel and conference center at the Hwy. 90 entrance of campus, shown in red above. Further construction plans for the buildings are still in the development stage.

n Northeast campus expansionwill include a conference center, commercial restaurants, hotel

Campus expansion continues

See Classes, page 2

❱❱ RundownPam Dana has recently been named the newest member of the University of West Florida Board of Trustees.

Dana replaced Randy Hanna who left the position in order to become the new chancellor of the Florida College System.

Read the full story at www.thevoyager.net

IndexNews . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..2Opinion . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3Arts &Entertainment . .. .. .. .. .. 4-5Classifieds.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..6Sports .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .7-8

L&E

See full stories on page 7


Opinion

Sports

VOYAGER IN BRIEF

The UWF baseball team will look to defend its national title while heading into its 2012 season.

The softball team and the men's and women's tennis teams will look for a national title of their own. The seasons will kick off this weekend.

If every household in the U.S installed one energy saving lightbulb, the energy saved could power a city of 1.5 million people.

Spring seasons start this week

SOPA controversy;Huntsman departs


Bistro Blue is a new food truck coming to campus in March. The menu will offer traditional New Orleans-style meals, as well as traditional breakfast and lunch items.

The truck will be located in the grassy area between Building 12 and Building 18 and will be open weekdays.

Cajun flavor comes to campus

Opinions Editor W. Paul Smith discusses the recent controversial legisla-tion known as the National Defense Authorization Act, which some critics think may allow for the indefinite deten-tion of American citizens.

Contributing writer Haley Chouinard discusses Jon Huntsman’s departure from the Republican presidential primary race.

❱❱ RundownFriday classes will be returning to the University of West Florida starting fall semester. Morning classes will be starting at 8 a.m. instead of 8:30 a.m., while night classes will start at 6 p.m. instead of 5:30 p.m.

Dana

Altier

COMMUNITYCENTER

TOWN HOUSES

GREEKVILLAGE

COMMUNITYCENTER

HOTEL/ CONFERENCE

CENTER

COMMUNITYCENTER

DETACHED HOUSING

COMMERCIALRESTAURANTS

2/News Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012 www.thevoyager.net The Voyager

Classes: Changes bring controversyFrom Page 1

Student Government Association President Josh Finley said in an email that SGA also was not consulted for input and was not officially informed of the plan until two weeks ago.

Finley said, “This change would provide a wider variety of sched-ules and less congestion for parking. This would also improve our class-room utilization, creating a more efficient use of classroom space.”

Kim Brown, chief of staff for President Judy Bense, pointed to enroll-ment growth as one of the reasons for the change.

“ W e o n l y h a v e 65 classrooms on our campus, and so we must use our classrooms on Friday in order to meet student demand,” Brown said.

Brown said that while state funding was not one

of the immediate reasons for this change, “the state conducts a study annu-ally of our classroom utilization. UWF has some of the lowest utili-zation rates in the state. If we are to secure state funding for building new classrooms, then we must effectively use our current classrooms.”

When asked why input was not sought from SGA and the Faculty Senate while this plan was being discussed, Marker said in an email to The Voyager, “I only arrived on campus to begin working on Jan. 3. Virtually all of the work on the revised class schedule was done by the time I arrived. I am attempting to pull together the principal architects of the plan and will put you in touch with them.”

The Voyager wil l follow up on this story as more details become available.

Members of history department create appChristie McClungContributing Writer

Professor John Clune of the University of West Florida history department and his colleague, Professor Patrick Moore, drove down a bleak Florida interstate heading west towards Tallahassee.

Moore pulled out his new GPS system, and as Clune drove, he began looking up nearby gas stations and restaurants.

“There is a gas station in one mile,” Moore said. His fellow colleague gave him a smile.

“I know,” Clune said. “I just read the interstate sign.” As the trip continued, Clune began teasing Moore about the delay in his GPS.

“You know,” Moore said, “with the advent of the Interstate System and the opening of big theme parks, such as Walt Disney World, small towns that are just five minutes from the interstate off ramps are being forgotten.”

The two began discussing the disgrace of all the people on family vacations that were missing out on tons of history and information. Thus, the idea for NextExitHistory was born.

NextExitHistory is a smartphone application that allows a person to retrieve information about different history sites around the world.

The application uses GPS technology to pinpoint a person’s location and the historical sites around them. The person can then read information about the site, look at pictures or videos and even hear audio clips.

We said “wouldn’t it be great if we could deliver something people are actu-

ally interested in,” Clune said, “and not just gas stations and restaurants but historical sites and museums.”

But when the project was first born, smartphones were in the distant future.

“When we first started working on the project, we were looking at other modes of mediums like stand-alone GPS units in cars,” Timothy Roberts, co-creator of the application and member of UWF’s history department, said, “but Professor Dawson recognized that there would eventually be the technology we needed. At the time, we did do about 45 podcasts on historic towns in Florida, and that became the base of the program.”

The technology did eventually come about, but it was not originally in the form of a smartphone, as they are known now.

“We actually developed the first edition of NextExitHistory for a windows mobile phone,” Roberts said, “and at that point we started generating momen-tum and we got some more funding, so we took it to the next level and started developing the iPhone application and the Android application.”

The application is currently available for free in any application market.

“You can pull up the app based on where you are, what you like, or catego-ries,” Roberts said. “It will show you what historic sites are around you. It’s very simple to use. That’s what people get to see when they use it.”

But when the application began to grow, the founders quickly realized that there is no way they alone could upload all the information that is necessary.

So they created a system where other historians around the world could upload information about historical sites.

“We wanted to make sure that all the information that people received was embedded by historians or people who work in museums, but we also realized we were not going to be able to monitor the content because it was just too much information,” Roberts said.

“We are not experts in every field of history and culture. So we developed a system where we could vet the people. If another historian wants to become a content provider, they can approach us, and we give them access to become a content provider. They are then respon-sible for their own information. We vet the people, not the content.”

As of right now, the application has two dozen contributors, and more than 48,000 historical sites in the database.

Pensacola is a host to more than a 100 of the historical locations, including several buildings along Palafox and the African American Heritage trail.

Students can even use the app around campus to read about the history of the buildings that they have class in every day.

Students who are interested in NextExitHistory can download the appli-cation for free on their smartphones, or visit the website at www.nextexithistory.com.

Timothy Roberts also has a Twitter feed for the site that is updated daily with information about different sites available on the application.

Photo by John Blackie

The creators of the NextExitHistory smartphone application: John Clune, Dave Dawson, Timothy Roberts and (not pictured) Dr. Patrick Moore.

SGA addresses class changesJon ShortWeb Editor

Student Government Association President Josh Finley, at the Jan. 27 meeting of the Senate, encouraged University of West Florida students to attend a Feb. 8 town hall meeting to give their views on the plan to bring back Friday classes at the beginning of the 2012 fall semester.

“I have been flooded with concerns about bringing back a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule,” Finley said.

He said he wants to give students a chance to voice their concerns so the SGA can address them to the administration, he said.

Finley said that introducing Friday classes into student schedules could result in less parking conges-tion which is caused by the increase in enrollment over the past year, by spreading out the class schedule.

SGA members also voted on changes to the Election Code, Title V of the Constitution. The minor change involved updating references to “Argus” to “MyUWF.”

Linzy Browne, student relations chair, proposed providing more menu options for students following vegetarian and vegan-based diets.

Finley and Browne said there are still many SGA positions open. They said they hope to see more students apply.

Cora Merritt, student body vice president, said there was great SGA representation during Rally in Tally on Jan. 26 at the state capitol.

Merritt also reported the results of last week’s constitutional referendum; 15 percent of the 226 voters opposed the changes, and 84 percent approved them.

Finley said that the results mean that SGA members can now commence reforming the structure of the orga-nization.

At the meeting, Chloe Diel was sworn in as academic chair, and Erika Cruz was sworn in as election commis-sioner.

Cruz served on the finance committee previously.The next SGA meeting will be held on Feb. 3. For

more information, visit uwf.edu/sga.

Opinions &

ditorialsE3Opinions Editor,

W. Paul Smith [email protected]

Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012

W. Paul SmithOpinions Editor

On December 31, President Obama signed into law the controversial National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, and critics have pounced on the bill claiming that it potentially allows for the indefinite detainment of American citizens among other things.

Let me go ahead and warn everyone that this is a very complicated subject, but I’m going to do my best to try and make it intelligible and weed through the main criticisms.

On its surface, the NDAA is an 1844-page spending bill that authorizes $662 billion for the defense budget. But contained within the legislation are provisions that deal with the detention of terrorism suspects, specifically the portion of the bill entitled, “Subtitle D –Counterterrorism.”

These provisions of the bill do not so much expand presidential authority for detaining suspects as it does reaffirm an authority both former President Bush and Obama claim already existed as granted by the Authorization for Use of Military Force.

The AUMF was a one-page joint reso-lution passed by Congress immediately after 9/11 authorizing the use of military force against those responsible for the terrorist attack and granted the President the authority “to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided” in 9/11.

Section 1021 of the NDAA codifies this authority of the AUMF and defines a “covered person” subject to this authority as the following:

“A person who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored those responsible for those attacks” or “A person who was a part of or substantially supported al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or associated forces that are engaged in hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners, including any person who has committed a bellig-erent act or has directly supported such hostilities in aid of such enemy forces.”

So, in effect, this section puts a Congressional stamp of approval on the adminis-tration’s inter-pretation of the AUMF, even though the AUMF does not explicitly state anything about powers of detention.

The new language that is added to the NDAA that was not in the origi-nal AUMF is the phrase “substan-tially supported.”

This phrase is dangerously broad and could, perhaps, be used to detain someone only tangentially involved in organizations hostile to the United States.

Furthermore, when someone is detained that is deemed a “covered person,” the NDAA allows for four options for disposition, including trial by a mili-tary commission, trial by an alternate court or tribunal, or transfer of custody to the person’s country of origin or any

foreign entity. But the most terrifying option is

“detention under the law of war without trial until the end of the hostilities autho-rized by the Authorization for Use of Military Force.”

Considering the War on Terror could potentially last forever, a person could reasonably be held indefinitely without trial under this provision.

However, contained is this provision is also language that says, “Nothing in

this section shall be construed to affect existing law or authori-ties relating to the detention of United States citi-zens, lawful resi-dent aliens of the United States, or any other persons who are captured or arrested in the United States.”

While it seems to exempt U.S. citizens, it still allows the poten-tial for the detain-ment of U.S. citi-zens if captured

outside of the United States.But the next section does seem to allow

for the potential for American citizens to be detained.

Section 1022 of the bill refers to a subset of “covered persons” defined as “a member of, or part of, al-Qaeda or an associated force” and someone who “participated in the course of planning or carrying out an attack or attempted attack against the United States or its coalition partners.”

If a person is detained that falls under this subset, the bill says the requirement for military custody “does not extend to citizens to the United States.”

The key word here is “requirement,” which does seem to suggest that the option for indefinite military detainment is still available but is simply not manda-tory.

When Obama signed the NDAA into law, he also offered a signing statement that said, “I want to clarify that my admin-istration will not authorize the indefi-nite military detention without trial of American citizens.

“Indeed, I believe that doing so would break with our most important traditions and values as a nation. My administration will interpret Section 1021 in a manner that ensures that any detention it autho-rizes complies with the Constitution, the laws of war and all other applicable law.”

While that might be true (it’s too early to tell), it really suggests only that the Obama administration will not interpret the NDAA to include American citizens but completely leaves open the possibility that subsequent administrations will have a different interpretation.

Ultimately whether or not these provi-sions of the NDAA will be used in the worst-case scenario manner that critics fear is yet to be determined.

But there is no question that the bill absolutely could be interpreted to be used in such a manner, even if such a worst-case scenario is perhaps unlikely.

The very fact that this legal ambiguity exists in a bill such as this is utterly unfor-givable.

While the NDAA might not exactly be the end of the Bill of Rights as we know it, it is a potentially dangerous piece of legis-lation that should have never been passed or signed into law with such shameful and troubling ambiguities.

Courtesy of Andy Marlette/[email protected]

“While the NDAA might not exactly be the end

of the Bill of Rights as we know it, it is a potentially dangerous

piece of legislation that should have never been

passed or signed into law with such shameful and troubling ambiguities.”

New bill may allow indefinite detention of citizens

Haley ChouinardContributing Writer

I would like to express my gratitude to Jon Huntsman. Former Gov. Huntsman recently dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential candidacy. This is not why I am thanking him.

I am thanking him because of the way that he dropped out and the reasons behind his decision.

Mr. Huntsman’s speech that announced the end of his campaign was the first time that I paid any attention to him.

The race for the 2012 Republican nomination has been just short of a three ring circus. I tend to lean pretty far to the left, but I do like to be educated on what is happening on the right as well.

That being said, the majority of the candidates have seemed so completely out of touch with the average American that I had largely stopped reading or watching anything to do with the race.

This group of politicians has acted

like caricatures of themselves. You’ve got Newt Gingrich saying that poor children should work as janitors.

There was Michele Bachmann who doesn’t seem to know that Libya is in Africa (“Now with the president, he put us in Libya. He is now putting us in Africa. We already were stretched too thin, and he put our special operations forces in Africa”). And who could forget Herman Cain and “Uzbecki-becki-stan-stan”?

Who are these people? Who do they think their voters are? They get up at debates, and they make ridiculous claims about what they’ll do for this country.

They come off like soulless automa-tons half the time.

So, imagine my surprise when Jon

Huntsman stood up and acknowledged how absurdly his party is behaving.

Huntsman said: “This race has degen-erated into an onslaught of negative and personal attacks not worthy of the American people and not worthy of this

critical time in our nation’s history.”

Huntsman went on to say: “At its core, the Republican Party is a party of ideas, but the current toxic form of our political discourse does not help our cause.

“I call on each campaign to cease

attacking each other and instead talk directly to the American people about how our conservative ideas will create jobs, reduce our nation’s debt, stabilize energy prices and provide a brighter future for our children and our grandchil-dren”.

Thank you, Jon Huntsman. Thank you for admitting that these

campaigns have been stupid and unwor-thy of our great country.

Thank you for understanding that Americans want to be talked to and not talked at.

We want to be heard by our leaders. We don’t want to listen to a bunch of

former governors and senators arguing about who would make a better presi-dent.

We want you to tell us why you would be good for this country, not why the other guy would be bad.

Huntsman ended his speech with a plea for party unity and an endorsement of Mitt Romney.

As sad as it is that he had to ask for the unification of his party, I applaud Mr. Huntsman for asking.

It’s not easy to point out the flaws in your own system.

Now we just have to hope that the Republicans heed Huntsman’s words and turn this circus into an election race worthy of the American people.

“As sad as it is that he had to ask for the unification of

his party, I applaud Huntsman for asking.”

We should applaud Huntsman’s call for unity

Interim Provost David Marker’s recent announcement concerning new class schedules has generated buzz at the University of West Florida from students and faculty alike.

While the announcement and our Page 1 story explain the changes that will affect students and the faculty, the administration hasn’t released the details about how the decision was made.

We at The Voyager feel that this is an important part of the story that needs to be addressed, and we will continue our coverage until it is explained.

Faculty Senate President Chris Pomory and Student Body President Josh Finley said that the administration did not seek input from their organiza-tions before the decision was made. The Voyager was waiting on further clarification from Interim Provost

David Marker at press time.Some of the reasons behind the

change have been explained, such as classroom utilization, alleviating park-ing congestion and state funding, but there are still questions that have been left unanswered.

We at The Voyager have already heard from students and faculty who were either in favor of or against the change, and we encourage further input as we continue our coverage.

Even if the decision is final, the voices of those impacted by it should still be heard.

We encourage students and faculty to attend the upcoming town hall meet-ing on Feb. 8 to let the administration know their thoughts on the changes to the schedule and write letters to the editor explaining their opinions.

— The Voyager

Questions surround Friday class changes

Hayley BentonStaff Writer

Shimmering green glass-work and centuries-old African trade beads of brass are carefully strung by jewelry artist Kathi Gordon to form a series of work that Gordon calls “Blue Water Arts.”

Her son, Joe Waitsman, carves intricate designs into bone and antlers, and the two have recently begun to collaborate on Gordon’s jewelry pieces.

The mother-son duo’s artwork is currently featured in the University of West Florida’s WUWF Building 88 Gallery — in a showcase appropriately titled “Like Mother, Like Son.”

“The beads are my inspiration,” Gordon said. “I use a lot of old, collect-able beads, such as African trade beads and Tibetan beads. My signature look is mixing those with new, artist-made beads like lamp work glass and contemporary silver.”

Gordon’s bead work is nothing short of true artwork, but the inspira-tion for such artwork was the result of a long period of collecting.

“I had always done creative things, but I never had any artistic training,” Gordon said. “I felt like somewhere deep down inside of me, I was creative enough to do something good. But it took me years,

and I wasn’t searching for it that much. It took me years to find my niche.

“I found it by accident really. I went out for a long trip to the Southwest and ran into bead shops everywhere I went. I was drawn to the beads and was just kind of eyeing them. I loved them and had a spiritual sense about them.”

When Gordon returned home, she began to exper-iment with the different beads she purchased out West. At first, she struggled with the work. She made a lot of self-described disas-ters. But as time went by, her work began to grow in quality, and people began offering her money for the jewelry she designed.

“They were a hobby in the beginning,” she said. “But I became pretty successful with people wanting my things. Eventually, I got to the point where I was running both of my businesses almost full time at the same time. I just couldn’t do it anymore. I loved the beads but made money at the other one. But in the end, I chose the beads.”

Many of Gordon’s pieces feature intricately carved bone beads detailed with fine craftsmanship, featuring scenes of birds, whales, fish, and tikis. All of the scenes are designed by her son, who, around Pensacola Beach, is known as “Smokey.”

“He was really artis-tic from the time he was born,” Gordon said. “As soon as he could hold a crayon, he was drawing and he drew very well.”

Waitsman lived on Pensacola Beach for quite some time, carving small surf sculptures for his friends and tourists. He started off creating pieces with antlers but soon moved into pieces carved out of mostly cow bone, which local restaurants were all willing to give him for his artwork.

“He has truly been a starving artist trying to make his way,” Gordon said about her son. “He’s finally getting to the

point where he’s not rich, but he’s not starving anymore.”

Art may not always come in the form that people expect. A bead is just a bead, or a bone is just a piece of trash but not to those with an eye for creative endeav-ors — not to Gordon and Smokey.

The artwork will be displayed in Building 88 until Feb. 24, and a reception will be held on Feb. 2 from 5 to 7 p.m. To view more about Gordon and Waitsman and their artwork, visit WUWF.org under the Special Events, Gallery 88 tab.

Life &

ntertainmentE4


L&E Editor, Rebecca Barnhart

[email protected]

Mother and son make artistic team

Truckload of Cajun flavor

Graphic courtesy of UWF

This new food truck coming to campus in March will offer an extensive menu, including traditional New Orleans dishes. The food truck is a team effort between Chartwells and UWF Dining Services.

Photos special to The Voyager

Kathi Gordon creates jewelry using a combination of old beads and contemporary beads. Her son, Joe Waitsman, carves sculptures out of bone. Several of Gordon’s jewelry pieces features bone beads by Waitsman. Their art is on display at Building 88 until Feb. 24.

Katherine CorderoContributing Writer

The flavors of New Orleans are coming to the University of West Florida campus in the beginning of March in the form of a food truck. Chartwells has again teamed up with UWF Dining Services to bring the taste of the bayou to students and UWF employ-ees with the opening of Bistro Blue.

“The University’s dining partner, Chartwells, has extensive experience in university dining opera-tions and keeps its finger on the pulse of new options that are appeal-ing to students,” said Ellen Till, director of Business and Auxiliary Services. “This will provide students and employees with new options in an outdoor setting.”

Till explained that the name originated from the menu items (bistro) and the significance of the color blue, to tie in with one of UWF’s school colors and Pensacola landmarks like the Blue Angels and the Gulf of Mexico.

Items that can be expected on the menu include breakfast bagels and pastries, sandwiches, soups, salads and, of course, traditional New Orleans style food like muffaletas and jambalaya.

“I think it’s going to be good for people who like Southern-style food,” said Nick Sager, 19, a sopho-more exercise science major. “Personally, I don’t see myself eating there much, but I would definitely try it because it’s something new on campus.”

Students who are living in the UWF Residence Halls and have a Meal Plan that includes Argo Bucks will be able to purchase food and other items from Bistro Blue using their Argo Bucks.

Last semester, UWF President Judy Bense said, “Chartwells is capa-ble of doing much better, and we are going to get it better. No food service is perfect, but I think we can get a better service out of Chartwells.”

There is still no set date that Bistro Blue will open because the truck is being custom-built, Till said.

Malerie Shelton, the

marketing manager for UWF Dining Services, said that although hours of operation are still being set, students and employees could expect Bistro Blue to run Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the very least.

“When it’s not on campus, it will be doing local events,” Shelton said. “For example, we are hoping to drive it down-town for the seafood festi-val to represent UWF.”

Malerie Shelton, the marketing manager for UWF Dining Services, said that Students could follow the Bistro Blue food truck for menus, daily specials,and its location via Twitter and Facebook through the UWF Dining homepage.

Bistro Blue will be located in the grassy area between Building 18, Hopkins Hall and Building 12.

Katherine CorderoContributing Writer

Pensacola is known for its beautiful white sand beaches and the Blue Angels.

However, what some people do not realize is that Pensacola is known to have the most haunted lighthouse in Florida, and the Pensacola Paranormal Research Group has investigated this location, and other haunted places in hopes of collecting evidence of the paranormal.

T h e P e n s a c o l a Paranormal Research group, a local group attempting to prove t h e e x i s t e n c e o f ghosts and spirits, c u r r e n t l y c o n s i s t s of f ive members: Jason Balbuena, Tina Balbuena, Courtney C o l v i n , A s h l e i g h Cooper, and Katie Cooper. The members all fill various positions from audio technician to medium.

Jason Balbuena’s interest in the super-natural came from his childhood.

“Back when I was 11 or 12, I was staying at my grandparent’s house after he had passed,” Jason said. “I was sitting in the living room and out of the corner of my eye, I saw him standing in the hall-way. I had to take another look because I knew he had passed away. I knew he was gone, but I knew I saw him standing there. I looked back and he was gone. So that’s when I knew that something is out there.”

Jason’s wife, Tina Balbuena, also had her interest triggered by a personal experience.

“I had my first experi-ence when I was 23 at a friend’s house,” she said. “I was taking a shower when I saw a shadow pass outside the shower, yet I was the only one there.”

The group was started in early 2011 and was formed from another group they had been a part of at that time, Jason said. Once this group was formed, it was decided that they would try to find evidence of the paranor-mal full time.

The team’s favorite places to visit for paranor-mal activity include the Pensacola Lighthouse and the Daffodale Estates in Monticello, Fla. By far, the most evidence they have collected has been from the Pensacola Lighthouse — evidence which includes pictures, videos, and hours of Electronic Voice Phenomenon, or EVPs. But the most disturbing yet fascinating experi-ence the group has had while investigating the Pensacola Lighthouse was

seeing a “headless soldier walking the grounds here one night,” Tina said.

The evidence that the Pensacola Paranormal Research group has collected has been so extensive that they are now members of the Ghost Adventures Crew of the History Channel’s show “Ghost Adventures.”

Katie Cooper and Courtney Colvin have both had to deal with skeptics.

“You constantly run into people that don’t believe you, but if they’re open to things, they will find something,” Katie said.

“We have people come on the ghost tours that don’t believe but come to see if something will happen to them, and it normally does,” Courtney added.

Local paranormal groupghost hunts at lighthouse

Photo special to The Voyager

The Pensacola Lighthouse is one of the Paranormal Research group’s favorite places to ghost hunt.

❱❱ Rundownn “Like Mother, Like Son” is an art exhibit on displayed in Building 88.n Kathi Gordon and Joe Waitsman create jewelry and items out of carved bone. n The opening reception is on Feb. 2 from 5 to 7 p.m.n The exhibit is free.

❱❱ Rundownn Bistro Blue is a new food truck that is coming to campus in March, offering New Orleans-style dishes like jambalaya and muffaletas as well as other traditional items.n It will be located between Building 18 and Building 12. n The truck will tentatively be open Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

6 Community &

lassifiedsCThe VoyagerEditor-in-ChiefBrittany [email protected]&E/Managing EditorRebecca [email protected] EditorValerie [email protected] EditorChris [email protected] EditorW. Paul [email protected] EditorJon [email protected] EditorsFriedrich LangerfeldKathryn MiddletonMichelle Fells Graphics EditorJarrett MooreDistribution ManagerJohn Strickland

The Voyager is produced weekly by students of the University of West Florida and is partially funded by Student Activities and Services fees with assistance from the Office of Student Affairs. This public document was promulgated by the president of the University at an annual cost of $.275 per copy. Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views of UWF, The Voyager or its staff.

Advertiser and advertising agency will indemnify and hold harmless The Voyager and its staff for all contents supplied to publisher, including text, representation and illustrations of advertisements printed and for any claims arising contents including, but not limited to defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright infringement, plagiarism, and in the case of a pre-printed insert, deficient postage.

The Voyager is printed by Freedom Florida Commercial Printing, in accordance with Florida Law. The above information is presented in compliance Section 283.27 of Florida Statutes.

Letters to the EditorE-mail letters to [email protected] with “letter to the editor” in the subject line, or stop by Bldg. 36 Room 120 to hand-deliver your letter.

Corrections

The UFF-UWF story on Page 1 in the Jan. 25 issue incorrectly attributed to Anita Schonberger, UWF deputy general counsel, quotations regarding faculty salary compression and inversion. The quotes should have been attributed to Katherine Romack, an associate professor of English.

In the Hopjacks story on page 5 in the Jan. 18 issue, Joe Abston was incorrectly titled as the manager of Hopjacks on Nine Mile. His correct title is owner.

Danny Dawson was incorrectly titled as chief technologist of the College of Professional Studies in the National Flight Academy Story on page 2 in the Jan. 18 issue. His correct title is faculty and project team member of the College of Professional Studies. The quote in the fifth paragraph of the same story should be “Our ACE classroom is going to be part of a system of ACE super hubs.”

CALENDAR


HOUSING

PERSONALSThe Voyager is now accepting personal ads of 20 words or fewer to [email protected] with a subject line of “classified.”

ANNOUNCINGThe Voyager is now accepting classifieds from faculty, students and staff at no cost.

If you would like to place a classified with more than 20 words, or you are not affiliated with UWF, please contact our Business Manager, Jeff Hagedorn.

The deadline for your classified ad is the Thursday before the week you want it to be printed.

Please e-mail your classifieds to [email protected] with “classified” in the subject line.

We at The Voyager are here to help if you are having trouble finding that last roommate.

Give us the details of the residence and whom you might be looking for at [email protected] with “classifieds” in the subject line.

JOBSCollege students who have an avid interest in career ideas related to the field of writing and freelancing gigs can visit http://writershubforcolleg-estudents.weebly.com for helpful tips.

Feb. 1

The Music Department will present its monthly Chamber Music Concert at Old Christ Church in downtown Pensacola at 405 South Adams St. from 12 to 2 p.m.

For more location infor-mation, contact 850-595-5985.

Contact UWF Box Office at 850-857-6285 for more information on the concert.

Feb. 1

Are you interested in discovering more about a particular career? Would you like to connect to a mentor in the field to learn more about it? Would you like to shadow someone in a particular career?We can help!

Attend a Backpacks 2 Briefcases orientation session from 1 to 2 p.m. to learn more about how to find a UWF mentor and start a job shadowing experience!

RSVP on JasonQuest or call Career Services at 850-474-2254 for more information.

Feb. 2

The “Like Mother, Like Son” exhibit reception is being held from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 2.

We invite you to enjoy the juxtaposition of the exceptional design and craftsmanship of mother and son.

For more information, contact Lynne Marshall at 850-474-2787.

Feb. 2

Co-Ops are always paid and always for credit, and the work experience compliments your academics!

Attending a Co-Op Info Session is the first step towards becoming a Co-Op participant!

RSVP on JasonQuest or call Career Services at 850-474-2254 for more information.

Feb. 3

The UWF Office of the President will hold a Breakfast with the President for commu-nity members Friday, Feb. 3 from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the UWF Main Campus, School of Science and Engineering, Building 4, Room 406.

Bense will share with

attendees the past, present and future vision of UWF. Two or more UWF Foundation Board Members may be present at this meeting.

Contact Meredith Wolf at 850-474-2447 for more information.

Feb. 4

UWF will host the Northwest Florida Regional Science Olympiad for the first time on Saturday, Feb. 4. from 8 a.m. to noon followed by lunch and the Awards Ceremony in the Conference Center from noon to 2 p.m.

The winners will go on to compete in the Florida Science Olympiad.

Science Olympiad began in 1984 as away to attract students to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and promote higher education.

Today, more than 200,000 students nationwide participate in Science Olympiad.

Contact Eman El-Sheikh at [email protected] for more infor-mation.

Feb. 6

Web Applications Development I is the first course of a series ofInternet Programming training opportunities for community members to learn practical skills. This is an introductory course that will teach students web technologies from the ground up.

This course is mainly focused on HTML 5, the newest version of HTML that everyone is talking about and is expected to change the web. Students will also learn fundamental aspects of JavaScript, the most popular scripting language for dynamic web programming.

The class with start on Feb. 6 and continue every Monday night until Feb. 27 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Building 78, room 136. The cost of the class will be $109.00. For more information, contact Sarah Banner at [email protected].

CLUBS Get involved on campus. If your organization putting together an event and would like to get the word out to people, feel free to send us a description of what’s happening at [email protected] with “classifieds” in the subject line.

MOBILE

PILED HIGHER DEEPER A comic by Jorge Cham

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Looking

for attention

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TheVoyager.net

7Fitness &

portsSSports Editor, Chris Elkins [email protected]


Men move to 4th in GSC

From staff reportsWhen a team starts as

hot as the University of West Florida women did on Jan. 28, finishing cold can be hard to handle.

The Argonauts led Valdosta State 16-4 ten minutes into the game and led by seven at the half but were unable to hang on.

VSU slowly worked away at the lead and then

back-to-back jumpers from VSU gave the home team its first and final lead of the night.

VSU went on a 10-0 run to lead 45-35 and held on for a 57-53 win.

Hanna Vette scored a game-high 21 points and Erica Wright added 16.

O c t a v i a B e a r d e n recorded nine rebounds but the team was out rebounded 36-19.

UWF will play Christian Brothers on Feb. 2 in Memphis. UWF won the first meeting of the two teams 47-38 at home on Jan. 5.

Six conference games remain on the sched-ule before the GSC Tournament on March 1.

The women will play Valdosta State again in the final regular season game on Feb. 25.

UWF athlete arrested

New fitness class brings excitement, interest

Chris ElkinsSports Editor

A blemish was added to what seemed like a picture-perfect comeback season for the men’s basketball team.

University of West Florida men’s basket-ball player Peter Connole was arrested on Jan. 26.

The junior athletic training major was charged with three misdemeanors: battery, damage of property-criminal mischief and larceny, according to a police report by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.

“He is suspended from the team pend-ing review of a student conduct issue,” said Sports Information Director Matt Rowley. “He will go through the University’s process.”

Rowley said he could not comment further than that.

According to the police report, Connole was driving his girlfriend home from Live Nightclub on Jan. 25 and began punching and threatening her.

When they arrived at his girlfriend’s home, he allegedly caused damage to a piece of sheet rock and stole stuffed animals from her bedroom, according to the report.

When police arrived, Connole had already left, according to the report.

Police arrested him the next day, and he was released on $200 bond on Jan. 27.

This is not the first time Connole has been arrested since enrolling at UWF. Connole was arrested on July 30, 2010 by the Sheriff’s Office in Orange County and charged with fighting in public, also a misdemeanor.

Connole played in all 20 games for the Argonauts before the arrest. He averaged 5.9 points per game.

Emily HalesStaff Writer

A new group fitness activity added last year to the University of West Florida group fitness activi-ties has bumped up the attendance of people to the gym. That new class is called Zumba.

A cardio-aerobic exer-cise class that entails Latin dancing instead of a typi-cal workout, Zumba was designed to make work-ing out more enjoyable by focusing on dancing to upbeat music.

“I really liked the Zumba class because it kept my attention,” freshman busi-ness major Ariam Rios said.

Freshman film major Cydney Bergdorf said, “I really enjoyed it because the instructor was very personable, and she gets us involved. She kept us moving the whole time too.”

The instructor for the Zumba classes is sopho-more business major Carolina Zuniga.

In order to become an instructor, Zuniga had to take a G-fit course for a semester, pay a student fee, and become certified in Zumba. Certifications last one year.

“I am from Colombia, South America, and this is the way we party in my country,” Zuniga said. “It’s fun, and it brings me

home.” Since Zumba is currently

the most popular class, it can only take a maximum

of 40 students per class. The Zumba class reaches its maximum every class.

It is recommended to

show up 15 to 20 minutes before each class in order to reserve a spot.

If people want to attend the class, they have to pick up a Zumba card from the front desk at the gym. The cards are given out to the first 40 people.

There are levels 1, 2, and 3 classes for Zumba. Level 1 does not require any dance experience, and the other levels require very minimal experience. The instructor stays in the front and guides the class through all of the dance moves that corre-spond to each song.

Zumba class is located in the blue studio of the gym. It is free for anybody already admitted to the UWF gym.

For the spring, Zumba classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. to 7:20 p.m., and on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Mostly women attend these Zumba classes, however, men are welcome.

Zumba classes play 70 percent Latin music and 30 percent pop music.

It is a rule that all Zumba classes must be at least 70 percent Latin music.

“I attend Zumba class twice a week,” junior inter-national student Christina Templeton said. “It’s an easy workout, but you sweat a lot, and you know you are working out.”

Photo by Jennifer Cantor

Students dance to Latin music in the Zumba class on January 25. Zumba has been the most popular fitness class at UWF since it began last semester.

From staff reportsDespite off the field

distractions, the University of West Florida men’s basketball team extended its winning streak to three games and moved its conference record one game above .500.

The Argonauts (14-7, 4-3 GSC) are now fourth in the conference and behind only ranked opponents.

Jamar Moore and Marquis Mathis continue to lead the team in scoring.

Moore has 365 points for the season and aver-ages 17.4 per game. Mathis has 350 and averages 16.7. New Orleans

The Argos dominated the University of New Orleans on Jan. 24. The team shot 66 percent from the field in its first win over UNO in team history.

The Argos trailed the Privateers 19-14 early in the first half but came back to lead 38-28 at halftime. UWF never lost the lead in the second half en route to an 80-65 win at the UWF Field House.

Moore went 13-of-14 from the field and recorded a team-high 8 rebounds and assists.

The three-time GSC Player of the Week scored a game-high 27 points. Mathis added 24 points and seven rebounds. Valdosta State

It was the same story, different day in Valdosta on Jan. 28.

The Argos shot a ridicu-lous 75 percent from the

field en route to a 73-63 victory. Moore recorded a double-double, leading the team with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Martell Buie added

13 points and seven assists as one of four Argos to score in double digits. Mathis and Anthony Sims scored 14 points each.

VSU started the game

with a five point lead, but that was as much as the home team would lead all night. UWF slowly worked away at the lead for the first ten minutes of the game but

then broke away and led by as much as 12 with 2:24 left in the first half.

The Argos held on in the second half.

UWF will be back in

action on Feb. 2 against Christian Brothers in Memphis at 7 p.m. CBU defeated UWF 81-77 in the first meeting of the two teams on Jan. 5.


Leading scorer Jamar Moore goes for a jump shot over a player in a game played last season. The three-time Gulf South Conference Player of the Week led the Argonauts in scoring in both of the team’s wins last week.


UWF basketball player Peter Connole was arrested for three misdemeanors last week. He has been suspended from the team pending a review.

❱❱ RundownUniversity procedures from the

Student Code of Conduct

n The student will receive a notification of charges.n The student will have an educational conference. n The student will have a hearing forum before the Student Conduct Committee or before a Hearing Officer.n Sanctions may be imposed if the students is found in violation of the code of conduct.

UWF alumni pledge $200K gift commitment to athletics

Women’s basketball team falls to Valdosta St. after early lead

From staff reportsUniversity of West

Florida alumni Terry Berling and Sandy Sansing announced that each made a commitment to donate $100,000 to support athletics at UWF on Jan. 25.

“This is a momentous day for UWF and our athletic program,” said President Judy Bense in a press release. “To have two of our alumni give back to their university and show support for our athletic vision is very excit-

ing. We truly thank them for their significant contri-bution to help our student-athletes.”

The commitments match the largest dona-tion ever given to the university. Joe Ambersley donated $100,000 in endowed scholarships to the men’s basketball program at the beginning of the 2011 school year.

Berling served on the UWF Advisory Board in the 1980’s, and Sansing is a member of the UWF Athletics Hall of Fame.

Sansing played golf

for the Argonauts in the 1960’s.

Both gifts are toward student-athlete scholar-ships.

“Support from our alumni and our commu-nity is critical to grow our athletic program,” said Athletic Director Dave Scott in a press release. “Booster support allows us to compete on a national level and gives our student-athletes the resources to strive to national champi-onships.”

8/S&F Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012 www.thevoyager.net The Voyager


The reigning Division II National Coach of the Year wanted to make one thing very clear at the 2012 Spring Sports Media Day.

“This is a new team and a new challenge, and we’re looking forward to that new challenge,” said University of West Florida Head Coach Mike Jeffcoat. “I told the players we’re all 0-0 together. We have to start trying to make some new dreams a reality.”

President Judy Bense said she understood that it was a new team, but she felt the expectations were just as high for the team that went 52-9 (17-3 Gulf South Conference) last season.

“We’ve got totally out-of-sight hopes and expecta-tions for this year,” Bense said.

The 2011 Division II National Champions will return five starters from last year’s squad that set a school record 22-game win streak.

They will lose nine play-ers, eight of whom played for professional minor league teams over the summer.

The biggest loss will be felt on the team’s pitching

staff.The three primary start-

ers for the Argonauts had ERAs under 3.00 and a combined 39-5 record with 300 strikeouts in 312.2 innings pitched.

“We try to develop our program around pitching and defense,” Jeffcoat said. “We really lost the anchor

of our team in our starting three and our closer Shane Waller.”

Waller had a 0.59 ERA with 13 saves and 54 strike-outs in 30.1 innings pitched.

The Argos return soph-omore Kevin Peters as the only starter from last season.

Peters went 5-1 with a

2.23 ERA with 49 strikeouts in 60.2 innings pitched his freshman year.

Third baseman Josh Huggins returns after hitting .313 in 2011. The All-GSC Second Team and NCAA Championships All-Tournament selection hit six home runs and had 40 RBIs in 2011.

Huggins was also the lone selection to the GSC Preseason Team for UWF.

Left f ielder Taye Larry returns as the teams leadoff hitter. The NCAA Championships All-Tournament team selection hit .303, scored 58 runs and had 26 stolen bases last season.

The Argos also return second baseman Leo Lamarche and first base-man Korey Domenick.

Lamarche hit .280 with 37 RBIs and Domenick hit .274 with 17 RBIs.

Despite the losses, UWF is ranked No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Preseason Poll.

The Argos also tied the University of North Alabama in the Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches Poll.

To make up for all of the losses, UWF is going to need transfer players to step up.

“We’ve gone Junior College heavy to try to plug a lot of holes that we need immediate help in,” Jeffcoat said. “Those junior college guys normally have the experience and things that we need to compete at this level.”

Those transfers include

outfielders Max St. Hilaire and Andrew Rodriguez and pitcher Jake Stephen.

St. Hilaire batted .315 with nine home runs and 38 RBIs at St. John’s River State College.

Stephens led Northwest Florida State College to a conference championship and a state runner up finish.

The Argos also return backup infielder Justin Bennett who played in 31 games and Ryan Day who primarily pinch ran and played as a defensive replacement.

Bennett hit .311 in 45 at bats with 13 RBIs.

Jordan Rasinski also returns to the Argos pitch-ing staff.

Rasinski worked out of the bullpen last year and had 3.43 ERA in 16 appear-ances.

The team will look to find a new identity while playing with the pressure that last year’s success put on them.

“Last year’s team has obviously cemented their season and their accom-plishments in the record books,” Jeffcoat said. “It was a wonderful ride last year but its time to close that box up and start anew.”

New players, same expectation for championship baseball team

Softball team hopes to get back on track in 2012University of West Florida Spring Sport Season Previews


Pitching depth, or a lack thereof, led to a disappointing and uncharacteristic season for the University of West Florida softball team.

The Argonauts went 22-23 (11-16 Gulf South Conference) in 2011 and finished fourth in the GSC East Division.

In 2010, the team was 40-16 (16-11 GSC) and advanced to the South Regional for the third consecutive season.

That will be the expectation once again this season.

“We had two pitchers that did not make it academically,” said Head Coach Tami Cyr about last season at the 2012 Spring Sports Media Day. “We were two pitch-ers behind before we even got started.”

This season, the Argonauts will attempt to add to their depth with transfers Jordan Ratliff and Sarah Scott.

Ratliff was the South Division

Pitcher of the Year for Lake Forest College last season and pitched a perfect game. Scott posted a 23-16

record for Tallahassee Community College and hit .312 with 54 RBIs.

The Argos return starting

pitcher Ashliegh McLean, who “pretty much carried the brunt of the pitching last year,” Cyr said.

McLean, a team captain, finished 14-10 with a 4.19 ERA and played in 41 games, 22 of them as a pitcher. She hit .244 with four doubles and 12 RBIs.

The Argos also return 2010 All-American Amber Ingram at third base.

Ingram started every game for the Argos in the past three seasons and was named to the First Team All-GSC and Second Team All-South Region.

Ingram, also a captain, hit .384 with seven doubles, two triples and 33 RBIs in 2011.

Other additions to the Argo squad include Kasie Buckley and Emma Johnson. Buckley led East Central Community College to its first ever NJCAA Region Championship.

“She led her team to a fourth place finish in the national tour-nament,” Cyr said. “She hit .469, with 12 home runs and 47

doubles.”Johnson will come to UWF

from Gulf Coast State College where she played 60 games in the past two seasons.

Cyr said Johnson will hit lead off because she is a “lefty slap-per, fast as lightning, and just a very intense lady. She hit .356 last year.”

The Argos were selected to finish fourth in the GSC by the GSC Preseason Coach’s Poll.

Two-time defending GSC champion Alabama-Huntsville was ranked first, Valdosta State was second and West Alabama was third.

“Watching baseball last year definitely lit a fire for me,” Cyr said. “Just being here for region-als and watching those guys made me sob when it was over. Just the intensity and the elation of winning is something that you just can’t describe.

“We feel like this year’s team has the depth and the balance to make that run.”


Ashliegh McLean pitches in a game last season. McLean returns as the Argonauts’ pitching staff after going 14-10 last season.


Division II National Coach of the Year Mike Jeffcoat holds the championship trophy after winning the D-II college world series in June 2011.

Tennis team adds key players to 2012 rosterChris ElkinsSports Editor

Two additions to last year’s men’s tennis team will make a huge impact on the 2011 Gulf South Conference runners up.

Former star player Kevin Ducros returns after redshirting in 2011 and NAIA standout Bruno Savi will play for the Argonauts after transferring from Auburn-Montgomrey.

Ducros, a two-time ITA All-American will return to the team after sitting out 2011 with a knee injury. The 2009 GSC East Freshman of the Year will play doubles with Savi.

“We got Kevin Ducros back,” Head Coach Derrick

Racine said at the 2012 spring sports Media Day. “He was out all of last year with his ACL and MCL and everything else on his knee. But he’s back in very good form.”

Racine said Ducros is probably a month or two away from being in top form.

Savi will rival Ducros as the team’s biggest addition.

“We’re lucky to have him,” Racine said. “He transferred from Auburn-Montgomery and lost one match last year at No. 1 for AUM. He’ll be a top five player in Division II definitely and will really strengthen up our team singles and doubles.”

Savi is ranked No. 4 in the region and No. 10 in the nation in singles.

The highly touted duo will be challenged with a tough schedule while lead-ing the team against nation-ally ranked competition. Last season, the Argos were ranked No. 8 in the nation before they were knocked by out by GSC Champion and then No. 1 ranked Valdosta State in the South Regional.

This season, the University of West Florida is ranked No. 7 in the preseason ITA rankings.

Leandro Ferreira and Andrey Pozhidaev will both return for the 2012 season. The pair played in the No. 1

and No. 2 spots for the Argos last season, but will bump down three and four with the additions of Savi and Ducros.

Ferreira went 14-14 in singles last season and was an ITA All-American. The 2010 ITA National Rookie of the Year is also a two-time ITA All-American in doubles.

He and Savi are ranked No. 4 in the region and No. 10 in the nation in doubles in the preseason ITA doubles rankings, although Savi will most likely be playing with Ducros.

Pozhidaev went 24-13 in singles in 2011 and 25-11 in doubles. He was an ITA All-American in doubles

and is a three-time All-GSC First Team honoree.

Sean Gunnels, Domenico Sano and Mike Lue will

rotate for the five and six spots.

“We’ve got our sights set high,” Racine said.

Women must overcome tough regionChris ElkinsSports Editor

For the women’s tennis team to have a shot at a national championship, first it must win the Gulf South Conference and survive the region of death.

“We’re hoping to repeat as conference champi-ons,” Head Coach Derrick Racine said at the 2012 spring sports Media Day. “You set your goal to win the conference champion-ship, because if you can win that then you’ve got a good

chance to go the rest of the way.”

The women’s team went 21-11 last year and won its 11th GSC championship in school history, the most of any team at UWF and the most of any women’s tennis team in the GSC.

But, winning the GSC doesn’t guarantee them a spot at the national tour-nament. The team must survive a region that tradi-tionally contains the top teams in the nation.

“Our region is very

tough especially in women’s tennis,” Racine said. “There’s five of the six teams in the country are right in our region. We’ve got to get through those to go to the national.”

Last season, the then ranked No. 7 UWF team was eliminated by then No. 4 Barry in the South Regional.

Twin sisters Luiza and Marianna Sonnervig return after successful sophomore campaigns. Luiza was 28-10 in singles, 22-11 in doubles

and made the All-GSC First Team. She is ranked No. 3 in the region and No. 11 in the nation in the preseason ITA singles rankings.

However, a recent surgery to remove a bone chip from her shoulder will sideline her for the start of the season.

“Luiza just had surgery on Jan. 24,” Racine said. “She should be back in hopefully 4-5 weeks.”


Kevin Ducros gets ready to serve in 2010. Ducros was sidelined in 2011 with a knee injury.

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