[MISSING TRANSCRIPTION] (00:15-06:53)

[CHRIS BURDICK] (06:53-13:20)

Thank you, Brianna. I am Chris Burdick and I am the Sports Co-Editor for the Runner this semester. A lot has happened in the world of CSUB sports and athletics over the past week, so let’s start with a recap of games and sporting events that you may have missed. Action began on Thursday, Jan. 23, as the CSUB women’s basketball team came out with a win at Utah Valley University 55-53 in exciting fashion. Graduate student and guard Andie Easley helped secure the win with a 3-pointer at the buzzer off of a tipped offensive rebound. Also, on Thursday, the men’s basketball team picked up a big win at home against the Utah Valley Wolverines in overtime. Junior forward Justin Elder Davis led the way in overtime for the Roadrunners by hitting two big back-to-back 3-pointers to begin the period before junior big man Sean Stith was able to sink the game-winning free throw with 25 seconds remaining. The Roadrunners stellar defense was able to stop the Wolverines twice from winning the game in the final seconds, leading to a 58-57-point win, and their 3rdstraight win at home. On Friday, the CSUB wrestling team traveled to Laramie, Wyoming for their 6thdual meet of the season, going up against the Wyoming University Cowboys. The Roadrunners got off to a very slow start and were only able to pick up 1 win, unfortunately losing the meet with a final point tally of 3-34. Indoor track and field took part in the MLK Collegiate Invitational in Albuquerque, NM Friday and Saturday. Sophomore hurdle jumper Jaylen Christensen, senior sprinter Mariah Lesure, and senior pole vaulter Julianne Finch all impressed at the meet against some of the nation’s most prestigious competition, but none were able to place in the top 3 in their events. On Saturday, the women’s basketball team got back at it as they traveled to Seattle to take on the Seattle University Redhawks. Ultimately, the Roadrunners were unable to take home the win, losing at Seattle University with a final score of 57-63. The men’s basketball team was also back in action on Saturday as they took on Seattle University at home in the Icardo Center. Unfortunately, their efforts were not enough, as the Roadrunners were unable to take home the win against the Redhawks, falling with a final score of 79-86.

And finally, on Sunday the wrestling team was back at again, traveling to Greeley, Colorado to take on the Northern Colorado University Bears. Seniors Wyatt Gerl and Jacob Thalin were able to get early wins in the meet to allow CSUB to get the early advantage against the Bears, but it was the decisive win by redshirt freshman Angelo Martinoni that really stood out as the Roadrunners were able to leave Colorado on Sunday with a 20-16 win against the Bears, pushing their dual meet record to 3 and 4 on the year. Also in the world of sports: NBA Legend Kobe Bryant passed away on Sunday Jan. 26 along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant and 7 others. The two were involved in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California Sunday morning. According to the LA Times, the helicopter crashed due to foggy conditions. The two were on their way to a game that Bryant was scheduled to coach at his Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California. Kobe played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers after being drafted by them in the 1996 draft at the age of 18. Bryant won 5 championships with the Lakers and is easily one of the most celebrated and beloved players in all of basketball. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Bryant family and all other families involved in this incredible time of hardship. Looking now to the future, we have a very exciting group of games coming your way this week. Starting off on Thursday, Jan. 29, your CSUB men’s basketball team take their 4 and 2 Western Athletic Conference record on the road to Las Cruces, New Mexico. Where they will take on their WAC rival, the New Mexico State University Aggies, who currently sit #1 in the WAC with a 6 and 0 record. This will be the first meeting between these two teams this year, and the Roadrunners have not had an easy time beating the Aggies in their history of playing them. SUB has lost the last 5 meetings between these two teams, including a heartbreaking 1-point loss in the Icardo Center in their last meeting a year ago on Feb. 7, 2019, when the Runners lost 71-70. The game is scheduled for tip-off at 6 p.m. Also, on Thursday, the CSUB women’s basketball team will be at home taking on the Aggies in the Icardo Center.

This will also be the first meeting between these two teams this year. The Roadrunners lost both meetings between these two teams last year. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p. m. in the Icardo Center. This Saturday, the CSUB baseball season kicks off the 2020 campaign with their traditional alumni exhibition game. Come out and show your support for CSUB baseball as they take on former players and CSUB alumni in a fun scrimmage before they begin the 2020 regular season against the Washington State Cougars on Feb. 14. That game is scheduled for a 1 p. m. start at Hardt Field. Saturday also holds a pair of WAC tournament rematches to watch out for. First, the women’s basketball team takes on the Vaqueros of the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley in the Icardo Center. This will be the first meeting between these two teams since last year’s semi-final round in the WAC Championship Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the Roadrunners lost a tough battle to the Vaqueros, with a final score of 69-58.The Roadrunners have won 7 of their last 10 match-ups against the Vaqueros, but have lost the last two meetings against Rio Grande Valley. The CSUB women’s team currently sit tied for 3rdplace in the WAC by half a game, with a record of 9-1 at home this season. Tip-off for this game is scheduled for 2 p.m. Also, on Saturday, Junior forward Taze Moore and the men’s basketball team will be traveling to Edinburg, Texas to take on the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros. The Roadrunners have had plenty of well-fought battles with Rio Grande Valley in the past. They have lost in their last 2 meetings, including their last loss to the Vaqueros in last year’s quarterfinal WAC tournament. This will be the first meeting between these two teams this year.

The CSUB men’s team has won 3 of their last 4 games, and if they can pick up both wins this week, the Roadrunners could keep CSUB at least tied for 2ndplace in the Western Athletic Conference. Tip-off is scheduled for 5p.m. And finally, on Sunday, the CSUB wrestling team will travel to Fresno, California to take on the Fresno State Bulldogs. That meet is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. And in other sporting news:Football fans rejoice! Superbowl Sunday is finally here! Watch Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs take on Jimmy Garoppolo, George Kittle, and the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 54 in Miami, Florida. This will be a very exciting game, so don’t miss these two high-powered teams faceoff against each other for the right to lift the Lombardi Trophy. The game is scheduled for kickoff at 3:30 p. m. Pacific time on Fox. And finally, here are a couple stories coming your way via the Runner this week. Come join me and get a deep dive with the CSUB swimmers before the WAC Tournament. Sophomore Autumn D’Arcy, freshman Mikayla Popham, senior Jayssie Haynes, and Director Chris Hanson will give me a breakdown of what happened throughout the year and give a preview of what is to come in the WAC Tournament and beyond. Also coming up, Runner sportswriter Brian Melgar follows up with CSUB center midfielder Carlos Armendariz. Learn about his experiences at the USA Men’s National Futsal Training Camp in Dallas, Texas over the break. And finally, Co-Sports Editor Elisa Fuentes will have a wrestling recap for you from the team’s last 2 meets against Wyoming University and Northern Colorado University

[DAMIAN LOPEZ] (13:20-16:20)

An email sent on Jan. 22 from the office of the vice president of business and administrative services, provided students with an update to dining options and hours of operation. The Runner Express is now staying open until 10p.m. Monday through Friday and Fit and Grub has been added to the list of food options on campus.

An email updating the university on the status of accreditation was sent Tuesday Jan. 21 on behalf of Doctor Debra Jackson, Associate Dean of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies and a Western Senior College and University Commission Accreditation Liaison Officer. The WSCUC is an accreditation agency meant to ensure academic institutions are meeting the standards set by the commission. According to the update, in October the WSCUC team visited the campus and submitted the report in December. This month CSUB submitted their response to the report. On Feb. 13 university representatives will meet with the WSCUC in Berkeley, CA and the commission will come to a decision on Feb. 28 whether to accredit CSUB or not. The WSCUC visiting team provided some recommendations for CSUB including further developing a capacity for institutional research, re-establishing a system for completing program reviews, and improving academic support services such as advising, tutoring, and course scheduling. CSUB was commended for taking steps to improve graduation rates, increasing involvement and presence in the community, and creating and I quote, “an inclusive, transparent process for strategic planning.”

Lea R. Molina, Communications, Special Programs, and Student Development Coordinator for the Student Recreation Center sent out an email on Jan. 27 providing students with a link to the Spring 2020 Rec Report. The Rec Report is an informational digital report about the CSUB Recreation Center. It provides information about classes available at the Rec Center, intramural sporting events, trainings, wellness workshops, spring semester SRC hours and so much more.

The Office of Grants, Research, and Sponsored Programs is now accepting applications for the Student Research Competition. The competition is open for graduate and undergraduate students at CSUB and is meant to highlight student accomplishments in scholarly research and creative activity. The deadline to apply for the competition is Feb. 24 and the competition will be held on March 6at the Business Development Center. If interested in competing, students are encouraged to contact Grant Analyst and Research Developer, Manuel Barrera at [email protected]or call 661-654-2231. Applications can also be submitted online at csub.infoready4.com, where more information is also available about the competition.

Penny Whitson, coordinator for the Psychology and Anthropology departments at CSUB, sent an email on Jan. 24 letting students know that the enrollment number for courses had increased and students had been manually added to classes. When enrollment began for spring semester many psychology students found they were having trouble enrolling in the courses they needed and began a petition to open more spots and add more classes. The last update about classes was given to students on Nov. 18 by Vernon B. Harper, Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, where he wrote in an email that new sections would be opened, and more seats would be added.